AirAsia Group is now Capital A

February 3, 2022

AirAsia Group has adopted a new name – Capital A – to better reflect the group holding company’s core business strategy as an investment company with a portfolio of synergistic travel and lifestyle businesses that go beyond just an airline.

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, described the move as “a significant milestone that marks a new era for the Group”.

(From left) Colin Currie, president (commercial) of Capital A and CEO, AirAsia Digital; Bo Lingam, president (aviation) and Group CEO, AirAsia Aviation; Tony Fernandes, CEO, Capital A; and Aireen Omar, president (ventures) of Capital A and CEO, Redbeat Capital Inc. at the Capital A media event in Kuala Lumpur

He added: “While the airline will always underpin the AirAsia brand, it has long been my firm intention, well before Covid hit, to leverage the strong data we have built up over 20 years and incorporate industry-leading new technologies to offer a broad range of products and services, over and above selling just airfares. The pandemic has allowed us to accelerate that strategy.

The new corporate identity is expected to further enhance the marketability of the Group’s products and boost its success in the long term.

“We are now delivering more products and services under one umbrella than any other brand in (South-east Asia). With access to over 700 million people in the region, I foresee incredible growth opportunities for our brand across many different industries in all of our core markets,” he said.

Fernandes reflected on the wide scope of the Group’s airasia Super App, which captures 16 products and services across flight, travel, lifestyle, F&B, retail, ride hailing and more. “We are already one of the top three online travel agents in (South-east Asia) and our super app is on track to become the leading lifestyle app in the region very soon,” he said, adding that the super app attracts over 50 million monthly unique visitors, earning it a tech unicorn recognition in under two years.

“All of our portfolio businesses are well on the way to becoming industry leaders in their respective fields across South-east Asia, including BigPay, our aircraft engineering division Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), and logistics venture Teleport,” he added.

Following South Korean conglomerate SK Group’s US$100 million investment in BigPay, Capital A is now setting sights on further capital raising initiatives for the airasia Super App, Teleport and ADE.

Although the group holding company now sports a new name, Fernandes affirms that the AirAsia brand will remain and will continue to be “one of the strongest brands in Asia and provides a solid platform for all of our other products and services to leverage from each other”.

“Even though the last two years have been the most difficult and disrupted years in the history of commercial aviation, I welcome the year ahead with much greater confidence. Domestic air travel has already started to rebound in our key markets. While there may be some delays for international flights to return to pre-Covid levels due to the Omicron variant, I believe this will be short-lived as many global health experts are also predicting, (due to) accelerated vaccines and booster shots as well as the world gradually learning to live with Covid.

“I am hopeful borders will reopen gradually throughout 2022 and we will see a return to normal capacity for our international services by the middle to third quarter of this year,” he said.

Capital A has a five-year plan that will see non-airline revenues contributing around 50 per cent of overall Group revenue by 2026.

ACI REPORT 2022 finds improving employment conditions in tourism and hospitality industry

By TTG Asia

February 2, 2022

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Emerging recovery across travel, tourism and hospitality businesses has facilitated improvements in employee sentiments and hiring confidence in the Asia-Pacific region, found the ACI Report 2022 which was released on January 31 this year.

The annual report, conducted with 820 travel, tourism, hospitality and lifestyle personnel across the region, has identified a reduction in retrenchments in 2021 – 12 per cent compared to 24 per cent in 2020. Employee sentiments have also improved, with 46 per cent believing the worst is now behind them.

Similar optimism is seen among HR and hiring managers, with 45 per cent of such respondents expecting new headcount in 2022 – levels not seen since pre-pandemic.

However, hiring managers expect a tougher time when they eventually recruit. They are most concerned with a lack of qualified candidates and challenges in finding the right talents; high competition for talents, thus driving up salaries and increasing their budgets; and work-from-home expectations of candidates that may not align with their company’s return-to-office policies.

