Thailand opens five new national parks and plans for 22 more

August 8, 2019

Namtok-Chet-Sao-Noi-National-Park — Namtok Chet Sao Noi National Park

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced the recent addition of five new national parks to the country from 2016 to 2019, which forms part of the kingdom’s 20-Year National Strategic Plan to expand the forest area to cover 55 per cent of the entire country by 2037.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said: “Part of the work to increase the forest area as well as forestry conservation is by the national park system under three key mandates, which are environmental conservation, research and recreational development.”

Thailand's five new national parks

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Thailand’s five new national parks are:

Namtok Chet Sao Noi National Park

Opened in December 2016 as Thailand’s 129th national park, Namtok Chet Sao Noi National Park has a scenic waterfall with an interesting past. The name of the waterfall comes from a local folklore about seven women who collectively drowned in the waterfall eons ago. Another legend tells that the name came from a village called Ban Sao Noi, which was later renamed to Chet Sao Noi. The Park covers a total area of 41km² spanning Muak Lek and Wang Muang districts in Saraburi province and Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Khun Sathan National Park

Opened on 25 March, 2017 as Thailand’s 130th national park, Khun Sathan National Park covers an area of 405km² in the districts of Na Noi and Na Muen of Nan province. The mountain ridge of Doi Phrae Mueang separates the boundaries between Phrae and Nan provinces, while Doi Ku Sathan is 1,630m above mean sea level.

Mae Takhrai National Park

Opened on 16 December, 2017 as Thailand’s 131st national park, Mae Takhrai National Park covers an area of 357km2 in San Kamphaeng, Doi Saket and Mae On districts of Chiang Mai province, along with Ban Thi and Mueang districts of Lamphun. The park is origin to the main tributaries of the Ping River, and offers scenic views such as waterfalls, cliffs and hot springs.

Than Sadet-Ko Phangan National Park

Opened on 22 November, 2018 as Thailand’s 132nd national park, Than Sadet-Ko Phangan National Park is situated on Ko Phangan, an island 100km away from Surat Thani’s coast and occupies a total area of 45km² . The park has maintained the wilderness of the island with its rugged and steep mountain range. Khao Ra is the highest peak at an elevation of 627m.

Doi Chong National Park

Opened in April 2019, as Thailand’s 133rd national park, Doi Chong National Park covers an area of 346km² in Sop Prap, Thoen and Mae Phrik districts of Lampang province, as well as Li and Thung Hua Chang districts of Lamphun province. The Park offers mountainous areas and a range of deciduous forests. The highest point, Doi Jong, is 1,379 m above mean sea level.

During 2016 to 2019, Thailand added a total of 53,120ha in additional forest area to its national park system. This brings the total forested area in Thailand to over 164 million km² , covering 32 per cent of land area nationwide. It also marks the progress made in adding more protected forest area under the jurisdiction of Thailand’s fast-growing national park system.

Currently, there are 133 national parks in Thailand. Plans for another 22 national parks are underway, including 11 land national parks and 11 marine national parks, totalling 44 million rai or 13 per cent of all area nationwide.

Sabre inaugurates new office in New Delhi

By TTG Asia

August 8, 2019

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Sabre Corporation has launched its newest office location in New Delhi, following its move from Noida to better serve the technology needs of the global travel industry.

India is a key market for Sabre, with close to 1,500 employees spread across the country. The New Delhi office is expected to play a crucial role in growing Sabre’s footprint across South Asia, alongside its Global Development Centre in Bangalore and multiple offices located in Kozhikode, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai. New Delhi, where a large number of Indian corporate headquarters are located, was an easy choice for Sabre, said the travel technology company.

Todd Arthur (left) and Sandeep Shastri (right) at the official ribbon cutting ceremony during inauguration of Sabre’s New Delhi office

Joined by several of the country’s travel agents and airline managers, Sabre executives hosted an official ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the office launch. Featuring a digital wall and open workspaces, the innovative new office will facilitate optimal collaboration between their local teams in addition to showcasing some of Sabre’s solutions, including the Sabre Red 360 platform.

Todd Arthur, vice president, Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific, said: “As Sabre continues to invest heavily in infrastructure and technology that is shaping the future of travel, we are dedicated to bringing the latest, most innovative solutions to support the rapid evolution of the market and are confident that our investments will help to benefit travel agencies and airlines alike across the country.”

Double holiday break for TTG Asia

By TTG Asia

August 8, 2019

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For readers in Singapore, we wish you a Happy National Day! And to our Muslim readers, Selamat Hari Raya and Eid Mubarak!

News will resume on Tuesday, August 13.

