Tributes pour in for passing of travel doyen Alwin Zecha

March 12, 2019

Industry veteran Alwin Zecha passed away from cardiac arrest early this morning in Bangkok, after dedicating more than 50 years to the Asian travel and tourism sector.

As the founder of the Pacific Leisure Group, established in 1961 in Hong Kong, Zecha together with Eckard Kremer together built up a network of offices across the globe and quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading DMCs worldwide.

Zecha had been instrumental to the development of the ASEAN travel and tourism sector through his close involvement with PATA. He was named PATA Life Member in 1989 and was also recognised as a Friend of Thailand, among many other industry accolades he achieved during his lifetime.

“I was truly saddened by the passing of Alwin Zecha; he was a friend and a mentor to me in my journey with PATA. Alwin was one of PATA’s most loyal member and dedicated a life time to the organisation,” said PATA CEO Mario Hardy. “We will greatly miss him and on behalf of all PATA staff, board members and members send our sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Wong Soon Hwa, chairman of PATA Singapore Chapter, says Zecha’s passing is big loss to the industry and PATA.

“He was a small sized man with huge stature and a distinctive voice of authority. He will be fondly remembered for speaking his mind and always having the industry’s and PATA’s interests at heart. To me, this is a loss of a mentor and dear friend. We will miss you sir,” said Wong.

Tunku Iskandar Tunku Abdullah, group executive chairman of Melewar Group, has also taken to Facebook to mourn the passing of a “mentor, travel and tourism doyen”.

He also told TTG Asia: “Alwin has touched so many people in the travel and tourism industry of the Pacific Asia region, including myself. He selflessly shared his experience and knowledge, and for me he was not only a business partner but also a mentor and a friend who led by example. He will be very much missed by all who knew him well, including those in PATA and Skal.”

Travel leaders recount a formidable leader who was led the early days of tourism development in South-east Asia, way before the region became a hot tourist destination it is today.

Narzalina Lim, former secretary, Department of Tourism (DoT) Philippines, said: “Alwin was not a very tall man but he was a towering figure in the tourism industry. Through his leadership skills, charisma, and the sheer force of his personality, he brought the attention of the world to tourism in Asia as early as the 1970s – and the world took notice.

“Alwin was a good friend of the Philippines. I first met him 33 years ago when I hosted dinner for him and his board members from the Pacific Leisure Group. They had come to hold their meeting in Manila, curious about the newly-installed presidency of Corazon Aquino and the new team at the DoT. Alas, the first of many coup attempts against Aquino’s government happened the day of the dinner. Alwin, the fighter and brave soul that he was, could not be deterred. He and his colleagues showed up in full force and we dined merrily away at the Coconut Palace.

Lim continued: “Alwin gave us words of encouragement, assuring us that we could put the Philippines back in the tourism map. He never stopped encouraging us and gave us every opportunity, through PATA to host many events to keep a high profile in the tourism world. We owe him a lot and we will miss him.”

Wuryatuti Sunario, Indonesia Care Tourism member and former executive director of Indonesia Tourism Promotion Board, said: “Alwin cared a lot and helped the tourism industry in Indonesia. He inspired Indonesia’s tourism through his lectures and workshops. As a PATA leader, he always supported Indonesia’s bid to host PATA Conferences. Alwin never ceased loving Indonesia. He was a great friend of all of us in the industry and in government, he was active in advancing Indonesia’s Tourism. Thank you Alwin and we sorely miss you.”

Industry veterans also recalled fondly of having been under Zecha’s wings in the early days of their career.

Edmund Tsang, vice chairman of Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents (HATA) and consultant of Connexus Travel, is full of respect for Zecha. “I had modelled on him as my mentor, especially during his days as the HATA chairman from 1974-1976 to learn more from him about methodology to plot analytics, and also his meticulous skills in public speaking, while I was just a young executive committee member of HATA then.”

Elly Hutabarat: president director of Pantravel Indonesia and PATA board member, commented: “Alwin has introduced me to PATA more than 20 years ago and he continued ‘lecturing’ me about this great organisation since then. I and anyone of us in the tourism industry will miss him tremendously. Goodbye my brother, have a great journey back home. We will always remember and love you.”

