Hong Kong’s Ovolo Hotels have taken on a fresh look and identity with the unveiling of a new brand campaign, Wonder. Full., created in collaboration with branding and identity agency THERE.
The campaign, which adopts a fresh approach to art direction, is aimed at “capturing moments of wonder, inspired interiors and delightful details”, and to better convey “each hotel’s unique character and offerings”.
Ovolo Hotels’ new brand positioning
As part of the hotel group’s rebranding, artworks will be featured across a suite of key guest touchpoints, from hotel key cards and in-room loot bags to the company’s website and social media assets.
“A major component of Ovolo’s brand evolution was realigning the identity with the overall and unique hotel experience. Sophisticated yet creative and quirky interiors, and an increasingly design-savvy audience gave us an opportunity to elevate our brand whilst maintaining the innovative, disruptive yet cheeky spirit that continues to drive us in everything we do,” Ovolo Hotels founder and CEO, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, said.
In addition, Ovolo has also unveiled the By Ovolo Collective, a new collection of hotels including Nishi Apartments Canberra, The Sheung Wan Central Hong Kong (previously Mojo Nomad Central), and Ovolo’s new Bali property, which is slated to open in 4Q2020.
Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts will be raising the Angsana flag in Malaysia, with the launch of Angsana Teluk Bahang, Penang in 2Q2020.
The 250-key resort will offer a variety of room and suite categories, with the most extravagant accommodation option being the penthouse which will come with a private sky garden and outdoor jet tub.
A rendering of the Angsana Teluk Bahang, Penang
Resort’s facilities include five F&B outlets; an infinity pool by the Jubilee Pavilion, a unique extended deck for relaxation; a second pool that comes with a children’s waterplay area; a spa; a gift shop; a kids’ club; and a wellness and fitness centre.
For meetings and events, the resort will offer a Kebaya Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 300 guests; and three smaller meeting rooms which are suitable for private meetings and intimate events of 10 to 40 persons. There is also the Jubilee Pavilion by the infinity swimming pool deck area, which can accommodate 30 to 200 persons.
Offering a peak into the resort’s interior design, resort general manager, Nigel Fisher said inspiration was drawn from Penang’s Peranakan heritage.
“Its architecture and interior design will incorporate the vibrant colours and intricate floral with geometric patterns of the Straits Eclectic Style, as well as pay tribute to Penang’s status of being a UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) world heritage destination,” he said.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has appointed Andy Flaig as head of development for the South-east Asia and Pacific Rim (SEAPR) region.
He replaces David Wray who has completed his transition agreement with the hotel company and will remain with Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific.
Andy Flaig
Based in Singapore, Flaig will lead a team of developers to drive the development strategies for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts through the expansion of its brands and portfolio of managed and franchised hotels across the SEAPR region.
Flaig joins Wyndham Hotels & Resorts with more than three decades of experience in the hospitality sector. He served in multiple senior leadership roles within the industry and was most recently the group chief development officer at Next Story Group where he was responsible for the growth of their hotel and lifestyle co-working brands.
Previously, he also spent four years with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group as executive vice president, development and technicalsServices for Asia Pacific, and eight years as managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels and Hospitality Group’s Advisory business in Asia.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will form a joint task force through a public-private partnership to map out tourism recovery strategies for Singapore as part of the tourism board’s multi-pronged effort to help tourism businesses that have taken a significant hit from the Novel Coronavirus.
Tourism arrivals and receipts for 2020 have tumbled in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, with the commercial fallout likely to persist, due to travel restrictions and fears over the dangerous outbreak.
STB will form a joint task force to map out tourism recovery strategies for Singapore in wake of coronavirus
Besides China, which accounts for around 20 per cent of international visitorship, arrivals from STB’s other key source markets are also expected to fall due to lower travel confidence globally.
Based on the current situation, STB expects visitor arrivals this year to fall by about 25 to 30 per cent.
However, Singapore’s tourism sector is aiming for a strong recovery on the back of “four years of consecutive growth, a compelling pipeline of tourism investments, and efforts to build new capabilities”, said STB in a statement.
