AirAsia launches facial recognition system as boarding pass

February 8, 2018

AirAsia has unveiled its Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES), Malaysia’s first airport facial recognition system with self-boarding gate, at Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru.

With the airport having self-service baggage check-in, FACES-enrolled passengers of AirAsia will be able to experience automated processes from check-in to boarding.

The airline is deploying facial recognition technology first in Johor Bahru, with hopes of rolling out elsewhere in Malaysia

Owned and operated by AirAsia, FACES uses facial recognition technology to identify enrolled guests as they approach the automated boarding gate, allowing them to board their flight without having to present any travel documents.

Group managing director of MMC Corporation Berhad, Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, said: “The initiative will enhance our passenger’s travelling experience and airport operations efficiency with faster security and screening processes, specifically to accommodate the growing number of passengers travelling through this airport. We are forecasting the passenger traffic to increase by 16 per cent to 3.6million this year.”

Guests who wish to be part of FACES may do so using a dedicated enrolment kiosk located at check-in area at Senai International Airport. Guests simply have to place their MyKad or chip-enabled passport in the document reader and look at the camera to create their biometric token.

Available for guests aged 18 and above, the enrolment is a one-time process, after which guests may use AirAsia’s biometric gates for all flights as long as their identity document remains valid. Upon expiry of the identity document, guests will need to update the enrolment record with a new valid document. Enrolled guests will also benefit from an expedited process at the security checkpoint, in addition to boarding the flight seamlessly.

IATA boosts presence in Singapore

By TTG Asia

February 8, 2018

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singapore-pasir-panjang — New IATA office located in Mapletree Business City

IATA is growing its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore with the move to a larger office at Mapletree Business City that can accommodate 40 per cent more employees, including a Global Delivery Center (GDC).

“Singapore is home to over 150 employees represented by 27 nationalities. With this larger office, we are able to accommodate an increase in our headcount, an expansion of training opportunities for aviation professionals, and an improvement in our capacity to host more regional industry meetings,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s regional vice president for Asia-Pacific.

IATA shifts its Asia-Pacific headquarters to a bigger office in Singapore’s Mapletree Business City

IATA is also collaborating with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to establish a Global Safety Predictive Analytics Research Center n Singapore to improve aviation safety.

According to IATA, some 1,700 aviation professionals from 25 countries participated in courses at the IATA training centre in 2017.

Last year, the IATA Singapore office also became one of four GDC locations where the back office functions for IATA’s Financial Settlement Systems have been consolidated.

The Singapore GDC operations team handles customers speaking 12 languages from over 16 time zones. Twenty-three new jobs have been added as a result of the GDC in Singapore. In 2017, the IATA office in Singapore processed close to US$70 billion in settlements for the Asia-Pacific region.

With its four GDCs in Singapore, Beijing, Madrid and Montreal, IATA says it is now better positioned to meet increasing expectations of airlines, travel agents and freight forwarders using the FSS for 24/7 customer service. The GDC will also support the roll-out of the products associated with the New Generation of IATA Settlement Systems (NewGen ISS).

By 2036, 7.8 billion people are expected to travel (up from 4.3 billion expected in 2018). Of that, 3.5 billion trips will be to, from or within the Asia-Pacific region.

Learn about outbound Asian adventure market on WeChat

By TTG Asia

February 8, 2018

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adventure-travel — Bannikin Asia and 40urs have partnered on an adventure travel campaign

Niche travel consultancy Bannikin Asia and travel media company 4Ours have launched a WeChat group for industry members wanting to learn about the outbound Asian adventure market.

WeChat group members are invited to ask questions about how to enter the market, succeed and take note of important cultural considerations.

Bannikin Asia and 40urs have partnered on an adventure travel campaign

Additionally, the Bannikin and 4Ours team will round up key adventure travel trends coming out of Asia on a bi-weekly basis, sharing them with the group and through other social media channels including LinkedIn and Facebook.

To join the WeChat group, e-mail Bannikin Asia’s managing director Natasha Martin at natasha@bannikin.com.

Scott Barber now Travelport’s MD for Australia, NZ

By TTG Asia

February 8, 2018

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Scott Barber has been appointed Travelport’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, replacing Kaylene Shuttlewood who has held the role for the past three years.

This is Barber’s 10^th year with Travelport, with his most recent role being the director of commercial strategy Asia-Pacific, based in Singapore. Prior to that, he was based in Sydney as the global head of optimisation and execution for a key customer.

With this new appointment, Barber will be responsible for managing operations and reinforcing Travelport’s business in Australia and New Zealand. He will continue to report to Mark Meehan, Singapore-based managing director Asia-Pacific for Travelport.

Meanwhile in Travelport’s air commerce team, Sue Carter has been named commercial director, Pacific. A seasoned executive in the airline technology space, she is responsible for driving Travelport’s commercial strategy for airlines in the Pacific region.

