Oceania Cruises has welcomed its newest ship, Vista, which was delivered at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa, Italy. She was christened on May 8 in Valletta, Malta.
The 1,200-guest Vista boasts spacious standard staterooms at sea, three brand-new dining concepts and operates with a market-leading service ratio of two staff members for every three guests.
Vista will sail to the Mediterranean for her inaugural voyage this summer
Frank A Del Rio, president of Oceania Cruises, remarked: “From the smallest of design details to the largest per capita galley at sea, Vista is a marvel that will be enjoyed by guests for decades to come.”
The ship will feature a few select staterooms for her inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean. Vista will then sail to Canada and New England before heading south for a series of winter itineraries exploring the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.
Your new report, Decoding the Luxury Traveller Mindset: Spotlight China, looks at a hot topic: the travel behaviours of wealthy Chinese. There have been so many other studies on Chinese travel intentions, so what makes this latest study stand out from the rest? Although the topics of revenge travel and resuming international travel has been portrayed publicly, this report has much more granularity and dives right into the push and pull factors.
Quantifying the findings creates genuine, actionable insights for professionals in the luxury travel industry. For instance, we learn that there is a strong appetite for living their bucket list and that there is clear push and pull factors such as health and safety that remains the most influential factor in holiday bookings, but also the retail/food and drink offering (49 per cent) and sustainability credentials (46 per cent). The report also contains a lot of verbatim illustrating the data points.
Finally, we have been running this survey for the second year in a row, so we have been able to highlight some critical evolution in the luxury traveller’s mindset.
Furthermore, the survey has been exclusively submitted to validated affluent and HNWIs to bring relevant content and help luxury industry professionals understand their target more precisely. More than two-thirds of the interviewees (69 per cent) were the equivalent of USD millionaires (US$1m in investable assets), while almost half (49 per cent) had a household income of US$300,000 or more.
What are some of the most fascinating finds from the survey? We noticed a surprising turn since the previous wave. In 2021, 48 per cent of wealthy Chinese preferred spending on luxury goods rather than luxury experiences versus only 37 per cent in 2023. Also, 73 per cent told us they are willing to spend more and travel in style on more extravagant and unique trips.
Are there earlier industry projections on Chinese travel intentions that have now shown to be mere speculations? We have heard a lot about privacy/seclusion becoming the guiding choice for the years to come, or that regional tourism will take over international trips. The study has demonstrated that just 39 per cent now prefer this, and international trips are already back on the agenda, with 60 per cent of the interviewees planning to go abroad.
Based on your research, what new business avenues or opportunities are there for travel and tourism organisations and destinations looking to grow their share of HNW Chinese travellers? Family and multi-generational trips are growing, with almost half of the wealthy Chinese planning for one in the next 12 months. Mental wellness-related travel is a priority for 41 per cent, increasing by five percentage points. It is important to give the right attention to these trends in the imminent future, (and for) travel agents to gain more market share by offering more complex trips to this hard-to-reach population.
Editor’s note: Findings from Decoding the Luxury Travellers Mindset; Spotlight China will be presented during ILTM Asia Pacific 2023’s Opening Forum at the Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore on June 19
InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) group CEO Keith Barr will be stepping down from his role as well as from the IHG Board effective June 30.
Having been with the company for 30 years, he has transformed IHG for long-term sustainable growth, as well as navigated a global pandemic while continuing to grow IHG’s footprint and reputation with key stakeholders around the world.
Barr will be succeeded by Elie Maalouf, a member of IHG’s Board and Executive Committee, who has led IHG’s Americas business as regional CEO for the past eight years. Taking up his new position on July 1, Maalouf will be based in the UK.
Results from the Southeast Asia Summer 2023 Domestic Travel Survey, conducted by consumer research firm Milieu Insight, reveals interesting insights on the willingness to travel domestically, concerns for safety, and the number and duration of trips planned for the year.
The survey involved 2,500 working individuals aged 20-65 in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia in April 2023.
Findings show a positive outlook for the travel industry in the region, with about eight in 10 respondents (76%) keen to travel in their own country; 85% of respondents across the region plan to embark on at least two domestic trips this year.
