Ascott launches serviced residence loyalty programme

April 24, 2019

The Ascott has launched Ascott Star Rewards, said to be the world’s first loyalty programme in the serviced residence industry.

Members will enjoy a range of privileges including year-long 10 per cent off Best Flexible Rates, seasonal offers of up to 50 per cent discount, property opening specials, birthday discounts of up to 40 per cent, early check-in and late check-out, as well as perks such as complimentary airport transfers, room upgrades and breakfast.

Ascott Star Rewards members will also have no cap to the points that can be earned, no minimum points required for redemption, no blackout dates, and even the option to nominate other guests to earn points. Its four membership tiers are based on the guest’s accumulated spending during the qualifying period, starting with the complimentary Classic membership tier, followed by Silver, Gold and Platinum. In addition, members can also easily redeem the points in part or in full through Ascott’s websites for complimentary stays and other privileges.

Alfred Ong, Ascott’s head of global operations, shared: “We are rolling out Ascott Star Rewards to drive more direct bookings on our websites and reduce our cost of sales. We aim to increase our brand websites’ share of online revenue to 40-50 per cent of total online revenue by 2021.

“Within the first 10 days of soft launching this new loyalty programme, the number of room nights booked on our websites by members has tripled and online revenue through our websites has grown by 50 per cent,” he added.

Ascott has revamped its booking websites to enable members to access their rewards, redemptions, booking history and preferences on a personalised dashboard. It has also enhanced members’ online experience by streamlining its room booking process from six to three steps.

To celebrate the launch of Ascott Star Rewards, members will receive 3,000 bonus points upon sign-up via Ascott’s brand websites. Existing Ascott Online Advantage members will be automatically upgraded to Ascott Star Rewards, and they will enjoy a tier match based on their spending with Ascott in 2018 and receive 5,000 bonus points upon their first completed stay from now till December 31, 2019.

Ascott Star Rewards members will have the flexibility to exchange points with My Tauzia Privilege loyalty programme from June 1, 2019, and this will be extended to other loyalty programmes such as CapitaStar; as well as the donation of points to CapitaLand’s philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation. At a later phase, there are plans to work with partners to allow members to redeem points for shopping, dining and entry to attractions.

Rising travel frustration in fragmented world of service options

By TTG Asia

April 24, 2019

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Holiday-booking-mobile — Nearly half do trip research, in-destination service bookings on mobile

In a recent survey undertaken with other industry players, Amadeus says the fragmentation in services options is contributing to traveller frustration.

To succeed and ensure customer retention, loyalty and revenue growth, travel sellers will have to change the way they make their offerings available to both leisure and business travellers.

Nearly half do trip research, in-destination service bookings on mobile

The use of technology, especially mobile, will play a big role in this, Amadeus stressed in a recent study. Some 45% of travellers say their mobile browser is the first place they go to discover what’s out there and 41% also use it to book their destination service.

Some 27% identify having to use multiple apps as the number one frustration when searching for ancillary destination services.

Amadeus found that around 25% of respondents book destination services the day before travel, en route or once they have arrived at their destination.

Nearly all (93%) of respondents now consider ancillary destination services to be an important part of their overall travel experience, with 40% of these believing specifically that ancillary destination services make their trips more productive and enjoyable.

Yet, a quarter of travellers say they lack the time to properly evaluate what is available or plan when and how to do things during their trip, with 17% being unable to easily access destination services upon arrival.

Businesses and leisure travellers have similar values but different priorities. The top three business traveller priorities: flight compensation, taxi transfers and airport/rail lounges. And for leisure travellers, attractions & amenities, flight compensation and dining are most important.

For those typically booking three or more ancillary destination services, 34% say they do so primarily for leisure trips, while around 10% book the same amount for a business trip.

Overall, around 72% of travellers say they are very receptive to receiving proactive suggestions about related destination services, while a third say complementary services “truly enhance their trip experience”.

Mobile may be the solution to improving destination services, but mobile solutions have to be wielded right to manoeuvre the fine line separating timely and intrusive updates.

During the “discovering” stage of their holiday planning, only 5% of travellers want push notifications.

After booking the trip, the demand for push notifications increases, peaking at 93% of survey respondents saying they would welcome receiving information about other complementary services or offers when they book an ancillary destination service.

Another point of frustration is in the area of accessibility and inclusivity.

Among adults with disabilities who travelled by air, 72% have encountered major obstacles with airlines and 65% with airports. There are three specific areas travel providers must consider improving for travellers with health conditions or impairments.

