TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 8th April 2026
Page 1437

Dream Cruises adds Bintan excursion to Weekend Getaway sailings from Singapore

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Genting Dream

Dream Cruises is updating its two-night Weekend Getaway itinerary, which departs from Singapore on the Genting Dream, with the addition of optional Bintan Island shore excursions beginning July 6, 2018.

The 12-hour shore excursion, lasting from 08.00 (07.00 Bintan time) to 20.00, would give guests an alternative to overnight stays in Bintan on weekends, when hotel room rates tend to be at their peak.

Genting Dream

From now until August 31, Genting Dream and World Dream will also host sailings themed around Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation, the latest instalment of the animated movie franchise, in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation. Monsters will accompany guests in fun activities including meet-and-greet, bedtime storytelling and costume parties.

In this period, the two ships are sailing to destinations in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Warm reception to TAcentre’s next-gen AR tours in Israel

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We see a Yaturu sign, but a cinematic world is unfolding before this tour participant through the AR headset
We see a Yaturu sign, but a cinematic world is unfolding before this tour participant through the AR headset

The world-first augmented reality (AR) theatrical tour in Israel offered by TAcentre.com and its B2C arm Asiatravel.com is seeing good reception among Israel’s tourism stakeholders, who laud the innovative new format for enhancing customer experience and offering content suitable for a broader range of visitors.

The AR technology by content provider Yaturu has a headset and cellphone application allowing tourists to view Hollywood-quality, 360-degree images superimposed on the sites, giving a better sense of the destination by making the traditional tour format more immersive, experiential and interactive.

Mariel Cuevas, wholesale manager B2B, TAcentre.com, said plans are to send at least two groups a month to Israel, one English-speaking and the other Chinese-speaking, beginning September. The AR theatrical tour will also be introduced to Asia, starting with Singapore next year, she added.

The first group to experience AR-theatrical tours

Uri Taub, director, Asia and Pacific marketing desk, marketing administration at Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, said that while he has yet to experience the AR theatrical tour, the new product “helps to bridge a very large gap” in destination experiences.

Taub commented that tourists can simply download an application now to bring the destination and its stories to life “instead of (having to) imagine everything”.

Since the tour content is focused on Israel’s history from biblical times to periods in modern history, the new AR theatrical tour is a “good solution” that offers greater variety to repeat visitors as well as those not connected to religious pilgrimages, opined Sharona Itzhakim, CEO of Genesis Boutique Travel, which is one of TAcentre.com’s partners in Israel.

Another TAcentre.com partner, Dana Mamlock, Vered Hasharon Travel and Tours’ Chinese division manager, said offering the new concept tour enables travellers not just from China but the world over to discover and see the reality in Israel aided by technology.

Tourism trade works up appetite for Singapore Food Festival action

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Time Out Singapore Balik Kampong Heritage Dinner happening on July 25 and 26 as a part of the Singapore Food Festival

A number of tourism players have hopped onto the bandwagon to be involved in this year’s edition of the Singapore Food Festival (SFF).

The 25th anniversary of the event, which is organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) from July 13-29, is back with a line-up of more than 20 culinary programmes throughout the island.

Time Out Singapore Balik Kampong Heritage Dinner (above) happening on July 25 and 26 is also a part of the Singapore Food Festival

These include experiences and offers rolled out by prime tourist destinations. For example, Sentosa’s Siloso Beach will return with Feast at Sentosa – Sentosa Grillfest; Celebrating Singapore Food Festival at AccorHotels will see the group’s properties roll out limited-edition menu items at its in-house restaurants; and Changi Airport will introduce local-inspired offerings at its F&B merchants such as Krispy Kreme, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao and Duty-Free Singapore.

“We want to raise awareness among the public that we have restaurants, not just hotels. We have over 40 restaurants across our hotels, of which eight are participating (in SFF),” shared Sng Ju Stephanie, cluster director of digital marketing, loyalty & partnership, Singapore, AccorHotels.

The trade players’ participation in SFF will also help market the event to the international guests, especially those staying at AccorHotels’ properties, STB’s director, retail & dining, experience development group Ranita Sundra remarked.

She explained that SFF’s success has benefitted its partners so much that they have repeatedly returned to collaborate, and this has drawn even more applicants during the event’s open call.

Sundra added: “We’ve seen the number of tourists coming to this event increase in certain markets. This year, we’re focusing on three markets – Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines – who are willing to spend on F&B (in Singapore). We work closely with our regional offices to try and draw these people to SFF.

“In the past, SFF was very much a local event. We believe we’ve grown the branding locally and now, we’re going to start trying to bring in more visitors during this period.”

Yangon heritage landmark to be a Rosewood, not Kempinski

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The former New Law Courts building was approved for restoration

Rosewood Hotels has edged out Kempinski as the hotel chain appointed to operate within a landmark restoration of Yangon’s former New Law Courts, Yangon news platform Myanmore reported.

While it was previously reported that Heritage Hotel Kempinski Yangon would occupy the building – constructed in 1927 as the New Law Courts by architect Thomas Oliphant and Doorman Long UK, the engineers behind the Sydney Harbor Bridge – Rosewood Hotels has just announced in a media release that it was appointed by Prime Residence to manage the property.

