Sentosa’s guests will soon discover Siloso Beach in a whole new light when it transforms into the year-round light and sound extravaganza Magical Shores at Siloso every night, starting January 23, 2020.
Comprising four acts, Magical Shores at Siloso is Singapore’s first multi-sensory, interactive beach light art attraction.
Magical Shores at Siloso
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Featuring vivid light, sound, and mist effects across a 400m stretch of Siloso Beach, Magical Shores at Siloso will bring two islets across the waters to life as they get bathed in lights, fog and music.
The attraction also includes two novel interactive areas where guests can immerse themselves in soothing sounds of the island and interact with light art on the sands, which are inspired by diverse elements ranging from water flow to marine creatures.
As well, guests will be treated to a three-minute flourish of multi-coloured projections lighting up the night sky every 15 minutes.
Magical Shores at Siloso is the latest night offering launched as part of Sentosa Development Corporation’s multi-pronged approach to strengthen the island’s position as a night destination through more novel, after-dusk leisure experiences for locals and tourists.
Magical Shores at Siloso will run from 19.30 to 22.30 all year round, in 15-minute cycles.
Leisure tourism in parts of the Philippines are affected due to the Taal Volcano; its observation deck with Crater Lake pictured
Leisure tourism in affected areas has taken a hit
Industry players stress need for tourist businesses in the area to proceed cautiously
Recovery will come and affected areas may benefit from CSR-related tourism activities
Leisure tourism in parts of the Philippines are affected due to the Taal Volcano; its observation deck with Crater Lake pictured
Tourism in Tagaytay and other portions of Cavite, as well as parts of Batangas and Laguna – some of the most sought-after destinations in the southern outskirts of Manila – have taken a severe setback as a major eruption of Taal Volcano looms large.
Tourists are shunning these areas best known for boasting breathtaking views of the volcano nestled in a lake, organic farms, heritage houses, pilgrimage churches, spas and wellness centres, as well as quaint hotels and resorts – some of which have been damaged to varying degrees by eruptions that started on January 12.
Despite the dismal picture, the trade is optimistic that tourism in the region will rise from the volcanic ashes with good planning and governance.
Ramon Marinas, president of the Association of Travel and Tour Agencies (ATTA) in the Calabarzon region covering provinces such as Cavite, Laguna and Batangas, said the heritage houses and churches “are structurally standing still” including the Saint Martin de Tours Basilica in Taal.
“However, cleaning of the ashes has not yet been undertaken due to the Alert Level 4 status of the volcano (the second highest volcano alert level, signifying that a hazardous eruption could happen in hours or days) and the locking down of the area,” he said.
Marinas also told TTG Asia that agricultural crops “have been immensely affected” and the continuous sulfur dioxide and ash particles emitted by the volcano constitute as a health risk to the population.
“While (tourism) takes time to recover, we are positive that the people are resilient and will rise from this,” he said. As of press time, a million residents have been evacuated from the danger zone.
Calabarzon registers the most number of same-day tourists in the country, with the bulk of the visitors going to Tagaytay and the nearby towns of Batangas (Talisay, Taal and San Nicolas), according to Marinas.
Rajah Travel’s president Aileen Clemente, in an interview with ANC television, said that even as leisure travel in the affected areas takes a hit, there will emerge other types of tourism including corporate social responsibility (CSR) as people rally to provide social and financial aid to the victims of the volcano eruption.
Narzalina Lim, former tourism secretary and founder of tourism consultancy Asia Pacific Projects, said: “In the short term, until Alert Level 4 is lowered and the toxic ashfall subsides, there will be few foreign and domestic tourists visiting Cavite, Batangas, and parts of Laguna. There may be day visitors who are curious to see the volcano and take photos, dine and then leave. But these types of visitors do not contribute much to the local economy.”
“In the long term, maybe two years, when the volcano quiets down and the fertile soil makes Tagaytay, Amadeo, Alfonso, Indang in Cavite and Batangas lush and green again, the place will become a beautiful destination. It can be everything it (once was) and more, with proper planning and good governance,” Lim shared.
Mount Mayon in Albay Province, Mount Pinatubo in Central Luzon, and Mount Agung in Bali, are some examples of attractive destinations which have bounced back from violent volcanic eruptions, Lim pointed out.
While the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warns of a possible major eruption and the Department of Tourism advises businesses to shutter, a number of hotels, restaurants and related businesses in Tagaytay have reopened as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has declared that the site is not considered a high-risk area due to its high elevation, despite being within the 14-km danger zone.
