Blue skies again for Egypt's tourism; tourists riding towards the Great Pyramid of Khufu and Pyramid of Khafre on camelback, Cairo, Egypt
As Egypt’s tourism sector picks up in the wake of recent revolutions, inbound players are reaching out to Asia in hopes that tourism arrivals will bounce back to its heyday numbers.
“The volume of tourism in the last two years has come back up very quickly. We expect this year’s numbers to be comparable to those 10 years ago,” said Ahmed Abdul Mounem, tourism manager, Castle Tours.
Blue skies again for Egypt’s tourism; tourists riding towards the Great Pyramid of Khufu and Pyramid of Khafre on camelback, Cairo, Egypt
He projects international tourist arrivals to Egypt to rise next year, as airlines from Russia, Germany and other countries relaunched services to the destination.
“In the last five years during the revolution, Asia was the only market that supported Egypt and sent tourists to us. These were Singaporeans and Malaysians, and China was the top source market,” observed Ahmed.
This enduring interest in Egypt is owed to the North African country’s history and legacy. Sabrina Zhao, operations, Unlimited Egypt Travel, explained: “To the Chinese, Egypt is still a mystical and exotic destination, owing to its ancient history and portrayal in movies like Death on the Nile.”
However, Chinese travel preferences have evolved over the years. Zhao shared: “Most travellers first come to Egypt to see the pyramids, but more Chinese are now interested in in-depth discoveries like wading or even fishing in the Red Sea.”
Ahmed added that luxury self-drive tours in the oases and deserts are gaining in popularity among his Chinese clients.
UNWTO has partnered Niantic – the real-world games developer that created Pokemon Go and Ingress Prime – to enhance global tourism through mobile augmented reality (AR) game experiences.
Niantic was recently accepted as a UNWTO Affiliate Member at the 109th session of UNWTO’s Executive Council held in Bahrain last month.
UNWTO will collaborate with Niantic to curate global campaigns that will help build awareness for the organisation’s Travel.Enjoy.Respect campaign
The new partnership is part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to bring together the actors of the ‘ecosystem’ of tourism technology under its priority of innovation and the digital transformation in tourism.
Commenting on the tourism relevance of Niantic games, Ion Vilcu, director of UNWTO’s affiliate members department, said: “Niantic are pioneers in creating real-world mobile game experiences that not only motivate their players to discover new places, but also to appreciate the culture and beauty of the world around them.”
Niantic’s games and global initiatives have been known for gathering players from around the world at real-world events, hence promoting civic engagement and cultural diversity while highlighting local heritage.
With the new partnership, UNWTO and Niantic will curate campaigns around the world that build awareness for the organisation’s Travel.Enjoy.Respect campaign, designed to enhance tourism’s contribution to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Each activity will also be designed to inspire and support exploration, and promote safe and responsible gaming practices for players of all ages.
Bokor Mountain and other Cambodian destinations will be featured, in addition to Chinese locations such as Yunnan
A film aimed at luring more Chinese tourists to Cambodia could attract more high-spending visitors from China and plant the South-east Asian country as a romance destination.
Filming on Love in Cambodia started in September as a joint bid between Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. The aim is to use the film as a tool to promote Cambodia to foreign tourists, particularly Chinese visitors.
Bokor Mountain and other Cambodian destinations will be featured, in addition to Chinese locations such as Yunnan
The US$2 million movie – slated to premier in China in early 2019 – will feature Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat, Koh Rong island off the coast of Sihanoukville, and Bokor Mountain in Kampot. Scenes will also be shot in China, primarily in Kunming in Yunnan province.
Heng Chinmeng, founder of Cambodia Dream Travels, hopes the film will encourage more high-spending Chinese travellers as well as young families and couples to visit the country’s lesser visited destinations.
On the back of the film, Rosewood Phnom Penh plans to arrange a press brief to be distributed by its PR agency in China. Adrein Pon, director of sales and marketing, said: “We believe (the movie) will increase the number of tourists, including the high-end market.”
