ILTM Asia Pacific has confirmed Sumana Rajarethnam, South-east Asia director of the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, as keynote presenter at the Opening Forum on June 19.
He will present a macroeconomic global and regional outlook, as well as reveal current economic trends and future expectations, and provide actionable global business insights for attendees.
The Economist’s Sumana Rajarethnam will be the keynote presenter at the ILTM Asia Pacific Opening Forum
“I welcome and am looking forward to the opportunity to encourage ILTM Asia Pacific delegates to think differently, discover new possibilities and change their mindsets,” said Rajarethnam.
The Opening Forum will also highlight ILTM’s latest Buzz v Reality research, Decoding the Luxury Traveller’s Mindset; Spotlight China, which will provide valuable insights into the travel behaviours of today’s high-net worth Chinese traveller.
The other three days will see the industry come together in a programme of one-to-one pre-scheduled meetings, networking events and media meetings, providing the platform for building business relationships with suppliers of luxury travel brands.
The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia and Haichang Ocean Park have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the first large-scale ocean park in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
According to the MOU, Haichang plans to leverage its diverse expertise and experience to develop various forms of location-based entertainment venues among KSA’s cities – family entertainment centre, water park, IP themed park, zoo and safari park – to attract global and local visitors and drive the long term, sustainable growth of the tourism sector.
Both parties will work together to develop the first large-scale ocean park in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
In addition, the development of the new ocean parks and resorts is expected to create numerous job opportunities, stimulate local businesses, and contribute to the overall economic development of the region.
Haichang’s executive director, Qu Cheng, said: “The first world-class ocean park… will also serve as an educational platform to promote awareness and importance of ocean conservation. We believe the families of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East will appreciate our unique offering, and we look forward to bringing this world-class experience to the KSA.”
To achieve its growth strategies, Haichang is working closely with local partners and stakeholders, including the Ministry of Investment and General Entertainment Authority, to identify the right sites for its intended huge projects.
The Westin Manila has named Alexander Dietzsch as its general manager, who was also the pre-opening consultant of the hotel.
Before joining The Westin Manila, Dietzsch oversaw F&B operations at NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu. He has also worked in various capacities at The Westin properties in Bangkok and Bali.
From left: Alexander Dietzsch and Meegee Yap
Meanwhile, Meegee Yap is the new director of sales and marketing at The Westin Manila. She was previously at Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa with the same title.
The newly announced S$10 million (US$7.5 million) Singapore On-screen fund, while not a big budget, is betting on the initiative creating and repeating the international impact of the 2018 Hollywood hit Crazy Rich Asians.
Co-funded by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to encourage the use of Singapore as the backdrop to create content and deep story, the initiative is also expected to boost the local film industry.
STB hopes the fund will provide more opportunities for local media enterprises and talent to collaborate with international counterparts (Photo: STB)
The announcement was made at the Travel Industry Conference on April 5.
IMDA noted that the fund was not aimed at catering to a specific genre of film/TV projects or skillset.
Justin Ang, assistant chief executive, IMDA noted: “A big part of the fund is targeted at companies willing to set productions in Singapore and willing to commit to hire a certain amount of local media talent to be involved in such productions. So that, one, it will help boost the direct involvement experience transfer, but also the ability to boost the credentials of our media talent.”
The fund, IMDA added, would “provide more opportunities for our home-grown media enterprises and talent to collaborate with their international counterparts to hone their skills and gain experience on projects that target the global audience”.
“Having our local media talent involved in such projects will boost the credentials of our local media industry and also showcase Singapore’s capabilities to take on large-scale productions on the global stage,” the agency said.
In response to TTG Asia‘s query, STB’s spokesperson pointed out the board was “not limiting to any aspects in particular” – which is why the Branded Entertainment sizzle reel that was shown during the plenary session – showed diverse possibilities from modern and sci-fi to drama and high-speed chase scenes.
“What’s key is to tap the deep storytelling expertise of global media and entertainment players in a more purposeful way, showcasing Singapore through a fresh lens as travel demand recovers,” commented the spokesperson.
Editor’s note: Quotes in paragraph five to seven were wrongly attributed to an STB spokesperson. This has been corrected.
Klook and Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) have signed a three-year strategic partnership to boost international visitors to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
The collaboration will leverage on Klook’s digital marketing and social content capabilities and strength in Asia-Pacific, to target the growing millennial and Gen-Z segment in six key markets, namely Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and South Korea.
Both companies will collaborate on marketing activities to attract more visitors to Singapore’s wildlife parks (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
Together, MWG and Klook will co-develop regional marketing campaigns as well as curate bundles and activities for international visitors and position the precinct of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve as a top-of-mind destination in Singapore.
Eric Gnock Fah, COO & co-founder, Klook said: “Our collaboration reflects our shared values and commitment to responsible tourism and protecting the planet and its wildlife. With social content being the perfect medium to showcase the amazing experiences at Mandai, we aim to attract a younger demographic of travellers to explore new adventures and create meaningful memories.”
