Agoda and TravelGay have entered into a partnership to increase focus on LGBT travellers amid a growing wave of support from destinations like Thailand to pursue this niche segment.
TravelGay is a gay travel, entertainment, and lifestyle guide for Europe, the US, and Asia’s most popular gay destinations.
Making gay-friendly travel content more accessible
Darren Burn, managing director of TravelGay, said: “We have expanded our site rapidly since acquiring the business just a few months ago and intend to work together with our accommodation partners in the coming months and years to further assist the LGBT community on their travels.”
“Central to everything we do at Agoda is the belief that we can help everyone to travel anywhere, so we are thrilled to partner with a company dedicated to ensuring that millions of LGBT travellers each year experience the same warm welcome and level of respect as all other travellers do,” said Aaron Moy, head of UX research and Agoda Colors (Agoda’s LGBT employee-resource group).
“Together with TravelGay, we hope to improve the planning and journey for LGBT travellrs in this region and beyond.”
The car horn is one of the most elementary and basic tools for communication in a vehicle. It is often used to warn and notify others of our presence and approach; to alert people to a potential danger related to a vehicle… literally, a way to “speak” to a fellow driver or pedestrian.
Wikipedia, Oxford, Cambridge, Merriam-Webster dictionaries all have different ways to express “beep”, whether for use in computers, telecommunications or transportation.
At Avis Budget Group, “beep” is the new buzz word for our new training platform – a one-stop-portal for travel trade professionals. The Asia platform was officially launched at PATA Travel Mart in September 2018 and provides an overview of our company’s brands, Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental, featuring training modules, booking tools, destination and driving guides.
“beep” makes it easier for you to offer products and services from the two brands to your customers. The Avis platform includes the premium Avis products from its 5,500 locations in approximately 170 countries, while the Budget platforms carries the same well-maintained and great value vehicles from approximately 3,500 locations in more than 120 countries. It aims to make the booking process simpler, more efficient and rewarding for our valuable travel trade partners with the added benefit of all bookings made through the platform being commissionable.
We will also progressively launch incentives and competitions as the platform is introduced into different countries across Asia. The current platform is in English, while the Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai versions will be rolled out progressively in Q4 2018 and Q1 2019.
We believe that “beep” will make it easier for you to offer products and services from our two brands to your customers through a simpler and more efficient booking process. At the same time, you can also receive commission when you make a booking through “beep”.
Additionally, there are also quizzes and a little game to challenge yourself on your knowledge of Avis and Budget, and in the world of car rental too!
So, hurry and beep your way through to the portal at www.abgbeep.com/asia to register and learn more about Avis and Budget now!
About Avis Budget Group
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of vehicle rental services, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 11,000 rental locations in approximately 180 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the world’s leading car sharing network, with more than one million members. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com.
Bali's popularity remains unscathed despite the string of disasters affecting neighbouring Lombok
The string of devastating earthquakes that recently struck recently have not taken the shine off the neighbouring tourist hotspot of Bali, said buyers at the PATA Travel Mart 2018 last week, although some players have seen a shift in demand to other beach destinations.
Bali’s popularity remains unscathed despite the string of disasters affecting neighbouring Lombok
In the wake of the August 5 earthquake, travel intelligence analyst ForwardKeys – in a study released on August 28 – estimated a 42.9 per cent plunge in bookings for Bali.
India, which recently entered the top five source markets for Indonesia, has shown relative greater resilience to the quakes compared to other regional markets like Singapore and China, according to the report.
Sanjay Mehta, chief executive of India’s Trans Globe Travels, said: “Direct flights from Mumbai to Bali (have spurred demand for Bali). In fact after getting news of the Lombok quakes, more of our customers are requesting Bali.”
News reports and an overall availability of information have kept travellers informed and up-to-date on the situation, hence offering assurance that Bali is generally safe to travel to, explained Mehta.
“They know how far Lombok is from Bali. Nowadays travellers are smart; they know where the place (most affected is) and feel they have nothing to worry about,” he said.
“(Moreover), we refer to travel advisories from the Indonesian tourism ministry that have kept us updated on the situation. This is something the tourism board is doing fantastically (to buffer travel confidence).”
At Agent Holiday from Australia, a key feeder market for Bali, travel to the island destination likewise has “not at all” been affected, spokesperson Debby Hunter shared.
Bali has been a traditional favourite among Australians holidaymakers, Hunter said. “People understand that (disasters) happen, and that it is not likely to happen while they’re in Bali.”