Mary Wan Mering, director corporate services at Sarawak Tourism Board, added: “Alwin Zecha was such a great leader indeed. I was very lucky to have been a protégé under his mentorship on tourism development at the University of Hawaii Manoa. I remember him as a practical tourism man with valuable knowledge.”

The legendary Zecha was clearly remembered by his tireless contributions to the travel industry during his long-spanning career.

Said Meity Robot, owner of IWATA Travel and former chairman of PATA Indonesia Chapter: “Alwin was always ready to support the industry. When I was chair of PATA Indonesia Chapter and Alwin was then board member of PATA, he came to Indonesia and gave his educational speeches to our members about tourism and its development in the region.”

Ally Bhoonee, executive director, World Avenues Travel & WA Hospitality, added: “I remember Alwin as a marketing and sales guru who in the early 90s was training young future leaders on sales and marketing. Until today, I remember the presentation he gave in Kuala Lumpur on sales and marketing on boutique resorts, and I was very much impressed and found it very relevant at the time. He has contributed a lot to the hospitality and tourism industry and he will be greatly missed.”

Anthony Wong, group managing director, Asian Overland Services Tourism & Hospitality Group, calls Zecha an “amazing” figure who will be dearly missed. “He was very knowledgeable, full of energy, always with a joke and cheerful all the time. He was indeed a rare character.”

Darren Ng, managing director of TTG Asia Media, said: “Alwin was a travel professional in the true sense, a pioneer who shaped the Asian travel industry to what it is today.”

Michael Chow, former publisher at TTG Asia Media, expressed his condolences of the passing of an industry guru. “I was privileged & fortunate to meet Alwin in several travel industry events, and he always had the time to have a brief but enjoyable and meaningful conversations. Alwin was truly a champion of the travel & tourism industry in Asia, offering very intelligent and insightful advice.”

Vice minister of education and culture (2011-2014), Wiendu Nuryanti, who is now director for the doctorate programme at the Department of Architecture and Planning, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, shared: “We have lost another giant statesman who always fought for the benefit of so many parts of Asia, especially Indonesia. Dear Alwin is forever an inspiration for us, the tourism community in Indonesia. He was not only such a warm and open person, but also his endless dedication to better tourism for all is unquestionable. May dearest Alwin rest in everlasting peace.”

Finally, Cambodia turns single and proud as a destination

By Marissa Carruthers

March 12, 2019

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Wat-Sampov-Pram,-Kampot,-Cambodia — Wat Sampov Pram in Kampot pictured

Cambodia is shaking off its image as an add-on destination and is showing signs of becoming a standalone spot with European holidaymakers, claim the country’s tourism players.

Traditionally regarded as part of a multi-destination trip with neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia’s mounting collection of tourism products, improved infrastructure and promotion of emerging destinations are raising its appeal among European travellers.

Emerging attractions such as off-the-beaten-track Wat Sampov Pram in Kampot (pictured) will help spur mono-country trips

This is coupled with Europe’s growing appetite for intrepid, off-the-beaten-track holidays. Tour operators say Cambodia now has a wealth of options to compile innovative itineraries that tick all the boxes.

Steve Lidgey, manager at Travel Asia a la Carte, said: “We can see Europeans are seeking immersive, authentic destinations for extended visits and Cambodia is ideal for these sorts of tours. Once guests leave Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, it is hard to meet large numbers of tourists, ensuring interaction with local people and surprises along the way.”

The recent opening of private islands off the Sihanoukville coast and ongoing development on the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem should also fulfil Europeans’ rising desire for nature, sustainable tourism and barefoot luxury.

Charles-Henri Chevet, area general manager at Sofitel Phokeethra Hotels, commented: “New luxury offerings on the islands will generate strong interest from the European region, playing an important role in stimulating growth and extending stays.”

He noted a recent rise in European travel operators and journalists visiting Cambodia on fam trips to sample the swathe of new properties opening across the kingdom – another factor he believes will stimulate the country’s appeal to Europe as a single destination.

