It’s a bleasure

November 30, 2012

Even in meetings, travellers want more playtime, causing a blurring of business with pleasure or leisure – i.e. bleasure – and forcing meeting organisers and hoteliers to look at work-life balance seriously.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula pushes the boundaries

The quest for work-life balance among today’s road warriors has crept into the meeting sector, where providing wellness to delegates has become a serious thinking point of meeting planners and hoteliers instead of an afterthought.

Research by at least three chains shows that ‘bleisure’ or ‘bleasure’ – a mixing or blurring of business with leisure or pleasure – is a real phenomenon.

Hilton HHonors’ survey, for instance, shows one in three UK employees invites partners and families along on business trips, and a high percentage of employers (45 per cent) is sympathetic and supportive of staff creating their own bleasure stays.

Even Chinese travellers today are “not shy” to mix business with pleasure, a Wyndham Hotel Group survey shows. More than two-thirds of Chinese travellers (67 per cent) say they bring a spouse or a family member along on business trips and 59 per cent extend business trips to include leisure time.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in South-east Asia notes a 50 per cent rise in bleasure bookings among meeting delegates, who add on a leisure stay pre- or post-meeting. Not only that, it claims that the bleasure phenomenon is also changing the way people meet: resorts are becoming a more popular destination for business travel and meetings, less time is being spent cooped up in the boardroom (reduced to an average of a day, with as many as two or three days spent in break-out sessions), and more time is being spent on programmes that include working with social and environmental charities. Not only that, it said around 25 per cent of enquiries required at least a half day be set aside for delegates to enjoy the spa or local excursions.

As a result of these findings, IHG is promoting blue-sky thinking and self-improvement meetings, according to Mark Flower, director of commercial, IHG South-east Asia.

Changing supply
Hotels and venues are rewiring to meet bleasure aspirations, with new properties having a better go at this.

The Crowne Plaza Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, for example, is launching a meeting room with its very own golf putting green.

The best spaces are also going to meetings, no longer in the basement like before. An example is The Summit, a meeting room at the top of a mountain offered by InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort.

The design of meeting rooms too is being redefined. The new Pullman Bangkok Silom Hotel G, for instance, has a meeting space called The Gallery, done in a New York-style art gallery. Apart from its conceptual decor and minimalist furnishing, the room offers plenty of daylight and is peppered with iPads for delegates. “Clients want more flexibility, reactivity, multi-tasking, connectivity, which impacts the interior design and even the service,” said Xavier Louyot, Pullman’s vice president global marketing.

Integrated resorts (IRs) such as Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Singapore see themselves as inherent venues for bleasure, due to the multitude of pleasure options available – spa, entertainment, art, F&B, theatre, casino, etc. And while delegates can enjoy these at leisure, IRs add value to meetings with group ideas, such as the Dine Around at MBS, which leverages on MBS’ six celebrity chef restaurants. Delegates tart with cocktails and canapés at the first restaurant, then move on to subsequent restaurants for starters, mains, desserts and digestifs. “This allows clients to have a leisurely culinary adventure that they may not normally get to enjoy on their own time,” said John Mims, senior vice president, worldwide sales and resort marketing Asia, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

“The expectations of business travel have changed. More and more, pleasure is a priority than ever before and they expect a higher level of comfort and service while on business. Being seasoned travellers, they also expect to be surprised by new and innovative offerings that they have not come across in other destinations – comparing, contrasting and making mental notes of what they like,” he said.

Soft?
But does bleasure put meetings in danger of becoming soft, pandering to a desire for more playtime?

Corporate chieftains such as David Levitt, president talent development of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, who organised O&M’s Asia-Pacific conference in Kyoto recently, said the success of a meeting still lies fundamentally in how well it has been thought out by the company.

“A lot of meetings follow a formula that is outdated and predictable. Because they lack a real set of tangible, aspirational meeting objectives, some well-thought out theatricality and sufficient investment in the areas that matter, disappointment can set in early. There is usually too much input/talking at, top-down, death by powerpoint and long-winded status updates, combined with a lack of real participation (not to be confused with insufficiently planned and thought-through break-out sessions). Most meetings also suffer from over-packed, crammed agendas that would benefit from being ruthlessly pruned and focused. And finally, not enough imagination applied to breaks, meals and fun – this is not about cost, it’s about imagination.

