TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Tuesday, 3rd February 2026
Page 1264

The Reverie Saigon takes to the river with Monte Carlo yacht

0

The Reverie Saigon has acquired a private yacht, which will sail on three new river cruising experiences.

With the debut of the 18m, 10-guest Monte Carlo 6, The Reverie Saigon is weighing anchor with a crew of three and a private butler.

The Reverie yacht, a 60-foot Monte Carlo 6

The Reverie yacht will start off by offering private charters of two-and-a-half, five and eight hours starting at 50 million Vietnamese dong (US$2,167).

The three voyages reveal the day-to-day living and traditional commerce that still take place along the riverfront. Further from the heart of the burgeoning metropolis, the yacht will thread the country’s verdant delta.

The cruising options begin with Saigon Intermezzo, a non-stop, 2.5-hour sunset cruise that departs in the late afternoon and includes a champagne picnic for two.

The champagne picnic includes a bottle of Louis Roederer, five prix-fixe menus to choose from, round-trip transfers in a Mercede-Benz S-Class or a BMW 7 series and service by a Reverie butler.

The second option, Saigon Avventura, luxuriates over five hours and includes all of the Intermezzo elements while enjoying an exploration of the Can Gio UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Encompassing approximately 80,000ha of the lush river delta, the ‘green lungs of Saigon’ are blanketed with a rich mangrove forest brimming with wildlife as well as flora and fauna.

And to top, Saigon Spettacolare offers a full-day, eight-hour excursion anchored by a golf stop at Taekwang Jeongsan Country Club, located on the ecological island of Dai Phuoc, an approximate 60-minute ride from central Saigon by boat.

Guests can enjoy a champagne picnic on board, while full lunch and dinner service can be arranged depending on the schedule.

Italian yacht designers, Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, are responsible for the Monte Carlo 6’s overall design while the interiors were fashioned by fellow countryman, Pierangelo Andreani.

The 32-ton yacht is decked out in teak wood with spacious interior living and dining areas as well as spaces to lounge on the main deck and on the Monte Carlo 6’s flybridge above.

Out on the foredeck are electronically controlled sun loungers complemented by a built-in outdoor sound system with Bluetooth connectivity, while the below deck is a spacious master bedroom with ensuite, a fully equipped walk-in kitchen, a separate powder room and a multi-purpose seating area. The built-in outdoor barbeque on the back deck can be enjoyed with private chef service.

Smaller ports in Japan welcoming international cruise ships

0
Beautiful kochias hill in autumn season at Hitachi easide park Ibaraki prefecture

Japan’s smaller ports are looking to attract international cruise ships as the country rises in popularity as a cruise destination and the government targets five million inbound visitors by sea in 2020.

Though the number of cruise ship visitors to Japan in 2018 dropped by 3.3 per cent to 2.4 million, a decline for the first time since 2013, the number of cruise ship visits increased by 5.9 per cent year-on-year, to a record high of 2,928.

 

Hitachi seaside park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki prefecture 

While the most popular destinations were Hakata in Fukuoka, Naha in Okinawa and Nagasaki, smaller local ports across are now working to attract international cruise companies.

In April, Hitachinaka Port in Ibraraki Prefecture will welcome three foreign cruise companies for the first time: Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

According to Holland America Line, the port call will offer guests “wonderful places to restore and rejuvenate,” including at Hitachi Seaside Park where blooming nemophila flowers are popular in that season.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will also visit the park; Kairakuen, a 19th century garden; and a fish market, according to an advertised tour.

Toshiyuki Sakakibara of Ibaraki Prefectural Government told TTG Asia that local teams are supporting cruise companies, travel agencies and land operators to deliver smooth port calls and tour operations that are “expected to have a ripple effect on the regional economy.”

Meanwhile, having found success as a port of call in the Asian market, particularly China, Kagoshima Prefecture is eyeing European cruise companies, Sumire Nakasaka of the tourism promotion department told TTG Asia.

Nakaska’s team is marketing Kagoshima’s mainland port and island ports of Yakushima and Amami-Oshima as ideal stop-off points for a round-the-world cruise departing from Europe that would arrive in Japan in spring or autumn.

On Kagoshima’s Tokunoshima, which is a popular domestic port due to its unspoilt oceans and beaches, local tourism organisations have developed a new environmental excursion to attract international cruise ships to call for the first time, she said.

“Participants will learn about how residents care for the sea before making an accessory from local shells,” Nakasaka shared, adding that local tourism facilities are ready and excited to welcome international arrivals.

Time savings, tailored expenses key reasons for DMCs’ continued relevance

0

AIM Group International, a company specialised in congresses, events and destination management, has released a White Paper outlining the role and importance of DMCs in a changing environment.

“It is clear that nowadays the role of DMCs is evolving. Reserving accommodation, organising transport, booking restaurants or consulting event ideas are just a click away. Does that mean that DMCs are no longer needed? No, that is not the case,” Bob Novak, head of corporate & DMC department Prague office, argued.

