WeChat launched an alliance on Tuesday with some 30 foreign tourism agencies, including the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to promote wider use of its in-app tools to reach Chinese tourists, according to a report by The Straits Times.
The Welcome with WeChat Alliance aims to support foreign tourism agencies in developing tools to reach out to Chinese consumers, said the report.
WeChat launches industry alliance with some 30 foreign tourism agencies to boost usage of its tools among Chinese consumers
The move comes as tourism agencies are turning to China’s popular social media app to capture a bigger share of the growing Chinese outbound tourist market.
In 2018, Chinese tourists made 149 million overseas trips, with total spending amounting to US$130 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 14.7 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.
The report quoted Zhang Yang from China Tourism Academy as saying that market demands are also changing as the Chinese become more well-travelled, with many opting to travel independently over a group tour.
“When people travel abroad now, they find information on social platforms including WeChat. In the past, they travelled with travel agencies, but now they like to plan their trips themselves,” said Zhang.
The WeChat app has more than 1.1 billion monthly active users, who use it for everything from paying bills, booking train and plane tickets to researching attractions.
WeChat’s latest move comes as Chinese e-payment giants Alipay and WeChat Pay announced earlier this month that they plan to open their platforms to foreigners visiting China.
Ascott, a wholly owned subsidiary of CapitaLand, has secured a contract from Malaysian property developer Plenitude to manage its first Ascott-branded serviced residence in Penang.
Slated to open in 4Q2021 along the Gurney drive promenade in Georgetown, Ascott Gurney Penang will offer 250 studio apartments and two-bedroom apartments with fully furnished kitchenettes, built-in washers and dryers, averaging 57m² in size.
Ascott to open its first Ascott-branded serviced residence in Penang come 4Q2021
Facilities will include an all-day-dining restaurant, banquet facilities, meeting rooms, an infinity swimming pool, a gymnasium, a sauna, residents’ lounge, kids’ club, kids’ wet park and dedicated outdoor barbeque areas. The property will also comprise retail components and office units.
With the addition of Ascott Gurney Penang, Ascott will have a total of more than 5,000 serviced apartment units across 25 properties in the country.
In 2020, Ascott expects to open three new properties – Ascott Star KLCC and lyf Raja Chulan in Kuala Lumpur, as well as Juru Residences in Prai, Penang.
Siam Sindhorn will be launching Sindhorn Midtown, a new Thai-born hospitality brand, in the heart of Bangkok’s Langsuan neighborhood.
Slated to open in March 2020, Sindhorn Midtown’s first property is situated within two towers, and offers a collection of 344 hotel rooms and suites, as well as 49 serviced residences.
Sindhorn Midtown set to rise in Bangkok next March
Hotel facilities include an in-house restaurant and bar, a lobby which doubles as a workspace and living room, a swimming pool, a fitness centre, and two steam rooms.
One of China’s biggest marine theme parks, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Hengqin (Zhuhai) continues to woo visitors with the addition of show-stopping entertainment and facilities.
In July, the theme park opened the doors to the 6,700-seat Chimelong Theatre, alongside Dragon, a 100-minute Broadway-style show featuring world-class performances with water-land-sky elements. Performed on a 270-degree waterway ring stage equipped with spectacular lighting systems, the stunning circus extravaganza features over 41 floats, and gathers a professional team of 300 artists from some 22 countries.
The Chimelong Theatre Dragon Show
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Leading the lineup next year will be Marine Science Park, which is expected to launch in 1H2020, whereas the construction of Marine Science Hotel has entered its final stage with a targeted opening in January 2020.
A spokesman told TTG Asia: “The Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau markets registered continuous and stable growth since the Hongkong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) opened a year ago. It shortens the travelling time and draws more overseas visitors from Hong Kong International Airport to Zhuhai.
“Apart from residents or visitors departing from Hong Kong, we also observe more visitors who are willing to spend one or two days to explore Zhuhai. The HZMB offers visitors a novel and seamless travel experience.”
According to the spokesperson, the soon-to-launch first phase of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity MRT Extension Line – connecting Gongbei’s Zhuhai station to Hengqin Chimelong station – which will see a 17km section become operational, is set to “further enhance accessibility to the theme park”.
At the Chimelong Tourism Development Forum in October, chairman of the Guangdong Chimelong Group Su Zhi Gang unveiled the group’s blueprint for future development.
In addition to the expansion of existing resorts in Guangzhou and Zhuhai, Chimelong Qingyuan International Forest Resort will mark the group’s third venture. It will have attractions like China’s inaugural sanctuary for wild South China tigers, a giraffe castle and an elephant-theme hotel.
Moreover, Chimelong also plans to construct an aerial cable car across Macau and Zhuhai Hengqin, passing above Hengqin Mountain Indoor Zoo, Botanical Garden and Macau’s attractions. The ride is expected to carry 60,000 passengers each day.
Asian markets are taking a significant lead in Japan’s inbound arrival numbers, with countries including China and South Korea making up 85 per cent of current visitor volume, shared the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
Further data from a case study by JNTO revealed that shopping expenditure took up half of total consumption per Chinese visitor in Japan. This was representative of the overall trend seen from Asian markets, said Michinori Yamasaki, JNTO’s executive vice president.