Major power outage hit hotels, F&B businesses in Jakarta and surrounds

By Kurniawan Ulung

August 7, 2019

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A massive power outage that struck Greater Jakarta and West Java last Sunday affected businesses in the hotel and F&B industries across the two provinces. The blackout, which lasted between five to 12 hours, was said to be the worst of its kind since 1997. In fact, some parts of the affected areas were still suffering from power supply disruption on Monday.

Hoteliers were hit hard by the hours-long blackout which plunged the city into darkness and left it in disarray, prompting some guests to cancel their reservations, according to Hariyadi Sukamdani, chairman of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA).

A citywide blackout in Jakarta and surrounding areas affected hotels and F&B businesses

He said the incident disrupted the cashless payment method, forcing hotel guests to pay with cash, hence causing problems as some of them did not have cash on hand. They also could not withdraw money from ATMs due to the power failure, prompting some guests to make cancellations.

“Hotel guests who planned to spend on other things also decided to not shop at all,” he said.

Hariyadi said that the major blackout also forced hotels across Jakarta and West Java to fork out extra money to purchase diesel fuel to power their generator sets. Costs varied from one hotel to another, but it took approximately 1,200 litres of fuel to run the machines on Sunday.

On the other hand, some hotels experienced a surge in occupancy during the blackout, thanks to residents who sought convenience and solace at the establishments. But this was only apparent for hotels located in densely populated, affluent neighbourhoods, such as the Kelapa Gading area in North Jakarta and Serpong area in South Tangerang.

“There was no water at home (so) they went to hotels to take (a) bath. In Serpong, for example, the hotel occupancy rate soared to almost 85 per cent,” Hariyadi said.

Krishnadi, chairman of IHRA Jakarta chapter, said that such an occurrence was rare and temporary. He received a report that generator sets in some hotels became faulty as a result of overuse during the huge blackout.

Herman Muktar, chairman of IHRA Bandung chapter, said that the blackout also caused similar disruption in Bandung, West Java. Many hotels in the city, especially the two-star and non-star properties, were not equipped with generator sets.

“Foods in restaurants became rotten because refrigerators did not work during the power outage. (Hotels) faced big losses because after sunset, they were forced to close as they couldn’t serve guests in darkness,” he said.

He added that hotels that did not have diesel generators were the most disadvantaged because their guests immediately checked out to look for better hotels.

However, Herman was still relieved as the incident took place on Sunday, when the occupancy rate was around 35 per cent on average, cushioning the impact of immediate checkout by guests.

But unlike Jakarta, he did not receive any report about occupancy surge for Bandung hotels as a result of the blackout.

When asked if IHRA would impose any fines or sue the state electricity firm PLN, Haryadi said the association would wait upon the company to materialise its promise to compensate for the losses.

Sripeni Inten Cahyani, acting president director of state power company PLN, said on Monday that the firm would reduce the electricity bills of customers affected by the blackout. The amount depended on the length of the blackout.

Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to reap festive outbound travel boom from GCC

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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The 2019 Feast of Sacrifice holiday, also known as Eid al-Adha, is set to see a boom in outbound travel from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Currently, forward bookings for this year’s holiday period from July 30 to August 12 are 10 per cent ahead of last year’s holiday period from August 8 to 21, according to a report from ForwardKeys, which analyses over 17 million flight bookings a day.

Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to reap outbound travel boom from Feast of Sacrifice holiday

As a result of this outbound boom, countries in the Southeast-Asia region; namely, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, are also set to reap the growth benefits from this major source market.

The top 10 destinations in order of size are: Turkey, Egypt, India, the UK, the UAE, Thailand, Germany, Pakistan, France and Lebanon.

When it comes to destination market growth, the US heads the list, with bookings for the holiday period this year (July 30 to August 12) 35.7 per cent ahead of the holiday period last year (August 8 to 25). It is followed by Indonesia, 32.4 per cent ahead; Lebanon, 29.2 per cent ahead; Spain, 27.5 per cent ahead; Malaysia, 27.4 per cent ahead; Italy, 23.9 per cent ahead; Azerbaijan, 23.5 per cent ahead; Germany, 22.9 per cent ahead; Thailand 21.1 per cent ahead and Jordan 19.8 per cent ahead.

As for origin market growth, the UAE heads the list, with outbound bookings for the holiday period this year 19.7 per cent ahead of the holiday period last year. It is followed by Qatar, 14.6 per cent ahead; Kuwait, 13.9 per cent ahead; Bahrain, 4.7 per cent ahead and Saudi Arabia, 4.4 per cent ahead. Outbound bookings from Oman were 7.2 per cent behind.

