THE proposed high-speed rail system linking Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in 90 minutes is set to be a game changer for travel between the two cities, as airlines and bus companies mull over how to remain competitive.

Scheduled for completion in 2020, it will dramatically cut the journey between the two cities, which currently averages eight hours by rail. Ticket prices and end-point station locations have not yet been announced.

The agreement, touted to be the biggest joint infrastructure project by the two countries, was unveiled by Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak as they wrapped up their annual leaders’ retreat in Singapore yesterday.

Responding to the development, Sebastian Yap, a committee member of the Express Bus Agencies Association, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “This is a huge blow to our routes between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, but this is all part of the developing technology today so we have no choice but to embrace it.”

Yap said that coach operators would have to change the way they operate and added that buses could offer travellers the option of visiting other cities in Malaysia apart from Kuala Lumpur.

Lotus Ooi, general manager, Konsortium Express & Tours, agreed. “We will have to look at new options now to complement each other (in order) to meet changing market demand,” he pointed out.

Logan Velaitham, CEO of AirAsia Singapore, however, felt there would be minimal impact on the LCC. “We compete against our cost at all times and not against others’. In addition to a cost strategy, AirAsia adopts a ‘value innovation’ strategy by carefully studying market relevance and embracing technology to help improve efficiency and stay relevant in the ever-changing market.” (See CAPA’s detailed analysis on air traffic impact.)

Apart from the planned fast trains, the two leaders visited joint projects in Johor and broke ground for the first of two wellness projects in Medini Iskandar, reported local broadsheetThe Straits Times. The two-hectare Afiniti in Medini North will have a wellness centre, shops, residences, a corporate training centre, as well as a 310-unit serviced apartment managed by CapitaLand’s Ascott. The other project, Avira, will be located at Medini Central.

The prime ministers also witnessed the signing between CapitaLand, Temasek Holdings and Iskandar Waterfront Holdings for a waterfront township to be built on a manmade island in Danga Bay, which will have a marina, a shopping mall, office space, homes and recreational facilities.

ZAMBIA Tourism Board is in the final stages of sealing a deal with Mumbai-based Blue Square Consultants for market representation in India.

The NTO will raise awareness of Zambia through advertising, roadshows and fam trips for the media and trade. It is also looking at educating travel consultants through a tie-up with Kuoni Academy and an online training programme.

Apart from wildlife, the country’s adventure products and UNESCO World Heritage Site Victoria Falls will also be promoted.

Mato Shimabale, director marketing, Zambia Tourism Board, said: “I think it is the right time to open a representation office in this part of the world as Indian travellers are looking for new destinations.”

Around 25,000 Indians visited the African nation last year, a number that Zambia Tourism Board aims to double over the next two years. Traffic mostly comprises business travel.

“Our target is to attract a lot of leisure and MICE movement. Zambia is co-hosting the UNWTO 2013 General Assembly from August 24 to 29. Almost 1,000 delegates are expected to participate at the event. This shows that we are well positioned to host MICE events,” said Shimabale.

He also shared that an airline may start direct flights between the two countries in the coming months.

Colette Mphande, reservations manager, Amazing Zambia, said: “Our main focus is to collaborate with local partners as they know the market here.”

WITNESSING its first-ever annual profit since its 2005 opening, Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) saw an 18 per cent growth in revenue for the year ended September 29, 2012.

The park recorded a net profit of HK$109 million (US$14.1 million), bringing total revenue for fiscal year 2012 to HK$4.3 billion.

According to news agency AFP, the number of visitors to HKDL rose by 13 per cent to post 6.7 million, a record high. Visits by Hong Kong residents and mainland Chinese grew by 21 and 13 per cent respectively.

Figures in the park’s release stated that locals comprised 33 per cent of HKDL visitors, mainlanders 45 per cent and foreigners 22 per cent.

Hotel occupancy stood at 92 per cent, also a company record, while per capita guest expenditure rose six per cent.

HKDL managing director, Andrew Kam, said: “The opening of Toy Story Land and Grizzly Gulch, together with strong sales and marketing strategies, have been key drivers for our growth.”

The openings in July 2012 contributed to an increase of more than 40 per cent in the number of annual pass holders to 195,000.

Meanwhile, a new themed area, Mystic Point, is scheduled to open in mid-2013, marking the completion of the park’s expansion plans and bringing the total number of attractions and entertainment options to over 100.

SILVERNEEDLE Hospitality has selected Colombo as the location for its second Next Hotel, the group’s new flagship brand designed for the business traveller.

Next will be unveiled on the international stage in 2014, when SilverNeedle launches the rebranded Chifley at Lennons Hotel Brisbane as the first property under the brand (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 20, 2012).

Part of a mixed-use lifestyle centre in the Sri Lankan capital’s CBD, the latest development will include a 200-room Next Hotel, a four-storey lifestyle mall and a 30-storey condominium tower.