“We have learned the hard way that meetings need to be given a serious amount of careful thought well in advance – not simply because of the cost but to define what their purpose, motivational benefits and value are, and how to be able to sustain the momentum and commitments afterwards. All our significant face-to-face meetings receive a great deal of work in the planning stages.”

That said, Levitt agrees that his meetings are not all work and no play. “There needs to be reward in several forms,” he said. Asked if hotels were pushing the work-life balance too far, he said: “We ourselves are mindful of trying to get this right. I suspect some try to do so more than others, especially if it is a resort location which, by the way, is a pointless location selection by meeting planners if all they intend to do is keep their participants in a windowless meeting room with no time to enjoy the location except for a token dinner by the pool or on the beach.

“We have learned to seriously think more about the locations we choose, why and how to ensure they are relevant to the meeting’s goals and objectives and the wishes of participants.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, November 30 issue, on page 16. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Additional reporting from Gracia Chiang

Jockeying for position

By Marianne Carandang

November 30, 2012

Philippine carriers are eager to grow but constrained by safety rulings

For a country that is still catching up regionally in terms of visitor arrivals, the Philippines’ major aviation players are forging ahead with expansion plans.

The global financial crisis and skyrocketing fuel prices have reshaped travel patterns, shifting Philippine airlines’ focus on travel within South-east Asia – from where the country derives about 48 per cent of all its air traffic – and North Asia.

This year, additional capacity has largely come from South Korea for 19,500 more seats, while a recent pact with Thailand for more Bangkok-Manila flights has yielded 1,480 seats. Both ASEAN neighbours have agreed on unlimited traffic rights between points outside the capital cities, which should see traffic from secondary Philippine hubs soar.

But travel trade insiders have vocalised concerns that the market may be too small for the ambitions of these airlines, especially while the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 2 status and European Union (EU) airline ban remain a spanner in the works.

LCCs dream big
Philippine LCCs have continued to add destinations throughout Asia and within the country.

Zest Air is focusing on the South Korea market out of Manila, upping frequencies for Cebu-Incheon and Clark-Incheon this winter season, and launching a Clark-Busan route in December. It will also start three domestic routes in December: Cebu-Puerto Princesa, Cebu-Davao and Kalibo-Clark (one-way).

Clark-based newcomer AirAsia Philippines is wooing northern Luzon outbound travellers, but remains hobbled by the lack of aircraft, which it leases from Airbus. Though the airline will begin Clark-Singapore and Clark-Taipei services in December, it will reduce Davao and Kalibo flights and suspend routes to Macau and Puerto Princesa.

SEAir, now 40 per cent owned by Tiger Airways, kicked off seven new domestic routes from Manila in July and August, as well as Clark-Kalibo and Clark-Kota Kinabalu services.

The launch of “premium destination” airline SEAir International (SEAir I) is also awaiting approval. Patrick Tan, SEAir CEO, said the airline would continue SEAir’s flights to “resort and specialised destinations” such as Batanes and El Nido. By going in the opposite direction of the low-cost model, the full-service SEAir I is intended to serve missionary routes and help develop destinations like Palawan by keeping these otherwise underserviced routes viable cost-wise.

Earlier this year, major contender Cebu Pacific (CEB) added Manila-Siem Reap and reinstated Manila-Hanoi, while recently announcing it would start Manila-Bali. The airline is also strengthening its web of secondary routes outside Manila, launching Iloilo as its fifth hub in July, and Kalibo in August as the sixth. New routes from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are also set to launch next month. By pursuing such a strategy, CEB is avoiding flight congestion in the capital, as well as responding to competition posed by foreign carriers flying into secondary airports under the government’s “pocket open skies” policy.

CEB is also casting its sights on the longhaul market, keen to operate services by 3Q2013 with its four new Airbus A330s. Currently with 39 planes, it has ordered 21 more A320s and 30 A321neos from 2012 up until 2021.

Bring on the rivalry
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has had to fight off competition from CEB, which held 45 per cent of the domestic market and 16 per cent of the international market as of 1H2012, according to figures given by the LCC. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) reported that PAL held only 23 per cent of the domestic market in 2011, and sister LCC Airphil Express, 20 per cent.

PAL is repositioning itself by withdrawing from the domestic sector to focus on longhaul, beginning with a new service to Toronto via Vancouver end-November. It has transferred domestic operations to sister Airphil Express – presently awaiting approval to rebrand itself back to PAL Express – and it currently codeshares on 19 Manila routes and 24 regional routes.

