JTB Corporation encourages more outbound travel with new campaign
Japan’s largest travel agent is aiming to stimulate more outbound travel this summer with a range of financial incentives and advertising promotions.
JTB Corporation’s campaign will target Japanese consumers who travelled overseas pre-pandemic as well as newcomers to international travel, in a bid to support the outbound market, which is proving slow to recover from the impacts of Covid.
Japanese overseas travellers totalled 888,800 in April 2024, up from 560,200 the year before but 46.7 per cent less than in April 2019, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization.
The first quarter of 2024 also indicates a sluggish rebound, with 3.01 million travellers compared to 4.92 million over the same period in 2019.
Under JTB’s summer travel campaign, eligible travellers who depart on JTB overseas tours between July 1 and September 30 can apply for financial support to acquire a passport, a free breakfast at a hotel of their choice in Hawaii and free overseas Wi-Fi rental with unlimited data in Hawaii, Guam, Australia, Singapore, Bali and Taiwan.
The company has also launched a series of live broadcasts to provide seasonal travel information and tips about various travel destinations. Viewers can post comments and ask questions in real time or watch archived programmes.
“The broadcasts will convey the joys and attractions of travelling overseas,” said JTB in a company note.
New television commercials will also introduce popular actress and singer Nao Matsushita appreciating the scenery and cuisine in Singapore, Hawaii and parts of Europe to inspire consumers, according to JTB.
Despite the slow recovery of Japan’s outbound market, an estimated 23 million Japanese (of a population of 125.7 million) could be expected to travel overseas in the short-term based on a recent study by Mitsubishi Research Institute, said Toshiya Miyazaki, a member of the institute’s policy team who was involved in the research.
Accor transforms Australian airport areas with new-era airport hotels
Accor is taking off with a new breed of hotels that are helping transform airport precincts into dynamic mini-cities, with two new properties opening at Melbourne Airport this July.
The Novotel and ibis Styles Melbourne Airport hotels will be Accor’s third and fourth in the precinct and the first new internationally branded hotels at the airport for almost 20 years.
The Novotel hotel will boast 248 rooms, while ibis Styles will offer 216 rooms. Nearby are tourist attractions such as UrbanSurf and iFLY just 15 minutes from the airport.
Both dual-branded hotels will offer a range of facilities to cater for business, conference and leisure guests, as well as workers and visitors to the airport district. These include three food and beverage outlets, function facilities for up to 330 guests, and The Aerofoil hotel-serviced co-working space, which is spread across two floors and available to guests and non-guests for short-term or long-term business.
Guests at both properties and transiting travellers will also have access to Higher State, Melbourne’s first airport health and well-being club, which features an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, massage, and fitness centre.
In addition to the new-build Novotel and ibis Styles hotels, Accor’s Mantra hotel at Tullamarine is about to undergo a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. The comprehensive project involves upgrading executive, premier, and deluxe studios and suites, with the hotel’s restaurant and bar also being refreshed.
Australia’s first airport ‘resort’ launched last December following the upgrading and integration of the Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport hotels. The reimagined resort property added a 61-metre swimming pool, new pool villas, additional food and beverage outlets, an integrated arrivals and welcome area, extensive Indigenous artwork and murals, and an Indigenous training academy.
Accor Pacific chief operating officer PM&E, Adrian Williams, remarked that the expansion of the group’s airport hotel network highlighted the evolution of airport precincts into major commercial and service centres.
He said: “Airport hotels are no longer necessarily just about transiting travellers; they are the engines of whole new integrated multi-use developments that have evolved to offer a complete mix of business, retail, industry and tourism activities.
“Airport precincts are transforming into mini-cities in their own right with their own demand drivers. The reasons to stay at an airport hotel are growing exponentially, and particularly in Melbourne, where the lack of integrated transport options to the terminals makes staying overnight at one of our hotels and relaxing and preparing for a major overseas trip one of the best investments a traveller can make. Starting a long international trip stress free is a massive plus for well-being.”
Hong Kong Airlines adds new service to Taichung
Hong Kong Airlines will launch daily direct flights to Taichung, Taiwan from July 19.
The new route will be integrated with the airline’s existing four daily flights between Hong Kong and Taipei.
