Dave Junker has joined Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa as its new general manager.
Prior to his most recent appointment at Shangri-La Hotel at the Fort, Manila, Junker has also been assigned to other Shangri-La hotels in South-east Asia, including Sule Shangri-La, Yangon; Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai; Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok and Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu.
A Luxembourg national, the seasoned hotelier has close to two decades in the industry, and was also stationed at luxury hotels in the UK, the US, India and the UAE before joining Shangri-La.
As China’s outbound travel market enters a new phase of development, increasingly savvy Chinese travellers are eschewing cookie-cutter package tours for customised, personalised experiences during their holidays.
“Many (Chinese) have already been to the major ‘pit stops’ like New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and California. Now, tour operators tell us they want to see the ‘real’ America, and our region is considered a new product,” said Lee Anthony McCarrick, executive director of Great Lakes USA.
Chinese tourist taking a selfie in Napa Wine Valley
“We have the big-city experience with Minnesota and Chicago, but the majority of our region is small towns and the great outdoors,” he said. “The Chinese have been the number one overseas traveller market in the Great Lakes region.”
Joy Cao, general manager of marketing division, Guangzhou Dista International Travel Service, has also begun marketing tours anchored on American culture and nature, such as discovering Chicago’s jazz and blues scene, exploring the Yosemite National Park and Napa Wine Valley, as well as visiting the small towns surrounding Yellowstone National Park.
In Europe, Tuscany-based DaVinci Travels recently established a partnership with Chinese tour company Feiyang Italy to bring authentic Italian experiences to the Chinese market.
“We have mainly worked with Americans and Europeans, but now we would like to focus on the Chinese market,” said Beatrice di Tomizio, senior tour organiser and account manager for incoming department of Italia-Experience, the new company formed under the partnership.
She added: “We have cooking classes and wine tasting sessions, and for smaller groups, we can arrange stays in real Italian houses to give them an original and special taste of Italy.”
Elsewhere in Egypt, Chinese travellers are also forgoing direct train and ferry connections in favour of traversing the country on four-wheeled self-drives, noted Castle Tours’ tourism manager Ahmed Abdul Mounem.
This new breed of Chinese traveller seeking transformative experiences hence represents a lucrative opportunity for the industry, driving the development of “experiential products” among tour operators, remarked Wang Xinjun, CEO, Ivy Alliance.
“Experiential travel will be the driver for future growth,” Wang stated. “There is greater demand for themed and customised tour products and more spending on quality hotel, catering and entertainments while extravagant shopping is on the decline.”
Meanwhile, Fosun Tourism Group continues to upgrade its portfolio of overseas and domestic tour products from general sightseeing to more insightful experiences, according to chairman and CEO, Qian Jiannong.
Europe ranks high as a destination where demand for in-depth tours is high, followed by the US, Africa, Morocco and Mauritius, revealed Qian.
CITS Group Shanghai, secretary director and GM, Lu Jun foresees Central and South America will emerge as new destinations in the coming years for sophisticated Chinese travellers seeking in-depth travel.
According to Ctrip’s CEO Jane Sun, FIT and custom tours now accounts for 33 per cent of the Chinese OTA’s business. “In 1H2018, tour customisation requests were up 112 per cent and bookings for Chinese-speaking local guide increased 242 per cent,” said Sun.
Red Lotus Sea at Nong Han Lake in Udon-Thani pictured
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has developed a three-pronged approach to promote 55 secondary destinations, as part of its diversification strategy to better distribute tourism income and visitation across the country while encouraging low-impact, community-driven tourism.
TAT’s research has identified the need to position these secondary 55 provinces within the “big picture” of Thailand’s development by creating conceptual models specific to each secondary province; such as, a sports city in Buri Ram and a wellness city in Chiang Rai.
Secondary provinces like Udon Thani will feature more in TAT’s future destination campaigns; Red Lotus Sea at Nong Han Lake in Udon Thani pictured
These 55 provinces, which get less than four million local and foreign tourists a year, will also get greater prominence in TAT’s future marketing campaigns. According to TAT, there are more than 4,000 tourist attractions and over 8,000 accommodation units in the secondary destinations as of 2018.
A travel trends survey from the TAT Intelligence Centre showed that in the first half of 2018, the 55 secondary destinations hosted nearly 2.3 million foreign visitors, of which Laos (513,046), China (235,573), the UK (110,942), Germany (103,912) and France (84,380) were the top source markets.
The most visited secondary destinations (hosting over 100,000 tourists) are Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. The cities receiving between 55,001 to 100,000 tourists are Ubon Ratchathani, Mukdahan and Satun.
The three tourism promotion concepts for the secondary destinations identified by TAT are:
Local Experience: Provide visitors with an in-depth experience such as, community-based tourism, lifestyle, wisdom, local identity and distinction of each area.
