TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Tuesday, 19th May 2026
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The robots are coming – and why tech still needs a human touch

By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena
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We’re living in such exciting times now. Travel technology continues to evolve at a dizzying pace which, aided by connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, machine learning, among others, are offering new opportunities for businesses in the travel and hospitality industries.

Just last month, Singapore Airlines announced that its flight information is now available on Google Home, at the same time the voice-assisted device was launched in Singapore.

Marriott International has teamed up with Samsung and Legrand to launch the world’s first Internet of Things (IoT) room, while Hilton is currently beta testing a mobile-centric guestroom. Meanwhile, robot butlers have been introduced in several Singapore hotels to provide services like delivering newspapers and cooking eggs.

Innovation in the tours and activities sector is gathering pace too. Asiatravel and its B2B division TAcentre, together with Yaturu 5800 Israel, are working to bring Israel’s history to life with tours using augmented reality (AR) technology and scripted audio-dramas (Editor’s Note: stay tuned as TTG Asia’s Rosa Ocampo will be joining the AR tour and reviewing it for you).

On the customer service front, chatbots are becoming a popular solution among travel agencies (see our new Customer Service column) to increase staff productivity and alleviate hotlines.

But as tech-savvy as customers have become in an ‘Uberised’ age, the majority, I believe, still prefer a human touch in their interaction with brands and products, especially as more travellers seek authentic, personalised experiences in their travels.

And the reality is that personalised search results, automated check-in at airports or keyless hotel room entry are unlikely to deliver that ‘wow’ experience that will compel travellers to rave about their flight, hotel stay or tour booking. Such technologies will enhance customer satisfaction and drive efficiency, but they won’t create loyal brand evangelists.

For customer loyalty to happen, good, old-fashioned human connections are needed, especially in complex, unlikely or unpredictable situations when things get personal, emotional or highly charged.

Just look at the Troubleshooting and Say It Again sections in our new Customer Service column and it’s apparent travellers still want to be advised despite all the autonomy and information technology has brought.

What keeps a customer returning to H.I.S. Travel in his subsequent travels, for instance, was the agency’s ability to deliver and go beyond his earlier request – i.e. staying only in secluded temples and shrines in Japan. The trust and rapport with the company wouldn’t have been achieved if the travel experts hadn’t understand the complex request the first time round and tailored a highly customised itinerary.

There’s no doubt that technology will continue to drive breakthroughs in the travel sector, but it’s only by maintaining a human touch – understanding, empathising and responding to the subtleties required – that algorithms and AI can add the most value to businesses.

We at TTG Asia like to interact with our fellow readers too. How would you feel if we send a chatbot?

Chat with us, we’re all ears. Human ears that can empathise.

Maldives’ fast-growing guesthouse sector in ‘desperate’ need of promotional support

By Feizal Samath
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Thoddoo island in the Maldives home to several guesthouses

With more guesthouses popping up across the country amid a rising budget inbound sector, some operators in the Maldives are urging the government to promote this market at overseas trade shows.

“We desperately need more promotion,” Mohamed Karam, president of the Guesthouse Association of Maldives, told TTG Asia on the sidelines of the second International Travel Trade Show of Maldives (TTM), which took place in Malé earlier this week.

Thoddoo island in the Maldives home to several guesthouses

Unlike resorts, guesthouses have limited resources to attend trade shows or do their own international marketing, confided Karam, who owns a 12-room guesthouse on Thoddoo island. “We depend on online sales and cannot afford individual marketing at trade shows.”

Rallying support for island campaigns, Karam added: “Local councils on islands where guesthouses are located must promote each island, its properties and the benefit of a visit. These guesthouses bring huge benefits to the islanders.

“Unlike all-inclusive resorts, guesthouse islands engage local communities to provide facilities like restaurants, swimming pools, spas, shopping and sporting activities,” he pointed out.

The development of guesthouses, with average room count ranging from five to 20, is aimed at helping local communities thrive, Karam said.