Snag special fares with Emirates to over 80 destinations
Emirates is offering travellers the chance to enjoy special fares on Emirates flights from June 4 to 24.
Whether it is an impromptu trip over the June school holidays, a short getaway during the September break, or a longhaul vacation away from the hustle and bustle of city life, travellers will find special deals available across Economy Class, Premium Economy Class, and Business Class for the travel period of June 7 to November 30 to over 80 destinations within Emirates’ extensive network.
For more information, visit Emirates.
WATG paints forward plans as it readies for 80th anniversary milestone
A sharper focus on residential and gaming projects, greater presence in Asia, and investments in sustainability and innovation are among the things on global architectural firm WATG’s agenda as it approaches its 80th anniversary next year.
WATG’s president and CEO David Moore recalled the firm’s entry into Asia through its first project in Singapore, the evergreen Garden Wing at Shangri-La Singapore, which opened in 1978, and said WATG has moved on to deliver many more iconic hotel projects in the region.
He pointed to examples such as Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu, Malaysia, which was a “real environmental milestone project”; W Singapore – Sentosa Cove; and The St. Regis Singapore.
“We are incredibly proud of our work with The St. Regis, Singapore and the Garden Wing at Shangri-La Singapore because both are often top accommodation choices among foreign heads of states who visit Singapore,” he said.
One of its latest projects in Asia is JW Marriott Jeju, which brought the island’s nature, culture, and history into the architecture. Highlights include a cantilever roof that optimises views of Jeju’s coastline while honouring the indigenous Choga architecture-style with a sustainable interpretation.
However, the need to diversify WATG’s specialisation beyond hotel projects and the team’s culture of “always thinking how we can keep pushing the envelope” have led the firm to pursue new goals.
“We are keen on areas that we have historically been opportunistic about – that is, taking on such projects only when a request comes in. Such projects were for multi-family or senior living residences and gaming developments. We realised we have done a real good job with them, so we want to be more strategic about such specialisations going forward,” Moore told TTG Asia.
Elaborating on WATG’s vision for its gaming specialisation, Moore said teams are being established to proactively pursue opportunities, and new offices will be opened to support this effort and other objectives.
WATG’s first gaming project was The Palace of the Lost City in Sun City, South Africa. Its portfolio now includes The Venetian Las Vegas and Bellagio, Club Privé.
“We have an outfit in California that handles gaming projects in Las Vegas. However, we expect a lot more gaming projects to materialise in Asia, so we want to be here. We are ready to take on the gaming floors, the hotels, and the entertainment that go into such projects,” he added.
The team is also paying greater attention to its commitment to responsible development.
“WATG takes environmental impact seriously in all its projects,” emphasised Moore, who added it has landscape architects who carefully review site conditions and local habitat, as well as a newly-appointed director of sustainability “to help WATG become the leader in the environmental side of hospitality”.
Ronnie Tan, studio director, landscape at WATG, said the team “prioritises regenerative and resilient design”.
He elaborated: “When we go into a new project, we take a holistic approach to our design. We go in with a very light touch, as our intention is to leave the smallest footprint possible while enhancing the existing site conditions. We consider ways to bring the landscape and wildlife into the architecture so that the local habitat is enhanced through the new development. The project must make business sense for the owners and have a positive impact on the community.”
Technology is another area that WATG is investing in, with a focus on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) in building design. There is potential to make available final project visions right at the start of discussions with clients.
However, WATG is well aware of the legal implications of AI use.
“AI skims data off the Internet. There are a lot of good architecture firms and we respect their work; we don’t want to touch their data and get caught in copyright issues,” said Moore.
As such, the firm is developing its own “AI sandbox” that uses data from WATG projects across 80 years.
Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI 2024 spotlights the power of women travellers, accessibility
The latest Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024 highlights changing demographics – namely the growing importance of the female traveller and under-40, young travellers – as well as what is driving and fuelling the sector’s growth.
Aisha Islam, senior vice president, Customer Solutions Center, South-east Asia, Mastercard Asia-Pacific, said the 2024 index showed a “breaking of boundaries and value and volume increasing”.
She told participants at the Halal in Travel Global Summit (HiTGS) that the figure of 436 million global female travellers is ”a huge influence in travel planning”.