Four in 10 respondents in Thailand intend to take four or more trips this year, the highest across the region for domestic travel intent. This suggests that travel companies should consider offering packages and promotions that cater to multiple trips to boost the frequency of travel.
Additionally, the duration of travel per trip remains stable across markets, with the majority preferring an average of three to four days per trip. This information is valuable for travel companies when planning their packages and promotions.
Interestingly, the promotion of the destination is less impactful than a recommendation from family/friends in most countries, except Malaysia and Thailand, which means the tourism offices have done well in boosting local tourism.
The survey also revealed that concerns about Covid-19 safety have waned across most of the countries surveyed, with the Philippines showing the highest level of concern, likely due to rising cases in the country as reported by the Department of Health (4,456) in the last week of April 2023.
Travel spots and sceneries rank highest in key considerations for domestic travel in Indonesia (69%), Thailand (66%) and Vietnam (58%), while the safety of travel (69%) tops the list of considerations for respondents from the Philippines.
Of noteworthy mention is that while costs of the whole vacation do have an impact on travel decisions, especially for domestic travellers in Indonesia (61%), Malaysia (61%) and Thailand (60%), the weather of the destination takes precedence especially for those living in Thailand (62%) and Vietnam (55%). This could likely be due to concerns about extreme weather events that can happen quite frequently in both countries, reflecting the negative impacts of global warming.
Preferences of domestic destinations and airlines
Beach holidays are popular across the region, with destinations known for their beautiful beaches ranking first in each country: Boracay in the Philippines, Bali in Indonesia, Danang in Vietnam, Sabah in Malaysia, and Phi Phi Island in Thailand.
Waterfalls across Thailand are hotspots for domestic travellers, with 24% of respondents choosing them as favourite travel destinations.
National carriers (full-service airline) are top choice among respondents in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam: Philippine Airlines (76%), Garuda Indonesia (74%), and Vietnam Airlines (72%).
In Malaysia (84%) and Thailand (83%), low cost carrier AirAsia is the airline of choice, likely due to higher price sensitivity for travellers in both the countries.
When planning holiday activities, South-east Asians prove to be foodies, with about five in 10 planning a food trip experience, while four in 10 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are keen to shop locally.
Beach holiday activities are especially popular among Filipinos, with five in 10 respondents choosing swimming and other beach activities like paragliding or parasailing (13%).
Among Thai respondents, 65% is keen to join tours, which is also a popular activity for Malaysians (45%), Indonesians (40%) and Filipinos (43%).
Museum visits are especially popular among respondents in Vietnam and Malaysia, with at least two in 10 inclined to visit a museum while on vacation.
From sightseeing to relaxing holidays, travel planners should consider that South-east Asian travellers are drawn to activities that offer them opportunities to relax and unwind. With the diverse food culture in different states, the opportunity to eat like a local and discover hidden food gems will definitely be a draw.
The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has rolled out its One Summer Isn’t Enough campaign to highlight that wide range of experiences available throughout the season, as well as three new promotions to get travellers to bite.
The campaign supports Abu Dhabi’s plan to attract 24 million visitors by 2023.
Visitors to Abu Dhabi can benefit from three summer promotions as well as a free city shuttle that stops all top attractions
The all-inclusive Abu Dhabi Summer Pass provides access to more than 30 attractions, 600 restaurants, and a variety of retail outlets.
Visitors will also benefit from the Stay More, Pay Less promotion at participating hotels, which offers an extra night with every three nights’ stay booked.
For families, the Kids Go Free promotion serves up a complimentary hotel stay and meals for one child with every paying adult. Children also get complimentary entry to their choice of Yas Island’s theme parks.
The destination promises a mix of fun attractions and events all summer. Visitors can mark their calendar for the opening of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on May 23. The attraction features interactive family fun and eight themed realms.
Easy access around Abu Dhabi comes in the form of Experience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus, which is complimentary to all. It stops at indoor theme parks, cultural venues and other unique attractions.
The South Australia Tourism Commission is stepping up on international marketing spend as tourism gets back on track, and has hired a new Singapore-based marketing manager to lead its push into the South-east Asian market.