In terms of salary satisfaction, only 26 per cent of respondents received a pay increment in 2021 – a slight drop from 2020’s 28 per cent and far behind pre-pandemic levels of 65 per cent. Thirty-seven per cent enjoyed a bonus in 2021, similar to 2020’s 39 per cent, although the majority (36 per cent) was given less than one-month’s bonus while 35 per cent received one to two months’ bonus.

Career development continues to be valued by respondents, with 68 per cent indicating that this was either “extremely important” or “very important” to them. Thirty-five per cent of respondents say that their current employer offered “excellent” or “good” opportunities for career progression, slightly higher than 2020’s 32 per cent.

At the same time, 38 per cent said career prospects with their current employer were “poor” or “zero”, up from 34 per cent.

Respondents’ desire to exit their current job or industry appears less intense compared to last year’s findings. Fifty-nine per cent of respondents expressed plans to change employers and/or industry over the next 12 months, with 19 per cent of them keen to explore opportunities in other industries. In the ACI Report 2021 report, the exit desire was stronger – 68 per cent wanted to leave their jobs, with 27 per cent of them looking to switch industries.

While salaries fluctuated across different surveyed countries, there was a noticeable drop in salary for certain positions, particularly senior leadership positions such as the CEO. The UAE recorded the highest average salaries (US$146,142) and which also rose sharply from the previous year with a 34 per cent jump – signifying that the region is well into recovery phase.

Hong Kong (US$104,921), Thailand (US$94,649) and Singapore (US$91,895) were the next highest averages from the survey. Indonesia (US$42,512) again posted the survey’s lowest average salary and an additional 10 per cent slide against last year’s figures, highlighting the country’s dire tourism situation.

A detailed copy of the ACI Report 2022 can be downloaded here. It includes a special Covid-19 supplement to help both employers and employees alike of travel, tourism and hospitality industries make sense of such challenging times.

The new gold standard for hospitality lies in the hidden star

By Industry Expert

February 2, 2022

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The skies are reopening again. Slowly but surely, many of us around the world are adjusting to living in a pandemic-prone world. This means hotels need to adopt a new level of operational agility to keep up with shifting guest expectations and evolving technology. For many hospitality brands, this means being intentional with your technology decisions, integrating technology without sacrificing the high-touch experience that is often equated with high levels of service excellence.

Forget the coveted five-star rating – possessing the hidden star is now the new gold standard in delivering service excellence. Here are five factors that will give hotels the edge to deliver the ultimate memorable guest experience and secure that extra star of excellence:

Seamless and personalised guest journeys
According to a global travel trends report by American Express Travels, 82 per cent of respondents state that the pandemic has changed traveller perception of luxury travel and personalised experience.

As safety and hygiene have now become top of mind for travellers in a Covid-recovering world, seamless and personalised guest journeys are required to adapt to guests’ mobile habits in an increasingly contactless world.

Hotels will benefit from a single payments platform that can help to unify experiences around the customer journeys, across online, mobile or in-person interactions.

For example, AccorInvest has redesigned the check-in experience to be contactless and seamless using tokenisation. Guests will be able to check in via their mobile devices prior to their arrival and securely authorise card payments using virtual check-in. Twenty-four hours prior to their stay, guests will receive a link to check in and have the option to scan a QR code to confirm or directly to the room when they are at the hotel.

Facilitating secure transactions using tokenisation
New security and fraud risks are constantly emerging as millions around the world now transact online, especially since the pandemic hit.

Card tokenisation inherently reduces the exposure of sensitive card information. At the point of booking, a guest’s payment data is captured, encrypted and replaced with a secure token for all subsequent purchases.

From that point, guests can be liberated from their cards completely. They can activate any device that has an NFC tag (be it a wearable, an access card, or a room key) to make payments and book services without having to present a card, enter a code, or sign a bill.

For hotel operators, this also means that you can keep your PCI scope to a minimum since the unencrypted card data never touches your systems. You can also send secure payment links to guests replacing the need to collect card data on the phone or in an email.