Another reason why some buyers are not seeing major impact is that the disaster struck outside of high season, according to Boris Kolokolov, managing director of Russia’s Luxe Travel, and Igo Cruz, Travbest Travel & Tours in the Philippines.
“Russians mostly travel to Bali in the high season, which is around the New Year period. For now it is low season because it is rainy. The traffic comes in December and January,” Kolokolov remarked.
However, T Tamil Selvam, CEO at Chennai-based World Travel Club, said demand for Bali from Indian honeymooners had dropped by more than 50 per cent due to the Lombok earthquakes, and they are opting instead for the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Malidves.
While forward bookings for 4Q2018 were returning, they are “nothing like what we saw in the past”, said Selvam.
Turkish Airlines is currently working on opening the new route to Bali in the first half of next year, following the successful launch of the Istanbul-Phuket service in April 2018.
Stephanie Step Stephen, marketing representative, said Turkish Airlines currently codeshares with Malindo Air to access Bali. She said: “We have seen a huge increase in demand for (Bali) so we are launching a direct flight.”
She added this will increase access to Indonesia from Europe and vice versa, with Istanbul serving as a major European transit hub. “Bali is the perfect destination for Turkey, and the route will be popular with the European market,” said Stephen.
Additional reporting by S Puvaneswary and Marissa Carruthers
The Philippine trade sees strong potential in LGBTQ travel; Metro Manila Pride March 2018 pictured
Come October 12, the Philippines will welcome its first LGBTQ travel symposium in Malvar, Batangas, a culmination of efforts by the local trade to grow a largely untapped but promising market segment.
The Philippine trade sees strong potential in LGBTQ travel; Metro Manila Pride March 2018 pictured
The event, strongly supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is expected to attract 300 participants from the travel trade, local government units and the academe, said organiser Lax Junnel Mendoza, concurrent president of the Association of Travel and Tour Agencies in the Calabarzon region which includes Batangas.
Mendoza, inspired to organise the local symposium when he attended the first LGBT+ Travel Symposium: Thailand organised by TAT in Bangkok earlier this year in June, is eyeing an “exchange” programme with the Thai NTO for travellers between Thailand and the Philippines.
In the pipeline are plans to create a training programme to make local properties and their services gay-friendly and tackle issues like the proper address for these travellers, providing gender-equal toilets, health and safety, and wellness, shared Mendoza.
“The readiness on the grassroots level can make or break the plan” to enhance the LGBTQ market, he stressed.
It is understood that TAT is lending strong support to the Batangas symposium as part of its strategy to build awareness for Thailand as an outbound destination for LGTBQ travel from the Philippines, beyond the key feeder markets of Manila and Cebu.
TAT’s Philippine marketing representative Alma Rivera said the LGTBQ market will be her “flagship in 2019”.
The Philippines’ LGBTQ outbound segment is growing faster than inbound and among the preferred Asian destinations including Taiwan, Shanghai, Beijing and Cambodia, Thailand remains the most popular because of its open approach to LGTBQ and availability of LGTBQ-friendly facilities in the main tourist destinations.
Although the Philippines is known to be one of the most gender equal countries in Asia, LGTBQ inbound is still weak due to limited gay-friendly facilities. Also, it’s still a conservative society where public display of affection and cross-dressing are frowned upon.
Nonetheless, tourism assistant secretary Robby Alabado III said the Philippine Department of Tourism is already supporting LGBTQ through gender responsive tourism and that its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board, is also supporting the LGTBQ travel symposium.
Ian Laroda, inbound and business development officer, Travel Warehouse, said LGTBQ inbound has a lot of potential but the bottom line is to have strong marketing and promotions with government support.
He is keen on remarketing the Outings brand for LGTBQ launched several years ago by a consortium of travel agencies including Travel Warehouse.
What will increase the awareness for inbound, said Laroda, is the first gay pride parade in Mindanao to be organised by young professionals in Cagayan de Oro in December. In metro Manila, the gay pride started with 1,000 participants several years ago but had grown to more than 7,000 when it was held in Marikina this year.
Through trade efforts and public campaigns, Mendoza hopes to remove the stereotype that LGTBQ travel revolves around sex and more importantly, this community wants to be respected and accepted and that the UNWTO is already acknowledging the potentials of this market.
Agreeing, Laroda said LGBTQ travellers are like the usual leisure tourists with penchant for the beach, history, culture and night bars.
LaBoracay beach party has gained a following from this niche market until the government decided that the island won’t be a party place anymore when it reopens next month. An alternative, Laroda said, is Puerto Galera which is known as a “gay” destination even before Boracay became famous.
