Caesars Entertainment has announced that it will no longer pursue a license for a casino in Japan and will instead focus on its current plans and commitments, including a merger with Eldorado Resorts set to close next year, according to a Bloomberg report.
Caesars CEO Tony Rodio said in a statement that the timing of the company’s decision was driven by “sensitivity to the significant decisions Japan’s government and business partners will likely be making later this year to advance the process”.
Caesars drops out of Japan casino race (pictured: Caesars Palace in Las Vegas)
Japan is preparing to grant three gaming licenses and global casino operators are vying for the chance to open integrated resorts in Japan.
Cities are formalising their bidding processes, with proposals for concepts in Osaka due next month, said the report.
While Caesars Entertainment became the first US casino giant to drop out of the casino licence race in Japan, MGM Resorts International has reaffirmed its intent to pursue a resort in Osaka, while Las Vegas Sands has shelved plans to build a casino in Osaka in favour of Tokyo and Yokohama instead. Wynn Resorts has also expressed interest in the Tokyo Bay, which could include Yokohama.
A casino in Japan is expected to cost upward of US$10 billion, with the government’s intended focus on generating tourism and convention revenue from adjacent hotels and meeting space, added the report.
The country’s gaming market has been estimated to be worth more than US$25 billion annually once the resorts open, which would make Japan the world’s second-largest gambling market, after Macau.
Thailand-based InVision Hospitality has signed an agreement with Chaophraya River Place to open the Glow Bangkok Riverside in the Thai capital.
Slated to open in 1Q2020 as InVision Hospitality’s ninth Glow hotel, the riverfront property is located near the Thewes and Tha Phra Athit piers. It will feature modern décor, riverside dining options, a fitness gym and a riverside infinity pool.
A new Glow hotel will open at Bangkok Riverside come 1Q2020
A private pier and riverboat transportation will offer convenient river access for the hotel’s guests who wish to visit the sights and cultural attractions in Bangkok.
Nearby attractions include the Grand Palace, Queen Sirikit Textile Museum and the Reclining Buddha, and further out, the National Museum and backpacker’s paradise Khao San Road.
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi has unveiled a traditional fish house, offering guests an opportunity to learn about traditional methods used to harvest fish and shellfish from the Andaman Sea.
The private Rumah Ikan Fish House, designed by a local fisherman and crafted with locally-grown wood, seeks to sustain Langkawi’s indigenous fishing traditions and pay tribute to the island’s vibrant fishing legacy, according to the luxury resort.
Rumah Ikan Fish House at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
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The fishing method practised at the fish house is said to be “a rare art” that is fast disappearing as modern, mechanised equipment gains popularity. It involves fashioning a complex structure out of wood splints and extending it out into the sea.
Since last year, the resort has been working with Pak Din, a local fisherman, to bring back this traditional style of fishing.
Situated at a secluded spot along the resort’s mile-long coastline, the fish house will enable guests to observe Pak Din at work as he goes about his work or try their hand at fishing the old-fashioned way using locally-sourced equipment.
Qatar, a world class hub with deep cultural roots. With its amazing offerings, there is always something to discover and do. There is no better place to immerse yourself in authentic culture; Be inspired by some of the iconic cultural places that is a must-visit in Qatar:
Photo: The Museum of Islamic Art
The jewel in the crown among Qatar’s museums is the internationally renowned Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). The MIA showcases Islamic art and artefacts from around the world, spanning 14 centuries of history. The museum’s magnificent and imaginatively presented displays of the finest art and artefacts from across the Islamic world have earned its recognition among the world’s top cultural institutions. Standing alone on reclaimed land, and designed by I.M. Pei, the architectural masterpiece sits perched on the gulf waters and is surrounded by the MIA Park’s extensive green spaces.
Photo: Katara Cultural Village
Katara Cultural Village is Doha’s destination for culture and entertainment. An innovative interpretation of the region’s architectural heritage, this purpose-built development’s impressive theatres, galleries and performance venues offer a year-round programme of concerts, shows and exhibitions. A central amphitheatre soars against a backdrop of traditional architecture and cobbled streets. The elaborately tiled golden mosque is a must-see. Visitors can enjoy a stroll along the promenade, with its expansive views of Doha’s skyline, as well as a rich array of restaurants and shops.
