TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 29th April 2026
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World’s largest Warner Bros indoor park to open in Abu Dhabi

By TTG Asia
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Concept of the Warner Bros Plaza at the Yas Island park

Come July 25, the world’s largest Warner Bros-branded indoor theme park is set to open in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island with six lands and 29 rides spread across 15.3ha.

Guests first enter Warner Bros Plaza, an Art-Deco inspired land that celebrates the Golden Age of Hollywood as well as Warner Bros, such as through the All-Star Spectacular show.

Concept of the Warner Bros Plaza at the Yas Island park

In Metropolis, visitors will discover an urban landscape protected from evil by DC Super Heroes like Superman and other members of the Justice League including Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg and Aquaman.

And on the dark streets of the Gotham City land, guests will get the chance to witness DC Super-Villains such as The Joker, Harley Quinn, and The Riddler disappear into the shadows when Batman arrives.

Dynamite Gulch land

Cartoon Junction features characters such as Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, and Scooby-Doo; while Bedrock brings guests into contact with the Flintstones.

Venturing into the animated storyland Dynamite Gulch, guests can experience Wile E Coyote and the Road Runner’s dizzying dash firsthand, and keep an eye out for Marvin The Martian and The Jetsons.

Indonesia’s Dafam eyes overseas expansion of hotel arm amid public listing plans

By Mimi Hudoyo
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The Semarang headquartered company currently only has hotels in Indonesia

Dafam Hotel Management is setting sights on expansion outside Indonesia as its parent company Dafam Property readies to go public later this week.

Andhy Irawan, managing director of Dafam Hotel Management, said: “Within seven years of operation, we have 23 hotels in 16 cities in Indonesia with a total of 2,301 rooms and some in the pipeline.”

The Semarang headquartered company currently only has hotels in Indonesia

As the company continues to expand in Indonesia, it also harbours international ambitions, targeting an overseas management portfolio of 100 hotels by 2025 in total, in Indonesia and overseas.

Headquartered in Semarang, Central Java, Dafam Hotel Management has won a contract for seven properties in Mecca and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in addition to receiving an offer to either invest in or manage a hotel in New Delhi. The company is also considering Singapore and Malaysia for expansion.

Andhy remarked that Dafam’s key to winning the hotel management in Saudi Arabia was their experience in managing Syariah hotels in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan and Yogyakarta.

“Olayan (Group Hotels) initially signed a contract with us for its 500-room Mecca property and as we are in the process of taking the management, they entrusted us with six others with a total of around 4,000 rooms in Mecca and Jeddah,” he shared.

“We see a lot of potential (demand) from the Indonesian market to some of these (locations), and this is a lucrative customer target for us,” he said.

In the meantime, Dafam Property will be listed at the Indonesia Stock Exchange on April 27, releasing 25 per cent of its share to the public.

The board of directors of Dafam Property – whose business covers commercial and residential property, hotel development and management, as well as restaurant, catering and entertainment businesses – are confident the time is right for the company to go public.

Billy Dahlan, president director of Dafam Property, explained: “Indonesia’s tourism potential is high, the hotel industry has been growing significantly in the last few years and most importantly, the government’s infrastructure development programmes across the country has impacted directly on hotel business (in those areas).”

Meliá goes to Phuket

By TTG Asia
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Exterior of Mai Khao Villa

The Meliá Phuket Mai Khao is scheduled to open in 2021 as Meliá Hotels International’s fifth property in Thailand.

Overlooking a white sand beach and the Andaman sea from its location in the north of Phuket, the hotel will boast 101 private villas, each with a private pool.

Exterior of Mai Khao Villa

Meliá Phuket Mai Khao will also feature courtyards, two pools, the signature YHI Spa, as well as meeting and banquet facilities. Guests will also have F&B options such as an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge and a pool bar.

The property is owned by Thai developer Phuket Villa Group.

Philippine travel industry pioneer honoured

By TTG Asia
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Banatin (middle) receives the award from Moeschler (left) and Philippine tourism undersecretary’s Danilo Intong

Mamerth Banatin, founder, president and CEO of Adam’s Express Travel in the Philippines, was recently presented with the lifetime achievement award by European wholesaler Miki Travel.

Lauding the veteran’s contributions and accomplishments, Miki Travel’s CEO Asia division Olivier Moeschler said Banatin has in 33 years steered Adam’s Express to become one of the Philippines’ biggest travel agencies and one of the top producers to Europe.

Banatin had pioneered pilgrimage tours to destinations ranging from the Holy Land and Lourdes to Fatima and Eastern Europe. He also introduced a wide range of exotic destinations to Philippine travellers, including Bhutan, Kazakstan and Uzbekistan.

