Farid Alain Schoucair has rejoined Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) as general manager of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore.
Schoucair brings with him a wealth of industry experience, having lived and worked in many parts of the world including Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Dubai, Jeju, Saipan and Manila.
His previous roles include general manager at New World Makati Hotel, and general manager of Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur, which is part of MHR.
Malaysian travel agents are reporting a cut back on travel spend and shift towards domestic holidays, with the Central Bank of Malaysia lowering its projection for the year’s GDP growth from 4.9 per cent to between 4.3 per cent to 4.8 per cent due to headwinds from global events such as the US-China trade spat and Brexit deadlock.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) secretary-general, Nigel Wong, said: “Cautious in a period of economic uncertainty, Malaysians tend to holiday locally. The recent MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur recorded domestic sales in excess of RM20 million (US$4.9 million) as compared to last year’s RM12 million. There was more demand for booths at the domestic hall this year. MATTA sold 255 booths in the domestic halls, compared with 246 booths last year.
Wong shared: “We have seen a trend for a year now of travellers choosing regional and medium haul destinations in Asia over longhaul travel. Outbound longhaul travel has plateaued. This is based on MATTA Fair figures and feedback from the industry.”
John Chan, business advisor at Isma Holidays in Johor, said: “Malaysians are still upbeat travellers but we notice they are optimising their budget spend. We notice that the middle class, instead of going on two holidays, one longhaul and one medium haul destination, are now opting to travel to more regional destinations in Asia. South-east Asia including Indochina is popular, as are Japan, South Korea and China.
“On our part, we have increased our travel product offerings in Asia and South-east Asia, and we are running more promotional campaigns. We are also working with travel suppliers to come up with attractive and affordable travel packages. The tour packages we have are about five to 10 per cent lower across the board as compared with prices in 2018.”
Alex Lee, CEO, Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours in Terengganu, said he saw a 10 per cent increase in sales for the recent week-long school holiday period, especially to the islands off Terengganu and also to Lake Kenyir.
He said: “There is increased demand for snorkelling activities. On our part, we are promoting sustainable activities such as collecting rubbish from the islands and donating to NGO efforts on wildlife conservation. This is well received by the public who are keen to do their small part in conservation efforts.”
Andy Yow, director of sales and marketing, Vivanta Rebak Island, Langkawi, shared that the hotel works with select OTAs to further drive domestic sales through special packages during the upcoming May/ June Malaysian school holidays.
It recently rolled out a package for members of Glenmarie Golf & Country Club during the March school holidays, promoting a 4D2N “escape to a private island resort” for two adults and two children.
Siloso Green, a new lifestyle quarter featuring eateries, shops, event spaces, and waterfront accommodation, will be opening in Sentosa by this year-end to draw more visitors at night.
The new development will take over the 24,500m2 space vacated by Underwater World, and boast a shipping container theme. Bars, food trucks and live music are among the draws of the new attraction, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said in a statement last Friday.
About 30 per cent of Sentosa’s attractions currently open until 21.00 or later, while a number of bars and beach clubs operate up to 01.00 on most days, SDC said.
In a Straits Times report, Jacqueline Tan, assistant chief executive of SDC, said that a pilot trial of driverless shuttle buses will be made available later this year, allowing visitors to hail them using their smartphones for transport around the island.
In addition, electric car sharing service BlueSG will be adding more stations in other parts of the island.
“These options will provide guests with more on-demand transportation options at night, when the frequency of other transportation options might be lower,” Tan told The Straits Times.
The push to draw more visitors after dusk is part of larger plans to redevelop Sentosa and integrate it with the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront district, which will cover Singapore’s southern coastline.
There are plans to reshape the entire island of Sentosa, as well as its adjacent island of Pulau Brani to provide more scope for new attractions and investments. Meanwhile, Sentosa’s masterplan for 2030 involves new attractions, improvement of transport connectivity and enhancement of its beaches.
Qantas has partnered with fledgling local carrier Oceania Express, as well as started a behind-the-scenes programme for budding airline executives, after a meeting between the two airline bosses in Sydney.
This follows 10-year-old Alex Jacquot’s – Oceania Express’ self-appointed CEO – letter to Qantas Group’s CEO Alan Joyce asking for advice on how to run an airline he founded during his school holidays.
