Oakwood, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mapletree Investments, has partnered Sinobo Thaiwoo (Zhangjiakou Chongli) Cultural & Tourism to manage two serviced apartments within Sinobo Taizicheng Resort in the Chongli district of Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, China.
Oakwood Suites Chongli and Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Chongli will be located in the 2022 Winter Olympics Zhangjiakou Zone.
Oakwood to open two hotels in Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics zone
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Oakwood Suites Chongli
Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Chongli
Scheduled to open in December 2020, Oakwood Suites Chongli will feature 118 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Facilities include a restaurant with a private dining room, a tea lounge, a lobby bar, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, as well as retail options like a ski shop and a sundry shop.
Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Chongli will open in August 2021 in the Taizicheng Village, and will offer 173 hotel rooms and one-bedroom apartments. Facilities include premier outlets, retail, restaurants, bars, co-working spaces, a dining area, fitness centre and meeting rooms.
After having announced a multi-year partnership with Manchester United in September 2019, VisitMalta as the Official Destination Partner of Manchester United Football Club have attended the ITB Asia between 16th to 18th Oct 2019 in Singapore for the first time. Together with Heritage Malta, Conventions Malta and Maltese travel trade enterprises, VisitMalta will continuous promote the Maltese Island, inviting more Asian tourists to travel to Malta.
Partnership with Manchester United
Allocated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta measuring 316 km2 is known as the heart of the Mediterranean. Malta has enjoyed a long and special relationship with Manchester United. Founded in 1959, the Maltese MUFC Supporters’ Club is officially recognized as the oldest standing supporters’ club in the world. In 1967, Manchester United started their European campaign which led to them winning their first European Cup by playing local team Hibernians FC in the first round. There is a very strong bond between the supporters’ club, the islands and Manchester United, evidenced by the frequent visits of players and officials from Old Trafford to Malta. Clearly, they feel very much at home… and so will you. Visit Malta and Manchester United will encourage the club’s fans around the world to experience the vibrant, young, exciting and beautiful country, with the Maltese Tourism Authority providing attractive travel offers exclusively for Manchester United supporters.
“We want to diversify into new markets” the Deputy CEO & CMO of Malta Tourism Authority Carlo Micallef said. Malta is attracting a lot of interest but there is a strong competition from other big countries that are better known and have been active in Asia for many years. Malta is promotion the unique travel experience combination of impressive heritage, diverse tourism products and great hospitality for which Maltese people are famous.
More than we could ever tell
In Malta you can explore 7000 years of history yet live passionately in the present. The Maltese Islands have been described as one big open-air museum. Wherever you go, the Islands’ scenery and architecture provide a spectacular backdrop. The colours are striking, honey-colored stone against the deepest of Mediterranean blues. Delve into the Islands’ mysterious prehistory, retrace the footsteps of St. Paul or see where the Knights of St. John prospered. Malta is holidaying as the mood takes you. And with near year-round sun, you can indulge in outdoor living at its best and experience the hospitality which Maltese people are known for.
As one of the most popular destination in the EU, Malta welcomed 2.6million tourists in 2018 and had continuous growth in 2019.
The 30th edition of Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) forged on ahead in Hong Kong last week, even as months of social unrest in the city has pushed the economy into recession and dealt a particularly severe blow to the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Despite the dismal situation currently facing Hong Kong, demand from hospitality professionals were robust and filled up seats at this year’s HICAP, with hospitality leaders that TTG Asia spoke to expressing positive sentiments and maintaining confidence in the city’s long-term prospects amid the current tourism uncertainty.
Hospitality leaders at the recent HICAP said they remain optimistic about Hong Kong’s tourism and hospitality industries despite current political turmoil
BHN Group’s president Jeff Higley, one of the organisers of HICAP, pledged his commitment to Hong Hong, even though the hospitality conference registered a lower attendance of 550 delegates this year.
“We made the decision months ago to stay here while a lot of conferences were moving to other cities. We believe in being committed to the hotel, travel and tourism industries here because it’s been good for our conference over 30 years,” he said during a speech at the conference.
“This year, more than 25 per cent of delegates are CEOs, owners and presidents, while one in five are in capital market or development firms, so that means there are still a lot of negotiations and deals to be closed in the hallway and meeting rooms here.”
A delegate, who declined to be named, said that her senior executives from Europe refrained from participating in this year’s HICAP due to fear of flight delays or cancellations from the ongoing protests. “The conference attracted about 850 delegates last year so it’s about a 35 per cent drop in attendance this time round. Still, (the turnout) is better than I thought,” she said.