The partnership will kick off with an integrated pan-region digital campaign, a series of online-to-offline (O2O) activations, original social content as well as new offerings sold exclusively on Klook’s platform. There will be a new Mandai Klook Pass and other customised bundles that pair admission tickets with food, wildlife experiences, transportation and SIM cards for connectivity, creating convenient and seamless experiences for different travellers.
Jean Choi, chief sales and marketing officer, Mandai Wildlife Group, shared: “We want to be culturally relevant and in the minds of the young working adults and youth segments who are always on the lookout for new experiences. With this group being the key demographic users of Klook, there is a lot of synergy to fuel our partnership.
“Our jointly developed campaigns will showcase a different side to our upcoming destination, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, and in line with Klook’s purpose, inspire and enable more moments of joy. Overall, Mandai Wildlife Group remains committed to providing meaningful experiences as we progressively launch new wildlife parks and nature-based offerings in the next three years.”
One core focus of the partnership will be on raising awareness of wildlife conservation efforts and taking actions towards living sustainably – users can also opt for “Choose Good, Do Good” bundles where a portion of the proceeds will go towards MWG’s conservation efforts across South-east Asia.
A detailed line-up of events will be updated on Klook’s platform, including the soft opening of Singapore’s new bird park on May 8, Singapore Zoo’s 50th anniversary or Golden ZOObilee, and a series of specially curated mini-events like memorable dates for couples.
Travelport’s newest research What Consumers Want showed that consumers want the travel industry to get modern. It revealed multiple gaps that explain the lacking trust customers have in travel retailers, namely the lack of simplified and intuitive experiences, easy support and transparency.
For the travel industry, this insight offers valuable considerations and opportunities to generate more sales and customer loyalty.
59% of respondents said that getting exactly what they want is more important than how much they pay for it
“The travel industry is poised to build on the goodwill it earned during the pandemic by getting modern and giving consumers the simple, easy and supportive experience they expect,” said Jen Catto, chief marketing officer at Travelport.
“Now that the industry is recovering, there is an enormous opportunity for travel brands to reinvest in their customer experiences, earning them customer loyalty while increasing their revenue simultaneously. It’s a win-win.”
Time and transparency prioritised over price
Supporting the belief that “time is money”, Travelport’s study confirmed consumers spend more time online searching rather than buying – consulting reviews, seeking recommendations, and looking into other factors of what an offer includes.
The study revealed that the majority (69%) of consumers research a purchase online daily or weekly, with very few (only 2%) stating that they never research a purchase online.
Travelport also found that nearly all consumers (93%) believe that the best modern retailers make it easy for them to find exactly what they want. With various options available for every aspect of a trip, this is particularly crucial for travel retailers.
Full transparency is what most consumers (90%) desire most, meaning modern retailers must share full product information upfront in order to help consumers save time and gain confidence in their purchases. Doing so will pay off for retailers. In fact, most respondents (59%) said that getting exactly what they want is more important than how much they pay for it.
Even Gen Z wants convenient, human-led customer support
Most study respondents (77%), regardless of age, have interacted with a chatbot. However, just a quarter of theoretical “digital natives” – those aged 18 to 41 – use them frequently. Three quarters of all respondents prefer to speak with a human (via chat or phone) when something goes wrong, but what was unexpected is that more (83%) of younger consumers aged 18-41 actually want more human support than their elders, age 42 and above.
Furthermore, consumers in this study shared that importance of easy returns and exchanges (43%), filtered options (40%) and personalised offers (29%). These factors clearly indicate more personal support is valued at every stage of the retail journey, from research to purchase and post-purchase experiences.
Consumers will travel longer, spend more for sustainability
Climate change and sustainability are top of mind for consumers, especially those with a passion for travel. Travelport’s study revealed that nearly half of consumers (49%) would choose to spend more and even more (60%) would take longer, indirect transport routes to their destination to save on carbon emissions when travelling. This varies by age group, as the study results show (33%) of consumers aged 18-41 would travel two to three hours longer to save on carbon emissions, compared to only (19%) of consumers aged 42 and older.
Zipair Tokyo will have its inaugural flight from Tokyo to San Francisco on June 2.
The airline will initially offer five flights per week between Tokyo’s Narita Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
Zipair will fly from Tokyo to San Francisco from June 2
The service to San Francisco will become the carrier’s third route across the Pacific, following Los Angeles and San José Mineta International Airport.
This year marks a decade of Dark Mofo, a provocative midwinter festival that stretches imaginations with its unique, artistic expression – it returns to Tasmania, Australia from June 8 to 22.
Black Flag is one of the performances during Black Mofo; it plays on June 10
Explore a variety of offerings from the iconic Winter Feast to the nude solstice swim. This festival will allow for extreme merry-making with its mesmerising exhibitions, astounding visual shows at the Dark Park, and scrumptious spread for all to enjoy.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, the Maldives
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort is set on the tropical island of Fares at the western edge of Baa Atoll and features 176 accommodation choices such as beach studios, four-bedroom beach pavilions, and three-bedroom over water villas.
