Singapore-based Pan Pacific Hotels Group is entering Europe with the London debut of its namesake brand scheduled for next year.
Pan Pacific London will open in the heart of London’s financial district at One Bishopsgate Plaza, a five-minute walk from Liverpool Street station.
Rendering of Pan Pacific London
It will offer 237 keys, a studio lounge, a ballroom that can accommodate up to 370 guests in banquet seating along with six meeting venues, an indoor lap pool, a fitness centre and spa treatment rooms.
Meanwhile in Asia, Pan Pacific Orchard will be relaunched in Singapore’s Orchard Road in 2021 with new eco-friendly standards. The revamped property, positioned as the group’s “first zero-waste hotel”, will feature three levels of sky gardens with foliage covering three times the hotel’s land area.
The hotel will feature 15,000m2 of hanging gardens (twice the hotel’s land area) comprising 50 varieties of plants spread across 16 storeys with sunlit rooms accessed by open corridors. The hotel will also include a rainwater harvesting system, a recyclable water system, and a compactor that transforms food waste into compost.
Amadeus and Lufthansa are now certified under IATA One Order, an initiative to modernise the flight booking experience.
Under the One Order approach, the customer is issued a single reference number for their journey, known as their Order ID, that covers all their flight and supplementary product documents (which have previously been handled separately).
After a one-year pilot, Lufthansa is now certified with One Order
One Order allows all travel products and services for a particular trip – even those of other providers such as partner airlines or third parties such as hotels and car rental companies – to be fully integrated under a single booking reference number.
The adoption of One Order has been made possible by IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard, which is using the XML standard to modernise the systems communications between airlines and other travel service providers.
Lufthansa’s One Order certification from IATA follows the completion of a one-year pilot project at the airline in collaboration with Lufthansa Systems. The project’s objective was to conduct the product offer and booking process solely based on NDC and One Order.
Meanwhile, Amadeus has achieved certification on the One Order standard as a capable Order Management System.
With this, Amadeus says it will provide airlines with more flexible dynamic offers, greater personalisation, more seamless shopping, delivery, and real-time financial flows.
Beyond the technology, the transformation also ushers opportunities to simplify and enhance airline business processes, organisation and culture, Amadeus said in a statement.
Fabrizio Calcabrini, executive vice president, Airlines Solutions, Amadeus commented: “Amadeus is… working towards alignment across the industry. We have always said that industry change will only happen if there is close collaboration between all travel players.”
In 2017, Amadeus partnered with British Airways to conduct the first proof of concept using One Order messages in a live production environment and shared feedback with IATA to contribute to the evolution of the standard.
Amadeus is now planning a second proof-of-concept in 2019. The One Order certification reinforces Amadeus’ commitment to its NDC-X programme, created to drive the industrialisation of the NDC standard for all travel players and improve business capabilities for the airline industry. Navitaire, an Amadeus company, also achieved One Order certification as an Accounting Provider earlier this year.
Artist impression of the first Wyndham Garden hotel in the Philippines
The Wyndham Garden brand will enter the Philippines in 2021 with a hotel set to open in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
The new-build Wyndham Garden Quezon City, located directly opposite the ABS-CBN communications and broadcasting centre, will feature 235 rooms and suites, meeting spaces, a spa, a fitness centre, as well as an elevated outdoor infinity pool along with a whirlpool tub and a pool bar.
Artist impression of the first Wyndham Garden hotel in the Philippines
F&B concepts will include an all-day dining restaurant offering Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino and Western cuisines, a grab-and-go outlet and a bar.
Situated near government buildings, media centres, corporate offices and retail establishments, Wyndham Garden Quezon City is expected to be a venue for business functions and events. To cater for this sector, the hotel will offer a choice of meeting rooms, an events space and a ballroom.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has a total of 21 properties operating all across the Philippines, located in key destinations such as Manila, Makati City, Quezon City, Boracay, Cebu City, Davao and Puerto Princesa. Wyndham Garden will be the company’s sixth brand in the country, following Ramada by Wyndham, Ramada Encore by Wyndham, Days Inn by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham and Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham.