However, industry players stressed the need to tread with caution even as businesses operate as normal, due to the persistent threat posed by Taal.
Marinas said: “While I understand the need to provide jobs, recover losses and bring back normalcy to all businesses, all these will happen as soon as the alert status is lifted. DILG is clear with its orders that only eight barangays (or villages) are required to do mandatory evacuation, while the rest can open for business. Having said that, everyone should also be cautious that the alert status has not been lifted.”
Lim, however, argued that it is not “prudent” to reopen tourist establishments in Tagaytay while Alert Level 4 remains in place. “Although the PHIVOLCS said that Tagaytay is too high to be affected by pyroclastic flows and volcanic tsunamis should a big eruption occur, the ash in the air is toxic and can affect one’s health severely,” she said.
“Even with masks, people can still suffer asthma and other respiratory diseases, skin diseases, allergies, etc. Additionally, water supply and distribution in Tagaytay is erratic (even without the eruption). Until now, several areas in the city have no water supply as they were only able to fix the main water source of Tagaytay on January 19, one week after the eruption.
“If I were the local government unit, I would heed PHIVOLCS when it said that it will wait another two weeks before deciding whether or not to lower the alert level. Then, perhaps the tourist establishments can reopen at that time. Psychologically, it is also good for life to go back to normal after a few weeks.”
Not many know that activities like riding a hot air balloon can be done in Goa
Goa is looking to promote its rich and diversified tourism products and offerings beyond beach holidays, as the Indian state seeks to stem the continued haemorrhage of visitors in the wake of the collapse of Thomas Cook UK which used to bring around 50,000 tourists to the destination.
The UK is the second-largest source market for Goa, after Russia.
Not many know that activities like riding a hot air balloon can be done in Goa
As part of its marketing efforts, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) recently organised a fam trip for inbound tour operators across the globe to showcase the state’s various tourism offerings beyond beaches.
The GTDC also plans to launch a marketing campaign spotlighting its diverse offerings, on top of participating in domestic and international trade shows to promote Goa as a destination for adventure, eco-tourism, MICE, heritage, and medical tourism activities.
“Goa has been a preferred destination for domestic and international tourists. However, some tourists have the perception that Goa is just about the sun, sea, and sand. We want to dispel such notions and assert that Goa has much more to offer than beaches,” said Nikhil Desai, managing director, GTDC.
“Goa has a lot to offer for adventure tourism, like hot air ballooning, bungy jumping, and scuba diving. One can also enjoy white water rafting during the monsoon season. We are also strengthening our offerings on the wellness and MICE front.”
A new promotional video showcasing the diversity of tourism products in Goa was launched on the sidelines of the three-day Goa International Travel Mart 2019 that took place in October last year.
As well, the state will be developing an Ayurveda cum Yoga centre in Farmagudi under the public-private partnership model. A tender in this regard seeking expressions of interest from private players has already been floated. To cater to corporate travellers, discussions are ongoing for a new state-of-the-art convention centre in Dona Paula.
“We are also looking to introduce heli tourism in the state. We will be organising media fam trips and utilising social media platforms to create awareness about the richness and diversity of tourism experiences in Goa. Our focus is on attracting high-quality visitors to Goa,” said Desai.
A diminishing Chinese interest in Hong Kong holidays following prolonged democratic protests in the financial city has somehow kept concerns about novel coronavirus infections at bay, opined destination suppliers who have seen a plunge in Chinese inbound business.
Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Association, told TTG Asia that there are barely any Chinese tour groups in Hong Kong now, as group visitorship had fallen by more than 95 per cent since November 2019.
Hong Kong on alert but not overly concerned about Wuhan flu yet as Chinese inbound currently low; travellers in Hong Kong airport pictured
“Meanwhile, Chinese business travellers are now off work for at least two weeks over the Chinese New Year period, so flu concerns are not affecting this segment either,” added Chui.
PC Tours and Travel’s general manager, Cary Chiu, said: “New enquiries on Hong Kong are still coming in for March, and no client has brought up this issue yet. But (as news coverage on the flu issue intensifies), I believe people may start to ask more about it.”
Chiu added that most of the enquiries are for programmes that twin China and Hong Kong, starting in April, and expressed concerns that demand for both destinations would be affected if infections were to spread over the Chinese New Year period.
Travel Industry Council, executive director, Alice Chan, brushed off concerns. She said: “I don’t think the mystery flu in Wuhan will have any significant impact on inbound travel to Hong Kong because Chinese arrival numbers are very low.”
