More Asian travellers getting hooked on adventure tourism

February 18, 2020

Malaysia’s travel trade is seeing growing demand for adventure travel, fuelled by well-travelled Asians looking for deeper experiences, improved air connectivity between cities and secondary destinations, and enhanced infrastructure in rural areas.

Soft adventures are especially in demand among Asian travellers who are willing to pay for authentic experiences, observed delegates who spoke to TTG Asia at the recently concluded PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2020 in Sabah.

Adventure tourism gains steam among Asian travellers; group of kayakers on Labuan Island, Malaysia pictured

The conference and travel mart, which was organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and hosted by Tourism Malaysia, with the support of Sabah Tourism and Malaysia Airlines, attracted 347 delegates from 33 destinations.

Langkawi-based Junglewalla Tours founder, Irshad Mobarak, shared that his company saw a rise in the number of Asian guests from Singapore, South Korea, Japan and the domestic Malaysian market over the last five years.

He said: “Most are made up of FITs, nuclear and multi-generational families, and they appreciate an educational element in the programme as they also hope to learn something new.

“They like soft adventures, such as birdwatching, wildlife spotting, kayaking and trekking to a waterfall, and opportunities to visit a local’s house for a home-cooked meal, unlike our European guests from France and Germany who engage us for hardcore adventure activities.”

Irshad said a key difference between Asian guests and the company’s traditional European market is that the former do not haggle over prices. He shared: “Europeans tend to ask for discounts. They want a high-quality experience for a low price.”

Albert Teo, managing director of Sukau Rainforest lodge, which is situated on the banks of the Kinabatangan river in Sabah, has seen a growing number of guests from China (prior to the Covid-19 outbreak) and India, though European markets remain the mainstay of his business. Guests are mainly interested in photography and having a nature-based experience.

As tourists are also becoming increasingly conscious about sustainability issues and climate change, Teo believes that the numerous awards the lodge had won for its sustainable practices and being a charter member of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World have placed the company one step ahead of the competition.

Teo remarked that travellers like knowing that they are “positively contributing to the surrounding environment” when they use sustainable tourism suppliers.

Sharmini Violet, director of sales & marketing at Mega Water Sports Jetski Tours in Langkawi, said millennials, who form the bulk of her clientele, are more environmentally aware and appreciative of the sustainable practices her company has implemented, such as investing in a fleet of low emission jet skis that reduce sound level, air and water pollution.

Adventure tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, with a global market value of US$586.3 billion in 2018. The figure is projected to reach US$1.6 trillion in 2026.

It is expected to post a compound annual growth rate of nearly 46 per cent during the period 2018-2022, according to a market research report by Technavio.

VietJet to expand India presence

By Rohit Kaul

February 18, 2020

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Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet will be expanding its presence in the Indian market with the commencement of three new flights.

The airline will begin flying five times per week on the New Delhi-Danang route starting May 14, 2020. VietJet will also connect Mumbai with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City through thrice-weekly flights and four-times-weekly flights, beginning May 15 and May 16, 2020, respectively.

VietJet looks to further expansion in India

The new routes will complement VietJet’s existing service to India. Last year, the airline started direct flights to New Delhi, with the launch of four-times-weekly flights from Ho Chi Minh City, and thrice-weekly flights from Hanoi.

“When we started operations to India, some experts had reservations about the success of our flights. However, within two months of our operations, we were recording a load factor of 83 per cent. We have a very strong belief that India is one of our key markets and with our new flights, we will further penetrate this market,” said Do Xuan Quang, vice president, VietJet, at a news conference in New Delhi last week.

The airline is also in talks with Indian LCC IndiGo to forge a codeshare agreement to expand its reach to other Indian cities where the airline is not operating flights. VietJet is focusing on point-to-point services in the Indian market.

“With increased capacity, the airline has shown serious commitment to India as a source market. This initiative will surely result in a higher number of Indian tourists visiting Vietnam and neighbouring countries on business and leisure trips. This will also enable India to get more tourists from Vietnam,” said Vineet Raina, founder and managing director, Pink Elephant Sport & Pink Elephant Journeys.

“Currently, we are just offering tickets but we are also planning with our GSA, Bird Group to introduce holiday packages for the Indian market,” added Jay Lingeswara, international sales and distribution director, VietJet.

VietJet has a joint venture, Thai VietJet Air, established with Thai regional carrier Kan Air in Thailand. The airline may also consider operating flights through Thai VietJet Air to India in the future.

