VALADOO is bringing its e-commerce expertise and Burufly its social travel community into a merger that will take on the market of young Indonesian travellers.

The joint entity will retain the Valadoo brand while integrating Burufly’s social network that allows photo- and experience-sharing into the website.

Aimed at Indonesian travellers between 18 and 35 years old, the new Valadoo.com will include travel ideas and packages created by Indonesian travel experts and tailored to young travellers’ social and budget expectations; focus on Indonesian and international destinations popular with this demographic; and a Popular Events Calendar with travel packages created around key events, among others.

Pete Goldsworthy has been appointed chairman of Valadoo, while Jake Wiradisuria, CEO and co-founder of Valadoo, continues in the role of CEO of the merged company.

Said Goldsworthy: “The Valadoo and Burufly brands both resonate particularly strongly with younger, trend-setting, social-media savvy Indonesian travellers.

“Joining forces enables us to offer Valadoo’s superb range of travel and lifestyle e-commerce offerings across Burufly’s social traveller network and to allow travellers a channel to share their travel experiences with the community.”

Wiradisuria commented: “I’m particularly pleased by the depth of talent and complementary strengths of the Valadoo and Burufly teams who combined are really an Indonesian online travel dream team.

“With this team I’m looking forward to revolutionising the way young Indonesians learn about new destinations, shop for travel and then share their experiences online.”

INDIAN Railways last Friday introduced a stored value card, the Go-India card, as well as a number of IT-related improvements to encourage tourists to travel by rail.

The Go-India card is sold at all authorised agents and rail ticket sellers throughout India.

Meanwhile, other software platforms including a train enquiry and train-tracking mobile app were launched on www.irctc.co.in and www.indianrail.gov.in, with pilot testing now effective for Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata.

The new implements were developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems.

Jyoti Kapur, president of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, said: “With one of the largest railway networks in the world and expensive flight tickets, seamless and user-friendly systems for railway passengers will help develop tourism to more remote destinations and increase footfalls to untapped geographies in India.”

“The imminent introduction to high-speed trains will be a boon,” he added.

SWISS luxury hotel group Kempinski Hotels will open its first hotel in Myanmar this November, aiming to cater to international NGO and government delegates besides leisure travellers.

Located in the National Guest House Compound in Hotel Zone 1 in the Myanmar capital, close to the convention hall where the 25^th ASEAN Summit will take place from November 9-11, the hotel places a high emphasis on security.

Franck Droin, general manager of Kempinski Hotel Nay Pyi Taw, commented: “The hotel invested about US$1.2 million only for fire safety. The Royal Suite with bulletproof glass is for high-profile delegations that require higher security standards.”

Droin declined to confirm speculation that US president Barack Obama will stay at Kempinski Hotel Nay Pyi Taw during said summit.

The hotel is 50-50 owned by KBZ Group of Companies and Jewellery Luck Company, and is managed by Kempinski. This makes it the second international hotel chain in Naypyidaw after Pan Pacific Hotels Group, which launched Parkroyal Nay Pyi Taw earlier this month.

Its 106 rooms and 35 suites range from Standards rooms (US$220 per night) to the Royal Suite (US$4,000). Other facilities available include a fitness centre, Kempinski the Spa, an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court, kids’ club, Rangoon Kitchen, two bars, two executive lounges, a business centre with private meeting rooms, ballroom, five conference rooms and banquet rooms.

Said Droin: “Of course we are interested in other projects in Myanmar, but we need to make sure that we have healthy, sustainable growth. We are into long-term strategy and investing in people management.”

SPICEJET is tapping an underserved segment with its new Kolkata-Bagdogra-Kathmandu flights launched last week.

The thrice-weekly service, operated with a Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, will serve West Bengal, where West Bengal Tourism has been carrying out major resort and entertainment development projects that will offer golfing and adventure tourism options, due to be completed in 2017.

With no other airports in the region, Bagdogra acts as gateway to popular destinations like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Dooars, Sikkim, and Phuntsholing in Bhutan.

Debjit Dutta, director, Impression Tourism Services Kolkata, said: “The mountains-to-mangroves tourist trail leads to Bagdogra airport as the entry point, and (the new flight) opens up the mountain resorts in the Darjeeling hills and neighbouring areas for tea tourism.

“Close by, Jaldapara National park offers wildlife tourism, and Sikkim offers birding and adventure tourism. Flights connecting Bagdogra with Kolkata and Kathmandu will exponentially increase inbound tourism from Nepal not only for Nepalese nationals but also international tourists.”

SpiceJet currently flies from New Delhi to Kathmandu 11 times weekly, and will add new international services from Kolkata to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Dhaka by 4Q2014.

NEW hotels are sprouting up in the vicinity of the newly opened Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) while old ones have embarked on renovation in anticipation of a surge in MICE visitors, mostly from China.

Located in the Dongdaemun shopping district, Dongdaemun Design Plaza commenced operations in March as part of the Seoul metropolitan government’s MICE Master Plan initiated in 2013 (TTGmice e-Weekly, November 8, 2013).