Angie Hua, PR manager international, South Australia Tourism Commission, told TTG Asia at the recent Australia Tourism Exchange that “everything gearing up, you’ll see much more of us moving forward”.
South Australia has more than great food and wine, with plenty of outdoor experiences to offer; Fleurieu Peninsula pictured
The Commission will be focusing on bringing travellers familiar with the country to South Australia, leveraging on twin-city potential.
“We are never really targeting a first-time visitor, because Singaporeans and Malaysians, for example, already know Australia. For them, going to Sydney and Melbourne is like an itch that needs to be scratched. We can pull a lot more visitors from Melbourne (making South Australia part of the same trip) because it’s only an hour away,” explained Hua.
She added that South Australia also works with other states for markets further afield such as the US and UK, as it “makes more sense” to entice these travellers to “extend their trip to Adelaide”.
She said: “You can’t tell the biggest Australian story without doing Adelaide and understanding its people and energy. We’ve got the largest undercover market (Adelaide Central Market) in the Southern Hemisphere, and you can easily drive out of the city for something completely different like a wildlife experience.”
Aside from promoting luxury experiences, dining and the wine region, Earth Adventure’s CEO, Andrew Gowan, said: “I want to move from (the already marketed and well-known) luxury and wine scene, to focusing on well-being and the outdoors. We have many great outdoor activities, such as a kayaking tour in Adelaide city, and snorkelling and surfing on the Fleurieu Peninsula.”
In order to spread awareness about the city’s myriad offerings, Gowan has joined Pelago, Singapore Airlines’ travel experience platform. He hopes to take more travellers into the great outdoors, something many look for coming out of the pandemic.
Singaporean hospitality group, Banyan Tree Group, has unveiled ambitious plans to double its footprint worldwide by 2025, with a string of new properties planned for Asia.
The announcement follows in the footstep of the group launching its latest brand, Dhawa, a casual and contemporary full-service hotel experience that aims to bring together innovative design, comfort and technology.
The new Dhawa brand has taken over the former Angsana Ihuru in the Maldives
In January this year, the brand debuted with Dhawa Xi’an Chanba in China. This was followed by the opening of Dhawa Ihuru in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll, a rebrand from Angsana Ihuru, also part of the group.
The brand will enter Vietnam’s Ho Tram and Ha Long Bay this year, and a third will open in China’s Daming Lake. In 2024, Dhawa properties in Binh Dinh, Vietnam and Palawan, the Philippines will begin to welcome guests.
Judy Ong, director of sales and marketing, Maldives, said Banyan Tree Group has been extending its reach. At the end of 2022, the group has 63 properties across 10 hospitality brands. It also enjoyed a year-on-year 23 per cent spike in revenue last year due to the recovery of international travel. This saw the company’s operating profits increase nine-fold to US$31.4 million.
Eight new properties joined the portfolio last year and another nine is planned for 2023. The group intends to double its portfolio by 2025.
“Our goal is to open 50 new or converted hotels, pushing our portfolio to 113 hotels,” she told TTG Asia, adding that the focus will be on wellness, lifestyle and extended stay brands. Properties in the pipeline throughout Asia span China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Ong said: “This is an exciting time for Banyan Tree Group as we explore more markets and expand our brands and global reach.”
The Sri Lankan government is pursuing the sale of state-owned national carrier SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiaries, as years of government handouts have failed to stem losses.
While SriLankan Airlines has been reporting operating profits in recent months, its net loss remains high, running into billions of Sri Lankan rupees.
The government hopes the partial sale of SriLankan Airlines would provide financial aid to the loss-making flag carrier
SriLankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall said on May 7 that the airline has an operating profit of US$103 million, but US$100 million is channelled into servicing past debts.
“If the airline can find a solution for its debt, SriLankan can become truly profitable,” he told local media.
The government has announced its intention to privatise the airline, but calls for expressions of interest from interested parties have yet to be made.
Minister of ports, naval and aviation services Nimal Siripala de Silva, who confirmed this decision, said it would be wise to divest SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiaries SriLankan Catering and Ground Handling services at once to a single investor, instead of opting to bring in multiple investors.
