TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 7th January 2026
Page 1518

Booster shot drives start-ups

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Mok (left) with Somsak

Two Asian start-ups which have received Booking.com’s Booster grants as reported in yesterday’s TTG Asia are driven to scale up their businesses by ramping up marketing and improving technology.

Singapore’s Backstreet Academy, which pitched its case for a grant of 400,000 euros (US$470,029) and got it, is finally able to open a headquarters in Yogyakarta. Its three founders have practically been living in the back streets of countries in South-east Asia for the past three years, although the upside to this is it gave them real insights “to empower those at the bottom of the pyramid” to earn a living by delivering unique experiences to tourists.

From fellow grant applicants to business partners: Mok (left) and Somsak

“These people have so little to live on and their passion for life is to do better. A challenge for the industry is to see how the bottom of the pyramid is a huge opportunity that can be tapped, instead of seeing them as ‘hand-outs’, and how we can empower them to do their own business, not as suppliers but as real entrepreneurs,” said Jamon Mok, founder & CEO of Backstreet Academy.

With the Booster fund, Mok plans to increase business through visual marketing and growing the offline channel.

“A lot of people are interested in, say, knife-making in Laos, but can’t visualise the experience. So we’ll be creating short films to showcase the experiences better,” said Mok. “We will also be building up the offline channel with local hotels, travel agents, etc, so that more are aware of what we do and will book us.

“As well, we need to improve the technology, in areas such as booking directly through Line or WhatsApp and having a 24/7 communication channel – we have had an issue where customers were unable to locate their guide. We also want to expand to more remote areas in the region.”

Local Alike, which has been focusing on Thailand for the past seven years, where it works with 70 villages across the kingdom to deliver authentic experiences to tourists while improving the livelihoods of communities, believes it is time for it to expand to outside Thailand.

Founder & CEO Somsak Boonkam said the company had started to invest in Vietnam with a local partner, currently working with five communities in Hoi An and Danang.

Somsak added the Booster fund would enable Local Alike to expand its source markets to Europe, from just Thai and Asian customers currently.

“We also learnt a lot from Booking.com on the technology side. We need to redesign our system to make it friendlier.

“As well, we hold 13 workshops for the communities, imparting our knowledge on developing homestays or how to ensure the experience is up to standards. We would like to host this online. By doing this, we will free ourselves and this will enable us to scale far quicker,” he said.

Somsak was particularly impressed by how the Booster programme was laid out. “It was over three weeks (of learning and mentoring in Amsterdam last June). Nobody did that kind of thing for us before, that is, invested so much in us.

“It’s not just imparting the know-how, but they brought us together and we were able to build personal connections and become friends. In fact, Backstreet Academy has also become our partner. As our product is in sync with their philosophy, we will be using their platform for distribution,” said Somsak, which added the partnership with Backstreet would go live soon.

Backstreet’s Mok agreed it was “not easy for start-ups like us to tap into travel industry expertise”.

“Booster gave us access to a lot of experience. We learnt more about marketing, positioning, technology – it was all so forthcoming,” he said.

When asked if Booster would continue to be held in 2018, Marianne Gybels, Booking Cares manager, said an announcement would be made in December.

  • reporting from ITB Asia 2017

Singapore now has world’s most powerful passport

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Paraguay’s removal of visa requirements for Singaporeans has propelled Singapore’s passport ahead of Germany and to the top of Passport Index’ most powerful ranking with a visa-free score of 159.

Historically, the top 10 most powerful passports in the world were mostly European, with Germany having the lead for the past two years.

Singapore climbed into a tie with Germany in April this year

Since early 2017, the number one position was shared with Singapore, which was steadily climbing the ranks. Other Asian passports in the top 20 include those of South Korea, Japan and Malaysia.

“For the first time ever an Asian country has the most powerful passport in the world,” said Philippe May, managing director of Arton Capital’s Singapore office. “It is a testament of Singapore’s inclusive diplomatic relations and effective foreign policy.”

In contrast, the US passport has fallen since Trump took office, with Turkey and the Central African Republic most recently revoking their visa-free status to US passport holders.