In addition, the government will form a public-private sector Tourism Recovery Action Task Force (TRAC) to lay out the plans for recovery and future growth.
The task force, which will map out recovery strategies and plans for tourism in Singapore, will comprise tourism leaders from both the private and public sectors to leverage the strengths of both sectors and to coordinate recovery efforts.
TRAC’s work will include identifying opportunities arising from the crisis, driving and implementing measures to instill confidence in Singapore’s tourism establishments, as well as co-creating and initiating recovery plans. More details will be announced at a later date.
STB CEO Keith Tan said: “Singapore’s tourism sector is facing its biggest challenge since SARS in 2003. But unlike SARS, we are now better prepared and more resilient. Our destination remains attractive; we have a strong pipeline of tourism products, and our market portfolio is diverse.”
He added: “The growth that we have enjoyed over the past four years reflects our strong tourism fundamentals. With the support of the industry and through our joint taskforce, we will continue to build our capabilities, transform our tourism businesses, and rebound strongly from the Novel Coronavirus.”
To provide immediate support for affected tourism businesses, STB had earlier unveiled measures to support hotels, travel agents and tourist guides.
Additional support measures will be announced at the Budget on February 18.
As the situation is expected to persist, STB will continue to identify targeted and effective ways to support the tourism industry and tourism employees, said STB in a statement.
Together with tourism industry partners, STB will maintain its plans to enhance Singapore’s destination attractiveness, with work progressing on the Mandai Nature Precinct, the Jurong Lake District, the Sentosa-Brani masterplan, the rejuvenation of Orchard Road, and the expansion of the Integrated Resorts.
“It is more important than ever to invest in tourism to support our businesses, build confidence in tourism, and boost our destination attractiveness – so that when things start to improve, Singapore can ride on the recovery for strong growth. STB remains committed to our mid- to long-term tourism plans to ensure that Singapore has a steady pipeline of new and repeat visitors,” Tan said.
Japanese realtor Yamaman will be making its first foray overseas, with the launch of a hotel in Myanmar on February 17.
Situated in the Yankin area between downtown Yangon and Yangon International Airport, the Wishton Hotel Yangon will be operated by Yamaman’s Myanmar arm, Hotel Yamaman.
Wishton Hotel Yangon will open its doors to the public this month
The Japanese-style accommodation will be supported by Japanese-speaking staff. Each of the 91 rooms will be equipped with a bath, with prices ranging from US$70-80 per night. Half of the rooms are designed for long-term stays, and feature a kitchen and washing machine. Guests can also enjoy a Japanese breakfast buffet.
By offering affordable, diverse accommodations near the international airport, Yamaman hopes to attract tourists, business travellers and long-term guests to the hotel, which will become the company’s test case for expansion in Myanmar.
Sanae Tani, Yamaman overseas operations department executive, told TTG Asia: “We decided to open the hotel (in Yangon) because of the potential for future growth in Myanmar and the warm personality of the Myanmar people.”
Tani said that Yamaman’s mix of Japanese hospitality and ability to accommodate longer-stay guests is filling a gap in the market.
“In Myanmar, the number of serviced apartments for long-term stays has increased dramatically, but there are still few Japanese-style facilities and services available, especially for Japanese businesspeople,” she said.
Although no concrete plans are in the pipeline, the company is eyeing more hotel ventures outside Japan.
“We would like to open five or six hotels in Myanmar and hope to develop our business in other South-east Asian countries too,” Tani said.
Former top-tiered staff of the now-defunct Adam’s Express Travel have launched a new company, A-List Travel Solutions, on February 2.
It is understood that the Manila-based Adam’s Express is now non-operational following the death of founder Mamerth Banatin 17 months ago, as his heirs are not interested in taking over the travel business.
The newly-formed A-list Travel Solutions team at the inauguration ceremony on February 2
Rowena Baltazar, president of the new company and Adam’s Express former sales manager for 25 years, said they’re continuing the legacy of their mentor Banatin who pioneered pilgrimage tours to Europe and pushed out off-the-beaten-path trips.
