TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Friday, 19th June 2026
Page 10

Sunway Resort Hotel rolls out family-focused holiday packages

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Sunway Resort Hotel in Kuala Lumpur is promoting a range of accommodation, activities and dining options designed for family travel as families across Asia-Pacific prepare for the school holidays,

Room options include the Family Fun Suite, with gaming and entertainment features, the Family Terrace room with child-focused amenities, and the Waterventure Terrace room with direct access to an aqua play area. Families seeking more space can choose the two-bedroom Pool Villas, which include indoor and outdoor living areas, a kitchenette and a private plunge pool.

Sunway Resort Hotel is promoting a range of family experiences and school holiday packages that include theme park access and wellness benefits

Children can spend time at the Wonderland Explorers kids’ club, which offers games, activity spaces and technology rooms, while adults can use the fitness centre or visit Sunway MediSpa. Guests also have access to Waterventure, an outdoor aqua play area, and the resort’s swimming pool.

Dining options include Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill, Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza and the all-day Sunset Terrace restaurant.

The resort is located within Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, close to Sunway Lagoon, which features six theme parks and more than 90 rides and attractions, and Sunway Pyramid Mall, home to more than 1,000 stores and an ice-skating rink.

The School’s Out package includes a one-night stay, dining vouchers worth 100 ringgit (US$25) and 200 ringgit in credit for Sunway MediSpa. The offer is valid until June 30, 2026, with rates from 899 ringgit.

The Great Holiday Escape package includes accommodation, daily breakfast, Sunway Lagoon tickets and 200 ringgit in Sunway MediSpa credit. Designed for two adults and two children, rates start from 1,288 ringgit per night for bookings made by June 30, 2026, for stays until November 30, 2026.

For more information, visit Sunway Resort Hotel.

Klook bundles BTS tickets with Singapore experiences

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Klook is offering a series of experience packages tied to the BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ In Singapore this December.

Available from June 5, 2026, the Klook Experience Packages combine concert tickets with attractions and accommodation, allowing fans to explore Singapore before and after the concerts.

Klook’s BTS concert packages combine event tickets with attractions and accommodation in Singapore

Three packages will be offered, featuring attractions including Bird Paradise and Night Safari at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Universal Studios Singapore and Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa, as well as a bundle combining Adventure Cove Waterpark with a stay at Hotel Michael.

The packages follow Klook’s partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and HYBE to welcome BTS to Singapore for four performances on December 17, 19, 20 and 22, 2026. The concerts mark the group’s longest run in Asia outside South Korea and Japan.

Klook is the Official Experience Partner for BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ In Singapore.

For more information, visit Klook.

Jeffrey Goh joins Alton Aviation Consultancy as MD

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Jeffrey Goh has been named managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy in Singapore.

He previously served as CEO of Gulf Air Group, and prior to that, as CEO of Star Alliance. He has also held senior leadership roles at International Air Transport Association.

The PuLi Shanghai appoints Vittorio Dincao as GM

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The PuLi Shanghai has named Vittorio Dincao as general manager.

He joins from Galaxy Entertainment Group, where he most recently served as executive manager of hotel operations and helped lead the launches of Capella and Raffles at Galaxy Macau.

Previously, he held senior roles at Hotel Cipriani Venice, Rosewood Hong Kong and Atlantis Dubai.

Waldorf Astoria Sydney welcomes new GM

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Marlene Poynder has been named general manager of Waldorf Astoria Sydney, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

She brings more than 30 years of luxury hospitality experience and most recently served as managing director of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel.

Her previous roles include leadership positions at Waldorf Astoria Beijing, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, Conrad New York Downtown and Park Hyatt Sydney.

Laurens Kritzinger leads as GM of W Bali – Seminyak

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Laurens Kritzinger has been appointed general manager of W Bali – Seminyak, effective May 11, 2026.

He joins from The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa, where he most recently served as general manager. He was previously general manager of Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort.

Radisson Hotel Group names VP development, Southeast Asia

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Armand Steinmeyer has been appointed vice president, development, Southeast Asia at Radisson Hotel Group.

Based in the region, he will lead the group’s development strategy across South-east Asia.