Delighting beyond expectations
Being able to fulfil guests’ needs without having to ask for their payment details with tokenisation will also take the experience up a notch.

From the point of booking, tokenised guest payment data securely stored in the hotel’s property management system can be easily retrieved for future transactions. Past transaction data can also allow hotel operators to anticipate and provide recommendations tailored to your guests’ specific needs and preferences. Tokenisation also allows guests to have a brisk checkout process and allow returning guests to have a smoother experience.

Reducing other potential points of friction such as recognising where guests are from, and letting them pay with their preferred method and currency, is also a standard service hotels should aim to provide.

Focus on guests, not processes
Enabling high-tech experiences and digitising the guest journey does not have to detract from delivering high-touch engagement. Instead, frictionless payments will reduce the amount of time spent on manual tasks, freeing up resources and staff to focus on the guests.

For example, tedious processes like night audit, closing terminals, or tallying bank settlements with your sales revenue can now be eliminated by moving from standalone payment terminals to a fully integrated payment solution. Some of our hotel partners have indicated saving eight to 10 hours of manual reconciliation – across all channels and geographies.

Managing pre-authorisation or using card-on-file to charge tokenised payment cards for common requests such as late check-outs, day use of the room and extended services will become more flexible on an integrated payment platform.

Furthermore, an integrated solution not only connects the front desk, kiosks, rooms,  and other departments within the hotel, but is also compatible with property management systems such as Agilysis, Infor, Oracle Hospitality and Shiji. Another plus point is building in the same great experience and streamlining processes across international properties without the hassle of multiple contracts.

Delivering personalised experiences using real-time data
Understanding guests’ needs and delivering more personalised experiences is top of any hotel’s agenda.

An integrated solution can provide a unified real-time overview of the performance of all transactions, allowing hotels to optimise conversion as they improve customer experience. Real-time data can tell how well your new dinner menu is performing, or the take-up rate of new services, as well as help you see the opportunity to convert dine-in guests to room guests. These invaluable insights can also help determine future business decisions, such as building highly targeted, customised loyalty programmes and promotions.

The payment system, when set up right, helps to remove complexity by connecting the dots across your various touchpoints. It becomes a crucial element to influence a guest’s experience and a key point of differentiation between your hotel and the competition, as well as your conduit to new revenue streams.

Without doubt, hotels need to be where the consumers are in order to profit from the trend towards digital and alternative payment options. A combined high-tech and high-touch experience will be the new norm in the trade – and that is where you will earn your hidden star to be a cut above the rest.

Sailing into recovery

By

January 31, 2022

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Domestic cruises have resumed in a safe and calibrated manner in some parts of Asia like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, following the pandemic fallout. However, international cruising is still off the table in the region. How is CLIA working with governments to address new challenges relating to Covid-19 and facilitate a responsible return to international cruising in Asia, and when do you foresee that happening?
Asian markets like these have not only been pioneers in establishing their own cruise revival, but they have also provided enormous insight that is helping our industry to progress resumption in other countries. Our industry is closely engaged with governments and health authorities in many locations to help implement the health measures that will make further resumptions possible.

It’s difficult to predict exactly when developments like international sailings might return to Asia, but there are already positive signs like the recent announcement that Singapore and Malaysia will collaborate on cruise operations between the two countries. This is the sort of phased, regional approach to resumption that we have seen as a precursor to entire markets opening.

What is your main focus for 2022?
To date, cruising has resumed in more than 80 countries worldwide and around 72 per cent of the global CLIA cruise line ocean-going fleet is now back in operation, with stringent new health measures in place.

Our focus in 2022 will be on extending this revival into other countries and regions, while at the same time, remaining responsive to the latest developments in the pandemic and the most current medical insights. Health and safety will remain our primary objective.

At the same time, we will also work to address other challenges and responsibilities in areas like environmental sustainability and destination stewardship. Once again, our partnerships with governments, destinations and other stakeholders will be key to our success in these areas.