Developed by Arton Capital, a leading global advisory for residence and citizenship solutions, the Passport Index has become the most popular interactive online tool to display, sort and rank the world’s passports. The Index ranks national passports by the cross-border access they bring, assigning a “visa-free score” according to the number of countries a passport holder can visit visa-free or with visa on arrival.

Club Med out of Dong’ao, China before time’s up

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Club Med undeterred from opening in China

Club Med has ceased operations of its first beach resort in China, Club Med Dong’ao Island since June 1, 2017.

Set on an island neighbouring Hong Kong and Macau, the property owned by China’s GREE Group had originally opened under the Club Med brand – with the 5T (Tridents) luxury section launched in 2014 followed by the 4T premium section in June 2015.

Club Med undeterred from opening in China

Sebastien Portes, ‎general manager Hong Kong & Macau at Club Med, told TTG Asia that both Club Med and the owner had agreed on the outcome after “friendly negotiations”, citing strategy and business adjustments from both parties as factors.

“Club Med re-evaluates its portfolio every year (and) we are not at the level expected,” he added.“Unexpected extra costs and access difficulties to the resort by ferries made it impossible for Club Med to manage this resort in (accordance) with its quality standards.”

Local partners and agents were informed of Club Med’s decision prior to the closure. Guests who had bookings were compensated and/or offered stay in other Club Med resorts.

The hotel’s ‘Gentil Organisateurs’ (ambassadors and hospitality staff) were relocated to other Club Med resorts, and local staff remained in Dong’ao as per GREE’s new management direction.

While all Club Med intellectual property were removed and Club Med’s unique business model discontinued, resort hardware has remained.

Contrary to Club Med’s account on the mutual agreement to separate, industry sources claimed otherwise.

Shenzhen-based Shangpin Tours (Southern Region), general manager, Jason Liang, said: “It’s typical to see owners end management contract and take the operation back after experiencing stable and lucrative growth. Frankly, weekend getaways have been so popular in China and demand is always there for holiday resorts.”

Hong Kong-based Lotus Tours’ general manager and chief distribution officer, Keller Mak, observed similarly that the Club Med product had done well in the mainland market, but pointed out that it was not the case in Hong Kong.

She, too, was unsurprised by the premature termination of Club Med’s management contract. “If they don’t feel ready to do it on their own, they will ask for professional management. However, once they have learnt the ropes, they’d do it by themselves,” Mak said, adding that Club Med’s international Gentil Organisateur experience was what set the resort apart from the others.

Mak said she would wait and see what the Dong’ao premise can offer before putting the product back on the agency shelves.

Guangzhou-based GZL International Conference and Exhibition Services, project director, Landy Leung, would still recommend the product to clients – but noted that her clients trust international hotel brands.

Portes reiterated the closure of Club Med Dong’ao island does not affect growth plans in China and Asia. In China, it will open three new resorts under Club Med Joyview in January 2018 – namely in Golden Beach, Qinghuangdao; Great Wall; and Anji (near Hangzhou).

Short-term rental start-up brings home US$3m in seed funds

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GuestReady, a PropTech startup in the urban short-term rental management space, has closed US$3 million in seed funding and will be acquiring Easy Rental Services, a former competitor in London and Paris.

Currently operating in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, the startup says it plans to utilise the seed funds to expand to five more cities by summer 2018.

Developing an improved product

Beyond geographical expansion, GuestReady is also planning a move further into the B2B space by building a product backend to automate and streamline property management tasks.

The funding round was led by Impulse VC, with participation from Xponova and Boost Heroes, the venture capital firm led by Fabio Cannavale, founder of the Lastminute Group, among others. Existing investors including Swiss Founders Fund and Senn & Partners also renewed their investments.

Since its launch in August 2016, GuestReady has acquired a portfolio of about 600 apartments and welcomed over 20,000 travellers from over 120 countries into their apartments. Initially an on-demand platform for activities like cleaning, GuestReady now focuses exclusively on fully managed properties that they advertise on short-let platforms like Airbnb, HomeAway, and Booking, among others.

The company has been focusing on developing a product that provides the property owners full visibility and control over the calendars and financials of their properties. It syncs real time with sales-side platforms like Airbnb, and provides a lean logistical setup that allows it to minimise the turnaround time between guests.

