VISITORS to Singapore can soon expect a new attraction in the form of a marine park in southern Sisters’ Islands.

In a speech at the launch of the Festival of Biodiversity 2014 on Saturday, minister of state for national development, Desmond Lee, revealed that the new park will span about 40ha, around Sisters’ Islands and along the western reefs of St John’s Island and Pulau Tekukor.

The National Parks Board (NParks) is working with marine nature groups on guided intertidal walks and dive trips featuring a variety of coral, fish and other marine life.

For a start, from next month, guided walks will be organised at Big Sister’s Island, one of two Sisters’ Islands.

NParks will also put in place basic facilities for outreach and education activities on St John’s island, such as storyboards and classrooms for conducting workshops, talks and camps.

Lee also revealed that nurseries will be established to conserve marine organisms such as giant clams and corals and reintroduce them into Singapore’s waters.

The park will be used, too, for research on tropical marine ecosystems to further NParks’ understanding on marine environment conservation.

The Straits Times quoted National Biodiversity Centre director Lena Chan as saying that there are plans for downloadable trail guides, explanatory signs and live streaming of the islands’ wildlife.

The centre’s coastal and marine deputy director, Karenne Tun, was also quoted as saying that NParks will be doing a feasibility study to fully map the islands, take a census of reef life and work out how many visitors can be allowed without harming wildlife.

IN THE fourth incident of its kind since April, Sabah waters last Saturday saw another kidnap case that resulted in the death of a policeman and another abducted.

The Star/Asia News Network and Agence France-Presse reported that the shootout on top diving hotspot Mabul island, at about 23.00, involved six to eight masked gunmen believed to be from the Philippines’ Sulu islands.

The men are thought to have rowed into the area, climbed up the jetty of Mabul Water Bungalows Resort, and shot randomly at the restaurant, reception office and jetty office.

Home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told news agency Bernama the ambush was motivated by revenge and anger at the tightened control of Sabah waters by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 10, 2014).

The Malaysian security forces are hunting for the gunmen in the area.

THE Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) has rolled out the next phase of the It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign, with new print and TV ads to strengthen awareness of key destinations.

Last weekend, DoT unveiled three new commercials for Davao, Manila and Cebu, adding to the Boracay commercial launched earlier this year, tagging the destination as Asia’s 24/7 island.

Manila is branded The Capital of Fun; Cebu, World Class Diving Sites and Sounds; and Davao, Explore. Relax. Repeat, highlighting adventure, nature and relaxation.

Chicoy Enerio III, Philippines Tourism Promotions Board COO, said: “It’s what we call power branding – for different destinations that are already strong in the marketplace.

“The next batch of destinations to be promoted are either part of the APEC Summit venues for next year, like Iloilo, or up and coming destinations like Legazpi and the Albay region.”

The media campaign is scheduled to run until December for both travel trade and consumer promotions, including roadshows, missions and fairs.

DoT assistant secretary for market development, Benito Benzoin Jr revealed the rollout has been done very gradually and in secret, and the travel trade would soon be “let in” on the strategy, “because the competition has been watching us very closely”.

On the overall campaign so far, Marjorie Aquino, inbound sales and marketing manager, Blue Horizon Travel and Tours, said: “It did create a buzz, but it wasn’t that strong and we can push it some more.

“Other markets are not yet that knowledgeable about what we have to offer, and which destinations. We have to educate them one by one.”

AIR France last week launched a daily service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Jakarta via Singapore.

Deploying a Boeing 777-300, with 303 seats in four classes, the service is operated at night for both outbound and inbound flights, and adds to KLM’s daily service from Amsterdam-Schiphol via Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta.

Patrick Roux, executive vice president Asia-Pacific, Air France-KLM, said: “In total, the two airlines offer 14 weekly flights between Europe and Jakarta, thus responding to Indonesian and European customers’ demand.”

Longhaul travellers can make a connection on KLM’s daily Singapore-Bali flight, while travellers from Singapore can travel on Air France between Singapore and Jakarta.

The daily service will make it convenient for business travellers in particular, while also serving the market for short trips between Singapore and Jakarta, Bali or Surabaya, he added.

Roux also revealed that from end-September, Singapore and Jakarta would be the first destinations to welcome the airline’s new luxury La Première suite.

Following the launch, Air France and Garuda Indonesia have signed a codeshare agreement for flights between Singapore-Surabaya and Amsterdam-Nantes.

Between June 17 and August 30, Air France passengers can also enjoy additional frequencies to Singapore. For the 2014 summer season, the airline is adding three services between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Singapore, using Boeing 777-200, offering a total of 10 weekly flights.

Air France-KLM now offers eight destinations in the region with more than 90 departures weekly from Amsterdam-Schiphol and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Some of the flights are operated by Malaysia Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and China Airlines.

SINGAPORE’S Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) new measures to prevent the proliferation of hotels, boarding houses and backpackers’ hostels in areas not intended for hotel use might affect those looking to convert existing shophouses in historic areas such as Chinatown and Little India.

Effective July 7, the move seeks to ensure such developments “do not dominate and displace other commercial activities” in commercial areas where they are generally found, as stated in URA’s circular last week.

They are also generally disallowed within or at the fringe of residential estates so as to protect the amenity of nearby residents.

URA said within the Central Area, proposals for such developments, including change of use proposals on sites that are not zoned for hotel use, will generally not be allowed within certain areas inside the Outram, Rochor, Downtown Core and Singapore River Planning areas.

Proposals in other parts of the Central Area will be evaluated individually, taking into consideration the planning intention for the locality and the potential traffic impact.