Also based in Sydney, Carter reports to Chris Ramm, Travelport’s senior commercial director for the Indian Subcontinent, North Asia and Pacific in Singapore.

Airline exec plays God of Fortune, gives out red packets

By TTG Asia

February 8, 2018

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To usher Chinese New Year and welcome the airline’s 10^th millionth passenger onboard, HK Express commercial director Jonathan Hutt earlier this week greeted guests dressed in a traditional God of Fortune costume and gave out red packets containing discount codes from a golden ingot.

Operations director Simon Wu, meanwhile, donned a captain’s uniform and distributed goodie bags to guests.

The airline duo surprised HK Express’ 10^th millionth guest, travelling on the Hong Kong-Osaka (Kansai) flight, with a voucher entitling her to one-year unlimited travel aboard the LCC to any destination in the route network.

New GM for Marriott Sydney – North Ryde

By TTG Asia

February 8, 2018

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Scott MacDonald has been appointed general manager of Courtyard by Marriott Sydney – North Ryde.

He will oversee all areas of the hotel’s day-to-day operations, sales and administration, as well as associate development and team management.

MacDonald steps into the new role with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His career commenced with Marriott International in 1998 at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, followed by various roles in several Sheraton properties in Sydney and Fiji.

Rising cruise tide lifts tourism in Penang

By S Puvaneswary

February 7, 2018

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penang-Swettenham-Pier-Cruise-Terminal — Cruise passengers could bring US$90 million in retail spend to Penang

More cruises called in Penang last year than anywhere else in Malaysia – including the country’s former top cruise destination of Port Klang – bringing new business opportunities for the state’s tourism players.

Penang’s Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal received 270 cruise calls last year, a significant lead over Port Klang’s 166 calls. This represents a leap for Penang compared with 2016, during which Port Klang led with 142 cruise calls versus Penang’s 117.

Cruise passengers could bring US$90 million in retail spend to Penang

The number of passengers from international cruise calls to Penang in 2017 also surged to 438,369 from 182,277 in 2016.

This year, Penang is looking at welcoming 1.8 million passenger arrivals through 350 cruise ship calls. With an average spend of US$50 per passenger, Penang can look forward to a revenue of US$90 million in retail spend from cruise passengers this year.

Welcoming the new opportunities Penang’s rising status as a cruise destination has brought to the tourism sector, Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman, director of communications, Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa and Golden Sands Resort, commented: “It is good for business. Everybody benefits, from the trishaw riders, souvenir shops, cafes to restaurants and hotels. We work with cruise liners for day trips to Golden Sands Resort where cruisers have lunch or high-tea. They use our facilities such as the swimming pool and showers.”

Danny Tan, manager – Tourism Promotions at Penang Global Tourism, said: “Penang has been very aggressive in marketing and promoting the destination to cruise liners. Last year we produced a brochure on Penang with suggested places to visit and things to do within three to six hours. (These were) distributed to cruise liners and targeted cruise passengers who did not purchase a shore excursion package from the cruise operator.”

Cruises that call in Penang with a minimum of 1,500 passengers are entitled to a special welcome ceremony at the cruise terminal, another recent initiative of Penang Global Tourism. It includes local performances as well as a showcase of Penang’s local snacks and fruits, shared Tan.

Penang’s cruise terminal is located within the UNESCO Heritage Zone bustling George Town, the state capital of Penang. It is also walking distance to tourist areas such as Armenian Street, Beach Street, Little India and China Town.

Chinese cancellations pour in amid Maldives political crisis

By Feizal Samath

February 7, 2018

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male-maldives — China, the US and UK have issued travel advisories

Some resorts in the Maldives were reporting cancellations from Chinese tourists on Tuesday despite assurance from the government that the country remains safe for travel after a state of emergency was declared.

Since the declaration, the Chinese government has urged its citizens to avoid visiting the Maldives until the situation improves. The US and UK have also updated their travel advisories urging their citizens to avoid areas where violence and unrest was likely.

China, the US and UK have issued travel advisories

In the Maldives, the Tourism Ministry assured that all tourism-related businesses will be operating as usual and the situation in the Maldives remains stable.

Abdulla Ghiyas, president of Maldives Association for Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO), said resorts – particularly those near the airport – had reported full bookings for the next two weeks, which covers the Chinese New Year on February 16.

Now however, “emails are flowing in, phones are ringing, constantly seeking information in the situation”, said Ghiyas, who is also deputy managing director at Inner Maldives Holiday.

The executive director of a resort, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added: “While we don’t rely too much on Chinese clientele, I am getting reports that there have been many cancellations at other properties.” He added that a good number of those resorts had been fully booked due to Chinese New Year holidays.