Aviation roundup: Air China, Scoot, and Hainan Airlines

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Air China to launch inaugural LA-Shenzhen route

Air China will launch thrice-weekly services connecting Los Angeles to Shenzhen starting December 7.

Operated with a Boeing 787-9, flight CA769 will depart Shenzhen on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 23:30 and arrive in Los Angeles at 20:00. Flight CA770 leaves Los Angeles at 22:50 those same days, for arrival in Shenzhen at 05.40 two days later.

This will be the first direct flight between the two cities.


Scoot to launch Palembang flights, up Bali frequency

Scoot has launched ticket sales for its four-times-weekly services between Singapore and Palembang, which will commence on November 23.

To be operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, flight TR250 departs Singapore at 15.00 on Tuesdays and Sundays to arrive in Palembang at 15.10. On Thursdays and Saturdays, it departs Singapore at 10.30 and 11.05 respectively, for arrival in Palembang at 10.40 and 11.15.

TR251 returns from Palembang at 15.50 on Tuesdays and Sundays, arriving in Singapore at 18.15. On Thursdays and Saturdays, it departs Palembang at 11.20 and 11.55 respectively, for arrival back in Singapore at 13.30 and 14.25.

On the same date of the route’s launch, Scoot will add a third daily service between Denpasar and Singapore, served by an Airbus A320 aircraft. TR284 will depart Singapore at 10.30 for arrival in Dempasar at 13.20. On the return, TR285 leaves Denpasar at 14.05 and arrives in Singapore at 17.00.


Hainan Airlines links NYC with Western China

Hainan Airlines has introduced two new routes between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Chongqing.

Services to Chongqing commenced on October 21, and flights to New York from Chengdu will begin on October 27. Each route will be operated twice weekly.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, flights from Chongqing to New York depart at 22.00, and will land at 00.50 the following day. The return flight, occurring on Thursdays and Saturdays, will depart New York at 02.50 and arrive in Chongqing at 05.55 the following day.

Flights will depart Chengdu at 22.00 on Thursdays and Saturdays, and will arrive in New York at 00.50 the following day. The return leg will see flights depart New York at 02.50 and arrive in Chengdu at at 05.55 the following day on Fridays and Sundays.

[Sponsored Post] JW Marriott Hotel Macau

0

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites, and 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings.

Situated within Galaxy Macau – one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations – JW Marriott Hotel Macau is redefining the standard of meetings in Asia. The dazzling array of state-of-the-art meeting facilities in these hotels allow you to unleash endless possibilities at your next event, be it an imaginative team-building adventure or a stylish high-profile launch – our hotel let you dictate a bespoke experience where the only limit is your imagination.

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites exquisitely styled and furnished, as well as 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott and the brand’s flagship property in Macau. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms on the 2nd floor provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings or breakout sessions.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s ballrooms are equipped with the latest high-tech facilities to ensure that your conference or social gathering is a success. With our audio and visual equipment, operators can coordinate a flawless event without the hassle. For example, at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom lighting, colors and other stage effects can be controlled effortlessly and seamlessly with just a click on an iPad.

 

A medium-scale company planned to organize a team-building activity at the Grand Resort Deck. Due to unexpected bad weather on the day, our MICE team quickly organized an indoor treasure hunt team-building activity in the hotel to accommodate the sudden change.

A corporate training session was hosted in the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom by an international top tier technology brand. To ensure their displayed products were well cared for when the clients were away from the exhibition, our teams carefully locked away the products and stationed our hotel staff to ensure no one could enter the venue during the break time.

One of the world’s most valuable luxury brands organized a meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Ballroom for 200 internal staff. In order to perfectly pair the event with their luxurious brand image, our MICE team carved all the guests’ names on a rectangular-shape cake, with our gourmet expertise.

Although fireworks are generally not allowed in Macau, our MICE team struck out to meet the exceptional needs of our clients and successfully received a fireworks permit from the Macau government.

We specialize in business events of all sizes, with adaptable venues and state-of-the-art facilities. Delicious catering, from coffee breaks to elaborate sit-down meals can be offered to your meeting guests. Start planning your meeting or event with us by contacting our MICE team at (853) 8886 6888 or mhrs.mfmjw.sales@marriott.com

[Sponsored Post] JW Marriott Hotel Macau

0

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites, and 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings.