Singapore industry associations step up efforts to safeguard tourists’ well-being amid outbreak

By TTG Asia

February 18, 2020

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Following travel advisories raised against Singapore by South Korea, Israel, Indonesia and Taiwan governments, a trio of trade bodies are rallying its members to step up efforts to make Singapore safe for visitors during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS), alongside the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) and the Society of Tourists Guides Singapore (STGS), have made available recommended guidelines to tour operators, hoteliers and tourist guides, while detailing comprehensive action plans to safeguard the well-being of tourists.

Singapore industry players double down on safety measures amid the Covid-19 outbreak

“We understand the concerns of visitors to Singapore and we would like to reassure them that our industry is making every effort to keep them safe through the collective efforts,” remarked Samson Tan, NATAS chairman-inbound.

STGS honorary secretary Howard Lim added that “the tourist guides will do their part to fulfill the tour itinerary and make the stay of the visitors a pleasant and safe one”.

STGS will push ahead with its International Tourist Guide Day 2020 at Capitol Singapore on February 22, 2020.

“Singapore Hotel Association is confident of a strong recovery. With public health precautions in stringent effect, Singapore remains a safe tourism destination for leisure and corporate travellers. All hoteliers are going beyond the extra mile to protect their well-being and superlative stay experiences,” shared Margaret Heng, executive director, SHA.

In order to ensure instant access to the latest SHA 2019 Novel Coronavirus checklist, SHA has implemented a web-based archive for their members and general public, following consultation with Food, Drinks & Allied Workers Union, Singapore Tourism Board and Ministry of Health’s guidelines and ministerial advisories.

The three associations will continue dialogues with government agencies to identify solutions for Singapore’s rebound as a stronger tourism destination.

Malaysian hoteliers cry for halt on home-sharing amid Covid-19 fears

By S Puvaneswary

February 18, 2020

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The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has appealed to the government to immediately put a stop to home-sharing so as to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

MAH CEO Yap Lip Seng said in a statement: “Human lives are at stake, please set aside profitability and prioritise on keeping people safe.”

Malaysian hoteliers call on Airbnb to halt operations *to prevent* the *spread* of coronavirus

Stressing the weaknesses of home-sharing platforms, Yap said: “Most of these platforms do not even have a local presence in the (destinations) they operate in, hence there is no accountability, or social and community sense of responsibility. The Covid-19 outbreak had taught all of us in the tourism industry a valuable lesson, and we hope home-sharing platforms, hosts and operators can be a responsible stakeholder and do their part in ensuring a sustainable tourism industry.”

The call to the government to suspend the operations of Airbnb and other home-sharing platforms was in response to a recent circular issued by the joint management body of a posh serviced residence in Kuala Lumpur, notifying its owners and residents of a confirmed Covid-19 case involving an Airbnb guest.

Yap shared: “It revealed a worrying concern long highlighted by the tourism industry. The lack of registration information, guest services and support, emergency preparedness as well as basic standard operating procedures poses critical risks to the country’s crisis management, leaving citizens vulnerable to external threats.”

MAH president Kamaruddin Baharin said that the lack of regulations on these home-sharing properties leaves local residents at risk of infection from not just Covid-19, but also other transmissible diseases.

“The idea of having strangers from all over the world moving in and out of homes every other day without any standard operating procedures whatsoever is as risky as operating an international airport,” said Kamaruddin.

He added: “The onus of added maintenance such as cleaning and disinfecting of the properties and its common grounds lies on the joint management bodies, at the cost of every owner and resident, which is unfair. Such home-sharing activities not only puts everyone at risk but also hampers the government’s effort in managing crises.”

The industry had long urged the government to regulate and control home-sharing activities, and the regulatory framework drawn up with the Malaysian Productivity Corporation last year is said to be ready but have yet to see adoption by policymakers and regulators.

Royal Caribbean deploys ships on humanitarian missions

By TTG Asia

February 18, 2020

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Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) will dedicate two ships to humanitarian efforts in Australia and California to support some of the people affected by recent crises.

RCL chairman and CEO Richard Fain said Royal Caribbean was working with its suppliers to deliver one million N-95 protective masks into China for government distribution to affected areas.

Two Royal Caribbean ships will set sail on humanitarian missions

Spectrum of the Seas will travel to Australia and be deployed on complimentary cruises sailing from Sydney in support of Australia’s first responder community, who worked tirelessly over many weeks of the bushfire crisis.