Wyndham Garden Quezon City will be developed by Wellworth Properties and Development Corporation, with construction undertaken by its parent company, H.S. POW Construction and Development Corporation.
Four top executives at Jet Airways have stepped down as lenders continue seeking investors for the troubled airline.
The four are CEO Vinay Dube, CFO Amit Agarwal, chief people officer Rahul Taneja and company secretary Kuldeep Sharma, the Economic Times of India reported.
Jet Airways has suspended operations
Last month, the airline suspended operations after failing to secure funds. Etihad Airways has since made a highly conditional bid, but at a fraction of what the airline needs.
The airline is also being probed by the Enforcement Directorate on its deal to sell 50.1 per cent of its loyalty rewards programme Jet Privilege to Etihad, according to the report. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office of the corporate affairs ministry is looking into alleged irregular transactions by Jet’s founder Naresh Goyal.
NZ$35 will be levied on most tourists to New Zealand
Sustainability is now a key focus of New Zealand’s tourism industry, as indicated in Tourism 2025 & Beyond – a Sustainable Growth Framework, released yesterday at Trenz 2019, which is currently taking place in Rotorua.
This announcement is an update of the Tourism 2025 Growth Framework, first released in 2014.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Chris Roberts, chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), a membership association representing all sectors of New Zealand tourism sector, said: ”The Sustainable Growth Framework keeps our focus on the industry firmly on growing our value to individuals, communities, the economy and our visitors.
“The key change is that sustainability is now at the centre of Tourism 2025, providing a clear pathway towards a sustainable tourism industry for New Zealand. We have added visitor, community and environmental goals, and pushed our economical ambition up to NZ$50 billion (US$32.9 billion) a year in annual tourism revenue by 2025,” he shared.
This represents a marked increase from the original annual tourism revenue goal of NZ$41 billion by the same year. In 2018, progress towards the goal has exceeded expectations, with tourism contributing NZ$39.1 billion to the country.
With the tourism industry increasingly recognising and adopting the Maori values of guardianship, hospitality and work-togetherness, Roberts added that these foundations have been incorporated in the new directive.
More than 1,000 tourism businesses have now signed up for the newly released New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitments, he revealed.
In November 2018, Tourism Industry Aotearoa and six other New Zealand organisations also launched Tiaki, Care for New Zealand, an initiative that actively encourages international and domestic travellers to act as guardians of New Zealand.
Roberts, who organises Trenz on behalf of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust, said that there are signs of New Zealand’s continuing popularity as a destination, evident from the 386 buyers from 30 markets – an increase over last year – attending the annual tradeshow in Rotarua’s Energy Events Centre this year.
International buyers hail from Australia, China, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Brazil and Indonesia, with over 15,000 meetings expected to be held until May 16.
Accor is in talks to invest up to US$50 million in Indian budget hotels company Treebo Hotels, Live Mint reports.
Quoting an anonymous source, the report said Accor had put up a term sheet for a minority stake in Treebo, and that both parties are in advance stages of discussion.
Treebo Trend Spektrum Suites in Mysore, India
If the deal goes through, it will also give Accor the right to acquire a majority stake in Treebo at a later date, he said.
In 2017, Hong Kong-based investment firms Ward Ferry Management and Karst Peak Capital led a US$34 million investment in Treebo, which also saw participation from its existing investors Bertelsmann India Investments, Matrix Partners, and SAIF Partners.
To date, Treebo has raised more than US$55 million.
Live Mint quoted another source, who said the Treebo network has grown at a fast pace, from over 70 since its most recent financing in 2017 to around 500 today.
In October, Live Mint reported that Treebo and FabHotels had entered merger talks, which is expected to help them compete against the heavily funded Oyo.
Oyo raised US$1 billion in September in a funding round led by Softbank, valuing the company at around US$5 billion.
