Ormond Group’s two new brands debut in Kuala Lumpur

December 12, 2019

MoMo_s_Kuala_Lumpur_Facade — MoMo's Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia-based hospitality company Ormond Group, which owns the Tune Hotels brand, has launched two new brands in Kuala Lumpur – Ormond Hotels and Momo’s.

The Chow Kit – an Ormond Hotel and Momo’s Kuala Lumpur opened on December 1, and both properties are located adjacent to each other.

Ormond Group's two new brands in Kuala Lumpur

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The Chow Kit – an Ormond Hotel boasts 113 rooms and suites ranging from 12m² to 38m², and epitomises the brand’s ethos of “luxury simplified” by providing all the hotel room essentials, said Ormond Group’s CEO Gareth Lim.

Next door, MoMo’s Kuala Lumpur is positioned as a social hotel brand with micro rooms and common spaces designed to encourage interaction, shared Lim.

Both brands also target different segments, with MoMo’s set to appeal to the millennials while Ormond Hotels eyeing the more affluent segments.

With hotels in Kuala Lumpur seeing an average occupancy rate of 60 per cent, Lim feels that it is an opportune time to open the two properties. He said: “You should know your niche and we don’t try to be everything to everyone.”

Opening rates for The Chow Kit – an Ormond Hotel start from RM238 (US$57) per night on a room-only basis, which is almost double the price of the 99-key MoMo’s Kuala Lumpur, which starts from RM130.

Three more Ormond-branded properties are in the pipeline – one in Dublin and another two set to open in Melbourne’s CBD by 2022.

Similar to the two properties in Kuala Lumpur, Ormond Melbourne and Momo’s Melbourne will be a dual-brand hotel located adjacent to one another, and will boast a total of 533 keys. It will be located within a shared podium that will also house an events centre and a host of F&B offerings.

TripAdvisor serves up Michelin restaurants – and bookings – in new partnership

By TTG Asia

December 12, 2019

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Restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide will now have their ratings displayed on the TripAdvisor website and apps, while a selection of restaurants throughout Europe will also be bookable via its reservation service subsidiary TheFork, as part of a content and licensing partnership between the trio.

The partnership aims to offer diners “a complementary way to find their ideal dining experience, as well as improved access to a wider choice of high-quality restaurants around the world”.

Michelin Guide partners TripAdvisor to feature its restaurant listings on the online aggregator

All of the 14,000 restaurants selected by the Michelin Guide inspectors worldwide will be clearly identified with their ratings Star, Bib Gourmand and Plate distinctions on the TripAdvisor website and apps. Around 4,000 restaurants throughout Europe will also soon be accessible and bookable on TheFork, and on the digital Michelin Guide platform.

In addition, Michelin has signed an agreement to sell Bookatable to TheFork. This acquisition for an undisclosed sum allows TheFork to consolidate its existing markets and expand into five new countries, namely, the UK, Germany, Austria, Finland and Norway.

Under the deal, the 14,000 restaurants bookable on Bookatable will join the 67,000 already bookable on TheFork, creating the “largest online restaurant booking platform”, said the companies in a joint statement.

This strategic partnership between Michelin and TripAdvisor will offer “unprecedented visibility to the establishments listed in the Michelin Guide selections around the world”, said Scott Clark, member of the Michelin Group Executive Committee.

“By combining the Michelin Guide’s unique restaurant curation and selection criteria, with TripAdvisor’s comprehensive travel planning platform, we will be able to make the Michelin Guide’s selections accessible to a much larger number of diners around the world,” he added.

Consumers are now able to easily identify and book Michelin-selected restaurants on TheFork. In exchange, all TheFork restaurants partners will also be bookable on the Michelin Guide website and app.

Hilton weaves Tapestry Collection into APAC with Taipei, Christchurch signings

By TTG Asia

December 12, 2019

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Hilton marked the launch of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand in Asia-Pacific with the signing of agreements to open two new hotels in Taipei and Christchurch – The Resonance Taipei, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and The Modern Christchurch, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.

Under a franchise agreement with Times Square International Stays, a subsidiary of Prince Housing & Development, The Resonance Taipei is slated to open at the end of 2020. Situated in the heart of Taipei’s city centre on East Zhongxiao Road, the 175-key hotel will feature on-site parking, a fitness centre and a Starbucks Coffee outlet.