PAL itself has increased frequencies to Macau and Jakarta in the fourth quarter, while turning its Melbourne and Sydney routes into direct, non-stop flights. It also added Bali earlier this year.

Meanwhile, successful talks with Saudi Arabia in September saw the Gulf country grant Airphil, CEB, Zest and AirAsia permission to fly, in addition to PAL. CEB has requested for at least half of PAL’s seat allotments. PAL is expected to revive its Manila-Riyadh route, as well as add Manila-Jeddah and “points to Dammam in unlimited frequencies outside Manila”, a CAB official said.

The flag carrier is aiming to expand its fleet of 54 aircraft to 100, aided by a new US$7-billion refleeting plan for 34 A321s and 10 A321neos.

Who wins?
In the race for airspace, airlines are unlikely to come out tops. CEB’s CEO, Lance Gokongwei, has been blunt in his assessment of the situation, saying: “The Philippines cannot support five players.”

On the other hand, the country’s secondary destinations are reaping the fruits of increased access.

Aileen Clemente, president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association and president of Rajah Travel, said direct connections to destinations like Iloilo and others in central Philippines create new opportunities. “(These locales are) attracting a lot of investments, especially in Bacolod.”

The expansion has especially benefited Puerto Princesa, which has seen inbound flights grow from less than a dozen flights daily early this year to close to two dozen from different points. “(Inbound flights to these new destinations) are a good start – we can’t sell destinations without flights,” said Aurora Tadeo, Baron Travel Corporation’s general manager inbound leisure Local airports stand to gain as the Philippine government scrambles to respond to the swift growth taking place, promising renovated terminals, expanded runways and night lighting.

However, direct flights are of no relevance for European travellers, for whom the EU’s ban on Philippine carriers presents insurance concerns and as a result choose to travel overland from Manila.

“(Travel consultants) will continue telling you the same thing. As long as the ban stays in place, we’ll have a hard time competing,” Tadeo said.

Although South Korea was interested in designating more Philippine carriers, the Philippines’ return to FAA Category 1 status was “a condition”, said SEAir’s Tan. The country has also been reluctant to reinstate Airphil’s carrier designation while safety issues linger.

It seems major longhaul opportunities will not appear until the Philippines satisfactorily meets these international standards. However, this is not stopping airlines from looking elsewhere for growth opportunities and from keeping their fingers crossed in the hopes of an improved safety rating for more room to spread their wings.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, November 30 issue, on page 4. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Banyan’s new CEO

By Raini Hamdi

November 30, 2012

He has the honour of being the first CEO of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts after its founder KP Ho. Will he be under the huge shadow of Banyan Tree Holdings’ chairman KP, or can Abid Butt be his own man in running the show?

Abid Butt, CEO, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore

What’s the burden of being the first CEO of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts after founder KP Ho?
I’ll be the guinea pig (laughs). All joking aside, if you are the first in anything, you are somewhat establishing where the bar is. So I have the luxury of being able to do that and that’s exciting.

Where is your bar?
My own bar is high up. I’m told by people I’ve worked with throughout the years that I can be very demanding of myself. Since that’s the case, the colleagues I work with will have to agree with it. We have to be clear in what we are about and run towards the same goal post, which is easier said than done. The larger you are, the harder it becomes.

We’re seeing more Asian chains appointing CEOs for the first time – you, Dillip Rajakarier with Minor Hotel Group, Arthur Kiong with Far East Hospitality – why?
Part of that is to manage the growth that all these brands are experiencing, to make sure that the DNA of the company remains. That’s in our case certainly, I’m here because we’re growing from a relatively small, boutique operator to having 30-odd hotels (in operation) and multiple spas spread out globally. So how do you take what the company started out as and deliver the core of the company across geographical and cultural boundaries?

Does it get critical at 30 hotels, where you could go wrong if you don’t have the right structure/skills in place?
That could happen even if you have two! In some ways, having 30 in multiple markets makes you a far more experienced operator – you can foresee some of the challenges and prepare for them.

I don’t know if the number of hotels plays a part; I think it’s more about making sure you hold true to what the company is about whether you have one, 30 or 100 hotels.

