JW MARRIOTT Hotels & Resorts yesterday unveiled the 170-room JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul in South Korea.

The new hotel marks the second JW Marriott property in Seoul and the first hotel in the city to receive LEED Gold certification.

Featuring a stylish urban facade and elegant interiors, the property is the first international luxury business hotel in the heart of Seoul’s fashion district and adjacent to the train station and key tourist attractions.

F&B offerings include BLT Steak, an internationally renowned New York steakhouse; Tavolo 24, a casual all-day dining restaurant featuring live cooking stations; The Lounge, which specialises in artisan chocolates, martinis and afternoon tea; Seoul Baking Company, which serves fresh cakes and pastries from its open kitchen; and the roof-top Griffin Bar overlooking the East Gate.

Other facilities include 972m² of meeting space and a grand ballroom for up to 750 guests.

GLOBAL hotels recorded consistently higher average daily rates for leisure stays ahead of 2012 for every month last year, according to The Pegasus View for Q42013 released by Pegasus Solutions.

The report reveals that 2013 ended on a positive note, with volumes and rates up in both the corporate and leisure channels globally.

Leisure bookings began 4Q2013 with -0.8 per cent, but rose 1.9 per cent and 4.3 per cent in November and December respectively due to holiday demand.

Solid vacation demand helped hoteliers increase rates throughout the year, which in Q4 rose ahead of 2012 by 2.6 per cent, 3.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent in October, November and December respectively.

Year-on-year corporate bookings paused in November but returned with a 7.4 per cent jump in December. Growth with steadily improved rates was driven by increases in both transient and group business, including meetings.

Corporate booking rates stayed slightly ahead of 2012 in Q4, recording 2.7 per cent in October and 1.7 per cent both in November and December.

Pegasus Solutions CEO, David Millili, said the consistent growth means hotels are “watching and responding appropriately to growing demand”.

“We now see that device penetration for smartphones and tablets is being bolstered by higher consumer comfort levels with booking via mobile. That translates to real revenue opportunity for hotels with reliable mobile sites and technology in place,” he added.

VISITBRITAIN has facilitated the signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between leading travel associations of the UK and India, a move the NTO expects will significantly bolster Indian arrivals.

The MoUs were signed last week at SATTE 2014 by The European Tour Operators Association with Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Travel Agents Federation of India, and between Outbound Tour Operators Association of India and UKinbound.

“Working with the travel trade is key to our strategy as 80 per cent of the visits from India to the UK are booked through the travel trade. We expect to create a more positive business environment and drive more inbound to the country through this initiative,” said Sandie Dawe, chief executive of VisitBritain.

“We will be able to now work through the leading trade associations on effective communication about the visa process and product offerings. At present the Indian market to the UK is London centric. About 68 per cent of Indian visitors are coming to just London and we want to convey the message that there is more to the UK than just London,” she added.

“The signings of MoUs will boost tourism ties between the two countries as all these associations have a strong member base,” said Iqbal Mulla, President, TAAI.

India is the UK’s 15^th largest source market, with over 300,000 arrivals in 2013 or a nine per cent increase. VisitBritain expects to surpass its aim of 425,000 Indian arrivals by 2016.

INDIA is now offering Maldivian nationals free 90-day visas for medical tourism in a reversal of last year’s tightening of visa regulations for this segment.

Medical visa holders will no longer be required to report to the Foreign Regional Registration Office for visas with under 180 days’ validity.

Parvez Dewan, secretary at the Ministry of Tourism said: “It is a major visa liberalisation measure for Maldivian nationals. Only two other countries, Nepal and Bhutan, are provided free visas.

“We expect the move will benefit south Indian cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Trivandrum the most, because of the robust medical facilities available there and because the region is known for Ayurveda (wellness treatments).”

Relations between the two countries soured after the Maldives prematurely terminated the contract with India’s GMR Group for the management of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

India retaliated by tightening visa restrictions on the Maldives’ medical tourists (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 9, 2013).

Mohamed Nasser, Maldivian ambassador to India, remarked: “There are more than 20,000 Maldivians living in south India. Even last year, though we had visa issues, it didn’t deter Maldivians from travelling to India. However, with the help of this new visa regime, the number of Maldivians arriving in India will certainly increae as most of the Maldivians travelling to India are medical tourists.”

