The ballroom at the upcoming Radisson property can seat up to 1,600 guests
RADISSON Golf & Convention Center Batam will elevate Batam’s appeal as a MICE destination when it opens in 3Q2016 with 240 guestrooms and flexible event spaces.
Owned by Adhya Graha Wisata, the property will be one of the first international branded hotels to be launched on the small Indonesian island just an hour by ferry from Singapore.
Located in the upscale Sukajadi area, Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam is part of Bukit Indah Sukajadi, a 220-hectare development that includes residential units, offices and commercial and retail spaces. The property sits adjacent to the 18-hole Sukajadi championship golf course and is close to Kepri Shopping Mall, Nagoya town, the offices of Batam Center and Muka Kuning Batamindo industrial park.
Event spaces at the hotel will include a ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,600 banquet guests, and a number of meeting spaces with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. Customisable banquet menus will be available.
Other hotel facilities include a 152-seat all-day-dining restaurant, an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a fitness centre, a Kid’s Club and a spa.
“The opening of Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam is redefining the hospitality landscape in Batam, providing extraordinary stay, play and meeting experiences for travellers,” said Veronique Sirault, general manager, Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam.
EIGHT budget carriers yesterday formed the world’s largest and first ever pan-regional LCC alliance.
The Value Alliance’s founding airlines are Cebu Pacific (including subsidiary Cebgo), Jeju Air, Nok Air, NokScoot, Scoot, Tigerair Singapore, Tigerair Australia and Vanilla Air.
CEOs and stewardesses of all eight partner LCCs
Explaining the nature of the partnership, Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, said: “This is a sales and distribution alliance. It is to expand our distribution reach beyond each of our departments, to open the networks we ourselves operate in.”
This means that customers will be able to view, select and book flights from any of the eight airlines in a single transaction, directly from each carrier’s website, once the technology is fully implemented.
Developed by Air Black Box (ABB), this new technology also offers guests the full suite of ancillary choices available from all the LCCs in one itinerary.
Wilson elaborated: “You’ll be able to book one, two, or more than two airlines in a single transaction and payment. You’ll be able to select your seats, baggage requirements, meals (and other inflight features) on all of the carriers. You’ll be able to complete your entire booking in a single website, in a single transaction, and receive a single itinerary. It’s basically a one-stop shop.”
Michael B. Szucs, Cebu Pacific’s chief executive adviser, added: “This is about giving visibility to our partners’ products on our own respective websites. (It is about) making (the booking process) seamless and providing one transaction for those who want to connect on a multi-leg journey.”
According to Wilson, there was no good technology in the market that allowed interline sale of ancillary products, hence the need for ABB.
He said: “GDS distribution is not exactly desirable. We wanted to avoid some of the challenges that exist with other systems. There are existing products out there, but they do a poor job of interline sale of ancillary products, and ancillary products for Scoot (and the other LCCs) is more than 20 per cent of our revenue. There is a clear opportunity cost, and that’s why it is so critical to develop technology that facilitates sale and real-time pricing.”
For example, Lee Lik Hsin, CEO of Tigerair Singapore said that his company and Cebu Pacific already have an interline partnership in place. However, ancillaries cannot be booked on the current platform. With the new alliance and platform, the booking of ancillaries has been made possible.
“That is the added advantage,” said Lee.
Szucs said: “The emphasis (of this alliance) was to leverage off each partner here, in terms of the power of their own web distribution.
“In each of our markets, our dot com web distribution is powerful. Cebupacificair.com is powerful in the Philippines, but it not the first place some will go to in Korea or Thailand or Australia. But I have partners here who have powerful brands in those markets, and that efficient technology that links to their own web distribution is what we’re trying to achieve.”
Yet, two notable LCCs – AirAsia and Jetstar – were not present at the unveiling.
When asked about their absence, Wilson said: “The objective is to expand our distribution and our network. We do this for our own strategic reasons, so the fact you don’t see some airlines here is self-explanatory.”
He added: “However, this is not a closed alliance. We are open to new members joining the alliance. Who and where obviously we cannot say yet.”
A shared loyalty programme is also absent in the Value Alliance, and there are no plans to have one as of now.
When asked why, Szucs said: “At the moment, we need to focus on the huge value we can bring to each other in terms of sales distribution. What is core to what we do is maintaining the lowest cost, as that means we can pass on the lowest fares to the consumers. We’re about low fares to stimulate travel for people who have never flown before.”
The Value Alliance airlines will serve more than 160 destinations with a collective fleet of 176 aircraft across the Asia-Pacific. In 2015, the eight airlines collectively carried 47 million travellers.
Currently, Scoot, Nok Air and NokScoot are already offering each other’s flights and fares powered by the new ABB technology. Other alliance members will come online in the next six to nine months.
