Topi Manner will assume the post of CEO at Finnair from January 1, 2019.
Manner will take over from Finnair’s current CEO Pekka Vauramo, who has left the airline to become the CEO of Metso Group. Finnair’s current chief financial officer Pekka Vähähyyppä will act as interim CEO from now until the end of this year.
Manner has had a long career in several management positions at Nordea, the largest financial group in the Nordic countries. Since 2016, he has been a member of Nordea’s Group executive management and held the post of head of personal banking.
Zazz Hotels & Resorts, an upscale brand owned by Asia Prestige Management and managed by Unicorn Hotels & Resorts, will be making its debut in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam next year.
Scheduled to open in 1Q2019, Zazz Urban Ho Chi Minh Hotel is located in District 5, Saigon’s. The urban oasis-themed hotel will offer 40 stylish guestrooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, and decked out with in-room amenities including complimentary ultra-fast Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, entertainment system.
This is the first Zazz-branded hotel to open
The boutique hotel also features a street-front cafe & restaurant called Day’li, that will serve up a selection of authentic Vietnamese coffees and pastries. There will also be a rooftop bar, Zook.
Other facilities will include a gym, an outdoor swimming pool, and a co-working space equipped with high-speed Internet and state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities.
In addition, the hotel will be launching a mobile app called Zapp. Zapp will allow guests to make fast reservations and custom requests, as well as access to other hotel services. It will also feature restaurant, spa and nightlife recommendations in the area.
Thailand-based Dusit Thani Public Company (DTC) has expanded into the high-end vacation rental market through the full acquisition of Elite Havens.
DTC made the acquisition through its wholly owned Hong Kong-incorporated subsidiary, Dusit Overseas Company, which has bought all shares in LVM Holdings (LVMH), a Singapore-incorporated company and the ultimate holding company of Elite Havens, for approximately US$15 million.
From left: Dusit International’s La-ead Kovavisaruch and Suphajee Suthumpun; and Elite Haven’s Jon Stonham and Riyaz Moorani
Established in 1998, LVMH directly and indirectly holds shares in nine companies in South-east Asian countries. The largest company of its kind in Asia, it performs integrated marketing, reservations, concierge and management services for luxury villas and currently maintains a network of more than 200 fully staffed properties across Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
“Our investment in Elite Havens marks another important milestone in our strategic journey, particularly our two-pronged plan for expansion, which includes doubling our number of hotels in operation, and providing broadened experiences for our customers.” said Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, DTC.
Villa Tievoli, part of Elite Haven’s portfolio
The purchase of Elite Havens will help DTC extend beyond the midscale to luxury segments it currently serves with its brands, and into the luxury villa rental category, Suphajee added.
As part of its strategy for balance, diversification and expansion, DTC has been actively enhancing its operations with investments in new market segments.
The Thai hospitality company forayed into the shared economy last year with an investment in Favstay, a Thai hospitality startup offering condos and villas for rent in Thailand’s top destinations, and in April this year announced it would also enter the affordable lifestyle segment with the launch of Asai Hotels.
Bedsonline unveils new brand identity to align
with significantly enhanced travel agent offering
§ Following the integration of GTA and Tourico Holidays with its parent group, Bedsonline unveils significantly enlarged and more competitive product portfolio with platform enhancements.
§ Launch of new brand identity and website to present new ‘360 degree’ proposition designed to support the growth of travel agent customers worldwide.
Following the integration of GTA and Tourico Holidays with its parent group, Bedsonline has unveiled a new brand identity to accompany its significantly enlarged product portfolio with platform enhancements.
The brand refresh for Bedsonline will include a new logo and brand identity. The global sales teams will also kick off a campaign to introduce customers to the newly revised offering, including through sales meetings, presentations, webinars and various events held in local markets, the details of which will be published soon.
Bedsonline unveils new brand identity to support the growth of travel agent customers worldwide
The new identity and website will boast a “360 degree” proposition that presents the well-rounded support for travel agent customers worldwide.
