Destination Gold Coast, in partnership with Tourism Australia, Tourism and Events Queensland and the City of Gold Coast, announced that Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) will be held on the Gold Coast from April 30 to May 4, 2023.
Some 2,000 delegates from all corners of the globe are set to meet at the event, which is said to be the biggest-ever in ATE’s history.
Gold Coast is the host destination for ATE23 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
The first full programme event held since the pandemic, ATE 2023 will attract a host of leading travel decision makers and agents, airline executives, and over 70 international media representatives.
Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said: “Securing Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event is an enormous coup for the city that will showcase the breadth and depth of Gold Coast’s venues, products and experiences.
“A key learning from Covid-19 is that it has radically disrupted the travel conversation and diversified the experiences people are looking to have.”
The five-day event is expected to inject A$9 million (US$6.3 million) into the local economy.
O’Callaghan added: “Hosting an event of this scale is not only important to supercharging Gold Coast’s international recovery, but the flow-on benefit through to our 10,000 tourism operators and small businesses from hoteliers to restaurants and cafés, and right through to retailers, experiences and transit providers.”
Minister for tourism, innovation and sport Stirling Hinchliffe stated that ATE is an important event for international tourism in Australia, and that the Gold Coast was the ideal destination to remind international buyers about Queensland’s world-class tourism experiences.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said that for the city to once again host ATE is “a shot in the arm for our tourism industry and local economy”.
Location
Just a 75-minute drive from Chiang Rai International Airport, the resort is situated in a jungle in northernmost Thailand. Brimming with nature, wildlife and culture, it is in the district Chiang Sean, previously capital of Thailand’s ancient Lanna kingdom.
Room
The suite was an expansive space of 64m² with high ceilings, where relaxing on the ultra-long balcony is an experience in itself. The greenery of the pool area, the grassland beyond it, and the meandering Ruak and Mekong rivers are calming. Across the rivers are Myanmar and Laos.
The room is well-maintained, ultra-comfortable and authentic to Lanna design and decor. With lots of teakwood used in the hotel, it is strong as an elephant and very much loved.
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Jungle Bubble
Elephants playing
F&B
At the time of visit in late April, only the main restaurant, Sala Mae Nam, and the Elephant Bar and Opium Terrace were open for business. The thin-crust quattro formaggi pizza and a Thai dish called ngob talay (mussels, prawns and seabass grilled in banana leaf) were the most delicious, having had them for dinner two nights in a row. The third dinner was butler service at the five-star Jungle Bubble.
That’s the beauty of an all-inclusive plan – the food, and each signature experience that is included for every night’s stay, has to be exemplary.
Facilities
Land is not a problem here. The fitness centre has a Muay Thai boxing ring of its own. With a huge garden blossoming with herbs, plants and fruits, and even a mushroom hut, these are all part of the resort’s sustainability drive.
The experiences had their own facilities. The Jungle Bubble was a sight to behold – the transparent domes were finely equipped like any plush bedroom and living room, on a raised wooden platform in the jungle. On deck were a jacuzzi, outdoor dining table and a lounge area. Talk about glamping reaching new heights!
It was sheer luxury to watch two elephants grazing on grass a stone’s throw from the living room or bedroom of the bubble.
But the most exciting part for me was the Walk with Giants experience that brought me close to the elephants. Camp manager, Ooh, gave interesting insights on elephant biology and behaviour during the one-hour walk. Swimming in the river, one of the two jumbos was playful, while the younger elephant climbed on the back of her older best friend – what a photo opportunity.
My third experience was the Royal Enfield Sidecars, an amusing twist to elephant riding. Riding in a Royal Enfield, the oldest motorcycle brand in the world, I was taken to tour the village and paddy fields.
Service
When I arrived, a staff beat the Lanna gong at the entrance, which was a rousing welcome but also a neat way to alert the house about an arrival – within minutes the general manager came to greet me and the staff were ready for my check-in.
While all the staff I met made me feel very welcomed, I must say that Fon was the most cheerful, helpful receptionist I had ever met.
Verdict
Rare that a hotel is not just an accommodation, but the attraction.
Head to The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko for an unforgettable summer retreat in tranquillity.
Overlooking the scenic Lake Chuzenji and Mount Nantai, the hotel features traditional Japanese elements such as engawas (porches), Zen rock gardens, and a private onsen exclusive to this Ritz-Carlton location in Asia.
Go on a family hike at The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
Family activities are available from cultural to natural, including a traditional Fire Ceremony, Kagura Shrine Dance, temple walks, and guided nature hikes. Kids also get to enjoy special Ritz Kids amenities and playful offerings such as the Monkey Treasure Hunt and Ritz Kids Safari mini tents and toys.