Just 35 minutes from Velana International Airport, the new-build resort offers activities for the whole family – seven F&B outlets, a water sports centre, gym, spa, kids’ club, teens’ club, and more.
The resort is in close proximity to Hanifaru Bay, where guests can spot whale sharks and snorkel with manta rays. There are also dive sites and reefs for guests to explore the underwater world.
Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit
Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand
INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit offers 208 rooms and is situated in the city’s trendy On Nut neighbourhood.
Guests can take in the vibrant cityscape from the towering windows of the hotel’s expansive co-working space on the 32nd floor, dine at the on-site tapas restaurant, or head to the two topmost floors to enjoy the sky-high pool bar and open-air swimming pool.
Caring for the environment, the property has eliminated single-use plastic and provides drinking water in recycled glass bottles.
Grand Mercure Hanoi
Grand Mercure Hanoi, Vietnam
Grand Mercure Hanoi has opened in the heart of city, close to the Temple of Literature and within walking distance of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum.
The hotel boasts 181 rooms and suites, as well as four restaurants and bars, rooftop pool, fitness centre, spa, and meeting venues.
Centara Ubon
Centara Ubon, Thailand
The 160-key Centara Ubon is an all-in-one lifestyle destination for both business and leisure travellers to experience the beauty and culture of Thailand’s North-east region.
On-site are an all-day dining restaurant, outdoor pool bar, swimming pool, fitness centre, event spaces.
Located just 6.5km from the Ubon Ratchathani International Airport, guests at the hotel are within steps of food, shopping and local experiences at the adjacent Central Ubon shopping centre and nearby historic landmarks.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will be refreshing its Passion Made Possible (PMP) campaign, which is expected to be the impetus to maintain the momentum of tourism recovery.
During the Travel Industry Conference on April 5, STB chief executive Keith Tan expressed confidence “we can sustain the momentum of growth” based on the destination having “already crossed over 2.9 million visitors in 1Q2023, each staying an average of 3.97 days”.
STB will position Singapore as a fun destination to visit and where the nightlife is vibrant and exciting; Clarke Quay in Singapore, pictured
Sharing more details on PMP 2.0, Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive, marketing group, told TTG Asia a review of the marketing strategy had been done in 2021 – in consultation with experts in travel, tourism, and marketing – to “future-proof Singapore’s desirability as a destination and support our longer-term tourism strategy”.
“With rapidly evolving consumer behaviour, Singapore must remain well-positioned to cater to the needs of future travellers,” Chang added.
STB’s refreshed marketing strategy is to tell a great Singapore story by “sharpening this narrative” and giving strong reasons for travellers to visit based on six propositions, namely World’s Best MICE City, Culinary Capital, Family Playground, Twice the Fun, City that Connects, and Travel Well.
Chang explained: “Each of these six positionings is supported by a mix of products and experiences. They have the most potential to grow visitor arrivals, as well as impact visitor spend and length of stay in Singapore.
“The positionings will be rolled out progressively, with the World’s Best MICE City positioning campaign set to launch later this year. More details on the other positionings will be available at a later stage.”
Elaborating on the MICE positioning, Chang noted: “We want Singapore to be recognised globally for the strong fundamentals that make us a key MICE hub, such as our strategic location, vibrant business culture, excellent infrastructure, stable governance, and stellar track record in delivering high-quality events.”
As for Culinary Capital, the vision is for Singapore to be known as a world-class food destination that constantly innovates.
“We want to be recognised for our distinctive local cuisine and diverse dining scene, helmed by reputable bars and restaurants with talented bartenders and chefs. Singapore will host the World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 later this year, which will be held in Asia for the first time. We also had a strong showing in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2023, with nine restaurants making the cut and eleven bars in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022,” he added.
Chang pointed out that Singapore is one of the world’s safest and cleanest cities, coupled with world-class and diverse family-friendly attractions and experiences, citing Disney Cruise Line homeporting a new Disney Cruise ship in Singapore exclusively for five years, as an endorsement of the Family Playground status.
Twice the Fun will aim to deliver “an exciting city that offers year-round leisure events, entertainment, retail, and nightlife experiences that appeal to Early Careers” by curating and developing “a range of attractive tourism and lifestyle offerings that appeal to travellers across ages, interests and passions”.
In addition, STB will maintain a full calendar of events, such as world-class sports, arts, culture, and food, on top of Singapore’s exciting nightlife including outdoor cinemas and night admissions to museums, to add vibrancy to the garden city.
City that Connects will promote Singapore as a multi-cultural hub and a global city with excellent connectivity to Asia and the rest of the world, in particular to South-east Asia, while Travel Well aims to have Singapore become a sustainable city and urban wellness haven.
Chang observed: “Earlier this year, we were certified under the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) Destination Criteria, which affirms that Singapore is on the right track to become a sustainable urban destination, where large experiences come with small footprints.
“In wellness, we will establish Singapore as a destination that provides holistic well-being and accessible must-do experiences that leave visitors feeling better than when they arrived. For both sustainability and wellness, we will continue to invest in new products and experiences.”