AIM Group’s top DMC trends in 2019

Demonstrating that point, the White Paper specifies eight key reasons why clients can benefit from DMC services, from saving time to risk mitigation, economic savings and simplified finance management, and the ability to involve participants.

By having one partner to liaise with instead of a long list of local suppliers, clients can “cut out perfuse administration and simplify accounting and VAT recovery”, for example.

Meanwhile, the report noted that event organisation is a constantly evolving industry, influenced by new technologies, social change, new market offerings, and so on.

It highlighted top trends to watch in this changing environment, including:

  • tailored experiences that are meaningful and have a direct link to the client or local community
  • second-tier, emerging destinations or original locations
  • greater social media engagement among participants
  • CSR and local community legacies.
  • ethical food: attention to organic, healthy, zero-Km requirements
  • short notice and flexibility.

Lonely Planet pursues B2B strategy with ArrivalGuides acquisition

0
Lonely Planet ArrivalGuides

Lonely Planet is acquiring B2B distributor of destination content, ArrivalGuides.

The Gothenburg-based company has clients including AAA Travel, Visa, Hilton, Eurowings and Rentalcars.com. ArrivalGuides also has digital products for clients to integrate travel content to existing platforms.

Lonely Planet is acquiring ArrivalGuides

With 625 destination guides, more than 56,000 points of interest in multiple languages and over 500 officially supplied destination videos, the ArrivalGuides destination content library comes directly from travel experts, tourism bureaus and DMOs around the world.

Lonely Planet’s new CEO Luis Cabrera, who joined the travel media company from BCG Digital Ventures, a division of the Boston Consulting Group, said: “ArrivalGuides’ model and established channel will allow us to explore more aggressively and creatively our B2B strategy and partner with companies in new ways.”

SIA tries to clear the air about ‘in-flight spying’

0

After social media erupted over the discovery of cameras embedded into Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) in-flight entertainment system, the airline assured passengers that cameras have been disabled since they were installed, the Straits Times reported.

Social media users spotted the cameras and sounded the alarm over what they feared to be potential privacy violations. One user wrote that it was “very likely” that the airline was using the cameras to collect data on passenger habits.

Photo of an in-flight entertainment system from SIA’s website

The Straits Times reported that aircraft with cameras embedded in the in-flight entertainment systems include SIA’s Airbus 350-900s (medium-haul, long-haul and ultra-long-range), A380s, Boeing 777-300ERs and 787-10s.

In all, there are 84 aircraft with cameras embedded in the in-flight entertainment systems.

On Tuesday, SIA explained that the cameras were built into the hardware and provided by the equipment manufacturer, who intended to use the device for future developments.

The national carrier stressed that it has no plans to enable the cameras.

Cinnamon expands ‘lean luxury’ brand to Kandy

0
The groundbreaking ceremony of Cinnamon Red Kandy

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is set to expand its lean luxury brand, Cinnamon Red, to Kandy in Sri Lanka.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the start of the project’s construction which is scheduled for completion in two years. Cinnamon Red Kandy will be the first and only Leed Gold certified hotel in Kandy, developed at an investment of 6.5 billion Sri Lankan rupees (US$36.1 million).

Kicking off construction of Cinnamon Red Kandy

The project is a partnership between Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and Indra Traders. Indra Traders’ investment of 60 per cent includes a 130-perch plot of land on the Katugastota Road, Kandy. A long-term management contract has been executed between the parties with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts as the hotel managing partner.

When complete, Cinnamon Red Kandy will feature 210 rooms and public spaces, self-check-in service and a host of facilities including an expansive rooftop bar, 20 interconnecting rooms, wheelchair access throughout, a large swimming pool and a restaurant.

Krishan Balendra – chairman of John Keells Holdings, which owns Cinnamon Hotels stated: “Kandy is a popular leisure destination attracting a majority who arrive in Sri Lanka. The hotel will be strategically located in proximity to the Kandy-Colombo highway and is well-positioned to cater to the demands of the new-age traveller and millennials. Its unique selling proposition will add variety and diversity to the room classifications in Kandy delivering an outstanding lean-luxury experience to its guests.

Indra Kumara Silva – chairman Indra Hotels and Resorts Kandy, added: “Kandy is a destination with a growing leisure segment. It is also the pivotal point of all round-trips in Sri Lanka. It is the most opportune time to introduce this fresh and innovative concept to the city.”

Former Agoda exec joins Klook as CCO

0
Wilfred Fan

Wilfred Fan has been appointed chief commercial officer at Klook as part of the company’s mission to enhance travel destination services.

Focussing on developing destination services and providing greater support for Klook’s merchants, Fan will oversee the supply business development and operations division, as well as contribute to the overall strategy at Klook.

Wilfred Fan

Commenting on his new role, the former vice president of global partnership at Agoda said: “It’s an exciting time to be in this space. The emergence of mobile has captured traditionally offline in-destination bookings, and merchants are now more ready than ever to adopt new technology. Not only do our mobile-first services improve operations, they also fulfil an increasing demand from independent travellers.”

