Beyond the shiny surface

November 15, 2019

shutterstock_718449445_CMYK — Potato Head Folk resides within a heritage building on Keong Saik Road in Chinatown

As the red-hot craze for immersive travel gains ground, tourism proponents in Singapore are getting creative by whipping up experiential and value-added activities for intrepid travellers.

Kicking off industry-wide efforts was the Tour Design Challenge launched last year by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which selected tour operators for a programme comprising industry workshops, site visits, pitching and grant support for selected applicants to pilot these new tours.

Potato Head Folk resides within a heritage building on Keong Saik Road in Chinatown

The challenge helped launch innovative tours such as Singapore 1920s: Trails of Ah Huat by Let’s Go Singapore and the back-of-house Silicon Valley of Singapore Insider tour by UBE Singapore.

Furthermore, under this year’s Marketing Innovation Programme, STB awarded seven businesses up to S$1.3 million (US$933,428) for marketing proposals that introduced a new dimension to storytelling about Singapore. One of the winning businesses, local e-commerce company Carousell, will launch a campaign – Embark on Your Great Singapore Treasure Trail – inviting Indonesian users to explore Singapore by planning their own ‘treasure trail’ itinerary using the Carousell app.

The need for innovative visitor experiences is not lost on the local hospitality sector. The young Six Senses Maxwell has paired with Jane’s Singapore Tours to bring guests through locales such as MacRitchie Reservoir Park, Botanic Gardens and the Civic District.

Capella Singapore, under the Capella Curates programme, has launched the Qi & The City experience that whizzes guests around the city in vintage sidecars, while providing commentary about the fengshui principles reflected in the local architecture along the way.

Murray Aitken, general manager, Six Senses Singapore, expressed: “We want to be an intrinsic part of the local fabric and culture, and if this calls for a deeper exploration of community partners who can bring about a layered approach to help our guests reconnect with themselves and experience the community, then we will continue to innovate, look for experiences that are always unique – often unexpected, sometimes unusual – and partner with leading experts.”

The trend has spilled over even to Singapore’s two integrated resorts, which are building on the traditional resort model to provide more experiential offerings. As part of a suite of massive expansion plans, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) will increase its gross floor area by about 50 per cent to usher in new attractions, while Marina Bay Sands (MBS) will welcome a fourth tower and a 15,000-seat indoor entertainment arena.

Putting a greater focus on immersive products and services, RWS will first open a pirate-themed “adventure dining playhouse” in end-2020 to replace the Resorts World Theatre. Arriving in phases through to 2025 will be a public seafront attraction with free evening light shows and a new waterfront lifestyle complex helmed by two new hotels.

Additionally, Universal Studios Singapore will unveil two new themed sections – Minion Park and Super Nintendo World – and S.E.A. Aquarium will more than triple in size and be rebranded as the proposed Singapore Oceanarium. The transformed resort, which will be backed by a S$4.5 billion investment, is touted to “create a new wave of tourism growth for the next decade”.

Tan Hee Teck, CEO of RWS, said: “RWS will form an integral part of the future Greater Southern Waterfront and become a centrepiece of the transformative journey to enliven the southern corridor.”

Meanwhile, MBS has already begun flexing its creative muscle in the lead-up to its expansion. Where celebrity chef restaurants and Michelin-star dining were once all the rage, consumers are now hungry for an experience beyond the meal.

Mike Lee, vice president of sales, MBS, explained: “Guests now want to be entertained while they dine, and be simulated by visual and aural senses. Think DJs taking centrestage in a restaurant, theatrical show kitchens and a playlist that sets the mood of a venue and the ensuing conversations of its guests.”

That mentality is distilled in the resort’s fresh F&B concepts recently opened with TAO Group that have “morphed entertainment and food” together, shared Lee, referring to rooftop restaurant Lavo, inventive nightclub Marquee, and Japanese restaurant and sushi bar Koma.