The government is looking at offering a 49 per cent stake to private investors in this process with expectations to raise US$ 500 million to 600 million from the sale of the two subsidiaries, and more from the sale of the airline.
Local media reported that an Indian operator has shown interest in investing.
This is the third time in the national carrier’s history that the government is seeking external help to improve the airline’s fortune. In 1979 Singapore Airlines offered its expertise to run the national carrier, which had then changed its name from Air Ceylon to Air Lanka. In 1998, a 40 per cent stake of the airline was sold to Emirates, which later withdrew in March 2008 when the partnership agreement was up for renewal.
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, TRENZ 2023 is back in-person this year, where 1,500 international buyers and New Zealand-based sellers will be able to reconnect and rebuild connections over the next three days (May 9-11, 2023).
“With TRENZ to be held in person this year, and a ramping up of our online TRENZConnect online showcase, international buyers will be able to develop and renew relationships with top quality New Aotearoa Zealand tourism operators. We have 40 new sellers and new products to showcase this year,” shared Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s (TIA) chief executive Rebecca Ingram.
TRENZ 2023 opens today (photo by Rachel AJ Lee)
Held in Ōtautahi Christchurch at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, this also marks the return of New Zealand’s most significant international B2B travel trade event to the compact city after 17 years. This excludes TRENZ HUI 2021 and 2022, where both events then focused on bringing the New Zealand tourism industry together to prepare for the return of international visitors.
Post-lockdown, Tourism New Zealand’s trade strategy has shifted back to international markets, as domestic tourism has reached 2019 levels – worth NZ$17.7 billion (US$11.2 billion) – since December 2022.
The strategy for the Asian market will focus on encouraging visitation outside of the popular summer season.
“We are working closely with local trade partners and media advocates on joint campaigns and content collaborations to promote the off-shoulder autumn season and encourage Asian visitors to come during this time,” she elaborated.
Tailored fam trip opportunities for travel agents will also be a “key platform to engage and showcase products to buyers”, noted Ingram.
For instance, as part of the If You Seek fam trip, travel agents from countries such as Singapore, India, South Korea and Japan were brought around the North Island to explore Waiheke Island, Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain), Redwoods Treewalk, and Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The If You Seek brand campaign, which was launched in August 2022, was Tourism New Zealand’s first global campaign post-lockdown. It recently went live in China.
“We’re now focused on embedding the campaign in all international markets and continuing to evolve it with new content,” Ingram added.
Trip.com Group’s data revealed sharp increases in domestic and international travel consumption as China’s May Day holiday climbed in popularity.
International flights during the holidays recovered to around 40% over the same period in 2019, with searches increasing by more than 60% compared to 2019.
Chinese cities continue to focus on domestic tourism by offering VIP services and experiences
Compared to the Chinese New Year holiday (January 21 to 27), Ctrip platform data reports that flight bookings from China to South-east Asian countries during the May Day holiday have increased by 91%. Flight bookings to Japan and South Korea increased by 120% and 204%, respectively, while longhaul flight bookings to Europe have grown by over 40%.
Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the US, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, and the UK were the top 10 most booked overseas destinations for the holiday period.
The Ctrip platform also showed that Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur were popular with first-time travellers aged 18 to 23.
Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, said: “The May Day holiday has ushered in the first wave of outbound tourism growth this year, driving recovery and local service capabilities.
”With capacity continuing to increase, Chinese consumers will soon seek destinations beyond Asia-Pacific and return to longhaul travel to EMEA and the Americas. We continue to work with global partners to ensure capacity and safeguard the pent-up travel demand seen from Chinese mainland consumers.”
Meanwhile, Chinese cities continue to focus on domestic tourism. Numerous scenic spots joined hands with Trip.com Group’s Ctrip platform to offer VIP services and special activity packages to provide a wide range of experience options for May Day visitors.
As of April 19, bookings for domestic hotels, flights and scenic spot tickets for the May Day holiday on the Ctrip platform surpassed 2019’s level.
The top 10 cities were Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing, Xi’an, Wuhan and Shenzhen.
According to data from Ctrip’s FlightAi market insight platform, more than 80,000 domestic flights were operated this May Day, with the average daily level increasing by around 15% compared to the same period in 2019.