Future Challenge: Secondary cities have enormous potential to expand their economies and boost the income of the local people if the tourism industry is developed in a sustainable and well-planned manner.
Connecting Destinations: Connecting Thailand’s big cities with smaller cities and also connecting them with neighbouring countries. There are 29 destinations adjacent to the primary cities, 22 airports in these destinations, and 10 destinations with immigration checkpoints.
Asian Trails Indonesia is stepping up its presence in the country with the launch of a new office in Labuan Bajo, Flores.
The DMC’s expansion into Labuan Bajo, in addition to Bali, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and the Gili Islands, is driven by Flores’ rising tourism potential, said Asian Trails Indonesia’s managing director Björn Schimanski.
Asian Trails Indonesia’s newest Flores island
Said Schimanski: “Flores island always has had a great touristic potential but only since the last few years we see it slowly taking off. We are only at the beginning of what will be a major tourist destination in Asia.
“I am convinced that especially the Labuan Bajo and surrounding Komodo national park area will boom in the years to come. We can see already new interesting properties opening up and the sheer beauty of the area will make it a must-see destination.”
Alongside this opening, Asian Trails Indonesia is working on expanding its product range on and around the island.
Maeve Nolan has been named director of Luxe by Exo, a premium selection of Asia travel experiences and services launched by Bangkok-based DMC Exo Travel in October 2017.
Maeve will be responsible for servicing Exo’s luxury clientele and leading Luxe business and product development.
She moved to Hanoi in 1998 and has been travelling across Asia ever since. She moved to Bangkok in 2011.
Airbnb is stepping up its offerings in Thailand with the introduction of the premium Plus accommodation in the country.
Just launched in Bangkok and soon to be available in Phuket next month, Airbnb Plus is a new tier of homes “introduced to broaden the appeal of Airbnb and recognise local hosts who go above and beyond to provide outstanding and authentic hospitality”, said Mike Orgill, the company’s country manager, South-east Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Airbnb Plus has made its debut in Thailand
Airbnb Plus homes have been inspected and verified in person by a third party against a 100-plus point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort and design, while Airbnb Plus hosts are highly rated (4.8+ out of 5) and receive excellent reviews, the company said in a release.
The move to roll out premium-tier listings comes on the back of Airbnb’s launch of Experiences across the country and developing key strategic partnerships with the Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association and the Thailand Ministry of Interior’s Department of Local Administration.
Yokohama readies for its big moment in the international spotlight when major sporting events arrive on its shores
Thirty-seven floors above street level, the construction cranes are in constant motion as the largest hotel in Japan slowly takes shape.
Yokohama readies for its big moment in the international spotlight when major sporting events arrive on its shores
The US$140 million Apa Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower will have 2,400 guestrooms across more than 58,000m2 of floor space when it opens in 2019.
This comes at a fortuitous time, coinciding with Yokohama hosting matches in the Rugby World Cup, including the final. Moreover, the hotel is in proximity of Tokyo, which will host the Olympic Games in the summer of 2020.
Some 70,000 people will be in the International Stadium Yokohama for the final of the Rugby World Cup, according to Seiichi Hata, manager of the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau’s MICE team.
He further shared that Yokohama will host seven Rugby World Cup Games games, and many other events will take place throughout the city during the tournament. “We anticipate a real bustle around the city,” he remarked.
“This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of Yokohama, particularly among strong rugby-playing countries, such as New Zealand, Australia and some European nations.
“We want to keep that going the following year so we get the ripple effect from the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics,” he said. “We are confident we can do that because a number of the events – such as soccer and baseball – are being held here.”
Yokohama is already an appealing destination for visitors to Japan, thanks to historic sites that arguably have been better preserved than elsewhere in Japan, the Chinatown district, and its strong air, sea, road and rail links with the rest of the country and abroad.
Potentially enhancing its visitor appeal are new developments in the pipeline.
No fewer than 14 new hotels are due to be completed by 2020, delivering an additional 4,500 rooms. Besides the Apa property, the pipeline includes the first Hyatt Regency in the city, with 315 rooms close to the Yamashita Park waterfront district.
Plans are also under way for a new passenger ferry terminal – capable of accommodating the largest ships operated by international cruise lines – and a five-storey complex in the Minato Mirai district that will include a 20,000-seat music venue, a 21-storey hotel, exhibition spaces and offices.
At the InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel, Akira Honjo, general manager said inbound visitors are increasing, with foreign guests accounting for around 40 per cent of the total. Americans represent the largest single nationality, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese and South Korean visitors, although the majority remain short-stay domestic visitors from Tokyo and other neighbouring regions.
He anticipates that the global sporting events scheduled for Japan over the next couple of years will serve to raise the profile of Yokohama as a destination and boost the city’s tourism business.