MBS has also taken the visitor experience to the next experiential level with the Wonderland trail, an adventure and food tour inspired by the ArtScience Museum’s Wonderland exhibition. The trail brackets a visit to the exhibition with a specially concocted Wonderland Crazyshake at Black Tap and Wonderland-themed high tea at the signature Renku Bar & Lounge.

Singapore to introduce fingerprints and facial immigration clearance by 2025

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Come 2025, travellers visiting Singapore will have to clear security at automated border checkpoints with their fingerprints, and facial and iris scans, according to an article from the Straits Times.

As per the same article, border security is one of the five key national artificial intelligence (AI) projects that was announced by deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat on November 13, and is part of Singapore’s greater strategy to harness AI to deliver social and economic benefits.

Singapore to introduce fingerprints and facial immigration clearance by 2025

With the help of AI, travellers will be able to clear immigration checks quicker and more seamlessly at Singapore borders, while the process will also reduce human error and allow immigration officers to focus on other visitors who may require another look.

A fully automated system – which uses a facial recognition system – currently in place at Changi Airport, was said to achieve manpower and efficiency savings of up to 20 per cent, stated the Straits Times report.

Apart from border security, the other AI four projects are in logistics, healthcare, education and estate management, said the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office. A new National AI Office has also been created under the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office to set priorities and help to build a pipeline of AI talent.

Medan bombing prompts tightened security, but North Sumatra travel unaffected

By Kurniawan Ulung

November 14, 2019

0

A suicide bombing on Wednesday morning at the Medan police headquarters killed the perpetrator and injured six people including a civilian and police officers, but local business leaders believe that North Sumatra tourism will remain unaffected after authorities beefed up security measures in the city.

Robert Lam, owner of Medan-based Horas Tour, said that the incident did not trigger any of his inbound guests to cancel or postpone upcoming trips as the incident was “a small-scale bombing attack” that took place away from the city’s main tourist spots.

A suicide bombing prompts authorities in North Sumatra to step up security measures in the Indonesian province’s airports, including Kualanamu International Airport

Lam has yet to receive concerned enquiries from travellers planning to visit North Sumatra in the upcoming days, and he added that he is constantly in contact with his business partners in South-east Asia and Europe to ensure them that the situation in North Sumatra remains safe.

Denny Wardhana, chairman of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) North Sumatra chapter, said that “the situation is still conducive” and that the bombing had yet to adversely impact hotel occupancy rates.

To assess the condition, he had called general managers of hotels in the city, including Grand Mercure Medan Angkasa located 270m from the Medan police headquarters. They all told him that business operations ran as per normal without any cancellations and that none of the guests checked out immediately after the bombing.

However, Denny had urged his association members to remain alert, as well as to tighten security at their respective hotels and to continue to monitor the situation.

Among extra security measures that the members of PHRI North Sumatra had taken to guarantee the safety of their clients was increasing the number of security personnel at the hotel entrances.

Following the bombing, state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II also tightened security in its 19 airports, including Kualanamu International Airport in Medan and Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport in Siborong-Borong in North Sumatra.

In an official statement, Angkasa Pura II’s president director Muhammad Awaluddin said that security measures have been stepped up with a walking metal detector and an X-ray area. He had also instructed the general managers of all airports to increase random checks of vehicles entering the airport’s compounds as well as passengers and their luggage.

Angkasa Pura I also implemented similar measures across its 14 airports.

“We have increased the frequency of doing random checks of passengers and their belongings at security posts and to intensify patrols from every two hours to every hour at airport perimeters with random routes and unscheduled timings to ensure that perimeters remain safe,” Faik Fahmi, president director of Angkasa Pura I, said in an official statement.

“We have also increased the frequency of walking patrols inside airport terminals and started using CCTV to monitor boarding access,” he added.

He said that the airport has also increased coordination with the National Police and Indonesian Military.

Both Faik and Muhammad said that airports under their supervision ran as per normal and that the bombing did not disrupt its operations.

