Best Western opens Yangon hotel

January 6, 2014

BEST Western International has officially established a foothold in Myanmar with the opening of the Best Western Green Hill Hotel, Yangon.

Launched late last month, the 189-key midscale hotel is located in the heart of Yangon with views of Shwedagon Pagoda. The hotel offers a restaurant serving Asian and international cuisine, three meeting rooms collectively providing over 200m² of function space and free in-room Wi-Fi.

Glenn de Souza, vice president of international operations for Asia and the Middle East, Best Western International, said: “With the incredible growth and development currently being seen in Myanmar, and incredibly bright forecasts for the future, I am extremely confident that Best Western Green Hill Hotel will be a huge success.

“Best Western International sees huge potential in Myanmar, and we intend to be here for the long term, helping to grow the country’s tourism industry.”

The company will continue its Myanmar expansion with the opening of its first hotel in the country’s capital, Naypyidaw, later this year.

Affluent Singapore travellers prioritise food, shopping

By TTG Asia

January 6, 2014

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GOOD food and excellent shopping opportunities are two of the biggest draws for affluent Singapore travellers, a group that plans to spend even more on travel in the year ahead.

According to the Visa Global Intentions Study 2013, commissioned by Visa to Millward Brown, travellers with household incomes of S$11,000 (US$8,669) or higher are classified as affluent.

For this group, good food (45 per cent) and good shopping (37 per cent) were the most important reasons for destination choice. Given this, it is unsurprising that affluent Singaporeans spend heavily on retail (28 per cent), dining (26 per cent) and activities (19 per cent).

Affluent Singapore travellers spend above the global average at medium and large retailers, high-end restaurants and on entertainment and nightlife.

While 71 per cent of Singaporeans travel with relatives compared to the global average of 69 per cent, 16 per cent of affluent Singaporean travellers make trips alone as compared to eight per cent of other Singaporeans.

This group is also more likely to travel further and stay longer, with 24 per cent taking flights of more than nine hours for holidays and 37 per cent staying seven nights or more.

High expenditure destinations are increasingly popular for this group, who also have plans to travel as far as the US.

According to the report, affluent Singaporeans are expected to double their travel expenditure with an average spend of US$5,501, or more than twice the global average of US$2,501.

Fieldwork for the study was conducted between November and December 2012 and based on online and offline surveys with travellers aged 15 and above across 25 markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and the Americas.

Franck LaFourcade returns to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel

By TTG Asia

January 6, 2014

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FRENCHMAN Franck LaFourcade is returning to the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel for a second stint as general manager.

Previously general manager of the hotel between 2000 and 2005, LaFourcade’s homecoming follows nine years managing Sofitel properties in Shanghai as general manager and area general manager.

LaFourcade first ascended to the general manager position in Phnom Penh in 1993, and moved on to work in Singapore, Busan, Jakarta, Hanoi and Shanghai through the years.

Wyndham appoints Leo Liu managing director for China

By TTG Asia

January 6, 2014

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WYNDHAM Hotel Group has named Leo Liu its managing director for China, a newly created role designed to support the company’s growth in the country.

In his new role, Liu will be based in Shanghai and be responsible for Wyndham Hotel Group’s operations and development functions as well as the coordination and execution of cross-functional brand initiatives.

Liu brings with him over 15 years of hospitality experience and was last founder and CEO of Envy Fine Art China.

Triways Travel Network, Kuala Lumpur

By S Puvaneswary

January 2, 2014

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Fashion, coffee and travel go hand in hand at the spacious and inviting Triways Travel Network head office

PRESENCE Triways Travel Network head office and retail front moved to its present location in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in December 2012. It is in the heart of the busy commercial and business centre at Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

I was impressed when I walked in and saw that the ground floor comprised a customer service centre for customers to make travel enquiries and bookings, and a café. Known as Triways Coffee, the café sells cakes, snacks as well as heavy meals such as spaghetti, mendy rice and roast chicken.

There was also a very cosy reading corner with various local papers and travel magazines. And if that is not enough, there was a flight of stairs leading to Triways Boutique, selling mainly contemporary Muslim fashion clothing for women, halal cosmetics and travel-related items such as luggage bags.

APPEARANCE The travel section had four customer service terminals manned by staff in uniforms. I was told the crowd comprises mainly walk-in customers who either work, shop or stay in the Taman Tun Dr Ismail vicinity. Due to its central location, working adults in the vicinity can easily make a quick dash to the store during lunch time or after work.

The service staff entertaining me was friendly and she knew her business well. I asked her where I should go while on holiday in Singapore and she rattled off a number of must-see attractions and how I could get there by public transport.

The café section with tables and chairs were also very clean. Every table had a seating arrangement for four, and the furniture could be easily moved to combine tables for larger crowds should there be a need to.

EASE There was an open air car park within walking distance of the shop, thus I didn’t have problems with parking. The shop was also easy to locate with its huge signage.