Luis Millan, market research manager, ForwardKeys, said: “This is a real good news story. With the exception of Oman, all the major outbound markets are showing healthy growth and the same is true for the destinations. The one exception is India. It has suffered from the collapse of Jet Airways; however, various LCCs have increased their seating capacity to meet the likely additional demand.”

Yachting industry buoys Thailand’s east coast tourism

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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Ocean_Marina_Pattaya_Boat_Show_(40)_m — The annual Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show is expected to draw thousands to Thailand's east coast

The eighth edition of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show, which takes place from November 21 to 24, 2019, at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club (OMYC), is expected to drive yachting tourism on Thailand’s east coast.

“Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show is one of our signature marine events and has grown considerably since its launch in 2012. Visitors reached almost 6,000 last year and were up 5 per cent year-on-year, while overall numbers are up 183 per cent since year one,” said Napong Paripontpochanapisuti, managing director of Ocean Property, which co-organises the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show.

Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show

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He added: “We invest more than 10 million baht (US$3.2 million) each year in developing the show and marketing it overseas and throughout Thailand, and we are targeting a 20 per cent growth in the number of visitors this year. Our aim is for the show to be a platform for the industry, to promote marine-related businesses and services, yachting tourism, and showcase the stunning coastline and islands along Thailand’s east coast, as well as introducing the boating lifestyle to more Thais.”

Last year, the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show reaped revenues of 2.5 billion baht for Thailand’s marine industry. Although Thailand’s tourism is currently experiencing a dip, the east coast’s future looks bright with yachting tourism expected to contribute significantly to the tourism sector.

“The first four months of the year were very strong, and although visitors during May and June have tapered off, the total number of tourists joining boat trips at OMYC in H1/2019 is up 2 per cent year-on-year. Chinese and Korean tourists remain the top day trippers but what is encouraging is the number of Thais who are enjoying time on the water – Thai nationals were our third largest nationality in H1/2019,” said Scott Finsten, harbour master of OMYC, which co-organises the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show.

This bodes well for yachting tourism on the east coast. With its proximity to Bangkok, more Thai people are holidaying on the east coast and many are enjoying the boating lifestyle. Over 70 per cent of visitors to the 2018 Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show were Thai and more than 50 per cent of boats berthed at OMYC are Thai-owned.

“Yachting tourism on Thailand’s east coast is relatively undeveloped. Countries such as Greece, which is famous for its established charter industry, and Australia, which has a large population of domestic boat owners, outperform Thailand currently – yet neither have the tourism numbers of Thailand,” said Finsten.

He added: “Thailand expects to welcome approximately 40 million international visitors this year and Pattaya in the region of 14 million – these numbers underscore the huge potential for yachting tourism in Thailand and this is something OMYC are focused on developing.”

At this year’s Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show, up to 40 boats will be displayed by leading international boat brands and brokers. These will be complemented by a wide range of marine products and accessories, boat toys and gadgets, luxury properties, super cars and more. Live on-water demonstrations will take place over the four days. There will also be free yacht cruises, sunset cruises, sun downers, fashion shows, pop-up restaurants and a myriad of other family-friendly activities.

Thailand’s east coast has become a leading destination for visitors from around the world and a priority region in which businesses are looking to invest. Planned road, rail and air infrastructure improvements as well as inward investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor project are set to have a significant impact on business and leisure in the region, and the east coast’s marine industry is well positioned to support this growth.

Accor to launch Pullman Living and Novetel Living in the Philippines

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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Accor has partnered PTC Holdings to develop Asia’s first Pullman Living and Novotel Living brands in the Philippines.

Suitable for long and short stays, both brands are unveiled earlier this year to “reinvent the serviced apartment concept with social spaces and modern dining”, Accor said in a statement.

Pullman Living and Novetel Living will open in Manila come 2022

“We are very excited to introduce Pullman Living and Novotel Living to Asia,” said Jeff Tisdall, senior vice president of development, residential and extended stays at Accor.

“A highly innovative dining experience sets the Pullman Living brand apart, including pop-up restaurants and food trucks, while Novotel Living focuses on welcoming and relaxing social spaces where residents can meet, work, play and dine,” he added.

Slated to open in 4Q2022, the 200-room Pullman Living Manila and the 300-room Novotel Living Manila will be located within two apartment complexes in the Makati CBD, a short walk to the high-end district of Ayala Avenue and Greenbelt shopping mall.

Novotel Living Manila will offer residents exclusive access to a Clubhouse that features a shared kitchen, library and a play area. The development will include retail outlets, an all-day dining restaurant and bar, a spa, fitness centre, meeting rooms, business centres and a ballroom. Guests will be able to make use of in-house services, including kitchen stocking and re-stocking, personal trainers and pre-prepared meals.