Increased connectivity is also prompting the shift. Miles Gravett, general manager at Khiri Cambodia, said Emirates and Qatar Airways flights are helpful in developing the European market. Increased connections with major transit hubs, such as Bangkok and Singapore, have also helped.

Lidgey added that the promotion of more emerging destinations, such as Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Kampot and Kep, and development of itineraries that touch these spots should spur interest in Cambodia-only trips.

He said: “Most potential guests probably have only heard of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The more they see other destinations featured, (the more) they can join the dots and do a round trip of Cambodia as a single destination.”

Airbnb acquires HotelTonight to enhance travel portfolio

By TTG Asia

March 12, 2019

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Airbnb has acquired last-minute hotel booking app HotelTonight for an undisclosed sum, in a deal that is expected to accelerate Airbnb’s ambitions of becoming an end-to-end travel platform.

Brian Chesky, Airbnb’s CEO, emphasised the company’s desire to continue expanding into all aspects of travel, by building an end-to-end travel platform to serve every guest regardless if they plan their trips a year or a day in advance.

Airbnb’s acquisition of HotelTonight is another step towards the former’s aim of being an end-to-end travel provider

This latest acquisition also comes about a year after the launch of Airbnb Plus, which includes boutique hotels and traditional B&Bs. The home-sharing platform has also expanded into concierge services and optional tours in recent years.

This acquisition is also to meet demand from and for boutique hotels, where Airbnb said the collaboration will make it easier for smaller businesses and hoteliers.

In 2018, Airbnb doubled the number of rooms available on its platform that hosts categories as a boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other hospitality venues like hostels and resorts.

The statement shared that Airbnb guests have responded “enthusiastically to this increased supply, booking three times as many nights with boutique hotels in 2018 compared with 2017”.

The press statement also noted that boutique hotels are helping to bring new guests to Airbnb. Nearly 90 per cent of guests who first used Airbnb to book a hotel room returned to the platform for a second trip to book a home.

The HotelTonight app and website will continue to operate as usual. Once the acquisition is complete, Sam Shank will report to Greg Greeley, Airbnb’s president of homes, and lead the boutique hotel category.

Focus Asia expands deeper into China, explores multi-country possibilities

By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

March 12, 2019

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Following decades of operating in South-east Asia, including China’s Yunnan province, Vietnam-based DMC Focus Asia has taken the “next logical step” in its expansion strategy to cover the rest of the Middle Kingdom.

The move marks the “completion of a country which we already started via Yunnan” and to “offer China as a full destination”, Frank Wiegand, Focus Asia’s director of team sales Europe and board member told TTG Asia.

*Focus Asia is expanding its portfolio to cover the whole of China now, instead of just Yunnan; Jade Spring Park* in Lijiang, Yunnan province pictured

“Second, we focus on countries where DMC are really needed. These are mainly round-trip destinations and not so much destinations where hotel-only-bookings, especially for beach stays, are a very big part of the potential volume.”

He added: “There is of course good knowledge of China as a destination, as long as we talk about the main highlights. But China off the beaten track has much more to offer than what you see in the actual tour operating brochures.”

With multi-destination tours growing in popularity among the Western longhaul market, Wiegand sees “exciting possibilities” that China, in combination with other South-east Asian countries, will bring. “Many of them are repeaters – and they are looking also for in-depth-experience.”

China would make a great combination with Vietnam and Laos, suggested Wiegand, whether it’s going overland from Hong Kong, via the new bridge linking to Macau, to the World Heritage Site of Kaiping Diaolou and further to Vietnam’s Halong Bay, or going north to Guilin and onward to Nanning, before crossing the border to Vietnam’s Detian Waterfall and onward to Hanoi.

Elsewhere in China, the increasing demand for the old Silk Road is an example of new exciting tours within the country too, he pointed out.

Focus Asia has its head offices for China in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, plus operation offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Kunming.

Maya Caspary, meanwhile, has been appointed as a new senior member team sales Europe in Munich to support Focus Asia’s worldwide teams internally.