I had called for directions earlier, and the customer service told me it was right next to the Mazda showroom. This landmark was useful in helping me find the place.

On the whole, I found the store very spacious and inviting. There were television screens running showing travel destinations as well as a fashion show depicting new styles in Muslim women fashion.

SUGGESTIONS If there was an area for further improvement, I suggest that Triways Travel also include more promotional brochures and collaterals for visitors to take home. After all, some walk-in customers may just be shopping, with no concrete clue on where their next holiday destination would be.

Giving away collaterals such as bookmarks, keychains and pens with the company logo imprinted would help visitors remember Triways in the future, when they need the services of a travel agency.

Dorsett takes 18 per cent off rates for New Year

By TTG Asia

December 27, 2013

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DORSETT Hospitality International has launched a New Year Deal for all properties in its portfolio across China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, with an 18 per cent discount off best available rates.

To take up the offer, bookings must be made between January 2 to February 9, 2014 for stays anytime throughout 2014. The promo code CNY2014 must be quoted at the time of reservation online.

Free add-ons are also available at the various hotels, including complimentary room upgrades, late check-out until 15.00 and F&B discounts at Dorsett Kwun Tong, Hong Kong; as well as F&B discounts for Dorsett Delight Food & Beverage Programme and late check-out until 15.00 at Dorsett Singapore.

Reservations can be made at www.dorsett.com.

Regent Singapore tags on air miles in winter promotion

By TTG Asia

December 27, 2013

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REGENT Singapore is partnering a host of international airline carriers for the roll out of its Winter to Remember promotion that guarantees air miles per qualifying stay.

Under the terms of the promotion, guests who stay a minimum of two consecutive nights will be entitled to 1,000 air miles per qualifying stay, a 10 per cent discount on best available rates, breakfast and the hotel’s Standard Internet Package.

Regent Singapore will also present guests with macarons in three seasonal flavours: chestnut, cranberry and cream cheese, and chocolate and spices.

Partnering airlines include Cathay Pacific Airways, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, KLM, Air France, Eva Air, Singapore Airlines, Air China and China Airlines.

The promotion is valid from December 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014, but blackout dates apply.

Bookings can be made online at www.regenthotels.com/singapore.

Taipei sees largest price hike in hotel prices for New Year’s Eve

By TTG Asia

December 23, 2013

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TRAVELLERS ushering in the New Year in Taipei can expect to shell out 217 per cent more than usual for a hotel room or an estimated S$564 (US$446), making the city one of the more expensive destinations to celebrate 2014 in Asia-Pacific.

Based on German hotel search and price comparison site Trivago’s Hotel Price Index, Taipei has recorded the largest difference between December 31 and regular room prices of the 10 Asia-Pacific destinations ranked.

Following Taipei are Sydney, which has seen a 162 per cent increase over its monthly average; Pattaya, 104 per cent; Hong Kong, 82 per cent, Bali (Kuta), 80 per cent; Tokyo, 72 per cent; Singapore, 39 per cent and Shanghai, 13 per cent.

Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur were the only cities out of 10 to have rates decrease over the New Year period, with Bangkok prices dropping seven per cent and Kuala Lumpur, 21 per cent.

Comparisons were based on average price per night in Singapore dollars for a standard double room.

However, Taipei cedes its top position to Sydney in terms of absolute room rates for New Year’s Eve. While a room in Taipei costs an average of S$564, travellers to Sydney can expect an average of S$676.

Right behind second-place Taipei is Hong Kong, with a price tag of S$507 a night. Meanwhile, pricey Singapore is charging S$338 a night.

“Hotel price increases over this New Year’s Eve are not too marked in Singapore and its neighbouring cities – an ideal situation for Singaporeans looking for a short getaway or a staycation to ring in 2014,” said Haryati Afendy, spokesperson for Trivago in South-east Asia.

Mimi Hudoyo receives lifetime achievement award

By TTG Asia

December 20, 2013

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TTG Asia’s editor – Indonesia, Mimi Hudoyo, was yesterday conferred The Special Award: Life Time Achievement by Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy for her contributions and dedication to the nation’s tourism sector.

The Indonesia Tourism Journalistic Awards 2013 took place at the Ministry’s office yesterday afternoon, where Mimi was celebrated for her achievements in the travel sector.

Award recipients were chosen by panel of judges comprising representatives from the Ministry, travel industry associations, the media and tourism observers.

Elly Hutabarat, president of the Association of Air Ticketing Companies in Indonesia and chairwoman of the panel, said: “(Mimi) has produced so many journalistic works on tourism from the time of the legendary magazine Travel Indonesia, then the Media Indonesia daily and now with TTG Asia, an Asia-Pacific title. She has been dedicating her career of almost 30 years without fail to writing about Indonesian tourism.

