Asian inbound travel agents recount the biggest disruptors to their business this year and share the learning points from these crises and unexpected situations
HONG KONG
Jenny May
Managing director
Destination Management Company
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
We had a few cancellations from Europe-based travellers who were concerned about the terrorist attacks in their part of the world and decided to stay home. The situation seems to have improved and they are resuming their travel plans for next year.
In Hong Kong, there is growing political unrest and the Chinese New Year riots in Mongkok caused a few cancellations.
The few typhoons we had also caused flight delays and cancellations. I think the Observatory shouldn’t have been as cautious in predicting the path and strength of them so it all happened at the last minute. Fortunately the airlines were cooperative and helpful in rebooking flights.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
You can definitely not take safety for granted, as you never know what will happen next. Keeping up to date with world events and their likely effects on Hong Kong and making sure overseas clients know exactly what is happening is all we can do.
If there is further political unrest in Hong Kong, we will make sure our clients are aware of this and advise them to postpone their travel here.
The same applies to the weather. If a typhoon is likely to affect Hong Kong, we will let them know well in advance, provided the Observatory lets us know well in advance! – Prudence Lui
PHILIPINES
Angel Ramos Bognot
President and managing director
Afro Asian Travel
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
The biggest disruption this year were the cancelled flight departures and arrivals due to typhoons, which in turn affected clients’ travel arrangements.
As the ground operator, we lost everything, from ground arrangements to hotel bookings as these services have already been paid for in advance.
A typhoon is a natural calamity and is normally considered pre-sold, but it also depends on the decision of the supplier and our relationship with them. If a client requests for a refund, it will be difficult on our part as we are at the mercy of the supplier. Another challenge arises when a client requests to extend his/her booking due to flight cancellations.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety must never be taken for granted. We advise clients to have travel insurance so that they can recover losses from flight delays or cancellations.
As for the contract between the supplier and ground operator, it should be reviewed to tackle the issue of force majeure and come to an agreement that’s win-win for both parties.
Potential danger and threats lurk anywhere in the world so a safety warning should always be a part of the travel itinerary. The government has a big role in protecting the rights and safety of travellers, and should update travel warnings in destinations that need it and identify destinations that are safer than the rest. – Rosa Ocampo
INDIA
Louis D’Souza
Executive director
Tamarind Global
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest disruptors was the political unrest in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This sort of situation psychologically impacts travel to the region even after stability returns.
How we handled the situation was two-pronged. For clients already travelling, we made sure someone with authority and knowledge of the region reached out to them and assured them that they were in safe hands and would be able to travel back home safely. They were given regular updates on both the unfolding situation on ground and the progress of their travel plans.
It is also important to partner with local agencies that are experts in the region and who are able to prioritise mobilisation of logistics for your clients and respond to their concerns and ensure their safety quickly.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
No place is a safe haven anymore. The best one can do is to try and be a step ahead, anticipate situations and be prepared for them.
We give our guests as detailed a plan as we can so they know what to expect and what they might encounter in the normal course of events. A guest services manager will also meet clients and hand over a kit containing contact details of people they can reach out to in case of emergency.
Many of the vehicles in our fleet are fitted with GPS devices and have panic buttons to ensure guests that if they have any concerns they will have help at hand. – Rohit Kaul
SINGAPORE
Fred Seow
CEO
TAcentre.com
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
We have not experienced anything major like a world war or an epidemic. But this year we can see that there are many new leaderships around the world that will result in changes in the economic order. These will definitely impact businesses and livelihoods, so we have to be ready for such disruptions and be prepared for any shake-up in business.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Everyone is aware that Singapore is a very safe and easy destination to travel to and people will generally “let their guard down”. Generally, I think that we can publicise more emergency numbers, apart from the Singapore Police Force’s number. This will help people, especially tourists, to know which numbers to call should they need an ambulance or if they are lost and need directions. – Paige Lee Pei Qi
MACAU
Bruno Simões
Executive director
smallWORLD Experience
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
Although we were not affected by typhoons this year, a thick fog in February 2016 affected the departure of many delegates attending the IEEE 802 conference.
We always recommend conference organisers to provide a help desk staffed by local people who know the destination well to help with common situations – not to mention its value in times of unexpected situations!
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Macau is extremely safe and therefore we tend to take safety for granted. That said, Macau’s stability and safety is one of our selling points. – Prudence Lui
MALAYSIA
Saini Vermeulen
Executive director
Within Earth Holidays
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
Malaysia Airlines had a number of flight retimings to Sabah that we were only notified at the very last minute. Luckily, we had all the emergency numbers on hand to inform the various parties involved and rescheduled the itineraries accordingly.