Situated within Galaxy Macau – one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations – JW Marriott Hotel Macau is redefining the standard of meetings in Asia. The dazzling array of state-of-the-art meeting facilities in these hotels allow you to unleash endless possibilities at your next event, be it an imaginative team-building adventure or a stylish high-profile launch – our hotel let you dictate a bespoke experience where the only limit is your imagination.

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites exquisitely styled and furnished, as well as 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott and the brand’s flagship property in Macau. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms on the 2nd floor provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings or breakout sessions.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s ballrooms are equipped with the latest high-tech facilities to ensure that your conference or social gathering is a success. With our audio and visual equipment, operators can coordinate a flawless event without the hassle. For example, at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom lighting, colors and other stage effects can be controlled effortlessly and seamlessly with just a click on an iPad.

 

A medium-scale company planned to organize a team-building activity at the Grand Resort Deck. Due to unexpected bad weather on the day, our MICE team quickly organized an indoor treasure hunt team-building activity in the hotel to accommodate the sudden change.

A corporate training session was hosted in the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom by an international top tier technology brand. To ensure their displayed products were well cared for when the clients were away from the exhibition, our teams carefully locked away the products and stationed our hotel staff to ensure no one could enter the venue during the break time.

One of the world’s most valuable luxury brands organized a meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Ballroom for 200 internal staff. In order to perfectly pair the event with their luxurious brand image, our MICE team carved all the guests’ names on a rectangular-shape cake, with our gourmet expertise.

Although fireworks are generally not allowed in Macau, our MICE team struck out to meet the exceptional needs of our clients and successfully received a fireworks permit from the Macau government.

We specialize in business events of all sizes, with adaptable venues and state-of-the-art facilities. Delicious catering, from coffee breaks to elaborate sit-down meals can be offered to your meeting guests. Start planning your meeting or event with us by contacting our MICE team at (853) 8886 6888 or mhrs.mfmjw.sales@marriott.com

[Sponsored Post] JW Marriott Hotel Macau

0

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites, and 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings.

Situated within Galaxy Macau – one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations – JW Marriott Hotel Macau is redefining the standard of meetings in Asia. The dazzling array of state-of-the-art meeting facilities in these hotels allow you to unleash endless possibilities at your next event, be it an imaginative team-building adventure or a stylish high-profile launch – our hotel let you dictate a bespoke experience where the only limit is your imagination.

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites exquisitely styled and furnished, as well as 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott and the brand’s flagship property in Macau. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms on the 2nd floor provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings or breakout sessions.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s ballrooms are equipped with the latest high-tech facilities to ensure that your conference or social gathering is a success. With our audio and visual equipment, operators can coordinate a flawless event without the hassle. For example, at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom lighting, colors and other stage effects can be controlled effortlessly and seamlessly with just a click on an iPad.

 

A medium-scale company planned to organize a team-building activity at the Grand Resort Deck. Due to unexpected bad weather on the day, our MICE team quickly organized an indoor treasure hunt team-building activity in the hotel to accommodate the sudden change.

A corporate training session was hosted in the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom by an international top tier technology brand. To ensure their displayed products were well cared for when the clients were away from the exhibition, our teams carefully locked away the products and stationed our hotel staff to ensure no one could enter the venue during the break time.

One of the world’s most valuable luxury brands organized a meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Ballroom for 200 internal staff. In order to perfectly pair the event with their luxurious brand image, our MICE team carved all the guests’ names on a rectangular-shape cake, with our gourmet expertise.

Although fireworks are generally not allowed in Macau, our MICE team struck out to meet the exceptional needs of our clients and successfully received a fireworks permit from the Macau government.

We specialize in business events of all sizes, with adaptable venues and state-of-the-art facilities. Delicious catering, from coffee breaks to elaborate sit-down meals can be offered to your meeting guests. Start planning your meeting or event with us by contacting our MICE team at (853) 8886 6888 or mhrs.mfmjw.sales@marriott.com

[Sponsored Post] JW Marriott Hotel Macau

0

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites, and 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings.