Paul Kitamura, head of asset management at CDL Hospitality Trust, noted a dip in attendance from previous HICAP conferences. He opined: “There was at least a critical mass (at the conference). A lot of people in the room had experiences with unrest in other parts of Asia like Jakarta and Bangkok, so I reckon to a certain extent the attendees are unfazed by (the Hong Kong protests). In short, the organiser pulled off another successful conference.”
Hong Kong-based Skymont Capital’s managing director Mark Valadao said that rather than adopting a myopic mindset about Hong Kong’s struggling hospitality industry in light of the current social unrest, many investors see the sector as a long-term proposition.
“The city (is a great meeting point) for industry leaders to discuss, network and explore opportunities together. That’s the main reason why (HICAP) was a successful event. Even this year’s conference ended with a great networking event where we met lots of interesting people, and a lot of networking and potential business opportunities come from that. For sure, the growing middle class across Asia, particularly in China and South-east Asia, are in favour for the industry’s long-term development,” he said.
Artyzen Hospitality Group’s president Robbert van der Maas remained optimistic about the city’s hospitality sector. “There are lots of voices out there saying that even though Hong Kong seems to be in the late phase of a growth economy, that can be extended quite significantly and many economists don’t see immediate black clouds behind the horizon.”
Tourism Australia (TA) has launched a new three-year global campaign highlighting “the distinct and defining character of Australia and of Australians” to attract more visitors to experience the way of life Down Under.
The new Come Live Our Philausophy campaign, which has been developed with agency partners M&C Saatchi, Digitas and UM, is a deliberately Australian play on words that aims to capture the philosophy of Australians and their informal approach to living, which according to TA is highly appealing amongst visitors based on research.
Come Live our Philausophy campaign
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“We know from our research that 70 per cent of international travellers believe that Australians have a different perspective on life; 79 per cent believe that the Australian people are an important part of the Australian lifestyle; and 82 per cent would like to travel to Australia to experience our lifestyle,” TA’s managing director Phillipa Harrison said.
“The Australian character and way of life has long been woven into our marketing. The journey perhaps began with Paul Hogan and Come Say G’Day. In more recent times, Chris Hemsworth, our global ambassador, has been integral in embodying the Australian character for our audiences.
Dundee too was all about leaning into our personality. And promoting our people is at the core of our Friends of Australia advocacy program. Our new campaign will continue to build on this narrative by inviting the world to come and live our ‘philausophy’.”
Federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham said TA’s latest global campaign strategy is part of an A$38 million (US$27 million) investment that will be rolled out in 15 key tourism markets over the next three years to attract more international tourists Down Under.
“Our A$143 billion tourism industry is such a vital part of our economy and in order to grow the industry further and create more tourism jobs, we need to find new ways to sell Australia and differentiate ourselves. In such a competitive global market, the sell is tougher than ever. We need to stand out from the crowd and find a unique selling point that sets us apart from our competitors,” Birmingham said.
“Philausophy aims to do this by not only encouraging people to book a flight to Australia and visit our incredible destinations but go a step further and actually immerse themselves in the best of the Australian way of life. At its core, Philausophy is about giving travellers from around the world a taste of what makes Australia such an enjoyable destination by shining a spotlight on the people, lifestyle and personality that make Australian experiences so memorable.”
A suite of new creative assets has been developed for the Philausophy campaign, including over 5,000 new images captured across every state and territory, a series of industry videos, bespoke social content, a refresh of Australia.com and Australia.cn, and a book featuring well-known Aussie icons sharing their perspectives and experiences on the unique Australian way of life.
S Hotels & Resorts (SHR), the hospitality arm of Thai developer Singha Estate, is adopting a different approach to international expansion from other Thai hospitality businesses by launching new brands abroad rather than exporting established homegrown brands to other countries.
As one of the core businesses of Singha Estate – which also counts residential developments, office buildings and retail spaces as part of its multi-investment strategy towards becoming a global holding company – SHR is also on the path to launch an IPO on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in November.
SHR’s CEO Dirk De Cuyper (above) says the company will be focusing on leisure destinations for their international expansion
“We’re very much (focused) on the most aspiring leisure destinations; that’s where we are specialising and continuing to drive our business,” shared Dirk De Cuyper, CEO of S Hotels & Resorts, regarding its moves to establish Thai-inspired hospitality in leisure destinations like the Maldives, Fiji & Mauritius.
