Tui Group is stepping up the expansion of its flagship hotel brand in Asia with its first Tui Blue property in Vietnam, which will be launched in cooperation with Vietnam-based joint venture partner TMG Group.
Slated to open in March 2020, the 318-room Tui Blue Nam Hoi An is situated in a beachfront location on the Tam Tien beach on the central coast of Vietnam. Holidaymakers can combine their stay with a visit to the coastal town and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site Hoi An.
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An hotel
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Tui Blue Nam Hoi An swimming pool
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An pool bar
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An hotel room royal oceanfront villa king bed with beach access
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An hotel room junior suite bathroom
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An Scentuals Spa treatment room
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An Scentuals Spa reception area
Tui Blue Nam Hoi An, to be converted and extended in the style of the flagship brand, is expected to expand Tui Group’s portfolio of longhaul destinations for European holidaymakers while targeting the growing number of guests from Asia.
“We see great potential for Tui Blue in Asia and have already started to pursue further growth plans. South-east Asian destinations enable us to operate our hotels all year round, reducing our seasonal swing, and to tap into new target groups,” said Sebastian Ebel, Tui group executive board member in charge of Hotels & Resorts.
Tui Group’s existing portfolio of hotels in Asia includes three Robinson Clubs in the Maldives and Thailand, as well as three Riu hotels in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In addition, Tui operates three concept hotels in the region.
By expanding in Asia, Tui Group drives the growth roadmap for Tui Blue further ahead. The brand is set to become the world’s largest leisure hotel brand and increase its portfolio to more than 100 hotels by 2020.
Avis is expanding its regional network with a new office in Myanmar to support the country’s growing business and leisure travel demand.
“One of our key priorities includes building a vast global network and expanding our regional footprint. Myanmar is a country with great potential particularly with the development of its automotive industry and we very much look forward to being part of this growth,” said Hans Mueller, vice president global licensees – international, Avis Budget Group.
Avis opens a new head office at Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon, Myanmar
“With the opening of our Avis office in Myanmar, we will be able to offer more car-rental choices and help build the industry further. We also strive to serve our customers at their locations not only in Yangon but other cities through our expanded network in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Bagan, Taunggyi and Dawei,” added Prasoporn Tansupasiri, general manager, Avis Myanmar.
With its head office located at Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon, Avis Myanmar offers both short- and long-term car rental solutions with a fresh new fleet, ranging from sedan, SUVs, pick-up trucks, vans and people carriers.
Avis Myanmar also provides professional experienced chauffeurs on various services such as airport transfer, point-to-point transfer, hourly disposal service and event chauffeur-drive service.
For individuals, the company ensures affordable and a simple rental process, starting from US$39 per day with a 24/7-hotline, roadside assistance and premium customer service.
The Global Tourism Economic Research Centre (GTERC) continues its promotion of the eighth edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA).
From August 30 to September 1, the GTEF took part in the 2019 China (Guangdong) International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE 2019) in Guangzhou, introducing the GTEF 2019 and initiating contact with over 3,000 exhibitors and 30,000 professional buyers and tourism peers.
GTEF promotes the sustainable development of the global tourism industry with a specific China focus. Above: GTEF’s Jason Wang (centre) with guests at the recent CITIE Buyers’ Night in Guangzhou
With an engaging presentation at its booth, the GTEF successfully drew attention of representatives from prominent local and international tourism enterprises such as China International Travel Service, China National Travel Service (HK), tuniu.com, LY.COM, and Genting Cruise Lines.
For two consecutive years, GTEF’s roadshow at CITIE was highlighted at the networking dinner in collaboration with CITIE. Held at the InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center on August 30, 180 tourism leaders, exhibitors and media representatives were invited to facilitate the exchange of ideas and to build relationships at the Global Tourism Economy Forum Presents: CITIE Buyers’ Night 2019.
Jason Wang, COO of the GTEF, emphasised the importance of seizing new opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau GBA, encouraging industry peers to utilise GTEF’s well-established exchange and cooperation platform in Macau and to take advantage of the forum’s business matching offerings to expand business reach within and beyond the GBA.
Representatives from GTEF’s major sponsors and other tourism and leisure enterprises in Macao – Galaxy Entertainment Group, Studio City Macau, MGM Macau, Sands Resorts Macao, Grand Lisboa Palace Macau, Wynn Palace and Wynn Macau – also gave insights on the outlook for travel and tourism.
The GTEF is the international exchange and cooperation platform designed to promote the sustainable development of the global tourism industry with a specific focus on China. Utilising its strategic location in Macau as a bridge between China and the world, the GTEF connects people and forges partnerships in the tourism hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA. The theme of each GTEF edition is designed to guide tourism stakeholders worldwide on the vast opportunities available in the global tourism economy.
