Michael Gaehler joins Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali as GM
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Michael Gaehler as the general manager of Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali.
A seasoned professional, Gaehler brings more than 33 years of experience within the high-end hospitality sector, and was most recently the general manager of the Oriental Residences Bangkok. He previously also worked at Regent Hotels & Resorts, managing the group’s hotels and resorts in Montenegro, Taiwan, China and Indonesia.
Gaehler began his hotel career as a chef in his hometown of Zurich, transitioning to broader F&B roles at some of Europe’s leading boutique hotels such as Villa il Tessoro in Tuscany, Hotel Le Vieux Manoir in Murten and Hotel Giardino in Ascona. He then moved to Asia and the Jia Causeway Bay in Hong Kong and The Chedi Chiang Mai, later assisting with the launch of Ananti Kumgang Mountain in North Korea, the country’s first five-star resort.
Bringing back the Europeans
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) has intensified efforts to create greater visibility for the East Malaysian state in its traditional market of Europe, after tourism took a hit following the loss of air services linking the continent to Malaysia in recent years.
European arrivals to Malaysia plunged when Malaysia Airlines axed Frankfurt from its flight network in April 2015, followed by Amsterdam and Paris in January 2016, as part of its route rationalisation exercise to stem losses.
“With a bigger marketing budget, we are going all out to rebuild promotions in Europe by working with more airline partners and increasing our product offerings from this year on,” said STB’s CEO Sharzede Datu Hj Salleh Askor.
Just months earlier, European carriers Air France and Lufthansa had also cancelled their services to Kuala Lumpur in October 2015 and February 2016 respectively.
The attention given to longhaul markets is deemed critical as key European markets including Germany, the UK, France and Benelux countries are year-round, high-yield tourists who spend an average of two weeks in Sarawak.
To boost arrivals from Europe, STB is working with airline partners that have European sectors on several tactical and joint marketing campaigns, said Sharzede.
In addition, STB had participated in ITB Berlin earlier this year, and will lead the private sector at the upcoming ITB Asia in Singapore and World Travel Market in London in November.
The board is targeting 77,138 tourist arrivals from Europe this year, representing a five per cent growth from 2018. It hopes to grow European tourist arrivals to 82,538 next year, which is also designated Visit Malaysia 2020, and to 84,800 European visitors in 2021.
While Sarawak’s past promotions for the European market were focused on soft adventure and cultural attractions, this year, the state NTO wants to raise interest in other areas such as nature, the local cuisine and unique festival offerings including the world renowned Rainforest World Music Festival on the foothills of Mount Santubong and the Borneo Jazz Festival in Miri.
Nature-based events being promoted in Europe include the International Bornean Frog Race, an event focused on promoting awareness, interest and education about amphibians and amphibian conservation around the world. Sarawak’s Kubah National Park is also home to the world’s second smallest frog, the Microhyla Nepenthicola species. Another annual event being promoted in Europe is the Sarawak International Bird Race. Sarawak has 22 bird areas designated by BirdLife International in which inhabits 54 endemic bird species.
“Including nature in the promotions is a good move as this will interest Europeans. If the marketing campaign is done well, we should see an increased interest to Sarawak next year,” said Manfred Kurz, managing director, Diethelm Travel Malaysia.
“It is good that STB is having multiple airline partnerships with airlines that service both Europe and Malaysia through their hubs, as it is a logical thing to do.
“The state government should look into infrastructure development and attracting more investments to the state. Having an international hotel brand on Damai Beach will make it easier to sell the destination, while also increasing the length of stay of Europeans.”
Nigel Wong, director, Urban Rhythms Tours, Adventures & Travel said growing the arrivals from the European longhaul market is ideal for the state which already attracts mature European travellers in their late 30s or older, as this segment likes destinations that are peaceful and not overcrowded.
“At ITB Berlin, there was a large amount of interest on Sabah and Sarawak. Both states conjure up images of a lush and pristine destination which appeals to the European market. STB’s marketing efforts will reinforce the image of Sarawak as an attractive tourism destination and help it reach its intended markets in Europe,” he said.