The former New Law Courts building was approved for restoration

The property is the first building to receive approval from Yangon Heritage Trust, founded in 2012, for a Conservation Management Plan that permitted the restoration. Of particular note is the Heritage Room on the hotel’s fourth floor, which for many years had laid hidden beneath modern interventions.

Rosewood Yangon will feature 209 guestrooms, suites, one- and two-bedroom apartment units. Boasting high ceilings and natural light, most guestrooms also feature patios and balconies where guests can take in views of the Yangon River or the hotel’s landscaped courtyards.

The hotel will also offer five dining venues including a residential-style tea lounge and patisserie, a modern Cantonese restaurant, a brasserie, a bar and cigar lounge, and a rooftop bar boasting sweeping views of the city and the Yangon River.

Other facilities include event venues, a spa, a gym, a yoga/pilates studio, a rooftop pool, a men’s grooming salon, a beauty bar and an artisanal leather workshop.

Located on The Strand in the city’s historic district, Rosewood Yangon will sit amid colonial landmarks in the cultural heart and central business district, within walking distance to attractions such as Bogyoke Aung San Market (formerly known as Scott’s Market), a cruise down the winding Yangon river, or Shwedagon Pagoda.

Rosewood Yangon will join Rosewood’s Asian properties in Beijing, Phuket and Sanya, capping a year of growth for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts which saw the opening of its luxury properties in Luang Prabang, Phnom Penh and Baha Mar in the Bahamas.

Additional properties set to open this winter include Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, Rosewood Bangkok, Rosewood Guangzhou and Rosewood Hong Kong.

Hertz Italy boosts premium fleet with Maserati models

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Maserati Levante, the first SUV by the Italian car manufacturer

Hertz Italy has added three new models of Maserati vehicles to its Selezione Italia (Italian Collection).

The Maserati Quattroporte, Maserati Ghibli and Maserati Levante have been made available for one year at selected Hertz locations in Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Olbia.

Maserati Levante, the first SUV by the Italian car manufacturer

Hertz also has an agreement with Maserati to be the only car rental company to offer these models for the month of June.

The very first luxury sport sedan, the Maserati Quattroporte has been in the Italian market since 1963. Sports cars enthusiasts renting with Hertz can experience Maserati’s performance and class behind the wheel of the Ghibli, a sedan with a strong sport imprint.

The Maserati Levante, the first SUV created by the Italian vehicle manufacturer, boasts efficiency, a comfortable interior and a muscular exterior – ideal for family trips to Italy’s coastlines.

The collection’s vehicles are backed by Hertz’s “make and model guarantee”, which ensures that customers can reserve and drive away in the specific model they choose.

RedDoorz expands into the Philippines; launches new property category

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RedDoorz Premium near UST Hospital, Metro Manila

Online budget hotels booking platform RedDoorz has expanded into the Philippines – its third market in South-east Asia – after Singapore and Indonesia.

The company will invest US$5 million to tap into the dynamic growth of the budget hospitality and travel sector in the Philippines, where its intends to grow its footprint to 100 properties across the country over the next 12 months.

RedDoorz Premium near UST Hospital, Metro Manila

Amit Saberwal, founder and CEO, RedDoorz, said in a statement: “Our expansion into the Philippines came as a natural progression for RedDoorz, where like our first market in Indonesia showed many similarities and thus the potential for a vibrant domestic travel and hospitality industry.

“Following our fresh funding earlier this year, we realised that the Philippines held a strong demand for hotel rooms not only for tourists but also for business travellers. We felt that it was timely for us to make the conclusive move to start expanding here – especially seeing how boisterous the budget hospitality sector has been in recent years,” he added.

Along with its entry into the Philippines, RedDoorz has also introduced a new category of properties, RedDoorz Premium, a selection of properties targeting budget business travellers with their strategic locations close to business districts and wider amenity offerings than the existing RedDoorz and RedDoorz Plus categories on the platform.

RedDoorz Plus @ Boni Ave Mandaluyong, Metro Manila

The addition of the Premium properties was driven by the “remarkable growth” observed of the Filipino ‘condotel’ concept over the past decade, said Rishabh Singhi, COO of RedDoorz.

“The aim of this new category is to target the business traveller who looks for certain amenities like good Wi-Fi connection, location closer to business districts and other amenities. We see this as a strong category as we expand into other South-east Asian cities where there is an influx of business travellers.” he added.

Headquartered in Singapore, RedDoorz recently raised its Pre-Series B round of US$11 million as an additional investment from Asia Investment Fund of Susquehanna International Group, International Finance Corporation (private investment arm of World Bank Group), InnoVen Capital (venture lending firm owned by Temasek Holdings and United Overseas Bank), and Jungle Ventures – all of which had invested in past funding rounds. This fundraise also saw new investors DeepSky Capital, FengHe Group and Hendale Capital, among others.

GM named ahead of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast’s launch

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Hard Rock International has appointed Yogeswaran Veerasamy as the general manager for Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast.