Taking place at the MGM COTAI, Macao from October 13 to 15, GTEF 2019 will present the theme “Tourism and Leisure: Roadmap to a Beautiful Life.” This edition will put Chinese president Xi Jinping’s Beautiful Life concept at the core of its discussion on the global tourism economy, showing that as more people cross-international borders every day, tourism and leisure have the potential to spur mutual understanding and enhance quality of life and happiness, ultimately creating a harmonious and beautiful life for all.
With Argentina and Brazil as partner countries and Jiangsu as featured China province, GTEF 2019 will gather ministers of sports, culture and tourism, top international corporate leaders and experts to discuss the latest tourism policies and trends. The GTEF aims to inspire delegates to think of new ideas and to come up with innovative models, to seize the immense opportunities from the exponential growth of wellness, leisure and sports tourism, and to capitalise on the potential of the China-Latin America tourism market through GTEF’s multiple-purpose platform.
Hotelbeds has appointed Forrest Zhang as managing director for China.
In this newly-created role, Zhang will work to further strengthen Hotelbeds’ position in the bedbank sector, placing a strategic focus on this key market which is currently its fourth biggest source market globally.
Zhang will be directly responsible for all the company’s activities which are focused on the Chinese market, and will report directly to Carlos Muñoz, managing director of Hotelbeds.
Prior to his new role, Zhang held the position of director of market management for mainland China at Expedia. He has a wealth of experience in general management, sales leadership and market development in different industries across mainland China, including hotels, serviced apartments, vacation rental acquisitions and account management. He was also responsible for managing relationships with Expedia’s extensive hotel portfolio, including global accounts, local chains and independent hotels on property level.
Carlos Muñoz, managing director, Hotelbeds, said that Zhang’s appointment came after the travel tech company “identified new opportunities” to tighten their grip on the bedbank sector “by powering our focus on developing the key strategic Chinese market under one single lead”.
“China is, in fact, our fourth biggest source market globally. As part of our strong commitment to investing in this region, to exploring the huge opportunities it can offer and to further developing our business there, we felt it was necessary to create a newly dedicated role to answer the specific and high demanding needs of this market,” he said.
In line with this year’s “Bold Thoughts, Bold Moves” theme, ITB Asia 2019 will deliver a series of keynote presentations to focus on sharing innovative ideas and explore practical applications for businesses to keep pace with technological developments in the travel industry.
Recognising the revolutionary impact of technology on the travel industry, speakers from leading OTAs, travel-related partners and technology companies will share their perspectives on how businesses can innovate and leverage technology as they tackle the challenges of this era.
ITB Asia 2019 will focus on technological developments in the travel industry (Pictured: the travel & technology showcase at last year’s ITB)
Prominent keynoters include senior representatives from the likes of Bedbank, Hotelbeds, Booking.com, Expedia Group, IBM, Kayak, Oyo Hotels & Homes, TripAdvisor and Tujia.
The first keynote session on October 16 brings together experts from Bedbank, Hotelbeds, Booking.com and IBM, which represent three of the biggest pillars in the travel industry – accommodation, distribution and technology. Addressing the industry’s common challenges, topics will include how businesses can ready themselves for the next wave of growth, rethinking and reinventing distribution strategies, and how the travel industry can capitalise on the digital revolution to succeed.
ITB Asia 2019’s keynote panel on October 17 will identify business solutions for challenges faced by the sector during a time of uncertainty. Titled “The Future of Travel Distribution”, the discussion will be led by senior executives from Agoda, Expedia Group, Hotelbeds, Kayak and TripAdvisor. They will answer the big “Where to next?” question, as they explore the rapidly changing travel industry, new technological advancements, and the implementation of diverse distribution strategies to improve the consumer experience.
The keynote panel on October 18 will focus on the new Chinese traveller whose overseas consumption is predicted to grow as large as $120 billion as preferences evolve. Titled “The New Chinese Travellers”, industry leaders will examine the growing significance of this market. Amongst notable industry experts are speakers from Booking.com, Oyo Hotels & Homes, Thomas Cook China and Tujia, who will analyse the preference shift in the range of destinations, products and brands of interest, as well as maximising opportunities from this market.
Aside from the keynote sessions, ITB Asia 2019’s conference will also deliver a series of themed sessions, including corporate travel, destination marketing, Muslim travel and travel technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience over 200 sessions led by more than 260 speakers.
