Christian Dolenc has been named general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Macau, following his most recent role as hotel manager of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
A native German national, Dolenc’s hospitality career began after receiving his diploma in hotel and catering business in 2001, as he underwent a range of placements in the UK, Switzerland and Germany.
Dolenc was appointed assistant front office manager at The Peninsula, Hong Kong in 2008 and in 2010, joined Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong as front office manager. In 2012, he transferred to Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta to take on the role of director of rooms before relocating back to Hong Kong as hotel manager of The Excelsior, Hong Kong in 2016.
Rainforest Cruises is introducing a new luxury cruise vessel, the Mekong Jewel, which will begin sailing the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia in 2020.
The ship will feature a panoramic sky lounge, private balconies in all 34 suites, a 2:1 guest-to-staff ratio, and sustainable elements like no use of plastic and support for local produce and artisans.
Inside the Mekong Jewel
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“Building on our success in the Amazon and Galapagos, we believe expanding our offering to South-east Asia is a natural fit. South-east Asia is rich in cultural, archeological and biological treasures with numerous navigable rivers,” said Jeremy Clubb, director of Rainforest Cruises.
“Additionally, a cruise vessel like the Mekong Jewel provides a luxury experience, while allowing guests to visit several countries in a single itinerary.”
Offshore itineraries will take guests to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, experience a water blessing by the monks of Wat Arang, admire French architecture of the Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City, among other highlights.
Mekong Jewel bookings made before September 30 are entitled to a free two-night stay at Hotel Grand Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City and/or the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa in Siem Reap.
Following its earlier announcement that current CEO Markus Semer and CFO Colin Lubbe are stepping down from their roles, the Kempinski Group has found a new CEO in Martin Smura, who will take the helm beginning July 1.
The 50-year-old Smura brings a vast amount of management experience and expertise from top international hotel companies on five continents, and was most recently executive chairman of the board of the Dorint Hotel Group.
Smura also spent 15 years with the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in various capacities such as director operations in East and Western Europe. He also held his first general management post while with IHG, and was the group’s youngest regional GM at 30.
President Bautista stepped down to spend more time with family
Following the retirement of Philippine Airlines’ president and COO Jaime Bautista, Vivienne Tan, the daughter of the airline’s owner, will step up to the role of officer-in-charge.
PAL owner, chairman and CEO Lucio Tan and members of the board have accepted Bautista’s retirement to spend more time with his family.
President Bautista stepped down to spend more time with family
The younger Tan will serve concurrently as executive vice president, treasurer and chief administrative officer. She has worked for the airline in various capacities since 2011, before moving to other positions in the LT Group (the elder Tan’s holding company), mainly in the real estate, banking and education sectors.
Aside from PAL, she also sits on the board of Tan holding firm LT Group, Philippine National Bank, Eton Properties, Dynamic Holdings, University of the East and UERMMMC.
Overall, Tan has had more than 25 years of professional experience in technology, education, entrepreneurship and social advocacy in industries such as education, airline and property development.
All official communication and concerns requiring the attention and/or approval of the PAL president shall henceforth be addressed to the younger Tan, the airline said in a statement.
Upgrading JTB’s digital strategy is a priority of the DMC’s new president & CEO, Toru Ikuta, who takes over from predecessor Billy Kurosawa.
Before moving to Singapore for this role in January, Ikuta was based in Japan as managing executive for outbound group travel under JTB. Now, he oversees JTB’s operations and development in Asia-Pacific.
On Ikuta’s wishlist: digital transformation, more NTO collaborations in Asia, and improved inbound tourism management in Japan
“A lot of our customer and tour group applications have been done manually using paper-based systems. I hope to move everything online to platforms like apps,” he explained.
This boost will help the DMC expand their presence in Asia and promote development and exchange in Singapore and across the region. Out of Singapore’s 18.5 million international visitor arrivals, JTB sees about 437,000 Japanese travellers.
“We want to work to continue expanding these numbers,” Ikuta expressed.
Along with internal enhancements, he hopes to build on the trend of strong partnerships, such as the 2017 deal with Singapore Tourism Board, in which he was also involved.
Under this MoU, new tourism campaigns and content developed for Singapore are bearing fruit. There was a 175 per cent increase in Japanese tourists to the country, and JTB will continue to grow interest in the destination, said Ikuta.
“Our goal is to also work with more government organisations in the region, including Singapore,” he shared.
JTB is also working to address Japan’s overflowing inbound tourism numbers, which includes a large segment of repeat visitors. As of 2018, international visitor arrivals hit 21.8 million; with the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, Japan aims to bring this number up to 40 million.