A rendering of The Modern Christchurch, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, which will open in 3Q2021

The Modern Christchurch will open in 3Q2021, under a franchise agreement with Sarin Investments and in partnership with Tailorspace, part of the Ben Gough Family Office. Located in the heart of Christchurch’s CBD at 79 Hereford Street, the hotel will offer a restaurant and bar, fitness centre, and on-site parking.

Launched globally in 2017, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a collection of more than 20 independent upscale hotels, each with its own unique style and personality.

PPHG adds Toronto to portfolio with hotel rebrand

By TTG Asia

December 12, 2019

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Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) is stepping up its presence in North America with the rebranding of The Westin Prince Hotel in Toronto.

Located in North East Toronto, Pan Pacific Toronto offers 409 guestrooms and suites, with many overlooking the six hectares of greenery surrounding the hotel and the cityscape.

The Westin Prince Hotel in Toronto will be rebranded into Pan Pacific Toronto

Amenities on-site include Katsura Japanese restaurant; Seasons, the all-day diner; an outdoor heated pool; a tennis court; and a fitness centre with a whirlpool.

The hotel also features more than 2,780m² of meeting spaces including 18 meeting rooms and a ballroom which can hold up to 700 guests. Events are also possible on the greens outdoors.

Choe Peng Sum, CEO of PPHG, said: “We are delighted to fly the Pan Pacific flag in Toronto. As an international brand, Pan Pacific will bring to the hotel not only its guests from North America where we have four other hotels, we are also able to reach out to the Asia Pacific feeder markets where we have over 40 properties including Australia and China which are among the top five source markets into Canada.”

Pan Pacific Toronto is the fifth hotel for PPHG in North America, joining other hotels in Vancouver, Whistler in British Columbia and Seattle.

Keel laid for Dream Cruises’ second Global Class ship

By TTG Asia

December 12, 2019

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Chairman-Tan-Sri-Lim-Kok-Thay-at-Keel-Laying-Ceremony — Genting Hong Kong’s Lim Kok Thay announces the keel laying of Dream Cruises’ second Global Class ship

Dream Cruises marked the keel laying of its second Global Class ship on December 9, 2019 at MV Werften in Rostock, Germany.

The keel-laying ceremony for the 208,000 gross ton ship was attended by guests from the state and federal government, business leaders as well as media representatives from Germany and Asia, including Western-Pomerania’s economics minister Harry Glawe, Genting Hong Kong’s chairman and CEO Lim Kok Thay, deputy CEO Hui Lim, group president Colin Au, Genting Cruise Lines’ president Kent Zhu, Dream Cruises’ president Michael Goh and MV Werften’s CEO Peter Fetten.

Dream Cruises' keel laying of second Global Class ship

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All participants placed the traditional lucky coins on the keel block before the 95m high gantry crane lowered the 470 ton section into position.

Genting Hong Kong will be starting the design and building of the next series of Universal Class ships at MV Werften, with the first to be delivered at the end of 2022, according to Lim.

Aviation roundup: China Airlines, flydubai and more

By TTG Asia

December 12, 2019

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China Airlines connects Taipei to Cebu

China Airlines will be launching a service from Taipei Taoyuan to Cebu starting March 29, 2020, with six flights each week.

Cebu will be the second destination in the Philippines after Manila to receive regular scheduled services as part of China Airlines’ long-term push to expand its network in South-east Asia.

Using a B737-800 aircraft, the Taipei (Taoyuan)-Cebu service will be operated every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Flights will depart Taipei (Taoyuan) at 07.40 and arrive in Cebu at 10.35, while the return flight will take off from Cebu at 11.35 and arrive in Taipei (Taoyuan) at 14.30.

flydubai lands in Yangon

Dubai-based airline flydubai celebrated its inaugural flight to Yangon on Wednesday, expanding its network to include South-east Asia.

The new daily Dubai-Yangon service is codeshared with Emirates and will operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International starting December 10.

For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in business and economy class.

Vietjet links Vietnam to Bali, Seoul and Taipei

To meet the rising travel demand in the year-end festive season, Vietjet will launch four more direct international services linking Dalat in southern Vietnam’s central highlands and Can Tho in south-western Vietnam to Seoul, Can Tho to Taipei, and Hanoi to Bali.