ITB Asia 2019, which is into its 12th edition, will share the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at the Marina Bay Sands with its inaugural co-event, MICE Show Asia, when it takes place from October 16 to 18. At MICE Show Asia, attendees will get to hear about forecasts for the global meeting and events industries in 2020, and how the industry is transforming.
For more information on ITB Asia 2019, click here.
Centara Hotels & Resorts will be pumping 650 million baht (US$21 million) into a major revamp of its flagship property, Centara Grand at CentralWorld Bangkok, beginning this month.
Slated to complete in April 2021, the 57-storey hotel will see a floor-to-ceiling renovation of all 505 guest rooms and suites – an undertaking that will happen two floors at a time to avoid disruption to the guest experience, according to Centara.
Centara Grand at CentralWorld Bangkok to undergo a US$21 million major revamp
The renovation programme, which will be undertaken by Thai design firm P49, will furnish the hotel with fully updated and refreshed guest room interiors, amenities and advanced technologies, said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Centara’s CEO.
Guestrooms, including bathrooms and furniture, will be redesigned and upgraded, with technology and connectivity installed at a standard that reflect the demands of today’s travellers.
The hotel will remain fully operational and carry out business as usual during the renovation period.
For a city that is no stranger to strong typhoons and rain storms, the unprecedented political and social turmoil currently roiling across Hong Kong is seeing no end in sight, dealing a heavy blow to a wide range of economic activities including retail and tourism.
Since June this year, the semi-autonomous Chinese city – which is ruled under a “one country, two systems” policy until 2047 – has been rocked by ongoing protests, sparked by the now-suspended extradition bill.
Ongoing protests in Hong Kong have had a knock-on effect on the country’s economy
In recent weeks, clashes between protesters and police have become more frequent and violent with heavy rounds of tear gas, and have affected tourist districts including Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Causeway Bay and Admiralty, severely undermining the image of prosperity and safety that Hong Kong is once known for.
The shutdown of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on August 12 and 13 was a further setback to the city’s reputation as a travel and business hub, as protesters blocked check-in counters and prevented visitors from entering the departure hall, resulting in massive flight cancellations and service disruptions.
These destabilising protests have clearly taken a toll on tourist arrivals to Hong Kong. Preliminary government statistics showed the drop in tourist arrivals had accelerated from a significant 4.8 per cent year-on-year in July to a sharp 30 per cent in the first half of August.
Travel Industry Council’s (TIC) chairman Jason Wong. He said: “So far, cancellations have come from shorthaul markets like South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines as summer is their typical peak seasons, while group traffic has plunged 30-40 per cent. Even China’s robust tourist growth in the first six months of 2019 has been offset by declining and/or negative growth that started in July and August.”
It’s likely that potential visitors are now bypassing Hong Kong for other Asian destinations, so impacts on the longhaul market may only be more pronounced “in the next few months when bookings begin for 2020”, Wong told TTG Asia.
Like Wong, Buffalo Tours’ country manager for Hong Kong and China Sandy Ho also foresees more cancellations from longhaul markets in the coming months if the crisis is not contained soon. Already, some 28 countries have issued travel advisories to Hong Kong (as of mid-August), further dampening travellers’ confidence in the territory as a destination choice.
Ho explained: “As the booking lead time (for longhaul markets) is long, clients are currently looking for programmes in the next season or year. Booking traffic is slower with a 30 per cent drop recorded.”
Meanwhile, passenger traffic across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) plunged by a third while border crossings like Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau also suffered a drop, according to Michael Wu, TIC honorary adviser.
Hong Kong’s hotels are struggling to cope with the drastic decline in visitor numbers in recent weeks.
Pointing to dismal performance in the hospitality sector, Wu stated: “For the second half of July, downtown hotel rates plunged 40 per cent, from HK$1,200-$1,300 (US$153-$166) to HK$700.”
Speaking to TTG Asia in mid-August, Rebecca Kwan, chairman of the 130-member Hong Kong Hotel Association (HKHA), said that occupancy and room rates in July for members near protest sites like Central and Western District saw a double-digit decrease, while overall yield fell over 10 per cent.
She estimated that hotels’ performance would worsen. “The situation for August is not promising due to a mix of unfavourable factors like widespread demonstrations, many of them of a more radical style than we are accustomed to, and additional travel advisories issued by overseas countries,” she said.
“The only silver lining for hotels is that premises near HKIA tapped more airline crew business as the crew sought to avoid downtown traffic problems caused by street demonstrations.”
If the dire situation continues, Wu fears that the current political unrest would cause more damage to Hong Kong tourism than the 2003 SARS epidemic that decimated investor confidence.