Escaping the city and embracing the rural areas has become a holiday choice for more users. Ctrip data shows that during May Day, the overall volume of rural tours has recovered to 242% of the same period in 2019, and the proportion of orders from tourists staying in the countryside for more than three days has increased by 230% compared to 2019.
The overall volume for Trip.com Group’s Country Retreats increased by 261% year-on-year. Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hangzhou became the most vibrant cities for countryside tours.
Your new report, Decoding the Luxury Traveller Mindset: Spotlight China, looks at a hot topic: the travel behaviours of wealthy Chinese. There have been so many other studies on Chinese travel intentions, so what makes this latest study stand out from the rest?
Barr will be succeeded by Elie Maalouf, a member of IHG’s Board and Executive Committee, who has led IHG’s Americas business as regional CEO for the past eight years. Taking up his new position on July 1, Maalouf will be based in the UK.
Results from the Southeast Asia Summer 2023 Domestic Travel Survey, conducted by consumer research firm Milieu Insight, reveals interesting insights on the willingness to travel domestically, concerns for safety, and the number and duration of trips planned for the year.
The survey involved 2,500 working individuals aged 20-65 in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia in April 2023.
Findings show a positive outlook for the travel industry in the region, with about eight in 10 respondents (76%) keen to travel in their own country; 85% of respondents across the region plan to embark on at least two domestic trips this year.
Four in 10 respondents in Thailand intend to take four or more trips this year, the highest across the region for domestic travel intent. This suggests that travel companies should consider offering packages and promotions that cater to multiple trips to boost the frequency of travel.
Additionally, the duration of travel per trip remains stable across markets, with the majority preferring an average of three to four days per trip. This information is valuable for travel companies when planning their packages and promotions.
Interestingly, the promotion of the destination is less impactful than a recommendation from family/friends in most countries, except Malaysia and Thailand, which means the tourism offices have done well in boosting local tourism.
The survey also revealed that concerns about Covid-19 safety have waned across most of the countries surveyed, with the Philippines showing the highest level of concern, likely due to rising cases in the country as reported by the Department of Health (4,456) in the last week of April 2023.
Travel spots and sceneries rank highest in key considerations for domestic travel in Indonesia (69%), Thailand (66%) and Vietnam (58%), while the safety of travel (69%) tops the list of considerations for respondents from the Philippines.
Of noteworthy mention is that while costs of the whole vacation do have an impact on travel decisions, especially for domestic travellers in Indonesia (61%), Malaysia (61%) and Thailand (60%), the weather of the destination takes precedence especially for those living in Thailand (62%) and Vietnam (55%). This could likely be due to concerns about extreme weather events that can happen quite frequently in both countries, reflecting the negative impacts of global warming.
Beach holidays are popular across the region, with destinations known for their beautiful beaches ranking first in each country: Boracay in the Philippines, Bali in Indonesia, Danang in Vietnam, Sabah in Malaysia, and Phi Phi Island in Thailand.
Waterfalls across Thailand are hotspots for domestic travellers, with 24% of respondents choosing them as favourite travel destinations.
National carriers (full-service airline) are top choice among respondents in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam: Philippine Airlines (76%), Garuda Indonesia (74%), and Vietnam Airlines (72%).
In Malaysia (84%) and Thailand (83%), low cost carrier AirAsia is the airline of choice, likely due to higher price sensitivity for travellers in both the countries.
When planning holiday activities, South-east Asians prove to be foodies, with about five in 10 planning a food trip experience, while four in 10 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are keen to shop locally.
Beach holiday activities are especially popular among Filipinos, with five in 10 respondents choosing swimming and other beach activities like paragliding or parasailing (13%).
Among Thai respondents, 65% is keen to join tours, which is also a popular activity for Malaysians (45%), Indonesians (40%) and Filipinos (43%).
Museum visits are especially popular among respondents in Vietnam and Malaysia, with at least two in 10 inclined to visit a museum while on vacation.
From sightseeing to relaxing holidays, travel planners should consider that South-east Asian travellers are drawn to activities that offer them opportunities to relax and unwind. With the diverse food culture in different states, the opportunity to eat like a local and discover hidden food gems will definitely be a draw.