Exuding futuristic, eco-friendly vibes, DDP is located at Seoul’s fashion core of Dongdaemun. The 8,500m2 DDP encompasses recreational functions and flexible MICE spaces including a museum, a learning centre, and a conference and exhibition centre.

DDP’s establishment has attracted fashion and design-related conferences and exhibitions to Dongdaemun, and also bolstered the hospitality sector.

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul commenced operations last December; The Shilla Seoul completed its renovation last August; and Grand Ambassador Seoul Associated Pullman Hotel’s renovation is due to complete in three years’ time.

The main drive for hotels in DDP’s vicinity to increase their capacities is understood to have stemmed from the China market, for whom Dongdaemun is a must-visit area in Seoul.

Last year, 4.3 million visitors from China travelled to Seoul. Seoul’s tourism authority estimates Chinese arrivals will exceed five million in 2014 and 10 million in subsequent years.

Targeted at the China market, DDP’s film and drama serial exhibitions such as Transformers and My Love from the Star reflects the China market’s impact on Seoul’s tourist attractions.

The influence of the China market is akin to the Japanese market’s previous impact on Seoul, observe industry players, and the rapid growth of the China market has propelled Seoul’s economic development and fuelled alterations to the city’s landscape.

Article by Nadia Chung. Translated by Ong Yanchun, from the original TTG China e-Daily, August 15, 2014.

CAMBODIA today launches a new website for e-visa applications and has announced that visa prices will be raised on October 1 for both leisure and business travellers.

Both announcements were made in a series of statements issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation last week.

From today, e-visa applications will be hosted at www.evisa.gov.kh, in place of the previous https://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh.

A single-entry e-visa with three months’ validity for a 30-day stay now costs US$20, with a mandatory US$7 charge for processing. From October 1, an e-visa will cost US$30 instead.

Similarly, foreigners can expect to pay US$30 upon arrival, while business travellers will have to shell out US$35 from October 1.

The Phnom Penh Post quoted tourism minister Thong Khon saying that the increase was justified by the rising cost of visas in neighbouring countries, and that Cambodia’s entry fees have not been revised since 1997.

Thong Khon said he believed the increase would not impact tourist numbers, and that the Cambodian government is still looking to extend visa-free entry to more countries.

RUSSIAN outbound to Asia has suffered marginal damage even as the Russian economy absorbs the impact of US and Europe sanctions over the country’s role in the annexation of Crimea and political unrest in Ukraine.

Travel consultants in the Philippines and India have reported drops in arrivals from Russia. TTG Asia e-Daily understands a number of major Russian tour operators such as Labirint have gone bankrupt, leaving Russian travellers stranded in destinations and unable to return.

Russian arrivals to the Philippines for the period January to June this year fell 6.6 per cent year-on-year to 17,719 after five months of continuous decline.

Ala Enache, sales executive in charge of the Russian source market, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours, predicted: “I think Russian arrivals (to the Philippines and Asia) will continue to drop this year. The Russians don’t want to travel. They prefer to stay in the country. We really do our best but there are some situations that we cannot change”.

Felise Cruz, marketing manager, Trips Travel, confirmed: “We’re expecting less Russian visitors this year due to the combined effects of the political issues in Ukraine, and the earthquake and super typhoon in Visayas late last year.”

Many Russians visitors were stranded in Boracay after Typhoon Haiyan (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 8, 2014).

India’s beach destination Goa, popular among Russian tourists, has also seen some impact.

Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra.com, said: “Russian tourists account for a large chunk of Goa’s inbound tourism business but due to recent political turbulence, their numbers have definitely started to wane. Over the last couple of months, we have seen a decrease of around 12 -15 per cent year-on-year in the number of Russian tourists to Goa.”

However, Martin Joseph, chairman of Indian Association of Tour Operator, Goa chapter, said: “We are seeing no fall in the arrivals from Russian market. In fact we are expecting an increase of at least 10 per cent in tourist arrivals from Goa in the inbound season starting October.”

Elsewhere in South-east Asia, figures tell a different story. Russian arrivals to Thailand between January and June grew 8.7 per cent from 893,297 to 971,127 visitors, while Cambodia welcomed 72,353 Russians during 1H2014, compared to 68,940 during the same time last year, an increase of five per cent.

SHANGRI-LA Hotels and Resorts has made first landfall on what is known as the Hawaii of China, with the opening of Shangri-La’s Sanya Resort & Spa.

The resort spans 18.2ha and comes with 340 guestrooms, eight two-storey villas with views of the sea and mountains, and a 300m white-sand beachfront.

Located at the southern-most tip of Hainan, the resort is a 40-minute drive from Sanya International Airport.

Shangri-La’s Sanya Resort & Spa is accepting reservations for stays from September 28 at an introductory rate of 988 yuan (US$161) per night, not inclusive of an additional 15 per cent service charge.

The opening offer includes accommodation in a Superior Room, breakfast for two, and triple points for Golden Circle Members, plus such Shangri-La benefits as free Wi-Fi, unlimited use of recreational facilities and access to the kid’s Adventure Zone. The deal is available until December 31, 2014.