She shared that for the first 12 days of January 2020, Hong Kong received only 10 groups a day from China – and none were from Wuhan, where the first flu cases were reported.
“Furthermore, there are no confirmed cases in Hong Kong so far, plus the Hong Kong government has put in place measures at the border checkpoints to guard against the spread of the disease,” Chan added.
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Update, January 23, 23:02: Hong Kong has confirmed its first positive case of novel coronavirus – a 39-year-old tourist from Wuhan who arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday via high-speed rail from Shenzhen and was detected having fever at the border. He has been quarantined in an isolation ward at Princess Margaret Hospital, reported Reuters.
Frederic Saunier, director, airline distribution, Asia Pacific, Amadeus and Charles Wong, director, supplier relations, Egencia, Expedia Group have confirmed their commitment to the New Distribution Capability (NDC) panel at the upcoming second SG Tourism Leaders Engagement Series, where they will connect with an intimate-sized audience to discuss updates on NDC development and airline retailing.
The fireside chat will be moderated by Bineetha Mohanan, International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Asia-Pacific head of customer services.
From left: Amadeus’ Frederic Saunier and Egencia’s Charles Wong will be part of the NDC panel at the second SG Tourism Leaders Engagement Series
The NDC panel makes up part two of the second SG Tourism Leaders Engagement Series, which takes an aviation focus. It is organised by PATA Singapore Chapter and co-presented by TTG Asia Media, with IATA as programme partner.
The first panel will provide an Asia-Pacific aviation outlook through the eyes of panelists Vinoop Goel, IATA’s Asia-Pacific regional director of airports & external relations; Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s managing director, air hub development; Chang Chee Pey, Singapore Tourism Board’s assistant chief executive, international group; and Wong Soon-Hwa, PATA Singapore Chapter chair and PATA vice chair.
Wong said: “We are delighted to have such a distinguished group of thought leaders to share their valuable insights on these two very important topics.”
In line with its theme, the second SG Tourism Leaders Engagement Series will be held on February 11, 2020 at Changi Experience Studio @ Jewel from 15.00 to 18.00. The event will kick off with a valuable hour-long networking reception.
This is a complimentary event with limited capacity. Confirmation of registration is on a first-come-first-served basis, and successful registrants will be notified by email.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has launched its new brand, Enchanting Sabah, which has been featured in promotional collateral conceptualised by STB’s communication and digital division since January 1, 2020.
STB’s chairman Ken Pan said: “Sabah has always been known as an eco-destination way before the term ‘eco’ became popularised and I believe we have achieved maturity in this sense. The conservation efforts in Sabah should be commended from having the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center which has been in operation since 1964, Selingan Island Turtle Hatchery since 1977 and, of course, in the recent years, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center and soon to come, a Pangolin Sanctuary.”
“Consistent branding helps with visibility in the sphere of marketing and advertising. Sabah Tourism constantly finds cost-effective yet impactful marketing activities in order to achieve our destination promotion. The move to create brand sentiment will help the public recognise a Sabah advert when placed either in mainstream media or online. It’s now time to showcase and highlight the Enchanting elements of Sabah,” added Noredah Othman, general manager of STB.
As part of its marketing efforts, STB plans to roll out new promotional collateral throughout the year.
Garuda Indonesia has appointed former telecom executive Irfan Setiaputra as its new president director, after the airline’s previous chief executive was fired over allegedly smuggling a Harley Davidson motorcycle on a Jakarta-bound flight.
Irfan was formerly the CEO of Sigfox Indonesia, an Internet of Things network management company, and has also served as chief of state-owned Industri Telekomunikasi Indonesia.
Garuda names new chief following firing of previous CEO over smuggling scandal
At an extraordinary general meeting held in Jakarta on Wednesday (January 22), shareholders of Indonesia’s flag carrier also decided on a major shake-up of the management team in a bid to repair its reputation.
Garuda’s board of directors now comprises Irfan as president director, Dony Oskaria as deputy chief executive; Rizal Pahlevi as commerce and cargo director; Tumpal Manumpak Hutapea as operations director; Rahmat Hanafi as technical director; Ade Susardi as services, business development and IT director; and Aryaperwira Adileksana as human capital director. Fuad Rizal, who was appointed interim managing director, remains as finance chief.
Japan Airlines (JAL) has signed a codeshare agreement with Shanghai Airlines to expand the carrier’s international network in China.
The partnership will add two routes to JAL’s international network, which includes flights between Shanghai Pudong and Osaka Kansai airport, as well as Toyama airport. Both codeshare flights will be operated by Shanghai Airlines.