What are your predictions for the future of the cruise industry, both globally as well as in Asia?
Almost 30 million people sailed on ocean cruises globally in 2019. We have some work ahead to return to these sorts of numbers, but I think we have the ability to achieve this sooner than many people realise. Our capacity projections already suggest a return to pre-pandemic levels in a relatively short time.

We are a resilient and responsive industry, and we have proven that we are a highly responsible industry when it comes to upholding the health and safety of our guests.

We also have an extraordinarily large and passionate following of cruise fans who are keen to sail whenever they have the opportunity.

Given the growth we have seen in Asia in the years before the pandemic – and the sizeable markets that still hold great potential – I think we have excellent long-term prospects in this region.

Several cruise lines have noted that the cruise rebound has been driven by not just experienced cruisers, but also first-timers. Is this a trend that you see continuing into 2022, and what more can be done by the industry and travel agents to tap into this segment of consumers?
Restrictions and difficulties around other forms of travel have created a great opportunity to attract new-to-cruise guests, and there’s certainly a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest this has been very successful in markets like Singapore. We may indeed see this continue in 2022, not only locally but in other markets around the world.

As international travel has become more complex and difficult, there is an excellent opportunity to highlight the ease and care that guests experience aboard a cruise. From room service and daily housekeeping to the highest levels of Covid-19 mitigations, including state-of-the-art medical facilities on board, cruising is the best way to see the world.

What positive changes has the pandemic brought about for the cruise industry that you foresee will prevail in the long run?
Without doubt, the past two years have created an extraordinary resilience and spirit of collaboration that runs through all areas of our industry – from the cruise lines to travel agents, ground operators, ports, destinations, suppliers and many other stakeholders in the cruise economy. This unity and ability to rally around common goals will be our strength in the future.

Ready and raring to go

By Adelaine Ng

January 31, 2022

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New Zealand’s tourism industry is putting on a brave face amid the pandemic, working to have the country’s borders open soon to revive its number one trade export.

Tourism bodies have been lobbying the government for international borders to reopen sooner than the current working timeline of end April 2022 with a seven-day isolation requirement, especially after Australia opened her borders at the end of 2021. However, there are no signs at press time of a change in policy direction.

The impact of closed borders has been far-reaching. Prior to the pandemic, the industry generated NZ$40.9 billion (US$27.6 billion) and employed one in eight people. In tourism regions like Queenstown, 50 per cent of residents depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

On a positive note, industry advocates say the downtime is being used to re-imagine the meaning of tourism and its contribution to the country through a Tourism Industry Transformation Plan, which is part of a NZ$200 million support package for the sector. The move reflects a push by New Zealand’s government for the industry to be more environmentally regenerative and to give back to its communities in cultural contributions.

Simply put, the plan “has a dual focus on ensuring the tourism workforce is fit for purpose as well as ensuring that tourism’s impact on the environment is sustainable,” said Gregg Wafelbakker, Tourism New Zealand’s general manager international markets.

This is expected to enhance the visitor experience when borders  finally reopen.

“(Visitors) will probably see a greater focus on environmental values and cultural values coming through, and (experiences) telling more of that inclusive New Zealand story rather than just the activity itself,” Paul Abbott, CEO of Destination Queenstown told TTG Asia.

“It’s always been there to a degree but this would be refining and amplifying (those values). This is the fundamental thing we are working on at the moment,” he said.
Queenstown, which has an over 90 per cent fully vaccinated population, has also shifted from seasonal to segment-focused marketing.

“Previously, in winter, we promoted the ski market and in summer, the biking, golf or the leisure market,” said Abbott. “Now we’re getting a bit more scientific in terms of the segments that we’re keen on, so we have done a biking market development plan that looks at the biking market across the downhill, adventure, trails and recreation segments, and are selling it as a year-round product to those people.”

“Likewise, skiing will be more focused on two key segments based on passion points. These would be winter lovers and ski enthusiasts that better encapsulate the market rather than families, singles and couples.”