So how does it work with you and KP Ho (founder/chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings) – how much autonomy do you have as CEO?
The vision of Banyan Tree was established a long time ago by KP. It’s the applicability of that vision, i.e. the execution, as the company grows, that has to be done. Clearly that’s what I’m involved in but it’s not like this is what he does, this is what I do. We’re very collaborative. We’re big, but we’re still a small company; we know the people who work in our resorts. It is like a family environment, not the typical hierarchy you would find in mega conglomerates, and that’s a great thing to have.

What strength do you have that KP does not have?
You should ask him that (laughs).

I think my involvement in Banyan Tree 10 years ago – I was involved in the Angsana brand launch and in opening a lot of the hotels then when the organisation was in its infancy (Butt was area GM of Banyan Tree Phuket, then the chain’s VP operations) – and my most recent experience with Host (Hotels US, where he was VP asset management, responsible for enhancing the value of some 15 luxury hotels for owners) gave me a fabulous combination of understanding the operation side of things and the investor’s point of view. You have to be able to look at things from different lenses to get the best results.

KP has that strength as well, so it’s not so much he lacks something or I lack something, it’s a symbiotic relationship.

“It’s not like this is what he (chairman KP Ho) does, this is what I do. We’re very collaborative.”

How has asset management altered your views of operation?
When I was with the ownership group, Host, for example, I recognised that what the ownership wants is the same as what the operator wants. The goals are absolutely aligned, neither party wants the hotel to fail. But sometimes, it is how people look at things; it’s almost like speaking a different language. It’s a totally different mindset when an investor and operator talk about service delivery, capital infusion, repositioning, etc. When you bring both together, that’s when you get the best results. So as long as you can understand each other’s language, you can work through a lot of the issues.

I’m fortunate to have that opportunity to look at it from an investor’s point of view. Now I can represent almost all the stakeholders, whereas a typical hotelier will only look from the operator’s point of view.

Is your passion still in operation or has it changed to asset management?
As they say, you can take a hotelier out of a hotel, but you can’t take the person out. I still like the hospitality side of things, that’s what I enjoy. I’m not into writing reports and sitting in front of a computer monitor. I just happen to be working in an office for a company that operates hotels. But if I want my fix of experiencing the hotels, I go back to them and immediately I’m in the middle of it. That’s the beauty of the position I hold.

This is your first CEO position. Which CEO has inspired you?
Going back to my most recent job, Host, it’s Chris Nassetta (now Hilton Worldwide president & CEO) – a very charismatic, down-to-earth guy running a Fortune 500 company. I really admire how he could talk a different language when he was talking to the investment community or the communities where we operate hotels.

Ed Walter, now the CEO of Host, is much the same way because he is a protege of Nassetta and they grew up together. But Ed is analytical in driving the business; he looks at things from different lenses. So different people have different skill sets they put to work based on what is needed at that time, and I think that’s what makes people successful.

You’ve been back at Banyan Tree about six months now after leaving 10 years ago. Has it changed a lot?
The last hotel we opened when I was with the organisation 10 years ago was in the Seychelles. We had about eight or nine hotels then, now 30. While we could have done things from a centralised way, we can no longer do that because we are offering different destinations across the world, as diverse as Mexico and Lijiang, and the requirements of each of these locations are very different. The company has had to evolve so we can keep up with the growth. So that’s one clear change.

But the core is the same. KP has been actively involved throughout, he’s still here, his vision is still here and lots of colleagues I worked with 10 years ago are still here. So from that point of view, it’s like coming back home.

With 30-odd hotels and two brands that are well defined, surely it’s not too difficult to achieve consistency, compared with a big chain with multiple brands?
Yes and no. Pick a big brand like Hilton or Marriott that is extremely consistent to the point of being a cookie cutter. So whether I’m in Hong Kong or Miami, I would know that it’s a Marriott room.

Our architecture and philosophy, on the other hand, are very different. When you go to Mexico, for instance, you will see very clearly the Mayan influences, and when you go to Hangzhou you will see the Chinese village architecture. It’s a very customised product because we want to deliver a unique experience, so from that point it might be slightly harder in our environment than me delivering you a box.

“It’s a totally different mindset when an investor and operator talk about service delivery, capital infusion, repositioning, etc. When you bring both together, that’s when you get the best results.”

