Marina Bay Sands begins US$1 billion transformation, delays expansion for a year
Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has begun a major renovation of its existing infrastructure, in addition to its expansion project that is now expected to be completed in 2026, one year after the original projection of 2025.
The US$1 billion reinvestment will span hotel rooms and suites, new F&B offerings and other enhancements to the integrated resort – the biggest upgrade expenditure to be made since the integrated resort’s opening in 2010. Works will be completed in phases over 2022 and 2023, transforming the design and significantly elevating the hospitality experience in the luxury travel segment, which is predicted to lead the tourism recovery.
According to a press statement, the renovation investment demonstrates parent company Las Vegas Sands’ confidence in Singapore and ongoing commitment to the country’s tourism industry.
“We are firmly of the view that Asia will continue to lead as a primary driver of growth in travel, and Singapore will remain a top destination of choice. Our reinvestment as well as our planned multi-billion-dollar expansion that we announced in 2019 represent a further demonstration of our long-term support for Singapore. It reaffirms our confidence in the future and our commitment to offering industry-leading luxury products and hospitality experiences to our guests,” said Robert G Goldstein, Las Vegas Sands’ chairman and CEO.
The renewed features across the property will be joined by new hardware from the expansion project, such as a performance arena, a fourth tower featuring about 1,000 hotel rooms, a sky roof with a swimming pool and a restaurant, as well as new ballrooms, exhibition halls and luxury retailers.
Australia to fully reopen to vaccinated travellers from February
Australia will fully reopen her borders to all vaccinated visa holders from February 21, after almost two years of restricted entry since March 2020.
Although the country has put in a place a staggered border reopening since late last year to allow skilled immigrants and international students to enter the country, as well as quarantine-free travel arrangements with select countries like New Zealand and Singapore, all remaining restrictions will finally be lifted come February 21.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers will still require an exemption and be subject to the relevant state and territory quarantine requirements.
With this announcement, internationally-focused Australian tourism businesses can breathe a sigh of relief and rebuild their markets.
Australian Tourism Export Council’s managing director Peter Shelley said that this positive news is a “clear target to work towards” to start to rebuild the once-burgeoning industry.
“With close to two years with our borders closed, our industry has lost tens of billions of dollars in export revenue and we welcome the border reopening as an opportunity to regain some of Australia’s tourism market share,” he said.
He believes that there is a “significant pent-up demand” as Australia has been off the global destination list for nearly two years now.
“But the challenge for our industry is to meet this demand successfully and that will involve tourism businesses rebuilding their lost capacity, product, service skills and supply chains.
“Given the tourism industry has taken a devastating hit to its skills base, experience, expertise and global sales networks, we urge the government to outline a significant funding commitment to our industry in next month’s budget as a sign of its support for what has been a hugely valuable economic contributor for more than a decade.”
Philippines details arriving protocols for foreign travellers
The Philippine tourism secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat has issued a reminder to all arriving travellers of the country’s entry requirements, as borders prepare to reopen to international leisure travellers on February 10.
Puyat made the statement, following the issuance of Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 160-B, which details the new entry, testing and quarantine protocols for foreign nationals coming from 157 visa-free countries.
She emphasised that the new entry guidelines take careful consideration of the health and safety of both visitors and the general public.
All arriving visitors must present an acceptable proof of vaccination; a negative PCR test obtained 48 hours before departure from the country of origin/first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs for their return journey; valid tickets for their return journey to the port of origin or next port of destination not later than 30 days from arrival in the Philippines; passports valid for a period of at least six months at the time of their arrival in the Philippines; and travel insurance with at least US$35,000 in coverage for Covid-19 treatment from reputed insurers.
The Philippines’ reopening applies only to fully vaccinated foreign travellers as well as unvaccinated children under the age of 12, provide they are traveling with fully vaccinated foreign parents.
Unvaccinated foreign children below 12 years old that are travelling with their Filipino parent/s will need to fulfil entry, testing, and quarantine protocols that apply to their Filipino parent/s.
Meanwhile, those between 12 to 17 years old must follow the protocols based on their vaccination status, and shall be accompanied by their parents during their facility-based quarantine.
While foreign visitors are exempted from facility-based quarantine, Puyat said travellers should continue to self-monitor and report to the local government unit of their destination should they exhibit any Covid symptoms.
“The opening of our borders to eligible foreign visitors and the rebound of the tourism industry can only mean the restoration of the livelihood of millions of Filipinos working in tourism-related establishments and businesses who have been displaced by the pandemic. It will contribute greatly to the eventual revival of the Philippine economy”, Puyat added.
TTG Conversations: Five Questions with Hannah Pearson, Pear Anderson
Restrictions at South-east Asian borders are easing and optimism across the travel and tourism industry is rising, observes Hannah Pearson, director of Pear Anderson, a research and sales representation tourism consultancy.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions, Pearson provides a quick overview of how the region’s border restrictions have evolved since Covid-19 first made landfall here in February 2020, and shares her views on tourism recovery potential, government reactions to Omicron, and challenges in facilitating critical intra-region travel.
