Come 2020, a Ritz-Carlton hotel owned by Tobu Railway is expected to open in Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Northern Kanto region of Japan.
Plans are for The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko to offer 94 guestrooms and suites, each providing a view of either Lake Chuzenji or Mount Nantai. Dining options are expected to include an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge and bar, as well as a Western restaurant.
Artist impression of the property in Nikko
The hotel will also feature facilities such as a spa with treatment rooms and a private onsen (Japanese hot springs).
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko is slated to be located along the East end of Lake Chuzenji and South of Mount Nantai, providing guests with easy access to attractions including Nikko’s National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage designated area.
When the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens unfolds in Singapore from April 28-29, rugby fans can opt for a more luxurious experience with the Sevens VIP Club hospitality packages.
The Sevens VIP Club has a dedicated viewing space on Level 4 overseeing the carnival. The space is private and air-conditioned, and includes free-flow drinks, an international buffet spread, complimentary Wi-Fi, and TV screens to follow the action.
Be in the thick of the action, VIP style
In addition, Sevens VIP Club hospitality passes allow guests to access level three (where the thick of the action is) and concourse areas. Sevens VIP Club hospitality pass holders will also receive an exclusive merchandise and gift bag.
Singapore Sevens ambassadors Ben Gollings, highest rugby sevens point scorer ever in the history of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, and DJ Forbes, recently retired superstar and captain of the New Zealand sevens team, will make an appearance at the Sevens VIP Club to share their stories.
For corporates, the Level 3 Hospitality Boxes will be ideal as they offer a degree of privacy to network for groups between 36 and 72 people. The custom furnished space offers box owners a vantage point to engage with guests in an informal, casual and sporty setting, and to catch the intense on-pitch drama at the same time.
Taking place in Singapore for the third time, the 8th stop of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series will feature 45 high-intensity matches pitting the world’s top 16 teams against each other.
The G2 team from Bangkok and Hong Kong met in Manila recently
Wholesale tour operator G2 Travel has metamorphosed into a global giant just six years after it was started by top honchos who left Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA) following the latter’s purchase by Kuoni from Travelport.
Built up from scratch, G2 now has 23 offices globally with nearly 1,000 staff serving over 15,000 group tours that book one million room nights. Business grew by 30 per cent last year with Asia a big part of that growth, said director David Littlefair, who was part of the GTA breakaway group that also included GTA founder David Babai.
The G2 team from Bangkok and Hong Kong met in Manila recently
“We all came from tour operating background… all cut from the same cloth”, said Bangkok-based Littlefair, commenting on G2’s successful growth trajectory on a recent visit to the Philippines to meet travel agency partners.
Amid the spate of mergers and acquisitions in the industry at the time of the breakaway, G2 saw that there was still room for smaller business in the market. “When we started, we might have been a new brand and entity but we have massive amounts of experience and relationships in the market, which is very important in the group sector,” Littlefair explained.
Another edge is Genie, a completely automated system that connects to suppliers, developed by G2’s own in-house technology department.
Littlefair said that of the 30 per cent increase in global business last year, about 60 per cent came from Asia, led by Indonesia and Thailand, while China is fast catching up. Hong Kong has slightly plateaued in the last two years due to its sensitivity to security tensions in Europe, while Singapore is a considerable source of FITs.
Markets like the Philippines, which has yet to reach its full growth potential, is characterised by but bigger groups and longer trip duration of up to 30 days compared with a maximum of 10 days in other source markets.
In Indochina, Vietnam has huge potential and is G2’s biggest market. Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos are starting to have some groups. The latter trio still make up a small percentage of the business but “we want to be there early to cultivate the relationship and to better understand the market,” said Littlefair.
While its focus is on group inbound to Europe, G2 is widening its net beyond the continent to the US – where it opened offices in New York and Los Angeles last year – Canada, South America and Israel, including an office in Tel Aviv.
Hotel chains are starting to swing away from the cities of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi and into Vietnam’s secondary destinations, revealed major hospitality players at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) 2018 last week.
Hot favourites for development include Danang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Sapa. Le Hoang Vu, consultant – development, Vietnam, InterContinental Hotels Group, described Danang and Nha Trang as “key growing cities” to watch.