He shared that the Maldives went from having just one guesthouse in 2010 to 600 guesthouses across 76 islands today, adding 7,000 beds. The number could rise to 700 guesthouses with a combined 10,000 beds by end 2019, according to Karam.

Anusha Zubair, sales and marketing manager at Fushifaru Maldives, said the guesthouse segment provides a different dimension to the market. “Now travellers have many options and those who are unable to afford luxury resorts can opt for guesthouses if their budget is around US$50,” she said.

Fushifaru Maldives is part of Muni Enterprises group, which owns a 20-room guesthouse on Maafushi island, two safari boats and other businesses.

Mövenpick appoints Hairul Maharis to manage new KLIA outpost

By TTG Asia
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Hairul Maharis has been named general manager of Mövenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA, a Sharia-compliant property scheduled to open in mid-2018 near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

A Malaysian native, Maharis boasts a strong background in the management of airport hotels, having previously overseen the Tune Hotel klia2 and, most recently, ISG Airport Hotel in Istanbul.

Over the course of his 25-year-long career, the seasoned hospitality professional has also worked with brands including Le Méridien, Sheraton and Best Western.

Air Belgium off to a rocky start with HK service launch postponed

By Prudence Lui
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The airline was launched

Barely two months into its launch, Air Belgium has postponed the launch of its first service – between Hong Kong and Brussels – after failing to obtain the required Russian airspace permit in time for the initial commencement date.

The launch of this four-times weekly service to Brussels South Airport was initially announced for April 30, but has now been pushed back to June 3.

A Belgium Airline spokesperson says the necessary approval will be processed in a matter of days

The airline’s CEO Niky Terzakis explained in a statement: “At this date and despite all efforts of our teams and the Belgian authorities, we are still expecting to receive the overflight permit from the Russian Authorities, knowing that overflying through Russian airspace is unavoidable.

“In addition to the uncertainty created by the above, the complicated and delayed GDS implementation has also prevented Chinese tourists groups from being directed to our flights.”

An Air Belgium spokesman added that the flights were initially scheduled with a “relatively short lead time”, and expressed confidence in obtaining the Russian Overflight Permit in time for June 3. It will take a matter of days, not weeks, he remarked.

The spokesperson also shared that the airline has “proactively (offered satisfactory solutions) to impacted passengers”.

A source told TTG Asia that impact on the Hong Kong trade and consumers has been minimal, with agencies such as Premium Holidays and Wincastle Travel (HK) stating no bookings had been made with the airline.

A larger obstacle in the airline’s way is perhaps its lack of brand awareness in Hong Kong.

Premium Holidays, general manager, Simon Wo said: “I heard about the carrier but have no idea (when they were launching the Hong Kong flights). So far, we haven’t make any booking with it as Cathay Pacific kicked off its Hong Kong-Brussels route in late March.”

He added that competition on the route will be considerable as the destination is “not a hot pick” for Hong Kong travellers.

Eliza Li, senior manager for marketing and product, Wincastle Travel (HK), agreed that few clients are aware of Air Belgium as it is a new entrant, adding that longhaul travellers have preference for carriers like Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Finnair.

Li however suggested: “It’d be great if tourism representatives from Belgium can stage a roadshow in Hong Kong and share some latest travel information with us. From there, we can update our offers and package it with the new carrier’s offers.”

While working with several partners, Air Belgium has also appointed two GSAs in Hong Kong (one each for passengers and cargo). Local sales and marketing campaigns are being rolled out, TTG Asia understands.

Malaysia beckons Indian visitors with lower rates, Ramadan traditions

By S Puvaneswary
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: Shoppers in Kuala Lumpur Little India, Brickfields, KL

With this year’s Ramadan – a traditional lean period for domestic travel in Malaysia – coinciding with the Indian peak summer travel in May and June, inbound players in the country have been quick to leverage the lower rates and traditions surrounding the fasting month to entice visitors from India.