Although trim, A-List Travel Solutions has more diverse offerings including both outbound and inbound tours, and targeting all markets including millennials, Baltazar told TTG Asia.
Also joining A-List Travel Solutions from Adam’s Express are vice president Pinky Restrieva, formerly assistant general manager for 20 years; board treasurer Lorie Mandilag who was senior reservations officer for 21 years; and board secretary Gelo Tuazon, who served as Banatin’s executive assistant for eight years.
Baltazar said that with their “face value”, they’re able to get credit lines, the suppliers of Adam’s Express whom they were liaising with for decades, besides Adam’s Express’ clients and new clients.
While they are familiar with the sales and marketing aspects, Baltazar said the challenge for A-List Travel Solutions is the operations side, including accounting, hiring staff and administrative matters.
Middle Eastern countries Kuwait and Qatar have issued travel advisories urging their citizens to avoid travelling to Singapore due to the coronavirus outbreak here, reported Today.
Citizens of both countries were advised to follow instructions by local authorities, take necessary precautions, and refrain from visiting crowded areas.
Kuwait and Qatar citizens have been advised to avoid travel to Singapore due to coronavirus
Kuwait issued its advisory on Friday (February 7), urging citizens already in Singapore to “leave rapidly and abstain from staying except for compelling reasons”, after Singapore raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (Dorscon) level to Orange, said the report.
Both Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry and the Kuwait embassy urged its citizens to wait until the situation returns to normal before travelling to Singapore.
Singapore is now the country with the highest number of coronavirus cases outside of China, with 45 infected people.
Kolkata Metro Rail expects to complete its East-West project, which runs partly under the Hooghly river, by March 2022, after project costs doubled due to a series of delays, reported The Economic Times.
Total costs of the project rose to about Rs 86 billion (US$1.2 billion) for some 17km, from Rs 49 billion for 14 km, said the report.
The long-delayed underwater metro in India is slated to be completed by March 2022
The authority is awaiting a final instalment of Rs 200 million over the next two years from the Indian Railway Board, the report quoted Manas Sarkar, managing director at KMRC, as saying.
Part of the project is funded by a soft loan of Rs 41.6 billion from Japan International Cooperation Agency, it added. KMRC will repay the JICA loan over 30 years after an initial six-year moratorium, with the interest rate ranging between 1.2 per cent to 1.6 per cent.
India’s oldest metro, which began operations in 1984 with a North-South service, was due to expand by 2014 but faced problems including squatters on the planned route.
The new line is expected to ferry about 900,000 people daily – roughly 20 per cent of the city’s population – and will take under a minute to cross a 520m underwater tunnel, said the report.
Indonesian ride-hailing giant Gojek has launched its online insurance offering, GoSure, in partnership with local insurtech company PasarPolis.
GoSure offers insurance products related to travel, motor vehicles, and mobile device protection, according to a statement.
Gojek partners PasarPolis to launch online insurance offering, GoSure
GoSure’s beta version was introduced last October, providing travel insurance for a select group of users. Gojek said that thousands of policies have been sold through the service, demonstrating significant consumer demand in the space.
Sony Radhityo, head of third-party platform at Gojek, said: “The positive response and exponential transaction growth during GoSure’s beta phase affirm our belief that easy access to a variety of insurance products is what consumers want.”
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with Elysian Hotel Management for a new property near Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand.
Set to open in 2020, InterContinental Khao Yai Swan Lake Resort will be an integral part of the Swan Lake mixed-use project which is being positioned as a “destination retreat”.
IHG’s Serena Lim (left) signs deal with Elysian Hotel Management’s Rena Udomkunnatum to open a new IHG-branded resort in Khao Yai
Spanning 40ha, the 61-key resort will feature a Club Lounge and Resort Centre, pool and gym. In early 2021, facilities will be expanded to include a spa, a kids’ club and wedding chapel.
Opening with 45 luxury rooms, the hotel will be adding 16 luxurious 80m2 train-car suites repurposed from heritage train cars as its premium accommodation in 2021.
Currently, IHG has 29 hotels across six brands in Thailand, with plans to double its portfolio in the next three to five years.