“There are high expectations for the Rugby World Cup, and the Olympics, and we want to use these opportunities to demonstrate Japanese hospitality to the rest of the world,” Honjo said.
Hideaki Furusawa, manager of global sales for the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers, said his property has already been accepting reservations for the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics, although overall figures for arrivals so far this year have been slightly down on the same period last year.
“The government has set a target of 40 million foreign visitors in the year 2020, and we seem to be on target for that,” he said.
Adventure travel next year is shaping up to be slower, quieter, smarter and greener
The need for downtime, concerns about overtourism and the dual desires to travel sustainably and to have informative experiences are the major influencers on adventure travel in 2019, according to adventure travel specialist, World Expeditions.
Adventure travel next year is shaping up to be slower, quieter, smarter and greener
Travel less, see more
Travel itineraries such as a multi-day trek or a cycling journey allow travellers to switch off and immerse themselves in the natural landscape and puts them in touch with their senses in a way that is becoming a luxury for many people.
“It’s a case of travelling less and seeing more – rather than travelling more and seeing less – that is inspiring many people to undertake slow travel,” says World Expeditions CEO, Sue Badyari. “When your body is your vehicle and you are immersed in your surrounds, life slows down.”
Quieter locations
Publicity about over-tourism is encouraging more confident travellers to look beyond replicating what they may see on social media of friends’ travel.
World Expeditions reports a significant increase in enquiries for the company’s range of exploratory expeditions in remote regions and in alternative treks in better known destinations.
Badyari said: “We’re finding that more confident travellers are less interested in replicating the travel experiences of others that they may see on social media and more interested in seeking out lesser visited destinations and trails.”
More information, more heart
Travelling with an expert adds a dimension to a trip that is not possible otherwise, and creates sought after experiences, World Expedition notes.
Being a “thoughtful traveller” and ensuring the places we visit are positively impacted by our visit is a priority for many travellers. Child safe tourism, animal welfare, conserving environments and cultures will remain important aspects of the travel experience, World Expeditions foresees.
Moreover, in 2019, many people will be focussed on reducing their use of plastic by taking refillable water bottles and avoiding buying single use plastic bottles.
Next year, the company will roll out a carbon-neutral project across all itineraries, which will be analysed for carbon outputs and the costs of mitigated and built into the trip cost.”
From December 1, 2018, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel will roll out a complimentary half-day tour Tiong Bahru Heritage Tour, available to any guest who books a stay at the property.
Running twice-daily every Saturday at 09.00 and 13.00, tours includes return transfer by coach, certified English-speaking guides from Tour East Singapore, and sampling of local dishes such as chwee kueh, min jiang kueh, you tiao, traditional kaya butter toast at Tiong Bahru Market. Other places of interest the tour visits include the Qi Tian Gong Temple; wall murals in the district; Seng Poh Garden; and Galicier Pastry, a four-generation-old bakery which sells traditional nonya kueh.
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Tiong Bahru Market
Mural in the Tiong Bahru District
Qi Tian Gong Temple
Dancing Girl Sculpture in Seng Poh Garden
In addition, the Grand Copthorne team will also create in-house activities revolving around the cultural festivals in Singapore for guests.
Readers who type “LOCAL” while booking rooms on the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel’s website will receive a three per cent discount.
The ‘Live Like a Local’ campaign is supported by Singapore Tourism Board’s Experience Step Up Fund that encourages experience development projects that enhances visitors’ experience in Singapore.
Hotel ICON is an award-winning luxury property housing 262 upmarket rooms. Located in the bustle and energy of Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong, Hotel ICON is a modern, uniquely designed property with a commitment to delivering unrivalled guest comfort and featuring a wide range of dining choices for both leisure and business guests.
In addition to being a top-rated business hotel on TripAdvisor, Hotel ICON is also a training school for the next generation of hospitality leaders. Owned by Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hotel ICON was opened in 2011 by Richard Hatter, the hotel’s general manager and adjunct professor, and operates as a research and training facility for the School and Hotel of Tourism Management in Hong Kong.
Photo: Suite bedroom
Attracting Higher-Value Guests in a Competitive Market
“Hotel ICON operates in one of the world’s most competitive hospitality markets and at very high occupancy levels—all of which means there is little margin for pricing error,” said Hatter. “Our executive team is always looking for ways to not only enhance guest experiences, but also improve the returns from our inventory and maximize revenues.”
Hotel ICON has a large inventory of upmarket club rooms and suites boasting superior amenities and accounting for 38.5% of the hotel’s total room inventory. Demand from guests, however, has traditionally been overwhelming for the property’s standard rooms, compared to higher-priced rooms. Demand for standard rooms from January to December 2017 was 126% compared with 40% for club rooms and 54% for suites.