Anantara Angkor Resort’s general manager Sarah Moya is hopeful that the movie will attract more high-end Chinese to Siem Reap, which currently lacks the sophisticated shopping and dining experiences that the luxury sector opts for.
“The film will help a little in capturing the niche within that market that we would prefer to have,” she said.
Likewise, Le Meridien Angkor intents to use the film as part of its digital marketing efforts in China. Maria Rowena Medina, marketing manager, added that the romantic film could plant Cambodia on the map as a wedding destination.
Said Medina: “The movie, for sure, will have a positive impact on Cambodia’s tourism efforts in China. It may cement Cambodia as a romantic destination and the opportunity may arise for Cambodia as a wedding and honeymoon destination for Chinese.”
Chhay Sivlin, president of Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, revealed that a series of fam trips will be organised.
Furama Resort Danang's board presented the Indian president with a photo of him and his family on 30 Indian Bodhi leaves from a tree in Danang
On a three-day visit to Vietnam, Indian president Ram Nath Kovind identified tourism and civil aviation as sectors that the two countries can build on together, alongside financial services, IT and the digital economy and more.
Speaking at the Vietnam-India Business Forum in the Vietnamese capital, the president pointed to the country’s historical friendly relations, and stressed that trade is a driving force of their diplomatic ties today.
Furama Resort Danang’s board presented the Indian president with a photo of him and his family on 30 Indian Bodhi leaves from a tree in Danang
In the past eight years, there has been an almost four-fold increase in bilateral trade, from US$3.7 billion in 2010 to US$12.8 billion in 2017. With both Vietnam and India on a path of high growth, this trend is expected to continue.
The president added the Vietnam-India business relationship presents prospects for engagement in financial services, IT and the digital economy, hydrocarbons, defence, renewable energy, mining, healthcare, tourism and civil aviation, among other sectors.
The president and his spouse started their official visit at the Furama International Convention Palace.
He was welcomed by secretary of the party committee of Danang city Truong Quang Nghia and met with general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and president Nguyen Phu Trong, and separately with National Assembly chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The president also visited Danang Cham Museum, My Son world cultural heritage in the central province of Quang Nam.
This was his first state visit to Vietnam, and also his first trip to South-east Asia since he took office in July 2017.
Vietjet’s JAL codeshare kicks off with Hanoi-Osaka service
Vietjet has commenced daily Hanoi-Osaka flights, its first codeshare services with Japan Airlines. The flight departs from Hanoi at 01.40 and arrives in Osaka at 07.50. The return flight takes off at 09.20 and lands in Hanoi at 13.05.
Air Canada ups frequencies across the globe
Air Canada has announced frequency additions, all operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
From Vancouver, the airline is increasing service to Delhi with daily flights on a year-round basis starting June 2, 2019, as well as increasing its non-stop Melbourne service to four times weekly year-round, and summer seasonal service to Zurich will increase to five flights a week.
Vancouver International Airport-Osaka (Kansai) flights will be bumped up to a five-times weekly frequency from June to October next summer.
NokScoot ramps up Bangkok-Osaka frequencies
NokScoot will be increasing its Bangkok-Osaka flights to six-times weekly, up from four-times weekly, beginning February 2, 2019.
XW112 will depart Bangkok at 23.50, and arrive in Osaka at 07.10 the following day on all days except Tuesday. The return leg, XW111, will depart Osaka at 08.30, and arrive in Bangkok at 12.45, on all days except Wednesday.
The two additional Bangkok-Osaka flights are on Thursday and Saturday and will continue to be served by Boeing 777-200 wide-body jet, configured with 415 seats.
NokScoot also intends to boost the frequencies on the route to a daily basis later next year once regulatory approval is secured.
AirAsia launches Khon Kaen-Pattaya (U-Tapao)
Starting December 21, Thai AirAsia will launch four-times-weekly flights between Pattaya (U-Tapao) and Khon Kaen. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, flight FD442 takes off from Pattaya at 07.00 and lands in Khon Kaen at 08.00. FD443 leaves Khon Kaen at 08.25 the same day for arrival in Pattaya at 09.25.