Photo: Souq Waqif
The alleys of Souq Waqif, Doha’s oldest market, offer visitors an authentic taste of traditional street life, architecture and culture. The maze of small shops in the market presents a dazzling array of Middle eastern merchandise ranging from dates, spices and seasonal delicacies to jewellery, textiles and souvenir bargains. Traditional music, art and cultural shows – as well as an eclectic mix of restaurants and cafes – add to the ambience of this place.
Hospitality is a cornerstone of Qatari culture. Qatar offers a wide choice of world-class accommodation, including many recognised international and regional luxury lifestyle hotel brands that provide superb service. Qatar National Tourism Council in collaboration with Qatar Airways has a B2B stopover option- Discover Qatar, that allows travel agents to book Qatar’s 4- and 5-star hotels and more than 40 tours and excursions at a discounted rate. Register at https://discoverqatar.biz/become-partner to enjoy this exclusive offer now.
Tawash, is an online platform that allows you to learn everything there is to know about Qatar. With 5 different courses covering various aspects of Qatar’s tourism offerings, this platform has all the information that you require to become an expert on Qatar. Register on Tawash now to find out what makes Qatar a unique destination.
Positioned as one of the premier and largest integrated resort, Bintan Lagoon Resort (BLR) is a tropical lifestyle destination that offers a medley of unforgettable experiences for leisure, golf and MICE groups. Located a 75-minute direct ferry ride from Singapore, the 300-hectare Bintan Lagoon Resort (BLR) with its own private 1.5km stretch of beach is a perfect getaway for leisure holidays, corporate retreats, meetings, incentives and events.
Photo: Deluxe Plus Room
Accommodation
The Resort boasts 450 contemporary rooms, suites and villas to suit couples, families and groups. Each well-appointed room and suite feature a furnished balcony, in-room amenities and modern conveniences. Villa accommodation provides another dimension in tropical resort living. Ranging from two to five-bedroom configurations with self-catering facilities and generous living areas, the villas include the convenience of a golf buggy for transport and privacy of the villas with full use of the resort facilities and amenities.
Food & Beverages
An impressive range of 14 wining, dining and entertainment options covering from casual al fresco, sumptuous buffets, cocktails by the pool, ‘surf and turf’ beach BBQ, authentic Japanese, Mediterranean and other Asian cuisine, making all these an option for an extraordinary destination dining experience. For nightlife, there is Silk Club, the island’s first ultra hip and chic party club with live music from the resident band and a DJ. Seven party rooms abound for those who prefer to sing amongst friends.
Photo: Ian Baker-Finch Golf Course
Meetings & Functions
With extensive meeting facilities of up to eight rooms equipped with extensive in-house resources such as state of the art audio visual technology, staging and room décor available including a variety of outdoor locations from BLR’s private beach to golf courses with picturesque sea view, BLR offers the perfect setting for events, MICE and teambuilding that can hold up to 1300 guests.
For corporate events, the Adventure Training Centre is one of the most comprehensive in the region, designed to foster leadership, team building and innovation with programmes customised by professional facilitators to suit your individual company needs.
Photo: ATV
Fun & Recreation
Two large swimming pools, a leisure centre with a children’s club, wide-ranging sea and land sports offer over 50 recreational opportunities for guests.
The Nutty Bunch Kids Club caters for those aged 4 – 8 years old supervised by staff in attendance while the Jungle Gym is great for those 3 – 10 years old. For adults, the new Powerhouse Gym is well furnished with the latest Italian Technogym equipment.
Both the Resort’s exquisitely designed championship 18-hole golf courses – the Jack Nicklaus sea view course and Ian Baker-Finch woodlands course are in a league of their own – offering spectacular signature holes and undulating fairways to make your game of golf more exhilarating.
Relaxation and Indulgence
A day spa pampers with a diverse menu of spa services utilising organic ingredients in conjunction with modern techniques and traditional therapies.
The Galleria@Bintan offers retail therapy from chic resort apparel to whimsical gift ideas and ethnic souvenirs.
Hotelbeds has appointed León Herce to the newly-created role of global sales director.
In his new role, Herce will lead sales of the company’s full portfolio of products including accommodation, transfers, car hire, tickets and excursions via the wholesale, retail travel agents, airlines and B2B2C business lines (including the Bedsonline and Hotelopia brands).
In addition to his role as global sales director, Herce will become a member of the company’s executive committee.
