A year into its three-year transformation programme, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced that its regional wing SilkAir will be merged under SIA after undergoing cabin upgrades amounting to about S$100 million (US$74.5 million).
To ensure closer product and service consistency across the SIA Group’s full-service network, SilkAir will have its cabins upgraded to include new lie-flat seats in Business Class, and seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both Business Class and Economy Class.
The move is part of the SIA group’s optimisation efforts
Aircraft cabin upgrades are expected to start in 2020, with SIA citing “lead times” required by seat suppliers.
SIA said the merger will take place after “a sufficient number of aircraft” have been fitted with the new cabin products.
Consistent with ongoing efforts to optimise the group’s network, there will also be transfers of routes and aircraft between the different airlines in the portfolio.
The development is expected to “provide more growth opportunities and prepare the group for an even stronger future”, according to SIA CEO, Goh Choon Phong.
SilkAir is the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, operating a fleet of 11 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 22 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft. It is currently transitioning to an all-737 fleet, and serves 49 destinations in 16 countries.
The airline launched in 1989 as Tradewinds the Airline, initially focusing on holiday destinations in South-east Asia, before being renamed SilkAir in 1992. It expanded across Asia in subsequent years, evolving from a holiday resort airline to a full-fledged, full-service regional carrier.
Focus on dispersing Chinese tourists to lesser-travelled European destinations such as Lithuania (pictured)
A global tourism force to reckon with, China is now the second top source market for Europe after the US as Chinese inbound numbers to the continent surged in recent years and are expected to continue in 2018, which marks the EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY).
“We are expecting Chinese numbers to grow by another 700,000 this year – and that’s a conservative figure,” said Eduardo Santander, executive director of the European Travel Commission, speaking at the keynote session on the ECTY during the opening of ITB China 2018 on Wednesday.
Focus on dispersing Chinese tourists to lesser-travelled European destinations such as Lithuania (pictured)
However, the opportunities as well as challenges of a booming Chinese inbound market are not lost on Santander. When enquired if the still-rising wave of Chinese travellers to Europe would add to mass tourism issues in over-popular cities like Barcelona and Vencie, Santander thinks the key lies in visitor dispersal.
“We bring them to Europe and move them around,” he added. “More Chinese travellers are also seeking exclusivity, and they don’t want to see other Chinese (at tourist destinations).”
One of the aims of the ECTY, officially launched in Venice earlier this year in January, aims to sell Europe’s diversity and bring more Chinese visitors to the secondary and lesser-known destinations in the continent.
“The perception of Europe (among Chinese) is very fragmented,” said Santander. “The diversity of Europe makes it hard to market (the continent), but it’s much more than Paris, London or Barcelona. There are still many hidden destinations.”
The visitor dispersal push is welcomed by many smaller nations like Lithuania, which recorded a seven per cent increase in Chinese tourist arrivals last year, according to Gabriel Orentas, marketing director of Baltic Vitalis.
The DMC, specialising in the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, has already stepped up its efforts to attract more Asian visitors by participating in the region’s tradeshows like PATA Travel Mart and ITB Asia last year, and is now “reaping the efforts of increased promotion” in the east after seeing marked rise in demand from new markets such as China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia.
For Latvia, which started its courtship of the Chinese market three years ago, China growth rates has been high and is expected to remain so this year, commented Raimonds Aleksejenko, deputy state secretary ministry of economics of the Republic of Latvia.
The Chinese inbound market is also a similar growth story for Slovakia, climbing 40 per cent in 2016 and 60 per cent in 2017. “Based on growth trajectory, we could be looking at 80 per cent this year,” remarked Igor Paule, chief state advisor at the Ministry of Transport and Construction, which oversees tourism.
Recognising that Slovakia is not yet the top-of-mind destination in Europe for Chinese tourists, Paule shared that the strategy of the country’s tourism authorities is to leverage the names of established neighbouring destinations like Germany and Vienna to sell the country as part of multi-country itineraries and encourage Chinese visitors to spend a couple of days in the country.
However, limited awareness of these smaller nations in Europe as well as their product offerings pose challenges for sellers in these destinations. “Bulgaria is still not a mainstream destination, and we don’t do enough promotion yet, said Kostadin Djatev, commercial consul at the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Shanghai.
Visa issues as well as the lack of direct flights linking China to Europe’s third- and fourth-tier cities are some challenges to grapple with meanwhile, acknowledged Santander.