Other destinations favoured by the LGBTQ travellers are La Union, Cebu, Bohol and Siargao which is booming.
Twin Cities World Tourism Association Switzerland’s Enrique Lepehne and Thomas-Peter Binder
A new association has formed to bolster tourism across the globe by pushing the development of twin cities.
Officially launched last Friday at PATA Travel Mart 2018 in Langkawi, the Twin Cities World Tourism Forum Association (TCWTA) aims to build upon the success that exist between the already established 7,000 sister cities worldwide, while developing relationships between new cities.
Twin Cities World Tourism Association Switzerland’s Enrique Lepehne and Thomas-Peter Binder
Enrique Lepehne, TCWTA director of marketing and sales, said: “We want to use this platform to bring twin cities together, to get them communicating, and show them the tourism possibilities and new ways to explore tourism in the cities.”
Initiatives include exchanges between senior travellers, educational exchanges and joint tourism marketing campaigns, Lepehne shared.
Thomas-Peter Binder, TCWTA president, said: “We want to encourage people to travel to the twin towns. While contact through social media is all well and good, it is no substitute for real, personal and direct interaction between people.”
When establishing new twin cities, Lepehne said they are looking for destinations that offer differing cultures, climates and landscapes, such as pairing up a beach destination with a city that is home to mountains.
Twin destinations need not be far away, added Hikmet Atilla, general manager of Raffinesse Travel in Turkey. This year his hometown of Didim in Turkey is twinned with the nearby Greek island of Kos.
He said: “We can combine Turkey and Greece as one holiday, which is helped by the twin city status.”
In the coming months, Lepehne will visit cities across the globe to show them the potential the programme holds to maximise their twin city status.
TCWTA will also attend a series of exhibitions and marts and will host its own gathering on January 18 in Zurich.
The association board will comprise 14 members, including 13 mayors from countries worldwide while Hüseyin Baraner, the only non-mayor member, will be appointed general secretary.
The board is expected meet once a year in the city of the president to exchange ideas, concepts and plans.
The Void and ILMxLAB are joining hands to bring the first-of-its-kind hyper-reality experience, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, to Resorts World Genting later this year.
The location-based VR experience will be The Void’s first venture outside of America and the UK, making this experience at Resorts World Genting the first in Asia.
Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire will take guests on a journey through the Star Wars universe, allowing them to walk freely and untethered on an interactive stage. Reality and imagination will mix, where guests will feel the impact of blaster bolts, smell the smoke from the surrounding environment, push buttons to solve an interactive puzzle to escape enemies, while coordinating directly with their unit in real time through the blended virtual and physical world.
Under the orders of the rebellion, teams of four travel to the molten planet of Mustafar and sneak onto an Imperial Base. During the mission, visitors will encounter familiar Star Wars characters as they navigate through the world.
Craig Watson, chairman of The Void, said: “The Void’s hyper-reality experiences are taking people to worlds that, until now, only existed in their imaginations. The Void is leading location-based entertainment to the next level. By making the impossible real and allowing guests to step into completely new and alternate realities. In Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire visitors can hear, feel, touch and even smell bringing them closer to the story, characters and places.”
At the PATA Travel Mart 2018 in Langkawi, The Technology Experience article by Karen Yue was recognised with the PATA Gold Award for Travel Journalism – Industry Business Article award.
This marked another achievement for a TTG publication at the annual awards of PATA, following TTG Asia Luxury’s win two years ago.
Celebrating the award in Langkawi last week were TTG Asia Media managing director Darren Ng and publisher Pierre Quek, accompanied by team members and PATA’s Mario Hardy and Macao Government Tourism Office’s Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes
Fans of Crazy Rich Asians can now discover and experience the rich culinary gems in Singapore as seen on the big screen. Pamela Chow embarks on a new tour that gives guests a taste of the neighbourhoods and local dishes mentioned in the movie and novel
Why
The recent release of the Crazy Rich Asians movie has piqued global interest in Singapore as a ‘rich’ destination – not just for its luxury experiences, but also for its diverse cultures and colourful culinary scene.
Local tour outfit Wok ‘n’ Stroll has crafted the Crazy Rich Asians – Behind the Scenes Food Tour to take guests behind the scenes of locales mentioned in the movie and its original novel, some of which include restaurants and hawker centres.
What
The Crazy Rich Asians – Behind the Scenes Food Tour treats participants to food mentioned in the novel and movie, such as carrot cake, roti prata and satay.
Our journey started at CHIJMES, where Wok ‘n’ Stroll’s resident food guide Simon imparted tidbits about the historic chapel and how the movie’s wedding scene was filmed here. Complementing this stop was a visit to Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant New Ubin Seafood’s newest outlet at CHIJMES.
