Centara marks 36th anniversary with 36-themed deals

May 31, 2019

Thailand-based Centara Hotels & Resorts is marking its 36^thbirthday with a series of offers, promotions and lucky draws starting on June 3, all featuring the “36” theme.

Centara Hotels & Resorts marks its 36th birthday with cake cutting and celebrations led by CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat (fourth from left) and senior vice president of corporate affairs & social responsibility Supatra Chirathivat (fifth from left)

Limited-time deals include:

Every Third Night For Just THB 36 – For 36 days (June 3 to July 9), travellers will be able to stay with Centara for just 36 baht (US$1.10). Under this offer, guests who book a minimum three-night stay at any Centara hotel or resort worldwide will pay just 36 baht for their third night.

Lucky Stay E-Voucher – For seven days from June 14-20, guests will be able to book rooms at selected Centara hotels for a fixed price at 3,600 baht per night. This offer is valid for room nights worth more than 4,500 baht and available for stays until October 31, 2019.

Cash Bonus Spending Credit: THB 3,600 for More! – Guests who purchase a stored value credit of 3,600 baht between June 31 and 27, will see its value boosted to 5,500 baht. Credit can be used on spa treatments, hotel dining, and more.

LINE Coupons: Exclusive Deals for THB 36 and THB 360 – For 36 days (June 3 to July 9), Centara will reveal a series of deals on the LINE app, ranging from snacks for 36 baht to a 40-minute massage at spa Cenvaree for 360 baht.

10 Year Travel in Style Challenge: Photo Competition – Compete in the 10 Year Travel in Style Challenge with Centara, or the 36 Year Challenge. Guests who post their “now and then” throwback travel photos and use hashtag #36CentaraThrowback could win one of 36 prizes, including one grand prize – a five-night holiday at Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, including transfers.

Exclusive Privilege for Centara The – All Centara The1 member prize winners will also receive 3,600 Centara The1 points, on top of their main prize. Centara will also be offering free night redemptions for just 6,363 points at select hotels for a limited time.

Lastly, guests who stay with Centara during the 36-day anniversary period will be offered the chance to enter a Check-In Lucky Draw. Guests can win on-the-spot prizes including spa treatments, bottles of wine, celebratory cakes, special discounts and more.

This celebration also marks the 36^thanniversary of Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok, the first hotel of the group, together with the 10th anniversary of Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld and Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.

Today, 70 Centara properties with six brands are operational or under development across 12 countries, and the company is on its way to doubling its global portfolio by 2022.

For more information, please visit http://36.centarahotels.com

New shades of emerging destinations in Thailand

By TTG

May 31, 2019

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Brought to you by Thailand Travel Mart

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is gearing up to welcome buyers and sellers to Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion 2019 to be held between 5-7 June at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Pattaya.

This year, the theme of the “New Shades of Emerging Destinations”, is designed to encourage visitors to explore the new shades of Thailand in the 55 provinces identified as emerging destinations or the “hidden gems” throughout the country.

This is the second consecutive year that Thailand’s largest annual B2B tourism and travel trade event is being held at the biggest marina in Southeast Asia. The event is designed largely to give the emerging generation of creative small- and medium-sized enterprises, especially those which cannot afford to attend international trade shows, an opportunity to network with international buyers.

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor, TAT said, “Although Thailand is one country, every place has its own character. There’s more to Thailand than Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket waiting for visitors to discover. TAT is also trying to expose businesses from the emerging destinations to the international audiences in this year’s TTM+.”

He said that as part of the focus on responsible tourism development and to make the TTM+ 2019 a green event, TAT will continue last year’s campaign to cut back on plastic usage. Thai sellers will also be partly selected on the basis of their environmental commitment.

“We would like to invite all buyers, sellers and media from all over the world to participate in the TTM+2019 and take this opportunity to begin the journey, unveiling the new shades of emerging destinations in Amazing Thailand,” the Governor said.

First organised in 2001, the TTM+ today attracts about 350 sellers, primarily from Thailand with a small number from the neighbouring GMS countries. About 300 buyers from roughly 60 countries are fully hosted, but the event is also open to those wishing to attend on their own arrangements.

Buyers also get a complete range of product updates, educational forums, and take part in post-event tours to many of the emerging destinations.

