Nok Air, Airalo to enhance passenger travel experience
Nok Air and eSIM marketplace Airalo have partnered to simplify travel connectivity for the Thai budget airline’s passengers, allowing them to purchase Airalo eSIMs directly through the Nok Air website, ensuring convenient and affordable data connectivity while travelling.
The integration of Airalo eSIMs on the Nok Air website is now live.
Airalo offers eSIMs for over 200 countries and regions worldwide, providing travellers with a hassle-free alternative to traditional SIM cards. With Airalo, travellers can easily download an eSIM to their smartphone and activate it upon arrival at their destination, eliminating the need to search for a local SIM card or rely on expensive roaming charges.
“We are thrilled to partner with Nok Air to offer their passengers a seamless and affordable way to stay connected while traveling,” said Melvin Ng, senior director of APAC Partnerships at Airalo.
Wutthiphum Jurangkool, CEO of Nok Air, added: “Partnering with Airalo allows us to offer a convenient and cost-effective solution for staying connected while exploring new destinations across the region.”
New hotels: Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, Swissôtel Nusantara and more
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, Japan
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto is located in the heart of Kyoto’s historic Higashiyama Ward, offering guests 52 guestrooms, a spa, onsen, restaurant, bar, and a Noh stage.
Nestled on a hilltop just steps from the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the hotel organises cultural explorations for guests to engage with traditions, such as witnessing the craftsmanship involved in creating Noh masks at the studio of a master artisan, and a private kōdō ceremony at Sennyū-ji Temple.
Swissôtel Nusantara, Indonesia
Situated in Indonesia’s future capital city, Nusantara, East Kalimantan, Swissôtel Nusantara is nestled within the lush greenery of Forest Park, nearby Presidential Palace and government districts.
Boasting 191 rooms and suites, the hotel features multiple swimming pools, gym, spa, restaurants, kids’ club and meeting venues.
Conrad Chongqing, China
Conrad Chongqing introduces an Oriental Floating City concept that blends local nature and culture, with 275 guestrooms that boast scenic views of the mountains.
Located in the Nan’an District, facilities include three restaurants, lobby bar, and over 2,000m² of versatile event spaces.
Hotel Indigo Bandung Dago Pakar, Indonesia
The 277-key Hotel Indigo Bandung Dago Pakar is just a 30-minute high-speed train ride from Jakarta, surrounded by tea plantations, lush forests, and natural waterfalls.
Nearby attractions include the city’s botanical gardens, Taman Hutan Raya Juanda, Tebing Keraton, and Djuanda Forest Park.
The hotel has a main restaurant, lounge, and a rooftop restaurant and bar that will open later this year, with amenities including a rooftop infinity pool, kids’ club, nine meeting rooms and a Grand Ballroom.
Philippines to enhance tourism standards for accommodation, dental, and campgrounds
In its continuing effort to improve the quality of Philippine tourism, the Department of Tourism (DoT) has crafted three national standards for tourist accommodation, dental tourism, and campgrounds and glamping to be implemented this year.
All three standards have to be complied with for voluntary accreditation with DoT, said Virgilio Maguigad, director of DoT’s office of tourism standards and regulation, in a presentation at the recent 7th Hospitality Philippines Conference 2024.
The properties can use their compliance with the objective standards for their marketing as confusion arises when OTAs publish subjective tourist reviews. Another edge is that properties have to be accredited to be marketed abroad by the DoT, Maguigad emphasised.
Taking effect in November, the new National Accommodation Standards rate hotels from one to five star using seven yardsticks, including the entire guest experience from arrival to departure, Filipinisation, digitisation, and sustainability. Incognito third party assessors from the industry, including general managers and housekeepers, will check the properties to ensure an objective assessment.
The Dental Tourism Standards in collaboration with the Philippine Dental Association was already released in February and includes guidelines on cleanliness, safety, location, and requirements for restrooms. A clinic concierge is required for dental procedures such as cosmetic dentistry, dental implantology, orthodontics, endodontics and prosthodontics.
Maguigad said dental tourism was previously lumped with spa and ambulatory clinics, but that they are working on new standards for the Filipino brand of spa and wellness establishments.