Apart from considering the different ways to communicate relevant information (such as voice services, vibration, touch and visual displays), the use of AI and analytics can also play a role in knowing travellers’ specific needs throughout the journey in advance and helping meet those needs.

Meanwhile, 18% of travellers desire better coordinated access to destination services across apps, chat, web and voice. Travellers are just beginning to open up to the possibilities of voice search with less than 5% saying that they search for destination services using voice recognition technology such as Alexa, Siri or Google.

YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport

By Rachel AJ Lee

April 24, 2019

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Location
The sister property of Yotel Singapore is situated on Level 4 of Jewel Changi Airport, the newest lifestyle destination in Singapore. YotelAir is easily-accessible and linked to Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and a short bus ride away from Terminal 4.

YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport

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Rooms
YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport offers 130 cabins, most of which are classified under Premium Queen Cabins. These are ideal for couples, couples with a young child, or solo business travellers. Out of the 130, there are also four Family Cabins that can sleep up to four people, as well as two cabins for guests with accessibility requirements.

I stayed overnight in a 10m² Premium Queen Cabin, which had an en-suite bathroom with rainshower, a flatscreen TV, a small pull-out workstation, and free, speedy Wi-Fi.

The best part of the cabin was the gel memory foam mattress, allowing me to sleep well and wake up feeling recharged the following day. A note to travellers, please remember to set your alarms, as all of YotelAir’s cabins do not have windows, making it difficult to tell the time of day.

I liked having multiple power points, two of which are USB-only, to keep my gadgets juiced up. The small space was also optimised, where the table and chair folded away neatly. However, once the table is open, the toilet cannot be accessed until the table is folded away. I’m also glad I didn’t feel squashed in the square-sized rainshower.

There is a small space to stow luggage beneath the bed, but travellers with more than one large suitcase or two medium-sized suitcases would have almost no space to move about.

F&B
Komyuniti is the 68-seater multifunctional space where travellers can relax with a book, get some work done, and grab a free cup of coffee or tea and snack. A small a la carte menu is also available (chargeable). Open 24/7, Komyuniti faces Jewel Changi Airport’s centrepiece – the HSBC Rain Vortex, a 40m-tall indoor waterfall.

I liked that at YotelAir’s doorstep were more than 80 F&B options – out of Jewel’s over 280 units – for me to choose from, some of which were open until the wee hours of the morning.

Facilities
There are three private shower cabins available for travellers who do not require a bed or have lounge access, as well as a 24/7 gym.

Service
I only had to interact once with a staff member, when waiting for him to verify my particulars at check-in.

Verdict
A fantastic option for business travellers who have short turnaround times in Singapore, as well as cramped economy passengers with long layovers and would love to take rest in an actual, comfortable bed. It’s also great for a family of four with young children, as the more spacious family rooms will give them a quiet space to recharge before their next flight.

No. of rooms 130
Rates Prices start from S$80 (US$59) for four hours and S$25 every subsequent two hours, with flexible check-in and check-out options. Overnight stays start from S$140 per night (until July 31), after which it’ll be S$180 per night. Shower cabin and gym access starts from S$20++ per person per hour, and the hotel is currently looking at the feasibility of another package at S$40++ per person which includes shower cabin, gym access and all day snacks for three hours.
Contact details
Tel: (65) 6407 7888
Email: singaporechangi.reservations@yotel.com

Sri Lanka works on assisting tourists after devastating attacks

By Feizal Samath

April 23, 2019

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Sri Lanka (its capital Colombo pictured) works to recover from the Easter weekend tragedy

Two hotels devastated by Easter Sunday bombs remain closed while a third affected hotel is open for limited operations, as tourism authorities cope with a surge of cancellations and tourists desperate to return home quickly following the deadly attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.

“Yes, there a lot of cancellations and many in Sri Lanka want to leave. This is a natural, initial reaction after a crisis of this magnitude,” said state-owned Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) chairman Kishu Gomes, adding that such reactions were also observed in the immediate wake of terrorist bombs in France, Germany and the UK.

Sri Lanka (its capital Colombo pictured) works to recover from the Easter weekend tragedy

He said there were incidents of bombs being found across Colombo on Monday but by and large the situation is under control. He added: “We had some serious incidents but we have taken control and continue to move forward”.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo reported a number of casualties among their guests and colleagues. “Our hotel remains secured by the military and the police. We have also decided that the hotel will be closed until further notice,” the hotel said in a statement on Monday.

