Boutique hotel Zagame’s House in Melbourne has appointed Adam Taloni as its new general manager.
Taloni brings with him over 20 years of managerial experience within the Australian hotel sector for both boutique, and large sector businesses.
Before joining Zagame’s House, Taloni launched Sydney’s Ovolo Wooloomooloo, and Peppers Broadbeach on the Gold Coast, where he was general manager at both properties.
Prior to Ovolo, Taloni worked as group general manager for Vanity Group, as well as area manager for the Mantra Group.
The travel trade in Bandung, West Java, continues to stay alert as Mount Tangkuban Perahu, a popular tourist attraction in Indonesia, is showing an increase in volcanic activities.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the level of warning status of the mountain from normal to caution after it erupted again on Thursday evening and Friday morning, with volcanic ash soaring 180m from the bottom of the mountain’s crater. This follows the earlier eruption of the volcano on July 26.
Tangkuban Perahu crater
Budijanto Ardijansyah, chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies, West Java Chapter, said that the Mount Tangkuban Perahu tourism park remains open, but he has instructed members of his association to restrict access to it in order to ensure the safety of tourists.
Budijanto is upbeat that the eruption of the Mount Tangkuban Perahu will not have a significant negative impact on tourism, citing the reason that West Java is rich in tourist destinations.
“For tourists, we divert travellers to other popular tourist spots in Bandung, such as Kawah Putih (White Crater) and Patenggang Lake. These places are safe,” he said.
Daniel Nugraha, the owner of Exotic Java Trails Tours & Travel, said that since the eruption began on July 26, none of his guests from countries like Malaysia, Singapore and the Netherlands has made a cancellation. It was presumably because the eruption did not affect operations at the Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka and the Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung in West Java.
He said that his guests remained excited although he removed Mount Tangkuban Perahu from the list of tourist destinations in his tour packages, and replaced it with other spots, such as the Lodge Maribaya amusement park.
“They did not protest against the change. (Everyone wants) to stay safe and that is why it is much better to not approach the mountain,” he said.
Herman Muchtar, chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association, West Java Chapter, said that only two out of the approximately 700 hotel members across Bandung City and Regency has reported cancellations due to the latest eruption.
“We hope that the situation will become normal immediately,” he said.
Elsewhere, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Banten, West Java on Friday evening. The epicentre of the earthquake was located 147km south-west off Sumur coast, Banten, at a depth of 10km. A tsunami alert was on for about two hours, but it did not happen.
The earthquake shook the neighbouring Jakarta, Bandung and Lampung, and its effects were also felt in places as far as Yogyakarta and Bali. However, all operations in the region are running as per normal.
Avalon Waterways is capitalising on the growth of the Indonesian outbound cruise market to promote river cruising in Europe.
The company, which operates under the Globus Family of Brands (GFOB), is ramping up efforts to heighten awareness of river cruising by partnering outbound travel companies.
Avalon Artistry II on the Rhine River in Germany
Melania Sugeng, operations manager of Abdi Perwakilan Global, the GSA for GFOB in Indonesia, said: “The popularity of cruise tourism continues to grow in the country, as shown by the rising demand on cruising. Many Indonesian travel companies now have a dedicated cruise division. However, only a few travellers are aware of river cruising.”
Speaking to the media recently, Ray Smith, GSA business development manager of Avalon Waterays, said: “Unlike ocean cruising, travelling along the big rivers in Europe, like Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Rhone, Sein and Seon, provide travellers with different experiences.”
Apart from enjoying onward facilities, travellers also get to soak in the scenery along the river banks and visit places of interest in different destinations, according to Smith.
Melania said: “In the last few years, we focused our efforts in creating awareness and encouraging travel companies to sell our products. Now, we target consumers through social media, and join travel companies in participating at travel fairs as well as talking to corporates.”
Apart from scheduled ships with itineraries ranging from three to 14 nights, Avalon Waterways also promotes chartered services for groups.
Smith said that in Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are the major markets, while in South-east Asia, the Philippines and Malaysia are the top markets.
“We hope to see Indonesia catching up as we see there is a big potential here,” he said.
Qantas’ new distribution model, the Qantas Channel, which aims to modernise the way agents book fares and deliver personalised experiences to customers, has taken effect from August 1.
The Qantas Channel is part of the broader digital strategy to enhance Qantas’ booking systems, and is a new agreement between the airline and its agency partners to provide access to a wide range of Qantas fares, products and information for agents.
Qantas’ new distribution model has come into effect
Over time, agencies who have signed up to the Qantas Channel will be able to offer customers new content sourced from the NDC-enabled Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), which is not currently available via traditional indirect booking systems.
