TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Monday, 6th April 2026
Page 1310

An open invitation

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The idea for JoinMyWedding.com, which gives travellers the unique opportunity to join an Indian wedding as a guest, came about when Orsi Parkanyi, co-founder & president of JoinMyWedding.com heard about the great experiences her friend has had.

“I was born and grew up in Hungary. When I was in my early twenties, I moved to Australia and lived there for 11 years. I missed out on all of my friends’ weddings that happened in Hungary during those years. Three years ago, I was visiting family, and got to talk with a friend who told me about all the amazing weddings she attended that summer. She also shared about a traditional Indian wedding she once attended, and which was the most amazing experience of her life,” recalled Parkanyi.

Orsi Parkanyi

“So the idea formed: what if there was a way for people to join authentic weddings around the world?”

She shared that since inception the response for JoinMyWedding.com has been overwhelming, with demand coming from around the world.

Through JoinMyWedding.com, travellers get to experience multiple aspects of an Indian wedding – meeting with local people, tasting local cuisine, dressing in Indian attire, enjoying the music, ambiance and entertainment, in addition to learning about the local customs and even admiring local architecture.

“The Indian culture is very rich, and weddings are a huge part of it. It was previously hidden from the travellers but JoinMyWedding has made it possible for travellers to experience Indian weddings. Our platform, being a global digital platform, is totally different from local experience providers.

“(Firstly) it is not an agency, it is a global marketplace. The variety and choices can be much bigger on such platforms, and there are no limitations,” said Parkanyi.

However, a major challenge faced in the business is the seasonality of Indian weddings, she admitted.

Another difficulty she faces is that weddings are “one-off experiences, and as such, hard to price”.

“But we are going strong and overcoming each challenge as we go ahead. We are focusing on Indian weddings for the moment, but would like to extend this globally over the coming years,” she concluded.

An open invitation

0
Orsi Parkanyi

The idea for JoinMyWedding.com, which gives travellers the unique opportunity to join an Indian wedding as a guest, came about when Orsi Parkanyi, co-founder & president of JoinMyWedding.com heard about the great experiences her friend has had.

“I was born and grew up in Hungary. When I was in my early twenties, I moved to Australia and lived there for 11 years. I missed out on all of my friends’ weddings that happened in Hungary during those years. Three years ago, I was visiting family, and got to talk with a friend who told me about all the amazing weddings she attended that summer. She also shared about a traditional Indian wedding she once attended, and which was the most amazing experience of her life,” recalled Parkanyi.

Orsi Parkanyi

“So the idea formed: what if there was a way for people to join authentic weddings around the world?”

She shared that since inception the response for JoinMyWedding.com has been overwhelming, with demand coming from around the world.

Through JoinMyWedding.com, travellers get to experience multiple aspects of an Indian wedding – meeting with local people, tasting local cuisine, dressing in Indian attire, enjoying the music, ambiance and entertainment, in addition to learning about the local customs and even admiring local architecture.

“The Indian culture is very rich, and weddings are a huge part of it. It was previously hidden from the travellers but JoinMyWedding has made it possible for travellers to experience Indian weddings. Our platform, being a global digital platform, is totally different from local experience providers.

“(Firstly) it is not an agency, it is a global marketplace. The variety and choices can be much bigger on such platforms, and there are no limitations,” said Parkanyi.

However, a major challenge faced in the business is the seasonality of Indian weddings, she admitted.

Another difficulty she faces is that weddings are “one-off experiences, and as such, hard to price”.

“But we are going strong and overcoming each challenge as we go ahead. We are focusing on Indian weddings for the moment, but would like to extend this globally over the coming years,” she concluded.

New GM takes reins at Regent Singapore

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Oscar Postma has been appointed Regent Singapore’s new general manager.

In his most recent post prior to joining Regent Singapore, Postma was corporate director of rooms for Capella Hotel Group.

The industry veteran first began his career with Starwood, and has 25 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry under his belt. Past roles include executive assistant manager rooms at The St Regis Singapore and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, as well as hotel manager of the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC.

Lombok tourism pushed to adapt with pent-up demand awaiting release

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South Lombok Beach. Photo credit: Mark Thurman

There is a clear pent-up demand for Lombok after tourism took a hit last year and buyers are waiting longer to actualise bookings, but destination players are working hard on realigning their focus to capture more business.