A lesson learnt was to ensure that we have the contact numbers of suppliers on hand for any eventuality.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety can never be taken for granted. You must ensure that you have the SOP on hand and disseminate the correct information to your clients and their overseas agents.
The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents has always been proactive in providing real-time information to members. Following terrorist threats in the past, the Malaysian government had put in place more police and army personnel to give people the confidence that it was prepared and had an action plan to cope with emergencies. – S Puvaneswary
CAMBODIA
Pierre-André Romano
General manager
Exo Travel Cambodia
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
There were no major events but a couple of demonstrations, which we managed to avoid and modify itineraries accordingly.
More disruptive were Cambodia Angkor Air’s flight cancellations, retiming and delays, largely due to the last-minute notice given, if any. We gathered the major DMCs and raised this issue with the Ministry of Tourism, a co-partner with Vietnam Airlines in this joint-venture airline.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety is an issue in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, not of the physical danger kind but mainly bag snatching cases.
However, this is not only an issue with our clients; some invited travel agents were also victims of bag snatching during an inspection trip, and it gave a terrible image of the city.
We gathered the main DMCs and met with the Ministry of Tourism to fix the problem. There are now more lights in tourist areas and more tourist police in Phnom Penh. We have seen a real improvement from the second semester, but still had a few cases. – Marissa Carruthers
VIETNAM
Jeff Redl
Managing director
Diethelm Travel
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
Tropical storms and hurricanes brought down trees and caused vehicles to overturn, causing disruption to roads and railways. The Halong Bay authorities also stopped all cruises one day before the storm’s arrival and ships were asked to arrive back in port in the morning.
Our clients’ safety is our top priority. We always monitor the situation closely and provide clients and agents with updates, as well as assist in making adjustments to clients’ travel plans.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety is never granted despite having more rules and regulations, infrastructure improvements and personal training.
It is our duty to ensure that all our operations are running smoothly, and take immediate and appropriate actions to solve unexpected issues.
Vietnam could have, like in Europe, several independent organisations that monitor and ensure that all players are following the same standards and provide appropriate levels of training. – Marissa Carruthers
THAILAND
Mingkwan Metmowlee
Managing director
Image D’Asia S.A.
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
The global economic downturn has affected the purchasing power of travellers worldwide. Each country also has its own problems such as the weak rouble in Russia and terrorism in France.
I reduce risk by expanding business to new markets in Asian countries. I work with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to develop new products and join tradeshows to look out for new potential markets in this region.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety is a priority for travellers. To achieve this, the Ministry of Tourism & Sports should work more closely with the Association of Travel Agents and related tourism organisations to develop an international standard for existing and new attractions.
In the past, many negative incidents have damaged the kingdom’s image as a tourism destination. Therefore, the government should rebrand Thailand’s image and take measures to ensure tourist safety. – Chadamas Chinmaneevong
JAPAN
Cameron Stadin
Global sales representative
Global Sales Explorer
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
The Kumamoto earthquake (in April) has affected travel in Kyushu quite a bit this year.
I thought things would return to normal quickly, but enquiries are still down. Even though word is being spread that Kyushu is safe and recovering, travellers are still wary. I’ve tried offering new courses and products, but I haven’t had much of a response.
Other inbound companies in Kyushu seem to be having difficulties too, so perhaps the only thing we can do is wait it out.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
I feel very safe living and travelling in Kagoshima. Sakurajima, the active volcano in Kagoshima, is well monitored by scientists, so there would be plenty of warning if something were to happen.
Japan in general is very well prepared for all kinds of disasters, so I’ve never felt that I was ever in danger. As for theft and other crimes, Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I have seen people drop an envelope of money in public and have it safely returned. – Kathryn Wortley
SRI LANKA
Mahen Kariyawasam
Managing director
Andrew The Travel Company
What was the biggest disruption to your operations this year and how did you overcome it?
The pull-out by SriLankan Airlines’ direct flights to Paris, Frankfurt and Rome in November was the biggest issue we have been grappling with for the past few months.
We have lost 5,000 seats, and Emirates and Qatar cannot cope with handling a group of 60-70 pax. KLM and Austrian Airlines – which have resumed winter flights – are taking up the shortfall but it’s not enough.
A proper study needs to be done before flights are terminated, especially as Sri Lanka is now trying to increase arrivals. The industry as a whole needs to be consulted for major decisions such as flight withdrawals, which impacts the entire industry beyond the airline itself.
Can you take safety for granted? What safety measures would you like to see implemented in your destination?
Safety is the key to success in every destination. In Sri Lanka, we may be dropping our guard because the war is over and everything is now peaceful.
For example, we need to step up surveillance at airports and tourist areas. We should also revive the Tourist Police force, which was effective and existed many years ago. – Feizal Samath
This article was first published in TTG Asia December 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