Hotel investors are moving into secondary destinations such as Phu Quoc (pictured)
Michael Ong, vice president, development, Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), added: “We have a hub each in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, so now we’re ready to branch out to other areas like Danang and Phu Quoc. These are the areas in which we are going to begin our next phase of marketing.”
Another area to watch is Ho Tram, which has received Vietnam’s first Club Med resort and is “getting to critical mass”, observed Olivier Dung Do Ngoc, chairman, Dynasty Investment Corp.
Still, operators are not abandoning the tourism epicentres. Ong said that PPHG is “not done with Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi”, where the group is planning to fill the gap in supply of service apartments.
All considered, Ong said “there is a possibity that we will double our key count in Vietnam in the next three to five years”.
As the country heats up, hoteliers will play a vital part in readying the country for international tourism. Dung asserted that “tourism players must lobby for change” in issues such as infrastructure, service standards and the “soft experience”.
Global luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand Nikki Beach Worldwide, through its Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts Asia division, has entered into an agreement with Siam Three Heng International to manage the Dhara Dhevi Hotel in Chiang Mai as the Nikki Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai with immediate effect.
The Nikki Beach rebranding process is underway and will be completed by mid-June. Nikki Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai will be the brand’s second location in Thailand after Koh Samui.
The property’s Colonial Pool
“The newly formed Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts Asia division looks forward to a successful new property in Chiang Mai in conjunction with the brand’s 20th anniversary,” said Kevin Wallace, president of Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts Asia.
The Dhara Dhevi Hotel was formerly the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi until a dispute with the resort owner saw the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group cease management from this iconic property in Chiang Mai.
Nikki Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, which spreads across 24 hectares amid the countryside and rice paddy fields, is modelled after a traditional Lanna-style palace with 123 keys. The property also features a 3,100m2 spa, numerous F&B outlets, multiple pools, a fitness center, Kids Club, Arts & Craft Village, Culinary Academy and meditation areas.
This agreement heralds the current expansion goals of the Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts division within Asia, where the company has a dozen additional contracts already under negotiation to meet the region’s substantial demand for the experiential luxury concept, it said a press release.
Nikki Beach now boasts properties in four destinations worldwide, spanning Koh Samui, Thailand; Porto Heli, Greece; Bodrum, Turkey and Dubai, the UAE.
In a move that see Hertz Asia expanding its offerings with chauffeur services, the car rental company has launched the Hertz Chauffeur website to enable customers and travel agents to book chauffeur services for full or half days, airport and city transfers.
Eoin MacNeill, vice president, Hertz Asia Pacific, said: “The launch of the Hertz Chauffeur website for travellers visiting Asia strengthens Hertz’s comprehensive range of transport solutions, to suit the evolving needs of all our customers.
Hertz expands into the chauffeuring segment
“We see Hertz Chauffeur benefitting corporate and leisure travellers seeking the comfort and ease of a personal chauffeur. The service will especially appeal to customers who, due to local legislation, are not permitted to drive in China, and those who simply want to enjoy extra peace of mind when traveling to any of the countries where the service is available,” he added.
The new website allows customers to book a vehicle with a driver in four simple steps, receive email confirmation with booking details, and easily create, manage and edit their own itineraries. In addition, it applies discount codes instantly, including corporate discounts where there’s a Hertz Chauffeur Drive agreement in place.
Further benefits of Hertz Chauffeur include a broad range of latest model vehicles from full-size sedans, spacious people movers to luxury limousines; professional English-speaking drivers; meet-and-greet feature for customers to be welcomed by a driver upon arrival at the designated airport or pick-up point; and driver’s details, including phone number and emergency hotline, sent to the customer via email prior to the flight arrival.
Hertz Chauffeur is now available for bookings in Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Customers booking online between now and June 30, 2018 can enjoy discounted rates when they quote PC# 204306 under “PC Code”.
Jeff Wagoner will soon join Outrigger Hotels and Resorts as president and CEO, effective April 26, 2018. Meanwhile, KSL Resorts co-founder and CEO Scott Dalecio, who has been serving as Outrigger’s interim CEO since early 2017, will become executive chairman of the Hawaii-based global hospitality brand.