Further south, the city of Christchurch has been going through its own evolution, emerging as a restored and improved version of itself post its devastating earthquake more than a decade ago.

The city centre has been rebuilt around the river and now thrives with hospitality venues in its vicinity. Key urban regeneration projects have been completed with brand new retail, arts and entertainment precincts.

“The city has really changed gear in recent years and has become quite funky,” commented David Simmons, emeritus professor of tourism at Lincoln University.

“The natural attributes of the river are beautifully positioned to the sun and the area has vibrancy with a whole range of shopping and eateries in a very attractive setting. After the earthquake, we have a better designed city which is much more pedestrian-friendly. A big sports stadium for the Crusaders Rugby Team is also being finished so there’s a change in the city and a change in the attitudes of the locals,” he added.

In Queenstown, tourism operators are raring for tourism to return, having been re-energised from hosting a number of familiarisation programmes with other regional tourism organisations.

“We’re over this downtime,” asserted Abbott. “You’ll see a high level of excitement from our people here to deliver a first-class experience. They will just be over the moon in terms of being able to expose people to the wonderful environment and activities we have, and they are seriously hanging out to have fresh faces here that they can tell the story to.”

While waiting for international borders to reopen, New Zealand will be counting on its domestic tourists to sustain the industry. But Simmons reckon that is a good thing.

“Our tourism has always been so focused on international travel that very few people knew anything near enough about the domestic market or how to leverage or add value to it… But some destinations have really worked on their storytelling and narratives, and the bringing forward of history, and are achieving better results than they did in 2019,” he noted.

But Tourism New Zealand is not resting on its laurels, knowing fresh challenges await once their wish for a change in border policy comes true.

“If we thought it was competitive before, it’s fair to say we now face our biggest battle – to remain desirable as borders start to reopen and every country competes for people who are keen to travel post-Covid,” said Wafelbakker.

“A significant focus area (in our strategy) has been upweighting brand dream activity in priority markets including in Asia,” he added.

The Philippines reopens to vaccinated tourists on February 10

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2022

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Coron,-Busuanga-island,-Palawan-province,-Philippines — TPB Philippines is going out all with a multi-platform promotional strategy to target trade and consumer and showcase the country's diverse offerings

From February 10, 2022, the Philippines will be allowing fully-vaccinated international tourists from a total of 157 visa-free countries, shared the Department of Tourism (DoT) today.

Vaccinated tourists would be required to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.

The Philippines finally opens borders for fully vaxxed tourists; Coron, Palawan pictured

Foreign arrivals must also self-monitor their health for the first seven days of their arrival, with the first date being the date of arrival. They will also be required to report to the local government unit of the destination should Covid-19 symptoms manifest.

Tourists must also carry proof of vaccination, such as certificates issued by the World Health Organization, VaxCertPH of the Department of Health, or a national/state digital certificate of a foreign government that has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement.

Children below 18 years of age are exempted from the requirement of full inoculation and providing proof of vaccination status.

A total of 157 countries enjoy visa-free entry privileges to the Philippines, including some of its top tourist markets prior to the pandemic such as South Korea, Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, US, and Germany.

Also on February 1, 2022, fully-vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos will no longer be required to undergo quarantine as long as they are able to present a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure from the point of origin.

CLIA report underscores importance of cruise tourism

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2022

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Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released the 2022 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report, which highlights how the industry has continued to resume responsibly with proven protocols, underscores the value of cruise tourism to local communities and national economies, and charts the industry’s progress towards achieving carbon neutrality.

The report “provides an opportunity to reflect on how far our industry has come as CLIA ocean-going cruise lines have welcomed more than six million guests onboard since resuming operations in July 2020,” said Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of CLIA.

Latest CLIA report features 2020 economic impact data, including insights on the industry’s recovery from the pandemic

“While our focus on health and safety remains absolute, our industry is also leading the way in environmental sustainability and destination stewardship,” she added.