Visit www.thailandtravelmartplus.com for more information

Seeing the world in 45 different ways

By TTG Asia

May 31, 2019

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1 – 15

01. Theatrical impressions of Melaka
The 70-minute Encore Melaka, the first of the Impressions series outside of China, recounts tales of the historic Malaysian city with a 360 degree rotating auditorium, 3D projection mapping and intricate props, creating a virtual reality effect.

02. World’s first underground hotel
The 336-room InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland in Sheshan Mountain Range is a mostly subterranean property with two floors underwater. All rooms offer a good vantage point for the nightly water show. Guests can kayak or zipline across the quarry, or go rock climbing.

03. Malaysia’s own ‘Salar de Uyuni’
An hour from Kuala Lumpur, Sky Mirror is a sandbar that appears on the Straits of Melaka twice a month during the new moon and full moon periods. With its shallow waters and mirror-like reflection, the attraction offers unique photography opportunities.

04. Insects-infested fine dining
At Insects in the Backyard in Bangkok’s new Chang Chui creative hub, six-legged critters are served up in fine-dining style by chef Mai Thitiwat. Insects are sourced from family-run, chemical-free farms.

05. Changi’s new crown Jewel
The latest Jewel in Changi Airport’s crown is its S$1.7 billion (US$1.3 billion) complex, a multifaceted indoor destination with 280 retail and F&B units; YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport; and the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

06. Deportees connect through tours
A social enterprise offering tours of Cambodia, Zin Adventures is run by Cambodian-Americans deportees from the US. A walking tour takes guests through Phnom Penh’s Old European quarter, while the one- to three-day tours go to Kirirom National Park’s historic pine forest. The company aims to hire 20 more deportees.

07. Helicopter tours in Laos
In Laos, Summit Discovery organises helicopter tours to experience Vientiane and its nearby attractions, including the Elephant Temple and Nam Ngum lake. Gourmet meals can be arranged.

08. Tracing Gandhi’s footsteps
Delhi Walks’ Gandhi experience tells stories associated with Mahatma Gandhi. The tour covers the National Gandhi Museum with original relics, books, documents, journals, photographs related to Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi.

09. Solar-powered boat in Myanmar
Myanmar’s Burma Boating offers environmentally-friendly expeditions around the Mergui Archipelago in its 100 per cent solar-powered yacht for six people and three crew. The S55 has three levels with a salon and four cabins.

10. Shelter for the marginalised
Gawad Kalinga (GK) or Give Care, promotes voluntourism by inviting visitors to build houses in marginalised communities through the Philippines. GK Enchanted Farm in Bulacan is a social enterprise and offers tours of its farm, rooms and dorms.

11. Ship turns hotel in Bintan
The 104-year-old MV Doulos, has been turned into a hotel dry berthed in Bintan. The overhauled eight-deck vessel has 104 cabins, a maritime museum, banquet hall, meeting rooms, library and club lounge. On-land amenities include a beach club, swimming pool, kid’s playground and amphitheatre.

12. Coming soon: supersonic travel
Come mid 2020, Boom Supersonic will roll out its supersonic aircraft in Overture, capable of flying at twice the speed of sound. Japan Airlines and Virgin Group have placed pre-orders for the Mach 2.2, 55-seater passenger jet.

13. Backstage tour of Chinese opera
Traditional Chinese Opera in Singapore is brought back to live through Xperience DMC’s tour, allowing guests to go behind the scenes and meet performers.

14. Cambodia on two wheels
JustRide Motorbike Adventures explores Cambodia’s lesser known spots on its modern 400cc bikes, with tour options that range from all-inclusive day tours of Siem Reap to multi-day options of remote provinces.

15. Skywalk with a view
Bangkok’s Mahanakhon Skywalk is a rooftop observation deck perched 314m atop a ‘pixelated’ mixed-use building. A 50-second elevator ride takes guests up to 74th floor for 360-degree views. A ‘terrifying’ glass floor beyond the building’s edge await.

16 – 30

16. Pop concerts in Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s Fantasy Road is venue for high-profile concerts such as Taiwanese band Mayday and Ed Sheeran. With a capacity of 20,000 people per show, the venue can attract large-scale music events.

17. Get local with Khiri Travel Laos
Khiri Travel Laos works with a local Khmu family to offer a tour with kayaking, a traditional lunch with the family, learning the traditions of animism and production of lao hai (rice wine), walking through paddies and caves.