Wilfred, previously the vice president global partnership of Agoda, has held various senior positions in a wide range of responsibilities, from leading partnership teams to managing operations across Asia, corporate development to strategic planning.

Aviation roundup: SilkAir, Emirates and Arkia

0

SilkAir to launch flights between Singapore and Busan
SilkAir will launch four-times-weekly flights between Singapore and Busan, the first South Korean city in its network, on May 1, 2019. Currently, no other airline operates scheduled flights between Singapore and Busan.

The new service will be operated with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which feature both business and economy Class cabins.


Emirates to link Phnom Penh and Bangkok from Dubai
Emirates will launch a service from Dubai to Phnom Penh, via Bangkok, on June 1, 2019. Operated with an Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft, flights will depart daily from Dubai International Airport at 08.45, and arrive in Bangkok at 18.15. The same flight will then depart Bangkok at 20.00, before arriving at Phnom Penh International Airport at 21.25. On the return, flights will depart Phnom Penh at 23.20, and arrive in Bangkok at 00.40 the following day. It will then set off to Dubai‎ at 02.25, arriving at 05.35.


Arkia flies to Goa and Kochi from Tel Aviv
Israeli airline Arkia will introduce two new routes to India’s Goa and Kochi from Tel Aviv starting from September 18, 2019, using the recently acquired Airbus A321LR. With one-way duration of seven hours, Arkia will fly once a week to Goa on Tuesdays and twice a week to Kochi on Mondays and Fridays. From October 27, 2019, the flight to Kochi will move to Sundays and Thursdays. The flights will run all year round except during the monsoon season in India. Bookings are scheduled to commence on March 24.

In addition to Arkia, El Al Israel Airlines services the direct Mumbai-Tel Aviv sector with thrice-weekly flights and Air India flies direct from New Delhi to Tel Aviv five times a week.

Mandarin Oriental teams up with A&K to offer guests one-of-a-kind experiences

0
The partnership promises curated experiences such as a bespoke street food tour in Bangkok (pictured)

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has partnered with luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent to offer a variety of curated experiences for guests staying at select destinations worldwide.

Offers range from culinary tours and fashion insights to art, adventure and sport experiences. Each is designed to give guests unique access to local experiences, such as a bespoke street food tour in Bangkok, enjoying prime seats for a New York Knicks game and meeting their star players, or following in the footsteps of royalty with a private tour of the Palace of Versailles.

The partnership promises curated experiences such as a bespoke street food tour in Bangkok

Kristin Ruble, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s senior vice president of brand and experience marketing, said in a statement that these unique experiences are “exclusive for Mandarin Oriental’s guests”.

“A&K and Mandarin Oriental are old friends. For decades our guests have stayed at Mandarin Oriental properties around the world – enjoying its exemplary hospitality in the best locations,” said Geoffrey Kent, CEO, chairman and founder of Abercrombie & Kent.

“This natural partnership will allow guests to experience the A&K difference – insider access that nobody else can provide, creating memories that last a lifetime.”

Just last week, Kent sealed a strategic partnership with long-time friend and business partner Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, chairman and former owner of Silversea Cruises, to jointly acquire 100 per cent of the luxury tour operator for an undisclosed amount.

AirAsia seeks amicable solution to airport tax row; MAHB wants suit to take ‘due course’ in courts

0
An AirAsia plane parked at klia2

AirAsia is now making an attempt to seek out-of-court settlement with Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) over an outstanding airport tax dispute, saying it prefers to “resolve (the) issue amicably”.

The latest statement from the LCC came following a meeting between AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes with Employees’ Provident Fund’s (EPF) CEO Alizakri Alias in Kuala Lumpur, after the latter expressed his concerns that the ongoing legal spat between AirAsia and MAHB was a bad reflection of both companies as well as the country.

EPF raises concern over the ongoing spat between AirAsia and MAHB

Fernandes said: “We share EPF’s concerns that this legal battle is not good and has a negative effect on both the country and one of Malaysia’s largest revenue earners – the tourism industry.”

In response to EPF’s concerns, MAHB in a statement yesterday stated that its passenger service charge (PSC) suite against AirAsia is now being deliberated in court and should “be allowed to take its due course”.

In a statement today, the airport operator reiterated that PSC was a statutory rate fixed by the government. “PSC affects the economics of the nation’s aviation industry. It is imperative to establish clarity on the implementation of the gazetted PSC, the roles and responsibilities of the airlines and airports, as well as the rights of the parties involved,” it said.

The airport operator added that it is constantly in engagement with its key shareholders and “will be happy to address EPF’s concerns and clarify the matters with them accordingly”.

Meanwhile, Fernandes stressed that AirAsia had not initiated the suit. He said: “In fact, we proposed mediation by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), which is provided under the Mavcom Act 2015, but this was rejected by MAHB. Unfortunately, Mavcom has also decided to take a hands-off approach although this issue over airport tax, which is the subject of MAHB’s suit against us, is within MAVCOM’s ambit.”

Earlier this month, AirAsia served a notice to Malaysia Airports (Sepang), claiming almost RM480 million (US$117 million) for supposed losses incurred from operating at klia2.