CHIJMES, a heritage building in Singapore that was first built as a Catholic convent in 1852, is one of the filming locations in the movie
Travel search volume for Singapore and Malaysia have seen massive spikes in recent weeks, which Expedia said was the “knock-on effect” of recently released Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians.
Singapore tourism has hit jackpot with this blockbuster movie, which has already sparked a boost in tourism promotions and new tours to sell the island-state.
CHIJMES, a heritage building in Singapore that was first built as a Catholic convent in 1852, is one of the filming locations in the movie
When comparing the search volume for travel to Singapore across Brand Expedia sites in the two weeks before and after the movie was released, Brand Expedia’s Malaysia site (Expedia.com.my) saw the biggest increase, with search volume doubling over the comparison period. Brand Expedia’s Hong Kong site (Expedia.com.hk) also saw an increase of more than 90%, while its Taiwan (Expedia.com.tw) and US (Expedia.com) sites saw increases of nearly 50% over the same period.
When comparing the search volume for travel to Malaysia across Brand Expedia sites in the two weeks before and after the movie was released, Brand Expedia’s Hong Kong site (Expedia.com.hk) saw the biggest increase, with search volume increasing by almost 85% over the comparison period. Brand Expedia’s Singapore site (Expedia.com.sg) also saw a nearly 75% increase, while its Taiwan (Expedia.com.tw) and US (Expedia.com) sites saw increases of almost 45% and over 40% respectively over the same period.
“There are a few things in life that are certain to inspire you to travel, no matter who you are, and a good movie is most definitely one of them. Crazy Rich Asians has been an amazing hit for Singapore and Malaysia, both on the awareness and tourism standpoint,” Lavinia Rajaram, regional head of communications, Brand Expedia in Asia, said in a statement.
Diethelm Travel Group has launched an exclusive agent section of its website to provide agents comprehensive information, resources and updates available 24/7.
The online hub offers insider access to sourced content from all of Diethelm Travel’s 13 country offices to allow agents to easily stay up-to-date on new products and promotions, many of which are only available through Diethelm Travel.
The online hub offers in-depth Asia travel information and business insights
The rich resource is expected to help agents more fully explore and understand destinations from the convenience of their computer to then better guide and serve their clients.
Available only to registered agents, key features of My Diethelm include:
a streamlined dashboard summarising newly added information;
product updates from all 13 Asian countries Diethelm Travel operates in;
special promotions on hotels and travel packages;
downloadable files sharing useful business intelligence, such as marketing materials, inspection reports, travel tips, hotel development and construction reports, etc;
destination guides highlighting local recommendations from Diethelm Travel’s on-the-ground experts of the best places to dine, shop and more;
access to Diethelm Travel’s webinar series including past webinar archives available to replay with downloadable presentation files;
an image gallery where agents can download exclusive Diethelm Travel images to use in marketing materials;
archived newsletter content;
and an event calendar highlighting unique holidays, festivals and events to help plan ahead for special trips;
A downloadable tariff function will soon be added to allow agents to log in and easily retrieve all pricing of Diethelm Travel’s various products including hotel rates, packages, excursions and transfer services.
Tourists at Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Malaysia is working on improving tourist arrivals from its core markets, with air connectivity a major factor in Asia and marketing key to keeping its hold of visitors from the region.
Abdul Khani Daud, deputy director-general (promotion), Tourism Malaysia, said the organisation is working with Malaysia Airports to attract airlines from Thailand, the Philippines, India and Hong Kong, among others, to fly to secondary destinations in Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak.
Tourists at Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Quezon City’s Thousand Miles Travel general manager, Cassey Antoinette Ruiz, opined that air connectivity from the Philippines to secondary cities in Malaysia such as Langkawi, Sabah and Sarawak will make it easier to push the destinations, which are limited to Kuala Lumpur combination packages as there are no direct flights.
Abdul Khani shared that the government was also trying to attract India-based airlines as this was key to arrest year-on-year decline in arrivals from India since 2012. Currently, the India-Malaysia route is served by Malaysia-based carriers, namely Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Malindo Air.
DoView Holidays India director, Srinivas Vemuri, said: “Indian airlines would improve air connectivity with B Class Cities such as Pune, Gujerat, Lucknow, places where there are currently no flights to Malaysia.
“Most Malaysia-based airline routes between Kuala Lumpur and India are to the main metro cities in India, making it inconvenient for Indians living outside these cities to travel to Malaysia. Also, there is a lack of awareness about the e-visa facility offered to Indians.”
Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia is sensing a greater urgency to intensify promotions in the Middle East, as arrivals from traditional top performer Saudi Arabia fell nine per cent in the first four months of 2018.
Abdul Khani said: “The promotional budget for the (region) has been reduced while our competitors, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and others are working to (gain) market share. We need to increase our promotional campaigns in the Middle East or risk losing share.”
Ghaleb Hayek, branch manager at Sazat, based in Lebanon, said there is a general lack of awareness about the destination and that the capital, with its Pretronas Twin Towers, is too similar with more accessible Dubai. He commented: “Malaysia has to promote its unique cultures and heritage outside the city areas.”
UK-based independent tour operator Premier Holidays appointed John Parker as the new product manager to oversee its core destinations in Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei.
Currently the project manager for Africa, Parker has since September taken over the reins of Asia programme from David Carlaw, Premier’s former head of faraway who is now the UK sales representative for Diethelm Travel Group.
John Parker on a holiday in South Africa. (Photo credit: Premier Holidays: Trade’s Facebook)
Parker has been a product manager at Premier Holidays for 12 years, and in the past has contracted areas including Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand. He still remains product manager for Africa.
Star Cruises’ Superstar Gemini will soon call multiple ports in Malaysia and Thailand home from November 5, 2018, until April 28, 2019.
For the upcoming deployment, SuperStar Gemini will homeport in the Malaysian destinations of Port Klang, Penang and Langkawi, along with Phuket in Thailand, with a focus on destinations around the Straits of Malacca.
SuperStar Gemini will be based in South-east Asia for a stint
Guests will be able to choose from round-trip itineraries from these homeports, ranging between two to four nights to include destinations including Krabi and Singapore.
“Genting Cruise Lines has a long history in this part of South-east Asia and we are excited to be making Malaysia SuperStar Gemini’s new home in November 2018 to carry on the legacy of SuperStar Libra, which recently retired from active duty from the Star Cruises fleet,” shared Kent Zhu, president, Genting Cruise Lines.
For Soonie Wattanahongsiri, who counts 15 years of experience in major DMCs in Thailand – including Exo Travel, Khiri Travel and Abercrombie & Kent – a trusted reputation and word of mouth referrals are the most valuable tools to attract business for Blackrice Travel, a boutique travel agency she founded in early 2018.
Soonie Wattanahongsiri
The Bangkok-based startup offers customised trips to Thailand and South-east Asia for both travellers and corporate agents alike. “We have no fixed tariffs or modules. It’s all about customisation,” said Soonie.
Designing each holiday around a client’s needs and preferences, Soonie is adamant that she gives “a personal touch” to each booking, whether it’s welcoming clients upon their arrival at hotels or giving personalised souvenirs – think wicker placemats and fans embroidered with their names.
In an era where competition is intense and the travel market rife with OTAs, Soonie firmly believes there remains a clear market demand for bespoke travel agents like her.
Her extensive product knowledge and operations experience accumulated during her years with the region’s leading DMCs give her access to a ready pool of industry friends and business contacts eager to seek out her expertise, as well as a curated network of freelance guides whom she relies on to run tours.
Small is beautiful for this one-person agency, as Soonie handles every aspect of the trip, from tour conception to execution, enabling her to communicate clients’ exact travel style and requests to tour guides on the ground without losing the essence along the way – which is not uncommon for bigger outfits as a client passes through several hands.
“I want to be the missing link between clients and tour guides,” the travel guru stressed.
Blackrice Travel has its sights set on targeting families and LGBT, segments where highly personalised service and recommendations for travel programmes are sought after.
And with experiential, authentic travel wave on the rise, food tourism is a tantalising focus sector in Soonie’s eyes.
“Food tourism has become a big thing. Visitors often come with requests wanting to try certain food,” she shared.
Her formidable knowledge of the local dining scene and food culture has already won her a spot on the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s upcoming Hello Taste campaign, where Blackrice Travel is among the operators picked to design food-themed itineraries showcasing the Thai culinary scene.
Location
After a six-month-long transformation, Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa Singapore has finally reopened its Italian restaurant Trapizza. The beachfront eatery stands on Siloso Beach, a five-minute walk from the main hotel building.
Channelling the beach vibe
Ambience
Inspired by architecture in Palm Springs, California, the restaurant is decked out with cacti landscaping, palm trees, kombi vans, and turquoise and pink neon chairs.