“Sarawak’s appeal has always been the rainforest, conservation of nature, wildlife and authentic experiences. This marketing effort by STB to promote diversified attractions will resonate well with the market. Along with regular product updates from the state NTO, we should be able to promote Sarawak as an exciting and attractive destination. Since ITB Berlin, we have already seen a pickup in bookings for the destination; with Visit Malaysia 2020 fast approaching, we hope interest will continue,” Wong added.
Adam Kamal, general manager, Tour East Malaysia, said: “We have a lot of requests from European travellers to Sarawak who are interested in visiting UNESCO World Heritage site Mulu National Park. We sell the destination as an educational adventure experience where visitors can learn about the earth’s geosystem while they seek adventure.
“With increased marketing and promotion of diversified attractions, this will attract repeat and new visitors from Europe. Because Sarawak is a niche destination, getting higher yield per tourist is always better than going after mass tourism which could negatively impact the destination.
“I hope the joint international tourism development programme between Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airports Holdings will also attract more Middle Eastern airlines to fly direct to Kuching as that will further boost tourism.”
Melaka entices the world
Melaka State Government’s Visit Melaka Year 2019 campaign, aimed at increasing visitor arrivals to 20 million tourists this year, is already bearing fruit.
The state saw a 17.5 per cent increase in tourist arrivals to 4.8 million in 1Q2019, from the same period last year. Of these, 3.4 million were domestic tourists and 1.4 million were foreign tourists.
Under the umbrella campaign, initiatives are multi-pronged.
Special events have been curated for this campaign including the recent Melaka Food Festival, Melaka By the Sea Carnival in September, and Melaka Fiesta in October.
Tourism Melaka, through its Tourism Information Centres in Ayer Keroh and Jalan Kota, are giving away discount vouchers for entrance tickets to 28 attractions, including Melaka River Cruise, Menara Taming Sari, Encore Melaka and Melaka Maritime Museum.
Melaka’s travel trade partners have come onboard with the campaign, some pushing out their own initiatives.
Said Uzaidi Udanis, president, Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA): “On our part, MITA organised a three-day inbound tourism boot camp in Melaka in July that was attended by 50 tour operators and product owners. We identified and developed eight new tourism products and packages for foreign markets. Some new ideas include a walk to Konet Island during low tide from Telok Gong and an overnight stay at the former mansion used by the governor of Melaka, Mohd Khalid Yaakob.”
He added: “Melaka may only be a small state, but it is steeped in history and culture. Its UNESCO recognition received in 2008 has also been a boost for tourism.”
Klaus Sennik, general manager, Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka, shared: “As a hotel, we are also taking our own initiatives to support the campaign through our hotel activities and campaigns to garner more publicity and support for this campaign which has resulted in a gradual increase in hotel occupancy.”
Asmaliana Ashari, senior manager, Tourism Melaka, said the campaign is also aimed at creating more awareness of the destination’s facilities and capabilities for business events.
Foreign tourists from this segment spend three times more than the average leisure tourist. Last year, the average spend per tourist per night was RM504 (US$122). For international business tourists, the average length of stay is six nights.
Arokia Das, director, Luxury Tours Malaysia, said: “With 186 events planned for the year, and new live theatre productions such as Encore Melaka and Rasa Melaka, it is easier to promote Melaka to meeting planners. These professionally-run shows with elements of heritage and culture cater to the needs of meeting planners.
“Meeting planners are looking for new destinations beyond Kuala Lumpur and within a two-hour drive from the city. In this respect, Melaka fits the bill. Kuala Lumpur has lost some of its allure for repeat leisure tourists because of the absence of new attractions; tourists have been cutting down their stay in the city to one or two days.
“We are trying to entice day trippers travelling south to Singapore to spend at least a night in Melaka instead, by highlighting the state’s rich history, culture, gastronomy and ecotourism products to Asian markets.”
South Korean firm leads consortium to acquire US hotels under China’s Anbang
A consortium led by South Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments (MAGI) has agreed to buy 15 hotels in the US from China’s troubled Anbang Insurance Group, according to Reuters.