“As yet, there is no light at the end of the tunnel since nobody knows how long the protests will last,” he remarked. “To survive, I reckon large-scale agents and hotels will suspend hiring part-time employees while asking full-time staff to clear their leave before implementing no-pay leave. Freelance tour guides and coach bus drivers, specially those serving HZMB, are also at risk.”
Kwan also questioned: “Typical practices like redundancy or no-pay leave are temporary cost-saving measures, but the key to the problem is really how long will this last?”
And without an end to the crisis in sight, CTSHK Metropole International Travel Service’s deputy general manager George Kai accepts that it’s futile for the travel trade to roll out any recovery measures.
“It’s hard for the Hong Kong Tourism Board to implement any remedial actions now as nobody knows what will happen next. There is no point in wasting promotional effort and resources before the crisis is resolved,” he remarked.
For now, the uncertainty is disruptive enough, but analysts are not painting a positive picture of what might happen next.
Corporate risk consultancy Steve Vickers and Associates (SVA), in its recent update issued on August 13, wrote: “No early resolution to the unrest seems likely, not least given the absence of any visible dialogue aimed at alleviating tensions.”
SVA foresees the protests to continue over the next two months, but with a likely reduction in the numbers of protesters in September as students return to university. “The protesters’ tactics, though, may change as the numbers of demonstrators falls; the use of flash crowds, and increasing violence, can be anticipated,” it added.
But with anti-government protests entering its third month in end-August, SVA suggests that the Chinese government “is unlikely to permit the current instability to extend as far as the 70th anniversary celebrations on October 1, 2019. This date may be a ‘drop dead’ deadline.”
Even as the immediate outlook appears bleak for Hong Kong, industry members believe that the city – which has prided itself for its entrepreneurial and can-do spirit – can certainly rise again.
Aliana Ho, who led Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s sales and distribution marketing teams in Asia-Pacific before her retirement in 2014, said: “In the past 60 odd years, Hong Kong citizens have invested significantly in building up the city’s intangible tourism equity. Coupled with our unique history, world-class infrastructure and convenient accessibility, Hong Kong has emerged as one of the top travel destinations in the world.
“There have been a few major crisis along the way, but every time Hong Kong surfaced even stronger and better than before.
“I am confident that the Hong Kong tourism industry, with its well-built global network, strong leadership, passion and resilience will be able to ride through the current crisis to re-establish Hong Kong as a safe and welcoming destination.”
The sun will always shine after a storm, and when Hong Kong is finally able to emerge from this crisis, what will its future hold? Will it regain its former standing as a thriving global business and travel hub again? And will small- and medium-sized businesses, which make up a sizeable chunk of Hong Kong’s tourism sector, be able to ride out the storm?
Santika Indonesia Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to progressively grow its Indonesian footprint, as part of its efforts to continue developing properties in the “10 New Balis” destinations, particularly in the Labuan Bajo, Mandalika, Borobudur and Lake Toba areas.
In Lombok – one of the “10 New Bali” spots – the Indonesian homegrown hospitality chain recently opened boutique villa The Kayana Beach Lombok.
Santika’s recent opening of boutique villa The Kayana Beach Lombok (pictured) is part of the Indonesian hospitality chain’s efforts to develop properties in the “10 New Balis” destinations
Speaking to the media at the opening of The Kayana Beach Lombok last week, Santika’s general manager business development and marketing communications, Sudarsana, said: “We are looking to develop (upmarket) villas in Borobudur, Labuan Bajo and Mandalika. Currently, we are doing surveys in these areas. There are three locations (around) Tanjung Aan which we would like to consider building a five-star (boutique) property.”
The hotel group, which owns Hotel Santika Mataram, is currently building Hotel Santika Premiere on Lombok’s Senggigi Beach which is slated for a 2021 opening. It will also launch Santika Pasir Koja in Bandung and Amaris Slipi Jakarta this year.
In 2020, Santika will open eight more properties, with another eight hotels in the pipeline which are estimated to open between 2021 and 2022.
Sudarsana added that expansion plans aside, Santika is also keen on growing its new, millennial-friendly Kampi brand as well as upmarket brands – The Kayana, The Samaya and The Anvaya – as the market for these categories were steadier than the lower-end brands due to the tough market competition.
“We are currently operating our own properties in these categories and we are open to managing other investors’ properties in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, the hotel group is also planning to redevelop its Amaris budget brand to compete with new “kids on the block” like RedDoorz and Oyo Rooms.
“With 66 Amaris in operation today, we are the biggest operator in the budget segment in Indonesia at the moment. However, the emergence of platforms like RedDoorz and Oyo Rooms are disrupting (the budget hotel market). Therefore, we need to redevelop and refresh the brand to stay ahead of the competition,” Sudarsana said.