A spokesperson for also-affected Kingsbury Hotel said they have been closed since Sunday but would open in a week.

Also-affected Cinnamon Grand Hotel general manager Rohan Karr told TTG Asia that the hotel is partially open and servicing their in-house guests while accommodating those who would come on prior bookings. “For others, the hotel is closed,” he said.

At least four countries including the US, the UK and Canada issued travel warnings with the US embassy saying that nationals should exercise caution due to possible terrorist acts.

Sri Lankan tourism authorities said they were going ahead with plans to host the world’s largest wildlife conference and the country’s biggest-ever global event. The 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is due to be held in Colombo from May 23 to June 3, drawing 3,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries.

“Yes, this conference is on. Our attitude is to move forward (and go ahead with plans),” assured Gomes. Another official at Sri Lanka’s Convention Bureau said they had received confirmations from 1,600 participants for CITES so far.

CITES is being held for the second time in South Asia, with the last occasion being 36 years ago in India.

However, in line with postponements of several non-related tourism events during this week, the authorities cancelled a Wednesday media briefing to launch a mega Sri Lanka travel fair in June with the support of state agencies and tourism trade associations.

SLTPB’s Gomes said that officials have been placed at hospitals and other areas to help victims and other tourists. The airport, whose security was taken over by Sri Lanka’s Air Force and where stringent checks of incoming and outgoing baggage was underway including a four-hour pre-departure period for outgoing passengers, has been beefed up with more SLTPB staff. These officials were helping, particularly backpackers, who did not have prior hotel bookings in finding them accommodation nearby and even paying for their stay during curfew hours.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was lifted a 06.00 on Monday and re-imposed from 20.00 to 04.00 on Tuesday. The government said six suicide bombers linked to an Islamic extremist group named National Thowheeth Jama’ath were responsible. The group itself has not yet claimed responsibility.

The Sunday bombs killed more than 40 foreigners among a death toll of nearly 300. Tourists from the UK, the US, Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Denmark and Belgium were among the victims. Local and foreign media reported that Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, who is also Scotland’s biggest private landowner, had lost three of his four children – who were holidaying in Sri Lanka – in the blasts.

Costa Cruises sails out Asian-dedicated ship

By TTG Asia

April 23, 2019

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Costa-Venezia--La-Laguna-aqua-park-歌诗达威尼斯号-拉古那水上樂園 — Aqua Park

Costa Venezia, Costa Cruises’ ship for the Asian market, has embarked on its inaugural sailing: a 53-day trip following the tracks of Marco Polo through the Mediterranean to the Middle East, South-east Asia and the Far East before docking in Tokyo.

The ship departed from Trieste on March 8, and has just sailed to Singapore.

Costa Cruises says its new vessel is the largest deployed to Asia. At 135,500 ton and 323m in length, Costa Venezia has a capacity for 5,200 guests.

Inside the Costa Venezia

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Roberto Verdino, deputy country manager for Japan, Korea and South-east Asia of Costa Group Asia, said: “Costa Venezia has been designed specifically with Asian travellers in mind. While we continue to offer authentic Italian experience, there are many facilities and specialty restaurants that are catered to Asian guests.”

Costa Venezia‘s theatre is inspired by the Venetian La Fenice opera house; the main atrium is reminiscent of St Mark’s Square, while the main restaurants recall the traditional architecture of Venetian alleys and squares. Actual gondolas, made by the Squero di San Trovaso artisans, can also be found on board.

Guests can savour the delicacies of regional Italian cuisines at the inclusive restaurants, as well as fine dining with menu curated by chef Umberto Bombana of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 81⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, at Restaurant Casanova, one of the five specialty restaurants.

While bringing Asian guests a taste of Italy, the ship will also help them feel at home with Asian food including hotpot, teppanyaki, dim sum and noodles.

In addition, Costa Venezia features more than 743m² of retail space amid a two-deck Venetian-style shopping pavilion. The collection includes many famous Italian brands, including first-time-at-sea Max Mara, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bvlgari.

Costa Venezia further appeals to the Asian shopper with “the largest beauty space at sea”, measuring more than 232m² and counting over 30 international brands such as the first-at-sea Clé de Peau Beauté and Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, La Prairie, Bvlgari, Chanel, Dior, La Mer, SK-II and more.

Asian beauty brands include Dr Jart+, Sulwhasoo and The History of Whoo. The Merchant of Venice, a refined perfumer that pays homage to the beauty of Venetian culture, also makes its debut both at sea and in Asia.