“Our executive team was challenged by how to best lift revenues when market demand for our room inventory from guests was largely focused on lower-rated room categories,” said Hatter. “We quickly realized we needed a new approach with a best-of-breed revenue management system that could assist with room-type pricing and yielding.”
Photo: Lounge area
Returning to the Market Leader
Hotel ICON had been working with a different global revenue management system (RMS) provider but had experienced limitations with the system. Given the advanced automation and room-type management needed, Hotel ICON chose to work with IDeaS, a company the management team had previously enjoyed a successful relationship with.
“We had used a different IDeaS product previously, as well as another revenue management solution, and were confident that IDeaS G3 RMS’s unique ability to assist with room-type management and yielding, along with IDeaS’ solution for meeting space revenue management, was the best choice to drive revenue and profitability for the next stage in our revenue management journey,” said Hatter.
Through its adoption of IDeaS G3 RMS, Hotel ICON achieved optimal RevPAR performance through rate increases and by selling the higher room categories at suitable market prices. Importantly, this process helped minimize overbooking entry-level rooms and forced upgrades, a key area of opportunity many hoteliers are challenged by in the hyper-competitive Hong Kong market.
“Previously, increased demand would simply push the selling price of our room inventory higher across all room categories,” said Hatter. “Today, with the advanced IDeaS G3 RMS, Hotel ICON can accurately forecast and price our room inventory based on different room categories. This is a significant development for our property.”
Early Rewards
Since returning to work with IDeaS and implementing the industry leading G3 RMS solution, Hotel ICON has experienced significant improvement in the performance of the property’s higher-value room categories. Within three months of the G3 RMS installation, Hotel ICON saw year-on-year RevPAR growth of 4.51% for its higher-value club and suite rooms, driven by a 7.35% increase in ADR.
“When we looked to update our approach to revenue management, we committed ourselves to changing our strategies over the long term,” said Hatter. “We are pleased that since returning to work with IDeaS, Hotel ICON has experienced tangible improvements in the performance of our club and suite room categories, which has contributed to a signficant uplift in revenue over a short space of time.”
Thinking Outside the Guest Room
Going forward, Hotel ICON will also implement Smart Space by IDeaS, making their property the first in Hong Kong and China to benefit from the innovative, web-based tool which provides unparalleled visibility into meetings-and-events demand. Smart Space seamlessly pulls data from other sales tools to strategically manage function space events, allowing hoteliers to collaborate and create ideal pricing scenarios for group business.
“The positive results we have witnessed with IDeaS to enhance revenues from higher-value room categories gives us tremendous confidence we will see similar improvements from our meetings and events,” said Hatter. “We look forward to continuing our growth with IDeaS as we aim to enhance our total revenue performance.”
About IDeaS
With more than 1.6 million rooms priced daily on its advanced systems, IDeaS Revenue Solutions leads the industry with the latest revenue management software and advisory services. Powered by SAS® and with nearly three decades of experience, IDeaS proudly supports more than 10,000 clients in 124 countries and is relentless about providing hoteliers with insightful ways to manage the data behind hotel pricing.
IDeaS empowers clients to build and maintain revenue management cultures—from single entities to world-renowned estates—by focusing on a simple promise: Driving Better Revenue.
IDeaS has the knowledge, expertise and maturity to build upon proven revenue management principles with next-generation analytics for more user-friendly, insightful and profitable revenue opportunities—not just for rooms, but across the entire hotel enterprise. For more information, visit www.ideas.com.
About Hotel ICON
Unlike any other, Hotel ICON is an upscale Hong Kong hotel in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui East. Standing as a testament to Hong Kong’s creative energy and vibrant arts scene, Hotel ICON showcases work from the city’s celebrated designers and the world’s most acclaimed architects. Offering the ultimate in comfort and committed to service excellence, Hotel ICON’s 262 stylish guestrooms comprise seductive extras, including complimentary wired and Wi-Fi internet connections, smartphone with unlimited mobile data and an ultra-slim 40” Ultra High Definition LED TV. Located on level 9, Hotel ICON’s Angsana Spa is a tranquil oasis while the harbour-facing outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre allow guests to exercise while enjoying views of Hong Kong Island’s spectacular skyline.
With a maximum capacity of 580 persons, Hotel ICON’s grand Silverbox ballroom is the ideal venue for a celebration or theatre-style conference. Hotel ICON houses three restaurants: Above & Beyond, The Market and GREEN, providing guests with exceptional quality of the food and impeccable service. wallpaper* magazine included Hotel ICON in its 2011 list of the world’s Best Business Hotels and DestinAsian included the hotel in its Luxe List 2011. The premier hotel has also won in 2 categories including the Top 25 Hotels in Asia in the 2017 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards. Join us by following our official social media accounts at @hoteliconhk and share your memorable moments with us by using the hashtag #hoteliconhk.