Pick a new market for us, say Vietnam, where (we’ve just opened Banyan Tree Lang Co). How do we deliver what Vietnam is about and stay true to the Banyan Tree experience at the same time? How do we marry the two and make sure there’s consistency in architecture, service delivery, cultural experience delivery, etc?
In Kerala (Banyan Tree Kerala, opening in March next year), again, it’s done in a South Indian way and the team is now working on how we would deliver the authentic Kerala experience. In that culture, people would go into the water on the steps of the temples that go into the Ganges and bathe or splash themselves. We’re going to have a similar section in the hotel where, when the guest arrives, we’ll wash their feet and let them experience what the culture practises. It is an experience that is unique only to the place, which you cannot experience in Frankfurt or Singapore. We always challenge the team to make sure people experience that level of service wherever we operate, whether in Bintan or Kerala.

And your biggest challenge with this?
Developing the human capital, making sure we have the future leaders of our company who can grow with the company, carry the message and not compromise on the core values of our organisation. In any organisation, that would be the issue but especially in our industry, which is labour intensive.

So why are you the right CEO for Banyan Tree at this stage of its history?
(Jokes, laughs) You haven’t figured that out yet?

I thoroughly enjoy the industry, I know the company culture and I’ve stayed in touch with the company, KP and Claire (Chiang) for all of that time. Although I was not physically part of the company, I’ve followed it, so coming back and getting back into it was easy. Operating the hotels – that’s the basic thing, but there are some other typical things you’d look for in the capacity I occupy today, which is being able to carry the message, execute, lead a large team of people (now about 8,000 to 9,000) all around the world. That’s what he (KP) might have been looking for.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, November 30 issue, on page 8. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Cheapflights Media rebranded as Momondo Group

By TTG Asia

November 30, 2012

CHEAPFLIGHTS MEDIA is adopting the name of its Danish travel search site subsidiary, momondo, as its new corporate identity. The rebranding reflects the company’s long-term strategy to deepen its geographical presence in non-English-speaking markets.

Unveiling the latest phase in its international expansion plan with the roll out of www.cheapflights.co.za in South Africa, the company also announced the launch of a Romanian site www.momondo.ro.

Meanwhile, the group has appointed Thorvald Stigsen to its board. Stigsen was the founder of momondo and its B2B technology precursor, Skygate Media.

The parent company, momondo Group, will continue to be based in London, with the Danish meta-search operation retaining its base in Copenhagen.

Luxury Travel eyes South-east Asian Muslim travellers

By TTG Asia

November 30, 2012

BUOYED by the growth of flight connections and arrivals from Malaysia and Indonesia to Vietnam, Luxury Travel Vietnam is now keen to woo Muslim tourists from these markets.

To capitalise on the niche segment, Luxury Travel has launched a new website,www.vietnamhalalholidays.com, to highlight holiday experiences for Muslim travellers. The company will also roll out a Muslim-oriented Vietnam travel guidebook, while plans are in place to open a representative office in Jakarta.

Pham Ha, founder and CEO of Luxury Travel, said: “The Muslim population in Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia shows immense potential. Demand from this segment is picking up and is expected to increase, thanks to direct flights between South-east Asian countries, including the latest flight to (Ho Chi Minh City) from Jakarta four times per week.

“Also, no visa is needed for most citizens travelling between ASEAN countries,” he added.

“We (will) attend various travel trade shows in individual markets such as TTC Indonesia and Selangor Matta Islamic Travel Fair in Malaysia. We also plan to target India, Turkey and the Middle East in the long run. And with nearly 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, the potential market is huge,” Pham added.

Hertz expands offerings with acquisition of Dollar Thrifty

By TTG Asia

November 30, 2012

HERTZ Global Holdings (HTZ) has completed its acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (DTG).

Dollar Thrifty is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Hertz.

Said Hertz chairman and CEO, Mark P Frissora: “Over the past six years, we have competed successfully with only one global premium brand in place while our competitors have had multiple brands to work against us. We now have two additional popular brands to compete across multiple market segments, with plans to offer them to our many partners and customers.”

Hertz completed the acquisition by purchasing the shares of Dollar Thrifty common stock at US$87.50 per share in cash. Dollar Thrifty’s common stock will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Singapore braces for slowdown in tourism after good showing

By Linda Haden

November 30, 2012

DESPITE the global economic gloom, arrival figures to Singapore held up relatively well in 1H2012, although visitors are keeping a closer watch on their spending, according to industry observers and the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) latest statistics release.