Prior to joining Hotelbeds, Herce spent over 15 years at Amadeus, most recently as global head of the retail business. In Amadeus, he also previously held roles such as vice president for Latin America & the Caribbean, vice president sales & marketing for Asia-Pacific, and director of group controlling & commercial finance.
Recognising the growth potential of the Philippines as a visitor source market, India’s tourism authorities are now intent on building up destination awareness through its initial marketing efforts in the South-east Asian nation.
Manila, alongside Hanoi and Jakarta, made up the first ASEAN leg of the Incredible India roadshow held this week. The countries were picked for their inbound potential to India, as well as their common heritage, background, values and family systems, said Gyan Bhushan, economic advisor of India’s Ministry of Tourism (MOT).
India’s Ministry of Tourism aims to attract more Filipinos to the country
Bhushan said that the tourism ministry aims to promote India through tie-ups with the media and tour operators, digital campaigns like the new Incredible India mobile app, as well as various product segments ranging from health and wellness to festivals targeting a wide spectrum of travellers.
Having welcomed 50,000 Filipinos into the country last year, Bhushan thinks India is on track to see a doubling of the figure in three years. A direct Manila-New Delhi flight, which has been put on hold since Philippine Airlines temporarily suspended its launch, would help boost tourism exchange between the two countries, given that 100,000 Indian tourists visited the Philippines last year.
Sudeshna Ramkumar, assistant director of India’s MOT, noted that Vietnam’s connectivity to India will also be enhanced from October when Indigo Air flies direct from Calcutta to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and VietJet flies from New Delhi to the two Vietnamese cities from December.
Allaying safety concerns, Ramkumar said tourists in most parts of India can now call the 24-hour hotline 1363 in 12 different languages to obtain information. She added that tourist police have been deployed in 14 states to ensure the safety and security of tourists.
India’s Ministry of Tourism’s Gyan Bhushan (left) and Sudeshna Ramkumar (right) raffling off a six-day all-expense luxury tour package to India (Photo credit: Queenspoint Travel and Tours president Marlene Dado Jante)
Imelda Cruz, general manager of Philippines-based The Marvels of Travel, said that India is a great, exotic destination for travellers who have already been to Asia. She added that in the absence of a direct flight, travellers can catch flights to India from Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong.
Cruz said that although they’re just starting to promote India, they are already getting inquiries about luxurious tourist trains Maharaja Express and Palace on Wheels, and also from FITs.
Philippines-based Rakso Travel’s team leader, international tour operations, Louise de Ocampo, said that given that their all-in-packages include five-star hotels with private cars, the costs of travelling in India is cheaper than Japan, another popular destination among Filipinos.
De Ocampo said a favourite tourist attraction among Filipinos is India’s famed Golden Triangle comprising Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, but the roadshow offers them information about other attractions, including those in the northern states.
The travel agency’s clients are usually leisure groups and FITs with a sprinkling of MICE, who usually stay in India for eight days of leisure activities, or five, if the tour is limited to the Golden Triangle, she added.
Manila-based Shroff International Travel Care’s managing director Arjun Shroff said that there has been a slight increase in the number of Filipino operators looking to sell packages to India which he said surpasses other destinations like Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Maldives in terms of “exoticness”.
Shroff said that India’s MOT’s move to offer flexible e-visas for over 160 countries based on tourist footfall from September or October will help attract more tourists to India.
Marina Mandarin Singapore will be rebranded into Parkroyal on Marina Bay, following the signing of a hotel management agreement between Singapore-based property company UOL Group with Pan Pacific Hospitality, a wholly-owned subsidiary, and Aquamarina Hotel (AHPL), a subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation (UIC).
With the rebranding on January 1, 2020, UOL, through wholly-owned subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group Limited (PPHG), will be anchoring two of the three upper upscale hotels in the mixed-use Marina Square complex that also comprises the 527-room Mandarin Oriental Singapore, on the opposite side of Raffles Boulevard.
Marina Mandarin Singapore to be rebranded into Parkroyal on Marina Bay
The rebranding follows the completion in April of acquisition of additional shares in Marina Centre Holdings (MCH) and AHPL by UOL’s subsidiary UIC and MCH respectively. With the acquisitions, UOL and UIC now have full control of the Marina Square shopping mall, the 575-room Marina Mandarin Singapore and the 790-room Pan Pacific Singapore.