Qantas has partnered with all of the major GDSs to make the Qantas Channel available to agencies globally and continues to work with other technology partners to deliver the Qantas Channel and QDP content.
Thousands of agencies around the world have signed up to the Qantas Channel, representing around 90 per cent of Qantas’ revenue from trade partners.
Qantas executive manager, sales and distribution, Igor Kwiatkowski, said the launch of the Qantas Channel was an important milestone in the transformation of the airline’s distribution strategy.
“The launch of the Qantas Channel, together with our new distribution platform will, over time, empower our agency partners to deliver more enriched and personalised experiences for our mutual customers,” Kwiatkowski said.
He added: “We’ve observed other international airlines adopt new distribution models and recognise that the adoption of the new technology takes time. That’s why we’ve deliberately taken a phased, collaborative approach so that the Qantas Channel, and the new content that it will offer, can be delivered in the most seamless way possible.
“Greater reward and recognition of our Frequent Flyers and the ability to deliver targeted offers for our agency partners are just some of the benefits that are in the pipeline. Ultimately, our vision is to offer our agency partners a bigger toolkit than what they can offer our customers today.”
Agencies that have not registered for the Qantas Channel may incur a channel fee, in addition to no longer being able to access a wide range of traditional fares being made available via indirect channels or having access to the new content via the QDP as it becomes available.
Born and bred in the Inle Lake region of Myanmar, Yin Myo Su – affectionately known as Misuu – has devoted the past decade of her life to raising the standards around the area she calls home.
For the last 23 years, Misuu has been running a family business of hotels and resorts in the area. “I had worked in hospitality for a long time so I know how tourism can do good but also a lot of harm. Promotion and preservation go hand-in-hand,” she said.
Inle Heritage
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With that realisation, she began sowing the seeds for Inle Heritage. What began as a Burmese cat reintroduction breeding programme in 2007 has today flourished into a full-fledged hospitality vocational centre geared towards helping disadvantaged youth.
As part of her sustainability efforts, Misuu also turned a traditional stilted house into a restaurant serving up her grandmother’s recipes and a garden to grow the fresh ingredients.
In order to receive organic status, Misuu had to get the soil and water tested. And while the soil passed, the water from Inle Lake didn’t. Misuu recalled: “As a child 40 years ago, I would wash myself with this water. Now in some places, it has intense chemicals from boats and other issues.”
Misuu set about collecting data and monitoring the water throughout the lake. She flew to Malaysia to visit projects there that were using natural water filtration systems, and subsequently created a cost-effective natural wetland with aquatic plants that filter grey water. This strategy was soon adopted by other villagers and communities living on the lake.
Since then, Misuu has continued building up her foundation, opening the Inle Heritage Hospitality Vocational Training Centre (IHHVTC), which enrolled its first batch of 42 students in 2013. To finance the school, she started the aforementioned restaurant, cookery classes, an art gallery, a small resort of stilted houses and a gift shop selling items made by vulnerable women.
“I wanted to provide a space for those who drop out of formal education. The high school drop-out rate is 70 per cent. Only 30 per cent of students passed their exams last year. This is a problem and there aren’t enough vocational schools to cope with this. What do we do with all of these drop-outs? I see them as raw stones and we can help shape their future,” she shared.
IHHVTC has built up a strong reputation across the country – its students intern at some of Myanmar’s leading hotels, including the Kempinski Hotel in Naypyitaw, and Belmond Governor’s Residence, The Strand Hotel and Inya Lake Hotel in Yangon.
Fresh graduates are snapped up by a waiting list of top hotels, restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses across the country. In future, Misuu hopes to expand the school and take in more students annually.
The hospitality school is also a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Social Enterprises for Training in Hospitality and Catering (ASSET-H&C), which recently scooped a PATA Grand Award for Education and Training.
Global air connectivity continues to become more accessible and more efficient, having flown 4.4 billion passengers last year, according to 2018 performance figures released by IATA in its latest edition of the World Air Transport Statistics.
Record efficiency was achieved with 81.9 per cent of available seats being filled, while fuel efficiency improved by more than 12 per cent compared to 2010. The report also revealed that 22,000 city pairs are now connected by direct flights, up 1,300 over 2017 and double the 10,250 city pairs connected in 1998. The real cost of air transport has more than halved over the last 20 years (to around 78 US cents per revenue tonne-kilometre, or RTK).
A whopping 4.4 billion people travelled by air in 2018
“Airlines are connecting more people and places than ever before. The freedom to fly is more accessible than ever. And our world is a more prosperous place as a result. As with any human activity, this comes with an environmental cost that airlines are committed to reducing,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.
