The Singapore State Courts on November 28 convicted SS Scuba for carrying on the business of a travel agent without a valid travel agent licence, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Although its travel agent licence had ceased in March 2014, SS Scuba continued to sell and arrange overseas trips from January 2015 to July 2016, said STB.
Screengrab of SS Scuba’s Facebook page
SS Scuba faced 50 charges and was convicted and sentenced on 10 charges. The company was ordered to pay a total fine of S$14,000. The remaining 40 charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing.
STB says it “takes a serious view against unlicensed travel agents and is committed to uphold the reputation of Singapore’s tourism sector, and will not hesitate to take necessary action against those who contravened the legislation”.
The tourism board also advises the public to exercise due diligence when making travel arrangements, and to consult the latest list of licensed travel agents at the Travel Related Users’ System (TRUST) website.
Travel agents may also email the STB at stb_ta@stb.gov.sg for related licensing queries.
On paper, Langkawi has the makings of a luxury destination, with offerings ranging from high-end hotels to helicopter rides and marinas for yachts.
The archipelago of 99 islands has the most number of high-end hotel brands compared to any other island destination in Malaysia, according to Eric Sinnaya, managing director of Morahols Travel, council member of the Malaysian Tourism Council, and Langkawi chairman for Malaysian Nature Society.
There’s a lack of awareness of Langkawi’s Geopark status in overseas markets
Beyond luxury hotels, the destination also boasts helicopter rides, gourmet restaurants, environmentally-friendly motor yachts and catamarans.
Yet, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) says the destination is not attracting enough foreign visitors.
The high-yield segment makes up 15 per cent of total tourists to the island – a number the Langkawi Tourism Authority hopes to double by 2020.
There is room for growth in the five-star category, where occupancy levels average between 60 and 70 per cent, shared Azizan Noordin, CEO at LADA. He added that there are 1,952 rooms in the five-star category, the biggest island inventory of five-star properties in Malaysia.
Azizan said: “We have luxury hotel brands. What we need to do more of is to create greater awareness about the destination and its offerings. We have the mass market, now we need to go after the high-end tourists.”
While not a dedicated tourism destination marketing organisation, LADA, as the governing authority for development, has outlined objectives that are aligned to giving Langkawi a higher-end image.
LADA’s greater participation in tradeshows could help address the awareness gap. On top of PATA Travel Mart, which took place in Langkawi for the first time this year, LADA will also make a first appearance at ILTM Cannes in December. The organisation also plans to attend future iterations of ILTM China in Shanghai, and ILTM Asia Pacific in Singapore.
In particular, LADA hopes to attract luxury yacht enthusiasts, as Langkawi has four marinas that can cater to yachts of up to 80m long.
It also wants to attract private jets. Azizan shared that LADA is working with the Department of Civil Aviation to open Langkawi International Airport – including aircraft refuelling and private catering facilities – round the clock from 4Q2018.
Beyond the luxury hotel sector, LADA is also seeking investments in international schools for the expatriate community living in Langkawi, private hospitals, more fine dining restaurants and a premium outlet on the island.
Changing mass perceptions
Some agents point out that it is not just product awareness, but also destination branding that needs more work.
Langkawi’s luxury hotels are a relatively recent development, and the destination still has to work to change its mass market image that was formed over many years, they opined.
Ally Bhoonee, executive director of World Avenues, said: “The challenge is changing the perception of Langkawi as a high-end destination because all the while, Malaysia in general has been perceived as (a destination) attracting middle-income tourists. Only during the last two years, Langkawi has seen a spurt of growth in the high-end inventory with the opening of St Regis Langkawi and The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi.”
He added: “The authorities should not just concentrate on marketing Langkawi as a high-end destination but also rebranding it, while at the same time, not losing the essence of what Langkawi stands for – preserving nature and its pristine beauty. The tagline, Naturally Langkawi, hints that it is an ecotourism destination, but nothing to suggest it also caters to the upmarket tourist.”