ROBERT Guy, managing director Singapore and Malaysia at Destination Asia, has been awarded the Rama Rebbapragada Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Cruise Industry during the Seatrade Cruise Asia Gala Dinner last week.
According to a statement by Seatrade, Guy received the accolade “in recognition of his long, outstanding engagement within the cruise industry in Asia”.
Zinan Liu, chairman, Cruise Lines International Association, and who presented the award to Guy, said: “He has been involved with cruising since its absolute beginning in Asia.
“His experience with the industry and his encyclopedic knowledge of the geography of Asia made him a natural point of contact for the cruise line leaders who first came to Asia at that time, such as Adam Goldstein, Arne Bakkelund, Peter Cox, Stein Kruse and Bruce Krumrine, and of course the man whom this award is named after, Rama Rebbapragada.
“As cruise tourism now moves to centre-stage, his long experience and deep understanding of it gives him a special place in the Asian cruise industry.”
Seatrade Cruise Asia took place on May 12 to 13 at the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal in Busan, South Korea.
Nadda Buranasiri, CEO, Thai AirAsia X (fourth from left); Kamarudin Meranun, Group CEO, AirAsia X (centre); and Benyamin Ismail, CEO, AirAsia X Berhad (fourth from right)
AIRASIA X will launch new routes from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Tehran starting next month.
Flights to the Iranian capital from klia2 and Don Mueang International Airport will be operated thrice-weekly, with commencement on June 21 and 22 respectively.
“The recent lifting of sanctions opens up exciting new prospects for Iran as a tourist destination,” said Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X.
“We believe that the revival of direct flights to Tehran from Kuala Lumpur is timely and we foresee that our direct flights from both ASEAN cities of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok can improve bilateral relations while encouraging trade and tourism activities between the cities.”
To celebrate the launch, promotional fares are now being offered starting from 299 ringgit (US$74) one-way on Economy and from 999 ringgit one-way on the Premium Flatbeds for flights departing from Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia X offers fares starting from 2,990 baht (US$84) one-way on Economy and from 9,900 baht one-way on the Premium Flatbeds for flights departing from Bangkok.
Promotional fares are available for booking online from now until May 29 for travel from flight commencement until May 22, 2017.
A NEW A$80 million (US$58 million) cable car project linking Elizabeth Quay to Kings Park could inject more than A$30.5 million into the Western Australian economy and help boost Perth’s tourism appeal.
According to Western Australian Tourism Council’s CEO Evan Hall, Perth needed a major attraction to bring together the city’s newer developments, which includes Perth Stadium and new hotels that are planned in Elizabeth Quay.
“What is missing is a signature attraction that will become the must-do experience in the city and encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more,” said Hall.
The council estimates that the cable car could carry about 650,000 passengers each year.
Explaining the need for the attraction, Hall said: “Research shows that visitors to Australian capital cities who use tourist rides and man-made attractions stay longer at their destination.
“There would also be further profit from new visitors who would be drawn to Perth by the attraction.”
But for now, it is imperative for the state government to bring together all relevant agencies involved to approve the Perth Cable Car project in order to select the route and expedite the approvals process, said Hall.
AUSTRALIAN developer Crown Group has unveiled Skye Hotel Suites, a new hotel brand set to debut in Sydney’s Parramatta suburb in 2017.
Skye will form part of the 29-storey V by Crown Group development known as Parramatta’s vertical village, and features 72 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. A sky bar will also reside on Skye’s 26th floor.
Guests at Skye will get access to the pool, gym, conference room, restaurant, sauna, business centre and alfresco dining and retail piazza at V.
Iwan Sunito, Crown Group’s CEO, additionally revealed plans to expand and bring the brand onto the international stage.
“Asia is booming and with it more and more people travel to Australia for holidays and for business. This has created a gap in the market as the demand increases for luxury hotel-style serviced apartments in Sydney and Australia,” he said.
“Expanding into the transient short-term accommodation market will provide a strong foundation for our continued expansion both locally and across the region.”
A NEW hotel reservation player is looking to crack South-east Asia’s “fragmented” and “underserved” budget accommodation market by partnering hotels in three-star categories or lower and sell their unsold rooms at deep discounts.
Nida Rooms, which claims to be the “largest virtual hotel chain” in South-east Asia, was founded in September 2015 by Kaneswaran Avili, a former top executive at SpiceJet, Tigerair and AirAsia, and Dennis Melka, a Czech venture capitalist.
The hotel reservation startup entered into Thailand in February this year, and is also available in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, with over 3,000 rooms online across the four key markets.
Atakawee Choosang, Thailand country head of Global Rooms, which owns and operates Nida Rooms, hails the concept useful to small hotel owners who lack the marketing networks and financial muscle to compete with bigger brands.
“The majority of hotels in Thailand are in the budget sector. However, the one- to three-star sector is fragmented, and often comprise independent or single-location hotels,” he elaborated.