The Dalat–Seoul (Incheon) service will be operated four times per week, starting January 15, 2020. The flight departs Dalat at 17.10 and arrives in Seoul (Incheon) at 23.55, while the return flight takes off from Seoul (Incheon) at 02.30 and lands in Da Lat at 05.50.

The Can Tho–Seoul (Incheon) route will operate three times weekly, starting January 16, 2020. The flight departs Can Tho at 16.50 and arrives in Seoul (Incheon) at 23.55, while the return flight takes off from Seoul (Incheon) at 02.30 and lands in Can Tho at 06.20.

The Can Tho–Taipei route will operate four times weekly, starting January 10, 2020. The flight departs Can Tho at 12.40 and arrives in Taipei at 17.10, while the return flight takes off from Taipei at 18.10 and lands in Can Tho at 20.55.

The Hanoi–Bali route will operate daily, starting January 26, 2020. The flight departs Hanoi at 10.00 and arrives in Bali at 16.25, while the return flight takes off from Bali at 17.30 and lands in Hanoi at 21.55.

Qantas partners Air France-KLM to unlock frequent flyer benefits

Qantas has formed a new frequent flyer partnership with Air France-KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Qantas frequent flyers can now access reward seats, earn Qantas Points, and receive tier benefits across the entire Air France-KLM network.

They will also be able to fly to over 60 new destinations across Europe and Africa, including Biarritz, France; Dresden, Germany; Calvi, Corsica, France; and Bristol, the UK.

The partnership allows members to access reward seats and earn points on all fares across all Air France- and KLM-marketed flights globally. Frequent flyers with Gold status or higher will also be able to access tier benefits, including priority boarding, priority check-in and extra baggage allowance on any flights operated by Air France and KLM.

The agreement between Qantas Frequent Flyer and Flying Blue, the loyalty programme of Air France and KLM, means members will be able to earn points when they travel on eligible flights across each airline. They will also be able to redeem Qantas’ Classic Flight Reward seats across Air France and KLM’s economy and business cabins.

To earn Qantas Points with Air France or KLM, members simply need to enter their Qantas Frequent Flyer number when booking their next flight. Members can redeem available reward seats when they log in and select to “use points” when searching for flights on the Qantas website.

Qantas Points can be earned on all eligible booking classes, except on Air France and KLM’s codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Air France, KLM or Qantas, said the airline in a statement.

Heritance Negombo, Sri Lanka

By Pamela Chow

December 12, 2019

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Location
Frequently considered a transit point between Bandaranaike International Airport and Colombo, Negombo holds its own charm as a little seaside town. Heritance Negombo sits by the shore of the sweeping Browns Beach, a popular spot for both local merrymakers and tourists.

The property runs along main road Lewis Place, on a quieter stretch just around the corner to the busier Porutota Road, known as the backpackers’ belt for its hostels and bars.

Rooms
Heritance Negombo offers a total of 139 rooms, including four Junior Suites and one Presidential Suite. All rooms come with a private balcony overlooking the sweeping shore of the Laccadive Sea. The interiors are stylishly decorated with modern wooden furnishings and bright colours, reminiscing the hues of a tropical dawn.

Rooms also come with an open-air sink area, and separate toilet and shower areas, which allows for greater privacy and convenience for sharing guests.

I stayed in the Superior Deluxe room, which measures a comfortable 39m². A perk for all guests is one complimentary round from the mini-bar, which stocks two cans of local Lion Lager, a bottle of refreshing ginger ale, chocolate bars and crisps.

For guests who like waking up to a view, the Premium Room comes with a king bed facing the balcony and a view of the magnificent shore.

F&B
A total of six F&B outlets can be found in Heritance Negombo. I had breakfast and dinner buffet style at all-day dining restaurant Blue Tart, which offers a wide range of Sri Lankan cuisine, particularly curried dishes and delightful desserts.

A trio of restaurants – including a brunch spot and a bar – are situated right across the street in an open plaza, offering guests the option of a romantic alfresco meal under the stars.

Guests seeking a space to knock back a cold bottle while soaking in sunset views can head to the See Lounge on level two of the main hotel building. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer fantastic vistas of the shore and its roaring waves. The bar-style lounge serves canapés and a selection of à la carte dishes, and is the perfect place for a post-exploration wind down.