For Sinnaya, even the more established tourism resources are not getting enough attention. “While there is sufficient information on Langkawi as a Geopark on the ground for visitors (already) in the destination, there is not enough awareness about its UNESCO Global Geopark status in overseas markets.”
Flight connectivity challenge
Another obvious challenge is connectivity. Currently, direct flights from international destinations are limited to Singapore, Guangzhou, Kunming and Guiyang.
Middle Eastern airlines are a key target as LADA trains its sights on high spenders. According to statistics from Tourism Malaysia, tourists from Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia spend more on the ground compared to visitors from other countries.
LADA is lobbying for more international airlines to begin direct flights to Langkawi, namely Qatar Airways, Emirates, Finnair, Thai Airways and Hainan Airlines, which had postponed the commencement of new services twice.
Other high-yield markets such as China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the US are also being targeted by LADA through joint collaborations with Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.
It is also in talks with Condor Air, a new airline that will commence services between Frankfurt and Kuala Lumpur from November.
Langkawi is lobbying for more international airlines to fly to the destination
The charter strategy
Azizan suggested that airlines start first with charter flights. LADA is ready to provide marketing support for the duration of the charter programme, while Malaysia Airports Holdings provides complimentary landing fees.
Anthony Wong, president of Langkawi Business Association as well as group managing director, Asian Overland Services Tourism & Hospitality Group, agreed that for a destination with limited direct flights from foreign destinations, getting charters is a good start. It allows the airline to gauge whether there is a market for the destination and whether it will be viable to commence scheduled flights later.
He added: “With charter services, there will always be a percentage of passengers who are well-to-do and will choose the best category of hotels to stay in. They are merely using the charter services as a means of getting to the destination because direct, scheduled flights might not be available.”
Meanwhile, TUI Group’s Fly and Cruise programme is set to commence from December 20 until end-March 2019. The group will offer direct flights from the UK to Langkawi, and regional cruises sailing out of Langkawi.
With TUI Group’s cruise ship homeporting in Langkawi, all passengers will spend at least one night in Langkawi before embarking on a 14-day cruise itinerary. The total potential capacity is expected to be about 7,200 passengers in the first year of operation.
The friendly, jovial and knowledgeable figure that Mirza Mohammad Taiyab cuts will be sorely missed when the well-respected industry figure retires from his director-general role at Tourism Malaysia on December 1.
Mirza had served in Tourism Malaysia for some 36 years, with the last 12 years as director-general. Prior to that, he was the deputy director-general.
At press time, the Public Service Department has not announced Mirza’s replacement. Meanwhile, his duties will be taken over by two deputy director-generals, Mohmed Razip Hasan and Zulkifli Md Said.
Mirza Mohammad Taiyab
During his tenure as director-general, Mirza had expanded Tourism Malaysia’s structure to create a career path for officers from entry level right up to senior management. He is also key in getting Tourism Malaysia staff exposed through overseas placements and in-house training programmes.
He said: “I am proud that I have been able to develop many capable and knowledgeable leaders. Together with the travel industry, we were able to bring tourism to its present level, which is the third foreign exchange earner for Malaysia.”
Mirza was instrumental in leading Tourism Malaysia to bid for PATA Travel Mart 2018, which was held in Langkawi in September. Recognising the importance of business events, he was crucial to the formation of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) way back in 2009. Prior to the establishment of MyCEB, MICE was merely a unit within Tourism Malaysia.
Looking back at his long-spanning career, Mirza commented: “My biggest regret was not being able to launch a proper campaign to reverse the regression of arrivals after the two airline tragedies in 2014. At the time, Tourism Malaysia had budget cuts. Our challenges then were increased media advertising costs, currency devaluation and keener destination competition from our neighbours.”
When asked about his retirement plans, Mirza shared: “I haven’t decided yet. For now, I want to take it easy and spend more time with my wife and three children.”