SilverNeedle has entered into a joint venture with Sri Lankan conglomerate ABANS Group for the project, which will be managed by SilverNeedle’s development arm, SilverNeedle Hospitality Property. Total investment is said to be in excess of US$100 million.

Iqbal Jumabhoy, managing director and group CEO, SilverNeedle Hospitality, said: “We are delighted to be launching our flagship Next Hotels brand in Sri Lanka. South Asia is a strong priority market for SilverNeedle Hospitality and we look forward to entering the market with ABANS Group as a partner.”

The Next brand will embrace contemporary design, with a focus on efficiency from point of booking through to final departure.

TWO fiercely-competing NTOs, Japan and South Korea, have joined hands to offer a single vacation combining the two destinations.

The initiative, believed to be the first ever between the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), was driven by their directors in the Singapore office.

Together, they have roped in four carriers and 13 local travel agencies to twin the destinations in time for the NATAS Travel Fair from February 22-24.

At least 4,000 passengers are expected to buy the packages, according to JNTO’s executive director Singapore, Motonari Adachi.

“Our aim is more to create the awareness of the short and convenient flight connections between (South) Korea and Japan and offer travellers a wide variety of choices to travel to other cities in both South Korea and Japan,” he said.

“The flight duration between (South) Korea and Japan is around two hours (Incheon to Tokyo) and two hours, 35 minutes (Incheon to Hokkaido),” KTO director Singapore, Steve Yong, pointed out.

The move comes as Japan recovers from the 3/11 tsunami while South Korea’s Gangnam-style rocks. Singapore arrivals to South Korea last year were around 152,000, almost 10,000 more than Singapore arrivals to Japan.

According to JNTO Singapore manager, Susan Ong, a minimum stay of three nights in each country was set, but most of the packages that have been sewn are eight- to 10-day tours. Some agencies are offering experiences such as how to make kimchi and sushi.

Prices are also attractive. “Generally, tour packages to Japan or (South) Korea alone start from about S$2,000 (US$1,615). But for the joint campaign, travellers can visit two destinations in one go at almost the same price,” said Ong.

“(South) Korea and Japan have been the five top-selling destinations at every NATAS fair. We believe this trend will continue. We hope the initiative will motivate agencies to focus more on developing new tours combining these two popular North Asian destinations,” she added.

The partnership between the two NTOs, dubbed the ‘Kimchi and Sushi Project, was two years in the making. It was stalled by the 3/11 tsunami and political issues between North and South Korea in early 2012.

FOR the first time, World Islamic Tourism Mart (WITM) and Malaysia International Tourism Exchange (MITE) will be integrated as a four-day event from June 6-9 at Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Jointly organised by Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and My Events International, WITM will focus on Muslim tourism while MITE will feature general tourism.

WITM-MITE 2013 will feature a B2B travel exchange and an international conference – including a half-day meeting between ministers and government representatives to discuss the future of Islamic travel – on June 6 and 7, followed by a consumer fair on June 8. In total, 500 buyers will be invited for the travel exchange and there will be 415 booths.

MATTA president, Mohd Khalid Harun, said: “Having two separate events at separate venues on the same dates last year saw exhibitors having to choose which event to exhibit in as they lacked resources to attend both shows. Buyers from abroad also faced the same problem.

“Tourism minister, Ng Yen Yen, also saw the importance of WITM and MITE, and since both are about travel, she asked us to work with My Events International and have the two events combined. This year, the (combined) impact will be stronger.”

From this year onwards, WITM-MITE will be an integrated event in Malaysia held annually in June, unless WITM is organised outside Malaysia, according to Khalid.

He said: “MATTA owns WITM. We have plans to take it global but this depends on how soon other countries bid to host it. By taking this event overseas, it will give an opportunity for other countries to showcase their tourism offerings and it will also give MATTA a business opportunity.”

Last year, the inaugural WITM was organised by MATTA at Putra World Trade Centre from May 31 to June 2, while the inaugural MITE was organised by My Events International at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang from May 31 to June 3.

WITH an eye on China’s burgeoning outbound tourism, Hotelbeds has acquired JBS, a US-based company dedicated to the Chinese accommodation wholesaler market.

Established in 2001 by Chinese-born US residents Juliann Meng, Barbara Ansel and Sarah Gao, JBS works with China-based tour operators and travel consultants as well as DMCs active in incoming tourism from China.

Hotelbeds and JBS will build on relationships with tour operators and travel distributors in China to drive more business to all destinations in the US, including maximising and increasing the partnerships both companies have with hotels and destination services providers.

Javier Arevalo, regional managing director, Hotelbeds Americas, said: “JBS is a well-respected company that has built up a strong position in the ‘China to US’ market. We are delighted that they are now working with us to maximise the opportunities between both markets.”

Juliann Meng of JBS Group added: “The Chinese market is growing rapidly, and many destinations in the US will see the benefit from this as the market grows and matures.”

The US has become an increasingly important destination for Chinese travellers, which currently represent about five per cent of total US inbound tourist expenditure and is expected to grow at a rate of over 25 per cent per year in the next five years.