Anbang, which was once among the most aggressive Chinese buyers of foreign assets, is now in the midst of selling down its overseas assets, added the report.
The US commercial properties include New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, said MAGI, an asset management arm of Mirae Asset Group, in a statement.
The report also quoted an insider as saying that the deal, valued at US$5.8 billion, is expected to close by next January.
Anbang’s selling down of its overseas assets to pay off its debt comes after the Chinese government seized control of the firm last February, as part of a campaign to reduce financial risk.
Anbang’s former chairman, Wu Xiaohu, was later sentenced to 18 years in prison for fraud and embezzlement.
In August, Anbang put its entire US$2.4 billion Japan property portfolio up for sale.
Mirae Asset Group has invested aggressively in overseas properties over the last two years, including a landmark building worth US$960 million in Paris in July.
YTL seals deal to bring AC Hotels by Marriott into Malaysia
Marriott International has signed a landmark agreement with YTL Hotels to bring AC Hotels by Marriott, a design-led lifestyle brand, to Malaysia.
Under the agreement, three existing hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kuantan will fly the AC Hotels by Marriott brand flag following a strategic conversion in December.
Set to be the first Marriott International hotel in Penang, AC Hotel by Marriott Penang will be located in the island’s south-eastern district of Bukit Jambul. Situated near the hotel will be Penang’s SPICE (Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Center) Arena, a 4,500m2 indoor arena which serves as a major MICE venue, and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of George Town.
AC Hotel by Marriott Kuala Lumpur will be located approximately four kilometres from the Kuala Lumpur City Center, the hub of Malaysian capital. The new hotel will also be within walking distance from the Titiwangsa monorail station and the Ampang LRT line, both of which link up to the city’s transportation hub of KL Sentral.
On the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, AC Hotel by Marriott Kuantan will be located near the city centre, about five kilometres from Cempedak Bay and Beserah fishing village. Kuantan is also home to several industrial areas including the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park and Gambang Industrial Park.
YTL Hotels currently operate 12 Marriott International properties across Asia and Europe.
SiteMinder partners with HotelSwaps for hotels to trade unsold inventory
Hotel booking software provider SiteMinder has launched a partnership with HotelSwaps, the world’s first hotel room exchange programme for independently-owned and operated boutique and luxury hotels.
Under the partnership, hotels that use SiteMinder and meet HotelSwaps’ membership criteria can now trade their unsold rooms with other hotels using HotelCoins — HotelSwaps’ proprietary reservation system and digital currency.
The partnership is an opportunity for hotels to create an alternative value from otherwise unused rooms. By sharing those rooms with the global hotel community, hotels can increase their ancillary revenues during periods of lower occupancy, save on their business travel expenses and offer attractive incentive programmes to their executive staff.
Preben Vestdam, co-founder and CEO of HotelSwaps, said: “Hoteliers are doing a great job in optimising yields and maximising utilisation of their valuable hotel assets, but still billions of room nights stand empty every year in wonderful hotels around the world. HotelSwaps’ technology and HotelCoins currency allow hoteliers to share such unused capacity within the community of hotel professionals for their mutual benefit.”
James Bishop, senior director global demand partnerships at SiteMinder, said that the partnership will “offer HotelSwaps’ hotel members access to [SiteMinder’s] technology where their entire inventory can be managed within one environment”.
“Never has the influence of the sharing economy on the world been stronger and the threat of new competition for hotels been greater. With this new capability, independent boutiques and luxury hotels are empowered to tap into a new, unique driver of occupancy and revenue, and share their perishable assets with like-minded hoteliers to benefit the industry as a whole.”
From today, HotelSwaps member hotels can use SiteMinder to maintain their live inventory within the HotelSwaps reservation system and receive reservations in parallel with their other distribution channels. Hotel customers of SiteMinder can connect to HotelSwaps through SiteMinder’s platform, as with any of the 400 other distribution channels that are available within the company’s open ecosystem.