LOT flies to Beijing
LOT Polish Airlines has started four-times-weekly flights between Beijing Daxing International Airport and Warsaw Chopin Airport.
The route is operated using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with a flight time of less than nine hours.
LO89 departs Warsaw at 22.40 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and arrives in Beijing at 14.20 the following day. The return flight LO91 leaves Warsaw at 14.55 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and touches down in Beijing at 06.35.
LO90 departs Beijing at 16.00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and arrives in Warsaw at 18.45 the following day. The return flight LO92 departs Beijing at 08.45 to land in Warsaw at 11.30.
Qatar adds eight destinations to network
Qatar Airways will be adding eight new destinations to its network from Doha this year.
The Middle Eastern carrier will begin twice-weekly flights to Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan, starting March 30, followed by twice-weekly flights to Almaty, also in Kazakhstan, starting April 1. The latter will be increased to four-times-weekly flights from May 25.
Thrice-weekly flights to Cebu in the Philippines will start April 8, followed by daily flights to Accra, capital of Ghana, beginning April 15. As well, thrice-weekly flights to Trabzon in Turkey will begin May 20, while flights to Lyon in France will be operated five times per week, starting June 23.
Qatar will also operate a four-times-weekly service to Luanda, capital of Angola, starting October 14; followed by a five-times-weekly service to Siem Reap in Cambodia from November 16.
AirAsia takes off for Chengdu
AirAsia will be starting thrice-weekly flights between Penang and Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, China, from March 8, 2020.
Besides Chengdu, AirAsia currently flies to 12 destinations from its Penang hub, namely, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Surabaya, Jakarta, Medan, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Langkawi, Melaka, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
Vietjet connects Da Lat to Seoul
Vietjet has launched Da Lat-Seoul flights, further expanding its network to North-east Asia.
The Da Lat-Seoul (Incheon) route will operate four-times-weekly starting January 15, 2020. The flight departs Da Lat at 17.10 and arrives in Incheon at 23.55, while the return flight takes off from Incheon at 14.30 and lands in Da Lat at 17.50.
The hotel deal market in Thailand is expected to cool off after some very productive years, as the appreciating baht puts foreign investors off combined with the limited number of stock available on the market.
This and more were revealed during the Thailand Tourism Forum 2020, as part of a hotel investment markets analysis presented by Chakkrit Paul Chakrabandhu Na Ayudhya, executive vice president – investment sales, Asia, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.
JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group’s Chakkrit Paul Chakrabandhu Na Ayudhya addresses the audience at Thailand Tourism Forum 2020
“Last year was a very big year for hotel transactions. It was the biggest year ever, and we (JLL) recorded US$12 billion in hotel transactions (in Asia). Thailand had two very good years in 2017-2018; the latter was a record year. But in 2019, Thailand only accounted for about one per cent (equivalent to US$120 million) of overall transactions in Asia,” stated Chakkrit.
Chakkrit said 2019’s performance was the lowest for Thai markets since 2009.
He attributed the baht appreciation sidelining some foreign investors, alongside a limited number of options, as reasons for the drop in activity and trading performance.
Despite a drop in transactions, Chakkrit noted there was continued demand from domestic investors, as well as numerous enquiries on Bangkok in 2019. Residential developers are entering into hotels as well, while foreign buyers are currently monitoring the market cap.
Furthermore, several Thailand deals that were signed in 2019 will be closed in 2020, with JLL anticipating 10 to 12 billion baht in Thai transactions this year. There were also 23.2 per cent leasehold transactions in 2019, which JLL anticipates more of such to occur as Bangkok hotels become more expensive.
In terms of current demand, JLL still sees Bangkok is still the number one most sought-after market in Thailand.
Chakkrit elaborated: “It’s still an attractive destination from a price-to-key perspective; we’ve done a comparison within the upscale segment, and Bangkok is still two to four times less expensive than other major Asian markets. Overall, Bangkok, Phuket and Samui will remain the top three most sought-after destinations, although we do anticipate a hunt for higher yields outside the top three markets – for example, Chiang Mai, Phang Nga and Krabi.”
Compared to the rest of the region, Bangkok’s indicative yield is about 5.5 to 6.25 per cent. When compared to other major Asian cities, Bangkok provides about two per cent higher yield.
“However, if you look at onshore borrowings in some of those countries, especially Japan, you would actually have a higher spread between yield and cost of borrowing, which is why Japan has been very, very active. Japan remains the most liquid market given the robust fundamentals ahead of the Tokyo Olympics,” Chakkrit added.