A notable example of SHR’s overseas ambitions is the recent launch of Crossroads, the largest leisure and entertainment integrated resort in the Maldives.
“We see (Crossroads) as a positive disruption – we’re opening up the Maldives, not just for a once-in-a-lifetime, very exclusive honeymooners, but for families, friends, groups, corporates and single travellers. Those who have never thought of going to the Maldives – that is definitely the market we’re going after,” said De Cuyper.
With a focus on accessible and affordable luxury, the company currently has a global portfolio in five countries with 39 hotels and more than 4,600 keys, which it aims to double to 80 hotels by 2025 through M&As, resort purchases and hotel management agreements.
The latter includes hotel brands created and managed by SHR itself, whose latest addition is a playful new brand SAii, which means “sand” or “pathways” in Thai. SAii Lagoon Maldives, which opened last month as part of the Crossroads mega project, is the brand’s first and flagship property.
SHR recently launched Crossroads, the largest integrated resort in the Maldives
While SHR already has five-star luxury resort brand Santiburi in its portfolio, SAii, the new addition, is described as an upper-upscale resort brand targeting “millennials aged 18 to 85” with down-to-earth luxe.
Without confirming the number of new hotels in SAii’s development pipeline, De Cuyper said that SAii branded hotels will open on beachfront destinations in Thailand, Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean through conversion of existing resorts and construction of new properties.
SHR will also launch another business-level brand in early 2020, he added.
“SAii is all about the guest’s journey, customised experiences and Instagrammable moments. There are seven touchpoints – all the way from arrivals to departures – that give you a personalised touch that you will really want to share about,” concluded De Cuyper.
Sabre Corporation is enhancing the way hoteliers market to the travel agency community with the introduction of a new GDS media solution, as part of its rollout of Content Services for Lodging.
The new GDS media offerings will help travel agents find more relevant hotel options based on travellers’ personal preferences, including the ability to search by city name, airport code, city code, points of interest, geolocation, custom polygons and amenities.
Sabre launches new GDS media solutions for hoteliers
During the transition, which is expected to begin in mid to late 2020, both Hotel Spotlight and the new solution will be available to the Sabre GDS media customer base providing incremental value to customers.
Additionally, Sabre is changing the sales and services channels for Hotel Spotlight to simplify the process for hotel customers. From January 2020, Sabre Hospitality Solutions will serve as the exclusive sales channel for Hotel Spotlight and its future iteration. As of July 1, 2020, Hospitality Solutions will be the only provider able to service Hotel Spotlight and its future iteration.
Hoteliers looking to secure the benefits and visibility that the Sabre GDS media offerings provide should work with Sabre now to ensure their placement for the entirety of 2020 and beyond. Sabre’s GDS media solutions provide hoteliers with a way to be more visible to agents searching for certain locations and amenities, said the company in a statement, citing the example that a hotel using the current Sabre Hotel Spotlight is four times more likely to be booked by agents.
“The Sabre GDS is an incredibly valuable distribution and sales channel for suppliers looking to reach our global network of travel agencies and high value travellers, and Sabre Hotel Spotlight is an especially powerful and proven tool to help hoteliers drive conversions in the indirect channel,” said Brian Jorgenson, senior vice president of product marketing for Sabre Hospitality Solutions.
Jorgenson added that Sabre’s latest GDS media offerings is “consistent with our goal to help suppliers increase bookings across channels and to help agents offer more personalised service to travellers”.
Amsterdam-based ticket booking platform Tiqets has raised US$60 million in a Series C financing round led by Airbnb, with continued support from prior lead investors HPE Growth Capital and Investion.
With this new funding, Tiqets plans to invest in initiatives that accelerate its growth, build richer experiences for customers, and create better tools for its venue partners — all in line with its vision of making culture more accessible for all.
Tiqets’ CEO Luuc Elzinga (above) said he’s “thrilled” that the ticket booking platform has raised US$60 million in a funding round led by Airbnb
“Travellers are seeking out a diverse range of experiences when they visit a new city. The Tiqets team has effectively used new technology to connect travellers to communities and we are excited to support their work,” said Philippe Magid, Airbnb’s art and culture director.
“We founded Tiqets to bring more people more frequently into the greatest venues around the world. We are thrilled to have Airbnb’s support and look forward to delivering great experiences to even more travellers,” Luuc Elzinga, co-founder and CEO of Tiqets, said.