Dream Cruises extends suspension of new sales
New bookings for Dream Cruises will continue to be suspended until further notice amid ongoing liquidation procedures, although the suspension was due to end on February 4 – two weeks after parent company Genting Hong Kong announced its decision to file for provisional liquidation.
The cruise operator also filed to wind up the company with the Bermuda courts on January 27, and submitted an application to appoint joint provisional liquidators for the company.
No upcoming sailings in Singapore or Hong Kong are currently available for sale on the Dream Cruises website.
Earlier in January, Dream Cruises had announced resumption of Taiwan sailings after a seven-month hiatus as well as its attainment of the SG SafeEvent Certification by Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) that enables World Dream to bring business events onboard.
Genting SkyWorlds opens after multiple delays
Genting Malaysia’s new theme park, Genting SkyWorlds, will finally soft-open on February 8, following several delays since 2019.
Lee Thiam Kit, head of business operations and strategies with Genting Malaysia, said in a press statement that the attraction’s opening would support the tourism sector and the economy with the creation of over 1,000 jobs, as well as “put Malaysia and Pahang on the world tourism map”.
Built across 10.5ha of land at an elevation of 1,829m above sea level, Genting SkyWorlds offers nine movie- and adventure-inspired ‘worlds’, incorporating original intellectual properties, as well as movie-themed rides and attractions.
A 20 per cent discount on ticket prices is offered during the soft-opening phase. However, some attractions will not be available to guests.
Greg Pearn, vice president, head – theme park operations, Resorts World Genting, acknowledged that opening a theme park during the pandemic has been a challenge. “While every effort has been made to ensure our full offerings are available, a small selection of attractions require a little more time to be completed, something the team is working hard to achieve,” he said.
Universal Holiday’s founder and CEO, Zahira Tahir, said the theme park would make it easier to promote Malaysia to the Asian and Middle Eastern markets, as this is a key attraction for families visiting Malaysia.
She added: “It would also increase the length of stay of tourists. When the theme park was closed prior to the pandemic, our clients from India and the Middle East made only day trips to Genting. Earlier on, when the outdoor theme park was opened, they used to stay for one or two nights in Resorts World Genting.”
Adam Kamal, head of procurement & domestic market at Ice Holidays, said the published rates were comparable with other major theme parks in the country. However, no agent rates are offered. To sell the theme park to the domestic market, a mark-up will be needed, but that will make the rates higher than what are published online, according to Adam.
Genting Malaysia is anticipating direct online bookings from the domestic market. It has also developed an app which provides a comprehensive guide to Genting SkyWorlds, with real-time information. The app enables guests to navigate and experience the park virtually prior to arrival, giving a head-start on what to do, where to go and how to get there. Among other features, guests will be able to check wait times for rides, attractions and shows; receive promotional offers and discount vouchers; discover dining, shopping, games, and the theme park’s advanced Photo+ service.
The Standard’s Asian flagship readies for May opening
The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon is set to open to first guests on May 11, with room reservations kicking off last Friday.
The 155-key property will be The Standard brand’s flagship hotel in Asia and the latest addition to the company’s growing global portfolio.
It sits in Bangkok’s central business district, between the Sathorn and Silom corridors, and is housed in King Power Mahanakhon, a 78-floor mixed-use building that is one of the tallest in Thailand.
The hotel will reflect the energy of the Thai capital and infuse The Standard brand’s “anything but standard” ethos throughout.
“There is nothing in Bangkok, or the entire region, like what we have created here,” said Amar Lalvani, executive chairman for Standard International.
“We love the energy, style and culture Bangkok offers and couldn’t be more proud to partner with King Power to open our flagship for the region in this awe-inspiring building, in this incredible city. When we open our doors in May, visitors and locals will be treated to the world of immersive hospitality that only The Standard can create,” he added.
Facilities will include an outdoor terrace pool, an advanced gym with membership for the local community, event spaces, and an array of F&B establishments, including Thailand’s first outpost of the acclaimed Mott 32.
Diethelm Travel sees change of ownership
Diethelm-Keller Holding has sold its remaining shares in Thailand-headquartered DMC Diethelm Travel to Stefan Römer, CEO of Diethelm Travel and founder of Tourasia, finalising a change in ownership of what is recognised as one of Asia’s most established travel companies.
According to a Diethelm Travel statement issued last Friday, Tourasia Roemer, Arcothai International and investor Gonpo Tsering will take over Diethelm Travel together and “bring Diethelm Travel to the new era of travel empowered with advance IT system while staying true to our DNA as your trusted DMC in Asia”.
Römer said: “I am excited to assume full ownership of Diethelm Travel together with my new partners and would like to thank Diethelm Keller Travel Holding for the great partnership over the years as well as their trust in us to successfully lead the business into the future. I am confident that Diethelm Travel is well positioned to take advantage of the travel industry taking off again in 2022.”