To commemorate Mirza’s long service, Tourism Malaysia will be organising an internal farewell reception on November 29, followed by another event for industry players on the following day. His last day of office will be November 30.
Trade reacts to Mirza’s retirement
Mirza’s retirement has evoked reactions from the Malaysian trade members, many of whom hold fond memories of this industry pioneer as well as his contributions and strong support for the tourism sector over the years.
KL Tan, president, The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), remarked: “MATTA’s success in driving the nation’s tourism industry forward and making Malaysia a preferred travel destination for tourists would not have been successful without the full support of Mirza and collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, both in the country and its overseas offices. Mirza’s support and cooperation with MATTA has created many favourable conditions to the association’s members, such as making Malaysia the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators Associations (ECTAA) Preferred Destination of the Year for 2018 and the selection of Malaysia as the official partner country of ITB 2019.”
Ally Bhoonee, executive director at World Avenues, said: “Mirza’s retirement is a great loss to the tourism industry. Tourism is in his DNA. He has an open door policy and he is a humble, approachable person. I have asked him several times for advice on industry matters and he has always been willing to share.”
Arokia Das, director, Luxury Tours Malaysia said: “I’ve known Mirza for over 30 years, and he has always had a strong passion for the industry and to make Malaysia a premier destination. He has an ear to the ground and he is always abreast of market trends which he kept the travel trade abreast of through proper guidance.”
Anthony Wong, group managing director, Asian Overland Services Tourism & Hospitality Group, said: “Mirza is an industry person, very humble and intelligent and he has supported the industry well, addressing issues to make it an easier environment to work. He has also led many organisations at the international level and supported the industry participation though making Malaysia an active member. This helps to bring many meetings and conferences to Malaysia.”
Uzaidi Udanis, president of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, remarked: “I have known Mirza since 1987 when he was just an officer in Tourism Malaysia. I remember he helped me personally in developing the European market and with that I managed to widen my market to Eastern Europe. As director-general, Mirza has also shown support for MITA Travel Fair and availed himself to all our events which relate to domestic and inbound tourism. I hope that after he retires, he will continue to contribute his valuable experience in the tourism industry.”
Shaharuddin Saaid, executive director, Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO), said: “Mirza is a personal friend whom I have known since the mid-1990s. He is highly principled with firm opinions, yet at the same time, good-natured and jovial. During his tenure as director-general, he has been very supportive and co-operative to industry players and stakeholders, MAHO included. He has never failed to show up at our Hari Raya Aidilfitri open houses except on two occasions when he was overseas or out of town. I wish him continued good health and prosperity.”
Casino operator Genting Malaysia has sued Twenty-First Century Fox and its soon-to-be owner Walt Disney for more than US$1 billion, accusing the duo of terminating a contract related to the construction of the first Fox-branded theme park in Genting Highlands.
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Los Angeles, in response to a notice issued by Fox in which it terminated a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and claimed approximately US$46.2 million in accelerated payments.
20th Century Fox World was to be a key attraction at Resorts World Genting
In its company announcement dated November 27 through Bursa Malaysia, Genting Malaysia denied that Fox had grounds to terminate the MOA, and has pursued cause of action against Fox for breach of contract, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, among others.
According to the MOA, Genting Malaysia was granted a licence to utilise certain intellectual property rights associated with Fox theatrical motion pictures in connection with the design, development, construction and operation of what was to be called the Twentieth Century Fox World theme park. The MOA was subsequently amended on June 2014 and June 2017.
Genting Malaysia has also pursued cause of action against Disney and Twenty First Century Fox for inducing breach of contract and for interference with contract. This comes as Disney prepares to complete US$71.3 billion purchase of many Fox assets, expected to happen in 1Q2019.
Genting said “seller’s remorse” induced Fox, with Disney’s help, to breach its 2013 contract with Fox Entertainment Group to license intellectual property for Fox World, a proposed addition to its Resorts World Genting complex in Genting Highlands. Genting further added that it had already made a “US$750 million-plus investment” in the theme park.