UFTAA's meeting wants to show that Sri Lanka is ready to receive tourists; train on the Nine Arch Bridge pictured
An international body of travel agents, the Universal Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), has announced plans to hold its next meeting in Sri Lanka to support the destination which took a devastating hit in the wake of last month’s Easter Sunday attacks.
UFTAA president Sunil Kumar Rumalla told reporters in Colombo last Friday: “UFTAA board member, Trevor Rajaratnam, appealed to us to try and look at Sri Lanka as a destination for our next immediate event which is normally held in August (in another country).”
UFTAA’s meeting wants to show that Sri Lanka is ready to receive tourists; train on the Nine Arch Bridge pictured
Rajaratnam, who is also the president of the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, told TTG Asia that he was preparing a formal letter address to UFTAA’s board of directions to look into meeting earlier in Colombo in June or July. Some 100 tourism leaders and experts from 30 countries are expect to attend.
Rumalla also informed reporters that the event was fast-tracked by a month or so as it could “serve as a message to the whole world that a global body of tourism experts and leaders is present in Sri Lanka”.
He added UFTAA is committed to supporting Sri Lanka, similar to its support of Turkey to rebuild confidence in the country in the aftermath of terrorist attacks there three years ago.
“We are very keen to see that this most wonderful country is brought back to normalcy as soon as possible,” Rumalla shared.
In the meantime, Emirates and SriLankan Airlines have pledged their support to facilitate the UFTAA mid-year forum by offering concessionary airfare to delegates coming to Sri Lanka. Hotels are also expected to offer concessionary rates for foreign delegates attending the forum.
UFTAA is also considering holding an event at one of the affected hotels on Easter Sunday. More than 250 people including 40 tourists died in the attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo. Two of the hotels are have reopened, but a third hotel, the Shangri-La Colombo, has yet to reopen.
Tours and activities have to become mobile-first to better capture customers
With Arival bound for Bangkok come June 24-26, the organiser has released a teaser of the five top tips for business owners looking to tap into the fast-growing tours and activities sector.
Among the speakers and presenters sharing their insight and new data at Arival are Google, videc, CrescentRating and Dragon Trail.
Ahead of the event, Arival has unveiled some areas that will be covered by these expert speakers.
Tours and activities have to become mobile-first to better capture customers
Become mobile-first
Super apps, OTAs, direct digital bookings and ticketing tech are transforming the sector. Mobile-first brands across Asia are redefining just about every consumer industry. Tours, activities and attractions are no exception. Asia’s travellers expect same-day, direct-to-gate mobile booking, ticketing and more. And they’re going to choose those brands that can deliver.
Let a million experiences bloom
In-destination operators need to encourage immersive sensory experiences that connect travellers to a place, people, cuisine or culture.
Seasonal activities and one-off events now drive 50 per cent of travellers to book a holiday before flights or accommodation are sorted.
“The need for authentic experiences is forcing travel brands to create product that is more personalised, adventurous, aligned to local culture and takes travellers on a journey of self-discovery,” said Douglas Quinby, CEO of Arival. “Travellers want us to move beyond the one-size-fits-all discounted ticket model.”
Encourage sustainability
According to Virtuoso, travellers in their 20s and 30s are three times more likely to book a sustainable tourism product compared to those in their 40s and 50s.
“Tourists of tomorrow will increasingly care about helping host communities, respecting indigenous cultures, consuming Fairtrade local produce, conserving wildlife, reducing plastic use, and protecting coral reefs, forests and historic sites,” says Anula Galewska, responsible business manager at Urban Adventures.
“The challenge for tourism operators is how to integrate best practices into their day-to-day activities that support these sustainability goals and advance the business.”
Galewska will present a responsible tourism workshop at Arival, as part of a series of talks on sustainability and social enterprise in travel.
Harness the power of NTO marketing
“If an NTO kicks open a marketing door with its dollars, the private sector should walk through,” says PATA CEO, Mario Hardy, who will lead a roundtable discussion at Arival on the role of NTOs and how operators can work with them.