He added: “We understand that sustainability is essential to our license to spread aviation’s benefits. From 2020, we will cap net carbon emissions growth. And, by 2050, we will cut our net carbon footprint to half 2005 levels. This ambitious climate action goal needs government support. It is critical for sustainable aviation fuels, new technology and more efficient routes to deliver the greener future we are aiming for.”
Other highlights of the 2018 airline industry performance from the report include:
System-wide, airlines carried 4.4 billion passengers on scheduled services, an increase of 6.9 per cent over 2017, representing an additional 284 million trips by air. Meanwhile, the development of the LCC segment continues to outpace that of network carriers. Measured in ASKs (available seat kilometres), LCC capacity grew by 13.4 per cent, almost doubling the overall industry growth rate of 6.9 per cent. LCCs accounted for 21 per cent of global capacity in 2018, up from 11 per cent in 2004. When looking at available seats, the global share of LCCs in 2018 was 29 per cent, reflecting the short-haul nature of their business model. This is up from 16 per cent in 2004. Some 52 of IATA’s 290 current member airlines classify themselves as LCCs, and other new model airlines.
Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region once again carried the largest number of passengers systemwide. The regional rankings (based on total passengers carried on scheduled services by airlines registered in that region) are: Asia-Pacific with 37.1 per cent market share (1.6 billion passengers, up 9.2 per cent from 2017), Europe with 26.2 per cent market share (1.1 billion passengers, up 6.6 per cent from 2017), North America with 22.6 per cent market share (989.4 million passengers, up 4.8 per cent from 2017), Latin America with 6.9 per cent market share (302.2 million passengers, up 5.7 per cent from 2017), Middle East with 5.1 per cent market share (224.2 million passengers, up 4.0 per cent from 2017) and Africa with 2.1 per cent market share (92 million passengers, up 5.5 per cent from 2017).
The top five airlines ranked by total scheduled passenger kilometres flown, were: American Airlines (330.6 billion), Delta Air Lines (330 billion), United Airlines (329.6 billion), Emirates (302.3 billion) and Southwest Airlines (214.6 billion).
The top five international/regional passenger airport-pairs were all within the Asia-Pacific region again this year: Hong Kong – Taipei Taoyuan (5.4 million, down 0.4 per cent from 2017), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Hong Kong (3.4 million, up 8.8 per cent from 2017), Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta – Singapore Changi (3.2 million, down 3.3 per cent from 2017), Seoul-Incheon – Osaka-Kansai (2.9 million, up 16.5 per cent from 2017) and Kuala Lumpur–International – Singapore Changi (2.8 million, up 2.1 per cent from 2017).
The top five domestic passenger airport-pairs were also all in the Asia-Pacific region: Jeju – Seoul Gimpo (14.5 million, up 7.6 per cent from 2017), Fukuoka – Tokyo Haneda (7.6 million, up 0.9 per cent from 2017), Melbourne-Tullamarine – Sydney (7.6 million, down 2.1 per cent from 2017), Sapporo – Tokyo-Haneda (7.3 million, down 1.5 per cent from 2017) and Beijing Capital – Shanghai Hongqiao (6.4 million, up 0.4 per cent from 2017).
The top five nationalities travelling (international routes) are: the UK (126.2 million, or 8.6 per cent of all passengers), the US (111.5 million, or 7.6 per cent of all passengers), China (97 million, or 6.6 per cent of all passengers), Germany (94.3 million, or 6.4 per cent of all passengers) and France (59.8 million, or 4.1 per cent of all passengers).
Meanwhile, Star Alliance maintained its position as the largest airline alliance in 2018 with 21.9 per cent of total scheduled traffic (in RPKs), followed by SkyTeam (18.8 per cent) and oneworld (15.4 per cent).
A rendering of the Swiss-Belhotel & Residences Queenstown
Swiss-Belhotel International is expanding its operations in New Zealand with the signing of two hotel developments in Queenstown.
Come late 2020, the company will simultaneously launch the two Kiwi-based operations: Swiss-Belhotel & Residences Queenstown, and the younger, more value-conscious brand Zest Queenstown by Swiss-Belhotel.
A rendering of the Swiss-Belhotel & Residences Queenstown
Swiss-Belhotel International already operates 10 Zest properties in Indonesia and this will be the first Zest to open in New Zealand.
The new properties will increase the company’s Australasian offering to eight hotels.
Expansion in Australasia will see the company take investment positions through property ownership, management rights and leases, as well as management contracts.
The group is currently working with several international investment funds to grow the capital structure of Swiss-Belhotel International so as to take advantage of further investment opportunities in growing markets, such as New Zealand and Australia.
These developments are part of the ongoing strategic expansion of Swiss-Belhotel International in New Zealand, supporting the growing tourism numbers in this market.