The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) is inviting travel and tourism industry members to submit their nominations for its annual awards.
There is no limit to the number of entries each person can submit and registration is not required.
Completed forms are to be emailed to Flora Abdullah at aseanta.ceo@gmail.com, and deadline for submissions is on December 15, 2018.
This year, ASEANTA added two new awards namely the Best ASEAN Hotel Package and the Best ASEAN Cruise Program, bringing the number of awards up to eight.
Air France KLM has appointed Wouter Gregorowitsch as country manager for Indonesia.
Based in Jakarta, Gregorowitsch will oversee commercial sales throughout the country, strengthen Air France KLM’s market position, and cooperate with partners and SkyTeam alliance partners.
Wouter Gregorowitsch
He succeeds Wouter Alders who has moved to the position of commercial director for Spain and Portugal.
Gregorowitsch’s most recent position was within the pricing department at KLM’s head office in Amstelveen, and he has held other positions within the e-commerce, apron services, and engineering and maintenance departments.
Wellness destination Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, Thailand, has reopened after a six-month closure, after completing the third of four stages of the resort’s first major renovation since it opened 23 years ago.
The latest aesthetic and hardware developments comprise a complete overhaul of the Thai Pavilions, Emerald Room, Orchid Lounge, Library, Fitness Centre and Niranlada Medi-Spa. Changes include a new look created with materials such as local sustainable teak, silk and bamboo.
Newly renovated spaces at Chiva-Som
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The Fitness Centre has also increased in size to incorporate a larger gym area and a separate stretching space with an array of new cardio equipment, functional and non-functional training equipment, as well as a private training room and two fully renovated Dance and Pilates Studios.
In addition, a new room category, the Thai Pavilion Suite, features an outdoor pantry and its own outdoor private glass-walled sala, a private space for around six guests set amid gardens and is suitable for private meals or meditation.
The Kinesis Room has been renamed the Re-functional Studio, home to a private Neurac Room, Functional Assessment room and boasting brand new equipment including a Biodex 4 Pro Isokinetic Dynamometer to help with rehabilitation, leg mobility and balance, as well as preparing the body for more strenuous exercise. Further additions are the Queenax functional training equipment; a suspended body weight training system and an Electrical Muscle Stimulation system (Vision Body) to help reduce exercise-induced joint damage and aid recovery.
Chiva-Som’s Total Golf Enhancement retreat has launched as well, aimed at developing guests’ overall game. This new retreat is suitable for players of all levels and provides expertise in specialist areas, such as golf fitness training and golf biomechanics. In addition to golf-specific inclusions, guests will also enjoy related treatments in essential areas, such as post-game muscle recovery, relaxation and skincare. Improvement will be assessed by the included round(s) of golf with an in-house accredited professionals, played at one of Hua Hin’s leading courses.
Labuan Bajo is witnessing a rising tide of travellers “who are pushing beyond the Eat Pray Love script of culture club Bali” and embracing the more adventurous call of the wild, according to C9 Hotelworks.
A gateway to Komodo Island and sanctuary of the namesake reptilian species, Labuan Bajo is seeing the accession of an entirely different giant.
Tourist boats in Kelor Island, Labuan Bajo
In 2017, year-on-year passenger arrivals grew by 24 per cent with nearly 218,000 arrivals. Currently expansion of the airport is underway and international direct flights are in the planning stages.
Despite overseas visitors to the National Park accounting for 61 per cent of traffic, domestic travellers have remarkably doubled over the past two years.
The rapid growth in tourism in Labuan Bajo, where there are just over 1,000 accommodation units, has spurred a hotel development groundswell, with more than 650 rooms in the pipeline.
Setting the tone for a new marketplace is the recent entry of the first five-star luxury resort, the 205-room Ayana Komodo which opened in September.
International brands are entering the fray for the first time, with a Marriott branded hotel, and properties under familiar names such as AccorHotels and Alila coming.