The restaurant can take a maximum 214 persons – this includes the main dining area under a canopy, outdoor seating on the sand, and seats at the bar counter. There’s also a fully air-conditioned private dining room which can accommodate up to 16 diners.
For younger diners, Trapizza now features a new water play area, a colouring corner, and a play zone with a kitchenette playset. Parents with young kids will be able to kick back and relax with a bottle of Trapizza’s eponymous beer, while keeping a watchful eye on their brood.
Menu
I liked that Trapizza is headed by Turin-born Alessandro Delle Cave, which was assuring, as anything that was put on the table would most certainly be authentic Italian cuisine.
The menu has a whole range of pizza flavours to choose from
Overall, items on the menu are reasonably-priced and portions are great for sharing, which is good news for families.
We started off with the chicken wings in a slightly spicy pomodoro-based sauce, before the calzone and prawn salad arrived. Chicken wings were fried to perfection and juicy, while the salad was light and refreshing. I wasn’t a fan of the calzone, as I was much more interested in the pizzas instead.
Thin-crust, wood-fired, and generous toppings – exactly how I like my pizzas, and Trapizza does not disappoint. We managed to try the Siciliana, Quattro Formaggio, di Mare, Inferno and Aloha, as the Family Sharing 16-Inch Pizzas enabled us to have three flavours per pizza. There were some other pizzas on the menu I would have liked to have tried, alas, we were rather full by then. But no matter, as it’s a reason to return.
Our group was also given the opportunity to dig into a variety of sweet treats. There was a lemon tart and pistachio-filled cannolis, but the two that really stood out were the jars of silky-smooth strawberry pannacotta, and creamy tiramisu.
A spread of desserts
There are even Pizzatinis on the menu. As its name suggests, this drink is a – rather questionable – marriage of savoury pizza flavours or toppings with martinis. For instance, the Bloody Mary topped with pepperoni and rosemary. It was interesting for sure!
If cocktails are not up your alley, try the fruity and refreshing lager that has been specially brewed for the restaurant by Rye & Pint Brewery. Trapizza intends to introduce a dark ale in the future as well.
It was a hot day when we visited, and I personally enjoyed the organic Lemon Lime & Bitters I chose. The number of drink options is rather staggering, and one will definitely be spoilt for choice!
There’s also a kombi van that houses the eatery’s new Grab n’ Go concept, and offers ready-to-go items such as popsicles, beverages, and paninis should you prefer to lounge under a coconut tree instead of sitting on a chair.
Service
The restaurant manager was welcoming and service was prompt.
Verdict
There is nothing I would have liked better than to sink into one of the chairs, grab a cold drink, put my feet up, and just chill. Did I mention the beachfront eatery is the perfect place to catch the sunset?
Patee Sarasin, former CEO of Nok Air, has launched his latest travel venture, Really Really Cool, which aims to make “exclusive packages and unique travel experiences” accessible to holidaymakers travelling into and out of Thailand.
The company will place an emphasis on packages designed specially with curated, authentic experiences.
Dusit International’s Suphajee Suthumpun (left) with Patee (centre) at Really Really Cool’s launch
Recognising that Thailand is home to a young and fast-expanding middle class, he intends to introduce new destinations to Thais and send them out to see the world, with the Maldives being the launch destination.
Really Really Cool has partnered Dusit Thani to bring travellers for its launch package, which will include round-trip air fare from Bangkok to the Maldives with Thai AirAsia, accommodation at the Dusit Thani Maldives, a full-board meal plan, complementary snorkel gear, domestic land and speedboat transfers, personalised butler service and a discount coupon redeemable for a 90-minute massage at the Devarana Spa.
The company is in the process of negotiating with other travel suppliers, hoteliers and airlines to create more experienced-based promotions.
“Travellers are rewriting their bucket lists and seeking out cool alternative experiences and fresh ways to travel, see and do things. So, we are starting by building experiences from scratch and taking a different approach to destination marketing,” Patee said.
“We believe in the future of this industry especially if we can capture a percentage of the ever-increasing numbers of visitors from around the world who are visiting Thailand.”
Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong - 11 June 2018: People walking across Apliu Street. Apliu Street Flea Market is a popular jumble of electronics and accessories.
After rolling out the Hong Kong Neighbourhoods campaign to encourage visitors to explore the city beyond the traditional tourist areas, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has now launched the Hong Kong Neighbourhoods – Sham Shui Po promotion.