“We are in a fortunate position to offer these brave and selfless members of the Australian community the opportunity to join us for a few days and let them relax and unwind in the company of other volunteers and first responders,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International (RCI). “By welcoming and accommodating them aboard Spectrum of the Seas, we hope to recognise their contribution and offer them our hospitality.”

Bayley noted that the ship and its crew have not been in China for more than two weeks, exceeding public health guidelines.

And when circumstances improve, Bayley said, RCI will dedicate a ship in China to a series of complimentary sailings to thank first responders and medical personnel for their heroic efforts to defeat the virus.

In addition, Celebrity Millennium is repositioning to the west coast of the US earlier than previously scheduled and will offer a series of Cruising for Heroes sailings in support of California firefighters, other first responders, and veterans throughout March and April.

A variety of three-, four- and five-night sailings, which will leave from Los Angeles, have been added to the brand’s offerings to travel the Pacific Coast.

Curio Collection by Hilton to debut in Malaysia

By TTG Asia

February 18, 2020

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Hilton has signed a 15-year management agreement with Inspirasi Langkawi to build The Nautilus Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, a 250-room hotel on the island of Langkawi in Malaysia.

Targeted to launch in 2023, The Nautilus Resort is set to be the first property under the Curio Collection by Hilton brand in Malaysia, and Hilton’s first property in Langkawi.

The Nautilus Resort is slated to open in 2023

Resort facilities include an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant, a rooftop bar, a kids’ club, a swimming pool, a fitness centre, an events space spanning approximately 680m² and a ballroom of approximately 350m².

Why tourism providers worldwide are still working on travel personalisation

By Industry Expert

February 18, 2020

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It should come as no surprise that even as we enter the new decade, industries such as retail and travel are seeing continued investments in digital platforms and solutions aimed at delivering Hyper Personalisation.

The reason: millennials have risen in purchasing power, becoming the dominant driver of business and growth. Any business that market its products or services to this audience must adapt and develop innovative approaches to address dramatic shifts in customer behaviour, as well as the demands for mobile and social media.

Caligagan: Hyper-personalisation key to marketing to the rising wave of millennial travellers

Yet, personalisation is much more than tweaking a Marcom message, or deploying a new CRM platform or technology. It is all-inclusive, but in many cases, also involves modifying an existing product or service, transforming it into an experience that resonates with millennials.

When it comes to travel, millennials want exactly that. Today’s consumers are looking for a travel experience that is simultaneously immersive, engaging, inspiring, and in some way, transformational.

For destination marketing organisations, resorts, or tour operators, this means they must now push authentic local experiences more appealing and unique in order to attract visitors, and draw them away from competitors.

The next big part of the equation for travel operators is to market their experience to millennials, and this is where businesses (travel included) needs to put in more work. A number of surveys revealed that, in the eyes of consumers, brands are failing to deliver the level of personalisation that they desire.

To achieve true personalisation, travel operators must engage their audience from multiple touch points, using data gathered from all possible sources. Coined as Hyper Personalisation, this typically involves taking on new technologies and overhauling legacy systems, i.e undergoing Digital Transformation. As one could imagine, this takes up a lot of time, which is part of the reason why businesses are slow to respond.

Since travel personalisation has yet to be in perfected by any in the industry, developing hyper personalised strategies presents another challenge. In Asia, gaps in technology and strategising are prompting travel professionals to seek out Digital Travel Summit APAC, an annual gathering of travel verticals in Marketing, eCommerce and Customer Experience to engage in high-level quality discussions.

Day one will be allocated to achieving personalisation at scale, followed by the future of CX (Customer Experience) for day two. As with previous years, a technology evaluation pre-day will be held for travel brands to benchmark their technologies against their peers, and to meet next-generation travel technologies and their providers.

With powerhouses such as Singapore Airlines, Shangri-La, and Grab representing the speaker line-up, audiences are guaranteed to not only learn from the best of their category, but also get the unique opportunity to cross-learn from relevant case studies, all in the convenience of a single location.

Intrepid Travel launches tours to Pakistan

By TTG Asia

February 18, 2020

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Sustainable tour operator Intrepid Travel has introduced Pakistan as a new destination to its portfolio in 2020, with the launch of an expedition trip exploring the country’s past, present and future on a 17-day adventure from Islamabad to Lahore, travelling through the remote reaches of the Karakoram Mountains.

“We’re always looking to develop experiences that will get travellers out of their comfort zones, to break new ground and to broaden their horizons,” said Tara Kennaway, senior product manager – operations, Intrepid Travel. “We’re excited to be providing the global community with access to Pakistan, one of the world’s few countries that remain under-the-radar with tourists.”