Facilities
The hotel stretches one kilometre from end to end, with its main guest facilities, including the lobby and a gym, situated near the middle. Facing the sea is a sprawling swimming pool, dotted with lounging spots across the width of the hotel.

Service
We were warmly greeted by attentive staff who also aided us at every turn, true to fabled Sri Lankan hospitality. Unfortunately, technical assistance fell short when my service request to fix a room leak was not attended to.

Verdict
Heritance Negombo is ideal for visitors who wish to relax in Negombo before exploring the rest of Sri Lanka. Its comfortable and modern design brings a subtle resort vibe that sets it apart from other beachfront properties in the country.

Number of rooms 139
Rates From US$94.50
Contact details
Tel: +94 112 308 408
Email: hn.ebiz.lk@aitkenspence.lk

India beckons SE Asia tourists with diverse, experiential offerings

By Pamela Chow

December 11, 2019

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To step up greater awareness of its vast offerings in the South-east Asian markets, India’s travel operators are joining forces with India’s Ministry of Tourism (MOT) to promote lesser-known experiences in the country.

The majority of travel agents in South-east Asia currently sell tours focusing on the Golden Triangle, the Himalayas, Rajasthan, Ladakh and Kerala, but “more and more agents are growing interested in other places to visit around the year in India”, observed Pronab Sarkar, managing director, Swagatam Tours.

Brar: South-east Asia key source market for India due to growing tourist numbers and rising affluence

He shared: “With the new e-visa and fee reduction (for immigration), more and more people are now interested in coming to India. In September, we brought a group of 12 from Singapore to Ladakh, and now they’ve booked another tour next year for 22. They liked it so much that they’re bringing their friends and relatives.”

As interest in India rises, local operators are taking the opportunity to push more diversified products. For instance, Swagatam Tours is hawking authentic activities such as village visits and dining with a local family, and religious tourism specialist Lotus Trans Travel is spreading the word about luxury sleeper trains that traverse India.

Lotus Trans Travel general manager (sales), J Jeyendran, told TTG Asia: “Buddhism tours have always been popular among Singaporeans and Malaysians, but not many people know about the luxury trains. They can sleep overnight and dine in a luxurious cabin, and it’s a great way to experience India.”

To extend their outreach to South-east Asian agencies, these tour operators participated in an Incredible India trade roadshow that is currently making its rounds in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok this month.

“South-east Asia is an important market for us because of its growing tourism (volume) and affluence in the past couple of decades. We want many more of (South-east Asian travellers) to travel to India,” shared Rupinder Brar, additional director general, MOT, Government of India.

However, the lack of awareness of its diverse attractions is a primary challenge the country is grappling with, confided Brar. She said: “Travellers who want to visit India can feel at a loss as to where to start and where to go. The feedback that we get from a lot of people is that one visit (to India) is not enough. The challenge is how to strategically pitch the right products for the right customers.”

Brar added that India is also seeing increasing interest in cruising, as well as golf tourism with the opening of more resorts and clubs across the country. The Incredible India roadshow is therefore part of the MOT’s strategy to widen India’s presence in South-east Asia.

Next year will bring big plans for the destination, with the International Buddhist Conclave set to attract traveller interest from the region when it takes place from late September to early October. Brar revealed that the local operators are working to “try some mixing of itineraries” with the event.

Popular New Zealand volcano turned deadly attraction in sudden eruption

By TTG Asia

December 11, 2019

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The Monday eruption of the White Island volcano off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island has killed at least six people and injured more than 30, with eight people still missing after the deadly tragedy at the popular tourist attraction.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference in Whakatane, a town near the volcanic White Island tourist attraction, that aerial reconnaissance flights had shown no signs of life, Reuters reported.

The eruption of the White Island volcano killed at least six people and injured more than 30, with eight people still missing

Among those missing and injured include New Zealanders and tourists from Australia, the US, Britain, China and Malaysia, Ardern told reporters, adding that there were two explosions in quick succession.

Waikato police superintendent Bruce Bird was quoted by the report as saying that among the 47 people who visited the island on Monday, five were confirmed to have been killed and eight were missing.

Some 31 were in hospital while three had been discharged, it added. Many of the injured were in critical condition, most from burns, Ardern said.

Police said they did not expect to find any more survivors from the eruption, the report said, adding that a number of people were saved from the island during a rescue operation carried out post-eruption.