The pioneering national standards for accrediting campgrounds, including glamping, will take effect in November, a first in South-east Asia.
Campgrounds, including camping tents and glamping, are considered forms of accommodation popular among adventure travellers but are not covered by the national accommodation standards, Maguigad explained.
Provisions include having certified first-aiders, safety staff training on safety and security, availability of communication devices for internal and external communication, emergency information and plans, and others.
Melia Chiang Mai contributes to culinary sustainability education
Meliá Chiang Mai in Thailand is taking in culinary students from Suan Dusit University in Lampang, Chiang Mai University, and Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Tak to provide education on sustainable farming, culinary and waste management practices.
Through this partnership with the three Thai universities, the hotel invites participating students to experience its 360° Cuisine programme, which works towards carbon reduction and food resilience through local farmers. The hotel sources vegetables, fruit, herbs, cage-free eggs, sterilised fresh milk, artisanal cheese, honey and more from a network of nearby ethical and chemical-free suppliers, such as gourmet organic farms Seed and Rong Khum as well as Jartisann Cheeserie and Supha Bee Farm.
The 360° Cuisine programme is spearheaded by Meliá Chiang Mai’s executive chef Suksant (Billy) Chutinthratip. Suksant and his team abide by a farm-to-plate approach to food preparation, where a “thoughtful cooking process” is carried out to use as much of their harvest as possible before food waste is returned to the farms as fertiliser.
Since the 360° Cuisine programme’s inception in 2022 until July this year, the hotel has processed more than 5,590kg of leftover food as compost and fertiliser and more than 1,820kg of cooking oil as biodiesel fuel.
To understand the 360° Cuisine programme, students visit Seed and Rong Khum organic farms to learn about sustainable agriculture, spend time in the hotel’s kitchens to see sustainable practices in action, and reference case studies prepared by Suksant.
Each batch of interns are expected to spend three to five months with the hotel, with the duration dependent on their course requirements.
Commenting on the educational initiative, Suksant said it was “incredibly rewarding” to see the students learn and appreciate the hotel’s sustainability efforts.
“Students hold the key to long-term changes benefitting the health of our guests, community and environment,” he said.
In response to TTG Asia’s query on employment opportunities with the hotel upon completion of the training programme, Suksant said: “Currently, we are open to all candidates interested in joining our team. Our selection process prioritises those who demonstrate a sustainability mindset.”
He added that the hotel had previously hired some interns “who shared our passion for sustainability” upon graduation. These students took up earlier internship opportunities that Meliá Chiang Mai established with universities and colleges in Northern Thailand since June 2023.
“We started the graduates in casual kitchen-hand positions, as they graduated right as we experienced more demand for kitchen staff on the back of (increased) occupancy and our F&B requirements. The timing was perfect,” he added.
Hot on the heels of the collaboration with the three Thai universities, the hotel signed a Memoranda of Understanding with Ayutthaya Vocational College and Bungphra Phitsanulok Commercial College on September 18. This will see the hotel furthering its investment in talent development, especially in the area of sustainable culinary practices.
Ascott rewards members with a night out at the Singapore Grand Prix
Top-tier loyalty members of Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) had the opportunity to catch the Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024 as part of the Ascott Privilege Signatures programme launched earlier this year by Ascott to reward its top-spending guests.
The programme leverages high profile sports events and offers exclusive experiences in destinations where Ascott is present. The inaugural event was held in London where members had VIP access to the The Championships, Wimbledon 2024 for a day.
“With sports tourism gaining significant mass appeal as travellers prioritise experiential travel, the Singapore Night Race is one significant event that blends a love for sports with travel adventures. By inviting our loyalty members to attend this premier sporting and entertainment event, we hope to reward them with the exclusive experiences that they seek,” said Tan Gan Hup, vice president, loyalty and partnerships, Ascott.
For this year’s Night Race event, members were hosted at Ascott Privilege Signatures Lounge at the Singapore Flyer. Located on the second floor of the Singapore Flyer building, members were treated to a bird’s eye view of the race track below from the balcony of the Signatures Lounge, as well as iconic landmarks of Singapore including Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands in the background. A selection of complimentary gourmet food featuring local flavours and beverages was provided as well.