“Coastal and maritime tourism is an important economic driver, and we continue to work in partnership with cruise destinations so that communities thrive from responsible tourism. Our members are also investing in new technologies and new ships and pursuing the goal of net carbon neutral cruising by 2050.”

The 2022 outlook report also features reflections from cruise industry partners and community members around the world.

The report highlights that by 2027, the CLIA ocean-going cruise line member fleet will reflect significant advancements in the cruise industry’s pursuit of a cleaner, more efficient future. It also presents 2020 economic data that illustrates the pandemic’s impact on the wider cruise community and underscores the importance of cruise tourism to global economies.

In addition, it shows how industry-leading protocols are facilitating the resumption of cruise tourism around the world, with more than 75 per cent of ocean-going member capacity having returned to service and nearly 100 per cent projected to be in operation by August 2022.

The report also details how continued collaboration with local communities in the destinations cruise ships visit remains a critical focus for the cruise industry, including in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the Greek destinations of Corfu and Heraklion, and the City of Palma in the Balearic Islands.

Read the full 2022 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report here.

STB releases safe travel guidelines, itineraries

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2022

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The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has joined forces with five tourism industry associations to launch the Safe Itinerary Guide and “Experience Singapore!” Compendium, which provides safe travel guidelines and itineraries for the tourism sector as Singapore prepares to welcome more international travellers.

These two resources aim to help the industry design and deliver innovative experiences that are in line with new traveller demands, and are the result of private-public partnerships between STB and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, Association of Singapore Attractions, Singapore Association of Conventions & Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, Singapore Hotel Association and Society of Tourist Guides Singapore.

Resources showcase new experiences in Singapore, and help inbound visitors navigate safety requirements in Singapore; cyclist at Rower’s Bay Park scanning QR code via digital check-in system SafeEntry pictured

The Safe Itinerary Guide provides strategies to help tourism businesses better understand their consumers, so that they can personalise travel itineraries based on traveller profiles.

It also outlines how businesses can design safe and engaging visitor journeys, while highlighting key capabilities such as data analytics and design thinking, which are needed to respond to future challenges. For example, tourism businesses are encouraged to explore cross-sector partnerships with healthcare providers to give travellers added assurance during their travels, or gamify their offerings to keep travellers engaged.

Key information from the guide will also be shared with overseas travel businesses and partners.

Meanwhile, the “Experience Singapore!” Compendium consists of tourism and lifestyle offerings for leisure and business travellers across various price points and interests.

This was also developed in partnership with the five tourism associations, who engaged their members to design and curate experiences for various customer segments. Examples include aviation experiential workshops, virtual reality flight simulator experiences, augmented reality art experiences, and back-of-house tours.

Some of these experiences have already been incorporated by the providers into itineraries for visitors coming to Singapore on the Vaccinated Travel Lanes. The Compendium even provides travel intermediaries with helpful information on healthcare services, such as polymerase chain reaction tests and telemedicine consultation services.

Kenneth Lim, director, travel agents and tourist guides, STB, said: “As international tourism gradually resumes, consumers will have to navigate various health and safety requirements when planning their travels. STB has worked closely with our tourism partners to put these resources together, so that they can design travel itineraries that add value and reduce friction for their customers. We hope that these resources will be useful as Singapore progressively reopens our borders.”

The Safe Itinerary Guide and “Experience Singapore!” Compendium can be downloaded from the Travel Related Users’ System (TRUST) website.

SentoSights tours

By Rachel AJ Lee

January 28, 2022

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SentoSights1-640 — Sentosa's intertidal flats facing Harbourfront area

Why
In celebration of its Golden Jubilee this year, Sentosa Development Corporation will be rolling out a host of commemorative offerings. The first of these is a collection of 10 sustainability- and heritage-themed guided tours on Sentosa dubbed SentoSights, with two routes including the Southern Islands.