Joyce hosted the meeting at the national carrier’s headquarters, and were joined by Qantas Group executives Olivia Wirth (CEO, Qantas Loyalty) and John Gissing (CEO, QantasLink), plus Oceania Express’s 10-year-old deputy CEO Wolf Stringer and seven-year-old head of in-flight service, Mila Jacquot.
As part of the agreement, Jacquot was presented with a new logo, business cards and artist impression of the Oceania Express brand on a state-of-the-art Boeing Dreamliner. The domain name oceaniaexpress.com.au has also been registered on Jacquot’s behalf. Jacquot and his co-founders also received a tour of the Qantas Integrated Operations Centre, engineering facilities and one of its Airbus A380.
During the 30-minute meeting, the six airline executives discussed aircraft types, in-flight catering and the importance of a frequent flyer programme. Improving passenger comfort on ultra longhaul flights was a focus, particularly given Qantas’ plans to fly direct from the east coast of Australia to London and New York by 2022.
Speaking after the meeting, Joyce said: “The aviation industry needs people who think big and Alex has that in spades. It was a pleasure meeting with him and his co-founders.
“We wanted to capture all that enthusiasm and formalise a connection between Australia’s oldest and newest airlines. Today we signed a MoU for our airlines to cooperate from 2026, once Alex has completed high school. It might be pushed out a bit if he chooses to go to university, which I hope he does.”
Jacquot added: “This is a big day for our little airline. We’ve got a lot to learn from them but they can learn from us, too. We’ve got some ideas about how to make long flights less boring. I like the Qantas in-flight entertainment for kids but I think we can beat it.”
Since the exchange of letters between the two CEOs, Qantas has received scores of notes from other children with a strong passion for aviation, driving the inauguration of the Qantas Future High Flyers programme.
The programme, set to be timed with school holidays later this year, will offer a select number of school children the opportunity to experience a day in the life at the Flying Kangaroo in Sydney. Young aviators will meet with engineers, pilots and head office staff, as well as share their thoughts on how the customer experience can be improved.
In the Philippines, Bohol is facing “game-changing developments and very formidable challenges” as tourism growth, according to Bohol Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) chair Lucas Nunag.
In his presentation during Rajah Travel’s maiden Travel Talk session last week, Nunag said that the government, which announced last year that all Philippine destinations will have their own carrying capacity, needs to determine first the maximum number of tourists to be allowed in Bohol.
This is crucial so investors poised to build hotels and other tourism facilities would know how far they can go, which markets to target, and how to make the industry more inclusive.
Benefiting from Boracay’s six-month closure last year and the recent opening of the international airport in Panglao, Bohol expects a “dramatic” increase in arrivals this year, up from 1.5 million the previous year.
The “unexpected overtourism” is centred in Panglao – best known for its white beach – where the bigger tourist developments are concentrated although some baby steps are being taken to introduce other tourist attractions in the mainland, Nunag said.
He also noted issues about hotels and other establishments in Panglao violating the coastal easement rule of 25 + 5m and that “hopefully authorities would also be as firm in enforcing it as they are in Boracay”.
Another challenge in Bohol’s growing tourism is the food supply, he said, because most of the province’s herbs and vegetables are still imported from Mindanao.
Bohol’s dedicated tourism assets of nature, culture and heritage may also be threatened by the interest of gaming companies to open casinos in the province – which the PTC and private stakeholders countered by issuing a manifesto against it.
“We hope that Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp) will listen”, Nunag said.
They were able to convince higher authorities in Bohol to reject building a coal-powered electric plant meant to address electric blackouts. “There are already serious discussions about bringing in coal-powered plant” but the private sector, local business groups, civic organisations and the church issued a manifesto against it, he said.
Nunag is also apprehensive about the possible “degradation to our cultural and heritage treasures (due to) so many outside influences coming in” so a cultural mapping in terms of hospitality training, performances, visual arts, etc. are currently being undertaken.
Bohol is also coming out with better church pilgrimage tours since most of the centuries-old churches damaged by the 2013 earthquake have already been restored or closed to being restored hence “they have richer stories to tell”.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revealed more details surrounding the protection of Mu Ko Similan National Park.
There will now be an entry fee to the attraction, priced at 500 baht (US$16) for adults and 300 baht for children. Fees are collected at any of four locations, one of which is the Park’s Office on the mainland in the village of Thap Lamu. The other three are in the island archipelago itself – Park Ranger Unit 1 Ko Mieng, Park Ranger Unit 2 Ko Similan and Park Ranger Unit 3 Ko Tachai.