In another first, Bvlgari joins Costa Cruises and Starboard to present “the Bvlgari Jewelry Show”. The luxury line-up also includes Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre Tiffany & Co, Mikimoto, and many more, tax and duty free.

The ship will also host nightly shows and performances, among which is Venezia Innamorata, a musical inspired by the love stories of Venetian author Giacomo Casanova, specially created for Costa Venezia’s Teatro Rosso. In addition, there will be themed parties such as the Golden Party and Carnival of Venice masked ball.

Soccer fans will find Asia’s exclusive Juventus Football Club at sea and enjoy a total Italian football experience with special facilities on Costa Venezia including an outdoor soccer field, an indoor academy, a museum showcasing historic trophies and memorabilia from as far back as the 1970s, magazine photos from all eras, jerseys and signed shoes from the club’s successful seasons, as well as a retail shop selling limited edition commemorative merchandise.

The ship has both outdoor and indoor swimming pools and jacuzzis, an aqua park with water slides, a mini golf course, a high-rope garden, outdoor fitness facilities, a wellness complex with gym and spa, clubs for teens and kids, and many more.

A second ship designed exclusively for the Asian market, a sister ship to Costa Venezia, is currently under construction by Fincantieri in Marghera and is expected to be delivered in 2020.

Thai king’s coronation creates buzz for Old Bangkok during and after event

By Suchat Sritama

April 23, 2019

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rehearsal-procession-of-royal-cremation-of-the-late-king-Bhumibol-Adulyadej-Sanam-Luang — Rehearsal for the late king's cremation in 2017

The royal coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn in Thailand, which will take place at Bangkok’s Grand Palace from May 4 to 6, is set to inject a buzz to business for hotels located near the ceremonial grounds during the event and generate post-event touring opportunities in the coming months.

The coronation will be a first for most Thais since Vajiralongkorn’s father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was crowned on May 5, 1950. The revered monarch reigned for seven decades before passing away in 2016.

Rehearsal for the late king’s cremation in 2017

Also known by the title King Rama X, Vajiralongkorn’s coronation was delayed until after a mourning period for Bhumibol, who was cremated in October 2017 in a grand royal funeral in Bangkok.

Sa-nga Ruangwatanakul, president of Khao San Business Association and owner of Buddy Group of hotels, said properties located near Bangkok’s Rattanakosin Island, where the coronation ceremonies will be held, have already received advance bookings mostly from government officers and domestic tourists from upcountry.

“Many Thai people want to witness the royal coronation ceremony and saw a need to secure rooms. This bring business to hotels especially in Khao Sao Road, where is just few minutes’ walk to the Grand Palace – the main venue for the event,” Sa-nga said.

Buddy Group’s trio of properties in the old Bangkok area are expected to run at full capacity during the three-day event, Sa-nga noted. Some foreigners especially from Asian nations are expected to visit Bangkok to witness the historic event.

Phuriwat Limthavornrat, managing director of P Incentive Tour Event, said many travel companies would take advantage of the post-coronation celebration, including the lighting in old town until end of this year, by rolling out night packages for local and foreigners.

“We planned to offer packages after the ceremony, ranging from half-day up to two-day, one-night priced from 999 baht to 2,500 baht (US$31 to US$78), using our Siam Hop city bus tour. A special offer for elderly people will be at 599 baht or US$18,” Phuriwat said.

Jiradej Huayhongthong, managing director of Hongthong Enterprise, one of major rental travel bus firms in the country, said many Thai people would travel to royal attractions located nationwide. However, it still early to predict the number of domestic travellers or spending.

Thomas Cook sale on the cards

By TTG Asia

April 23, 2019

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thomas-cook-2 — This model for in-destination business fits Thomas Cook Group's strategy for growth

Thomas Cook is in preliminary talks for a takeover by potential bidders, according to Sky News.

‎The UK tour company has been approached by several parties as its lenders “prepare for crunch talks over the state of its finances”.

Fosun, Kuoni’s owner and Lufthansa believed to be among potential bidders

Having marked its 175th year of being in business in 2016, the company today contends with shifting consumer behaviour, Brexit uncertainty, and other factors hurting traditional industry players, Sky News reported.

Fosun, with which Thomas Cook‎ runs a joint venture in China, is understood by Sky News to be among those who have lodged a preliminary interest in buying its partner’s tour operating business.

Airlines based in the EU are required to be majority-owned by European investors, meaning Fosun’s Club Med holiday business would not be permitted to own Thomas Cook’s carrier.