US luggage tracking service takes off in Asia market

By S Puvaneswary

November 14, 2019

0

New York-based luggage protection company, Blue Ribbon Bags (BRB), is stepping up on efforts to grow its presence in Asia, particularly in the South-east Asia region, Japan and China.

Founded in 2011, the company promises that for a US$5 service fee, it will track and return a client’s lost luggage by the airline within 96 hours of the flight landing or pay them a minimum of US$1,000 per bag. BRB utilises its own proprietary system to track bags and does not use GPS trackers.

Blue Ribbon Bags has successfully expanded into Asian markets, despite challenges: Levine

BRB’s president and co-founder Daniel Levine said: “China presents a great opportunity with the exponential growth rate of air travel in the country. With regards to expanding our sales in Asia, our GSA partners in China, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia have been instrumental in creating awareness of Blue Ribbon Bags and expanding into new Asian markets”.

A marketing representative appointed in Malaysia early this year has also been tasked with developing other South-east Asian markets, particularly Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

Levine shared: “So far, we’ve seen great success in launching our product with OTAs in Singapore as well as with travel management companies in Malaysia. We’ve also been able to rapidly expand in Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul due to the market’s ability to quickly integrate our service.”

Expansion into Asia comes with its own set of challenges. Levine explained: “Due to our business being volume-based, the South-east Asia market presents some difficulties as the online market there is less developed than other parts of the world. It has been our experience that consumers culturally prefer to purchase travel services through offline channels such as traditional agencies or travel fairs.

“To accommodate these types of customers, we customise our product offerings, making it simple to integrate into any offline channel such as a call centre or internal booking platform. Language barriers can delay integration into new markets. We’ve hired local brand managers across the region to help break through that barrier.”

Blue Ribbon Bags looks to grow its presence in Asia, Japan and China

Besides targeting air travel in Asia, the company is also looking at expanding into the Asian cruise industry. Levine shared: “The greatest concern for cruise ship passengers is that their luggage is with them on the ship. When a passenger’s piece of luggage is mishandled by an airline, we’re the best in getting the luggage to the cruise’s next port of call.”

Levine is confident that the service saves customers “time and effort of having to liaise with the airline directly while on a business trip or holiday. We locate 99 per cent of bags that are reported as mishandled”.

He added: “We pay the customer US$1,000 per bag in the event that we are not able to provide the service we promised, without requiring proof of the bag’s contents. We consider this satisfaction-guaranteed payments.”

Wirex rolls out multi-currency Visa Travelcard in APAC

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Borderless payment platform Wirex has unveiled a new multi-currency Wirex Visa Travelcard that will allow customers across the Asia-Pacific region to “seamlessly spend multiple crypto and fiat currencies, and earn crypto rewards wherever they travel”.

All cryptocurrency exchanges to legal tender fiat currency takes place before users transact on the Visa network.

Wirex launches multi-currency Wirex Visa Travelcard for the Asia-Pacific region

The card, which is compatible with more than 150 currencies, and enables holders to link multiple fiat currencies without extra fees, is accepted at 54 million outlets around the world where Visa is accepted.

It also pays customers up to 1.5 per cent back in Bitcoin on all in-store purchases through its Cryptoback programme.

Pavel Matveev, Wirex’s co-founder and CEO, said: “We have witnessed an explosion in demand for hybrid fiat and crypto-enabled banking alternatives in Asia-Pacific, where people need payments redesigned for the future, allowing them to unlock the value of their different currencies.”

He added: “The evolution of Wirex’s offering in Asia-Pacific represents more than just the next stage in the platform’s growth strategy; it is a tangible example of our mission to provide a genuine alternative to conventional financial services by connecting traditional and digital ecosystems on one borderless payment platform.”

To allow as many people as possible to experience the Wirex Visa Travelcard, Wirex is removing fees, including account management and traditional currency exchange fees, for a limited period.