A number of walking routes recommended by locals will be introduced, complemented by themed decorations displayed at various locations to help visitors experience the charm of Sham Shui Po.
People walking along the Apliu Street Flea Market in Sham Shui Po
HKTB has invited history professor Joseph Ting and three locals to recommend walking routes that introduce the history, creative trends, authentic food and treasure hunting hotspots of Sham Shui Po. The routes have been uploaded to a Sham Shui Po dedicated webpage on the HKTB website, complemented by video navigation and route-finding functions on Google Map.
Moreover, visitors can scan QR codes to access information at the various points of interest via their mobile phones, or by using the HKTB mobile app My Hong Kong Guide.
To highlight the unique characteristics of the district, HKTB has put up different types of decorations in various places in Sham Shui Po, like in the MTR station, on the lamp posts along major roads and streets, the street-facing wall of the neighbourhood landmark Dragon Centre, street railings as well as CLP Power’s pillar boxes.
HKTB will continue to organise fam tours to Sham Shui Po for overseas trade and cooperate with them to promote the neighbourhood.
It has also published a Sham Shui Po Self-guided Walks guidebook, offering walking routes recommended by local personalities and 65 thematic points of interest. The printed version of the guidebook is available at HKTB Visitor Centres, and an online version can be found on the HKTB website for browsing or download.
As for global promotions, HKTB has launched a micro-film series. It has also invited renowned local travel and food columnist Michelle Loo to film a TV programme about Sham Shui Po that targets ethnic Chinese markets.
Secretary for commerce and economic development, Edward Yau, said: “We have been striving to enhance the competitiveness of our tourism industry. We released a development blueprint for Hong Kong’s tourism last year setting out strategies and measures to achieve this. The district promotion campaigns of the Tourism Board are in line with the strategy raised in the blueprint to develop tourism products with local and international characteristics.”
Business optimsim runs high for Centara Grand at CentralWorld
Political stability and surging international visitors arrivals are proving a potent mix for Bangkok, as the Thai capital is poised to achieve its strongest performance in recent years in 2018 with no disruptive events anticipated.
Business optimsim runs high for Centara Grand at CentralWorld
“Thailand has seen a lot of ups and downs over the past 10 years but it’s on a clear path of growth (in the hotel sector),” STR’s area director Asia-Pacific Jesper Palmqvist projected at Thailand Tourism Forum earlier this year.
Bangkok’s hotel sector is “finding its strides”, reflected in the steady rise of its ADR and occupancy rates in the past three years. RevPAR, for instance, broke 10-year records for 10 months out of 12 in 2017, Palmqvist shared.
The growth momentum recorded for Bangkok’s hotels in the last two years is likely to be repeated in 2018, said Horwath HTL’s director Nikhom Jensiriratanakorn.
According to a recent HVS Market Pulse report, the overall stability in the market has contributed to the strong performance of hotels during the first two quarters of 2018. The outlook for the remaining months of 2018 is optimistic, driven by expected strong demand levels in international visitor arrivals, coupled with the political stability in the market with elections being postponed to 2019.
The positive outlook of Bangkok lodging sector is also apparent at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, which has enjoyed continued growth in all major metrics so far, Robert Maurer Loeffler, the hotel’s general manager and corporate director of operations told TTG Asia.
“Our Bangkok properties are enjoying a positive 2018. The first quarter was particularly strong and we have seen year-on-year growth in both occupancy and rates. Transient business has driven two-thirds of the growth while growth in the group segment has been led by double-digit increases from wholesale group business,” Loeffler commented.
“The remainder of 2018 is looking equally positive and while the transient growth will continue its trend from the first half of the year, the groups’ growth will be driven by increased MICE business, with other group segments remaining constant with last year. We hope to enter 2019 pacing ahead of prior years too,” he elaborated.
There is still considerable amount of new branded supply entering the Bangkok market in the foreseeable future, including much-anticipated brands like Capella, Edition and Four Seasons added to the city’s luxury segment.
Hilton, however, maintains “an extremely bullish outlook” on Thailand, including the luxury segment, said vice president, operations, luxury Asia-Pacific Daniel Welk. The hospitality giant has just launched its latest property, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, in the Thai capital.
If there’s anything that growing competition has brought, it’s greater clarity for Hilton’s hotel brands, Welk stated.