Connectivity arms race heats up as TripAdvisor and Booking Holdings seize tour tech firms

By TTG Asia
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TripAdvisor and Booking Holdings have each acquired software providers for tours and activities bookings

Competition is revving up in the tours technology space as online giants TripAdvisor and Booking Holdings respectively acquired Bokun and FareHarbor to expand beyond their core offerings.

The acquisition of Bokun, an Iceland-based business management software for tours, attractions and experiences suppliers, will enable TripAdvisor to expand its offering by “providing suppliers with technical solutions”.

TripAdvisor and Booking Holdings have each acquired software providers for tours and activities bookings

Dermot Halpin, president, TripAdvisor Experiences and Rentals, commented in a statement: “Our opportunity in this space is enormous. We’re committed to taking the experiences sector far beyond its current online penetration of just 20 per cent, and Bokun will play a critical role in this mission.”

TripAdvisor will slash the pricing of Bokun’s product from its monthly subscriptions of €100 (US$122) to “a fraction of a per cent per booking” in the near term, making it far under the industry standard of five to six per cent, it revealed in the press release.

This latest move will signify “a new phase” for TripAdvisor as its seeks to grow beyond our core offering as a distribution channel, Halpin remarked, adding that Bokun is expected to simplify distribution for suppliers and dramatically improve the shopping experience for travellers.

Bokun will remain based in Iceland, with immediate plans to expand the team. Terms of the acquisition are not disclosed.

Meanwhile, TripAdvisor’s latest move reflects similar aspirations of Booking Holdings, which last Thursday announced the acquisition of Denver-based activities and experiences booking software provider FareHarbor.

“Today travel is fueled by technology, yet the local experiences and attractions marketplace is still largely offline,” said Gillian Tans, CEO of Booking.com in a statement.

“We see an immense opportunity to leverage this technology to bring more local experiences online, benefitting the entire global travel ecosystem for both consumers and local businesses by allowing them to connect instantly through a seamless digital experience,” she added.

FareHarbor will operate as an independent business within the company, and its senior management team will report into the Booking.com leadership team.

The acquisition has been approved by FareHarbor’s board of directors and stockholders and is expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions.

Sharjah goes after Muslim tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia

By Rohit Kaul
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Number of Malaysian and Indonesian visitors to Sharjah still small despite the countries' large Muslim populations

Already seeing strong growth in tourist arrivals from China and India, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is now setting its sights on expansion into new Asian markets like Malaysia and Indonesia as it looks to attract 10 million international tourists by 2021.

Speaking to TTG Asia at the Arabian Travel Market 2018, SCTDA chairman Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, said: “We are looking at ways to reach out to Malaysians and Indonesians from where at present we are attracting a small number of tourist arrivals. There is a lot of potential that these two markets offer, considering their sizeable Muslim populations. We will promote Sharjah by showcasing our rich Islamic culture in Malaysia and Indonesia.”

Number of Malaysian and Indonesian visitors to Sharjah still small despite the countries’ large Muslim populations

SCTDA is currently gathering market intelligence on Malaysia and Indonesia in its development of a promotion and marketing strategy targeting these two markets. It is also shortlisting major outbound travel agencies in both countries to work with to boost tourist arrivals.

Welcoming the NTO’s pitch for new markets, Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Sharjah-based Cozmo Travel, said: “There is a lot of infrastructure development going on in Sharjah for the purpose of tourism development. Markets like Dubai are already seeing a growth in tourist groups coming from Indonesia, so there is a good opportunity for Sharjah also to attract these travellers.”

Meanwhile, key Asian source markets, India and China, posted strong growth last year. In 2017, the emirate recorded 138,000 and 126,000 hotel guests from India and China, marking growths of 32 per cent and 54 per cent respectively from the previous year.

“Tourists from both India and China are looking for experiential travel. They are being drawn to our tradition and heritage. We expect the numbers from both these markets will continue to grow strongly this year as well,” said Al Midfa.

Why contextual marketing matters in today’s travel world

By Pamela Chow
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Experts stress importance of crafting content according to platform used
Experts stress the importance of crafting content according to platform used

The travel consumer of today demands personal and frictionless interaction across multiple media channels, and this is a primary concern industry players are urging their colleagues to take heed.

“Travellers expect personal interaction regardless of device and channel, but it has to be contextual. They expect every channel to work frictionlessly,” observed Rita Marini, head of GTM marketing, APJ & GC, SAP Hybris, at Digital Travel APAC last week.

Contextual marketing, a buzzword at the conference, refers to interactions with customers tailored according to the platform of use, as well as the data accrued from the customer’s behaviour on the platform.

Today’s consumers expect ‘frictionless’ experience across different channels

For example, KLM uses contextual communication within its app – powered by Nexmo – to gain intelligence on the user’s behaviour within the app before contacting customer service, in order to better aid the customer. KLM’s customer service is also integrated into its omnichannel platforms, such as in-app chats or SMS.