Anantara has appointed experienced hotelier, Pitak Norathepkitti as general manager of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort.
Pitak joins Anantara Chiang Mai from Siem Reap in Cambodia where he oversaw Anantara Angkor Resort for the last two years.
His extensive knowledge and experience of the local and international market equips him with a holistic approach to hotel-keeping as he oversees the upcoming resort refurbishment and implementation of new dining and spa concepts.
Global DMC Kuoni Tumlare has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Switzerland Tourism (ST) to introduce the world’s first directly bookable tourism portfolio on the Swisstainable theme.
The Swisstainable movement was launched in 2021 when ST joined forces with the tourism industry to promote sustainable tourism in Switzerland, and encompasses all aspects of sustainability: the environment, business and society, with emphasis on proximity to nature, engaging authentically with local culture and lengthening the duration of stays in Switzerland.
Kuoni Tumlare and Switzerland Tourism introduce the world’s first directly bookable tourism portfolio on the Swisstainable theme
The partnership is aimed at the development and worldwide distribution of sustainable Swiss tourism products over the next three years. This will be the first time sustainable Swiss tourism can be booked worldwide.
ST CEO Martin Nydegger said: “I am proud to put pen to paper today on this global first, in the name of sustainable Swiss tourism. We will reap the benefits of Kuoni Tumlare’s global reach, which will provide a great showcase for our products. The cooperation with Kuoni Tumlare will greatly increase the visibility of the Swisstainable offering and above all, on a very tangible level, will make it bookable.”
Shinji Kamio, CEO of Kuoni Tumlare, said: “Our partnership with ST embodies our commitment to CSR and sustainability – reinforcing our promise to bring people closer and make lasting change across the communities we operate in.”
This collaboration will first roll out in the US, Canada and South-east Asia, where sustainable travel is trending, making these markets relevant and significant for Swiss tourism. It will also focus on four packages themed around rail and cycling holidays for small groups, incentive travel and educational trips.
The growing use of immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality will spur consumer-facing companies, such as those in retail, consumer goods and travel, to increase investment in new capabilities and experiences to blend physical and virtual worlds, or risk being left behind, according to the findings of a recent global survey from Accenture.
The survey of more than 11,000 consumers in 16 countries found that while 64% of consumers had already purchased a virtual good or taken part in a virtual experience or service in the past year, that figure is expected to rise, as 83% show interest in making purchases via the metaverse.
The growing use of immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality will spur consumer-facing companies (Photo: Accenture)
Furthermore, 42% of survey respondents said they had visited a retailer in the virtual world to get advice, make a payment or browse a product range when shopping for a physical item, while 56% of respondents plan to in the next year – these figures increase to 51% and 61% respectively among Millennials.
According to the Accenture Technology Vision 2022 “Meet Me in the Metaverse: The Continuum of Technology and Experience Reshaping Business”, 55% of consumers agree that more of their lives and livelihoods are moving into digital spaces. In response, 90% of retail executives say that they anticipate that leading organisations will push the boundaries of the virtual world to make it more real, increasing the need for persistence and seamless navigation between the digital and physical worlds.
72% of global executives state that the metaverse will have a positive impact on their organisations, with 45% believing it will be transformational.
Jill Standish, senior managing director and global head of Accenture’s Retail industry group, said: “The metaverse era has begun, and so for consumer-facing companies, it’s not about deciding if they’re going to go into the metaverse, it’s deciding how.
“Retailers and brands will need to reimagine and experiment with what new immersive and consultative experiences could mean to consumers. In addition to new opportunities to sell, the metaverse can also help build loyalty through experiences that go beyond just buying a product. For instance, retailers can create a personalised experience by offering a live-stream shopping event where customers can sit next to a brand ambassador, and then immediately be able to step into a virtual dressing room where they can try something on, add it to their cart, and check out.”
The survey also found that 50% of consumers are interested in buying a travel experience such as a sightseeing tour or hotel stay. This figure rises to 55% of Millennials, compared to 29% of baby boomers. For leisure, 54% of consumers said that they interested to buy tickets to a concert, a show or sporting event taking place in a virtual world.
Emily Weiss, senior managing director and global head of Accenture’s Travel industry group said: “It’s important to recognise that the metaverse is not intended to replace physical travel, rather provide a complementary enhancement to an overarching experience that, over time, may become an essential part of the travel ecosystem.
“Giving the option to sit in a virtual first-class seat, experience the lounge or walk around a hotel resort or room, opens up opportunities to truly engage and inspire people before they travel. And, through ‘trying-before-you-travel’, recreating landmarks in all their past glory or allowing travellers to investigate parts of nature, which they cannot explore within real-life interaction, the metaverse can also help create a more meaningful travel experience that delivers on or even exceeds customer expectations.”
