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Asia/Singapore Saturday, 11th April 2026
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New casino resort in Nepal bets on Indian market

By Rohit Kaul
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casino main floor

Half a year into its opening, Tiger Palace Resort in Bhairahawa, Nepal – pegged as South Asia’s first integrated casino resort – is already looking at a sizeable expansion to cater to the growing demand for gaming in the Indian market.

A part of Australian-listed Silver Heritage Group, the 8.9ha Tiger Palace Resort with an investment value of U$52 million features 100 hotels rooms and two villas, a 2,500m2 gaming floor, six F&B outlets and a kid’s zone.

Tiger Palace Resort’s casino main floor

“We opened as a hotel in September 2017 and (added) the gaming portion just before the New Year. We see demand for at least 100 more rooms, an expanded VIP gaming area, more F&B options and an additional block of rooms in the budget category,” said Tim Shepherd, co-founder of Silver Heritage Group.

The group is also in talks with a few theme park operators to look at the potential of possibly opening a theme park at the resort.

The resort, a two hours’ drive from the Gorakhpur Airport in Uttar Pradesh, was purpose built for Indian gamers, unlike casinos in Macau that cater more to Chinese travellers, according to Shepherd.

“India is a very exciting market. At present we are reaching out to the market through Nepal, which is very investment friendly, while it is tough to open a gaming resort in India,” Shepherd commented.

A white paper by Global Market Advisors projects that India could become the next dominant force in Asian gaming, provided its growing population has easy access to the right number and mix of casino resorts, positioned throughout India’s major cities and borders.

Since opening, Tiger Palace Resort has seen growing demand from India, having hosted Indian weddings – including one with 900 guests – bachelor parties and casino goers.

“Our concern now is to create awareness about our resort in the Indian market,” said Shepherd. To raise awareness and boost guest numbers, the resort is working offline and online travel agencies in India.

Philtoa to launch travel mart for alternative tour products

By Rosa Ocampo
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New mart to feature products focused on ethnicity and culture, fiestas, eco-adventure, culinary, agriculture and heritage

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) attempts to bring ecology, ethnic and cultural tourism products into the mainstream by launching a yearly travel mart specifically for these alternative attractions.

“These are still weak products. We’re trying to define and brand them well,” Philtoa president Cesar Cruz told TTG Asia.

New mart to feature products focused on ethnicity and culture, fiestas, eco-adventure, culinary, agriculture and heritage

The inaugural Green and Gold Tourism Travel Mart will run from May 4 to 6. In its first three editions, the event will take place in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City and thereafter alternate to other areas including Cebu, Davao and Bohol for a wider reach.

While there are already a number of consumer travel shows in the country, including Philtoa’s own Philippine Travel Mart every September, Green and Gold Tourism Travel Mart is distinguished by its focus on alternative tourism products following themes of ethnicity and culture, fiestas, eco-adventure, culinary, agriculture and heritage, along with a series of educational workshops and events featuring local artisans.

Cruz shared that local government units and community-based organisations are expected to participate in the May mart in response to the country’s sustainable tourism aspirations.

Khiri ventures deeper into Indonesia with Sulawesi office

By Yixin Ng
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Wakatobi one to watch, says Hoven

While infrastructural pressures have spurred the Indonesian government’s drive to create “new Bali’s”, demand trends from Europe – such as the maturing traveller profile – are also pointing towards lesser-known destinations.

Last month, DMC Khiri Indonesia opened an office in Sulawesi, covering destinations from Kalimantan through Sulawesi, to the Moluccas and Papua.

Wakatobi one to watch, says Hoven

General manager of Khiri Indonesia, Herman Hoven, said: “While Bali and Java remain popular… for repeat European visitors to Indonesia, there is an increased interest in the outer lying destinations, such as Flores, Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

“We’ve offered Sulawesi since the start of our operations in Indonesia through a local agency. However now that we have opened our own office there, we’ll be able to deliver better consistency in product quality and service at a more competitive price. Response time will improve too, and we’ll (be able to be more) flexible and creative in our own itineraries.”

In Germany, Sulawesi and destinations other than Bali are already on the radar of some travel agents. Hans-Jürgen Schwall, managing director of First Reisebüro, said customers’ first contact with the destination is almost always with Bali. But as these longhaul travellers typically stay 14 to 20 days in the country, itineraries often also include Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Timor.