Hardy says the private sector should partner with NTOs, which often have an agenda – and budget – to promote secondary destinations, ‘sustainable’ tours, new attractions and cultural activities that reflect the destination in a way consistent with NTO marketing.
Innovate – even if it means failing
“You can’t grow if you’re not willing to risk failure,” says John Sharpe, founder of Riverlife Adventure Centre of Australia.
Most operators start with a passion, but then face essential questions: What’s next? How do we grow? Leaders from innovative in-destination companies such as Riverlife, I Love Asia Tour, Hello Tours, Hong Kong Foodie Tours, socialtours, Aquawalk, KidZania and more will share their stories.
Arival is an event dedicated to advancing the business of creating in-destination experiences. Arival aims to establish tours, attractions and activities as the most important sector of the global travel and tourism industry. Since its foundation in 2017 by Douglas Quinby, Bruce Rosard and Alex Kremer, Arival has held seminal, industry events in Las Vegas (2017 & 2018) and Berlin (March 2019).
The revolution continues in Bangkok (June 24-26, 2019), Orlando (October 28-31, 2019) and Berlin (March 1-3, 2020).
Airbnb has named Sean Joyce, a global leader in trust, safety and privacy, as its first-ever chief trust officer.
In this new role, Joyce will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to “ensure Airbnb is one of the most trusted communities in the world”, with robust efforts focused on identity and reputation, online and offline safety and fraud prevention, and partnerships with law enforcement, the company announced.
Sean Joyce
“Airbnb’s hosts and guests are not a product – they are our community and we have a responsibility to protect their trust,” said Belinda Johnson, COO of Airbnb.
Joyce joins Airbnb from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), where he was a principal in PwC’s Advisory Practice, the US and Americas cybersecurity & privacy leader and a member of their global Cybersecurity and Privacy leadership team.
Prior to that, Joyce spent more than 26 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and departed after serving as deputy director, the highest ranking career employee in the organisation.
He also held numerous other roles with the FBI, including leading the international operations division, where he oversaw 75 locations overseas.
“Trust is a foundational element to every interaction in our lives. It is what Airbnb’s community is built on and what enables the sense of belonging between people from different communities and cultures. My goal is to help make Airbnb the most trusted online and offline community in the world, and I am incredibly excited to work with the team at Airbnb to achieve this,” said Joyce.
Joyce will relocate to San Francisco and begin his role on May 17, 2019, reporting to Johnson and serving on Airbnb’s executive team.
Dusit International's Lim Boon Kwee and Suphajee Suthumpun; and Hoi An Royal Group's Nguyen Phu Quy and Le Huy Khang at the signing ceremony at Dusit International’s headquarters in Bangkok
Dusit International has signed a hotel management agreement with Vietnam-based property developer Hoi An Royal Group to operate the five-star Dusit Thani Hoi An, the first Dusit Thani branded hotel in Vietnam.
Located in Dien Ban Town near the port of Hoi An, the resort is set to open in 2021 with 180 guestrooms and 69 luxury villas. Resort facilities will include a large outdoor swimming pool, gym, spa several function rooms, and a bar and lobby lounge. Wellness will feature heavily on the menu of the resort’s all-day dining restaurant.
Dusit International’s Lim Boon Kwee and Suphajee Suthumpun; and Hoi An Royal Group’s Nguyen Phu Quy and Le Huy Khang at the signing ceremony at Dusit International’s headquarters in Bangkok
Nguyen Phu Quy, chairman of the Hoi An Royal Group, commented: “Hoi An’s reputation as a must-visit destination just keeps going from strength to strength. The town welcomed almost five million visitors last year – up 50 per cent on the 2.4 million who visited in 2017.”
From the resort, Da Nang International Airport is 30 minutes away by car, while Hoi An’s Riverside and Old Town centre can be reached in under 10 minutes.
Dusit Thani Hoi An will be Dusit’s second property in Vietnam, following the opening of the Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort in Phu Quoc in May last year.