India registered 40,000 Maldivian arrivals in 2013.

DRUKAIR – Royal Bhutan Airlines is set to launch the only direct flights between Paro and Mumbai on May 1.

The twice-weekly service will run on Thursdays and Sundays, offering 16 business class and 102 economy class seats.

Damcho Rinzin, international trvel, trade & PR officer of the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB), expects the number of Indian and expat travellers to Bhutan to soar as a result of being able to transit at Mumbai for a direct flight.

Mitesh Dani, managing director of Mumbai-based Parul Tours & Travels, said: “Bhutan is perceived as a high-end luxury destination and connectivity was an issue. Many clients preferred to charter aircraft. Now with a direct flight from Mumbai, Bhutan will be the flavour for travellers in the next holiday season. We expect increased bookings from now on as luxury hotel rooms are limited in Bhutan.”

GRAND Park Orchard Singapore will provide guests with unlimited local and international calls through the introduction of a ‘handy’ smartphone service on March 3.

The free smartphone service, which comes as an in-room amenity, offers guests unlimited international and local calls, unlimited 3G data and Wi-Fi tethering capabilities, as well as a comprehensive city guide.

Darren Ware, general manager of Grand Park Orchard, said: “For today’s traveller, staying connected is important and if you will, at the top of anyone’s travel checklist.”

Created by Tink Labs Singapore, the handy mobile solution is pre-loaded with travel apps including news services, a currency converter, MRT maps as well as a digital location-based city guide.

Ware said: “This is best suited for those who, when travelling, would like to keep to their daily routine, whether it is keeping in touch, staying on top of the news or sharing their travel experiences and photos through social media.”

According to Ware, the hotel has invested close to S$300,000 (US$235,000) on the project. “It is more than just a numbers (cost) game – when the intangible benefits add up, (handy is) aligned with our service philosophy of providing loving hospitality at our hotel.”

The guest’s browsing history, personal information and any additional applications are completely deleted from the device when the handy is reset to factory settings upon check-out.

Ware added that Park Hotel Group is targeting the roll-out of this handy solution to its other two Singapore properties – Grand Park City Hall and Park Hotel Clarke Quay ­– within the year.

THE Kerala government has announced major tax concessions and a budget of US$33.2 million for the tourism sector this year.

This was announced in the state budget by Kerala’s finance minister K M Mani last week, who said the luxury tax on hotels and resorts will be reduced from 12.5 per cent to five per cent during the low season of June to August.

Convention centres that charge a daily rent exceeding US$320.20 will see the existing 20 per cent tax dropped to 10 per cent, provided the meetings and conventions have been approved by Kerala Tourism.

President of the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry, EM Najeeb, said: “High taxation in segments like MICE and hotels have been a bottleneck in the growth of the tourism sector. We welcome the government’s decision to earmark US$33.2 million for the sector and their decision to reduce luxury tax on hotels and convention facilities.”

Arun Anand, managing director of Midtown Travels, said the high taxes had deterred companies interested in holding conferences in Kerala. “However, now we can expect an increase in the number of international conferences taking place in the state.”

Kerala has allocated US$8 million to develop destinations such as Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Fort Kochi, Munnar, Wayanad and Vagamon; US$161,000 towards a rural tourism project in Idukki; and US$79,715 for a sea life leisure park in the beach destination of Varkala.

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) has deferred investing in a joint venture airline that would have been the second full-service carrier to be based in Cambodia, confirmed PAL president Ramon S Ang.

TTG Asia e-Daily understands that the decision took into account the current political uncertainties in the country.

Under the joint venture deal inked last April, PAL was to invest US$10 million for a 49 per cent equity in the setting up of Cambodia Airlines, with the majority stake going to tycoon Neak Oknha Kith Meng who helms the Royal Group of Cambodia.

Had the joint venture pushed through, PAL was to use its expertise to help Cambodia Airlines build domestic and regional flights.

There are 23 foreign airlines flying to Cambodia, in addition to national flag carrier Cambodia Angkor Air.