Centara adds three new hotels to Phuket portfolio
Thai hospitality group Centara Hotels & Resorts has signed management agreements for three new hotels owned by Maikhao Dream Company in Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach area.
Two properties are already in operation and will fall under Centara management from September 11, 2019, while the third property is in development.
The 22-key Maikhao Dream Villa Resort & Spa, which has joined the Centara Boutique Collection as of September 11, 2019, is the only beachfront villa resort on the shores of Mai Khao Beach. The resort offers private villas, 460m2 two-bedroom villas and 650m2 three-bedroom villas.
Each of the 22 villas has its own private pool and whirlpool, outdoor pavilion and kitchen. Resort facilities include a swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, kids’ club, retail shop, library and business lounge, as well as an international all-day dining restaurant and wine cellar. Phuket International Airport is a 20-minute drive from the resort.
Also coming under Centara management from September 11, 2019, is the 142-key Maikhao Hotel, a midscale hotel which opened in early 2019. It offers studios, standard and superior twin rooms, as well as one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. Facilities include a main swimming pool with separate kids’ pool, fitness centre, meeting rooms, beer garden, karaoke room and an all-day dining restaurant.
The 280-key Centra by Centara Maikhao Resort Phuket is a greenfield development currently under construction. Slated to open in 2024, the resort will feature facilities including a swimming pool, fitness centre, meeting venues, a kids’ club and an all-day dining venue.
The new agreements expand Centara’s presence across the island to a total of nine hotels and resorts, with eight in operation.
Global tourism up 4% in 1H2019: UNWTO
International tourist arrivals grew 4% from January to June 2019, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
Growth was led by the Middle East (+8%) and Asia and the Pacific (+6%). International arrivals in Europe grew 4%, while Africa (+3%) and the US (+2%) enjoyed more moderate growth.
Destinations worldwide received 671 million international tourist arrivals between January and June 2019 – almost 30 million more from the same period in 2018 and a continuation of the growth recorded last year.
Growth in arrivals is returning to its historic trend and is in line with UNWTO’s forecast of 3-4% growth in international tourist arrivals for the full year of 2019, as reported in the January barometer.
So far, the drivers of these results have been a strong economy, affordable air travel, increased air connectivity and enhanced visa facilitation.
However, weaker economic indicators, prolonged uncertainty about Brexit, trade and technological tensions and rising geopolitical challenges, have started to take a toll on business and consumer confidence, as reflected in a more cautious UNWTO Confidence Index.
Regional performance
Europe grew 4% in 1H2019, with a positive first quarter followed by an above-average second quarter (April: +8% and June: +6%), reflecting a busy Easter and the start of the summer season in the world’s most-visited region. Intra-regional demand fuelled much of this growth, though performance among major European source markets was uneven, amid weakening economies. Demand from overseas markets such as the US, China, Japan and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council also contributed to these positive results.
Asia-Pacific (+6%) recorded above world average growth during the January to June 2019 period, largely fuelled by Chinese outbound travel. Growth was led by South Asia and North-east Asia (both +7%), followed by South-east Asia (+5%) and arrivals in Oceania increased by 1%.
In the US (+2%), results improved in the second quarter after a weak start of the year. The Caribbean (+11%) benefitted from strong US demand and continued to rebound strongly from the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria in late 2017 – a challenge which the region unfortunately faces once again. North America recorded 2% growth, while Central America (+1%) showed mixed results. In South America, arrivals were down 5% partly due to a decline in outbound travel from Argentina which affected neighbouring destinations.
In Africa, limited available data points to a 3% increase in international arrivals. North Africa (+9%) continues to show robust results, following two years of double-digit figures, while growth in Sub-Saharan Africa was flat (+0%).
The Middle East (+8%) saw two strong quarters, reflecting a positive winter season, as well as an increase in demand during Ramadan in May and Eid Al-Fitr in June.
Source markets
The report also shows mixed results for source markets amid trade tensions and economic uncertainty, with uneven performance across major tourism outbound markets.
