TAcentre.com and its B2C arm Asiatravel.com recently launched the world’s first augmented reality (AR) theatrical tour in Israel.
Standing among the ruins of the Hipodromo in the ancient coastal city of Caesarea, the inaugural tour group don the AR goggles to marvel at how this venue was used for chariot races during the reign of King Herod back in its heyday.
The AR technology, developed by Israeli content provider Yaturu, allows for immersive and experiential tours with the help of headsets and cellphone applications through which tourists view pre-programmed stories and acting superimposed on various sites in Israel.
Through this unique technology, the reality of the tourism sites, including their rich history, is enhanced by the 360-degree Hollywood-quality digital visual narratives and sounds, enabling travellers to better appreciate Israel’s history, from its biblical origins to the modern times .
The departure of Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) from the usual convention hall setting in its 2018 edition took place last week to positive reception from show attendees, with sellers and buyers alike lauding the table-top format in a marina venue a refreshing and successful change.
Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), TTM+ this year took place at Pattaya’s Ocean Marina Yacht Club in a giant outdoor marquee equipped with air-conditioning. Instead of individual booth spaces, sellers were allocated table-top rentals – comprising a table and three chairs each – which was grouped in pairs and arranged in rows of 12 x 14 across the marquee venue.
This year’s TTM+ was held at Pattaya’s Ocean Marina Yacht Club. Photo credit: TAT
The table-top format has garnered a nod of approval from delegates that TTG Asia spoke to at TTM+.
Go Vacation Thailand’s director of business development Tobias Fischer admitted he had initial reservations about the show format and the tight rental space, but when the show got underway his scepticism gave way to approval. “We have to applaud TAT for this fresh idea. I would certainly like more tradeshows to take on this format,” he commented.
Franco Sessini, UK representative for Aksara Collection found the show’s table-top style to be “more productive”, as the open concept allows attendees to see across the entire space at one glance and in turn foster interactions.
“This format is very democratic, as everyone has the same amount of space. Everyone walks the floor, and it’s not easy (for sellers) to be lazy with this format,” he quipped.
Business meetings in session at TTM+ 2018. Photo credit: TAT
As well, the atmosphere at TTM+ this year was decidedly more casual, TTG Asia observed, with many delegates taking the opportunity to trade business attire for resort wear following ‘dress-down’ recommendations from TAT.
The backdrop of sun, sea and yachts at the marina setting made the show a “relaxing” and “fun” affair for La Flora Resorts’ assistant business development director’s Prapaporn Osiri. “We are in the tourism business so tradeshows should be fun like this,” she said.
TAT also made a significant push for its annual tradeshow to be greener this year, reflecting the rising wave of sustainability awareness the travel industry is currently seeing.
“For a country that earns revenue from 35 million tourists, we want to focus on sustainability – and this is the direction we want to take for TTM+ too,” said Tanes Petsuwan, TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications, when he addressed the media on Wednesday.
Each delegate was given a reusable water tumbler to encourage lesser use of plastic bottles and straws. The event directory was available only in digital format, and sellers were encouraged to go paperless and conduct business using laptops and tablets.
When asked if TTM+2019 would be held in similar format or remain at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Tanes shared that the show would be hosted in Pattaya for another year but the venue was unconfirmed at press time.
From left: Silversea's Manfredi Lefebvre and Royal Caribbean Cruises' Richard D. Fain
Royal Caribbean Cruises announced last Thursday that it would buy a 66.7 per cent stake in privately-owned Silversea Cruises for about US$1 billion to add ultra-luxury and expedition cruises to its fleet.
“Silversea is a the acknowledged leader in luxury and expedition cruising, two key markets that are poised for growth. Uniting our two companies presents an extraordinary opportunity to expand vacation options for guests and create revenue in strategic growth areas,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, in a statement.
From left: Silversea’s Manfredi Lefebvre and Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Richard D. Fain
The strategic rationale for the partnership includes driving long-term capacity growth in the burgeoning luxury and expedition markets at a much larger scale than what Silversea would achieve independently.
It also allows Royal Caribbean to diversify its portfolio and increase its expedition offerings. The partnership will also leverage on the global footprint of both companies to generate demand and increase vacation and destination options for guests.
Fain added: “We are proud to welcome aboard Manfredi Lefebvre, a visionary leader whose high standards and history of innovation we deeply respect. Manfredi will remain executive chairman of Silversea, continuing to lead its strategy long term.”
In addition, Lefebvre and Fain have also confirmed that Silversea’s CEO Roberto Martinoli will continue in his role, working with the existing Silversea management team.
Including debt, the deal is valued at US$2 billion. Royal Caribbean said it plans to finance the purchase through debt.
The closing is expected to be completed later in the year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off in Moscow last Thursday, may have brought a tourism boon to Russia, but this major sporting event is also having a ripple effect on longhaul summer bookings into Thailand half a world away.
Several sellers in Thailand that TTG Asia spoke to at Thailand Travel Mart Plus – which took place in Pattaya last week – have observed a “slight drop” in bookings for June and July this year, corresponding to the period when Russia hosts the largest football event from June 14 to July 15.