Of the emerging destinations serviced by Khiri’s new office, Hoven said the Wakatobi islands in South-east Sulawesi is one that “will rapidly (gain) popularity over the next few years”.

Since opening the new office, Tangkoko and Bunaken have shown to be most in-demand, being “easily reachable from Manado in the North”.

While these areas are opening up new selling opportunities, Hoven said product knowledge of some local tour operators could still be lacking.

Schwall remarked that having a DMC operating in budding destinations could fill information and service gaps, a boon for overseas agencies that offer tailor-made Indonesia itineraries.

Asiatravel’s augmented reality tours of Israel bring history to life

By TTG Asia
0

Asiatravel and its B2B division TAcentre, in partnership with Yaturu 5800 Israel, are hoping to bring “Hollywood theatrics” to tourism with the launch of tours staged using augmented reality (AR) technology and scripted audio-dramas of the history of destinations.

The “world’s first digital theatrical tours” will start with special group packages to Israel, where participants will be taken to Masada to join the final events of the first Jewish-Roman War, which occurred during 73 to 74 AD. On another part of the tour, they will visit Jerusalem or Bethlehem, where they will get to witness Jesus standing against corrupt authority, or angels communing with Mary and being asked to name her unborn son.

Augmented reality tours will debut in Israel before being rolled out to Asia

Following the launch, Asiatravel and Yaturu will jointly develop similar digital theatrical tours in major tourism destinations in Asia, with the first such Asian tour expected to be ready by end-2018.

An extension of the production house, now in Hollywood, will be established in Singapore to fast-track development across Asia-Pacific.

Kevin Bermeister, CEO of Yaturu, said: “AR and tourism are mutually disruptive. We know about AR business models largely from the gaming industry, but I believe tourism will become the first industry to fully engage AR and the first to birth successful, long term AR content business models. Asia Pacific will be a very interesting region for us to develop these tours because of its diverse cultures and backgrounds”.

Fred Seow, CEO of TAcentre, added: “It is timely for this product segment (tours), which has been largely human based, to achieve consistent high standards, refined content and quality and even cost savings when converted into digital theatrical tours.”

These digital tours to Israel are now open for agents’ bookings on TAcentre.com (international) or TAcenter.cn (China).

Mobile payment gains momentum for China’s tech-savvy travellers

By TTG Asia
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99 per cent of Chinese travellers surveyed have Alipay downloaded

As travel expenditure of Chinese tourists pick up, so too have mobile payments, with a recent survey showing 65 per cent of Chinese tourists using mobile payment platforms on their overseas travels, six times the number of non-Chinese tourists.

According to the Outbound Chinese Tourism and Consumption Trends: 2017 Survey, jointly issued by Nielsen and Alipay, Chinese tourists’ use of mobile payment during overseas trips saw greater increase compared to other payment methods compared to the last two years.

99 per cent of Chinese travellers surveyed have Alipay downloaded

On their most recent trip abroad, 99 per cent of Chinese tourists sampled have the Alipay App installed on their phones and 63 per used Alipay for their transactions, the survey showed. While shopping was the most common expense for which Alipay was used, Chinese tourists also utilised it to pay for sightseeing, accommodations, dining, transportation and recreation.

Over 90 per cent might purchase more goods or services at certain overseas merchants if they are able to accept mobile payment, the survey further revealed.

The study identifies the habit of using mobile payments in China, convenience of use, and additional discounts gained by using such platforms as key factors for Chinese travellers’ use of mobile payment overseas, while limited merchant coverage overseas is cited as the biggest obstacle.

The importance of mobile payment adoption in the travel industry is accentuated with the report stating that Chinese tourists exhibit stronger retail spending power than non-Chinese tourists. The former spent an average of US$762 per person on shopping alone based on their most recent trip. Non-Chinese tourists spent an average of US$486.

On average, Chinese tourists surveyed visited 2.1 countries or regions in 2016-2017 and are expected to visit an average of 2.8 in 2018.

Best Western rewards Thai agent with Japan stay

By TTG Asia
0
Trips to Japan and Phuket for the lucky winners

Best Western Hotels & Resorts recently organised the Appreciation Night 2018 at Bangkok’s Beer Republic to express gratitude for its Thailand industry partners and give guests a chance to catch up with its executive team in Asia.

In attendance for the party were 70 of the company’s closest partners, including marketing companies, travel agents, journalists and bloggers.