Also, in line with the recent cap on visitor numbers, tour operators are now required to give one-day notice to the park before entering during the period of March 21 to May 15, 2019.
The cap is set at not more than 1,625 visitors per day for excursions on islands from Ko Si to Ko Paet, and not more than 1,700 visitors per day for excursions from Ko Paet to Ko Si.
For diving, the cap is not more than 525 visitors per day.
As of June 2018, overnight stays were banned on the Similan Islands.
Unapproved boats are not permitted to enter the Mu Ko Similan National Park.
Singapore-based DMC Tour East has appointed Plateau International as its sales and marketing representative in Europe, a partnership that begins today.
Plateau International has a remit covering all European markets, with the exception of the UK and Scandinavia.
Chris Bailey, senior vice president of sales & marketing international of Tour East, expects the partnership to take its Asian products to the European travel trade moving forward.
Tour East has MICE programmes in Singapore, Hong Kong, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, the Myanmar, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Australia and New Zealand.
Hertz Europe is launching The British Collection in the UK, designed to offer a more premium end-to-end experience.
The new collection features Land Rover and Jaguar luxury cars for rental, British-themed lounges, and a suite of extras – including pick-up options, additional driver and unlimited mileage to enhance the experience.
Models available for hire include the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the Jaguar F Pace, E Pace, XE and XF, from the Hertz locations at London Heathrow Airport, Marble Arch, and Edinburgh Airport – with free additional driver, and unlimited mileage included in the rates.
For added convenience, airport terminal delivery and collection is also part of the package for Heathrow and Edinburgh rentals – and local pick up and drop off for Marble Arch.
The three locations will offer a “dedicated lounge” featuring best of British furnishings from interior design company, Tom Dixon, and enjoy a refreshing ‘botanical’ drink from Seedlip, the world’s first non-alcoholic spirits brand: an ideal choice for nominated drivers and passengers alike.
Hertz has also commissioned London florist, McQueens, to curate a unique in-lounge garden experience, featuring a selection of plants and flowers from across the UK, to recreate the feel of a classic British country garden.
To complete the experience, Hertz worked with British artist Lauren Baker to develop a new neon light installation to launch The British Collection, signifying the union of modern and premium brands from the UK.
The unveiling of The British Collection follows the launch of the premium Selezione Italia range in Italy last year.
The island of Sentosa will soon welcome a host of developments that are expected increase the destination’s appeal to a wider market segment, particularly families and visitors with mid-tier budgets.
Sentosa Development Corporation’s (SDC) assistant chief executive and chief financial officer, Chin Sak Hin, told TTG Asia that the nearby Pulau Brani will also be “transformed” as part of Sentosa’s rejuvenation blueprint, which will see the former retaining its idyllic charm while new attractions and nature zones are added.
As well, Sentosa will be jointly developed as part of the Greater Southern Waterfront precinct which will bring a host of new attractions, improved transport connectivity, enhancements to its beaches and more MICE facilities, added SDC’s chief marketing officer Lynette Ang.
The SDC is now working closely with other government agencies to draw up development plans for the whole area, which will form part of the Sentosa 2030 masterplan that it is currently developing.
Said Chin: “We always say that we are a world-class destination, but this will bring us to another level.”
Sentosa’s hardware overhaul has already begun, with reburbishment of the island’s main north-south pedestrian thoroughfare set to complete by completed by 2021.
Next month will see Far East Hospitality (FEH) opening the Village Hotel at Sentosa, offering 606 rooms including family rooms, as well as The Outpost Hotel, a new adults-only brand featuring 193 keys and a stylish colonial island concept. Come 3Q2019, the old-school luxury-styled Barracks Hotel will accompany its sibling properties along Artillery Avenue, bringing 40 rooms within a conserved colonial building.
The trio of FEH properties will raise Sentosa’s total room count to 4,200 and make Sentosa more accessible to more tourists with its mid-range prices.
Arthur Kiong, CEO of FEH, said: “Sentosa is a driver of business and is very popular, but it’s interesting that 90 per cent of its 3,200 rooms are in the luxury class. (Our new cluster) caters to families, groups, MICE and niche segments. Visitors may be encouraged to extend their stay in Singapore and Sentosa from one to two days.”
He added that rooms will be “egalitarian” and “priced effectively”, as FEH works on “establishing key partnerships with attractions on Sentosa”.