These tour initiatives are part of the Sustainable Sentosa strategic roadmap, which focuses on six key areas to realising the island’s dual goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and becoming a globally-recognised, certified sustainable tourism destination.

Sentosa Intertidal Exploration tour

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What
We were treated to a condensed version of both the Sentosa Intertidal Exploration and Sentosa Naturalist Night Adventure tours, led by local wildlife tour company The Untamed Paths.

The city slicker in us was thrilled to discover Singapore’s flourishing biodiversity during the Intertidal Exploration tour. The receding tide exposed a fascinating range of resident marine life – from frogs and fish, to coastal crustaceans and otherworldly-looking echinoderms – teeming in tide pools along the shoreline.

Other sea creatures we spotted during our leisurely evening walk included elbow crabs, teddy bear crabs, hermit crabs, and acorn worms.

Our guide Christina also called to our attention other animals such as a white-bellied sea eagle soaring above our heads, as well as a translucent sea anemone hidden among the stones. She also pointed out the remnants of a horseshoe crab shell, a jellyfish carcass, and other tiny critters.

Christina shared that some of the more exciting sightings on her other walks included octopuses, squids, stingrays and starfish. We learnt that exploring intertidal flats at different times of the day during low tide, or at other locations like Pulau Ubin and Pasir Ris, would yield different animal sightings.

After dark, I was treated to the soothing sounds of a rainforest symphony and several sightings of nocturnal animals during the Naturalist Night Adventure tour. Armed with an ultraviolet (UV) torch, Christina scoped out several Asian toads, red-tent spiders resting on their intricate webs, and scorpions which glowed under the UV flashlight.

Verdict
These tours are not just for wildlife lovers and nature enthusiasts, but anyone who desires a natural respite from urban life or residents who yearn to explore the lesser-trekked sights of the city-state. We learnt a lot about the intertidal ecosystem, as well as how to be more observant of our natural surroundings, as we’ll never know what we’ll be able to spot.

Rate: S$90.95 (US$67.70) per pax for each tour. Corporate tours can also be arranged upon request.
Dates: Various dates and times are available for the Sentosa Intertidal Exploration tour, with details to be released progressively; while the Sentosa Naturalist Night Adventure tour runs every Saturday, from 19.30 to 21.00.
Website: www.sentosa.com.sg/en/deals/promos/sentosights

Bangkok to get first Andaz hotel

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2022

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Hyatt Hotels Corporation is set to debut the Andaz brand in the capital city of Thailand with the signing of Andaz One Bangkok, a 244-room luxury lifestyle hotel that is expected to open in 2023.

The result of a management agreement between a Hyatt affiliate and One Bangkok Co., Andaz One Bangkok will form part of the One Bangkok integrated development, jointly developed by TCC Assets (Thailand) Company and Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Company.

Andaz One Bangkok, set against Lumphini Park, will be part of the One Bangkok landmark development

Located in the CBD at the corner of Wireless Road and Rama IV Road, One Bangkok will feature hospitality offerings, workspaces, retail experiences and dedicated art and cultural spaces, alongside residences.

Directly overlooking Lumphini Park, Andaz One Bangkok is slated to open in 4Q2023 and will be among the first components of the One Bangkok development to be unveiled.

Catering to both business and leisure guests, the hotel will offer unique experiences that draw on Thailand’s cultural heritage. The Andaz Tavern and Lounge, together with the rooftop restaurant and bar, will showcase Thai flavours and international cuisine.

AirAsia Group is now Capital A

ACI REPORT 2022 finds improving employment conditions in tourism and hospitality industry

The new gold standard for hospitality lies in the hidden star

Sailing into recovery

Ready and raring to go

The Philippines reopens to vaccinated tourists on February 10

CLIA report underscores importance of cruise tourism

STB releases safe travel guidelines, itineraries

SentoSights tours

Bangkok to get first Andaz hotel

Tried and Tested

Disney Adventure

What to Buy Now

Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong serves up April dining and Songkran events