Location
The 606-room Village Hotel at Sentosa, together with sister properties The Outpost and The Barracks (opening December 1, 2019), make up the trio of developments that Far East Hospitality has unveiled on Sentosa.
Its location offers a unique vantage point on Sentosa, with Kidzania Singapore just next door and the Imbiah Monorail & Cable Car station located just a brief walk away. Other key attractions on the island, Resorts World Sentosa and Palawan Beach, are about five minutes away.
Rooms
Stepping into the 44m² Family Room – formed by two interconnecting Deluxe Rooms – I was drawn by the warm, cheerful vibes that the beige-and-white room radiated. Colourful illustrations adorn the wall, while an expansive window frames up views of the kids’ pools below, offering endless fascination for my two young children checking out the action below.
Say goodbye to plastic bottles at this hotel, as all rooms boast their own supply of potable water, dispensed via a Hyflux tap built into the sink. Also, complimentary tea, coffee and ice are available in the common pantry located next to the lift on each floor.
F&B
All-day dining Native Kitchen is the only restaurant on-site, seating up to 133 pax in its light-filled, airy environment. In the lobby, there’s also a small café, Supply Depot, offering drinks, snacks and pastries on the go.
In the works is the Mess Hall, a restored colonial heritage building that will house at least one Indian, Chinese and Japanese restaurant when fully opened.
Facilities
A major draw are the four different thematic experiences – a lazy river pool, children’s play pool, adventure pool and the infinity Pamukkale pool – which Village Hotel at Sentosa shares with sister properties. The lazy river pool was a big hit for young kids like mine, who took pleasure in floating around the river lined with foliage, mini falls and whirling pools. A Volkswagen food truck stands in one corner, offering light snacks and drinks.
Not to be missed is the Pamukkale infinity pool, which commands a stunning view of the South China Sea (especially at sunset), with a pool bar and deck chairs on the side. Note that this particular pool is accessible to adults only.
As a family-friendly resort, Village Hotel Sentosa also has complimentary weekend activities lined up for children, while half-hourly shuttles connect guests to VivoCity shopping mall on the mainland.
Service
A ladder for kids is placed next to the reception counter, enabling little ones to enjoy the check-in/out process with their parents.
Verdict
Clearly a standout choice on Sentosa for families and leisure travellers alike. With its more affordable price point, Village Hotel Sentosa will make an appealing choice for staycations as well as excellent base for foreign visitors looking to a few days of fun on Sentosa.
Rates
Deluxe room from S$280++ (US$202), Family room from S$370++, and Interconnecting room from S$470++
Bhutanese national flag-carrier Drukair has taken delivery of its new ATR 42-600 aircraft, which will feature a 40-seat cabin with generous pitch and stowage.
The latest-generation turboprop aircraft, which will be used on the airline’s domestic and international routes, was chosen for its outstanding operational performance in challenging conditions.
Besides boasting cutting-edge avionics, Drukair’s ATR is equipped with the ClearVision system, which will provide pilots with outstanding vision and situational awareness.
The airline’s ATR serves small airports in the Himalayan Mountains and links Bhutan with Kathmandu, Kolkata and Dhaka.
FlyArystan connects Nur-Sultan to Moscow
Kazakhstan’s first LCC FlyArystan has started its first international route from Nur-Sultan to Moscow.
From December 13, 2019, the daily, three-hour service will operate from Nur-Sultan to Zhukovsky International Airport using an Airbus A320 aircraft.
Flights will depart Nur-Sultan at 22.10 and arrive in Moscow at 22.40 on the same day. The return flight to Nur-Sultan will leave Zhukovsky at 23.25 and arrive in Nur-Sultan at 05.35 the next day.
Cebu Pacific starts new routes to Guangzhou and Hong Kong
Cebu Pacific has commenced two direct services between Clark and Guangzhou, as well as Puerto Princesa and Hong Kong, making it the first airlines in the Philippines to fly these routes.
The new routes are in line with the carrier’s plans to expand its route network in China, where it recently commenced flights between Shenzhen and Manila earlier this year.
Starting from November 11, 2019, the four-times-weekly Clark-Guangzhou service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The outbound flight will depart Clark at 11.35, while the return flight will depart Guangzhou at 15.15 the next day.