Malaysia’s room rates for May and June are lower, pointed out Arokia Das, director, Luxury Tours Malaysia, thanks to weaker demand for domestic travel during this period.

Indian tourists in Kuala Lumpur’s Brickfields precinct

The availability of off-season rates is partly why summer travel from the Indian market this year is better than in 2017, observed Rajiv Kapoor, general manager of The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa.

Inbound agents are also taking advantage of Ramadan as well as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which follows the fasting month, to incorporate local festive elements into their tour itineraries.

Arokia shared that his company will include open house celebrations in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri for visitors to partake in the local festivities during this period.

Hidden Asia Travel & Tours is likewise running tours including Ramadan bazaars in Kuala Lumpur and Penang to give visitors “a feel of the local culture and festive mood”.

To commemorate Ramadan, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa and Langkawi International Convention Centre will offer buffet spreads for the breaking of fast, including an Indian vegetarian section to attract the Indian crowd, said Rajiv.

Budding agency shoots for the stars

By Feizal Samath
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Maldives Holidays Collections began in 2012 much like other inbound tour companies – until a request for help with commercial shooting arrangements changed its story.

The company’s foray into production coordination began with an enquiry in 2014 to help in the logistics for a free diving documentary, recalled managing director Shausha Aan Shafeeq.

Maldives Holiday Collections’ Shafeeq with Star Wars Rouge One’s director Gareth Edwards

Shausha said the team shot for 10 days in different locations, some near inhabited islands. The company arranged for all the required government permits as well as the booking of venues and hotels.

The approvals process has since gotten more difficult, requiring approval not just from the Ministry of Arts and Culture but the police too, further cementing the company’s specialised service. “There are regulations – you can’t just come here and shoot videos,” he continued.

Since then the company has helped organise logistics and other support for close to 30 productions including a 20-minute scene of the Star Wars Rogue One movie released in December 2016.

Scenes were shot at the Laamu Atoll, one of the Maldives’ largest islands, which was depicted as planet Scarif in the film.

Two companies were involved in the coordination of this gigantic exercise with Maldives Holidays Collections handling the food and accommodation.

Two container loads of equipment including weapon props were shipped for the shoot while a helicopter was borrowed from Sri Lanka.

“That was an exciting event not only for us but great promotion for the country as well,” he said.

A few more production coordination jobs have been lined up this year.

Including Maldives Holidays Collections, there are just two companies in this business in the destination, according to Shausha.

The company handles logistics ranging from applying for business visas, booking of hotels and securing of locations.

Frasers partners Duetto to set revenue strategy for extended stays

By TTG Asia
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The new revenue management system is expected to help Frasers better manage its diverse portfolio, which ranges from serviced apartments such as Fraser Place Setiabudi Jakarta (pictured) to hotel residences

Frasers Hospitality is collaborating with revenue strategy platform Duetto to develop what’s said to be the first revenue management system that uses open pricing to optimise rates for contracted extended stays in additional to traditional short stays.

To be made available in Duetto’s cloud-based GameChanger app, the feature is expected to help Frasers more efficiently balance revenue management strategy between long and short stays, and will be implemented across Fraser’s global portfolio.

The new revenue management system is expected to help Frasers better manage its diverse portfolio, which ranges from serviced apartments such as Fraser Place Setiabudi Jakarta (pictured) to hotel residences

Instead of traditional fixed-tier pricing where rates for different sales channels are derived from a single best available rate, open pricing allows accommodation providers to price all room types, channels and dates independently of each other based on actual demand.

By offering more flexibility in rate adjustments, this also means that guests are not turned away during peak periods when operators would normally close channels or add length-of-stay restrictions rather than sell discounted rooms.

Rates for the extended stay segment are typically inflexible and fail to account for the displacement of transient business and longer, more profitable longer-staying guests, according to Frasers.