In addition to giving rise to new ways to shop, travel and socialise, virtual products and locations highlight a potential opportunity to grow revenue across industries.
Oliver Wright, senior managing director and global head of Accenture’s Consumer Goods and Services industry group said: “In a world where digital has become as important as the physical, consumer-facing companies are challenged to create, shape and market products, services and experiences that can move between the physical and virtual worlds. And they need to do this while coordinating a network of experts, skills, and technologies to help make it happen.
“While commercial applications of metaverse are still in their infancy, they will develop quickly because consumers already expect it. Successful consumer brands will be those that collaborate with consumers and the metaverse eco-system to create digital products and services that meet these rapidly emerging needs.”
Accenture recently announced the launch of the Accenture Metaverse Continuum business group, which combines metaverse-skilled professionals and market-leading capabilities in customer experience, digital commerce, extended reality, blockchain, digital twins, artificial intelligence and computer vision to help clients design, execute and accelerate their metaverse journeys.
Far East Hospitality (FEH) is bringing two established Australian brands – Vibe Hotels and Adina – into its home base Singapore, a move that will allow it to advance on its ambition to compete in the space of quality tourism and to grow a bigger share of bookings from the premium Australian travel market.
Kiong: moving into quality tourism is the only way to sustain business
The former Regency House will be rebranded as Adina Serviced Apartment Singapore Orchard. Slated to open in July this year, it will offer 88 keys and target both corporate expatriates and leisure travellers.
The former The Elizabeth Hotel will become Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard by 4Q2022, offering 256 keys.
Speaking to TTG Asia in an interview this morning, CEO Arthur Kiong said gone are the days of FEH competing on cost, as it transforms from a local mid-tier operator to a world-class manager of lifestyle brands.
Describing the “pivot to quality tourism” as an urgent one, Kiong said hotels are today challenged by rising costs across energy to labour, and the only way to survive is to “dramatically increase average rate”.
“Pre-pandemic, the five top volume markets for Singapore are China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. We have to look at these markets and find the one that provides us with the highest average rate. Australia is the one,” he said.
Bringing Vibe Hotels and Adina to Singapore will help to attract Australian bookings, especially since joint venture partner Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels), which owns the two brands, has a strong customer rewards programme.
Beyond just surfacing the Australian brands on Singapore properties, Kiong said efforts would not be spared in crafting truly Australian experiences for guests and visitors.
Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard will feature an Australian sports bar where guests could come together and watch popular Australian sports, such as cricket and football, carry familiar Australian amenities such as INK&WATER toiletries and Dimbulah Coffee, and host regular activities “that will draw the Australian community in and have them make the hotel their club”, shared Kiong.
An example of such activities would be “great Australian barbies” by the pool.
“We have a vision for Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard to be a gathering place for the Australian community in Singapore, where there are 20,000 to 30,000 Australian expatriates. It will offer a taste of Australia for Australian visitors and expatriates, and also Singapore locals who can now enjoy a flavour of the destination without having to travel all the way there,” he said.
Adina Serviced Apartment Singapore Orchard will offer curated lifestyle programmes for guests
Adina Serviced Apartment Singapore Orchard will be “positioned as the best personalised, customised serviced apartment product in Singapore”.
“Serviced residences typically compete on the quality of space and complimentary breakfast, but we will do better on the lifestyle front. We will have an app that tells our residents about all the places they can go that is within walking distance of Adina, and we will curate activities for our residents, such as bike tours. We will have weekly pop-ups, such as special tastings. We are also tying up with a grocer that sells uniquely Australian produce and products,” revealed Kiong, adding that the range of activities and experiences will set a new benchmark for the Adina brand.
Both properties will also convey a “contemporary Australian hospitality”, which Kiong defines as a sense of casualness, friendliness and confidence in guest interaction.
“To create that flavour of Australia we must have staff that understand contemporary Australian hospitality. What better way to expose them to Australian hospitality than to fly them to Melbourne to learn?” he said, pointing the FEH’s new human resource programme conducted alongside TFE Hotels.
The Sharing Talents Across Regions (STARS) programme will see up to a dozen local hoteliers deployed to Australia for a period of six to 12 months. TFE Hotels will also send Australian staff to Singapore. On top of skills and knowledge exchange, the cross-learning and exposure will provide talents with hands-on experience in cultural management.
Beyond Singapore, FEH is currently exploring opportunities to bring Vibe Hotels and Adina brands to other Asian destinations, with Vietnam and Japan showing greatest promise. This is part of the company’s endeavour to achieve its target of 25,000 rooms by 2025 globally.
Electric aircraft, planes fuelled by hydrogen and autonomous aviation are the future of transport, according to industry experts.