Wagoner boasts wide-ranging hospitality leadership experience in both domestic and international markets. His previous appointments include executive vice president of hotel operations for Trump Hotels as well as several senior level positions within the Wyndham Hotel Group, including president Wyndham Hotel Group Management, executive vice president global brand services and president Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
Jeff Wagoner
The appointment of Wagoner comes at a time of expansion and growth of Outrigger, the company said in a press release.
Outrigger’s portfolio currently includes nine premium beachfront resorts in Hawaii, Fiji, Thailand, Guam, Mauritius and the Maldives – alongside 27 owned and/or managed hotels, resorts and vacation condominiums.
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will be closing Maya Bay in Krabi’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park for four months from June 1 until September 30, Bangkok Post reported.
This has been done in a bid to give the crowded island a rest, as the bay’s fragile marine ecological system has been severely damaged by mass tourism. Currently, it welcomes more than 4,000 tourists per day, which is above its carrying capacity.
Maya Beach will be closed for a stint due to environmental concerns and tourism overload
Further measures will be taken to ensure the ecosystem improves. For instance, the department will ban all boats parking in front of the beach as that is the main cause of damage to the island’s coral reef. A new boat parking site at Losama Bay, which is located close to Maya Bay, will be constructed and tourists can follow a trail to Maya Bay.
A plan to rehabilitate the coral reef is also under way, as well as the implementation of a charge for tourists who visit the island.
The department will also be working with four universities to study tourist capacity at the marine park. Discussions also include possible closure of other islands – Koh Tapoo and Kao Ping Kan in Phang Nga National Park, Koh Rok in Mu Koh Lanta National Park in Krabi province, including parts of Similan National Park in Phang Nga province – to recover their marine ecological systems.
Royal Caribbean International has taken delivery of what’s said to be the largest cruise ship in the world, the product of 36 months of work undertaken by 4,700 shipbuilders and crew members.
Delivered from STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, the 25th ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Symphony of the Seas, is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 72.5m tall and spans 362.1m long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms.
Symphony of the Seas begins its first voyage
“Symphony will take family vacationing to a new level… This ship is the perfect blend of our greatest hits we know guests love and a lineup of new restaurants, activities and unparalleled entertainment,” said Royal Caribbean Cruises chairman and CEO Richard Fain.
New F&B options include a seafood restaurant, the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, a signature candy and ice-cream shop on the boardwalk and a Mexican street food eatery. The ship will also feature Royal Caribbean’s first glow-in-the-dark laser tag as well as a Rubicon-themed escape room.
Another highlight is the Ultimate Family Suite, a two-level, 125m2 suite featuring an in-room slide, a private cinema with an 85-inch HD TV, a floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, a 19.7m2 balcony complete with a ping pong table and a full-size whirlpool.
Symphony of the Seas welcomed her first guests on Saturday, March 31 for a five-night preview sailing, calling on Naples and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
The ship’s maiden seven-night Mediterranean voyage then departs on April 7 from Barcelona, Spain. It will homeport in Barcelona for the summer, visiting Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence, France; and Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples, Italy. Beginning Nov 10, Miami, Florida will become the ship’s year-round homeport. The seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises will call on Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s new destination in the Bahamas.
Abdulla Ghiyas, president of the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), has been named the 2018 PATA Face of the Future.
MATATO is engaged in various activities such as advocacy and lobbying, training and workshops, fam trips, loan schemes via different financial institutions, recognition programmes, travel conferences and forums, publications and more. The association last year organised destination stands and road shows, exhibiting brand Maldives in 14 countries around the world.
Abdulla is also deputy managing director of Inner Maldives Holidays, as well as director for Ace Travels Maldives and Spence Maldives, which are joint ventures with Sri Lankan blue chip conglomerate Aitken Spence.
Testament to his abilities, he was the youngest board director of the Maldives Monetary Authority from 2014 to 2017. In 2010, Chamber International Maldives named him one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Maldives for his role in the business turnaround in Inner Maldives Holiday.
Abdulla also contributes to the Consulate of the Republic of Seychelles to the Maldives as the deputy.
As the 2018 PATA Face of the Future, Abdulla will also be invited to join the 2018/2019 PATA executive board as a non-voting member and observer.
Last year, the PATA Face of the Future accolade was awarded to Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO and co-founder of travel booking engine Tripfez.
