LAS Vegas Sands (LVS) has unveiled plans to construct a new US$3 billion integrated resort in Macau, complete with a scaled down replica of the Eiffel Tower, according to Agence France-Presse.

Speaking at the official opening of the Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central yesterday, LVS chairman & CEO, Sheldon Adelson, said the new resort, dubbed the Parisian, would feature 3,000 hotel rooms and a replica of one of France’s most famous cultural icons.

In Macau, LVS already operates Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Plaza Macao and Sands Macao, in addition to Sands Cotai Central. It also operates Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Elsewhere in Asia, LVS is eyeing further expansion in Japan, South Korea (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 4, 2012) and Vietnam.

HOKKAIDO will be organising a 4D3N fam trip in February 2013 for outbound tour operators from North and South-east Asia as well as the US.

The fam trip will showcase Hokkaido’s ski resorts, allow local suppliers and inbound operators to network with overseas travel consultants, and also demonstrate that the destination is safe to visit after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Hosted by the Hokkaido Ski Promotion Council and supported by the Hokkaido Tourism Organization, the programme will be sponsored by the Japanese and Hokkaido governments and various local tourism players.

Kimitsugu Kamori, executive director of Kamori Kanko, which manages the 1,100-room Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention in Hokkaido, told TTG Asia e-Daily that the property received cancellations for 20,000 pax in the aftermath of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and was still experiencing a 20 per cent shortfall in customers compared to before the disaster.

M Nantha Gopal, managing director, Nantha Travel & Tours, said promotional efforts such as the upcoming fam trip were necessary to regain the confidence of tour operators, who would in turn be more inclined to sell the destination.

“It is a known fact that international arrivals to Japan have dropped a lot since March 11, 2011. And there is also strong competition from South Korea for the tourist dollar. Of late, South Korea has captured the imaginations of Malaysians with the Gangnam Style craze,” he said.

Cathy Wong , business development director, Japan Holidays, said the fam trip was a good opportunity for Malaysian travel consultants as many were still unfamiliar with the ski resorts and activities available in Hokkaido.

FRESH from reviving its international operations with new flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 13, 2012), Mandala Airlines will be launching a Padang-Singapore-Denpasar (Bali) route on December 1.

The Jakarta-based budget carrier will become the first airline operating from Singapore to Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra in Indonesia, once the new service takes off.

Operated on a daily basis using Airbus A320 aircraft, the flight will depart from Padang at 07.55 and arrive in Singapore at 09.55. It will then take off from Singapore at 10.35 and reach Denpasar at 13.10.

Following a four-and-a-half-hour hiatus, the return flight will depart Denpasar at 17.45 and arrive in Singapore at 20.20. The service will then proceed on to Padang at 20.55, touching down one hour later.

To celebrate the route launch, Mandala Airlines is offering promotional fares starting from S$99 (US$81) one-way (Singapore-Denpasar) all-inclusive, and S$79 one-way (Singapore-Padang) all-inclusive. These fares are available from now till September 26, 2012, for travel from December 2012 till March 31, 2013.

EVEN before the conclusion of its ad hoc Airbus A380 service on the Dubai-Singapore route from September 8-21 (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 30, 2012), Emirates has decided to permanently deploy an A380 to Singapore from December 1, becoming the first carrier to offer scheduled A380 flights on the route.

“Emirates is currently operating a two-week ad hoc Airbus A380 service between Dubai and Singapore which has received extremely positive response from our passengers,” said Salem Obaidalla, senior vice president, commercial operations Far East & Australasia, Emirates.

“In light of this, we have decided to bring our flagship aircraft to Singapore on a permanent basis.”

The 517-seat A380 aircraft will be deployed for flights EK354 and EK355, replacing the 354-seat Boeing 777-300ER – a 46 per cent hike in capacity. Emirates’ total capacity across four daily services from Dubai to Singapore will increase to 1,659 seats daily.

Additional A380 destinations that are scheduled to launch this year include Melbourne (from October 1) and Moscow (from December 1).

SILKAIR will become the first airline to provide a direct international air link to Visakhapatnam when it begins non-stop thrice-weekly services from Singapore starting October 28.
Flights will operate to the port city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with next-day return flights to Singapore. The services will be operated with Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, featuring both business and economy class cabins.

SilkAir’s chief executive, Leslie Thng, said: “(The route launch) represents a significant milestone as SilkAir is the first carrier to offer international flights to and from Visakhapatnam. We are…confident that this direct service will further strengthen the strong economic ties between Singapore and India.”

He added: “This new route will also give business travellers access to one of the fastest growing commercial cities in India, while introducing a great sightseeing destination for leisure-oriented tourists.”

Visakhapatnam will be SilkAir’s eighth destination in India and will boost the carrier’s route network to 42 destinations in 12 countries.

CARNIVAL Corporation has appointed Costa Cruises chairman Pier Luigi Foschi to oversee the company’s growth strategies within the rapidly expanding Asian region.

In his role as chairman & CEO of the newly-created Carnival Asia unit, Foschi will be responsible for establishing Carnival Corporation’s new corporate office in Singapore and providing guidance to the organisation’s various operating units in pursuing their Asian strategies.

“With Asia being such an important part of our global strategy, it’s critical that we increase our presence in the region by establishing this new office in Singapore and appointing an experienced executive to coordinate our current operations and our future expansion efforts,” said Micky Arison, chairman & CEO, Carnival Corporation.

Currently, Carnival Corporation’s Asia operations include two Costa Cruises ships based in China and Singapore, and Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess, which will launch a series of voyages from Japan next spring.

Foschi, who retired as CEO of Costa Cruises in July (TTG Asia e-Daily, April 25, 2012), will continue to serve in his current role as chairman and managing director of the Costa group, and as a member of the board of directors at Carnival Corporation.

Foschi has extensive experience in Asia, having overseen Costa’s initial entry into the region in 2006.  Additionally, prior to joining Costa, Foschi resided in Hong Kong and Singapore for many years while serving as executive vice president of Asia-Pacific operations for the Otis Elevator Company.

PANORAMA Tours Indonesia is looking to reap a bumper crop of year-end outbound business by organising the World of Panorama (WOP) consumer travel fair from September 21-23 in Jakarta.

Meity Lukito, managing director-leisure travel management, Panorama Tours, said: “This is the first time WOP is being organised after the Lebaran holidays, which we hope will boost (business) during the shoulder season and year-end peak season.”

“With Lebaran dates falling about two weeks earlier every year, there is quite a long gap between the Lebaran holidays (which this year fell in mid-August) and the year-end, so we believe people will be eager to travel again.”

According to Lukito, WOP acts as a platform for Panorama customers to secure their holiday arrangements and pick choice dates available, before the programmes are released to other consumers during larger fairs.

“The year-end holiday season usually contributes between 15 and 20 per cent of (overall) business (for the year), but this year we are aiming at reaching the level of Lebaran – which was about 40 per cent,” she added.