18. Dine in a grounded plane
Kuala Lumpur’s Plane in the City offers a 90-minute fine dining experience in a Boeing B737 jet on the ground, where diners can take selfies while sticking their heads out of the cockpit or walk on the wing of the plane.

19. Premium camping in Zhuhai
The Sumlodol Hengqin Camping Park offers 60,000m2 of tents, villas, wooden chalets and luxury caravan equipped with private courtyards with outdoor barbecues. It also has a multifunctional compound event venue.

20. Urban onsen theme park
The “urban onsen resort” in Osaka Bay Tower complex has a range of thermal baths containing natural waters with different properties, a rooftop garden, restaurants, shops and beauty services.

21. Michelin-star food on bus
Crystal Bus combines sightseeing with a culinary experience on a bus ride. Michelin-star dim sum is served onboard a Swarovski crystals donned double-decker bus. Two standard daily routes are offered: Lantau Island with lunch, and one through Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central.

22. VR ride through Amazon
Ocean Park Hong Kong’s upgraded VR rollercoaster Mine Train syncs virtual movement with real motion, as guests journey come face to face with animals in the Amazon rainforest by donning Samsung VR headsets.

23. A salute to valour
Rajah Travel’s Salute to Valour tour packages include Palawan’s historical and cultural attractions highlighting the province’s history and liberation during World War II. The tour has added the Calamian Islands, and Coron Bay where 11 Japanese shipwrecks lie.

24. Javanese rail journeys in style
State-owned Kereta Api Indonesia has launched new sleeper trains for overnight journeys across Java. These trains also run
services from Jakarta to Semarang, Central Java, and Jakarta to Yogyakarta.

25. Where Beatles did yoga
The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram in Rishikesh, made popular after The Beatles’ visit in 1968, has recently reopened. Find murals on the walls of the abandoned ashram, located within India’s Rajaji National Park by the Ganga River.

26. Pay for Sleeep by the minute
Sleeep is the first licensed capsule hotel that sells by the minute so users pay for only what they need. The intelligent sleeping capsule hotel in Sheung Wan won the Red Dot Design Award.

27. The art of making nougat
Mondo Nougat is currently offering nougat masterclasses to groups of up to 30 pax. Classes can be conducted at its Swan Valley factory or off-site in Perth.

28. Get your WishTrip
Founded as a navigation app where travellers record their journeys, WishTrip has 30,000 trails created by some 500,000 users. WishTrip also has in-app tools warning visitors of potentially dangerous areas.

29. See Singapore of yore
Travel back to pre-war Singapore through the eyes of an early immigrant. Trails of Tan Ah Huat, Singapore 1920s by Let’s Go Tour Singapore is a cycling tour of heritage areas like Kampong Glam, Singapore River and Chinatown, alongside immersive storytelling.

30. Eco estate by the sea
Nestled between the sea and mountains, the 325ha Lio Tourism Estate in El Nido, Palawan is a planned ecological sustainable development, with hotels, resorts, residential communities, and commercial establishments.

31 – 45

31. Tracing Jewish heritage
Jane’s Singapore Tours uncovers the story and heritage of Sing-apore’s Jewish community. Key highlights will be a visit to two synagogues – Chesed-El Synagogue in Oxley Rise and Maghain Aboth Synagogue in Waterloo Street.

32. 3D animated culinary journey
At Elements Kuala Lumpur or Park Hyatt Bangkok, have food cooked by Le Petit Chef, an animated chef projected onto diners’ plates via 3D mapping technology. Food is designed by Michelin-star chef Jeff Ramsey.

33. Onsen gastronomy tour
Walk Japan’s Onsen Gastronomy tours take guests through some of the country’s most off-the-beaten-path regions, punctuated by soaks in natural springs and meals featuring local flavours.

34. Window into Outback life
The Katherine Outback Experience gives insight to life in the Outback. Led by two-time Golden Guitar winner Tom Curtain, the show includes horse breaking and dog training demonstrations, live music and entertaining stories.

35. Vespa sidecar tours
Experience Singapore’s sights, sounds and flavours in a unique fleet of hand-restored vintage Vespa sidecars from Triquetra Singapore. Guides lead the heritage, art and architecture tours. Bespoke options are possible.

36. Karst rock conservation park
Masungi Georeserve is a conservation in Rizal, near Manila. Home to 60-million-year-old limestone formations, attractions include a suspended platform, a giant hammock; hanging bridges, rope courses and eco-trails.