Europeans are generally staying home to watch the World Cup instead of travelling overseas; The official mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup at the Manezhnaya Square in Moscow pictured
“The Russians are not travelling during the World Cup period because they’re staying home to watch the game – this is what we understand based on feedback from Russian operators,” said Solos Faktongphol, sales executive at Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach, for which Russia is a significant feeder market.
“We see slower bookings from the Russian market for the May-June period, but a pick up from July onwards,” he added.
Similar observations were also made of the European market by Tobias Fischer, director of business development, Go Vacation Thailand.
“We can feel less bookings. The Europeans prefer to stay back during the nice summer months to watch the World Cup with friends,” he said.
But trade players in Thailand are not worried, as the fall in demand is expected to be temporary, something that “happens every four years”, Fischer pointed out.
The booking dip, likewise, does not surprise Amr Alsoudani, area director of sales – leisure, South-east Asia at Minor Hotels, which has “introduced tacticals” ahead of the World Cup in anticipation of the downtrend, based on its experience gleaned four years prior.
And Thailand won’t stay a loser for long during the World Cup period. “We predict some last-minute bookings (to Thailand) when their teams get kicked out,” said Alsoudani.
Maldives’ new airline, Manta Air, will take to the skies from October with four seaplanes and three 72-seater ATR planes to destinations including Dhaalu Atoll, Raa Atoll, Baa Atoll and Thaa Atoll from the main Velana International Airport.
Owned by Reollo Investments, Manta Air is expected to serve the group’s 20-plus resorts around the country, including the Kandima Maldives Resort and the regional domestic airport in Dhaalu Atoll, as well as other resorts on the four aforementioned atolls.
Manta Air to take flight this coming October
Reollo Investments COO, Mohamed Khaleel, told TTG Asia: “We are launching this service because the current domestic airline is not up to standard. We want to offer better connectivity and better service (to our clients).
“We are considering reducing the number of seats per aircraft to make it more comfortable for passengers. We are also looking into providing a business class segment,” he added.
Abdulla Ghiyas, president of the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, welcomes the entry of Manta Air as “more players” are needed amid stronger competition that a growing supply of resorts brings.
Suresh Dissanayake, assistant vice president – sales & marketing at Adaaran Resorts, hopes that the new airline will drive more competitive rates for Maldives holiday packages.
Currently, national carrier Maldivian and Villa Air – which is owned by business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim to service his resorts with a total of 2,000 beds – are the two domestic carriers in the Maldives. Seaplane services are provided by Maldivian, as well as privately-owned Trans Maldivian Airways.
Hotelbeds Group and Spain-based tourist information firm City Expert are joining forces to offer a specialised concierge service within hotels.
The Guest Experience Desk initiative will allow guests booking through Hotelbeds with information about a destination, as well as the sale of activities, tickets for events and transfers.
From left: Hotelbeds Group’s Javier Arévalo and City Expert’s Enrique Ybarra
The new service will begin in Spain’s main tourist destinations including Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Seville, Benalmádena, Málaga, Cádiz, Córdoba and Jerez, among others.
Following Spain, both companies aim to extend and replicate this collaboration model in other popular and emerging destinations internationally, with Dubai as the next target market.
Javier Arévalo, director at Ancillary Bank of Hotelbeds Group, said in a statement: “Traditionally, the information points (or tour desks) have been located in holiday destinations. However, now there are many destinations which are undertaking great initiatives to enrich the proposal for independent travellers who seek to live local experiences… This alliance is a response to the new dynamics of the market.”
Roger Moragues, destination lead for Ancillary Bank at Hotelbeds Group, added: “With the partnership of City Expert, we offer a personalised service to hotel guests that allows them to enjoy a wide portfolio of experiences in destination, assisted by a local team of experts. At the same time we customise our proposal to the hotelier, with the possibility to divert some tasks normally handled by the concierge. ”
The Ancillary Bank business of Hotelbeds Group distributes ancillary products (excursions, event tickets, theme parks, cruises and car rental products) through two sub-brands: Carnect, the car rental distribution specialist that offers more than 500 car rental providers, and Isango! a leading B2C tours and activities website.
Pansy Ho, chair of Shun Tak Holdings, has been bestowed the Chevalier de L’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur by the French President for her contribution in promoting French-Chinese trade, tourism, arts and cultural cooperation and exchange.
Apart from her involvement in organising Le French May, the avid patron of art and culture also brought prominent French art exhibitions like Biennial of the Lions, Edgar Degas: Figures in Motion and A Golden Way of Life – Très’Ors to Macau to make French art and culture more accessible to the Hong Kong and Macau communities.
Pansy Ho and Eric Berti, consul general of France in Hong Kong and Macau
Since her appointment as Ambassador of the Louvre in China in 2012, Ho has been championing French art and culture and advocating French-Chinese trade and tourism. She founded the France Macau Chamber of Commerce in 2008 to network businesses across Macau, Hong Kong and France.