Based on the assessment of Khiri Travel Indonesia’s general manager Herman Hoven during the Christmas/New Year 2018-19 peak, around 90 per cent of tourism operations in Lombok are back in business following the devastating earthquakes of August 2018. In north-west Lombok, the island of Gili Trawangan is leading the recovery, followed by Gili Meno and Gili Air.

South Lombok Beach (photo credit: Mark Thurman)

Yet travellers appear to still be holding back their decisions, not just due to the Lombok earthquake and tsunami, but also because of the string of natural disasters that struck Indonesia in recent months, observed sellers at ATF last week.

Iwan Sitompul, sales consultant of Kura Kura Resort and Meno Mojo Beach Resort in Gili Meno, Lombok said: “The infrastructure in Lombok is ready, the fast boats between Bali and Lombok are back to normal, some has even added frequencies. Most of the affected hotels are up and running. In fact, Meno is newly opened.

“Since I arrived (at ATF), buyers have been asking me for updates on Lombok. This shows that the interest continues to be there, but somehow the bookings are very slow. In fact, Lombok is still close-sales for (some) UK buyers,” said Iwan, suggesting the lack of updates to overseas markets as a possible reason.

Robert Koni, sales and product manager of Manumadi Tours & Travel, noted that while bookings have been slower than usual, they are starting to come in.

He is hopeful that a Turkish Airlines fam trip for travel agents from Estonia to Bali and Lombok later this month, which Manumadi Tours is handling, will lead to more bookings afterwards.

Marika Gloeckler, executive manager product & consulting of Go Vacation Indonesia, said: “January-March are quiet months anyway, so it is normal not to see (European) travellers there yet. However, bookings from April onwards look good.”

Santika Indonesia Hotels & Resorts is also upbeat about Lombok’s future. The hotel group is opening an upmarket villa resort, the Kayana Lombok, a Royal Collection category in July 2019, just in time for the European summer peak.

Shedding light on how tourism suppliers in the destination are coping differently, Hoven pointed out that Gili Trawangan was recovering well due to its reliance on the backpacker and flashpacker markets. For some hotels on Gili Meno, more reliant on the couples and honeymoon market, and Gili Air, rebuilding will take more time.

Mount Rinjani. Photo credit: Mark Thurman

He estimated that tourism operators in the north are trying to survive with business still at 10-30 per cent of pre-earthquake levels. Tourism businesses in the south of Lombok, with its deserted beaches, were hardly impacted by the earthquakes, he said.

It was a more mixed picture around Mount Rinjani in the centre-north of the island. The summit of the famous mountain remains closed leaving many of the guides and porters out of work.

As a response to the downturn, members of the Rinjani Women’s Guide Association have had to refocus their efforts, Khiri shared in a statement. According to the DMC, the guides are now more actively promoting trips around the villages and attractions of the Senaru foothills.

Singapore tackles flailing retail spend through Orchard Road revitalisation

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As Singapore’s tourism receipts plateau with declines seen in shopping and F&B spend, efforts to stimulate expenditure through reinvigorating one of the city’s traditional retail hotspots is underway.

According to latest figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), tourism receipts in Singapore have plateaued, stagnating at some S$13.4 billion (US$9.9 billion) in 1H2018. The statistics, shared at the ATF in Halong Bay last week, also reflected a dip of 15 per cent in total tourist spend on shopping.

Orchard Road, Singapore

A major reason for this trend is the advent of online retail, which has become a universal bugbear, said Oliver Chong, executive director communications & marketing capability, marketing group, STB.

But hope is found in the Chinese market – Singapore’s top arrival market – which spent 13 per cent more in for 1H2018 compared to 1H2017, with shopping as the highest proportion, shared Chong.

To revitalise Singapore’s retail offerings, STB is embarking on a joint project with Enterprise Singapore and Jurong Town Council at the junction of Orchard Road and Cairnhill Road.

Design Orchard, opening on Jan 25, will showcase and support more than 60 up-and-coming Singapore designers and brands. The development comprises a retail showcase, designer incubation spaces and a rooftop events space.