Other “logical bidders” identified by analysts include EQT and KKR, the two private equity firms which own Kuoni Group and Travelopia respectively, the Sky News article said.

There are also parties believed to be weighing formal approaches for the entire ‎company, which boasts an annual turnover of more than £9 billion (US$11.7 billion).

Analysts estimate Thomas Cook’s airline – which has a fleet of more than 100 aircraft – is valued at up to £3.2 billion.

When the Sky News article was published on Saturday, Thomas Cook and its lenders were reportedly preparing for negotiations about the future of its capital structure in the event that the airline is sold.

Thomas Cook has come through the part of the year‎ when its cash reserves are at their lowest, and funds are being accumulated ahead of the crucial summer season.

Last month, the company said it would close 21 high street shops and pare back its retail workforce.

Earlier this month, the company was forced to issue a stock exchange announcement disclosing that it had inadvertently been breaching its borrowing limits, and that it required shareholder approval to increase them.

Industry observers say Brexit uncertainty is prompting consumers to delay booking overseas holidays.

In recent months, rival TUI has been forced to issue two profit warnings, with the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX fleet a factor, while EasyJet has warned of slow summer sales in the last few weeks.

Germany’s Lufthansa is reported to be among those eyeing Condor, the part of the business which is based in the country, with Sky News also reporting that talks about the airline sale are complicated by the need to strike a deal for Thomas Cook’s holiday customers to travel on its planes.

The article cited analyst forecast that Thomas Cook will now need to raise hundreds of millions of pounds in fresh equity. The company in 2013 underwent a £1.6 billion capital restructuring under then chief executive Harriet Green.

Current chief executive Peter Fankhauser described last year’s performance as “disappointing” but has a turnaround plan involving greater investment in its own hotel portfolio.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse‎ and Morgan Stanley are advising Thomas Cook on the review of its airline business, and fielding interest in a full takeover of the business, Sky News understands. The company is expected to provide an update when it reports half-year results next month.

Malaysia expects to ride high on new flights from Sharjah

By S Puvaneswary

April 23, 2019

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Air Arabia’s upcoming launch of direct flights between Sharjah and Kuala Lumpur is spurring promotions in the UAE city by Malaysian tourism stakeholders, hopeful about the much-needed capacity boost during the Middle East summer season.

Air Arabia – the first LCC from the Middle East to fly direct to Malaysia – will commence the new daily service from July 1, 2019, in time for the high peak travel season for Middle Easterners from mid June to early September.

Tourism Malaysia will bring its road show held in conjunction with the Arabia Travel Mart to Sharjah (pictured) for the first time

Ally Bhoonee, executive director, World Avenues Malaysia, shared: “There is always a shortage of seats from the UAE during the super peak period. In the past, some travellers used to take Emirates or other Middle Eastern airlines to travel to Malaysia.”

Saini Vermeulen, executive director, Within Earth Holidays, added: “With additional capacity, we hope airfares will be more competitive during the super peak summer period, when high volumes of travellers can be expected. So far, bookings for summer are slow, but we expect them to pick up from mid May.”

On its part, Tourism Malaysia has for the first time included Sharjah in a roadshow held in conjunction with the upcoming Arabian Travel Mart. The roadshow, which will include participation of 14 hotels, agents and product owners, will cover Kuwait, Oman and ends with Sharjah on April 24.

Uzaidi Udanis, president, Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, shared that the association is also in talks with the airline to host joint fam trips and product briefings for travel agents from Sharjah. He disclosed: “We are in direct communications with the airline and hope to work closely with them on (these activities).”

The UAE is among the top five highest spending tourist markets in Malaysia, with an average per diem expenditure of RM839 (US$203) in 2017 and an average length of stay of 9.2 nights.

More want to travel sustainably, but need extra push to do it: Booking.com

By TTG Asia

April 23, 2019

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Buying_groceries_in_a_zero_waste_shop — 'Zero-waste' grocery shopping

Over half (55%) of global travellers report being more determined to make sustainable travel choices than they were a year ago, but barriers such as the lack of a recognisable standard and affordability concerns are preventing some of them from putting this into practice.

Findings from Booking.com’s annual sustainable travel report reveals that almost three quarters (72%) of travellers believe that people need to act now and make sustainable travel choices to save the planet for future generations.

While results were relatively consistent across ages, almost three-quarters (74%) of 46-55 year olds believe most strongly that this is needed, followed by millennials at 71%.