Apart from the Ascott Privilege Signatures Lounge, members had access to the entire F1 race circuit, which included access to the concerts and F1 Village, as well as complimentary rides on the Singapore Flyer.
While only the second event, feedback has been positive.
“We have received very positive feedback from members on the enhanced benefits of the Ascott Star Rewards programme, especially with the introduction of these experiences as part of Ascott Privilege Signatures. Members acknowledge and appreciate the effort that Ascott has made to not just celebrate loyalty, but also connect with members on a much deeper level through these events,” shared Tan.
Ascott has also announced its next Signatures event – exclusive experiences with Chelsea Football Club, following its appointment as official Global Hotels Partner of Chelsea Football Club.
Ascott will bring The Famous CFC and Chelsea football legend Gianfranco Zola to Singapore at the end of this year. The Famous CFC is a global fan experience created by Chelsea to strengthen connections with its fans around the world, and to help connect partners and brands within international markets.
“Since becoming Chelsea’s Official Global Hotels Partner in July, Ascott has been dedicated to bringing Chelsea fans closer to their beloved football heroes, such as through exclusive hospitality packages at the Ascott Privilege Signatures Stadium Lounge at Stamford Bridge and creative social media content,” said Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer, Ascott.
ASR members will get the opportunity to attend a watch party of a match between Chelsea and Aston Villa on December 1, football coaching clinics, a meet-and-greet with Zola, and chances to win prizes and merchandise.
Other plans in the pipeline of the Ascott Privilege Signatures programme include events around gourmet and entertainment.
Dusit International, Saigontourist Group to boost tourism development in Thailand, Vietnam
Dusit International has partnered with Vietnam’s Saigontourist Group to drive tourism development in Thailand and Vietnam through strategic promotions, enhanced services, and the creation of innovative tourism products.
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will share technical expertise, experience, and best practices to help elevate the quality and effectiveness of tourism services in both countries; as well as to explore opportunities for joint hotel development and promote each other’s tourism offerings at major events, festivals, and travel fairs.
Saigontourist Group’s expansive portfolio of hotels, resorts, entertainment venues, and conference facilities across Vietnam welcomes thousands of Thai visitors each year. Likewise, Thailand is a popular destination for Vietnamese travellers.
In 2023 and the 1H2024, Saigontourist Travel Service Company arranged trips for approximately 15,400 Vietnamese tourists to experience Thailand’s top destinations, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.
As a key player in hospitality education, with Dusit Thani College, The Food School, and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School developing top talent for Dusit Hotels and Resorts and the industry at large, Dusit International and Saigontourist Group will also collaborate in education and training for tourism operations.
Gilles Cretallaz, COO, Dusit International, commented: “More than just a business agreement, this strategic alliance is a commitment to fostering mutual growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development in the tourism sector. Our collaboration will undoubtedly lead to new opportunities and innovations, benefiting both our organisations and the tourism industries of Vietnam and Thailand.”
“I believe that through close collaboration and leveraging the growth potential of both groups, we will achieve outstanding success in tourism development, thereby contributing to the socio-economic advancement of both Vietnam and Thailand,” added Truong Duc Hung, general director, Saigontourist Group.
TAGTHAi launches personalised travel itinerary planner
Thailand’s official travel super app, TAGTHAi has teamed up with Google Cloud to simplify and enhance the travel planning experience for visitors to Thailand with the help of Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence (AI) innovations.
TAGTHAi’s Design My Trip is a generative AI (gen AI)-powered capability accessible through the TAGTHAi mobile app, which utilises Vertex AI, Google Cloud’s enterprise AI platform, and Google’s first-party foundation models like Gemini, and enables travellers to create personalised trip itineraries within seconds.
The early-access version of Design My Trip, released earlier in June, helps travellers create tailored one-to-three-day itineraries for visits to the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Users simply select their specific interests, such as ‘massage and spa’, ‘Michelin food’, or ‘Skywalk’, and the AI-powered tool instantly generates a customised trip plan. Integrating with Google Maps APIs, the tool also prioritises convenience by considering distances between recommended locations to minimise travel time while providing easy access to directions, reviews, and other useful information.