37. Shang tours Tsim Sha Tsui
As the first hotel to open in the reclaimed Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon Shangri-La has pioneered a walking tour of the precinct’s heritage, including visiting a school attended by Bruce Li.

38. Yoga by the holy river
Modi Yoga Retreat, on the banks of the holy river Ganga in Rishikesh, has 29 luxury rooms and offers yoga, nutrition, proactive healthcare and spa facilities, and lifestyle and wellbeing consultations with in-house experts.

39. Star Wars in Asia
Resorts World Genting has scored Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, the first multisensory immersive experience in Asia that blurs the line between the physical and virtual world, evoking all the senses.

40. Tales of rural India
Tales from India’s tours offer insight to rural life in Indian states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Visitors share a meal with local families or visit a local temple. Accommodation ranges from guest houses to privately-owned palaces.

41. MAD tours with impact
Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, is a Philippine social tourism platform that supports indigenous and marginalised communities. Its Seed Nation project collects seeds from companies and restaurants for planting in Zambales, Rizal and Aurora.

42. Warehouse heritage
Fifth-gen owners of Lhong 1919, a 19th century Chinese warehouse in Bangkok, has turned the site into a riverside heritage complex. A shrine to the Chinese goddess of seafarers, original Chinese murals and stonework were found and restored. There’s also a 800m2 hall and riverfront restaurant.

43. Marine research expeditions
Rascal Voyages and Conservation International Indonesia have teamed up to offer The Exploration Series of scientific expeditions across the Indonesian Archipelago, South-east Asia, the Indian Ocean and beyond.

44. Bali makes wines
Award-winning Sababay Winery in Bali’s Gianyar produces some 800,000 bottles a year and imparts wine-making knowledge to local farmers, putting the famed Indonesian island on the world wine map.

45. Flying adventures in Rishikesh
At India’s first extreme aerosports destination, adventure seekers can try open cockpit flying, as well as hot air ballooning during the winter season. The operations and the fleet of the company, Rajas Aviators, are approved by the Indian aviation regulatory body.

Garuda Indonesia cuts Europe, domestic flights to stem losses after price ceiling regulation

By Kurniawan Ulung

May 30, 2019

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Garuda Indonesia has axed a number of “unprofitable” international and domestic routes, which the airline says was due to the government’s revised regulation on ceiling fares for domestic routes.

In a parliament hearing last week, president of Garuda Ari Ashkara said the airline had stopped its Belitung-Singapore service, which began operations in October 2018, and would do the same to the Jakarta-London-Bali services after the summer peak season, which was relaunched barely six months ago.

Garuda Indonesia has scrapped several routes it has deemed unprofitable

The frequency of the Jakarta-Amsterdam service, meanwhile, will be reduced from six times to thrice weekly later this year.

For the domestic sector, frequencies to destinations like Morotai, Maumere and Bima will also be cut.

Ari said the decision was made as part of the company’s efficiency measures following the government’s decision to lower the ceiling price of economy class airfares by 12 per cent to 16 per cent as of May 15.

Ari was quoted by tirto.id as saying: “The impact of the ceiling price reduction is big. Garuda can no longer subsidise the losing routes.

“We do receive complains from Belitung (but) the loss on the route was US$1.3 million in the last six months. We can no longer subsidise it from the trunk routes like Surabaya, Denpasar and Yogyakarta.”

Earlier this month, the Indonesia Ministry of Transportation issued a new regulation requiring airlines to readjust the price of its economy class airfares on domestic routes to the new airfare ceiling.

The policy was made to meet the domestic market’s demand for affordable airfare tickets ahead of the upcoming annual mass homebound exodus around the Idul Fitri holiday period.

Indonesian travel executives, however, said that ticket prices remained high despite the regulation and several flights were cancelled due to the lack of passengers.

Jenny Margaretha, owner of Jakarta-based Vanessa Tour said that during the fasting month of Ramadan, travel agents usually enjoy a profit boost as Indonesians would usually purchase flight tickets to return to their hometowns.

However, this year her company suffered from the drastic surge in the domestic air ticket prices. “Domestic ticket sales at Vanessa Tour have dropped by 60 per cent for Ramadan this year, compared to last year’s performance,” she said.

In fact, TTG Asia’s random check on Traveloka for the Jakarta-Surabaya route, for example, found that Garuda air tickets are priced at Rp1.4 million (US$98), higher than the ceiling price of Rp1.1 million set by the government in the new regulation.