He added that the revamp is currently underway and expected to be launched this year.
Santika Indonesia Hotels & Resorts now operates 112 hotels under four brands across Indonesia.
Airport and airline IT executives believe that the growing number of tech-savvy travellers will have the biggest impact on their digital plans over the next six years to 2025, according to a new SITA report.
The report, 2025: Air Travel for a Digital Age, shows that by 2025, 68 per cent of all passengers will be digital travellers and will expect to manage their travel using their mobile phones.
SITA: Tech-savvy travellers demanding more automated, seamless journeys
This demographic shift has created digital travellers who are demanding more automation and hands-on control over each step of their journey. In particular, they expect to use their mobile phone to access services ranging from baggage location notifications, to boarding and payments. They also expect their trip to be delivered as a single, unified experience across airports, airlines, border control and other modes of transport – from the moment they leave home to when they arrive at their destination.
SITA CEO’s Barbara Dalibard said: “This demographic shift brings with it the expectation to use technology everywhere, including during travel. This will have a profound impact on how passengers interact with airports and airlines by 2025. In fact, 83 per cent of airport and airline IT leaders surveyed by SITA believe that this demographic shift will be the most important influence on their passenger solutions strategy by 2025.”
Dalibard maintains that this shift requires more efficient operations and collaboration between airlines, airports and other stakeholders responsible for delivering that experience. Baggage is a prime example. For a single journey, a bag can change hands a dozen times between the airline, airport, the ground handler and customs agencies. If the right data is not shared between the entities, it is difficult to keep track of that bag or to provide the information the passenger seeks on their whereabouts of their bag.
Digital travellers display higher satisfaction than non-technology users
Biometric technology is one of the key enablers to delivering more automation as well as smoothly linking each step in the journey. This technology is already being used at airports for border control and boarding aircraft and that is set to grow significantly, both in terms of geographic spread and functionality. According to SITA’s research, more than over half of the industry’s IT leaders believe biometric travel tokens will be the key driver for the future passenger experience.
To date, the focus has largely been on using biometric identity across a single journey or airport but more and more, the industry is shifting its focus to providing a persistent digital identity that can be used across multiple journeys.
Dalibard said: “To truly benefit from biometric technology, we as an industry need to work together to develop and agree a digital identity that not only provides passengers control over their identity but is accepted in any airport and across borders, much like passports are today. This cannot be done in isolation and requires a high degree of collaboration to make it a reality.”
SITA is already working with industry organisations such as IATA, ICAO and ACI. The company is also founding steward of the Sovrin Foundation, a private-sector, international non-profit whose mission is to enable self-sovereign identity online.
Singapore-headquartered Far East Hospitality (FEH) will be opening the company’s first overseas property in Japan.
Set to open in 2Q2020, Village Hotel Ariake Tokyo will be the brand’s first property outside of Singapore. Owned under a 50-50 joint venture between FEH and Far East Organization, the 306-key hotel will be located in Koto City, eastern part of Tokyo, near the waterfront area of Ariake.
An artist’s impression of Village Hotel Ariake Tokyo – FEH’s first Village brand property outside Singapore
Village Hotel Ariake Tokyo, which targets the local business community and leisure markets, is in the vicinity of wholesale seafood and food market Toyosu Market, exhibition and convention centre Tokyo Big Sight and the Ariake Arena, one of the venues hosting the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Tokyo Disneyland Resort is also a short car ride from the hotel.
FEH’s CEO Arthur Kiong said: “Japan’s hotel industry is seeing a steady growth in demand, specifically from the mid-tier market in neighbouring countries. Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, we see this regional expansion as an opportunity to raise brand exposure in this major international gateway city.”
Early this year in April, FEH signed a hotel management agreement with Five Elements Development to manage two boutique hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, which are both slated to open in 1H2020.
Hotel Reve is a 56-key property inspired by Vietnam’s oldest art and antique street Le Cong Kieu, whereas the 30-key Suzu Hotel is located in Vietnam’s Japan Town, and will house an onsen, omakase restaurant and tatami rooms.
On the home front, FEH in April launched the Village Hotel Sentosa and The Outpost Hotel Sentosa as part of its expansion in the local mid-tier market.
The third hotel of the Sentosa precinct, The Barracks Hotel Sentosa, is slated to open at the end of 2019 with 40 colonial-style rooms, and exclusive pool and jacuzzi access for guests.
Come 2Q2020, FEH will launch The Clan Hotel, a 324-room property catering to affluent and tech-savvy business travellers in their late-20s to mid-40s.