A number of visitors to the island during the eruption came from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, which offered an excursion to the volcano.

According to New Zealand’s geological monitoring agency, GeoNet, the volcano sent ash plumes 3,700m into the air.

The volcano’s last fatal eruption was in 1914, when it killed 12 sulphur miners.

There was a short-lived eruption in April 2016. Daily tours allow more than 10,000 people to visit the volcano every year.

Ingenico ePayments deepens push in seamless travel payments

By Kenneth Goh

December 11, 2019

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In an increasingly globalised world, travel payment solutions have progressively been transcending national boundaries. Riding on this momentum is payments giant Ingenico Group’s Amsterdam-based ePayments division, which has processed more than 230 billion euros (US$254 billion) in 2018.

In October, the company deepened its foray into the China market by launching its full-suite of Chinese payment methods that cater to the preferences of local consumers for international e-commerce players. It is also one of the pioneering international payment service providers (PSP) to support all use cases for WeChat Pay, including the capability to integrate into WeChat Official Accounts and Mini-Programs, as well as offering an upgraded Alipay integration that provides real-time payments on desktop and mobile devices.

Salisbury: Singapore “an ideal gateway to opportunities” in the e-payments sector within South-east Asia

Speaking to TTG Asia, Nathan Salisbury, Ingenico ePayments’ general manager, Asia-Pacific shared that four major forces – changing consumer behaviour, technological advances, government regulations and industry competition – are now shaping the travel payment sector.

A shift in e-commerce behaviour among consumers has led to the rise of frictionless payment technology like tokenisation and Internet of Things (IOT) devices such as Amazon Alexa & Google Home.

Earlier this year, Ingenico ePayments partnered with technology giant IBM to launch an innovative payment-enabled chatbot that utilises natural language processing to foster a seamless customer experience.

“The IBM Watson capabilities will allow us to better understand users’ requests once they have been captured. Moreover, it allows businesses to gather valuable information on bot users’ needs and desires, enabling them to tailor their offerings to meet their customers’ changing requirements and make data-driven decisions for the business,” he said, adding that Ingenico ePayments is also developing new payment protocols based on IOT devices.

Another trend is the emergence of payment as a service software, which adopts a customer-centric and collaborative approach to empower merchants to reach and connect with customers. These solutions range from direct API integration to hosted pages. Besides the Ingenico Connect suite of APIs and services, Ingenico ePayments also offer TravelHub, a solution that specially enables travel merchants to easily connect to payment capabilities in fast-growing markets.

Salisbury added: “This helps travel businesses provide the best digital customer experience and tackle the complexity of managing multiple systems, payment service providers (PSPs) and acquirers.”

Online payment companies also need to be mindful of government regulations that govern the sector, including the Payment Service Directive 2 in Europe and Payment Services Act in Singapore. These regulations guard against concerns such as fraudulent data and theft of customers’ personal data.

On operating in the Singapore market, Salisbury said: “Singapore is among the fast-growing financial markets in South-east Asia, making it an ideal gateway to opportunities in the region. As one of the most business-friendly countries in the world, from both a commerce and regulatory standpoint, Singapore is a key market for our business, and we are open to working with the government to ensure that the e-payments sector contributes to Singapore’s digital vision.”

With mounting competition in the e-payments industry, consolidations and investments are becoming commonplace in the fintech verticals, especially in Asia. Ingenico ePayments collaborates with startups and innovative fintech companies which have developed industry-leading technology that remove any friction and accept a range of payment methods.

To this end, Salisbury pointed out that Ingenico ePayments recently partnered with Spain-based CaixaBank and American fintech firm Global Payments to launch international innovation programme, Zone2Boost, which is aimed at encouraging innovation of new products and services for the business and fintech sectors to support their growth.

Ormond Group’s two new brands debut in Kuala Lumpur

TripAdvisor serves up Michelin restaurants – and bookings – in new partnership

Hilton weaves Tapestry Collection into APAC with Taipei, Christchurch signings

PPHG adds Toronto to portfolio with hotel rebrand

Keel laid for Dream Cruises’ second Global Class ship

Aviation roundup: China Airlines, flydubai and more

Heritance Negombo, Sri Lanka

India beckons SE Asia tourists with diverse, experiential offerings

Popular New Zealand volcano turned deadly attraction in sudden eruption

Ingenico ePayments deepens push in seamless travel payments

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