Trips to Japan and Phuket for the lucky winners

The night’s lucky draw saw Jiraphon Bupsiri of NS Travel & Tours bring home the top prize – return flights for two between Bangkok and Osaka and a two nights’ accommodation at Best Western Osaka Tsukamoto, including breakfast.

Sareewan Sudsanit of Krungsriayudhya Card won a two-night stay at Best Western Premier Bangtao Beach Resort & Spa, including return flights for two people to Phuket.

Asian Trails takes Amanjunkies out for street food

By Raini Hamdi
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Offering guests authentic street food expereinces

In a sign of the times, Amanresorts is collaborating with Asian Trails to bring guests to the streets for local food.

While a reason for Aman junkies to pick an Aman stay has always been the F&B – peaceful settings and safe-to-eat food, both in hygiene and spice levels – the new partnership reflects the changing luxury traveller who is willing to rough it out for a taste of authenticity.

“There is a growing interest among guests for local food experience,” said Patrick Gauthier, Amanresorts’ cluster director of sales based in Bangkok. “We would like to present the rich local culture in all our destinations and show that we always strive to offer the most authentic, insightful and unique experiences to our guests.”

Offering guests authentic street food expereinces

Exquisite Experiences, as the programme is called, offers a few nights stay in an Amanresort, with culinary journeys as the overriding theme. Guests will get the fine dining in-house handled by Amanresorts on some nights, and street dining handled by Asian Trails on others. Programmes are available for Amanresorts in Cambodia, China (including the new Shanghai property, Amanyangyun), Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

So how unadulterated is the street dining? Aman junkies can kiss ‘exquisite’ goodbye. It’s the real thing – “plastic chairs, wobbly metal tables, toilet rolls as tissue paper, and more of this stuff all the way”, according to Asian Trails’ group director of marketing and e-commerce, Niels Steeman.

“We avoid Western-oriented restaurants, high-end eateries, any Amanresort restaurant, or places where foreigners tend to go,” said Steeman.

A four-day Amanpuri package, for instance, brings guests to Phuket Town on Day Two for lunch – snacks and kerbside dishes such as khanom ahpong (crispy rolled-up crepe) – before heading for a museum unknown to many. It ends with a seafood galore “like only the locals know” where guests ‘blend in’ with locals.

“Our packages fuel the wanderlust by taking a different approach to something that is in demand but has not yet been offered. Travel is and remains an exploration which evolves as the years go by. If you’re not innovative, you’ll start to fall behind in the travel offers,” said Steeman.

Steeman is confident that Aman guests will relish the idea. Amanresorts itself offers local food experiences in Vietnam that “must be tried out”, he said, adding the hotel group has been open and enthusiastic about Exquisite Experiences.

“Working with their regional and global offices has been an eye-opening experience for us, seeing how such a respectable chain tackles such undertakings.”

Gauthier said Amanresorts has always looked for opportunities to collaborate with the travel trade since its founding 30 years ago.

“We consider DMCs as travel partner, and we need to work closely with them to offer the same level of guest experience,” he said. “We operate 31 resorts worldwide, of which 12 resorts, and two cruises, are located where Asian Trails provides ground services.”

Melvyn Yap ends 18-year stint at Silversea

By Raini Hamdi
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Sources say Yap resigned last year

Updated: Why Silversea combines Asia with Europe – goo.gl/z6yary

After an 18-year stint with Silversea Cruises during which he put the luxury cruise line on the radar of affluent Asian travellers, Melvyn Yap, regional director Asia, is leaving the company, effective April 30.

According to sources, Yap resigned in June last year. It isn’t clear if this was because changes were afoot at the line. These changes came to light this week when Silversea announced a new structure looking after the Europe and Asia markets under the leadership of Alfredo Spadon, managing director Europe & Asia, based in Frankfurt.

Sources say Yap resigned last year

A new vice president of Asia sales, Daniel Krupp, has been appointed to drive growth in the Asian market, since February. Krupp joined Silversea in April 2016 as vice president business analytics based in Miami, and became vice president sales & market development based in Monaco in April 2017 before his current role.

The new structure also includes a marketing director Europe & Asia Daniela Heusel and a commercial coordination manager Europe & Asia, reporting to Spadon to “ensure efficient business analytics, structure and communications for the European and Asian markets”, according to a statement.

Krupp named Silversea’s new vice president of Asia sales

“We have a stellar team that will work seamlessly between Frankfurt and Singapore, and I have no doubt that they will make significant contributions to the continued success of Silversea,” said Spadon in the statement.

