TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Sunday, 14th December 2025
Page 1529

Dual role for Michel Chertouh in Japan

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ANA InterContinental Tokyo has appointed Michel Chertouh to the dual role of general manager of ANA InterContinental Tokyo and regional general manager, Greater Tokyo and Okinawa.

Chertouh will be overseeing all InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) properties in Tokyo and Okinawa, and the general managers within the area.

He spent the last five years based at InterContinental Bali Resort as regional general manager responsible for 14 IHG branded resort properties in Indonesia, Malaysia & Thailand.

Six Senses appoints DOSM for Maldives and Seychelles

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Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Julian Crane as director of sales & marketing, Maldives and Seychelles.

Based in the Bangkok office, Crane brings more than 20 years of international experience in the high-end hospitality sector.

Prior to joining Six Senses, he was the director of marketing for Four Seasons Hotel Doha.

Mövenpick appoints VP sales to support expansion

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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has appointed Julien Bonafous to the newly-created role of vice president sales.

He will be responsible for leading the group’s sales operations, which includes 17 international and area sales offices worldwide, and ensuring sales activity is aligned to key marketing, revenue and development objectives. He will also consolidate the top line performance across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and in Asia.

Before joining Mövenpick, he was director, global sales office, Middle East, Greece & Turkey for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Prior to this, he was director, international sales, Middle East & Africa, at Hilton Hotels.

Philippine trade bemoans loss of passport income

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Philippine travel agents are no longer allowed to process passports, a move that impacts their income and may even worsen the already tedious process of applying for and renewing passports.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement that it has removed the 1,200 slots for passport application reserved daily for travel agencies to make more slots available to the public and clean up the “bogus appointments made by unscrupulous individuals” using those slots.

Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) president Marlene Jante said this is a big blow especially to some agencies who get as much as 15 per cent of their income from passport processing services.

She further pointed out that the assistance of travel agencies offer convenience to passport applicants who are from the provinces, the elderly, PWDs, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and corporations that usually apply for the passports of their travelling executives and staff.

PTAA secretary-general Paul So, concurrent managing director of Great Sights Travel and Tours, agreed many agents lose a sizeable income stream, adding that passport services usually come with bookings for other trip components such as air tickets and tours.

He advised travel agents to diversify and focus on offering services other than documentation.

Like other travel consultants, So believed that elbowing travel agencies out of passport processing will worsen the challenges as it is only a stop-gap measure that does not address the whole issue.

He said DFA lacks facilities for the increasing number of passport applicants, currently at five million, but it has no programme for expansion and has not even properly forecast the demand for passport services.

A travel agent pointed out that given the huge and increasing number of applicants, DFA should instead have the foresight to increase the slots allotted to travel agencies.

Rajah Tours president Jojo Clemente said the move means “a loss of income for DFA-accredited agencies that get to employ liaison officers to do the work. “So what do we do with these people?” he asked.

Meanwhile, PTAA’s Jante expressed hopes that the abolition was a temporary measure only until December as the DFA assured PTAA in a meeting in August, even though DFA’s later statement on the abolishment made no mention of that.

Tourism secretary Wanda Teo, a former travel agent, has promised PTAA and other agency associations that she will consult with the DFA on the issue.

Indonesia jubilant on back of China sales mission

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Indonesia is expecting a rise in Chinese Muslim visitors over the next few months following what it hails as a successful trade visit to the country, buoying hopes of hitting 2.4 million arrivals from China for 2017.

The Halal Tourism Acceleration and Development Team of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia recently led a delegation of travels experts and businesses on a sales mission to Xi’an, Yinchuan and Beijing to promote its Halal offering.

Tourists watching the Balinese Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple on Bali

Riyanto Sofyan, chairman of the Halal Tourism Acceleration and Development Team of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, who led the delegation, said: “Every aspect of the trade mission was a resounding success and one we believe will bear immediate results for Indonesian tourism and trade.”

“During the visit we laid the groundwork to forge strong ties with a number of Halal industry Associations, China’s Halal Food Chamber of Commerce and several Chinese Muslim communities in Xi’an, Yinchuan, and Beijing.

These partnerships hold considerable value for the destination as they cover more than 300 companies that are focusing on the halal industry in the country and represent millions of Chinese Muslim families who currently choose Malaysia as the go-to holiday destination, he added.

Sofyan added that the Chinese counterparts showed interest in the 10 new Bali destinations.

The visit to China is part of a wider initiative by Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia to target 20 million international tourists by 2019 including five million Muslim visitors.

Inside look at the Silversea Moon

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Silversea Cruises and Fincantieri have signed a contract worth A$464 million (US$365 million) for the construction of a new ultra-luxury cruise ship.

The ship, tentatively named Silver Moon, is due to join the Silversea fleet in 2020. It will be the sister ship of Silver Muse, which was delivered in April this year.

The 40,700-gross ton Silver Moon will provide all-suite accommodation and can hold 597 passengers. Among the highlights of the new ship is the ‘Green Star 3 Design’, assigned to ships that are designed, built and equipped to prevent air and water pollution.

Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, chairman of Silversea, said in a statement: “Based on the high praise Silver Muse has earned with our guests, we are eager to build on our flagship’s success and move forward with a sister ship, which will bring us closer to fulfilling my father’s dream of a 12-ship fleet.”