Parkroyal on Marina Bay will be refurbished to give the interior – including its over 4,700m2 of shared event space with the neighbouring Pan Pacific Singapore – a nature-inspired look.
UOL group chief executive Liam Wee Sin said: “There are strong synergies in having two hotels in this prime location and it allows UOL Group to contribute to the rejuvenation of the Marina Bay precinct with a more vibrant public space. As owner-operator, there are clear opportunities to reposition the hotel as a product that is inspired by landscape and greenery, similar to our Parkroyal on Pickering.
“This hotel refreshment will form part of our overall plans to explore suitable enhancement of the Marina Square complex together with UIC, thereby unlocking value for the asset as well as enhancing the brand positioning for PPHG, he added.
With the addition of Parkroyal on Marina Bay, PPHG will own and manage more than 3,000 rooms across nine hotels and serviced suites in Singapore, according to the group’s executive vice president Neo Soon Hup.
In addition, the 206-key Pan Pacific Orchard is being redeveloped into a 350-key hotel, which is envisioned as a sustainable garden icon when it opens in 2021.
Amazon.com has held preliminary talks with Indonesian ride-hailing company Go-Jek on a possible investment, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
The partnership involved a sizeable investment into Go-Jek, to tap into the Indonesian startup’s delivery infrastructure in the country, indicated the report.
Amazon is in talks to invest in Indonesian ride-hailing company Go-Jek
Go-Jek currently has 20 services and has evolved from ride-sharing to allowing its customers to make online payments and order everything from food to groceries and hair services.
At the beginning of this year, Go-Jek announced the first closing of its ongoing Series F funding round led by Google, JD.com and Tencent, along with Mitsubishi Corporation and Provident Capital. Its other investors include Visa, Alphabet, Alibaba Group Holdings and Tencent Holdings.
Genting Cruise Lines has announced that Dream Cruises’ first Global Class ship will be christened Global Dream, in an exclusive sneak preview event at the IBTM China in Beijing.
Currently under construction, the 208,000 gross ton Global Dream will enter into service in early 2021, joining Dream Cruises’ current fleet of three vessels – Genting Dream, World Dream and Explorer Dream.
The name of Dream Cruises’ first Global Class ship was revealed to be Global Dream in an exclusive sneak preview event at the IBTM China in Beijing, which also showcased Global Dream’s smart show cabin
“Global Dream, the first Global Class ship of Dream Cruises, belongs to a new generation of cruise ships designed for this region featuring the most advanced technology and state-of-the-art facilities. Global Dream will deliver a cutting-edge cruising experience through artificial Intelligence that will maximise both convenience and speed for our guests on board,” said Kent Zhu, president of Genting Cruise Lines.
During the event, guests were treated to an exclusive sneak preview of Global Dream through a specially constructed smart show cabin, which was built in Germany and shipped over for the occasion. Featuring 20m² of space, the Global Class cabins will be approximately 15 per cent larger than standard cabins found on most other cruise lines.
Designed for two guests, the staterooms can also accommodate up to four with a two bathroom design to allow several people to get ready at once and a sofa bed that easily unfolds to sleep two comfortably. There is also a privacy curtain that can be closed to divide the room into separate seating and sleeping areas.
State-of-the-art technology will include Bluetooth locks and a new smart system allowing passengers to control different functions such as the LED mood lighting and climate control with a smartphone app, voice recognition or through a touch-screen control panel. Smart sensors will also be able to detect occupants in the cabin to automatically adjust the lights and temperature for better energy efficiency and triple vent air-conditioning outlets ensure even air distribution for maximum comfort.
Innovative new features and facilities on board the Global Class ships will include spacious staterooms and luxurious suites, the first-ever cruise ship theme park featuring the world’s longest roller coaster at sea and the largest cinema at sea with eight theatres. Zouk will also have a presence on Global Dream while Dream Avenue will provide guests with a multi-purpose outdoor leisure and recreational space. The ship will also be equipped with voice and facial recognition technology and self-guided mobile assistants.
Accommodating up to 9,000 passengers and with lower berth capacity of 4,700 passengers, Global Dream will be the largest cruise ship in the world by passenger capacity. It houses 2,350 cabins consisting of a variety of categories, including villas, penthouses, suites, themed suites, balcony cabins and inside cabins. Global Dream will also feature Dream Cruises’ signature 151-suite luxury “ship-within-a-ship” concept, The Palace.