Chinese outbound tourism (+14% in trips abroad) continued to drive arrivals in many destinations in the region in 1H2019 though spending on international travel was 4% lower in real terms in the first quarter. Trade tensions with the US as well as the slight depreciation of the yuan may influence destination choice by Chinese travellers in the short term.
Outbound travel from the US, the world’s second largest spender, remained solid (+7%), supported by a strong dollar. In Europe, spending on international tourism by France (+8%) and Italy (+7%) was robust, though the UK (+3%) and Germany (+2%) reported more moderate figures.
Among the Asian markets, spending from Japan (+11%) was strong while South Korea spent 8% less in 1H2019, partly due to the depreciation of the Korean won. Australia spent 6% more on international tourism.
Meanwhile, Russia saw a 4% decline in spending in the first quarter, following two years of strong rebound. Spending out of Brazil and Mexico were down 5% and 13%respectively, partly reflecting the wider situation of the two largest Latin American economies.
Traveloka rolls out insurance services aimed at Indonesians
Indonesia’s OTA unicorn Traveloka has launched insurance products under Traveloka Protect, which is aimed at capturing Indonesia’s largely untapped insurance market.
Traveloka Protect offers two types of insurance products: Travel Insurance, which includes comprehensive insurance and Schengen visa insurance; and Life Insurance.
Traveloka Protect offers users “an easy purchasing process” sans health checks and complicated administrative processes, said the company, adding that it “guarantees acceptance for all users aged 18 to 69”.
The level of market penetration for insurance in Indonesia ranges from two to three per cent, making Indonesia the second-lowest in insurance penetration among South-east Asian countries, according to the Indonesian General Insurance Association (AAUI).
This low penetration rate is due to lack of insurance literacy, said AAUI. Hoping to tap this market, Traveloka Protect presents a variety of insurance products for Indonesians. Besides offering protection, Traveloka wants to educate the Indonesian people on the importance of insurance.
Eiheiji Hakujukan, Japan
Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko has opened Eiheiji Hakujukan, a hybrid of a temple lodging and an upscale Japanese inn. Located in Fukui Prefecture, the property is situated in front of Eiheiji, one of the two head temples of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism founded in 1244.
The 18-key lodging was developed for visitors to experience the world of Zen, and each room can accommodate up to four people on two beds and additional futons. Other facilities include a Japanese restaurant serving Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, large communal indoor and outdoor baths, Zen garden, and a multipurpose room where guests can practice zazen meditation.
The Clubhouse at Ulu, Indonesia
Sitting atop Uluwatu’s cliffs above the Indian Ocean, The Clubhouse at Ulu is a collection of seven suites. Each suite is named after the seven legendary surf breaks that surround the property – such as Padang Padang, Impossibles and Racetracks – and comes with four-poster beds, 1950s California style furnishings, and free-standing baths.
Guests will also have exclusive use of a private members’ lounge, a Clubhouse bar and in-suite or poolside spa treatments. In addition, they will also have access to the Ulu Cliffhouse beach club, which boasts a 25-metre infinity pool, a restaurant, and a bar.
InterContinental Phuket Resort, Thailand
The beachfront resort along Phuket’s Kamala Beach (also known as the Millionaire’s Mile) has opened with 221 rooms and villas. Aside from four F&B options, the resort’s recreational facilities include five swimming pools, a fitness centre, tennis court and Planet Trekkers Kids Club. There is also the Sati Spa and Wellness which boasts eight treatment rooms, a suite with jacuzzi, and nail salon. Club InterContinental guests will have access to a lounge on the second floor with beach vista frontage, indoor and outdoor dining areas, as well as a large private sundeck and infinity pool.
Hotel Purple, Hong Kong
Housed within this 24-storey boutique hotel in Tin Hau district are 83 rooms ranging from Studio Rooms to the One-Bedroom Deluxe. Keeping gadgets juiced will be easy, as every room offers wireless chargers, alongside ChargeSpot power banks and adapters located throughout the hotel. Guests are invited relax, or bond over local snacks and boardgames in the lounge, or sit in its balcony swing on the outdoor terrace. There is also a gym located across the road, where guests can work up a sweat free of charge.