According to local media reports, guesthouses in the Maldives have also been affected. Mohamed Karam, president of Guesthouse Association of Maldives, was quoted as saying: “There have been more than 50 cancellations from China bookings at my guesthouse alone, I have been receiving updates about several other guesthouses facing the same issue.”

Typically the capital of Male has been the centre of political developments and their ensuing events. Many of the Maldives’ resorts are on outlying islands.

Top hotel booking channels for Thailand in 2017

By TTG Asia

February 7, 2018

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Research by global hotel cloud platform SiteMinder has unveiled that the top 15 booking channels that generated the highest revenue for Thailand hotels in 2017 spanned a wide distribution spectrum.

The lists are based on the 72 million hotel reservations that passed through SiteMinder’s channel management solution during the year to produce US$21.5 billion in gross revenue for the company’s 28,000 hotel customers around the world.

A mix of B2B and B2C channels made the top 15

The presence of both B2B and B2C platforms among the top-performing booking channels reaffirms the value of having a diversified hotel distribution strategy, stated SiteMinder’s managing director Mike Ford.

“These lists are testament to the incredible, material impact that a broad distribution strategy, which caters to a diverse business mix from various feeder markets, can have on a hotel’s bottom line,” commented Ford.

“They also prove the enormous – and growing – value of direct and corporate bookings, with hotel websites and GDSs featuring in almost every list this year. Additionally, we see that hotels continue to look to the wholesaler sector as an important provider of guests, with a number of the world’s leading bed banks featuring in every list globally.”

Notably, Ctrip has climbed one spot this year, showing the growing appeal of Thailand to Chinese travellers, pointed out Glenn Andrews, managing director – Asia at SiteMinder.

Meanwhile, Rakuten made its debut appearance on the list, a reflection of the growing value of Japanese travellers to the Thai hotel market, he added.

Thailand’s top 15 booking channels collectively contributed 87 per cent of all revenue that passed through SiteMinder’s channel manager for hotels in the country in 2017, proving their effectiveness in attracting, reaching and converting today’s consumer.

The top 15 revenue-generating booking channels for hotels in Thailand were:
1. Booking.com
2. Expedia
3. Agoda
4. Hotel websites (direct bookings)
5. GTA
6. Hotelbeds
7. Ctrip
8. Fusion Holidays
9. Traveloka
10. HotelTravel
11. Rakuten
12. Hostelworld Group
13. Flight Centre Travel Group
14. Asia Travel
15. HRS – Hotel Reservation Service

Club Med opens first in-store boutique in HK with Wincastle Travel

By TTG Asia

February 7, 2018

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All-inclusive resorts operator Club Med has joined hands with Hong Kong-based premium travel agent Wincastle Travel to launch its first in-store boutique in the city targeting affluent Hong Kong travellers.

Located at the Wincastle flagship store in Grand Plaza, the boutique features brightly coloured furniture and floor-to-ceiling backdrops of Club Med locations, while Wincastle’s customer service consultants are on hand to explain how Club Med works.

Club Med’s in-agency boutique is its latest way of reaching its target audience in Hong Kong

Sebastien Portes, general manager of Club Med for Hong Kong and Macau, said: “We wanted to bring to life some of the Club Med experience to our potential guests and creating an in-store boutique with a like-minded partner, Wincastle Travel. This is an innovative way to reach our core customers in the Hong Kong market of affluent couples, active families and executives.”

Jamie Lam, assistant general manager of Wincastle Travel, said: “In a time when so much travel engagement takes place online or in the digital sphere, travel agents still have an edge where trusted human interaction can make a difference complemented by offers that are not available online.”

Club Med plans to roll out further in-store experiences across Hong Kong with other travel agent partners, the company said in a statement.

To celebrate its grand opening, the Club Med Boutique is running an exclusive Wincastle Travel special offer – available until Feb 14 – where a child (aged between 4 and 11) travels free to selected Club Med resorts in Asia. These include Kabira, Japan; Bali and Bintan, Indonesia; Cherating, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand; and Guilin, Yabuli and Sanya, China. This offer is also available for the Chinese New Year and Easter holidays.

The boutique is located at Wincastle Travel, Room 1608, 16/F, Office Tower One, Grand Plaza, 625 & 639 Nathan Rd, Mong Kok.

AirAsia launches facial recognition system as boarding pass

IATA boosts presence in Singapore

Learn about outbound Asian adventure market on WeChat

Scott Barber now Travelport’s MD for Australia, NZ

Airline exec plays God of Fortune, gives out red packets

New GM for Marriott Sydney – North Ryde

Rising cruise tide lifts tourism in Penang

Chinese cancellations pour in amid Maldives political crisis

Top hotel booking channels for Thailand in 2017

Club Med opens first in-store boutique in HK with Wincastle Travel

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