She described this cohort as “digitally connected, seeking personalised experiences and cashless transactions” and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is offering them an “unprecedented level of personalisation”.
The GMTI Muslim Women Friendly Destination matrix, included for the first time last year with 10 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and non-OIC destinations, has increased to 20 in the 2024 index.
Malaysia, Indonesia and Qatar were the top three in the OIC category and Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the non-OIC category.
As for the young traveller, Islam noted the cohort is “dynamic, tech-savvy and socially active”.
Agreeing, Fazal Bahardeen, CEO, CrescentRating, commented 70 per cent of the Muslim population under-40 is a digital native.
Meanwhile, Fazal said new metrics on “accessible travel” – availability of facilities and services for travellers with disabilities – were added to the model for GMTI 2024.
In quoting UN and UNWTO data, he shared that more than one billion people, or 15 per cent of the global population, live with some form of disability; only nine per cent of global tourism destinations are equipped with accessibility solutions for travellers with specific needs; and by 2050, two billion people, more than 20 per cent of the world’s population will be 60 or older, with a significant increase in the oldest populations.
The GMTI presentation showed the resurgence and growth in the Muslim travel market reached a 168 million arrivals milestone in 2024, a five per cent increase over 2019, and is projected to reach 230 million arrivals and contribute US$225 billion by 2028.
GMTI 2024 put Indonesia and Malaysia in joint top spot for OIC destinations, while Singapore led non-OIC destinations for the ninth consecutive year.
Singapore was also named the Most Diversified Halal Dining City of the Year during the summit.
Fazal said Singapore offered some 3,000 Halal F&B outlets, certified by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS); there was also an increase in fine-dining establishments to cater to the sophisticated lifestyle of Muslim travellers.
The launch of the HalalTrip Gastronomy Awards, a joint effort by HalalTrip and the Singapore Halal Culinary Federation, was announced during HiTGS in 2023.
The first awards ceremony will take place on June 5, 2024, at Village Hotel Bugis with minister of state Muhammad Faisal Ibrahim as guest of honour.
GMTI, now in its ninth year, analysed data across 145 destinations using the ACES framework built around metrics on access, communication, environment and services.
Qantas, Perth Airport team up to boost Australia’s tourism industry
Qantas and Perth Airport have signed a 12-year commercial agreement that will unlock a multi-billion-dollar wave of investment and transform Western Australia into a major domestic and international hub for both Qantas and Jetstar.
The hub will significantly enhance inbound tourism and give Australians more options when travelling to Asia, Africa, India and Europe.
As part of the agreement, Perth Airport will invest around A$3 billion (US$1.99 billion) in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway which is expected to be open in 2028. This will form part of a A$5 billion capital investment programme by the airport, which will also deliver two multi-storey carparks, major access roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel.
Both Qantas and Jetstar will relocate all services to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct, and will also invest in new aircraft. Qantas also plans to build a new engineering hangar in the Airport Central precinct.
In addition, Perth Airport will also invest in upgrades to Terminals 3 and 4, which will enable Qantas to add services and more destinations from Perth, including Auckland and Johannesburg from mid-2025. The works will also include gate upgrades to accommodate ultra-longhaul aircraft, including the airline’s Project Sunrise Airbus A350s which arrive from 2026 – both Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually by the time the new terminal opens in 2031.
The new terminal will offer passengers seamless domestic and international transfer, check-in and bag drop facilities. Both Qantas and Perth Airport will work on plans for a multi-lounge precinct for international and domestic passengers with a new signature design and bespoke dining and wellness initiatives.
“This is the largest airport infrastructure deal in our history. It will enable us to create a world-class western hub and significantly expand our domestic and international services over the short, medium and long term,” commented Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson, adding that the additional services will help create around 700 new jobs in Western Australia across pilots, crew, engineering and airport staff.
Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters shared: “This is a special moment in the history of aviation in Western Australia as this agreement will unlock the future for both Perth Airport and Qantas. Most importantly, it will deliver one airport for the people of Western Australia which will host all flight services giving them a seamless, world class travel experience.”