Situated within Galaxy Macau – one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations – JW Marriott Hotel Macau is redefining the standard of meetings in Asia. The dazzling array of state-of-the-art meeting facilities in these hotels allow you to unleash endless possibilities at your next event, be it an imaginative team-building adventure or a stylish high-profile launch – our hotel let you dictate a bespoke experience where the only limit is your imagination.

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites exquisitely styled and furnished, as well as 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott and the brand’s flagship property in Macau. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms on the 2nd floor provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings or breakout sessions.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s ballrooms are equipped with the latest high-tech facilities to ensure that your conference or social gathering is a success. With our audio and visual equipment, operators can coordinate a flawless event without the hassle. For example, at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom lighting, colors and other stage effects can be controlled effortlessly and seamlessly with just a click on an iPad.

 

A medium-scale company planned to organize a team-building activity at the Grand Resort Deck. Due to unexpected bad weather on the day, our MICE team quickly organized an indoor treasure hunt team-building activity in the hotel to accommodate the sudden change.

A corporate training session was hosted in the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom by an international top tier technology brand. To ensure their displayed products were well cared for when the clients were away from the exhibition, our teams carefully locked away the products and stationed our hotel staff to ensure no one could enter the venue during the break time.

One of the world’s most valuable luxury brands organized a meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Ballroom for 200 internal staff. In order to perfectly pair the event with their luxurious brand image, our MICE team carved all the guests’ names on a rectangular-shape cake, with our gourmet expertise.

Although fireworks are generally not allowed in Macau, our MICE team struck out to meet the exceptional needs of our clients and successfully received a fireworks permit from the Macau government.

We specialize in business events of all sizes, with adaptable venues and state-of-the-art facilities. Delicious catering, from coffee breaks to elaborate sit-down meals can be offered to your meeting guests. Start planning your meeting or event with us by contacting our MICE team at (853) 8886 6888 or mhrs.mfmjw.sales@marriott.com

[Sponsored Post] JW Marriott Hotel Macau

0

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites, and 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings.

Situated within Galaxy Macau – one of the world’s most spectacular entertainment and leisure destinations – JW Marriott Hotel Macau is redefining the standard of meetings in Asia. The dazzling array of state-of-the-art meeting facilities in these hotels allow you to unleash endless possibilities at your next event, be it an imaginative team-building adventure or a stylish high-profile launch – our hotel let you dictate a bespoke experience where the only limit is your imagination.

With 1,015 luxurious rooms and suites exquisitely styled and furnished, as well as 2,700 sq. m. of flexible meeting space, JW Marriott Hotel Macau is Asia’s largest JW Marriott and the brand’s flagship property in Macau. The ballroom on the ground floor boasts 1,920 sq. m., which can accommodate up to 1,600 guests; while six meeting rooms on the 2nd floor provide intimate spaces for personalized meetings or breakout sessions.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s ballrooms are equipped with the latest high-tech facilities to ensure that your conference or social gathering is a success. With our audio and visual equipment, operators can coordinate a flawless event without the hassle. For example, at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom lighting, colors and other stage effects can be controlled effortlessly and seamlessly with just a click on an iPad.

 

A medium-scale company planned to organize a team-building activity at the Grand Resort Deck. Due to unexpected bad weather on the day, our MICE team quickly organized an indoor treasure hunt team-building activity in the hotel to accommodate the sudden change.

A corporate training session was hosted in the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Grand Ballroom by an international top tier technology brand. To ensure their displayed products were well cared for when the clients were away from the exhibition, our teams carefully locked away the products and stationed our hotel staff to ensure no one could enter the venue during the break time.

One of the world’s most valuable luxury brands organized a meeting at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau’s Ballroom for 200 internal staff. In order to perfectly pair the event with their luxurious brand image, our MICE team carved all the guests’ names on a rectangular-shape cake, with our gourmet expertise.

Although fireworks are generally not allowed in Macau, our MICE team struck out to meet the exceptional needs of our clients and successfully received a fireworks permit from the Macau government.

We specialize in business events of all sizes, with adaptable venues and state-of-the-art facilities. Delicious catering, from coffee breaks to elaborate sit-down meals can be offered to your meeting guests. Start planning your meeting or event with us by contacting our MICE team at (853) 8886 6888 or mhrs.mfmjw.sales@marriott.com