With the announcement of Silver Moon, the cruise line’s fleet has now expanded to 10 ships.

Skift picks Singapore for inaugural Asian forum

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US-based Skift will inaugurate its Skift Forum Asia edition in Singapore in October 2018 in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), joining Skift’s North America and Europe shows.

“When considering our expansion into Asia, Skift selected Singapore in recognition of its vibrant ecosystem of travel companies and access to the region. Singapore’s focus on innovation and its strong knowledge economy also provide an ideal platform for the forum,” said Rafat Ali, CEO and founder of Skift.

Lionel Yeo, chief executive of STB, commented: “We have witnessed a growing number of travel and tourism companies from the US selecting Singapore to be their gateway into Asia, be it for new events or business expansions. This has further added to the confluence of ideas and exchanges in Singapore, and will make Singapore an even more ideal platform for the travel industry to meet, collaborate and take full advantage of the possibilities spurred by Asia’s travel boom.”

Moreover, some of the world’s largest hotel groups, travel brands and OTAs have regional headquarters and presence in Singapore, including Marriott International, China’s Ctrip and Expedia, STB said in a statement.

Tony Douglas is Etihad’s new group CEO

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Tony Douglas has been appointed group CEO of Etihad, effective January 2018.

Douglas will work with the board and leadership team to expand and implement a range of strategic initiatives to position Etihad for sustained success in an increasingly competitive regional and global aviation market.

Douglas joins Etihad from the UK’s Ministry of Defence, where he has served as CEO of the defence equipment and support department, responsible for procuring and supporting all the equipment and services for the British Armed Forces.

In the UK, he held senior positions at Heathrow Airport Holdings, including as managing director of Heathrow Terminal 5 project, among others.

As well, he has held senior positions in the UAE, such as CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports Company and CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company.

WTTC opens call for Tourism for Tomorrow entries

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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is calling on travel and tourism organisations to enter its Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2018.

The award celebrates the best in sustainable tourism business leadership with categories including community; destination; environment; and people.

Fiona Jeffery OBE, founder and chairman of the international water aid charity Just a Drop and chairman of the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, said: “2017 has been the year when the impact of growing tourist numbers has been called into question, with backlashes against overcrowding in some key European destinations. Now, more than ever, it is vital that the industry steps up and accepts its wider responsibilities.

“Our award winners help highlight solutions, based on successful and innovative business models built around, empowering local communities, inclusiveness, and the preservation of environment and cultural heritage.”

The 2018 finalists will be announced in January 2018, while winners will be announced during next year’s WTTC Global Summit, which will take place in Buenos Aires, April.

Award applicants may apply online via http://wttc.org/tourism-for-tomorrow-awards/apply/. The closing date for applications is November 14, 2017.

New hotels: W Suzhou, Fusion Resort Phu Quoc, and more

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W Suzhou
The brand has opened its newest property in Greater China, the 379-key W Suzhou on the banks of Jinji Lake. The property also features 60 serviced residences of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, available to rent for long-term of 30 days or longer with exclusive access to REZ, a dedicated lounge. Recreational amenities include a pool on the 36th floor, a gym and spa, as well as four F&B venues. For meetings and events, there is 3,500m2 of meeting space which includes meeting studios, an outdoor terrace, and the Great Room which can accommodate around 900 guests.

Fusion Resort Phu Quoc
The all-pool villa retreat is the first all-inclusive spa resort – where visitors are guaranteed two spa treatments for each night stayed (at no extra cost), with additional treatments based on availability – on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc. The resort has 97 villas, ranging in size from 126m2 for the One-Bedroom Pool Villa, to the palatial 687m2 five-bedroom Grand Beach Villa.

Amenities include two restaurants, a beachfront bar, an outdoor cinema, and a Mini Maia kids club. The piece de resistance is the 11,210m2 spa facility equipped with 20 double treatment rooms, a private outdoor pool, a steam room and sauna, indoor and outdoor yoga areas, a hair and beauty salon, and a fitness centre.

Ramada Encore Busan Haeundae
South Korea’s second largest city, Busan, welcomes a Ramada Encore. The 402-room property is the Wyndham Hotel Group’s 28th destination in South Korea. Each room comes with complimentary Wi-Fi and is furnished with ergonomic work desk and individually controlled air conditioner and heater. The hotel also boasts a fitness centre, meeting and conference rooms, and on-site restaurant, and a rooftop garden. The new-build is situated just opposite Haeundae Station.

Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 11
Situated in downtown Bangkok, the Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 features 232 rooms with Thai-style décor and furnishings. Deluxe Rooms start from 34m2 and feature a 43-inch widescreen TV, coffee/tea making facilities and a mini bar, while the 43m2 Privilege Rooms comes with an espresso machine, and a Bluetooth smart TV. Alternatively, the Suites on the uppermost floors offers a separate living room and can accommodate families. Facilities include two F&B options, a gym, and rooftop swimming pool, while the spa is located nearby at sister property Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit.

Sunway Velocity Hotel
Standing within the 9.3ha integrated Sunway Velocity Kuala Lumpur development is the 16-storey Sunway Velocity Hotel. Offering 351 rooms, the mid-market hotel is directly connected to the Sunway Velocity Mall, office towers, serviced residences and a central park. Amenities on-site include a boardroom, 24-hour fitness centre, outdoor infinity pool, and a café.