Outside the Central Area, all such proposals will generally not be allowed.

Meanwhile, for existing approved hotels and boarding houses on sites zoned for hotel use, any proposed intensification of the Gross Floor Area (GFA) will continue to be subject to evaluation.

Expansion of existing approved boarding house and backpackers’ hostel uses that are on temporary permission will be considered individually, up to the total GFA of the existing building that it occupies. Further renewal of the permission will only be allowed if they have not caused any adverse traffic impact and disamenity to the surrounding users.

The Business Times reported that the affected areas include a big chunk of Chinatown and Little India shophouses.

The local broadsheet also quoted Mary Sai, executive director, Knight Frank as saying: “We interpret these locations straightaway as shophouses because these streets are dominated by shophouses.

“While demand for shophouses may be dampened by the new rules, on the other hand, owners of shophouses already approved for hotel use will find their assets rise in value over time because of difficulty in getting hotel sites.”

URA will review this policy in two years’ time.

MSC Cruises is claiming a world first with a round-the-clock telemedicine service for children onboard its ships.

Offered in conjunction with Italy’s Instituto Giannina Gaslini, it will allow its ship’s doctors to call up support from specialists working at the Genoa-based paediatrics institute at whatever time of day.

An MSC spokesperson said: “It is initially available on the company’s Sinfonia, with the remaining 11 ships in the fleet scheduled to be ready by September 1.”

Paolo Petralia, director general of the Institute, said the system will allow the ship’s doctors to confirm diagnoses and treatments via satellite transmissions of images and data.

The fully computerised system designed by US-based Carestream is meant to allow doctors to work very quickly, from the request for a consultancy to getting answers.

At the launch in Genoa last week, MSC’s CEO Gianni Onorato, said: “It’s very important to take care of the health and security of our passengers onboard, especially the youngest ones who can need different types of aid and treatment from other age groups.”

The telemedicine service will be available in whatever part of the world the company’s ships are operating, adding to the onboard teleradiography and general consulting services the company already offers.

SOUTH Korean flag carrier Korean Air is increasing frequencies on its routes to South-east Asia and the Americas.

Between July 23 and August 24, flights between Seoul (Incheon) and Chiang Mai will be raised from four times a week to seven, while services to Nha Trang in Vietnam will be increased from twice-weekly to four-times-weekly from July 19 to September 10.

Flights out of Seoul (Incheon) to Kota Kinabalu will be bumped up from two times a week to four from July 28 to August 22.

Furthermore, Korean Air will increase services to Danang from daily to 10 times a week beginning July 28.

The carrier is also increasing access to Honolulu and Guam. From July 24 to September 10, Korean Air will up the number of flights between Seoul (Incheon) and Honolulu from 17 to 21 times a week.

Flights on the Seoul-Guam route will be hiked from seven times to 11 times a week to meet stronger demand.

RAIL Europe has opened an office in Shanghai to provide more support for its business in the Greater China, which is now its fourth most important market.

The region registered a 60 per cent increase in sales over the past two years.

“Rail Europe is getting more and more popular in China. Chinese travellers enjoy European trains, the convenience, the safety, the speed, the romance, and the wide network across all Europe. The sustained and important sales growth in this emerging market highlight this enthusiasm for rail travel,” said Florence Pasquier, sales director of Rail Europe.

“With our local presence, we aim to closely support business development in China, be easily reachable for any Chinese traveller across the country, support our strong GSAs’ network, and keep expanding with big players in the travel industry.”

The office will be helmed by Dan Wang, whom Rail Europe has appointed as business developer.

Rail Europe’s GSAs in China include Caissa Touristic, GTA Shanghai, GTA Beijing, Europe Express Promotion and Consulting, Beijing UTour International Travel Service, ZTG, Yiqifei Guangzhou, Shanghai Ctrip International Travel Service, Nanjing Tuniu International Travel Service and Shanghai Ou Tie Business Consulting.

Rail Europe opened its Hong Kong office six years ago, and its Asian flagship retail store, also in Hong Kong, in 2011 in partnership with local Europe train travel agency Sincerity Travel (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 16, 2011).

It also has offices in Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Mumbai, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Dubai.

MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) will propagate its upscale Avani brand across Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the next few years to meet strong demand for “affordable luxury” hotels.

At a meeting with the Singapore media yesterday, MHG’s marketing communications and public relations vice president, Marion Walsh-Hédouin, said Avani will grow the quickest amongst the group’s other brands in the near future.

Walsh-Hédouin said the group has noted a growing demand for the four-star brand, which positions itself as offering “affordable luxury with contemporary living space for leisure and business”.

Currently, there are five Avani properties in operation – two in Vietnam, two in Sri Lanka and one in Malaysia.

Walsh-Hédouin told TTG Asia e-Daily that more Avani properties to come up include two in Bangkok, one opening next year and the Amari Atrium Bangkok which will be rebranded in about two months’ time; a property in Seychelles Barbarons, late this year; and one in Bali, late next year.

Overall, MHG properties have attracted about 60 to 70 per cent leisure travellers, she said, with a growing corporate segment. For instance, both the Avani and Anantara properties have welcomed incentive business for the “destination experience” they offer, no matter city or resort locations.

Asked about the performance of MHG’s Thailand properties in recent months, she said: “Business suffered quite a bit especially in the last six months (due to the political chaos), but it is on the quick rebound now, especially from the region where there is good air access.”

She added that Singapore and Hong Kong are the group’s biggest markets in Asia.

MHG currently has 110 hotels across 14 countries. In 2012, it announced its plan to double in size over five years, from about 80 hotels to 150.