Agoda launches enhanced API service for B2B2C partners

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Agoda has released a suite of enhanced products and technology to help businesses looking to capitalise on the growing travel sector.

The company’s enhanced API allows partners, from distributors to corporate travel agents, convenient and quick access to its inventory of over 2.5 million properties in over 200 countries and territories. Their customers will be able to choose from different accommodation options such as hotels, resorts, villas, ryokans, guesthouses and vacation rentals.

Agoda’s enhanced API will give its partners quick access to its inventory of over 2.5 million properties

Agoda has already signed deals with three GDSs so that corporate partners can connect to its extensive inventory and search for the best rates for their clients.

Additionally, partners who wish to expand their travel offerings beyond accommodation can now enjoy competitive rates on Agoda’s growing Flights inventory, said the company in a statement.

For partners that need access to inventory and best-in-class rates but want to maintain the look and feel of their brand, Agoda’s latest white label platform is a fully-loaded “turn-key” solution that allows them to provide their customers an online experience that they are used to, from customisable colours, URL to product selection.

Partners with their own inventory also have the option of using a white label extranet where they can seamlessly manage their supply along with Agoda’s.

Mike Saslow, head of strategic partnerships, North America, said: “Our partners tell us that access to Agoda’s best-in-class rates and the ability to offer a familiar brand experience to their customers are key features companies look for in a partner to help them drive conversion and customer loyalty.“

Agoda has developed a single sign-on solution that will improve travellers’ overall booking experience as they can automatically login from the partner’s site to Agoda’s platform, making the process more seamless. Single sign-on will also allow travellers to participate in the partner’s loyalty or reward program, while taking advantage of Agoda’s member rates, hence reducing friction and improving conversion for partners.

Swiss-Belhotel unveils major Vietnam expansion plans

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Swiss-Belresort_Tuyen_Lam_Dalat — Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam

Swiss-Belhotel International will be expanding its portfolio in Vietnam with a series of new hotels, resorts and residences in destinations all across the country.

Currently, the group operates one hotel in Vietnam, Swiss-Belresort Tuyen Lam, an elegant upscale retreat in the country’s Central Highlands.

Swiss-Belhotel's Vietnam properties

1 of 2

But the Hong Kong-based hospitality company is now planning a significant expansion of its Vietnamese portfolio, with the target of launching at least 10 hotels and resorts in the next three to four years.

Destinations under consideration include key cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong and Danang; beachfront locations like Phu Quoc, Quy Nhon and Van Phong; as well as cultural sites such as Sapa and Hoi An.

The group already has two confirmed properties in the pipeline.

Slated to open by end 2019, Swiss-Belhotel Suites & Residences Ha Long Bay will feature 298 apartment-style rooms, a spa, fitness centre, swimming pools, multiple F&B outlets, a ballroom and meeting rooms.

In 2022, Swiss-Belresort Bai Dai Phu Quoc will open on the coast of Phu Quoc, southern Vietnam’s “Pearl Island”. Resort facilities include 218 rooms and villas, outdoor pools, a spa, dining options such as a seafood restaurant and beach club, as well as space for events and weddings.

Swiss-Belhotel International’s development in Vietnam forms part of a broader global growth strategy. By end 2020, the group expects to increase its total portfolio to 250 properties comprising approximately 25,000 rooms under its 14 diverse brands.

Aman names new head of global sales & distribution

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Greg Ward has been appointed head of global sales & distribution at Aman, where he will oversee all sales activities across the portfolio and key source markets, as well as managing the global sales team of Aman representatives both on and off property.

Based in the Zug office, Ward will also help define the future vision and strategy for Aman while working closely with COO Roland Fasel.

With over 25 years of experience in the luxury hospitality, retail and private aviation sector, Ward was most recently the vice president of sales at Shangri-La Group.