Japan looks to further grow arrivals from Asian countries; Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan pictured
In order to stimulate further growth for this region, JNTO and Japan’s travel industry players have risen to the occasion with strategies and campaigns targeting Asian travellers.
For instance, JNTO has joined hands with local prefectural governments and suppliers to launch 100 Experiences in Japan, a guide which casts the spotlight on local gems in outlying regions.
Tadashi Kaneko, executive vice president, JNTO, is confident that this campaign will be “especially attractive for repeat visitors”. This segment comprises 60 per cent of total Japanese tourist arrivals, of which 80 per cent are from Asia.
Regional government organisations are also rolling out their own developments to expand their Asian appeal. Kobe, which has been receiving high numbers of travellers from Chinese mainland and Taiwan, has launched a campaign promoting the area as a golf destination.
Buoyed by a growing roster of direct flights connecting many parts of Asia to Japan, Shikoku Prefecture is now stepping up participation in global trade shows such as Visit Japan Travel Mart. Its airport in Takamatsu has direct flights to Taipei, Seoul and Shanghai; and Matsuyama has direct flights to Seoul and Shanghai.
The former STB chief Lionel Yeo will be the next Sports Hub CEO
SportsHub (SHPL), the company that owns the S$1.3 billion (US$973 million) Singapore Sports Hub (SSH) facility at Kallang, has appointed former Singapore Tourism Board (STB) head Lionel Yeo as SSH’s new CEO, with effect from February 3, 2020.
“The Singapore Sports Hub is a major national project that I had been involved with during my time in government service. I am aware of the challenges SportsHub faces and also of its achievements and tremendous potential. I am humbled to be given the opportunity to serve as its CEO, and look forward to engaging with all stakeholders to build on its success for Singapore,” Yeo said in a media statement.
The former STB chief Lionel Yeo is now the next Sports Hub CEO
He will take over from SHPL chairman Bryn Jones, who had been acting CEO since April.
Yeo will be the fourth man to helm the Sports Hub after Frenchman Philippe Collin-Delavaud, India-born Singaporean Manu Sawhney, and Oon Jin Teik, according to a report by The Straits Times.
During Yeo’s tenure at STB from 2012 to 2018, he played a key role in attracting major sports and leisure events to Singapore, including the BNP Paribas Women’s Tennis Association Finals, the Singapore Rugby Sevens and football’s International Champions Cup.
Yeo is also currently serving as CEO Advisor at ride-hailing firm Grab.
SSH’s chairman Bryn Jones said: “We are delighted to have appointed Lionel after a search that began in June this year for a candidate that would lead the team behind SportsHub to deliver a comprehensive programme for everyone in Singapore to watch, play and support sports events and also to enjoy world class entertainment.”
He added: “The CEO has the all-important job to realise the SportsHub’s vision, goals and plans with the support of our partners and to work closely with them to deliver this vision and our long-term strategic plan to be the region’s premier sport, entertainment and lifestyle destination.”
In 2018, Sports Hub hosted more than 210 events or more than 400 event days annually, said the company in a statement.
As more travellers seek out independent travel in off-the-beaten-path places, tour operators in China are seeing a rise in the demand for self-drive and campervan, or recreational vehicles (RV) itineraries among both domestic and foreign tourists in the country.
Exhibitors at the recent China International Travel Mart (CITM) 2019 – which this year sports an entire hall dedicated to RV sales and services – told TTG Asia that China is fast becoming an attractive self-drive destination amid a growing legion of RV fans.
Demand for recreational vehicles itineraries in China is growing: Yin
“Although the popularity of RV in China is lesser as compared to many western countries, demand is growing. For the past three years, we are seeing 50 per cent more customers each year compared to the previous year. Most of our foreign tourists come from the US, Europe and Australia,” shared Hiram Yin, sales manager, Yutong RV.
He added that trips can stretch from 10 to 20 days, and popular seasons are the summer holidays and Lunar New Year spring season. RV trips can give travellers a “sense of freedom”, as well as “feeling of homeliness” no matter where they are, and without the worry about accommodation expenses, explained Yin.
Autumn sees more campervan trips heading to northern China, such as Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Xinjiang, while winter will take RV travellers south to places like Yunnan and Hainan.
Campervans have also allowed China’s more rural counties to enjoy increased footfall. Arxan, a county-level city in Hinggan League of Inner Mongolia, has opened two main campervan sites located near the A’ershan National Forest Park and the Budong River.
“Arxan is especially rural, but more people are choosing to ride up there to enjoy our untouched natural attractions, fresh air and hot springs,” said Zheng Xiaoming, chief, industry development unit, Arxan Culture Tourism and Sports Bureau.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is planning to turn Silom, Yaowaraj and Khao San roads, which are popular among tourists, into pedestrian-only zones during certain hours in the coming months, in a bid to boost domestic tourism and the country’s economy, according to a Bangkok Post report.