At press time, Silversea has yet to respond to TTG Asia’s questions on whether the Asia office in Singapore, long been a two-man show, would be closed, and the thinking behind the restructure, especially whether it was timely to combine Europe with a fast-growing and competitive Asian market.

Vietnam tourism bets on first India connection to lift numbers

By Rohit Kaul
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Vietjet's New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City flights first to connect Vietnam and India

Vietnam and India will be linked by direct flights for the first time when LCC Vietjet commences four-times-weekly services between Ho Chi Minh City and New Delhi on April 5, hailed a boon for Indian outbound travel to Vietnam.

With travellers from India currently having to connect through Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok to get to Vietnam, Yogesh Kumar, Asian Trails Vietnam business development manager for India, said the new route is the “best gift for tourism in Vietnam”.

Vietjet’s New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City flights first to connect Vietnam and India

Pruthi Ranjan, market manager, Victoria Tour in India, added: “The lack of direct connectivity has been a big challenge for us. This has meant that a lot of Indians who otherwise would have travelled to Vietnam are opting for other regional destinations like Thailand. The lack of direct flights also makes the cost of overall tour package costly.

“We expect 30-40 per cent year-on-year growth once the direct air connectivity is in place,” he added.

Similarly, Trinh Nguyen Hung Dzung, chairman, TNK Travel Group, shared that despite the many requests for Vietnam among Indian clients, the lack of direct flights had posed a major inconvenience. “Indian tourists have to travel via Singapore or Bangkok to get to Vietnam, so they’d rather choose other destinations. If we have direct flights we can (better compete with) other destinations in the region.”

The new connection is expected to unlock the tremendous potential of the Indian outbound market for Vietnam and its neighbouring destinations, according to Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings.

“These flights will open up the possibility of moving large groups from India to Vietnam and beyond, namely Cambodia and Laos. This will open up new regions for the ever-growing Indian outbound travel market, which is estimated at 23 million as of 2017,” Karan said.

“The adventure seekers – those who are interested in history, culture and cuisine – are expected to benefit. Within the incentive segment, small groups of between 10-250 pax will also be catered for. Many Indians have visited a lot of places in the East and this new flight connectivity will help open up new markets and segments,” he added.

In Vietnam, Fusion Resorts plans to ride the recent developments to target the Indian wedding market with its all-inclusive wellness offering.

Vietnam recently extended its e-visa scheme to India, and bilateral trade between the two countries is on growing, noted Akshay Moza, commercial manager at Fusion Resorts.

Hue Nguyen, Diethelm Travel Vietnam’s marketing business manager, predicted the new flights will help “foster cooperation between the two countries” particularly in the area of tourism.

The new connection could be a prelude to larger improvements in connectivity between India and Vietnam, with Vietjet expected to commence flights to other Indian cities like Mumbai after gauging the success of New Delhi connection.

Vietnam Airlines also plans to open flights to India later this year. This includes to Buddhist pilgrimage site Bodh Gaya, which Nguyen predicts will be popular for Vietnamese Buddhist travellers.

  • additional reporting by Marissa Carruthers

Plane crashes at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport

By TTG Asia
0
Misunderstanding over which end of the runway is cleared for landing likely cause of the crash

A US-Bangla plane carrying 71 passengers and crew members crashed at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport yesterday, with at least 49 of those on board reported dead.

On Monday afternoon, flight BS211 veered off the runway while landing, before crashing and erupting in flames.

Misunderstanding over which end of the runway is cleared for landing likely cause of the crash

The BBC reports that the Bangladeshi airline blamed air traffic control, but the airport said the plane approached the runway from the wrong direction.

A recording of the conversation between the pilot and air traffic control in the four minutes leading up to the plane crashed suggests there was misunderstanding over which end of the runway the plane was cleared to land on.

The flight was reported to have taken off from Dhaka in Bangladesh. According to Sky News, passengers on board included 33 from Nepal, 32 from Bangladesh, one from China and another from the Maldives.

This is one of a handful of fatal airline incidents this year. Last month, a Saratov Airlines flight crashed into snowy terrain near Moscow, killing all 71 people on board.

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Thailand pushes year-round tourism in new cabinet policy statement
TTG Asia | Macao travel expo opens with strong international turnout
TTG Asia | Macao’s safety record strengthens appeal to cautious travellers