Having a contextual strategy makes it “easier (for companies) to track which channels, countries and markets are most receptive to the campaign, so (they) can reassign marketing dollars effectively”, advised Francisco Kattan, head of platform marketing, Nexmo.

This can prove more challenging when it comes to distributing marketing content across different source markets, which may pose language differences and cultural preferences.

Dyson Yu, vice president, digital marketing & e-commerce, Wynn Resorts, recommended: “To target different markets, (the content must) stay relevant to the platform being used – whether it’s WeChat, Facebook, Instagram, Line or Kakaotalk – and (the company must) determine the primary channels for their target markets.

“Also, companies should not literally translate content across channels. Instead, you should totally rewrite and recreate content that is more relatable to different audiences,” Yu said.

UAE’s Emaar Hospitality Group has Asia on its expansion radar

By Rohit Kaul
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Emaar will enter India mainly though management agreements

UAE-based Emaar Hospitality Group is looking to enter key Asian markets including India and China as part of its expansion plans.

“We are looking to expand into new international markets by leveraging our brand recognition. India and China both are major source markets for us. Though there are no projects that we can announce in these markets yet, we are looking at possibilities in major cities in these two countries,” said Olivier Harnisch, Emaar Hospitality Group’s CEO, speaking on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai.

Emaar will enter India mainly though management agreements

For India and China, Harnisch sees good opportunity to develop Emaar’s three brands, namely the premium luxury Address Hotels + Resorts, upscale lifestyle Vida Hotels and Resorts; and contemporary midscale Rove Hotels.

In particular, he is excited about the prospects of Rove Hotels in the Indian market.

“We are looking to enter the Indian market through a joint venture or a management contract. In fact, a lot of hotels in our development pipeline will be managed. Our focus will be on management contracts going ahead,” shared Harnisch.

The group recently announced its foray into the Maldives with the Address Madivaru Maldives Resort, a 75,000m2 property with a dedicated spa island and water sports island, scheduled to open in 2020.

At present, Emaar Hospitality Group has 12 operational hotels in the UAE, and three serviced residences operational in Dubai. Globally, the group has 36 projects in the pipeline.

Thailand gets its first UNESCO Geopark in Satun

By TTG Asia
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Satun Geopark known for abundance of fossil species

UNESCO has designated about half of Satun province as Thailand’s first Global Geopark for its renowned natural beauty and geological significance.

Satun UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the Satun province of southern Thailand, comprising four districts (Thungwa, La-ngu, Manang, and part of Mueang Satun) including two national parks and one wildlife sanctuary. Altitudes reach up to 732m, with mountains and foothills characterising the eastern and northern areas, while beaches and coastal islands dominate the Andaman Sea part of the Geopark.

Satun Geopark is known for its abundance of fossil species

The UNESCO website describes the Satun Geopark area as “a peaceful place with renowned natural beauty”, renowned for its abundance and high diversity of fossil species as well as for the oldest succession of fossils.

Prasat Hin Panyod, characterised by a spectacular pinnacle karst landscape, including a stunning sea cave and hidden lagoon that can be visited by kayak, is singled out as the most important geosite.

Yuthasak Supasorn, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governer, said in a statement: “UNESCO designation is a great honour that can only help ensure sustainable tourism growth, which the TAT feels is definitely something worth supporting and celebrating.”

In total, the UNESCO executive board in Paris endorsed 13 new sites worldwide as new UNESCO Global Geoparks, eight of which are in Asia including Cao Bang (Vietnam), Izu Peninsula (Japan) and Rinjani Lombok (Indonesia).

The full list can be found here.

New Yotel to land at upcoming Istanbul airport

By TTG Asia
0
The hotel will be the Yotel’s largest airport hotel

London-based hotel group Yotel has announced plans to open a hotel with both airside and landside access in the forthcoming Istanbul New Airport (INA).

The hotel will feature a total of 451 rooms in two zones, one airside (102 rooms) and one landside (349 rooms). Both parts of the hotel will feature Yotel’s signature Club Lounge concept with smart vending, co-working and relaxing areas, wellness centres and planted glazed atriums.

In addition, the landside zone will include a restaurant, bar and 24/7 gym. There will also be flexible meeting spaces with seamless technology available.

The new Yotel will feature 451 guestrooms

At press time, date of completion has yet to be announced.

Yotel’s first investment in Turkey will also be its largest airport hotel. The company currently operates four airport hotels under the Yotelair brand in London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports.

Meanwhile INA, scheduled to open on October 29 this year, will replace Ataturk Airport when it opens in October 2018. The capacity of INA will be expanded up to 200 million people once all four phases are completed and will have a total of six runways and three terminals.

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGassociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Cambodia tourism hit by air disruption as Middle East crisis reshapes travel flows
TTG Asia | IHG, ANA expand loyalty partnership
TTG Asia | Fuel shock hits Asian carriers, threatens intra-Asia travel