Bedsonline said the platform now offers travel agents a more diverse product portfolio of over 170,000 hotels globally – of which over 90,000 are directly sourced to offer unique and competitively priced content – 24,000 transfer routes and 18,000 activities, plus 140,000 cars available for hire.
In addition, Bedsonline touts a user-friendly technology, with the “best-in-class search engine designed specifically for the needs of travel agents”. The tool allows users to filter and compare results in a flexible and practical way, including intuitive email and PDF functions. Bedsonline’s parent group is the only distributor to operate its own cloud-based, open source data centre and handles up to 1.5 billion searches per day.
Thirdly, Bedsonline says it has the strength of local knowledge combined with a global offering.
Alistair Rodger, director of retail travel agents at Hotelbeds Group, commented: “Already we are speaking with our customers globally to explain to them how they will benefit from these changes. Shortly we’ll be hosting a series of events and workshops to present the new enhanced offering. This follows the expansion of our product portfolio and strengthened position to negotiate the best deals for our customers with the inclusion of Tourico Holidays and GTA into our Group – along with all the additional improvements we have made by picking the best-of-class functionalities and know-how from across the three companies, such as improved payment options, operational support and loyalty rewards.”
With the Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST) Forum round the corner, a new video has been released to drum up support for the sustainable tourism movement.
The event will take place at the JW Marriott on September 24, gathering speakers and supporters from the hospitality and airline industries as well as other sectors such as BMW, Coke and Central Retail to focus on the core issues in sustainable island tourism and how to fight them.
PHIST 2018 also will host the GreenGroove exhibition of sustainable suppliers and services for the hotel and tourism industry. Attendance is free, registration is recommended as spaces are filling fast.
Sabre Corporation has launched two next-generation pricing solutions said to uncover new revenue opportunities by enabling airlines to address changing market conditions in real time.
Sabre AirVision Dynamic Availability and Sabre AirVision Fares Optimizer were launched at the Aviation Festival in London, with Etihad Airways and Aegean Airlines the first Sabre customers to implement the solutions.
Sabre AirVision Fares Optimizer allows airlines to strategically adjust fares based on real-time market data
“Pricing is one of the most complex issues in the aviation industry, and airlines are under immense pressure to adapt prices in line with constantly changing market conditions,” said Dave Shirk, Sabre president of travel solutions.
“Success requires pricing and revenue management technology that will not only push boundaries, but equip airlines for the next frontier. As part of our commitment to enable the digital airline of the future, our dynamic pricing solutions give airlines the intelligence needed to compete and grow revenue today and well into the future.”
Sabre AirVision Fares Optimizer allows airlines to strategically adjust fares based on real-time market data. It recommends pricing structures based on customer segmentation and competitor price checks, and generates fare recommendations by estimating each customer’s potential willingness to pay.
For more tactical adjustments, Sabre AirVision Dynamic Availability – a big data solution – enables airlines to quickly respond to ever evolving market dynamics.
Sabre says both industry-first solutions are the result of a long-term innovation partnership with Etihad Airways. “Building solutions using real-world data, scenarios and receiving continuous feedback from the airline are the key ingredients to a successful development,” said Bhaskara Rao Guntreddy, head of solutions and innovation at Etihad Airways.
The solutions are part of a broader strategy by Sabre, which announced earlier this year that it would build a new Digital Commercial Platform that delivers end-to-end personalised retailing for airlines.
Hen Chanda is enjoying the steadily growing trickle of tourists visiting his home province of Kratie in eastern Cambodia. Home to one of the world’s only surviving pockets of Irrawaddy dolphins, endangered Cantor’s softshell turtles and an idyllic Cambodian countryside that takes in the Mekong River, a growing collection of ecotourism initiatives have been launched in the area to create livelihood opportunities for some of the country’s poorest communities.
Hen, who has been a tour guide for seven years, said: “Community-based tourism development is starting to become popular in Kratie and the Mekong River plays an important role, with boat tours to see the dolphins and staying with communities along the river being the number one activities.”