But according to the complaint, Disney is now “calling the shots”, and wants to end the contract because associating with a gaming company did not fit its “family-friendly” brand strategy.
The 10ha park in Genting Highlands, part of the Resorts World Genting complex, was initially slated to open in 2016 but is now scheduled for a 2019 opening following repeated delays.
Bear Luxe Japan (BLJ), a network of international luxury travel designers and suppliers operating in Japan, has launched a digital portal to offer international buyers a one-stop platform for marketing, reservations and payments.
This portal, touted as first of its kind in Japan, was created in response to buyers’ difficulty in communicating with independent Japanese contractors, and suppliers’ struggles to reach the international travel trade market due to limited access and the absence of a standard payment and commission system.
The new digital portal aims to connect luxury travel buyers and qualified sellers in Japan
Founded in partnership with The Ryokan Collection and a team of luxury travel experts, BLJ has partnered with leading Japanese luxury travel providers spanning transportation, accommodation, custom experiences and DMCs.
In addition, Kyoto City Tourism Association has signed on as a partner of BLJ to develop the luxury travel segment in Japan’s former capital.
BLJ’s co-founder and COO, Hiroyuki Miyatake, said in a statement that in addition to connecting luxury travel buyers and qualified sellers, he hopes the service can provide a way for Japan’s traditional craftsmen and artisans to reach new markets and support their struggling industries.
“Through this business, I hope to build an ecosystem that will contribute to local traditions, cultures and industries,” he said. “Lifestyles in Japan have been changing, and demand for traditional arts and crafts among the younger generation has stagnated, but there is demand among overseas visitors to see and experience that side of Japan, if they can find a way to access it.”
BLJ’s supplier membership is by-invitation-only, with a dedicated editorial team experienced in luxury travel marketing to craft English marketing and sales materials for each supplier, including photos, and organise them into an easy-to-navigate, standardised format.
Buyers are then able to pursue a collection of curated products, contact the providers and make payments through the portal. Buyers receive a guaranteed minimum commission through an integrated commission processing service.
BeMyGuest has named COO Blanca Menchaca the new CEO, with former Clement Wong stepping down from the top position after founding the company in 2012.
Blanca Menchaca
Menchaca, who co-founded BeMyGuest with Wong in 2013, is an online expert with over 12 years experience, including holding senior positions with Australian Enero Group (previously Photon) in 2007 within their start-up incubator arm, and in 2010 joined flights and hotels metasearch start-up Wego in Singapore.
“Surrounded by our skilled team of professionals, I’m completely confident that the adoption of the technology we have designed to power the attractions, tour and activities sector in Asia is trending towards a pivotal stage of our business,” said Menchaca.
Qatar has unveiled its first global destination campaign to highlight the Arabian Gulf country as “an attractive destination for authentic and bespoke experiences”.
Featuring the tagline “Qatar Qurated For You”, the campaign will run in eight languages and target 225 million travellers in 15 of its existing and targeted priority markets. It will focus on tailored visitor experiences that celebrate its heritage.
The Qurated campaign’s launch comes on the back of the Qatar Tourism Authority’s recent restructure into the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC).
Qatar’s Qurated campaign to highlight tailored travel experiences
Rashed Al Qurese, chief marketing & promotion officer at QNTC, commented: “Qurated is more than an advertising campaign: we’ve closely examined what Qatar offers as a destination to bring into sharp focus the essence of the Qatar experience, and how it can be tailored to each of our visitor segments.”
The campaign will run across print, TV and digital platforms, and will leverage partnerships with global TV networks such as CNN International, Al Jazeera, Digiturk and Sky TV.
QNTC is also partnering with some of the world’s more popular travel platforms such as Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet to increase its visibility to prospective visitors.
Realising that safety is a key concern when it comes to travel, Michael Becker created a resource to rank global destinations at a neighbourhood level.