The price of Batik Air ticket for Jakarta-Bali, meanwhile, is between Rp1.5 million-1.6 million, which is also above the ceiling price of Rp1.4 million for the route.

Like Vanessa Tour, Wita Tour also recorded a drop in sales of flight tickets during Ramadan holy month this year. “It has decreased by 20 per cent compared to last year’s Ramadan,” said Rudiana, director of sales.

Reducing the airfare price ceiling is not an adequate measure, remarked Rudiana. What the government should do, he urged, was to take actions to bring back moderate, lower subclass prices of flight tickets for domestic routes.

Budijanto Ardiansjah, vice president of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies, expressed pessimism that airlines would follow the government’s instruction to lower price of airline tickets during the peak travel season of the Ramadan fasting month.

He said that according to a report from the members of his association, domestic ticket sales already declined by 50 per cent for routes inside Java island.

He believed that the skyrocketing air ticket prices had driven Indonesians to switch from flying, which they used to rely on around the time of Idul Fitri holiday, to other land transport modes such as bus and train.

“Many toll roads are getting better today. Cities in Java have also been connected by many trains. There are many alternative options,” he said.

Budijanto said that air ticket sales from Java to other islands in the archipelagic country dropped by 20 to 30 per cent, which was better than the performance of ticket sales within Java, because the only option to travel outside Java quickly is through flying.

Additional reporting by Mimi Hudoyo

India, Germany among latest countries to lift travel warnings on Sri Lanka

By Feizal Samath

May 30, 2019

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Jamiul-Alfar-Mosque-in-Colombo — The lifting of travel bans will slowly but surely rejuvenate inbound arrivals to the country; Jamiul Alfar Mosque in Colombo, pictured

India, Sri Lanka’s largest tourism source market, has relaxed travel restrictions to Sri Lanka as the country makes attempts to recover from plunging arrival numbers in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings.

On Tuesday, India’s travel advisory was updated from “non-essential travel” to “be careful and vigilant” when travelling to Sri Lanka.

The lifting of travel bans will slowly but surely rejuvenate inbound arrivals to the country; Jamiul Alfar Mosque in Colombo, pictured

India’s updated advisory for Sri Lanka comes after a similar move made earlier this week by China – Sri Lanka’s second largest source market – prompting other countries like Germany, Switzerland and Sweden to follow suit, officials at the state-run Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said.

Earlier this week on Monday, Switzerland updated its travel advisory to “in Sri Lanka travellers must be very vigilant about their personal safety”, compared to the previous cautioning to “avoid unnecessary travel to Sri Lanka”.

On the same day, Germany also updated its travel advisory from “unnecessary travel to Sri Lanka is still discouraged” to “despite the restoration of public order, travel to Sri Lanka will continue to be more cautious”.

According to Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka’s chief Trevor Rajaratnam, this happened after prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met with the heads of 43 foreign missions in Sri Lanka last week, urging them to lift the travel restrictions. The consulates were also provided a security briefing by the military, which reiterated that all of Sri Lanka was safe for travellers.

“This was going to happen sooner than later, and the prime minister’s meeting, along with a security briefing, helped. The others (countries) will soon follow suit,” Rajaratnam opined. He also hopes that the UK, Sri Lanka’s third largest source, will lift its travel ban soon.

Countries such as India, China, the UK and Canada had imposed travel bans on Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the attack, which killed over 250 people including 40 tourists. Foreign visitors were advised to cancel all non-essential travel, causing occupancy rates at most hotels in the country to dip by more than 70 per cent.

Jetwing Hotels’ chairperson Shiromal Cooray welcomed the relaxation of travel bans, and added that hopefully by July things will change and the country will be able to recover by December.”

“The numbers won’t be the same during the winter season, but still it would (still be an improvement). Our hotels are now averaging 30-35 per cent with many local clients during weekends. Indians have also started coming in,” she shared. Many local hotels have been offering discounts of up to 60 per cent to attract locals, particularly during weekends.

Boost in tourism revenue for Malaysia on back of higher 1Q2019 arrivals

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2019

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Tourist-in-KL — Malaysia reports healthy tourist arrivals for 1Q2019; tourists in Kuala Lumpur pictured

Malaysia’s tourism industry recorded a 16.9 per cent increase in tourist expenditure, earning RM21.4 billion (US$5.1 billion) in receipts as a result of increased tourist arrivals in 1Q2019.