Inbound tourism players are hopeful that the new properties will entice foreign visitors to extend their stay in Sentosa and Singapore.
Guy Allison, director of procurement, Tour East Holdings, remarked: “Sentosa’s becoming quite a family destination. It’s starting to attract people to stay in Singapore for not just one or two nights, but three or four – maybe even a week. With the new developments, it might even become a destination in itself.”
He also expressed confidence that despite Singapore being a costlier destination compared to its neighbours, the country is “becoming more value-for-money” and more affordable than five years ago.
Meanwhile, to position the island as a holistic destination, SDC has been rolling out a year-round calendar of diverse events to attract visitors, said Chin. These include family-friendly attractions such as Sentosa Sandsation: Marvel Edition and Sentosa GrillFest. The destination recently launched a night light-up event, Island Lights, featuring the first Pikachu Night Parade outside of Japan.
Chin added that SDC is marketing these programmes according to themes such as beach, music, food, sports and festivals to help visitors gain awareness of the island’s suite of offerings.
The SDC has also teamed up with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for a consumer co-branding campaign Epic Adventures from the Island Beyond, which is aligned with the Passion Made Possible brand to markets such as Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Lynette Pang, assistant chief executive, marketing group, STB, described: “Through our marketing promotions, we continue to position Sentosa as an exciting island destination, ideal for families with young kids, with plenty of activities and offerings available to visitors from the foodie, explorer, action seeker and socialiser passion tribes.”
With rising airfares in Indonesia impacting the local travel and tourism industry, the Indonesian government is strongly urging Indonesian air carriers, especially the state-owned Garuda Indonesia, to drop their airfares immediately.
Luhut Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime affairs, has given Indonesian airlines an ultimatum to lower their ticket prices on all routes from April 2019.
The decision was made during a meeting between the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Transportation, airlines and tourism stakeholders earlier this week.
“Garuda Indonesia as the national flag carrier must drop its airfares soon, and that is an order,” said Luhut in official meeting notes circulated among industry members.
Budi Karya Sumadi, transportation minister said the government has stepped in to reduce fuel prices for airlines, which had earlier factored high fuel costs into their fare hikes.
“Some airlines have received a special payment scheme to purchase oil. All (Indonesian) regions have requested for airfare cuts.”
He urged Garuda, in particular, to take the lead in bringing down airfares as a state-owned company.
He also ordered the national carrier to provide subclasses on all flight routes. Garuda has closed the economy subclasses on many routes in recent months and published Y class fares, according to some Indonesian ticketing agents.
Responding to the government’s decision, Budijanto Ardiansyah, vice president of Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), said the recent airfare hike caught customers off guard.
“Instead of asking airlines to reduce airfares, it is better to urge them to return to selling ticket subclasses, so customers have a choice of prices, from the most expensive to affordable within the (range) set by the government,” he said.
Budijanto opined that price increases were common in business, but the airfare hike in Indonesia was too drastic and ultimately took a toll on the travel industry, with domestic ticket sales down almost 30 per cent in the last couple of months.
Pauline Suharno, secretary general of The Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO), added: “(On the one hand), we are fortunate that (the national and presidential) election is coming up. The election campaign to the regions made ticket sales normal. On the other hand, there is a decrease in corporate incentive travel demand. Also, travellers who usually take weekend getaways or short family trips during weekend are declining.”
Pauline is concerned that if high fares and lack of subclass choices persist, sales will be affected in the holiday season. Moreover, with competing destinations carrying out promotions and giving incentive for air tickets, Indonesia’s tourism will suffer greatly as more will opt to travel overseas.
“It’s not only the local travel agents who cry (foul). Other suppliers, such as hotels, amusement parks, museums will bite their fingers. Most sadly, the money that should be spent domestically is lost as Indonesians choose to travel abroad.”
Indonesia Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA) reports that hotel occupancy has suffered as a result of pricey air tickets.
Haryadi Sukamdani, chairman of IHRA, said: “Even though it is a low season, compared to last year, hotel occupancy has decreased by between 20 and 40 per cent. Hotels in the regions have gone quiet as demand shift from domestic to international travel.”
IHRA estimates that star-rated hotel occupancy across the country will stay around 55 per cent in 2019, similar to last year’s level. The stagnating figure, according to Hariyadi’s speech at IHRA National Meeting last month, is partly a result of the increase in room supply.
“But if the ticket problem continues, (hotel occupancy) will drop to less than 55 per cent,” he said.