However, Hen fears the future of Kratie’s nascent ecotourism sector hangs delicately in the balance, thanks to a swathe of hydropower plants that are being constructed along the Mekong River in Laos and Cambodia.
Is Laos paying a hefty price for its dam investment? The Xayaburi dam, in northern Laos, pictured
“There has been a lot of research that shows the negative effects these dams will have,” he said. “And this will impact tourism along the Mekong.”
As part of Laos’ bid to be the “battery of Asia”, the government has been constructing dozens of dams across the landlocked country to export to its power-hungry neighbours like Thailand.
In Cambodia, several more hydropower plants are under construction or being planned, including the country’s largest dam at Sambor in Kratie. A study commissioned by the Cambodian government and carried out by the US-based natural resources conservation NGO Natural Heritage Institute states that “a dam at this site could literally kill the river, unless sited, designed and operated sustainably. Sambor is the worst possible place to build a major dam.”
Sinan Thourn, chairman of PATA Cambodia, predicts the dams will drastically affect areas, such as Kratie and Stung Treng in northern Cambodia, where eco-tourism is mushrooming. He said: “The animals, fish and livelihoods of the people will disappear. These areas are already very different from what they were… The Mekong’s rich resources, which also attract tourists, are being drained.”
Miles Gravett, general manager of Khiri Travel Cambodia, agreed: “The Mekong is the lifeblood of Cambodia. The river is an identifiable landmark in the region and a name that everyone knows or has heard of prior to arriving in Cambodia.”
Besides the effects felt in Kratie, the dams blocking the flow of water downstream have the potential to impact on the Tonle Sap Lake and its delicate ecosystem that attracts tourists, he added. The Mekong converges with the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh, pushing water up to the “Great Lake” in Siem Reap. Boat trips are common on the UNESCO biosphere reserve, where many endangered wildlife and floating villages call home.
In Laos, the hydropower plants are already affecting the tourism sector, making operations more difficult and the journey more expensive for customers, Asian Trails’ CEO Laurent Kuenzie told TTG Asia. The DMC now has to use one boat for the first part of the journey, move clients overland for a short part, then another boat for the final stretch.
Stefan Scheerer, general manager, Khiri Travel Laos, noted that the dam construction in Muang Noi in northern Laos has already had a negative impact on clients’ experience. “Once one of the most stunning landscapes is now divided by a huge, ugly dam,” he opined. “Not only is tourism is suffering, the local communities (also) do not profit from these mega projects.”
He shared: “The Mekong River plays a very important role for tourism in Laos. Not only is the Mekong very present in any marketing material, it is also essential for excursions and activities. The waterways are a great way to enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes of rural Laos, which is increasingly under danger through dams and other constructions.”
The recent collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam in Attapeu province has revealed the ugly side of Laos’ energy ambitions, with some 34 people killed, hundreds reported missing and more than 6,000 people displaced. Water also flooded into the Sekong River, sending floods downstream in Cambodia, and caused damage to agricultural land in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
The Laotian government has since announced that it will suspend all new hydropower projects. A task force has also been set up to inspect dams that are complete or under construction.
While this reprieve has been welcomed, fears over the future of the Mekong remain. “Sadly, it is locals who will feel the worst effects of damming the Mekong as fisheries deteriorate and tourist and shipping trade traffic dwindle,” said Gravett.
“A slightly cheaper electricity bill is not worth the long-term damage some of the dam proposals could cause.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly wrote about a leaked report of a study commissioned by the Cambodian government and carried out by the US-based research and consultancy firm National Heritage Institute. The report was not leaked and was published before June 2018 by US-based natural resources conservation NGO Natural Heritage Institute.
Seabourn will return to Asia in late 2018 and early 2019 with voyages aboard its newest ship, Seabourn Ovation.
Seabourn Ovation‘s first season in Asia will begin in Singapore with a series of five 14-day Vietnam & Thailand voyages between Singapore and Hong Kong (departing December 22, 2018, and January 5, January 19, February 16 and March 2, 2019).