Melia to rebrand Ninh Binh hotel into a bleisure property

By TTG Asia

March 12, 2019

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Melia-Hotels-International — Melia adds The Reed Hotel in Vietnam to portfolio

Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International will be taking over the management of The Reed Hotel in Ninh Binh, Vietnam, from May onwards.

The property, occupying the highest building in the area, will be rebranded to as Meliá Ninh Binh by January 2020, and will have 153 rooms alongside facilities such as an infinity pool, fitness centre, VIP lounge and three F&B options.

Melia adds The Reed Hotel in Vietnam to portfolio

In addition, the next-door convention centre will also fall under Melia’s management. Event planners may avail the 4,000m² of meeting space across multiple meeting rooms.

The hotel group will also position Meliá Ninh Binh as a bleisure-focused property, in recognition of the destination’s growing MICE market.

Meliá Hotels International continues to expand its presence across Vietnam with a total of six operating hotels and seven in the pipeline. In total, the group has 20 properties currently in operation and 32 properties in the pipeline that are expected to be open by 2022.

BHMA hires its first chief development officer

By TTG Asia

March 12, 2019

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BHMA Hotels and Resorts has appointed Jens Reichert as the company’s first chief development officer.

He has been tasked with setting up a focused business development team with the goal of growing the company’s portfolio according to BHMA’s global expansion plans of its brands X2, X2 Vibe and Away Resorts.

The industry veteran has more than 30 years of service under his belt, having spent the last decade focusing on domestic and international hotel development. Over the past few years, Reichert has been instrumental in signing more than 50 hotel contracts and possesses extensive knowledge of contract negotiations in various jurisdictions.

Thailand a harder sell for repeat travellers, but local experiences offer bright spots

By Yixin Ng

March 11, 2019

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Krabi, Thailand — Companies find Thailand a harder sell, as DIY travel gains favour among Europeans

Long a top Asian destination for Europe’s travellers, Thailand today is not the easy sell it once was for tour operators and travel agents, who are finding that they have to dig deep to have a shot at attracting repeat clients with the “been there, done that” mindset.

“European numbers are stable for Thailand, however there’s not much growth opportunities from the region’s market,” admitted Tobias Fischer, director of business development, Go Vacation Thailand.

European agents are increasingly finding Thailand (Krabi pictured) a harder sell, as DIY travel gains favour

It appears that the destination may have lost its lustre after many years in the spotlight, some buyers at ITB Berlin shared.

Tina Bach Thogersen, destination manager, Denmark’s Viktors Farmor World-wide Expeditions, said: “We sell (pretty much) all of Indochina. We offer one itinerary for Thailand, but it doesn’t sell.

“Many Danes have been to Thailand. Today, many of us do it individually because we want to visit the beaches and the small islands. It’s hard to gather groups of 20 people wanting to do the same beach holiday,” she explained.

Moreover, with Thailand being a mature destination, she said it is “very easy to travel within Thailand on your own”.

In an attempt to keep things fresh for repeaters while staying abreast to trends, DMCs like Go Vacation has been adding new components to itineraries, including local experiences and lesser-known destinations.

“As DMCs, we make money from round-trips. We still keep classic tours but develop new tours such as klong (canal) tours followed by lunch with a local family. For seat-in-coach tours, we always have to keep classic sites like Ayutthaya but try to add diversity into them,” said Fischer.

Similarly, Laurent Kuenzle, CEO, Asian Trails, remarked: “Experiences is the buzzword, customers want to see main sites and new things.”

Foodie tours are a hit, he shared, adding that it’s about marketing the right product to the customer. “A dinner would be done differently for a German and a Spanish customer, for example.”

But similar attempts have come to naught for Thogersen. “That is the kind of itinerary we do. We do all we can to get as close to the locals as possible. But still, no – they choose Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam instead.”

In her experience selling travel to Danes, “the last time group tours to Thailand were selling was around a decade ago”. A previous company she was with stopped selling Thailand in 2010. Following that, it was a cycle of reintroducing Thailand before it would drop off again.