Currently in beta stage, the new app module will be able to recommend an optimised rate and negotiation range for extended stay contracts after factoring in various costs.

The system is also expected to help hotels overcome manual data analysis, as well as allow for better prediction of demand that goes beyond historical guest records by leveraging third-party data such as web shopping behaviour, air traffic and weather to gauge price sensitivities and recommend optimal room rates.

This is part of a larger initiative that Frasers is embarking on to gain more insights into demand and boost its pricing and distribution strategies as it scales up its global portfolio, according to senior vice president, head of global marketing & sales, Joanne Ang.

Best Western to plant hotel in Malaysia’s university town

By TTG Asia
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The hotel will be Best Western's third in Malaysia
The hotel will be Best Western’s third in Malaysia

Best Western Hotels & Resorts is planning a new 200-room hotel in Nilai, a university town in Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state.

The 10-storey Best Western Mesa Hotel will form part of developer Green Target Group’s MesaHill development. The mixed-use complex also includes residences and a retail centre, MesaMall, which opened late last year to become the largest shopping and lifestyle mall in Nilai.

Best Western Mesa Hotel will be situated 18km from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and 50km from Kuala Lumpur.

It will become Best Western’s third midscale hotel in Malaysia, following Best Western Petaling Jaya and Best Western i-City Shah Alam, both of which are also located in the Klang Valley.

New hotels: North Gate by Jetwing, Hoshino Resorts OMO7 Asahikawa and more

By TTG Asia
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North Gate by Jetwing, Sri Lanka
Situated a mere 20m away from the Jaffna Railway Station is Jetwing’s second property in Jaffna. The hotel offers 44 rooms inspired by the city’s rich culture, and offers regular mod cons like a rain shower, TV with international and local channels, a tea/coffee making facility and mini bar. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, gym, and yoga classes for groups or individuals.

Photo credit: Hoshino Resorts

Hoshino Resorts OMO7 Asahikawa, Japan
The first property under OMO – Hoshino Resorts’ fourth brand – has opened its doors in Hokkaido. The no-frills OMO7 Asahikawa offers 237 compact rooms, a gathering space in the form of the OMO Cafe & Bar and where breakfast can be had, a lobby lounge filled with local Asahikawa design, as well as a loft-like library.

Mercure Yangon Kaba Aye, Myanmar
Mecure’s debut in Yangon offers 183 rooms and suites, with guestroom sizes ranging in size from 32m2 to 125m2. Suites come with an added kitchenette, as well as a separate lounge and dining room. Amenities on-site include the all-day dining MiCasa Restaurant & Bar, 21m-long lap pool, fitness facility, on-site babysitting services and several function spaces which can accommodate up to 210 pax.

Grand Hyatt Xi’an, China
The ancient Chinese city of Xi’an has welcomed a Grand Hyatt property, with a total of 396 guestrooms featuring designs inspired by a desert mirage. Facilities include four restaurants and bars on the 106m-high Sky Bridge that connects the hotel and office building – the property is part of the Maike Center – as well as a spa on level 6. For events and functions, the hotel has 2,134m2 of space on levels 3 and 3M.

Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, Philippines
A 324-room Courtyard by Marriott has opened along Megaworld Boulevard in Iloilo City. The Courtyard Iloilo also offers the Refreshing Business lobby environment, where guests can enjoy media mods, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a variety of seating zones ideal for pop-up meetings to social gatherings. Aside from the Runway Kitchen, the 15-storey hotel also features an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and guest laundry, and offers more than 279m2 of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 180 people.

Kandima Maldives appoints new GM

By TTG Asia
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Kandima Maldives has appointed Brett Castleman as the resort’s general manager.

Castleman hails from South African and brings with him more than 20 years of international hotel management experience. He has worked in four- and five-star properties across Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGassociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Oliver Schwartz leads as GM at Parmelia Hilton Perth
TTG Asia | Fuel shocks reshape airline economics
TTG Asia | voco Amritsar appoints new leadership team