Seabourn Ovation; photo credit: Facebook/Seabourn
These itineraries will feature an overnight stay at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city, bustling with culture and French colonial architecture that is also a gateway to a visit on the Mekong Delta.
The voyages will also feature the line’s popular Caviar in the Surf beach parties at Koh Kood in Thailand, as well as an extended day at Halong Bay in Vietnam, allowing for optional excursions to the capital city of Hanoi.
The season will also include a 14-day Gems of the South China Sea voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore (departing February 2, 2019), visiting destinations such as Xiamen, China and an overnight call in Manila, Philippines, providing options for appealing 28-day combo cruises with the Vietnam & Thailand voyages.
Moreover, special programming on the sailings include Shopping with the Chef excursions, which allow guests to learn about local food markets and see how the freshest ingredients are selected, and sessions with guest speakers such as historian and destination experts as part of the line’s Seabourn Conversations programme.
Seabourn Ovation features all oceanfront suites with private verandas, as well as one additional deck, expanded public areas and a brand-new, al fresco dining venue Earth & Ocean at The Patio.
Seabourn Sojourn will also sail in Asia as part of its Extended Explorations voyages. Departing on April 10, the 18-day Jewels of Southeast Asia itinerary sails from Singapore to Shanghai, covering ports in Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Ishigaki, Japan.
Being the official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage, Seabourn will also offer optional shore excursions such as to Ha Long Bay in Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin while sailing by some of an estimated 1,969 islands. Others may choose a three-day mid-cruise overland tour to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
As well, there will be number of pre- and post-sailing experiences connected to Seabourn’s Asia itineraries, including UNESCO Treasure of China: Beijing, Xi’an & Hong Kong and UNESCO Cambodia: Phnom Penh & the Temples Of Angkor.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has introduced two new loyalty programmes – Pan Pacific Discovery for guests and Pan Pacific Connections for corporate bookers.
Through Pan Pacific Discover (panpacific.com/discovery), customers will be able to avail the guest loyalty programme and its selection of benefits, personalised services and local experiences. Benefits include an exclusive members’ rate, late check-out till 15.00, and upgrades to the next room category with direct bookings.
PPHG’s B2C programme for its loyal customers
PPHG will also extend customised privileges for residents of its Serviced Suites, with a range of benefits such as branded toiletries and complimentary laundry.
Pan Pacific Connections, a by-invitation only bookers’ programme, recognises, retains and rewards loyal corporates bookers for booking rooms, meetings and events at all hotels, resorts and serviced suites under PPHG. Membership is open to both corporate accounts and individual booker accounts, where members earn points for every eligible stay and meeting.
Delivered through a digital platform, corporate bookers can log in to their account round-the-clock and book negotiated corporate rates or special corporate rates directly through the website, www.panpacificconnections.com. Members enjoy instant reward points for their bookings, which can be used to redeem a selection of rewards from hotel stays, dining, wellness, lifestyle and shopping products.
241-key Ramada by Wyndham Ho Tram Strip to be part of Vietnam’s first integrated resort
Vietnam is set to welcome its first Ramada Worldwide by Wyndham with a scheduled late-2019 opening in the up-and-coming Ho Tram.
Owned and developed by Ho Tram Project Company, Ramada by Wyndham Ho Tram Strip will occupy 5.3ha of seafront land within the Ho Tram Strip – Vietnam’s first integrated beach resort destination which covers 164ha and a 2.2km beachfront site.
The upcoming Ramada by Wyndham Ho Tram Strip will be part of Vietnam’s first integrated resort
The hotel will feature 198-key hotel will feature seven two-bedroom penthouses and 36 three-bedroom villas, two outdoor pools, a spa, a gym, two restaurants, a pool bar and meeting rooms.
Guests will also be able to access the facilities of the surrounding Ho Tram Strip, including a convention centre, a casino, a shopping precinct, multiple restaurants and bars, and The Bluffs, an 18-hole links-style championship golf course designed by Greg Norman. A new water park is also under construction as well as an amphitheatre seating up to 2,000 people.
The property will be located than two hours from Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and 60km from the upcoming Long Thanh International Airport.