Meanwhile, Pullman Living will provides a stylish and intelligent private sanctuary with re-imagined hospitality experiences including unique dining concepts, the Pullman Porter, seamless and intuitive technology and a bold, vibrant art-led design.

In addition to Pullman Living and Novotel Living, Accor owns nearly 300 extended stay properties under brands like Mondrian Living, Swissôtel Living, Mövenpick Living, Mercure Living and Hyde Living.

Accor currently operates eight hotels in the Philippines under the Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Movenpick, Novotel and Mercure brands, with a pipeline of 12 hotels and serviced apartments scheduled to open in the country over the next five years.

Sipadan Island to shut every December from 2020

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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Update: The closure of Sipadan Island has been changed to November 1 to 30, 2020. It will resume operations on December 1, 2020 and will be open throughout December 2020.

Malaysia’s popular scuba diving spot of Sipadan will be closed to visitors every December, beginning 2020, according to a New Straits Times report.

The annual month-long closure was requested by dive operators to allow the island’s marine environment and ecology to recover, said the report, adding that December was picked as it is one of the quietest months.

Sipadan Island will be shut down for all snorkelling and scuba diving activities every December from 2020

The announcement was made by deputy chief minister and tourism, culture and environment minister Datuk Christina Liew.

Currently, there are restrictions placed on the number of visitors to Sipadan – a maximum of 156 divers are allowed per day while only up to 20 snorkelers a day are permitted on special permits.

TravelClick rolls out alternative accommodations tool for hoteliers

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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TravelClick, an Amadeus company, has launched its Alternative Accommodations Solution, a new data tool that offers users a comprehensive competitive assessment of alternative accommodations.

The new solution is available as an add-on to TravelClick’s Demand360 and Rate360 which helps subscribers make smarter, data-driven decisions that drive revenue and profitability with the most trusted, forward-looking and historical demand data across all segments and channels.

TravelClick’s Alternative Accommodations Solution helps hoteliers fight competition from alternative lodging

Greg Sheppard, senior vice president, business intelligence, TravelClick, said: “The lines are blurring between traditional hotel properties and alternative accommodations as we see large brands entering the home-sharing space and vice versa.”

He added: “We believe that hoteliers cannot overlook the pressure of alternative accommodations that are competitive on price, location, convenience and amenities that weigh into consumers’ decision-making. Our new solution gives our customers relevant, real-time data in an easy-to-use tool that doesn’t require a data scientist to glean the most useful and actionable insights.”

Said to be the first and only of its kind, the Alternative Accommodations Solution aims to empower hoteliers to analyse alternative accommodations competition in their immediate area, and to help optimise occupancy and rates to be competitive with those home-sharing options that are comparable to a hotel property.

TravelClick has partnered with Transparent, a global provider of data intelligence for the vacation rental industry. According to research from Transparent, the world supply of alternative accommodations has grown by 33 per cent from 2017 to 2018. The fast rate of growth and rising popularity of home-sharing presents hoteliers of all types and sizes with a new competitive reality that they must be able to respond to in real-time.

Best Western Rewards beckons guests to Japan with triple points promotion

By TTG Asia

August 7, 2019

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Best Western Hotels & Resorts has launched a new promotion to attract guests to stay at its property in Japan this August.

Throughout the month, Best Western Rewards members will earn triple points when they book and stay at any Best Western’s 18 hotels and resorts in Japan between August 1 to 31, 2019. To qualify for the bonus points, guests must stay for at least three consecutive nights.

Best Western Rewards entices guests to stay at its property in Japan with Triple Points Promotion offer

The Triple Points Promotion offer is open to all new and existing Best Western Rewards members.

Best Western Rewards members earn 10 points for every US dollar spent on their room rate, which they can then use to redeem a variety of rewards, including global free room nights with no blackout dates, dining, shopping and entertainment gift cards, and airline rewards.

Members in Thailand can redeem 4,000 points for 500 baht (US$16) of shopping at Central, The Mall, Siam Paragon, and a minimum of 8,000 points for a one-night stay at any Best Western hotel and resort.

Thailand opens five new national parks and plans for 22 more

Sabre inaugurates new office in New Delhi

Double holiday break for TTG Asia

Major power outage hit hotels, F&B businesses in Jakarta and surrounds

Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia to reap festive outbound travel boom from GCC

Yachting industry buoys Thailand’s east coast tourism

Accor to launch Pullman Living and Novetel Living in the Philippines

Sipadan Island to shut every December from 2020

TravelClick rolls out alternative accommodations tool for hoteliers

Best Western Rewards beckons guests to Japan with triple points promotion

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