“With their limited marketing budget, it will be hard for these budget hotels to compete with (economy) brands like ibis…OTAs lean towards five-star hotels and are not usually interested in small hotels with rates lesser than 1,000 baht (US$28.30).”
Increased cross-border trade with the advent of the AEC also heralds opportunities for low-cost accommodation in frontier locations, observed Atakawee. “A lot of logistics are coming into Thailand (from China and neighbouring Indochina countries), but the highway locations are not going to be targeted by big OTAs or hotel brands – and that spells opportunities for us,” he added.
Rooms that have met its standards – i.e. clean room, comfortable bed, complimentary Wi-Fi, hot showers and air conditioning – will be branded and serviced under Nida Rooms. Guests will also receive a personalised amenity kit when they check in.
Young travellers of between 20 to 35 years old, government officials and SME owners are the targeted customers for Nida Rooms.
Currently boasting 1,400 hotels and over 7,500 rooms in Thailand, Nida Rooms hopes to scale up 3,000 hotels across the country and 10,000 hotels across the region by end-2016.
The company also has its sights set on expansion to Vietnam and Latin America, as the latter has a “fragmented” budget accommodation market like South-east Asia too, according to Atakawee.
INDONESIA’s Ministry of Transportation is investigating an incident where a number of Lion Air passengers managed to enter the country without passing through immigration.
The incident began when Lion Air flight JT161 departed from Singapore and landed at Soekarno-Hatta’s domestic Terminal 1 instead of Terminal 2 on May 10.
One of the four transfer buses then mistakenly alighted passengers at the domestic terminal rather than at Terminal 2, where they should have gone, explained Anggara Triana, regional manager international, Lion Air, during a press conference in Jakarta yesterday.
The Ministry of Transportation has since summoned the institutions involved for a hearing to find out how this could have happened, adding that sanctions will be imposed on parties found guilty.
Meanwhile, several passengers aboard the Lion Air flight have been called to process their immigration documents, said Heru Santoso, spokesperson for the Directorate General of Immigration.
The latest hotel openings and announcements made this week
Sofitel Kunming
AccorHotels has opened the 400 rooms and suites Sofitel Kunming in the heart of the city’s business district. The hotel occupies the 27th to 52nd floor of a building tower, with the 49th floor dedicated to the hotel’s signature restaurant Kwee Zeen. Sitting on the 50th floor is Parisian Voyage Bar while Le Chinois Chinese restaurant offers local Yunnan and other Chinese cuisine. For meeting spaces, its grand ballroom and eight meeting rooms offers 2,100m2 of space and can accommodate more than 1,400 guests. Other amenities include a spa, gym and its open-air rooftop Sky Garden.
Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
The 125-suite Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta at Capital Place will be opening its doors next month starting June 20, marking the return of the Four Seasons brand to the Indonesian capital. The property is part of a mixed-use development that also includes an office tower. Facilities include a spa and fitness centre, event spaces, and four F&B options, including a rotunda on the ground floor, an upmarket bar and a signature Italian restaurant on the rooftop.
Aloft Seoul Myeongdong
Aloft Seoul Myeongdong, the second Aloft hotel in the city, is slated to open in February 2017. The 223-room, new-build property will be located within the Jung-gu sub-district, a major shopping area and tourist destination. Hotel amenities include free Wi-Fi throughout the property; Re:fuel, a 24-hour grab-and-go station for light meals; an all-day dining restaurant; the brand’s signature w xyz bar; and a Re:charge gym.
Dusit Thani Hot Springs and Wellness Resort Fuzhou
Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts is set to open the Dusit Thani Hot Springs and Wellness Resort Fuzhou, located in China’s Lianjiang County. Scheduled to open in 2Q2019, the 250 guestrooms and villas property features private hot spring pools set against a tranquil landscape. Dining options include an all-day dining restaurant, a Chinese restaurant with private dining rooms and a Lobby Lounge. Fully-equipped functions rooms are also available for meetings and events.
AIRLINE share prices fell 6.9 per cent in April, ending the month over eight per cent less than levels seen beginning this year, according to an IATA financial report.
The dip erased gains experienced from February and March with airline shares underperforming the wider equity market significantly last month. IATA attributes the lacklustre performance to investor concerns about declining yields and industry profitability.
The region that saw the biggest month-on-month slide was North America at 12.5 per cent, while airlines in Europe and Asia-Pacific saw more modest declines at 3.8 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.
Passenger load factors also gave no respite for airlines in 1Q2016, with numbers mirroring that of 1Q2015, while seasonally-adjusted loads slipped in February and March.
Despite the setbacks, overall year-on-year performance still indicate growth, with post-tax profits from 1Q2016 being 12 per cent higher compared to the same period in 2015, and global passenger traffic seven per cent higher.
A better picture of the aviation industry will emerge as more airlines reveal their first quarter financial results in the coming months, added IATA.