Intrepid Travel now offers tours to Pakistan; Baltit Fort in Hunza Valley, Pakistan pictured

Intrepid Travel’s new Pakistan Expedition, priced from US$3,560 per person, begins in the capital of Islamabad and ends in Lahore.

Highlights of the trip include travelling on the famous Karakoram Highway past panoramas of glaciers, alpine lakes and mountains; taking a 4WD to Khunjerab National Park in search of snow leopards, bears, wolves and rare Marco Polo sheep; as well as checking out the ancient site of Taxila, World Heritage-listed ruins that are evidence of over 500 years of cultural evolution influenced by Persia, Greece and the spread of Buddhism.

Guests will also get to enjoy a homestay with a local family in Gulmit; explore Lawrence Gardens, now known as Bagh-e-Jinnah; and indulge in a spot of retail therapy within the Walled City of Lahore at Akbari Mandi.

The expedition will run twice in 2020, from August 17-September 2, 2020 and September 2-18, 2020, with two additional departures scheduled in 2021.

Jeane Lim to head up Grand Park City Hall

By TTG Asia

February 17, 2020

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Grand Park City Hall, the flagship property of Park Hotel Group, has appointed Jeane Lim as the hotel’s new general manager.

In her new role, Lim will steer the team to accomplish a new level in brand representation and awareness, guest experiences and financial results. Her immediate responsibilities include evaluating the current processes with the various heads of department and offer clear directives and effective support to maximise performance and financial results, while strengthening the cohesiveness of the team.

With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Lim was most recently the general manger of Parkroyal on Pickering.

Prior to that, she has also served as director of sales in Grand Hyatt Singapore, general manager in Copthorne King’s Hotel and Destination Singapore Beach Road, and vice president of global sales at Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

Philippines makes deeper push for sustainable tourism

By Rosa Ocampo

February 17, 2020

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Philippine tourism is undergoing a paradigm shift towards sustainability on an unprecedented scale, beginning with Boracay and extending to more destinations like Luzon and Mindanao.

Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stressed their determination to set the carrying capacity for all destinations and help bankroll their rehabilitation.

The Philippines steps up its sustainability efforts with several rehabilitation projects across the country, including a recently-concluded one at Sugba Lagoon in Siargao (above)

She emphasised that “what we leave for the next generation…(that) speaks about our responsibility to protect the environment and our irreplaceable natural heritage” was even more vital than growing tourism arrivals and receipts.

Funding for the project will come through the DoT’s infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), on top of that from international funding agencies, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, which have approached them for funding assistance, Puyat said.

She said the overdeveloped Baguio and its neighbouring BLIST municipalities in Benguet – La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tubalay – are the latest earmarked for rehabilitation, apart from the different phases of rehabilitation that Boracay, Bohol, as well as El Nido and Coron in Palawan, are going through.

TIEZA will provide the funds to redevelop Baguio’s Burnham Park even as request for funding the construction of the sewerage system and the rehabilitation of Mines View Park are under study.

In Manila, its premier historical site, the Walled City of Intramuros, is undergoing a makeover, while clean-up operations for Manila Bay and Pasig River continues. A ferry service has also been launched to bring passengers from Pasig River to various points of old Manila, escaping road traffic congestion.

In Mindanao, the local governments of Siargao’s Sugba Lagoon has just completed a one-month closure that saw the repair and clean-up of its facilities, as part of its annual environmental recovery programme. Meanwhile, South Cotabato’s Lake Holon has been closed for two months to rest its ecosystem and improve facilities.

Other destinations lined up for rehabilitation include Samal in Davao and Siquijor in the Visayas.

Puyat has also tasked every tourism region to devise a tourism master plan, with sustainability as the main focal point.

Last year, the DOT also launched the Save Our Spots (SOS) campaign, which ropes in celebrities to encourage the public to help protect tourist spots in small ways. Puyat noted that the public are becoming more conscious in keeping spots like Rizal Park and Intramuros clean, and that the younger set are more aware of maintaining the cleanliness of destinations.

More Asian travellers getting hooked on adventure tourism

VietJet to expand India presence

Singapore industry associations step up efforts to safeguard tourists’ well-being amid outbreak

Royal Caribbean deploys ships on humanitarian missions

Curio Collection by Hilton to debut in Malaysia

Why tourism providers worldwide are still working on travel personalisation

Intrepid Travel launches tours to Pakistan

Jeane Lim to head up Grand Park City Hall

Philippines makes deeper push for sustainable tourism

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