Tourist arrivals to Malaysia in the first quarter totalled nearly 6.7 million compared with 6.5 million in the same period in 2018, shared Tourism Malaysia in a press release.

Malaysia reports healthy tourist arrivals for 1Q2019; tourists in Kuala Lumpur pictured

Arrivals from South-east Asia continued to dominate as the key contributor of tourist arrivals with a share of 68.3 per cent, which is a 1.9 per cent increase over 1Q2018 to 4.6 million arrivals.

The top five arrival markets from South-east Asia were Singapore (2.6 million), Indonesia (924,916), Thailand (489,351), Brunei (319,024) and the Philippines (98,774). Meanwhile, the top five countries from South-east Asia that recorded the biggest growth over 1Q2018 were Cambodia (24.8 per cent), Indonesia (17.1 per cent), Laos (10 per cent), the Philippines (4.4 per cent) and Thailand (3.3 per cent).

Arrivals from Singapore declined slightly by 1.5 per cent over 1Q2017 to 2.6 million, due to the congestion at both Causeway and the Second Link checkpoints, which deterred overland travel from Singapore to Malaysia.

Malaysia ministry of international trade and industry’s secretary-general, Isham Ishak shared at a press conference that traffic would be eased in October when the government opens more immigration lanes for tourists at the Causeway checkpoint.

The medium-haul market share in 1Q2019 was 21.9 per cent, with a 8.6 per cent increase in arrivals over the same period in 2018, to almost 1.5 million tourists. This was driven mainly by visitors rom China, South Korea, Japan, India and Pakistan.

However, arrivals from major Middle East markets such as Saudi Arabia and UAE showed a decline of 20.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.

Musa Yusof, director-general, Tourism Malaysia attributed the drop in arrivals from the Middle East as a result of non-key travel period of the market as well as stiff competition from other destinations.

Musa further shared that in 2H2019 arrivals from the Middle East are expected to improve, once Air Arabia commences its direct daily flights between Sharjah and Kuala Lumpur on July 1, 2019.

The longhaul market, which recorded a 9.7 per cent of total market share, posted a decrease of 3.6 per cent in arrivals to 652,032 tourists in 1Q2019.

The average length of stay in Malaysia for 1Q2019 saw an improvement of 1.8 nights, up from 4.2 nights in 2018 to six nights in 2019. For longhaul markets, Saudi Arabia topped the average length of stay at 10.1 nights, followed by France at 8.9 nights, and UK and Germany at 8.5 nights.

For medium-haul markets, India came out tops at 6.8 nights, followed by Japan at 6.4 nights, South Korea at 6.2 nights and China at 6.1 nights.

For regional markets, Indonesian tourists in 1Q2019 spent an average of 5.5 nights in Malaysia, followed by Vietnamese at 5.2 nights and Thais at 4.1 nights.

Switzerland ups its game to entice Asia’s growing affluent

By Pamela Chow

May 30, 2019

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Montreux-Switzerland — An Asian tourist in Montreux, Switzerland

Switzerland is levelling up its offerings to meet the increasingly discerning demands of Asian travellers, on the back of rising affluence among Asia’s middle class.

Last year, Singapore registered as the top longhaul market for Switzerland, while Asia as a whole is delivering more travellers with a taste for luxury, shared Ivan Breiter, director South-east Asia of Switzerland Tourism.

An Asian tourist in Montreux, Switzerland

Breiter remarked that as more Asian travellers regard holidays as “the most prestigious and precious time” to spend with family and loved ones, their willingness to splurge on higher-quality tours and “out of the ordinary” experiences has also increased.

In order to appeal to this discerning crowd, Swiss players are tweaking their offerings accordingly. One example is luxury hotel Eden Au Lac in Zurich, which will soon reopen following an extensive refurbishment, bringing with it a suite of enhanced service standards.

“South-east Asia has become so important for us. We’ve realised that as the market is growing, and people are developing even more interest in Switzerland. It’s important to have service standards catered to this market,” said Ken Dang, sales manager of Eden Au Lac.

Dang explained that staff members will conduct research on the cultures and countries of its guests in order to integrate personalisation into amenities, service and offers. For example, the hotel may include dishes like laksa or rendang in a menu presented to a Malaysian or Singaporean guest.