Despite the growth of impending entry of big box hotels, a growing number of tourists are seeking out non-traditional experiences. One case in point is the Le Pirate Group, who has seen some success in its waterborne Boatel offering and an “off the grid” Pirate Island getaway.
Meanwhile another upshot trend is modernised traditional Indonesian phinisi sailing boats, which are capturing the imagination of upscale travellers.
Stepping back and examining the tourism journey of Labuan Bajo from a broadly niche offering of nature lovers and divers into the harsh light of the mainstream, C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett is quick to point out: “The destination is not alone in its somewhat accidental trajectory. One only has to look at the Maldives, Palawan and the islands off Cambodia where the echo of small scale of tourism is being amped up into an entirely new animal. Where once only dragons roamed, tourism is the new giant.”
Singapore’s Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) is intensifying efforts to woo more tourists from China as the destination welcomes a series of new developments promising to widen the island’s appeal.
“Tourists prefer to visit Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), not Sentosa as a whole island,” observed Joseph Sze, senior director of Siam Express, a Singapore DMC.
Sentosa keen to capture more Chinese inbound travellers to Singapore; AJ Hackett Sentosa Bungy Jump pictured
He opined that while Sentosa has “great tourism resources and market potential”, it would fare better among both international and domestic visitors by rebranding and repositioning as “a whole integrated island”.
But this is set to change with redevelopment plans, which could see the nearby Pulau Brani “transformed” as part of Sentosa while “retaining the island charm with new attractions and nature zones”, revealed SDC’s assistant chief executive and chief financial officer, Chin Sak Hin.
“We are working closely with the other government agencies on planning this whole area. We are now at the masterplanning stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, Far East Hospitality (FEH) is launching three hotels along Artillery Avenue in the Palawan area, covering three different segments of the traveller market.
Opening in April 2019 are Village Hotel at Sentosa, offering 606 rooms, as well as the 193-key The Outpost Hotel, featuring a stylish adults-only colonial island concept. In 3Q2019, The Barracks Hotel will open its 40 rooms in a conserved colonial building in the style. The three properties will raise Sentosa’s total room count to 4,200.
Arthur Kiong, CEO, FEH, said: “Sentosa has always been known as a regional tourist spot. However, we found that 90 per cent of the market currently comprises luxury hotels, so we saw an opportunity to add to the island’s mid-tier inventory.”
As change comes to the island, SDC’s Chin told TTG Asia: “The Chinese market is very important to us. We have invested quite a lot in this space. We have accounts on digital channels Mafengwo and WeChat and we are working with big OTAs like Ctrip. Last year we also rolled out AliPay islandwide; now about 70 per cent of businesses on the island accept AliPay.
“We still see a lot of scope for us to invest in China’s digital space. We need to do even more to engage Chinese tourists, of which there are increasingly more FITs.”
Not only are Chinese travellers digitally savvy, they are also “world-savvy”, and are now in search of unique and different experiences, Chin explained.
To cater to such changing preferences, Sentosa has been rolling out a year-round calendar of diverse and “relevant” events, said Chin.
Launching soon is the Pikachu Night Parade, the first to be hosted outside of Japan, as part of Sentosa’s Island Lights light-up event next month.
SDC will market these events and attractions based on themes such as beach, music, food, sports and festivals, to help visitors gain awareness of the island’s suite of offerings.
Meanwhile, broader developments are underway to give visitors more access to attractions on the island. SDC’s My Sentosa App was refreshed with new functionalities such as itinerary planning, smart navigation and gamified trails.
“The island is also working with the Ministry of Transport and ST Engineering Land Systems (on) autonomous Mobility-On-Demand-Vehicles, which will go on a public trial next year,” added Lynette Ang, SDC’s chief marketing officer.
Other activities promising to bring change to the island include the redevelopment of Sentosa’s main north-south pedestrian thoroughfare by 2021, a robust calendar of unique events such as the Sentosa Sandsation: Marvel Edition and Sentosa GrillFest, as well as developing the Sentosa 2030 masterplan.