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), an initiative proposed she proposed, was inaugurated in 2012 as an annual tourism event. Showcasing France as a Partner Country of GTEF 2016, she helped to foster French-Chinese public-private tourism cooperation and exchange, create tourism promotion, investment and cooperation opportunities for tourism stakeholders.
In April 2009, Ho was previously bestowed the honour of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite in recognition of her commitment to diversity.
The Order of the Légion d’Honneur was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France.
Singapore-based luxury hotel group Como Hotels and Resorts has appointed two new general managers for its Bali and Bangkok properties.
From left: Ram Hiralal and Rohaan Chandra
Como Shambhala Estate – the group’s flagship wellness centre in Ubud, Bali – will be managed by Ram Hiralal. No stranger to Como, Ram assisted with the pre-opening of Como Parrot Cay in 1998.
She began her hospitality career with HPL at the Concord Hotel Kuala Lumpur in 1991 before joining Four Seasons in 2003, working in various resorts before her most recent role as resort manager at Four Seasons Koh Samui.
Rohaan Chandra, previously the hotel manager of Como Metropolitan Bangkok, has been promoted to general manager of the property.
Prior to joining the Como team in 2015, he had worked with both The Setai in Miami and The Legian in Bali.
Ambience
A rare quaint respite from the hustle and bustle in Shanghai. The low-rise development is nestled among taller residential and commercial buildings in a walking-friendly neighbourhood with a small supermarket and F&B outlets nearby. Cosy eateries and bespoke shops line Capella’s front perimeter and its entrance, next to the bakery, is a discreet entryway into a residential compound.
Capella Shanghai’s entrance
Rooms
Each of the four-storey villas, with a small rooftop, was originally built to house multiple families sharing common facilities. Each row of side-by-side villas are sectioned off and protected by a metal gate, opened with a hotel access card that also opens the main door of the villa. A welcoming small garden area separates the main door and the front door of the ground floor living room.
The elegant interiors feature Chinese and French elements and all the comforts of a modern luxurious home away from home, and minibar soft drinks and snacks are complimentary. Each level of the villa serves a separate function and provides self-contained living, entertainment, relaxation and sleeping spaces. The three-bedroom villa features a spacious dining area and a dining table that seats eight people.
The good lighting and well-positioned desk in my one-bedroom villa provided the right conditions for work and the inclusion of a yoga mat in the wardrobe was a good reminder to stretch during my two-night stay.
Capella Villa King Bedroom
F&B
Opposite the reception building is the main signature, French celebrity chef restaurant le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire. It can accommodate 70 people for an exclusive sit-down dinner and about 100 for cocktails. A cold buffet selection and a choice of a cooked breakfast offer a delicious start to the day.
Dinner is when the kitchen showcases the fusion cuisine movement of Michelin-star Pierre Gagnaire. It is said chef tore at the conventions of classic French cooking by introducing “jarring juxtapositions” of flavours, tastes, textures and ingredients. Perhaps a good example is the Lilysing salad which combines pink grapefruit, orange, celeriac, yellow mango, rocket salad and fermented tofu paste.
A dining space in Capella Shanghai
Facilities
The Capella Library, tucked inside the reception area can accommodate 40 people and offers a relaxing space where guests can also enjoy coffee, tea and cookies. The fitness and recreation area will appeal to leisure and business guests alike. It houses a state-of-the-art 24-hour gym and there are five single and two double treatment rooms at award-winning Auriga Spa, which features a flotation tank, vitality pool and salt-wall lounge.
Service
The care and concern from the friendly and attentive staff made me feel pampered and right at home.
Verdict
Capella’s luxury shikumen experience and staying in a Shanghai residential neighbourhood was a new experience for me. It was like going home each day after completing my appointments and I will miss this special feeling.
No. of rooms 55 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas Rates From RMB3,400 (US$536) Contact details E-mail:info.shanghai@capellahotels.com
Hotel G Yangon has welcomed a new cluster general manager, Serge Rigodin, who will also lead the nearby Inya Lake Hotel.
Serge Rigodin
A native of Grenoble, France, Rigodin has managed a number of other GCP Hospitality properties, most recently the 308-room Hotel G Singapore.
Prior to Singapore, Rigodin was director of residences at Embassy House, a serviced apartment in Beijing. He began his career as a chef before moving into management positions with luxury design and lifestyle hotels in Pattaya, Siem Reap, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and London.
Othmane Amrani
Meanwhile, Othmane Amrani has joined Hotel G Singapore as general manager from Hotel G Yangon, where he was the opening general manager for two years.
He has worked in senior management positions with GCP Hospitality since 2014, and entirely with the Hotel G brand – he was the general manager of Hotel G Beijing, and operations manager at Residence G Hong Kong prior his stint at Hotel G Yangon.
Othmane first began his career with the Louvre Hotels Group, and he has over 12 years of international hotel management experience in France, Hong Kong, Greater China and Myanmar.