Visitor volume to the country grew by 11 per cent in 1H2012, compared to the same period last year. This was an impressive result, given the stellar outcomes achieved in 2010 and 2011. Between January and June, some 7.1 million visitors made their way to Singapore.

Tourism receipts came in at S$11.5 billion (US$9.4 billion) in the first half, a growth of seven per cent year-on-year, reversing the trend in the last two years where the rate of growth in tourism spend outstripped that of arrivals.

Inbound travel experts concur with STB that the first half of the year was a good one, with most reporting that they have managed to hit targets. However, 2H2012 has been more tumultuous, with the global economic slowdown weighing down on travellers from around the globe.

“Singapore’s strong currency has been particularly off-putting for regional leisure markets such as China and India. Not only are customers looking at other less expensive South-east Asian destinations such as Thailand, even Europe and the Caribbean now offer significantly better value than Singapore and some are actually choosing to head there instead,” said Yvonne Low, executive director, The Traveller DMC.

Tony Aw, assistant general manager (inbound), Hong Thai Travel Services, whose firm suffered a slowdown in bookings in 2H2012, despite clocking significant growth in the first half said: “(Leisure) visitors who come to Singapore are now trimming costs, for instance by switching from four-star to two- or three-star properties, or by shortening their stay, just to make visiting Singapore much more affordable.”

While some industry players are reluctant to make forecasts for 2013 due to the economic ambiguity, most believe that the clutch of new attractions such as Gardens by the Bay, the Marine Life Park and River Safari will spur arrival and expenditure growth in 2013.

Air Canada plans major summer expansion to key Asian gateways

By TTG Asia

November 30, 2012

AIR CANADA is expanding its international services in 2013, with the launch of new routes to Seoul and Istanbul, seven additional weekly departures to Beijing from Toronto and Vancouver, as well as the move to upgrade its Calgary-Tokyo Narita flights to a daily service.

Ben Smith, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Air Canada, said: “With our Asia expansion alone, we will be flying 11 daily departures or more than 43,000 seats a week across the Pacific Ocean this summer – a commitment of up to 14 widebody aircraft valued in excess of C$2 billion (US$2 billion).”

With effect May 1, Air Canada will fly daily between Calgary and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, up from five departures a week.

Come June 1, the Toronto-Beijing and Vancouver-Beijing routes will welcome three and four additional weekly departures respectively.

The new thrice-weekly Toronto-Seoul service will commence on June 2, while the thrice-weekly service to Istanbul will begin two days after.

Smith said: “Our service to Istanbul, the bridge between Europe and Asia, adds an exciting destination to the Air Canada network, with easy connections throughout Turkey and points in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa with our Star Alliance partner Turkish Airlines.”

Malaysia-Russia charter flights set to take off

By S Puvaneswary

November 30, 2012

MALAYSIA-BASED aircraft charter house, Tourism Vacation Resources, will organise its first-ever charters between Russia’s Vladivostok and Malaysia with 17 seasonal flights from December 17, 2012 to March 26, 2013.

Operating every Monday from Vladivostok to Langkawi or Kota Kinabalu during the charter period, the services are a collaboration between Vladivostok Air and Tourism Vacation Resources, with the Russian carrier operating the flights on its TU204-300 aircraft, said Adam Abdullah, COO, Tourism Vacation Resources.

Adam said: “We see an opportunity as no visa is required to enter Malaysia (Russian citizens do not need a tourist visa for stays under 30 days) and there are currently no direct flights between Malaysia and Russia.

“Also, it takes nine hours to fly from Vladivostok to Moscow, but with our direct charter services it will take six hours to travel to Kota Kinabalu and 8.5 hours to Langkawi.

“We have also made arrangements with ground handlers in Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi for ground packages,” he said.

According to Adam, the first three scheduled charter flights have been fully sold, and he plans to do outbound charters to Vladivostok in summer 2013.

AYANA Resort and Spa gets new GM, Ed Linsley

By TTG Asia

November 30, 2012

ED LINSLEY has been appointed GM of AYANA Resort and Spa. Linsley has more than 22 years of experience in hotels and resorts , 21 of which were with Four Seasons Hotels.

He was previously resort manager of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, before moving to Vietnam last year as GM of The Nam Hai Resort.