In his new role, Yogeswaran will oversee the overall administration and develop and execute plans surrounding the 365-room property ahead of its grand opening later this year.

Prior to joining Hard Rock, Yogeswaran was the hotel manager for Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore.

He has more than two decades of experience in Asia’s hospitality sector, including W Singapore Sentosa Cove, The Westin Hyderabad, The Raffles Grand D’Angkor, Swissotel Grand Shanghai, Hilton Kuala Lumpur and The Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh.

New hotels: W Brisbane, Bellagio Shanghai and more

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W Brisbane, Australia
W Hotels has re-entered the Australian market with its first property overlooking the Brisbane River in Brisbane’s CBD. The design of its 312 guestrooms and suites weave in influences from Australia’s indigenous roots and colonial heritage, and boast views of either the Brisbane River and Southbank, or Mount Coot-tha. Amenities on-site include three F&B options, the Away Spa (complete with vitality pools, relaxation pods, salt inhalation chambers and aromatherapy steam rooms), gym, and a heated outdoor pool on the fourth floor. For event purposes, the property offers 1,100m2 of event space including the 595m2 Great Room as well as four versatile Studio Rooms.


Bellagio Shanghai, China
The first Bellagio-branded hotel outside the US has opened on the banks of the Suzhou river, next to the historic Waibaidu Bridge on the northern end of the Bund in Shanghai. The hotel features 162 guestrooms and suites, measuring 60m2 and 100m2 respectively. Suites at the Bellagio Shanghai are all tended to by a private butler, and some also come with a private terrace. There are four F&B venues on-site, as well as a 1,900m2 spa – which comprises five treatment suites, a heated pool, vitality pool, sauna room, steam room and gym. There are five venues totalling 1,800m2, including a Grand Ballroom with a seven-metre-high ceiling.


Best Western Plus Hotel Fino Chitose, Japan
Positioned just 3.2km from Hokkiado’s New Chitose Airport is Best Western’s newest Japan outpost. The upper-midscale hotel with 154 keys offers a selection of Japanese-style family rooms for up to four guests. All rooms come equipped with a flatscreen TV, refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Facilities on-site include a restaurant and a 24-hour exercise facility.


Swiss-Belhotel Pangkalpinang, Indonesia
The provincial capital of the Bangka Belitung Islands, which lie just off the east coast of Sumatra, has welcomed the new upscale Swiss-Belhotel Pangkalpinang. This new-build hotel offers 145 rooms and suites with regular mod-cons such as complimentary Wi-Fi, international plug sockets, mini-bars and cable TV. Amenities on the grounds include the Swiss-Café Restaurant, lobby lounge, wine bar, 24-hour room service, fitness centre, spa and outdoor swimming pool. Three meeting rooms and a ballroom provide flexible options for all types of events, where the largest space can hold up to 875 people.


Marriott Executive Apartments Hangzhou, China
This property in Zhejiang Province’s capital city features 142 fully-serviced apartments ranging from 40m2 studios to 140m2 three-bedroom suites. Each apartment is outfitted with a fully-equipped kitchen, free Wi-Fi and satellite TV. Residents can make use of meeting rooms, a kids’ club, a mini-theatre and health club facilities such as a 24-hour fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool, as well as a sauna. On-demand services such as housekeeping, grocery shopping and chauffeur-driven limousines can also be arranged.

An evening of Disney magic for travel trade stars

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Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) recently recognised its top performing travel trade partners at the annual Celebration of Sales Excellence (CSE), along with treating them to the latest entertainment offerings at the park.

A total of 26 awards were presented during CSE in recognition of the outstanding sales achievements of travel trade partners in 2017. The Sales Excellence Award was awarded to top 20 partners while five partners brought home the Sales AdvancEAR Award. The Top Sales AchievEAR Award went to lvmama.com, marking the second consecutive year Chinese travel booking site has received the ceremony’s highest honour.

This year, trade partners were accompanied by their families and friends, who all got to experience HKDL’s newly launched stage show, Moana: A Homecoming Celebration.

HKDL arranged surprise greetings from Disney stars of Carnivale of Stars, including Nick and Judy from Zootopia, the heroine Moana, and Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible and Frozone from The Incredibles. Guests were also invited to join the interactive performances.

After a Disney-themed buffet dinner, guests were taken to Main Street, U.S.A. to enjoy a special viewing of the We Love Mickey! projection show, and a networking drink at World of Color Restaurant at Disney Explorers Lodge to conclude the evening of entertainment.

Teddy bear galore at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang

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The seafront DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang is offering a special rate from RM300 (US$75) per room night for bookings made directly on its website, as well as a 20 per cent off admission price at TeddyVille.

A key highlight of the property, the TeddyVille Museum features some 1,000 teddy bears across 830m2 of space. One component of the museum is the Mini Penang exhibition, in which miniature teddy bears recreate many of the island’s most famous attractions.

TeddyVille Museum

Outside on the Penang Cultural Boardwalk, human-sized teddy bears are dressed up as some of Penang’s most famous figures, including world-renowned shoe designer Jimmy Choo.

Overlooking Miami Beach, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang features 316 rooms and suites, including a selection of Family Rooms.