Chong said: “When people go travelling, they like to buy things that are unique to the (destination) country. While we are grateful for all the global brands in Singapore, what we (also) want tourists to see and appreciate are designs that they can’t get anywhere else.

“We hope that Design Orchard will encourage more Singapore-based designers and reshape the retail perception of Orchard.”

Chong added that STB is considering other plans to “transform some of the key shopping districts in Orchard Road”, and may reveal these projects in the coming weeks.

Tourism hits 1.4 billion target ahead of forecast

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International tourist arrivals hit 1.4 billion last year

International tourist arrivals grew 6% in 2018, reaching the 1.4 billion target two years ahead of forecast, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, although more modest growth is expected for 2019.

UNWTO estimates that worldwide international tourist arrivals (overnight) increased 6% to 1.4 billion in 2018, surpassing the 3.7% growth registered in the global economy. The Middle East (+10%), Africa (+7%), Asia-Pacific and Europe (both at +6%) led growth in 2018, while arrivals to the Americas were below the world average (+3%).

International tourist arrivals hit 1.4 billion last year

UNWTO’s long-term forecast published in 2010 predicted the 1.4 billion mark of international tourist arrivals for 2020. Yet stronger economic growth, more affordable air travel, technological changes, new businesses models and greater visa facilitation around the word have accelerated growth in recent years.

Results by region
International tourist arrivals in Europe reached 713 million in 2018, a notable 6% increase over what UNWTO says was an exceptionally strong 2017. Growth was driven by Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+7%), Central and Eastern Europe (+6%) and Western Europe (+6%). Results in Northern Europe were flat due to the weakness of arrivals to the UK.

Asia-Pacific (+6%) recorded 343 million international tourist arrivals in 2018. Arrivals in South-east Asia grew 7%, followed by North-East Asia (+6%) and South Asia (+5%). Oceania showed more moderate growth at +3%.

The Americas (+3%) welcomed 217 million international arrivals in 2018, with mixed results across destinations. Growth was led by North America (+4%), and followed by South America (+3%), while Central America and the Caribbean (both -2%) reached very mixed results, the latter reflecting the impact of the September 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Data from Africa points to a 7% increase in 2018 (North Africa at +10% and Sub-Saharan +6%), reaching an estimated 67 million arrivals.

The Middle East (+10%) showed solid results last year consolidating its 2017 recovery, with international tourist arrivals reaching 64 million.

Growth expected to return to historical trends in 2019
Based on current trends, economic prospects and the UNWTO Confidence Index, UNWTO forecasts international arrivals to grow 3% to 4% next year, more in line with historic growth trends.

As a general backdrop, the stability of fuel prices tends to translate into affordable air travel while air connectivity continues to improve in many destinations, facilitating the diversification of source markets. Trends also show strong outbound travel from emerging markets, especially India and Russia but also from smaller Asian and Arab source markets.

At the same time, the global economic slowdown, the uncertainty related to the Brexit, as well as geopolitical and trade tensions may prompt a “wait and see” attitude among investors and travellers.

Overall, 2019 is expected to see the consolidation among consumers of emerging trends such as the quest for ‘travel to change and to show’, ‘the pursuit of healthy options’ such as walking, wellness and sports tourism, ‘multigenerational travel’ as a result of demographic changes and more responsible travel.

Tourism Australia rolls out second-tier of specialist training programme in HK

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John Sullivan

Twenty agents have been inducted into the newly-launched Premier Aussie Specialist Program in Hong Kong, one tier up from its basic Aussie Specialist Program.

Membership in the Premier Aussie Specialist category is an acknowledgement of the destination expertise, insider knowledge and strong ties with the Australian travel industry of Aussie Specialist agents. The Premier Aussie Specialist Program also offers professional validation for retail agents selling Australian holidays to consumers.

John O’Sullivan posing with 20 of the newly-inducted agents who are now Premier Aussie Specialists

As part of the membership, Premier Aussie Specialists are invited to attend exclusive travel industry workshops, market updates and training events hosted by Tourism Australia and Australia’s states and territories.

John O’Sullivan, managing director, Tourism Australia said: “The Premier Aussie Specialist Program seeks to recognise the invaluable advocacy that travel advisors, who have been selling Australian holidays for many years, deliver for the destination.”

The programme has recruited more than 1,116 travel agents in Hong Kong.