To draw the crowds away from hotspots like Kyoto, the key is in unique regional trips, said Ikuta. “A key trend we’re seeing is many more repeat travellers. They look out for three things: personalised trips, more experiential travel and specific locations outside of the big cities.”
Popular activities include sushi making, festivals, rice planting, religious village experiences and cosplay events, in regions such as Tohoku, Hokuriku and Kyushu.
Providing such expert arrangements and recommendations is especially crucial to drawing the repeat segment, which tends to avoid tour packages in favour of booking their own flights, hotels and transport.
The Swiss hospitality management school will set up an international campus in Singapore
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) will open an international campus in Singapore, expecting to welcome its first cohort of students in the fall of 2021.
The announcement came after the Singaporean authorities regulating private education institutions gave EHL the green light to deliver its bachelor course in Singapore, having received the EduTrust certification.
The Swiss hospitality management school is expecting to have its first cohort in Singapore in 2021
EHL Campus (Singapore) wants to deliver the same internationally recognised Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management degree as EHL Campus Lausanne, adding first-hand local market knowledge and experience to the curriculum.
Candidates can submit an anticipated application to start their preparatory year at the EHL Campus Lausanne in September 2020 and begin their bachelor course as the first cohort at EHL Campus (Singapore) in the fall of 2021.
André Witschi, chairman of the EHL Group board of governors, sad: “We are very much looking forward to establishing a strong international foothold in one of the world’s most dynamic and competitive countries. Receiving the EduTrust certification is a great milestone which allows us to move forward with the next steps of the project, and namely confirm the location of the premises of our campus in Singapore”.
Opening a campus in Singapore represents an important step forward in the institution’s international growth strategy, said Michel Rochat, EHL Group CEO.
“We go where the market needs us to be, and our goal to open a campus in Singapore will allow us to remain one step ahead, understanding, shaping and stimulating the global hospitality industry, as we have been doing for over a century”, said Rochat.
Global short-term rental management company GuestReady Group has raised an additional US$6 million in funding, bringing the total funds raised to almost US$10 million.
The latest round was co-led by Dubai-based VentureSouq and Abramovich-backed Impulse VC, which already led GuestReady’s Seed round in 2017. Many of the existing investors such as Hong Kong’s Aria Group or Australia’s 808 Tech Ventures increased their positions in GuestReady as part of this Series A funding round.
The GuestReady Team
The additional funding will be used to further invest in product development and fuel growth initiatives across Asia-Pacific and Europe, including capitalising on available M&A opportunities.
Christian Mischler, co-founder at GuestReady, told TTG Asia: “We will continue to focus on Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In all three larger regions we see great growth potential. While the market in Europe is ahead of Asia in terms of number of listings but also the service infrastructure available to the ecosystem (such as key lockboxes, linen companies, etc), there is greater growth potential in Asia and the Middle East, which is why we will keep a balanced approach for all three regions.”
Looking forward, GuestReady will invest in building up the operations team in Kuala Lumpur and is in advanced conversations with a number of regional property developers to bring its tech-enabled services to more markets in South-east Asia.
Mischler added: “We now have a white-labelled version of our tech system which we can make available to either smaller property managers so that they can professionalise their vacation rental management, or to property developers so that they can offer a broader set of services to their clientele.
“(GuestReady’s) B2B offering goes beyond services to property developers, and we can support smaller vacation rental management companies to become more tech-enabled and save costs by having streamlined operations,” he added.
GuestReady Group, which currently manages more than 2,000 properties, operates in 14 cities around the world including Hong Kong and Malaysia. It is launched in 2016 by Mischler and CEO Alexander Limpert – the latter was formerly managing director of Foodpanda in the Philippines and Taiwan.
Following its first acquisition in 2017, the fast-growing company has embarked on an aggressive acquisition path in recent months, buying out French competitor BnbLord earlier this year, and Portugal-based Oporto City Flats and France’s We Stay In Paris last year.
Besides marketing vacant residential property listings on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com, the company says it also helps property owners to stay compliant with local housing regulations and to deliver services including housekeeping and guest check-in.
The first Alila in Europe will have a view of the Lake of Gruyère
Europe will get its first Alila branded resort in La Gruyère, Switzerland, come 2023.
Hyatt, which recently added the brand to its luxury portfolio after acquiring Two Roads Hospitality, announced that an affiliate company has signed a management agreement with Resort 4 SA, owned by Ben Golf Investissements SA, to bring the brand to Europe.
The first Alila in Europe will have a view of the Lake of Gruyère
Overlooking a lake, Alila La Gruyère will offer 85 rooms, 27 residences, a golf course and a wellness retreat.