“Safety is central to travel. We want people to be more confident and inspired about travelling to any part of the world, and we want to encourage travel in an informed, engaged and empowered way,” said Becker, CEO of GeoSure.
Geosure uses AI and crowd-sourced data to provide safety rankings
In 2013, the US-based technology company launched its GeoSure app, a personalised safety travel resource aimed at female travellers. In September, after three years of development, an LGBTQ+ safety rating for more than 30,000 neighbourhoods across the globe was added.
The app uses AI and crowd-sourced data from a range of organisations, including United Nations, World Health Organisation and crime statistics, to score individual neighbourhoods. Each area is ranked on a scale of one to 100, with one being the safest. Scores are updated to reflect current situations, such as political events, natural disasters and strengthening economies.
“Our ultimate goal is to enhance, enrich and empower the travel experience. We felt there was a huge gap in the market,” said Becker. He notes the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which led to a swathe of travel cancellations in East and South Africa.
“These destinations are more than 5,000km away, as far away as New York is from London,” he said, citing the travel warnings after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal as another example. “We are trying to help solve this problem by providing very localised information. Our goal is to support the tourism economy.”
Becker also hopes the app can prove useful in countries where there are travel bans in place. “If you put a travel ban or warning on an entire destination, it can have devastating impacts on the tourism economy when there may only be small parts of the country affected and the rest is fine to visit. This app can help solve this problem.”
Operating on a B2C and B2B level, GeoSure is working with OTAs, TMCs, DMOs, tourism boards and other organisations to offer customers, employees and members hyper-local safety information.
Said Becker: “OTAs want to provide users with safety content when booking flights and destinations, as well as after travel begins. DMOs want to promote safety to attract more tourism, and TMCs have insatiable demand for and from corporate travel clients to supply rapidly accessible location safety understanding.”
Looking ahead, GeoSure is developing more safety features for additional travel segments.
“The message of inspired and empowered travel, not fear or anxiety – nobody wants to create trepidation among travellers or customers – is rapidly trending as the best way to encourage smart, informed travel,” concluded Becker.
Oyo Hotels & Homes has appointed Aditya Ghosh as CEO of India and South Asia, effective December 1, 2018.
Aditya Ghosh
Reporting to Ritesh Agarwal, founder & group CEO, Oyo Hotels & Homes, Aditya will oversee and grow Oyo Hotels business in South Asia, which includes India, Nepal, among other upcoming markets in the region.
A trained lawyer and a professional with over two decades of experience under his belt, Aditya will join Oyo from LCC IndiGo, where he held the post of president & wholetime director.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is intent on driving up awareness of the destination in the Chinese market, fuelled by the exposure gained from the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Summit that took place from November 17-18, plus a slate of upcoming tourism developments.
Chinese premier Xi Jinping’s visit to the independent state during the weekend of the APEC Economic Leaders Summit is believed to trigger “an influx of Chinese visitors” into PNG and spark more conversations about the country, stated PNG Tourism Promotion Authority’s senior marketing officer, Joel Keimelo.
Connectivity and visa issues are biggest impediments to growth of Chinese market to PNG
“The number of Chinese travellers has gradually increased in the past three years since we established a representative office in Shanghai. At this stage, we’re trying to build awareness – we’ve been at CITM for seven years, but many Chinese people still don’t know where PNG is.
“There have been two key impediments to growing our (Chinese) market: connectivity and visa requirements.”
Additionally, PNG is working on a host of developments to drive greater interest among Chinese travellers.
“Our national airline is working on launching a direct flight (to China), hopefully by 1Q next year,” Keimelo revealed.
The PNG government has also announced the visa on arrival facility for Chinese tour groups of less than 15, Keimelo told TTG Asia.
“We’re not a mass tourism destination, so we’re targeting the niche segment of special-interest travellers who want adventure and learn more about our culture,” he explained.
The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority is also working the ground in China through advertising, sales missions and social media marketing on channels such as WeChat and Weibo.