Starting from November 17, 2019, the four-times-weekly Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Flight 5J5306 will depart Puerto Princesa at 15.35 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and 4:05pm on Saturdays. Return flight 5J5307 will depart Hong Kong at 19.30 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and 20.00 on Saturdays.
Keen to tap on Saudi Arabia as a new outbound destination following the kingdom’s recent move to open its doors to foreign tourists for the first time, the Indonesian trade is calling upon the Saudi Arabian government to increase destination awareness of the conservative country, including its tourism offerings and regulations.
Under the e-visa programme, citizens from 49 countries will be able to apply for an e-visa online ahead of their trip or upon arrival in Saudi Arabia. The single-entry visa is valid for 30 days, while the multiple-entry visa allows for a stay in the country of up to three months.
Indonesia’s travel trade keen to tap on Saudi Arabia as a new outbound destination; Jeddah coast in Saudi Arabia pictured
Additionally, female visitors are exempted from wearing the head-to-toe abaya robe, through they still have to dress modestly. The authorities now also allow unmarried foreign couples to share hotel rooms.
The fact that Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population and is a key source market to Saudi Arabia’s pilgrimage market means that it has the potential to greatly boost tourist arrivals to the Middle East kingdom.
Although Indonesia is not included in Saudi Arabia’s e-visa programme, Rudiana, director of sales of Wita Tour in Jakarta, said that Saudi Arabia’s move is a breakthrough that will accelerate tourism development. Saudi Arabia’s opening up to tourism follows in the footsteps of UAE which is largely open to foreigners.
Though Rudiana is aware of Saudi Arabia’s rich history and culture, he awaits to see how the government will brand its tourism campaign and what non-pilgrimage tourist destinations they will highlight to attract foreign tourists. Meanwhile, Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest sites will remain closed to non-Muslim travellers.
He said that many non-Muslims in Indonesia were curious about Saudi Arabia, and have expressed interest in visiting the kingdom. But he added that “the image that they have in mind of Saudi Arabia is that it is a country only for Muslim pilgrims”.
Jakarta-based Elok Tour’s managing director Pauline Suharno expects Saudi Arabia to immediately embark on promotions through roadshows, travel marts or travel fairs to raise awareness on potential business cooperation to promote tourist spots that are open to foreign travellers.
Pauline said that the Saudi Arabian government and business stakeholders also had to train Indonesian travel agents to better understand the country’s tourism sector, including its attractions and offerings, so that they would be well-equipped to push Saudi Arabia’s tourism products to prospective travellers, especially non-Muslims.
Echoing that sentiment is Hasiyanna Ashadi, head of Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Jakarta chapter, who said that Saudi Arabia’s tourism offerings remains a huge question mark to the outside world. “Does it have resorts like those in Bali? Are its tourist attractions like those in Dubai? We don’t know yet,” she said.
Hasiyanna expressed a hope that Saudi Arabia’s new tourist visa policy would be followed up with face-to-face socialisation about the new regulations relating to technical matters like attire for foreign tourists, especially non-Muslims, despite the news reports about it already circulating out there.
“Do they need to wear hijabs? Is it okay for unmarried couples to travel together there? We need more certainties about those things,” she said.
Hasiyanna added that the Saudi Arabia government’s new move spelled good news for Indonesian umrah pilgrims too as it allows them to explore lesser-known cities in the country after visiting the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.
She believes that the Saudi Arabian government is currently preparing the tourist sites to push, and predicts that travel agents may begin introducing tourism packages at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) in Dubai next April.
Panorama Group’s CEO Budi Tirtawisata, who recently participated in a fam trip hosted by the Kingdom’s tourism authority for WTTC members, said that the country was in the preparation stage to get ready for tourists.
“They have many interesting historic sites, upmarket international branded hotels and other infrastructures. What we need is DMCs who understand how to handle holidaymakers (whose requirements differ from pilgrims). I also think that they should develop a variety of hotels to meet the needs of different types of travellers,” he said.
He believed that Saudi Arabia would attract Indonesian holidaymakers once the facilities and personnel were ready for them.
Hasiyanna said that she plans to visit the ATM next year, adding that it was possible for her company, Marintur, to roll out outbound packages to Saudi Arabia. Her positive impression of Mecca, Medina and Riyadh made her upbeat that the development of other cities in the country would also be impressive and that it would be a breeze to sell the packages to clients.
However, many foreigners have yet to be acquainted with the sites outside the pilgrimage cities as they were never exposed to the outside world. “I believe that Saudi Arabia has many exotic spots,” she said.