“The region of La Gruyère with its medieval Gruyères town is a great location for a brand that embodies an expression of centuries-old traditions,” said Guido Fredrich, Hyatt’s regional vice president of development for Europe.
“Moreover, the Alila brand offers tremendous potential for growth in Europe by responding to the increasing trend of ecotourism and wellness travel. We also know that well-travelled guests are looking to make impactful connections, and the Alila brand caters to this demand.”
Alila La Gruyère will be located in Pont-la-Ville in the district of La Gruyère, which belongs to the Canton of Fribourg in western Switzerland.
La Gruyère is known for its picturesque landscape, charming medieval town, and cheese and chocolate factories.
“We are delighted to work with Hyatt to bring this innovative luxury resort to La Gruyère under the Alila brand,” said Urs Müller, general manager, Resort 4 SA.
“The area is already popular for weekend getaways and golf and wellness retreats due to its outstanding natural beauty. With the Alila brand, we look forward to introducing a new concept to the region and creating a world-class destination that will take the travel experience to the next level.”
Artist impression of the new-build hotel in Pattaya
Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western is set to open in Pattaya come 2Q2020 as the first new-build under the soft brand in Asia.
Located 100m from the beach in Na Jomtien, Pattaya, Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western will feature 195 suites and a range of facilities, including a rooftop swimming pool.
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Artist impression of the new-build hotel in Pattaya
From left: Habitat Group’s Vimolsiri Sutthibut, Sasivimol Sutthibut and Chanin Vanijwongse with Best Western’s Olivier Berrivin, Rodney Simpson, and Cyrill Czerwonka
Best Western signed a Professional Service Agreement (PSA) with Thai property-for-investment developer Habitat Group for the new hotel.
Habitat Hospitality, a subsidiary of Habitat Group, oversees the group’s portfolio of resort developments.
The two companies are also working together at Best Western Premier Bayphere Pattaya – another upscale development on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, scheduled to open in 1Q2020.
Best Western’s expanding Thai portfolio now covers destinations including Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Buriram and Prachinburi.
Protests caused some inconvenience for Admiralty hotel guests and dented travel confidence, but travel agents see no cancellations yet
After leading to the cancellation of a major event in the city, the massive street protests in Hong Kong over an extradition bill in recent weeks are threatening to dent visitor confidence, although travel trade players report little to no impact on tourist activity for now.
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival scheduled on June 14-16 at Central Harbourfront was abruptly cancelled after the Central Government Complex (CGC) in Admiralty was besieged by protests on June 12 and 13, which saw thousands of protestors clashing with police and rounds of tear gas fired.
Protests caused some inconvenience for Admiralty hotel guests and dented travel confidence, but travel agents say they have not cancellations yet
A further protest march last Sunday marked a historic day as over two million people took to the streets, but the movement ended smoothly without causing any major disturbances to the city.
Travel Industry Council, executive director, Alice Chan hasn’t received any requests for assistance from members so far.
She said: “The impact of last Wednesday’s incident will be short-term. The dragon boat event was cancelled because it happened to be located near where the incident took place. All other parts of Hong Kong are still very safe. I believe visitors will continue to have confidence in travelling to Hong Kong.”
For W Travel’s managing director, Wing Wong, however, the consequences may be longer term due to dented confidence in Hong Kong’s stability as an events host.
He said: “This may affect organisers’ decision to stage international events in Hong Kong. To us, it means additional effort to explain to clients when preparing quotations in future.”
As the mass protest cools down, Wong assured that for now, disruption to travel plans can be kept to a minimum with some route planning. “On June 23, we will have a group of 300 people who booked their stay in Kowloon. We’ll avoid going to areas affected by the protest.
“Overall speaking, I haven’t got any cancellation or postponement of tours but heard of some cancellations from FITs booked through OTAs. Frankly, the city is back to normal so it’s safe to visit. Only a small area around CGC is still heavily guarded by police.”
Despite not seeing any booking cancellations, Reliance Travel (Hong Kong), general manager, Agnes Chan said the incident has shaken travel confidence and clients had been making enquiries every day to track the development.
”As they start planning their summer holidays now, many FITs from South-east Asia put their travel booking on hold and adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Their main concern is safety,” she added.
A Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) spokesman said: “HKTB has advised visitors to avoid going to the area but stressed that other parts of Hong Kong remain normal, and tourist activities are not affected. It is safe to travel to Hong Kong. As Admiralty is the major transportation hub and home to various hotels, shopping malls and attractions, the large-scale demonstration in the area may cause inconvenience to visitors. The HKTB will continue to closely monitor the development and keep trade partners and visitors informed of the latest information.”