According to Kata Cserep, vice president and global managing director of aviation at ICF, electric aircraft are currently being tested for the short-haul segment and she predicts they will become the norm within the next two decades.
New forms of air transport, like Wisk, are set to revolutionise the travel sector
She said: “The pandemic has accelerated a lot of things, especially in terms of adapting technology. Electric aircraft are already being tested and this is a small but growing part of the transport supply that will be the future.”
Cserep said hydrogen-fuelled aviation is another concept being trialled that is predicted to be a cleaner and greener form of future transport. Aircraft using hydrogen will only emit water, with preliminary tests showing they can fly as fast as traditional planes, carrying more than 100 people for thousands of kilometres.
Kuljit Ghata-Aura, Boeing’s president for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, said vertical take-offs and landings will also become the norm, alongside autonomous planes, especially for short-haul travel.
In January, Boeing invested US$450 million in Wisk. The advanced air mobility company has developed a prototype air taxi that has currently undergone 1,500 test flights. The self-driven electric plane can vertically take-off and land, a concept Ghata-Aura believes will become more popular within the aviation sector.
The current prototype is capable of flying up to 160km/h for 40km, with the potential to revolutionise city-to-city travel.
Ghata-Aura said: “Electricity and autonomy are two things to really watch out for as they will transform aerospace. This is how we imagine urban air mobility and taxis in the future, and is a really exciting product.”
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is also slated to dominate the overhaul of the aviation space as part of the sector’s sustainability drive. Cserep said currently only 10 per cent of aircraft use SAF due to its high cost, which sits at about four times more expensive than traditional jet fuel.
However, she expects SAF prices to come down over time, “like we saw with solar panels”.
Maia Resort Quy Nhon, Vietnam
The 94-key Maia Resort Quy Nhon offers a villa retreat along Vietnam’s southern coast.
It features an expansive pool, fitness centre and two restaurants, including an open-air pool bar. Most villas come with private plunge pools and gardens.
Guests enjoy complimentary breakfast and a choice of dinner or lunch; or choose to indulge in a spa therapy, as part of the nightly rate.
voco Auckland City Centre
voco Auckland City Centre, New Zealand
The first voco branded property in New Zealand, the voco Auckland City Centre is positioned on the corner of Albert and Wyndham Street.
Its 201 rooms and suites showcase voco’s warm signature style, smart in-room technology and eco-conscious rain showers and amenities from Antipodes. Each guest will also receive a thoughtfully crafted welcome treat, designed to give them a taste of the destination.
The all-day Italian trattoria, Mozzarella & Co serves a-la-carte and buffet breakfast as well as artisan pizzas and pasta for lunch and dinner. Opening in mid-June is the Bar Albert, voco’s rooftop destination which also doubles as New Zealand’s highest rooftop bar.
voco Auckland City Centre was specifically designed to reduce its impact on the environment, and implements sustainable initiatives such as bedding made from recycled materials and filtered drinking water in guestrooms.
AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank
AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank, Australia
Located in one of Melbourne’s premier events, arts and entertainment precincts, AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank boasts 205 guest rooms and suites, signature dining, and an infinity pool and cocktail bar.
With close proximity to public transport, South Melbourne Market, Melbourne Convention Centre, South Wharf shops and eateries, the Arts precinct, and other first-class amenities, the hotel offers sweeping city views with everything guests need for a memorable stay.
The hotel also offers a range of leisure facilities, including a 24-hour fitness centre, and 576m² of flexible meeting space.
The signature AC Gin Tonic experience is available throughout all dining and bar venues at the hotel.
Azerai Ke Ga Bay
Azerai Ke Ga Bay, Vietnam
The 46-key Azerai Ke Ga Bay resort offers an elegant and secluded oceanfront retreat in south-eastern Vietnam, with a selection of suites and private-pool suites.
Azerai Ke Ga Bay’s four swimming pools include an oceanfront pool, a free-form pool, and two square pools. Guests can enjoy wellness treatments at the Azerai Spa that features modern hydrotherapy facilities, relaxation lounges and daybeds, a beauty studio, a jacuzzi, and a gym.
A variety of dining and lounging options are available for guests to indulge in local delicacies, with a focus on plentiful offerings from the sea.
BWH Hotel Group has named Ron Pohl as the company’s president of international operations and president of WorldHotels.
Pohl joined the organisation in 2007 and previously served as senior vice president and chief operations officer.
Pohl will be responsible for further strengthening the organisation’s presence around the world and enhancing the company’s operations on a global level.
Location
His extensive knowledge and experience of the local and international market equips him with a holistic approach to hotel-keeping as he oversees the upcoming resort refurbishment and implementation of new dining and spa concepts.
Pohl will be responsible for further strengthening the organisation’s presence around the world and enhancing the company’s operations on a global level.