Marriott Moments now includes celebrity recommendations and travel categories
Marriott is rolling out local-area expert recommendations, bespoke categories and curated activities on the substantially expanded Marriott Moments.
Last month, Marriott announced the expansion of its experiences ecosystem, which now includes over 110,000 new attractions and activities for all, and 8,000 exclusive Moments for members of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programmes that can only be redeemed with points.
Marriott has also tapped into the its network of local-area experts – including its hotel associates, as well as global partners and celebrities that number in the thousands – to recommend their favourite sites to see and must-do activities.
Marriott Moments now includes celebrity recommendations and travel categories
Marriott Moments currently features over 100 expert recommendations – from food market visits to cultural experiences – made by hotel general managers, chefs and mixologists, luminary partners chefs Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Stephanie Izard, as well as actress and singer Lea Michele, world champion freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy and sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya.
More expertise from Marriott hotel associates will be added regularly.
As a complement to the recommendations, Marriott Moments will offer bespoke categories based on passion points, types of travel companions, and personality traits including Pop-Culture Vulture, Exhaust Your Kids and Be the Family Hero, and Young, Broke & Fabulous.
All recommendations and categories will feature hand-curated lists of the best things to do from around the world, available for purchase with any major credit card.
Additionally, as an answer to the age-old question “what should we do now,” Marriott has brought the ability to find and book experiences to Facebook Messenger. Now, in addition to visiting the website directly, anyone can chat with Marriott Rewards or SPG on Facebook Messenger to get location-based recommendations of close-by Marriott Moments they can purchase on their phone.
Moreover, Marriott Moments has added several new partnerships, including a partnership with Eatwith, an online community to find and book culinary experiences with locals in over 130 countries.
Marriott Moments has also introduced newly developed on-property activities, starting with experiences in Miami like the private Champagne Sabering or Mediterranean Cooking Class at The St. Regis Bal Harbour, with plans to grow these unique hotel experiences globally in the future.
Marriott Moments was created in partnership with PlacePass, a provider of travel technology solutions offering travellers an online meta-search platform for in-destination experiences.
Mandarin Oriental, Saigon in Union Square (pictured)
The hotel will be located on the upper floors of Union Square Saigon(pictured)
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will manage a new hotel in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, scheduled to open in 2020.
Mandarin Oriental, Saigon will occupy the upper floors of the Union Square Saigon mixed-use complex, which will also house international luxury retail outlets.
With 227 guestrooms and suites, the hotel will also feature six restaurants and bars, a range of meeting and banqueting spaces, a fitness centre, a spa, and an outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel is located adjacent to the Saigon Opera House and the People’s Committee Building and within walking distance of key landmarks in the city.
Major Chinese OTA Ctrip Group is linking arms with Hyatt to open its first flagship store on its website and mobile application, which will allow over 300 million Ctrip members to access Hyatt hotels in the Greater China region and Hyatt properties worldwide in the near future.
Ctrip members who log on to the flagship store will be able to join World of Hyatt, Hyatt’s global loyalty programme, and have access to special rates to more than 700 hotels and resorts worldwide.
Hyatt’s store on the Ctrip app
The collaboration marks a step in Ctrip’s efforts to become “a one-stop travel shop” to provide seamless travel experiences across its various platforms, while Hyatt hotels are set to benefit from increased exposure on Ctrip platforms to grow revenue and business from Chinese travellers.
“The collaboration presents a win-win setting for both companies and represents a milestone in the travel industry distribution archetype,” said Ray Chen, Ctrip’s Hotel business unit CEO.
Through this flagship store, Hyatt wants to be “top of mind for travellers” however they choose to book,” said Stephen Ho, president – Greater China, global operations, Hyatt.
“Ctrip has a huge consumer base in China, and it’s an important priority for Hyatt to cater to the growing number of Chinese travellers who are crossing countries and continents more than ever before,” added Ho.
The Hyatt portfolio includes various high-end hotel brands, including the luxury Park Hyatt brand; premium Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency brands; lifestyle Andaz, Hyatt Centric and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brands; and modern essential Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands.
Cebu Pacific Air has opened its first branch office in Japan to serve as the hub for all its activities and business transactions in the country.
Heading the office in Chou-ku Tokyo is Tomohiko Matsumoto, who was appointed country manager for Japan in December 2017. A veteran in the travel and aviation industries with over 25 years’ experience, he served as country manager and international air cargo manager for Qatar Airways and more recently, as sales and marketing manager for Japan for Tigerair Taiwan.