The full-featured version of Design My Trip, slated for release later this year, will offer expanded capabilities, allowing users to generate itineraries for longer trips and cover more points of interest and Thai provinces, such as Chiang Mai and Phuket. It will also allow users to further customise their AI-generated itineraries and share them with others for easier group travel planning. The itineraries will also offer the option of directly purchasing and storing e-tickets to attractions and activities within the TAGTHAi app.
Design My Trip is currently available in English and Thai, with plans to generate travel itineraries and other content in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other languages, to cater to a broader range of overseas visitors.
Thiratida Kuvantharai, CEO, Thai Digital Platform Social Enterprise Co. (TAGTHAi), shared: “We’re proactively addressing a major pain point faced by international visitors: navigating where to go in Thailand, and how, due to the overwhelming complexity associated with finding reliable in-destination-related information that’s scattered across numerous online platforms. We’ve developed Design My Trip to distil these complexities into personalised trip plans that guide travellers every step of the way, reducing travel anxiety and ensuring that they can easily discover and enjoy the rich tapestry of high-quality attractions and experiences that Thailand has to offer.”
“As Thailand looks to sustain its growth in international tourism, we look forward to continuing to help TAGTHAi and the broader travel ecosystem elevate their digital competitiveness and drive tangible business results with the industry’s most enterprise-ready gen AI platform,” said Annop Siritikul, country director, Thailand, Google Cloud.
Emirates unveils new lounge in London Stansted Airport
Emirates has opened the doors to its new lounge at London Stansted Airport, a 900m² lounge that can accommodate up to 125 guests, including First and Business Class customers, as well as Emirates Skywards members.
An investment of more than four million pounds (US$5.33 million), the new lounge is Emirates’ sixth dedicated lounge in the UK. All London airports served by Emirates now provide access to premium on-ground experiences for customers to unwind and enjoy elevated dining experiences ahead of their journeys.
Located in Satellite 1, adjacent to the departure gates, customers can look forward to a spacious lounge with new furnishings and dedicated seating areas, as well as a wide food and beverage selection, complimentary Wi-Fi, shower facilities and amenities.
The Emirates lounge also offers customers a short walk for boarding access to the aircraft, with a short two- to three-minute walk to the aircraft.
In addition, the airline has partnered with Sussex-based Full Circles Farms to roll out a farm-to-table food concept in its lounge, offering customers seasonal menus with fresh, organic vegetables and local dishes.
Customers can also enjoy premium spirits and liqueurs, a selection of wine, and a range of Moet & Chandon champagnes.
“Emirates has been serving London Stansted since 2018, and the airport remains a very important gateway for our customers across the southern region of the UK. The new lounge marks a major milestone for us as we now proudly offer dedicated lounge facilities across six airports in the UK,” said Mohammed Mattar, divisional senior vice president airport services, Emirates.
Gareth Powell, managing director at Stansted Airport, added: “The opening of Emirates’ new world-class lounge is fantastic news for London Stansted and passengers using Emirates services to Dubai and beyond… the 14 weekly flights between London Stansted and Dubai have been extremely popular with travellers since day one, not just to the Middle East, but right across the globe thanks to the airline’s huge worldwide route network.”
WTTC calls for urgent action to unlock the potential of women and youth in travel and tourism
WTTC, in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, has launched a new report revealing the stark impact of the pandemic on woman and youth employment within the global travel and tourism sector, and how more must be done to ensure an inclusive and equitable recovery.
Almost 70 million people working in travel and tourism lost their jobs during the pandemic, but women and young people were disproportionately impacted because their roles were more likely to be in the worst affected areas such as hospitality and food services.
While the sector has broadly seen a strong recovery, the Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment report found it employed 42 million women and just over 16 million young people in 2022, notably lower than the 48.4 million women (-13 per cent) and nearly 19 million young workers (15 per cent) supported by the sector in 2019.