Deputy Bangkok governor Sakonthee Patthiyakul was quoted by the report as saying that during the trial experiment, Silom Road will be shut to all vehicles from 12.00 to 22.00, starting December 15. The closure will then occur on the third Sunday of every month until May.
Khao San Road will be one of the tourist spots in Bangkok to be turned into pedestrian-only zones next month as part of tourism push
Elsewhere, Yaowaraj Road will be turned into a “walking street” every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 19.00 to midnight, during a three-month trail period starting December 13.
Khao San Road will also become vehicle-free every Monday from 17.00 to midnight, starting December 16, said Sakonthee.
The pedestrian-only zone will also be extended to include the adjacent Tanao and Sip Sam Hang roads, with vehicles only allowed to pass after 02.00, he added.
Entertainment activities, such as concerts, will be held on Silom and Yaowaraj roads, according to a report by Thai PBS World. Meanwhile, arts and cultural activities, such as khon masked dances and talung shadow play, is planned for the Khao San area, which is currently undergoing a US$1.6 million facelift to turn it into an “international walking street”.
BMA is also considering turning some roads in the Kudeejeen-Khlongsan area into “walking streets” every three months, according to Sakonthee.
Australian and New Zealand travellers are searching and booking in January for travel during the Easter and even Winter break next year, said Sojern, calling on travel marketers to kick-start their campaigns by December 15 to leverage on the demand spike.
Nearly one in two Australia and New Zealand travellers (48 per cent) are searching for trips more than 91 days out, according to data from the travel marketing engine.
Sojern reports a spike in travel bookings in January for Australia, New Zealand and Singapore markets
Likewise, Sojern’s data also revealed that Singapore travellers are searching and booking in January for holidays over the Chinese New Year and National Day periods, urging travel retailers to start launching their campaigns from December 15 to ride the demand wave.
Some 32 per cent of Singapore travellers are searching for more than 91 days ahead and 46 per cent are booking for trips within the same month, according to Sojern.
In response to a question posed by TTG Asia as to why December 15 has been singled out as the optimal date for kick-starting campaigns targeting these two markets, Sojern replied: “Algorithms can take up to three, four weeks to learn the data before it gets into the stable state. Hence, December 15 is what we consider the latest date to start a campaign (for optimal results) in January.”
Airlines and airports in China are embracing artificial intelligence and automation to provide the hyper-personalised self-service experience demanded by today’s travellers.
According to the SITA 2019 China IT Insights report, China’s airlines and airports are using these technologies to expand mobile services and automating the journey with self-service every step of the way.
China’s airlines and airports are using AI and automation to expand mobile services
A key technology that is attracting investment is artificial intelligence (AI). SITA’s China IT Insights reveals that 88 per cent of both airlines and airports are planning major programmes, or R&D, with AI by 2022, with a focus on virtual agents and chatbots.
This investment matches the demands from passengers. SITA’s research of passengers in China shows that 64 per cent of them want a digital travel concierge. Already nearly half (43 per cent) of airlines in China have AI-driven chatbot customer services and the planned investment should see the availability of them rising quickly over the coming years.
Speaking at the SITA China Air Transport IT Summit in Nanning, May Zhou, vice president and general manager of SITA China, said: “China’s airlines and airports have a strong record in embracing technology and automation to drive efficient operations and high levels of passenger services. Now, they are moving to the next level where they will harness artificial intelligence to deliver more services, faster and to more people.”
For passengers of China’s airlines and airports, self-service has reached a strong level of maturity, but a step-change is coming as biometrics is being adopted. Today, 27 per cent of airports have self-boarding gates using biometrics with travel documents, but in just three years, that figure will jump to 66 per cent.
And more than half of the airports have plans for secure single biometric tokens for all touch points by 2022. Airlines too are committing to self-boarding gates using biometrics with ID, with 60 per cent planning to use them to drive a secure and seamless passenger experience in airports over the next three years.
Zhou added: “The adoption of self-service by passengers across China has been very encouraging for airlines and airports. At SITA, we see many in the industry who are now ready and planning to add biometrics to bring self-service to the next level.”
The report also found that mobile services are vital to meet China passengers’ demands and by 2022, all airlines and 93 per cent of airports are planning investments in them. Services including flight discovery, airline offers, check-in and flight status notifications via mobile are already provided by all airlines. One fifth are also using mobiles to sell newspapers, magazines and movies/TV to passengers.
Airports too are investing in mobile services to offer a more personalised experience for passengers. Services, including notifications about flight and airport status, and customer relationship management, are well established and are offered by up to 81 per cent of airports.
Keeping the passenger informed and connected is not only what China’s airports are providing via mobile, they are also facilitating mobile payments. Close to three quarters enable passengers to buy airport services and allow cashless payments via mobile. This hyper-personalised service via mobile confirms it as a vital tool for China passengers.
The report highlights that blockchain technology is another key area of investment for airlines. Today, only 24 per cent have major programmes, or R&D, planned but that number is set to jump to 80 per cent by 2022. This is in line with the recent trends and commitments to blockchain technology in the country.