Prior to that, Ward was the group sales & marketing director for TDA Capital Group where he worked with Royal Demeure Hotels, Resorts and Residences, Royal Demeure Aviation and jewellery company Niquesa. Greg has previously held sales & marketing positions at von Essen, Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

Potato Head’s creative village in Bali to soft launch next month

By TTG Asia

November 14, 2019

0

Desa Potato Head, Bali’s first creative village which has been marketed as a place where music, art, design, food, wellness and sustainability will collide, will soft open to the public next month.

The Desa (which means village in Indonesian) already includes Katamama and the brand’s landmark Beach Club. The final element of Akili’s decade-spanning project is the Creative Centre, designed in partnership with Rem Koolhaas-founded OMA and led by managing partner-architect David Gianotten.

Desa Potato Head will soft open to the public next month

The Creative Centre will include 168 guest rooms, a farm-to-table restaurant, numerous bars, a multifunctional gallery, a kids’ club, several rooftop activation areas, an amphitheatre, a beachfront pool with daybeds, a music recording studio, a permanent home for dance music’s Wild Life Archive, and next door, a subterranean discotheque designed in partnership with DJ Harvey.

Potato Head will unveil each of the aforementioned spaces throughout early 2020 while adding to their programming, which will include beach workouts developed by Ocho System, various forms of sound healing, long-table dinners, sustainability workshops, sunset performances and music events.

The soft launch will shine a light on Potato Head’s global and local collaborators. Each studio features furniture and amenities made from recycled plastics and planet-friendly materials conceptualised by celebrated British designers Max Lamb and Faye Toogood, whose work is brought to life by Balinese artisans using indigenous materials and techniques as well as Potato Head’s own Sustainism Lab, an R&D team dedicated to finding circular solutions.

As part of its sustainability efforts, anyone checking into Potato Head Studios or Katamama will receive a zero-waste kit, which includes a water bottle, RPET tote bag, bamboo straws and other essentials, as well as refillable amenities like sunscreen, after-sun care and insect repellent.

Guests can stay at Potato Head Studios from December 17, 2019. Bookings are now open online at potatohead.co for the Creative Centre and Katamama. The fully completed Desa will open in May 2020.

FAA downgrades Malaysia air safety rating

By TTG Asia

November 13, 2019

0

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded Malaysia’s air safety rating, citing that Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) no longer meets international safety standards.

The downgrade of Malaysia’s air safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2, was based on an FAA review of CAAM in April 2019.

US aviation authority downgrades Malaysia’s air safety rating

The FAA stated that the rating means that CAAM is deficient in one or more areas, such as “technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping, and/or inspection procedures”.

The CAAM has requested the US agency to reassesses its operations within the next year.

“In carrying out (our) duties as an aviation regulator, some shortcomings exist. We wish to emphasise that the assessment only covered CAAM’s role as an aviation regulator,” CAAM chairman Ahmad Ridzwan Mohd Salleh said in a statement.

He added that “plans are already well underway to address the findings of the audit” with the goal of getting its Category 1 rating restored.

The downgrade does not affect existing flights, but Malaysia’s airlines are now restricted from establishing new flights to the US, the FAA said.

At present, the only Malaysian airline route to the US is AirAsia X services from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu via Osaka.

Under Malaysia’s Category 2 rating, the FAA will also not allow reciprocal codesharing arrangements between US carriers and Malaysian airlines.

Beyond the shiny surface

Singapore to introduce fingerprints and facial immigration clearance by 2025

Medan bombing prompts tightened security, but North Sumatra travel unaffected

US luggage tracking service takes off in Asia market

Wirex rolls out multi-currency Visa Travelcard in APAC

Agoda launches enhanced API service for B2B2C partners

Swiss-Belhotel unveils major Vietnam expansion plans

Aman names new head of global sales & distribution

Potato Head’s creative village in Bali to soft launch next month

FAA downgrades Malaysia air safety rating

Tried and Tested

Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West

What to Buy Now

Star Navigator to sail to Okinawa from Kaohsiung in January 2026