Cebu Pacific is finally getting its own branch office in Japan after 10 years of operating in the country
Mike Szcus, chief executive adviser at Cebu Pacific Air, commented that the airline’s new branch office in Japan will bring the airline into the “next stage of growth” in the market, which is today “one of the most important across our network”.
“In 2017, we flew over 435,000 passengers between the Philippines and Japan. Compared to the (size of the Japan outbound market), there is much room to grow,” noted Alex Reyes, vice president for cargo at Cebu Pacific Air.
Now on its 10th year of operations in Japan, Cebu Pacific Air operates a total of 70 flights a week between Japan and the Philippines. Cebu Pacific Air flies between Manila and Narita, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, as well as between Cebu and Narita, utilising its fleet of Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft for these routes.
Aside from B2B and B2C transactions such as group reservation services, ticket sales and customer support, the Japan brance office will also drive marketing strategies and promotional activities of Cebu Pacific Air in the country.
The new website allows for cross-airline bookings, including for ancillaries
Value Alliance is further making good on its promise of bringing interlining benefits to member airlines and consumers by relaunching its website to include a cross-airline booking system covering 160 destinations.
The new website allows users to book connecting flights and ancillary products offered by Value Alliance members, with the aim to further expand members’ customer reach and boost sales through cross-selling.
The new website allows for cross-airline bookings, including for ancillaries
According to Value Alliance, participating airlines can now reach further into markets previously untapped and be able to better compete in destinations they serve.
“While passengers can search and book flights on our individual website, including pre-purchase of ancillary services like baggage and meals, the new Value Alliance website is a great one-stop shop that enables a full view of more destinations. It’s a great way for our customers to see the best flights available among our members’ vast network, said Michael Szucs, chairman of Value Alliance and chief executive advisor of Cebu Pacific.
As well, passengers who book flights through the website will have the added benefit of re-accommodation in the event of missed flight connections. In the event of schedule disruptions, customers may go to the site for hotel accommodation and other essentials, for up to a stipulated amount, added the alliance.
A series of ValueAlliance.com campaigns including several week-long online promotions are set to roll out from May to July 2018.
Value Alliance is also offering complimentary flight re-accommodation and hotel accommodation or compensation up to US$500 for missed flight connections arising from schedule disruption, another first in the LCC industry.
ibis Styles Siem Reap, Cambodia
Cambodia now has its first ibis Styles hotel with the opening of ibis Styles Siem Reap one minute’s walk from Old Market and five minutes from the Night Market and Pub Street. ibis Styles Siem Reap features 112 rooms, all-day-dining restaurant Streats – which serves local and international fare in addition to options for vegetarians and the waistline-conscious – as well as a rooftop swimming pool looking out to the Siem Reap River. ibis Styles Siem Reap is located 30 minutes from Siem Reap International Airport.
Hotel Ease Access Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong
After introducing its first Hotel Ease Access property early this year, Tang’s Living Group has now launched Hotel Ease Access Tsuen Wan. The hotel features 170 rooms, ranging from 9m2 to 20.4m2, across six categories. All rooms come with complimentary Wi-Fi and a smartphone for free international calls and Internet use. The hotel is less than 10 minutes’ walk to the Kwai Hing MTR station and just 30 minutes’ drive from the airport.
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa, Indonesia
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa has opened it doors as Marriott International’s southernmost property in Bali and the brand’s debut in Indonesia. With views of the Indian Ocean or Bali’s Bukit peninsula, each of the 207 guestrooms and suites features a private balcony and bathrooms that include freestanding tubs. Culinary concepts include Clay Craft Restaurant, which also incorporates a pottery school, and Double Ikat Restaurant, offering Indonesian cuisine and a Cooking Studio that imparts Indonesian cooking techniques to guests. In addition to the hotel pool bar and lobby lounge, guests may also catch a complimentary shuttle to Roosterfish Beach Club, also managed by the hotel. On-property facilities include an infinity pool with views over the ocean, saltwater pool and kids’ pool, spa and gym.
Photo credit: Hoshino Resorts
Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka, Japan
Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka has opened its doors in “retro Toyko”, just a minute’s walk from Otsuka Station. Designed in the style of a yagura (traditional Japanese wooden tower), each guestroom features high ceilings and a Japanese cypress staircase leading up to a loft bedroom, as well as a bathroom and seating area. The hotel is also home to the casual OMO Cafe and OMO Base lobby lounge, with guided tours led by OMO Rangers.