He brings more than 15 years of experience in hospitality development, investment analysis, portfolio growth, mergers and acquisitions, and owner relations across South-east Asia, Asia-Pacific and EMEA.

Plaza Premium Group appoints GM (Hong Kong)

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Michael Yang has been named general manager, Hong Kong at Plaza Premium Group (PPG).

Based in Hong Kong, he will lead the group’s business and operations in the market.

He most recently served as general manager – special task force at PPG, where he led strategic expansion initiatives and partner engagement programmes across the region.

New Zealand tourism sector adapts to AI-driven travel planning

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New Zealand’s tourism sector is moving to ensure the country remains visible and competitive as AI reshapes how travellers choose destinations.

Speaking at TRENZ 2026 in Auckland, Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar warned that AI is changing the traveller decision-making process, with destinations now competing to appear in AI-generated recommendations rather than traditional search results.

Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar speaking at TRENZ 2026 in Auckland

“Increasingly, travellers will not start with the destination. Instead, they will start with the prompt,” said Ravishankar. “Where should I go for two weeks in November with great food and lots of nature? The countries that show up well in that answer may well win the fight for the tourism dollar.”

To stay ahead, Air New Zealand is investing in AI-focused marketing and digital visibility strategies. Ravishankar said the airline is working to ensure New Zealand and the carrier are “sighted, trusted and machine-readable” by AI platforms.

The airline is also exploring “new agentic advertising approaches with OpenAI and Google” while preparing for AI-driven booking systems that could eventually make travel transactions on behalf of consumers.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa CEO Rebecca Ingram said AI was changing tourism marketing and booking behaviour.

“A recent US study by Phocuswright showed that over half of US travellers are now actively using AI to inform their travel booking decisions,” she said.

However, Ingram said New Zealand still held a competitive advantage in an increasingly digital environment.

“People don’t travel to gather information. They travel because they’re seeking a feeling they don’t have words for,” she said.

Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy said while AI is transforming how travellers discover destinations, it also presents a significant opportunity for New Zealand.

“We’re going through a massive technology disruptive phase,” he said. “We have a massive opportunity as a destination to make sure we are discovered, that our content is accurate, and that machines can find us.”

Osaka luxury hotel sector expands amid Expo and resort developments

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Osaka’s luxury accommodation sector is gaining momentum, supported by Expo 2025 and the city’s upcoming US$10 billion integrated resort, scheduled to open in autumn 2030.

More than 250 new accommodation properties opened across Osaka Prefecture between 2020 and 2024, with the strongest development concentrated in the city’s central districts and the high-end segment, according to local government data.

Waldorf Astoria Osaka is among the new luxury hotel openings helping to drive the city’s high-end accommodation growth

International visitors have responded strongly to the growth. Properties in Osaka Prefecture recorded 19.7 million inbound guest stays in 2024, the latest available data, up from 13.5 million in 2023, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Upscale openings in 2025 include the Waldorf Astoria Osaka and Patina Osaka, with both brands choosing Osaka for their first properties in Japan.

“Japan has long been a pinnacle of refined travel, blending deep-rooted traditions with modern innovation, and Osaka – renowned for its vibrant culture, culinary excellence and warm hospitality – was the perfect setting for Waldorf Astoria’s debut in the country,” Candice D’Cruz, vice president of luxury brands, Asia-Pacific at Hilton, told TTG Asia.

As luxury travellers increasingly seek “authenticity, emotional resonance and a deeper sense of connection to a destination”, Osaka stands out for “its unique culinary landscape as the Kitchen of Japan, vibrant street culture and proximity to key destinations across the Kansai region”, she said.

D’Cruz added that the city’s “distinctive personality” creates “a layered, experience-rich journey that appeals to discerning travellers”.

Elen Franke, general manager of Patina Osaka, said Osaka has become increasingly attractive to high-net-worth travellers in recent years.

“The Expo 2025 significantly elevated the city’s global visibility, bringing international attention, infrastructure investment, and renewed confidence in Osaka as a world-class destination. At the same time, the upcoming integrated resort development, including MGM Osaka, signals long-term growth in luxury hospitality, entertainment and international business,” said Franke, adding that this “kind of large-scale investment typically attracts affluent travellers”.