Consistent with overall intentions to make more sustainable travel choices, sustainable stays are growing in popularity, with almost three quarters (73%) of global travelers intending to stay at least once in an eco-friendly or green accommodation when looking at the year ahead.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Booking.com research has seen this figure trend up, from 62% in 2016 to 65% in 2017, and 68% in 2018. Additionally, 70% of global travellers say they would be more likely to book an accommodation knowing it was eco-friendly, whether they were looking for a sustainable stay or not.

However, when it comes to recognising a sustainable place to stay, almost three quarters (72%) of global travellers say that they are not aware of the existence of eco-labels for vacation accommodations, while well over a third (37%) affirm that an international standard for identifying eco-friendly accommodation would help encourage them to travel more sustainably, and 62% would feel better about staying in an accommodation if they knew it had an eco-label.

In addition, 37% of respondents indicate they do not know how to make their travel more sustainable. About 34% acknowledge there are sustainable options, but find other options more appealing. Moreover, 36% say they cannot afford the extra spending that comes with sustainable travel, while 34% feel constrained by their agenda.

Booking.com finds 71% of travellers think that travel companies should offer consumers more sustainable choices. On the other hand, almost half (46%) of global travelers acknowledge that they find it harder to make sustainable choices on while on vacation than in everyday life. Almost a third (31%) of global travelers admit their vacation is a special time during which they do not want to think about sustainability.

Research results also indicated that travellers would be more encouraged to travel sustainably if there were economic incentives offered, such as tax breaks, when choosing eco-friendly options (46%). This is closely followed by online booking sites offering a sustainable or eco-friendly filter option (45%).

When it comes to in-destination experiences, over half (52%) of global travellers say they now alter behaviours to be more sustainable while traveling, such as walking, riding a bike or hiking whenever possible. Plus, 68% would like the money they spend on travel to go back into the local community.

Likewise, almost three quarters (72%) of global travellers are seeking authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture, while two in five (41%) request that travel companies offer tips on how to be more sustainable while traveling and 56% of respondents say that if there was an option to offset the carbon footprint on their vacation accommodation, they would do it.

Pepijn Rijvers, senior vice president & head of accommodation at Booking.com, shared that the company is testing different ways to surface information and support customers in their sustainable travel choices, as well as providing support and investment to foster innovation in the sustainable tourism space through our Booking Booster, Cares Fund and Cares Lab start-up programmes.

“It’s important that all those in the travel ecosystem, from established companies to start-ups, destinations, accommodation, transport and attraction providers as well as travellers themselves, come together, as it’s only through collaboration that meaningful change will continue to gain momentum.”

Thailand’s Akaryn Hotel Group spreads wings to Indonesia, Vietnam

By TTG Asia

April 23, 2019

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Aleenta_mountain_in_retreat_Bali_ — Aleenta retreat in Bali

Luxury hotel specialist Akaryn Hotel Group will soon foray out of its Thailand home ground to plant its first overseas properties in Indonesia and Vietnam in the coming months.

In Bali, Akaryn will roll out Aleenta, its barefoot luxury brand launched in Thailand in 2004, in the island’s mountainous north, an hour’s drive from Ubud.

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Designed in a classical low-rise Balinese style, Aleenta Retreat Bali will offer 50 rooms, with amenities such as an extensive Ayurah Wellness centre, an outdoor yoga area, a fitness centre, and a selection of restaurants serving organic ingredients, in addition to a choice of indoor or alfresco event spaces.

Also opening its doors this year will be akyra Hoi An, a waterfront resort located midway between Hoi An’s historic town centre and China Beach. Located on the banks of the Thu Bon estuary, this low-rise boutique retreat will be accessible either by car or by boat and many of the 110 stylish rooms and pool villas will sit on the water’s edge.

At akyra Hoi An, there will be the Ayurah Wellness centre with an onsen and a fitness centre; plus other amenities like an outdoor infinity pool; kids’ club; two restaurants and a pool bar.

Akaryn Hotel Group is expected to open in more destinations across the region in the months and years ahead, the company said in a statement.

Ascott launches serviced residence loyalty programme

Rising travel frustration in fragmented world of service options

YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport

Sri Lanka works on assisting tourists after devastating attacks

Costa Cruises sails out Asian-dedicated ship

Thai king’s coronation creates buzz for Old Bangkok during and after event

Thomas Cook sale on the cards

Malaysia expects to ride high on new flights from Sharjah

More want to travel sustainably, but need extra push to do it: Booking.com

Thailand’s Akaryn Hotel Group spreads wings to Indonesia, Vietnam

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