Arrivals from Hong Kong to Australia grew by 11 per cent for the year (ending in October 2018) to 305,000 visitors, making Hong Kong the 10th largest inbound market for Australia.

Diethelm Travel Group moves into new Bangkok HQ

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Diethelm Travel Group has moved its headquarters to a new office location in Bangkok, which welcomed its first visitors last week.

Beginning with a morning blessing ceremony performed by Buddhist monks for staff and select guests from the media, the day continued with a hosted lunch followed by an afternoon open house.

The Diethelm Travel team, dressed in traditional Thai attire, then met with clients and special attendees, including over 160 hoteliers, for a social afternoon tea.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, attendees contributed donations for the Saijaithai Foundation to help support regions of southern Thailand recently affected tropical storm Pabuk.

Commenting on the Bangkok headquarters’ new home, CEO Stephan Roemer said: “We’ve moved our headquarters to a new office space that better fits the company’s growth and commitment to operating at a high international standard… We (welcomed guests) to our new home and introduced them to the next era of Diethelm Travel in Bangkok.”

The new office is located at No. 140/7, ITF Tower, 8th Floor, Silom Road, Suriyawong, Bangrak. Its main line phone number is now (66) 2 782 7000.

Vienna House plots entry into Asia with Vietnam debut

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Concept art of Vienna House Vung Tau

Austrian hotel chain Vienna House is expanding into Asia, with a debut planned for Vung Tau, a beach resort about 175km from Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam.

Currently operating close to 40 locations throughout Europe, Vienna House has unveiled the Vienna House Vung Tau as its first Asian location, set to open in 2021.

“Vienna House Vung Tau is a great step in the first phase of an ambitious expansion plan to bring Vienna House throughout Asia,” said Jonathan Wigley, CEO of Vienna House Asia, pointing to Vietnam’s “vigorous” tourism growth in recent years.

Other Vienna House properties in Thailand and Indonesia will be announced shortly, he added.

The Vung Tau property will be an oceanfront resort offering 775 rooms, suites, penthouses and villas. Facilities include pools with pool bars, an onsen hot bath, a gym, tennis courts, a sports bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a fresh seafood market, a cafe and tea room, a 530m2 grand ballroom, flexible meeting rooms and retails areas.

Laos turns focus to China, SE Asia markets

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Luang Prabang, Laos

Laos has set its sights on attracting one million Chinese visitors this year as part of the Visit Laos-China 2019 campaign, with a series of events, fam trips and seminars lined up to grow this key source market.

Sounh Manivong, director general of tourism marketing department, Laos’ Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICT), said: “We want to collaborate with many countries in the future. China is a market with huge potential, so we will start with them and then expand to other nations.”

Luang Prabang, Laos

The two countries have signed an agreement to push tourism in both destinations, starting with a launch event in Vientiane on January 25, followed by a Laos tourism promotion seminar for Chinese business and tourism players.

Other activities include Laos hosting a large-scale promotional event in Beijing in April; a Laos festival in Hunan in July; a promotion seminar in Pakse in August; and a fam trip for Chinese media in southern Laos, before rounding out the year with a closing ceremony in Beijing in December.

With more than five daily flights connecting China and Laos, Sounh said work is underway to secure more direct flights with major Chinese cities this year.
Sounh added the government is working to secure more flights, including from Japan. Promotional activities will also be carried out in South Korea and Japan – two key target markets.

The country landed a recent coup in Scoot’s thrice-weekly flights from Singapore to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, which will begin in April.

China aside, Laos is putting South-east Asia on its radar. “A few years ago, our target markets were Europeans and Americans. This year we are changing this by focusing on attracting South-east Asians and Chinese,” said Somxay Chongheumoua from the tourism marketing research division of MICT’s tourism marketing department.

The increased focus on South-east Asian travellers is coming as good news for some tourism businesses in Laos, although they continue to see Europe and the US as their core markets.

A Laotian tour operator who declined to be named told TTG Asia that compared to the Chinese and some Europeans, South-east Asian travellers are more inclined to spending on local businesses.

He observed: “Tourists from Thailand or even Vietnam are different – they would rather use local services and consume local products. This is important to ensure locals get to benefit from tourism.”

Additional reporting by Yixin Ng