Glow Festival returns for its third edition this July
Back for its third year, Glow Festival by Prudential promises a wellness event like no other as it engages attendees of all ages and wellness levels from July 6 to 21 at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza and Rain Oculus.
The 16-day anchor event of the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) is targeting to host over 100,000 wellness and fitness enthusiasts alike, and is set to occupy 1,900m² of the iconic venue.
Themed Wellness Awakening, this year’s Glow Festival will see lululemon and PURE as curation partners as it rolls out a comprehensive programme of over 70 workouts and wellness workshops.
A new highlight is the lululemon’s inaugural Get Into Strides with lululemon – led by different lululemon ambassadors. This five-kilometre run around the scenic Marina Bay area is happening at sunrise every weekend throughout the festival.
lululemon ambassadors will also be hosting their classes at Glow Festival, offering participants the chance to join AARMY Bootcamp, AARMY Cycle, as well as Yoga and Chill and Soul Flow Yoga sessions.
With a total of six zones, four of them – The Oracle by Alpha Wave Experience, Virtual Reality sessions, Art Therapy, and The Bliss Room – are complimentary and open-to-all, while tickets are required for the Main Studio and the Recovery Space. The Recovery Space comprises ice baths, a Face Yoga Fitness Bar, and Therabody equipment, all designed to provide a comprehensive recovery session after workout sessions.
For nourishment, there is the Wellness Bazaar by Guardian offering health and beauty products, artisanal crafts and more, as well as a dedicated area with four food trucks offering an array of healthy and nutritious cuisine options.
In addition, Prudential Singapore has also launched a six-week mentorship programme, Project Glow Up, for aspiring wellness professionals, where they are given the opportunity to be mentored by experts in the fitness, F&B, and retail industries.
“Glow Festival has grown from strength to strength and for the first time, Glow will be the anchor event of Wellness Festival Singapore. By working with our industry players like Glow, we can showcase our diverse, unique and accessible range of wellness offerings in Singapore to locals and visitors and achieve Singapore’s ambition to become an urban wellness haven,” shared Ong Ling Lee, executive director, sports and wellness, STB.
Glow Festival founder, Martin Capstick, added: “As the anchor event for this year’s WFS, Glowgetters can not only gain access to the exceptional wellness programmes that they are accustomed to, but also will be thrilled with the line-up of immersive experiences we’ve added this year.”
Ticket sales for Glow Festival by Prudential are now open with early bird prices starting from S$29 (US$21) – each ticket will allow participants access to one class at the Main Studio and exclusive access to Recovery Space, alongside a complimentary drink, discount vouchers, and exclusive merchandise. VIP tickets are also available (from S$49), which includes a limited edition Glow Festival x lululemon T-shirt.
Ten per cent of the proceeds from every ticket purchased for lululemon classes will go towards the support of Samaritans of Singapore, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing emotional support and safe spaces to troubled individuals.
Cathay Pacific levels up its Premium Economy experience on upcoming fleet
Cathay Pacific is set to redefine the Premium Economy class experience with its upcoming fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, adding 16 Premium Economy seats compared to other aircraft in its fleet.
With a focus on designing a premium cabin, the airline has taken a more human-centric approach in designing the new Premium Economy experience for guests travelling on their upcoming fleet of Boeing 777-300ER.
Set to fully deploy in early 2027, Cathay Pacific made major changes to the existing Premium Economy experience that it has been providing for its passengers since 2012. These changes are designed to make longhaul flights more comfortable for its passengers, which means that Cathay Pacific has to adjust various elements, starting from the seat.
While the size of the seat in the new Premium Economy does not change, the new ergonomics of the seats are more accommodating – improvements have been made to the seat padding and leg rest, and the new wing-shaped headrest. Even the LED reading lamp has moved from above the passenger to the seat, which accommodates the passenger’s seating position as they choose to sit up or recline.
Lastly, deploying and stowing tables in the Premium Economy class has been automated to buttons.
Even the entertainment system offerings have been upgraded. Passengers will now enjoy 15.6 inch 4K TV screens with a new graphical user interface when flying in Premium Economy. Passengers can also use their own headphones via Bluetooth pairing.