Hilton Garden Inn, Qidong, China
Hilton Garden Inn Qidong has opened in China’s Jiangsu Province, marking the entrance of an international brand into the city. Located within Central Park Mall, the hotel features 181 guestrooms, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property, a 24-hour gym, a self-service laundromat, a foyer that can be used for events and three flexible meeting rooms. For F&B, guests can choose from the all-day-dining Garden Grille and Bar, noodle bar Mian Tan and lobby lounge The Garden Bar. Guests can also pick up snacks or a quick meal at Pavilion Pantry, open 24/7.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the royal knot on May 19, British Airways’ flight BA93 on May 19 to Toronto – where their love story first took off – will be operated by a crew of only Meghan’s (or Megan’s) and Harry’s.
The 10-strong cabin crew, made up of two Harry’s, seven Megan’s and one Meghan, will operate the flight departing Heathrow at 13.10, an hour after the couple say ‘I do’ at Windsor Castle, just seven miles from the airport.
Flight BA93 all ready to celebrate the royal union
Senior first officer Harry Blake will be behind the controls of the flight deck, alongside the captain.
In further celebration of the royal wedding, any customer named Harry, Meghan or Megan departing from Terminal 5 on the big day, and their travel companions, will be invited to use the airline’s First Class lounge.
The celebrations won’t stop there as lemon and elderflower Victoria sponges – the same flavour as Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake – will be given out to customers departing from Heathrow on May 19.
Extra champagne has also been loaded on to the Toronto celebration flight and passengers on board will receive a personal bottle of Castelnau Blanc du Blanc to enjoy alongside their individual celebratory wedding cake.
British Airways earlier this month launched the thrice-weekly service between Toronto and Gatwick, the airline’s first flight to Canada from the London airport.
Coastal cities like Nha Trang has received much hotel investment attention in recent years
Vietnam’s luxury hotel sector looks set to explode in the next few years – and there is plenty of room for more big players, say experts.
While the country’s urban centres have welcomed new additions to the luxury market, it is the coastal areas and rising destinations that are seeing the fastest growth, according to Nguyen Thuc, manager of CBRE Vietnam’s research and consulting team.
Coastal cities like Nha Trang has received much hotel investment attention in recent years
He cites the island of Phu Quoc and coastal areas of Danang and Nha Trang as examples where there have been “aggressive expansion plans from big name international brands”.
AccorHotels has unveiled a string of planned properties and Marriott is following suit. A Radisson Blu hotel is opening in Cam Ranh this month, followed by another on Phu Quoc at Vinpearl Phu Quoc Casino Complex, which was also slated to start welcoming guests this month.
Hilton has also signed several agreements with Hanoi-based developer VRG Group to open two properties in Ho Chi Minh City. And Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to open an additional five resorts covering the coastline before 2020, adding to its current resorts in Hanoi and Cam Ranh.
The remote northern region of Sapa is also undergoing dramatic development, with an MGallery hotel, among many others, slated to open in 4Q2018.
Nguyen Duc Quynh, deputy director general of Furama Resort Da Nang, said despite the imminent explosion of luxury hotels and resorts in the coming years, the market is far from being saturated.”
Said Quynh: “Hotel occupancy in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang and other provinces, especially coastal cities, is still high – between 65 and 85 per cent. Therefore, the development does not bring danger (of over-saturation), instead it gives customers more choices.”
CBRE’s Thuc added that the development of the luxury segment brings with it a swathe of benefits, including giving makeovers for destinations.
Nha Trang is an example, he said, where there is an abundance of three-star hotels catering to budget travellers and large tour groups. The coastal spot has become popular with Chinese and Russian tourists.
“The development of luxury products brings additional resources to the province, as well as the country, and helps to change the image,” he said. “You may have fewer guests, but you get higher margins.”
Mark Willis, president of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Asia, said there remains “plenty of room for expansion in this segment”, with source markets for upscale and luxury travel to Asia expanding constantly and China’s FIT sector also predicted to increase.
He added it is not just the international market driving the luxury sector; domestic travel is also pushing it forward.
“Vietnamese living standards are rising fast and consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for top-quality facilities and services,” said Willis.
Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa, Indonesia