The tour also provided a glimpse into Singapore’s famous hawker culture with a stop at Lau Pa Sat’s evening market, where a row of grilled satay, oyster omelette, carrot cake and murtabak awaited us.
The night ended with a swig of the iconic Singapore Sling, accompanied by a stunning evening view of the Marina Bay skyline at LeVeL33 Craft-Brewery Restaurant & Lounge.
The Crazy Rich Asians – Behind the Scenes Food Tour is also available in the day with a different itinerary that features other places such as the Botanic Gardens and Keong Saik Road.
How
In the restaurants, the best seats in the house were reserved for the tour, such as a private room and a corner table with an unobstructed panoramic view. At the evening market, a row of tables had been “choped” (local slang for “reserved”) for us with tissue packets and table mats. Food is served before or upon arrival.
The tour runs every Sunday at 18.00, and is designed to be more intimate than Wok ‘n’ Stroll’s usual day tours. Our session lasted four hours, during which we were ferried in a private mini-van.
Tour sessions must be booked at least 24 hours in advance, after which the meeting point is confirmed and disclosed. Private tours can be arranged as well. Group sizes range from six to 10, and cost S$150 (US$109) per person.
Verdict
A fun and tasty exploration of Singapore, Wok ‘n’ Stroll’s Crazy Rich Asians – Behind the Scenes Food Tour is enjoyable for both fans and non-fans alike.
Thailand-based Akaryn Hotel Group has revealed an ambitious strategy to launch its first akyra hotels beyond homeground, tripling the brand portfolio in South-east Asia from four to twelve by 2022.
Akyra currently boasts four properties in Thailand, namely akyra Manor Chiang Mai in Nimmenhaemin, akyra Beach Club Phuket on Natai beach, akyra Thonglor Bangkok, and akyra TAS Sukhumvit Bangkok, the latest addition which opened in May this year.
Agreements for new akyra properties are currently at different stages of readiness in the Malaysian Highlands, Hoi An in Vietnam and Bangkok’s Rattanakosin Island, while other projects are being considered in markets including Bali, Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, as the Thai boutique brand spreads its wings across South-east Asia.
Many of the new akyra properties will feature a new rooftop bar concept called Rise, which was officially launched in Bangkok on September 13, 2018, and was pioneered in the brand’s Chiang Mai location featuring craft beer and creative cocktails.
All new akyra hotels and resorts will retain the brand’s core philosophies, including sustainability, community interaction and environmental awareness.
The entire Akaryn Hotel Group has pledged to eliminate single-use plastics by 2Q2019, with both akyra TAS Sukhumvit Bangkok and akyra Manor Chiang Mai already single-use plastic free.
The company is also a long-term partner of the Pure Blue Foundation, which supports marine projects including coral reef restoration and turtle conservation.
Malaysia-based Swiss-Garden International Hotels, Resorts & Inns will roll out extensive refurbishments to the tune of RM50 million (US$12 million) at six of its managed properties in the country.
COO Peter Gan shared in a press statement that the refurbishment would be be conducted in stages, and is expected to be completed early 2019.
Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Kuala Lumpur
The 320 guestrooms and suites will be remodelled from floor to ceiling, and will sport a grey and warm green colour palette. The lobby will be transformed as well.
Oriental Room at Swiss-Inn Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur
Swiss-Inn Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur
Preserving and restoring the old architecture of this 150-room hotel in mind, the refurbishment will include a refreshment of its lobby – where Chinese motif design-inspired panelling will be installed – as well as the meeting facility. On the F&B front, a Coffee Bar will be included adjoining to the reception area.
Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut, Lumut
Situated off Pangkor Island, the resort will see significant upgrades in its lobby as well as 291 rooms and suites, in addition to a facelift of supporting facilities such as the Coffee House, Ballroom and function rooms.
Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Kuantan, Pahang
The 304-room resort on Balok Beach will see an overhaul of its lobby area to feature widened spaces, innovative lighting and soft furnishings. As well, the rooms are also expected to undergo enhancements in the form of new fittings and fixtures.
Swiss-Inn Sungai Petani, Kedah
A revamp of the inn is already underway, which will see the refurbishment of the bathrooms alongside new carpeting and furniture pieces in the guestrooms.
Swiss-Inn Johor Bahru, Johor
The upcoming renovation plan for the inn has been designed to maximise the available space within the hotel. The present meeting space will undergo a transformation while one level of its carpark will be turned into a new ballroom that offers direct access to the swimming pool.