Cathay Pacific has also elevated the dining experience for its Premium Economy passengers, offering Jain meal options and plant-based options to health-conscious travellers. The airline also worked with several of China’s leading winemakers to update its wine selection for Premium Economy passengers.
Topping up the changes to the Premium Economy experience include two dedicated washrooms for these passengers flying on the Boeing 777-300ER.
Aircraft models such as the current A350s are candidates for this retrofitting in the future.
Trip.com Group’s international brand Trip.com will be adopting successful features on its Ctrip domestic platform, such as “badges for low carbon footprint hotels” to connect sales to environmental, social and governance (ESG), corporate sustainability and societal impact responsibility as part of its future growth strategies.
Live streaming will also be added to Trip.com next month.
Popular on Ctrip, the live streaming which was launched in 2020, has garnered more than one billion views, generating total live broadcast gross merchant value (GMV) of US$1.4 billion.
This year, there have been 14 live broadcasts so far with 500 international hotels participating, which Trip.com Group wants to expand into the “tens of thousands” over the next three years.
To create value for partners, artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to create compelling visuals from photographs supplied by hotel partners.
These were some of the future growth strategies announced by the company’s leaders during the May 30 Envision 2024 Global Partner Conference, held in Shanghai, and themed Charting the Next Chapter of Our Growth Together.
James Liang, co-founder and chairman, said the group recognised the importance of ESG among young customers and partners where the former can differentiate low carbon footprint hotels by their “badge”.
The group’s inventory comprises some 2,600 eco-friendly hotels attracting around 4.3 million paid guests, who also forked out four per cent more for their flights to offset their carbon footprint.
AI’s widespread impact on the travel industry, Liang added, was boosting productivity, enhancing customer service, and providing users with highly personalised travel recommendations.
Healthy growth after recovery
In 2023, Trip.com Group’s CEO Jane Sun reported unprecedented growth with US$160 billion in GMV, the highest of all OTA platforms; 100 per cent international growth; and 300 per cent growth in outbound hotel and flight bookings and revenue.
To empower global B2B transactions, the group enhanced global insurance for flights, hotels and rentals via global partnerships; offered TripLink an international UnionPay issuer providing US cards and exchange services; and global shopping with partners from 6,000 luxury groups, department stores and duty-free operators in 800 cities.
Sun further shared that 1Q2024 was also off to a strong start, with GMV increasing 56 per cent vs 1Q2023; more than 100 per cent growth in international hotel and air bookings, 80 per cent growth in Asia-Pacific, and 900 per cent in Europe “with a much smaller base”.
The group’s ecosystem comprises some 1.7 million global accommodation listings, flights from over 600 airlines, and a network of over 90,000 partners, including group tours, attractions, and car rental providers.
Boon Sian Chai, managing director and vice president international markets, said the Group has fully recovered on flight bookings and named Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore as top destinations.
Among western markets, Chai noted Australia and the UK were “less sceptical about visa and safety issues and these travellers were booking earlier”, which was helping revenue and yield management.
To help boost its vacation packages, Chai urged hotels partners to offer “transparent rates” to complement efforts by the Group to expand ticketing services globally this year with 16 new sites and eight new service languages. There are also plans to expand car rental services to Thailand, Japan and other markets.
Chai said its data showed business was being generated by “higher-tier members and the younger generation”.
Its Black Diamond Members who spend more than US$71,000 were booking “70 room nights at US$300”, he noted.
The group is targeting and acclimatising to younger travellers by using AI to train and address questions in a scalable manner to provide an effortless and sustainable technology ecosystem.
He pointed out that TripGenie, a customised app which integrates agent and partner content to boost customer experience, will continue, now supports voice and text conversations in nine languages, with new support for Italian, Dutch and Malay available by end-June.
Chai pointed out that agent calls are answered in 30 seconds, AI is improving user “self-service” functions, and its Trustpilot customer service rating has improved to 4.2 stars.
He continued: “Younger travellers are sharing via social media on how to get from point A to point B, what food to eat, etc on the Trip Moments homepage, and we are adapting our tools to consumer behaviour and trends.”
On the Ctrip app for example, information alerts include the aircraft take-off queue number on the tarmac, and upon arrival, the baggage carousel number, which Chai said will be available on the Trip.com app by year end.