On the other hand, product manager for South-east Asia at Swiss agency Adgentes, Julien Rousseau, said Thailand has not lost its mojo in Switzerland, and continues to sell itself.

Thailand is a “big destination” at the agency, making up around 20 per cent of business. The country is followed in popularity by Vietnam and Indonesia.

“I was expecting many would book Thailand online. But (perhaps) they encountered problems before, and returned to agencies as they feel safer booking with us,” he told TTG Asia.

He added: “For destinations like Cambodia and Vietnam, our clients tend to visit just once. But they choose Thailand often for the beaches.”

Repeat travellers are choosing Thailand’s less touristy beaches like Koh Kood and Koh Chang, according to Rousseau. – additional reporting by Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

Rising awareness of Japan sparks joy for Europeans

By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

March 11, 2019

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Japan Caucasian tourist — Young male tourist feeds with deer biscuit at Nara wild deer in a public park of Nara, Japan. Red Torii and stone lanterns on background

The perception of Japan as an insular nation no longer holds true, as the country opens up to tourism in recent years. Furthermore, the immense influence of Japanese pop culture is turning out to its best ambassador in promoting the country in the European markets.

Japan is becoming “more accessible” for UK travellers, a trend fanned by Japanese pop culture figures such as Yayoi Kusama, whose recent exhibition was sold out in London, and Netflix sensation and tidying expert Marie Kondo, observed Natasha Rewrie, business development manager EU at Buffalo Tours.

A tourist feeds a deer biscuit to wild deer in Nara, Japan

The growing influence and consumption of Japanese pop culture is likely fuelling awareness and sparking travel interest to the Land of the Rising Sun, Rewrie suggested.

Japan tourism has also benefited from the greater media attention on the country as it gears up for major sporting events like Rugby World Cup 2019, said Johann Chabert, country manager, Buffalo Tours Japan.

“Japan is overall a growth market because the country is opening up, and we’re seeing around 10-15 per cent growth from the Western markets to Japan,” he said.

It’s a similar story for Terrie Lloyd, CEO of JapanTravel.com who said his business was up millions of dollars over the last year, driven solely by German tourists’ fast-growing demand for Japan.

He commented: “Japan is gaining popularity overall, and next year is the Olympics (which has spurred interest). Europe’s usually the last place to hear about Asia, and up until very recently everyone here wanted to go to Thailand. But recently, Japanese food and culture are starting to get really well known. In the last two years, Japan suddenly took off.”

Among the European markets, Geraint Holt, managing director of Japan specialist DMC, The J Team, first saw strongest underlying interest in Japan from France, then Germany, Spain and Italy.

The emergence of demand from Holland and Belgium operators has been the most notable change for the DMC in the past six months. “Japan is now a destination they are offering, which we didn’t see previously,” he added.

For Western European travellers, Japan’s biggest advantages as a destination is how unfamiliar and mystifying it is. Added Holt: “Travellers arrive with little preconceived ideas and low expectations. But then end up having a great time, and want to tell everyone else about it.”

This is a marked departure from in the past, when the destination welcomed mainly travellers with special interests.

“That was the case when Japan was still below 20 million (arrivals). The majority of visitors arriving had a prior interest, and were channelling that into a holiday. Now, Japan is coming to the top of the list of avid travellers who have been to many countries, he observed.

While the country is clearly becoming a “more mainstream” destination, Chabert contends Japan is not yet fully ready for Western tourists as English is rarely spoken beyond the key cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. – additional reporting by Yixin Ng

Philippines dives deeper into greater fun

By Yixin Ng

March 11, 2019

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With a recent refresh of its destination campaign, the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) is extending its focus on more granular marketing content to European markets.

TPB recently revived the It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign with a strong focus on crowd-sourced visual content shared by tourists online.

Diving in the Philippines is a popular activity for Europeans visiting the country, hence it’ll be one of the niche interests the TPB is highlighting

While this may signal the weight that TPB is placing on digital marketing, Marie Venus Tan, COO of TPB told TTG Asia that visuals and other content serve to paint a clearer picture of fun in the destination, meant to resonate both online and offline.