The report, which examines employment trends across 185 economies from 2019 to 2022, underscores the sector’s potential as a key driver of inclusive economic growth and social progress.
According to the latest EIR data, in 2023, the travel and tourism sector’s GDP contribution rose by 29.1 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, outpacing the global average, which remained 4.1 per cent below. Yet despite this economic rebound, the social recovery continued to lag, particularly for women and young people who remain more likely to be stuck in informal, part-time, or low-wage roles without security or growth potential.
The report also highlights that women remain underrepresented in high-wage and leadership roles, with the gender split in travel and tourism employment nearly mirroring that of the wider economy. Meanwhile, young workers, who make up a greater share of the travel and tourism workforce compared to the wider economy, face particular challenges in accessing stable employment.
This joint report calls for urgent action to address these disparities and maximise the sector’s potential as a driver of inclusive growth. It is critical to learn from these hardships and implement measures to protect these groups from being disproportionately affected in future crises.
Key areas of focus for governments and the travel and tourism sector include developing policies for skills training and gender equality; enhancing job opportunities for women and youth; investing in education and leadership programmes; implementing inclusive hiring practices and equal pay; supporting flexible work arrangements and childcare; and promoting entrepreneurship through support for start-ups and small businesses
Saudi Arabia minister of tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb, welcomed the joint report findings and emphasised the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting youth and female employment in the travel and tourism sector: “In 2022, Saudi women’s employment in tourism was the fifth fastest growing among G20 countries. The focus on localising services, in areas like AlUla and Diriyah, has created new opportunities for women in heritage tourism jobs. Through stronger partnerships, tourism can transform into a vehicle for inclusive development, creating a more equitable and prosperous future for everyone.”
Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO, added: “Women and young people are the backbone of our sector, yet they continue to face significant barriers. By investing in skills, promoting inclusive policies, and fostering entrepreneurship, we can unlock the full potential of these groups and ensure that our sector leads the way in creating meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.”
Read the full report here.
Snowflake has launched the AI Data Cloud for travel and hospitality, uniting its data platform, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, and industry-specific solutions to deliver data insights for the industry.
As the travel and hospitality industry transitions from recovery to stable growth, businesses face new challenges and opportunities. In offering a unified platform that streamlines AI and machine learning development, Snowflake empowers airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and travel technology providers to harness their data’s full potential, improve operations, and power five-star customer experiences across the sector.
The AI Data Cloud for travel and hospitality addresses key industry trends and use cases, including dynamic pricing and sustainability tracking, developer efficiencies, reputation management, and performance advertising to help organisations across the industry both streamline operations and unlock new business value.
With Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud for travel and hospitality, businesses can build and optimise outcomes like hyper-personalised marketing, improved customer experience, loyalty and co-branded experiences, reliable and efficient operations, and maximised revenue management.
Snowflake’s ecosystem also facilitates seamless data enrichment via Snowflake Marketplace, allowing businesses to easily integrate and analyse third-party data sources such as weather patterns, economic indicators, and global events alongside their own data, enabling more comprehensive and better-informed decision-making in industries where external factors significantly impact operations and customer behaviour.
Whitnee Hawthorne, global head of travel and hospitality at Snowflake, commented: “Our AI Data Cloud for travel and hospitality provides the tools and capabilities needed to not only keep pace with evolving customer expectations, but also to drive innovation and operational excellence in this dynamic and competitive sector.”
Some of the largest travel and hospitality businesses around the world are already using Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud for travel and hospitality to democratise data access and drive collaboration.
“By creating a unified data foundation on Snowflake, we’re improving our ability to make data driven decisions and automate aspects of our business” said Raymond Boyle, vice president, data analytics and strategic insights, Hyatt. “From guest preferences to functional decision management, Snowflake empowers us to advance care and further enhance the guest experience.”
Rahul Todkar, head of data and AI at Tripadvisor, shared: “Snowflake has revolutionised how we collaborate with other brands in the ecosystem, allowing secure data sharing that benefits both our business and the broader travel industry. This comprehensive approach has not only streamlined our operations but also opened new avenues for growth and partnership.”