Swiss-Belhotel International, which currently has 150 hotels and projects in 22 countries around the globe, expects to launch five properties in New Zealand by end 2020.
“We have real confidence in the tourism industry in New Zealand – particularly in Queenstown, which requires new infrastructure to keep up with visitor demand,” said Gavin Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International.
The hotel management company is also in discussion with developers in Australia and will be making announcements regarding hotel developments within the next six months.
Ovolo Central is providing guests the opportunity to take in views of Hong Kong from a chartered helicopter.
The Sky’s the Limit promotion offers guests complimentary transfers to and from their 18-minute chopper harbour tour. They will also be treated to pre-flight cocktails and a high-tea taster from vegetarian restaurant Veda, as well as a bottle of premium champagne to pop in their suite.
Ovolo Central’s founder and CEO, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, said that the brand’s latest offering is proof that Ovolo is determined to break the mould so as to provide guests with a truly unbeatable hotel experience.
Western Australia (WA) can now lay claim to being one of the premier destinations for humpback whale in-water interactions after three years of trials in the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park.
With two more trial years approved by the WA government for 2019 and 2020, this year’s season kicked off in Coral Bay on July 1 and will launch in Exmouth from August 1, both locations running till October 30.
Over the past three years, tour operators licensed to provide in-water interactions with whales have utilised their expertise to improve the experience so as to deliver a safe, enjoyable and well-managed product that complies with government regulations for swimmers and observers.
The licenses are issued to existing and highly experienced whale shark tour operators who have been taking consumers to swim with or observe whale shark interactions for many years in the Ningaloo Marine Park.
Improvements in tour delivery include locating whales through spotter planes communicating directly to the boat’s head guide, direct radio contact between the Skipper and the in-water guide via radio, and on-board drones – all of which increase the success rate of interactions.
Regulations for licensed operators participating in the trials also allow vessels, when attempting an in-water interaction, to approach up to 75m from the side of resting whales or 150m in front of travelling whales. This also provides a better experience and close-up view for observers.
A total of 272 tours were conducted in 2018 – an almost 40 per cent surge since the trial began in 2016 – with the number of people attempting to swim with a whale more than doubling over the trial period, according to data from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The same study also showed that the interaction success rate has rose from 68 per cent in 2016 to 76 per cent in 2018.
Australia is one of three countries in the world where swimming with humpback whales is allowed, and the Ningaloo Marine Park is one of three locations in Australia where visitors can do so.
A year-end DC Superheroes Justice League themed sailings onboard the Genting Dream is Dream Cruises’ latest offering to satisfy cruisers’ growing thirst for unique experiences.
The themed series offers 16 regional sailings from November 20, coinciding with Asia’s school holidays and peak family vacation season.
Genting Dream
During this period, Genting Dream will feature themed balcony staterooms with superheroes interior design and furnishings, high tea in a superheroes cafe where related merchandise are used and can be brought home as souvenirs, and specific zones for young cruisers to enjoy themed games and character interaction.
Michael Goh, the new president of Dream Cruises, said the Justice League-themed series is just one of many experiential cruises – wellness, gourmet and concert sailings – the company had done in the past three years of operations.
Emphasising the importance of providing cruises “with a storyline”, Goh explained that the definition of luxury travel today is different for everyone but what remains constant is the desire for experiences.
“For some, luxury is dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant. For others, it is eating a hot bowl of wanton noodles. In short, luxury is experiential. So, it is Dream Cruises’ job and brand promise to provide the cruiser with his desired experience,” he said.
And with Dream Cruises’ customer demographics ranging widely, Goh says his team has to create a variety of experiences to satisfy all onboard.
“If you look back on the cruise product 20 years ago, most of the cruisers were retirees. Today, cruises get couples, young millennials, multigenerational families, and even special interest groups coming for corporate events and religious retreats. This demographic mix has completely changed our business. We must have a product that can satisfy a diverse segment today, unlike in the past when we only had to serve a senior market,” he said.
To deliver on varied experiences, Goh thinks Dream Cruises has the perfect products.
“Our ships are getting bigger, allowing us to to offer many, very different experiences while ensuring that everyone has their own space. If a Dream passenger wants complete silence, sipping coffee and reading his book, he has the beautiful Palm Court with a wonderful ocean vista to retreat into. If a Dream passenger wants his children to have a good time, he has the Justice League activities to indulge them in,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Goh expects demand for luxury cruising to hold up in the face of a possible economic downturn next year, largely due to Asia’s large population of existing and emerging high net-worth individuals.
“I believe that no matter what happens, there will still be a market. We must have the discipline to understand our business and keep focus on where to find the customers we want. You may do 10 things to get a result during good times, so do 20 during challenging times. One must be committed to get results,” he concluded.