“Our (marketing content) are meant to illicit interest, and not simply (highlight the destination), but what’s in the destination. It’s important that we don’t merely focus on beaches, as this is a very competitive area regionally, or mountains. We would have to go deeper into culture and folklore, for example.”

TPB intends to highlight more tourism assets that appeal to niche interest, and part of that will involve opening up new destinations.

“We are appealing to areas that address specific niche interests. For instance, surfing in Siargao. We will use more action shots that will evoke curiosity.”

She added: “Boracay does not need promotion – it needs enhancements. We are opening up Iloilo, and other destinations outside of Mindanao such as Bukidnon. These areas are interesting for experiential tourism, (and figure into) the strategic direction towards special interests.”

Content will be targeted to different markets. “Diving is an important niche while we’re here in Europe. In the UK, it is birdwatching, among other activities. And in India and the Middle East, weddings.”

In Europe, the UK, Germany and France are the top performing source markets in terms of both volume and growth, Tan said. Emerging markets in eastern Europe, such as Poland and Russia, are also coming onto the radar, she added.

As tourist numbers grow and new parts of the Philippines are promoted to visitors, industry observers foresee connectivity to be a continued challenge with the lack of direct international connections and capacity strains at the country’s main gateway.

Tan stated that communications is vital to “manage expectations” of travellers, as well as to tie back to what makes the Philippines different from its neighbours.

“We are an archipelago with many islands, not a landlocked country (offering) seamless and contiguous travel. How we communicate that to manage the expectations of travellers is very important.

“Connectivity is a challenge. But at the same time, talking about it is one way to bridge knowledge of what the Philippines is. Many people tend to look at the countries in South-east Asia as similar, which is not right.”

Down the line, Tan shared that there may be plans to appoint MICE representation in Europe. In the region, the destination has had offices in Frankfurt and London since the 1990s.

Tan elaborated: “We are now strategising and working out a MICE action plan. (In addition to the tourism offices) the Philippine Department of Tourism already has, we are probably going to have MICE representation in Europe or the Middle East.”

Nepal kicks off campaign, pays tribute to tourism minister’s passing at ITB Berlin

By Paige Lee Pei Qi

March 11, 2019

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WhatsApp_Image_2019-03-08_at_6.28 — Nepal's tourism officials at the Visit Nepal 2020 Europe launch briefing at ITB Berlin. Photo: Jonathan Yap

he launch of Visit Nepal 2020 campaign at ITB Berlin was dedicated to the late Nepal minister for culture, tourism, and civil aviation, Rabindra Adhikari, who passed away last week in an unfortunate helicopter accident.

Travel trade members expressed regret over the death of Adhikari, who had undertaken a series of policies to reform Nepal’s civil aviation sector since assuming the position in February 2018.

Nepal’s tourism officials at the Visit Nepal 2020 Europe launch briefing at ITB Berlin. Photo: Jonathan Yap

Founder of Himalayan Windows, Anupam Dahal, paid tribute to the late minister’s efforts in removing bottlenecks at Kathmandu airport. “He was initiating changes like never before and made good impact to improve our air connectivity.”

Shreehari Thapaliya, CEO, Trekking Team Group Nepal, described Adhikari as “one of the best and most dynamic leaders”.

Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA, added: “During his short term as minister he has help moved the tourism sector of his country forward, and we were all looking forward to see all of achievements. He will be greatly missed.” – additional reporting by Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

Tributes pour in for passing of travel doyen Alwin Zecha

Finally, Cambodia turns single and proud as a destination

Airbnb acquires HotelTonight to enhance travel portfolio

Focus Asia expands deeper into China, explores multi-country possibilities

Melia to rebrand Ninh Binh hotel into a bleisure property

BHMA hires its first chief development officer

Thailand a harder sell for repeat travellers, but local experiences offer bright spots

Rising awareness of Japan sparks joy for Europeans

Philippines dives deeper into greater fun

Nepal kicks off campaign, pays tribute to tourism minister’s passing at ITB Berlin

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