“She, in fact, has not just been observing and reporting on tourism, but she has also been involved in national tourism development efforts by consistently taking part in various tourism events by becoming a host, speaker and also co-founder of the Tourism Dialogue Forum (about 20 years ago).”

Deputy minister of tourism and creative economy, Sapta Nirwandar, in his speech on the importance of media to the development tourism, said: “Journalists are ‘influencers’. When a journalist like the one whose surname is Hudoyo…for example, writes a story, it will have an impact on the readers.”

Mimi joined the TTG Asia family in 1998 and was promoted to editor-Indonesia in 2011.

Virtual high: the most impressive tech tricks this year

By Gracia Chiang

December 20, 2013

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Technology has had another impressive run this year. Industry experts pick the top apps, gadgets and websites that were eyeball grabbing

Patrick Andres
Vice president & regional managing director, Asia-Pacific
Travelport

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City launched a scavenger hunt on Foursquare, inviting people to find and check into modernist architectural sites across the city for rewards. The use of technology to mix e-commerce and gaming is an effective way to engage consumers, particularly the Gen Y and Millennials. At the same time, the social engagement aspect of this was brilliant, as it made people experience art within the city before even entering the museum.

Christian Lukey
Commercial director, Asia-Pacific
HRS – Hotel Reservation Service

I would like to highlight DriveNow, a car-sharing app developed by BMW and Sixt in Germany featuring BMW i, Mini and BMW vehicles. I used it in Germany and I love it because it is practical and pleasant to use, catering to the new needs of mobile users. This modern application is user-friendly and a real innovation – perfect for savvy mobile consumers.

Angel Gallego
President
Amadeus Asia Pacific

I love the idea of the Get Home Safe app, which tracks whether you get home safely after an activity and calls for help if you don’t.
As a father of two, this is exactly the kind of thing that can help me get rid of that persistent worry at the back of my mind. But whether you are a parent or a travel consultant with a duty of care responsibility, it has the potential to be used by anyone in any market. It’s just simple and clever.

Andreas Behrens
Director of mobile partnerships, Asia-Pacific
TripAdvisor

The innovation that wowed me most this year is Phonebloks, an open-concept modular hardware platform that enables you to set up a smartphone to your liking, with the initial idea to reduce waste but with many more possibilities. I’d describe it as the ‘Android approach to hardware’ and hence it was not surprising that Google’s subsidiary Motorola Mobility announced Project Ara, taking the Phonebloks concept to the next level. Why is this great for travel? Imagine the possibilities of replacing a smaller screen and a QWERTY keyboard that you use on your business phone with a better camera, bigger battery and an additional SIM card slot for your next international trip. The options are endless!

Robert Rosenstein
CEO
Agoda.com

I have been very interested in the varieties of wristband health monitors – I’m currently testing the Jawbone UP. You can build a personalised ‘health team’, track how much exercise you get, log your meals and even track your sleep patterns. All of this connects to your social network and helps drive motivation, gamifying your health progress. This space will be big in coming years, and important for travellers or executives who travel often and want to maintain consistency in their fitness regimen.

Craig Hewett
Co-founder & COO
Wego.com

My favorite travel site for 2013 is www.routehappy.com. Routehappy helps me to see which airlines are popular on certain routes and what are the specific features/services that make an airline popular, e.g. is the seat comfortable, is there Wi-Fi, can I charge my devices, is it a new or old plane, is there in-flight entertainment and is it good, etc. This value proposition is unique to Routehappy as such information is difficult or even impossible to find on some airline and OTA websites.
The information provided is largely objective as it comes directly from fellow travellers and not a merchant with a vested interest in selling you a ticket.

Andy Sleigh
General manager, Asia-Pacific
Skyscanner

An app that I love is Trover. It’s a really good example of how the combination of social and mobile can be brought together to enrich the travel experience in a personalised way. It’s like exploring a city with your own guide in your pocket and is a great enabler of independent travellers the world over.

Vikram Malhi
General manager of South-east Asia & India
AirAsia Expedia

As a frequent flyer, I love checking out and discovering travel apps. Mobiata, which was acquired by Expedia, develops some award-winning travel apps that have had millions of downloads. FlightTrack, for instance, has caught my eye with its comprehensive way of monitoring flight information such as weather updates, flight delays, terminal maps and more. What’s more, all their apps are incredibly intuitive, beautifully designed and are constantly breaking new boundaries.

Best Western opens Yangon hotel

Affluent Singapore travellers prioritise food, shopping

Franck LaFourcade returns to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel

Wyndham appoints Leo Liu managing director for China

Triways Travel Network, Kuala Lumpur

Dorsett takes 18 per cent off rates for New Year

Regent Singapore tags on air miles in winter promotion

Taipei sees largest price hike in hotel prices for New Year’s Eve

Mimi Hudoyo receives lifetime achievement award

Virtual high: the most impressive tech tricks this year

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