As part of its efforts to maximise its mileage in Asia, Switzerland Tourism is participating at ILTM Asia Pacific this week. The organisation is accompanied by a delegation from Swiss Deluxe Hotels, a group which comprises 40 luxury five-star hotels and resorts in the country, including Eden Au Lac.

Four Seasons veteran becomes CEO and president

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2019

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Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has named CFO John Davison as its president and CEO effective immediately.

An 18-year veteran of Four Seasons, Davison had been serving as interim CEO since the end of 2018.

Davison, 60, joined Four Seasons’ executive ranks in 2002 and has served as CFO since 2005, with oversight of corporate finance, operations finance, and information systems and technology.

With more than 30 years of entertainment industry and luxury brand experience, Davison also previously oversaw Four Seasons global residential business, which has grown to include 42 branded residential projects worldwide.

Prior to Four Seasons, Davison worked for 14 years at IMAX Corporation, in various capacities such as president, COO and CFO, and for four years as a member of the Audit and Business Investigations Practices at KPMG in Toronto. Davison also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Canada Goose Holdings, and IMAX China Holding.

Davison will retain his duties as Four Seasons CFO on an interim basis as the company undertakes a search for a permanent replacement.

BHMA launches dynamic rates for wholesale distribution

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2019

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Away_Bali_Legian_Camakila_5 — Away Bali Legian Camakila is part of BHMA's portfolio

Thailand-based BHMA Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement with Travel Prologue, a B2B travel portal solution provider, to deliver live room rates and inventory to offline travel agencies, wholesalers and corporate travel intermediaries.

The deal with Travel Prologue’s Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network) hotel platform solutions will help to increase direct bookings from agents, wholesalers and corporates. The partnership will also increase efficiency and productivity through real-time connectivity and automation of inventory management processes.

Away Bali Legian Camakila is part of BHMA’s portfolio

“This collaboration with Travel Prologue will improve our partnership with our traditionally offline contractors by allowing them to book directly with real-time room availability of our hotels’ dynamic and static rates,” said Paul Wilson, BHMA’s executive vice president commercial.

Ho Siang Twang, executive director of Travel Prologue, added that the TA Network will also help bring multiple advantages including reduction in distribution costs, increased direct bookings and better inventory management.

Shimao Star develops new Ethos for Chinese millennials

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2019

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The_Alchemist_in_ETHOS_Hotel,_a_Themed_Bar_Designed_for_Chinese_Millennials — The Alchemist, a proposed themed bar in an ETHOS hotel

Shimao Star Hotels Group has launched a new hotel brand, Ethos (known as Fan Xiang in Mandarin), aimed at attracting the Chinese millennial segment by evoking their sense of heritage and national identity.

The upper-mid tier lifestyle brand will be tailored for China’s millennial travellers, with China pride evident throughout the design and construction of Ethos hotels.

The Alchemist, a proposed themed bar in an ETHOS hotel

The group will collaborate with independent Chinese brands to develop customised products for Chinese millennial travellers, and has also partnered with emerging Chinese artists in the creation of music, custom-made statues and art installations for the property.

An Ethos hotel will feature a co-working space called Connexis, in which social activities will be regularly organised; an interactive community screen where guests can explore the local community and interact; and self-service check-in counters.

The first Ethos is expected to launch in Xiamen and Wuhan in late 2019, and the group will be promoting the brand in China’s first- and second-tier
cities and overseas.

Tyrone Tang, vice president of Shimao Group, chairman & CEO of Shanghai Shimao Hotel Management Company, CEO of Shimao Star Hotels Group said during a press conference: “As the primary force driving consumption in the Chinese tourism market, the millennial generation has always been an important customer segment. The launch of the all-new brand Ethos marks the first hotel brand that Starwood Capital co-created with a Chinese company and designed for a Chinese population.”

Centara marks 36th anniversary with 36-themed deals

New shades of emerging destinations in Thailand

Seeing the world in 45 different ways

1 – 15

16 – 30

31 – 45

Garuda Indonesia cuts Europe, domestic flights to stem losses after price ceiling regulation

India, Germany among latest countries to lift travel warnings on Sri Lanka

Boost in tourism revenue for Malaysia on back of higher 1Q2019 arrivals

Switzerland ups its game to entice Asia’s growing affluent

Four Seasons veteran becomes CEO and president

BHMA launches dynamic rates for wholesale distribution

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