Diethelm Travel today has an extensive network of 13 fully licensed and insured offices throughout Asia, in destinations such as Bhutan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Singapore and Vietnam.
Mounting a curated comeback
With expectations that post-pandemic travellers will crave personalised tours that are customised, localised and smaller in size, Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) has developed a suite of special interest products and different marketing strategies to capture the new market.
Rizki Handayani, deputy minister for tourism products and events, said the pandemic has triggered rising demand for special interest tours – once eclipsed by the ministry’s prioritisation of mass tourism, but is now being given renewed focus, with an aim of revitalising and strengthening those product offerings.
Adventure Outlook 2022 survey, for example, showed that 99 per cent of over 2,000 Indonesian respondents wanted to take adventure trips post-pandemic.
Cahyo Alkantara, chairman of the Indonesia Adventure Travel Trade Association, said: “(At the beginning of the pandemic,) adventure tourism was projected to be the last to recover, but it turns out now that it will be the first to come back strongly as travellers are looking for outdoor activities.”
One indicator is the mushrooming of upmarket camp and camper van sites in places like Ciwidey, Bandung; Puncak, Bogor in West Java; as well as Purworejo and Semarang Regencies in Central Java.
Some travel companies like Exotic Java Tours have turned some of their vans into camper vans, while transportation companies such as San Group have rushed to produce them.
However, nature and adventure are not the only segments the MoTEC is zooming in on. The ministry is also developing products themed around concepts like heritage, ecotourism, medical and wellness, gastronomy, marine and diving, Muslim-friendly, and village tourism.
On the heritage front, the ministry recently launched the Borobudur Trail of Civilisation, a collection of nine thematic travel products, namely, Waluku: Cultivating Civilisation, Skilled Hands, Body and Soul, Tropical Flora’s Wonderland, Walking with Stars, Sudhana Manohara: The Eternal Love Story, Journey of the stones, Jalaka Fable Stories, and Music and Rhyme.
The concepts of all nine activities are built around the reliefs found at the Borobudur temple.
Rizki said: “The Borobudur Temple reliefs tell more than the Buddhist teachings. You find love stories, wellness, music, astronomy, and many more depicted on them. The temple is actually a universal ‘library’ which can tell many stories that can appeal to travellers of different interests.”
Arya Galih, coordinator product and promotion of cultural and man-made tourism at MoTCE’s Special Interest Tourism Directorate, said: “The relief of Princess Maya having a massage treatment by her ladies-in-waiting showed that wellness treatment through massage and herbal medication to keep the royalty fit have existed during and even before the Ancient Mataram Kingdom time.”
Based on this, the Body and Soul product is developed by empowering the local community and maximising local Balkondes, which are lodgings built in cooperation between the village community and state-owned companies.
Rizki said: “There are 15 Balkondes – and instead of just offering accommodation and a tour around the vicinity, we would like to add different experiences based on the reliefs. One lodging which offers traditional massages, for example, will receive story content, (assistance to) create the (spa) menu, and trainings for the masseuse guides from us. So will other Balkondes offering different experiences.”
Meanwhile, Waluku: Cultivating Civilisation immerses guests in the traditional process of growing rice. In Skilled Hands, visitors learn earthenware pottery and batik painting.
For the more adventurous, the Tropical Flora’s Wonderland takes them hiking and identify flora found at the reliefs, while Walking with Stars is a camping experience to learn about astronomy and its relation to the temple.
Such travel products will be developed particularly in the five super priority destinations, including Borobudur, in line with the goal of creating new attractions in these destinations. In Toba, experiences at the Toba Geopark will be based on the heritage theme; while Yogyakarta-Solo-Semarang (Joglosemar), the supporting clusters of Borobudur in Central Java, will boast offerings with wellness at its core.
Rizki said: “When we talk about herbal medication, there is no better place (to promote it) than Central Java. Big jamu (herbal drinks) plants are located in this province.”
At the same time, MoTCE will expand the range of such products in other destinations, such as Bali, a health and wellness hub; Jakarta, an emerging medical tourism destination, as well as Medan and Surabaya, home to 15 prominent hospitals collectively.
Market-wise, Rizki said that due to their niches, the most effective way of promoting these products is through special interest trade shows and sales missions, once travel resumes.
In the meantime, travel products are being developed with experts on the different categories and the special interest travel industry.
According to Rizki, as 70 per cent of the ministry’s focus next year will still be on the domestic market, it will trial the programmes domestically, while raising awareness for them in overseas markets.
Thai Vietjet will step up operations between Thailand and Vietnam starting mid-February.
The airline is currently operating twice-weekly flights between Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, but this will be increased to thrice-weekly from February 17, 2022. The eventual aim is to have flights connecting the two cities five times per week.
Thai Vietjet will also be resuming services between Bangkok and Danang from March 27, 2022.