Qantas opens online booking store on Alibaba’s Fliggy

August 15, 2017

An MoU with Alibaba Group’s Fliggy will see Qantas become the first Australian carrier to avail direct bookings on the Chinese travel sales platform via online stores.

There are currently 20 international carriers running online booking stores on Fliggy, with Cathay Pacific among the latest to form partnerships with Fliggy.

Part of a growth strategy for China and broader Asian region; Qantas’ Alan Joyce at the launch of Qantas’ Sydney-Beijing flights

Qantas’ agreement with Fliggy also includes joint marketing campaigns, which will be rolled out to Alibaba Group’s 507 million mobile users.

Gareth Evans, Qantas International’s CEO, said the partnership will make it easier for a large number of potential customers to purchase the airline’s flights.

“With travel between China and Australia booming, a Qantas booking page on Fliggy is an exciting opportunity for us to have a connection with younger Chinese travellers, who increasingly turn to mobile applications like Fliggy and online sites to research and purchase travel,” Evans added.

Fliggy vice president Jerry Hu remarked: “With the popularity of mobile Internet and its impact on commerce, Fliggy can provide brands with a large customer base, as well as facilitate direct communication with their customers.”

The platform can also provide consumer insights to help brands improve their marketing, membership system and services levels, he added.

Together with partners China Eastern and China Southern, Qantas operates more than 130 weekly return flights between Australia and China, plus close to 250 connecting services to domestic destinations within China.

Louis T Collection to manage historic Perth hotel

By TTG Asia

August 15, 2017

0

Singapore-based Louis T Collection has ventured into the Australian market by entering into a management agreement with H&M Capital for the New Esplanade Hotel located in Elizabeth Quay, a new mixed-use zone along the Swan River in Perth.

In addition to providing full management services, Louis T Collection will oversee the renovation of the 80-room property, which opened on the site in the early 1900s.

Healy: tourism numbers ‘extremely favourable’

“Given the changing face of the city with the new waterfront development surrounding the hotel, coupled with extremely favourable tourism numbers, the time couldn’t be better to bring the New Esplanade back to its former glory”, said Grant Healy, CEO and co-founder of Louis T Collection.

Details of the hotel’s renovation and launch of the repositioned hotel will be forthcoming over the next few months, according to Healy.

Tourism Fiji names rep in Singapore

By TTG Asia

August 15, 2017

0

Tourism Fiji has appointed destination marketing company and travel consultancy Xzodus its representative office in Singapore.

The NTO cites Xzodus’ extensive experience in Asian markets as well as key personnel boasting established links in the region for its choice.

Eelian Lee, director of Xzodus, will play the key role as Tourism Fiji’s country manager for Singapore, assisted by Janie Long, who has background in airline, destination marketing and education.

Philippines’ HSMA elects new 2017/18 board

By TTG Asia

August 15, 2017

0

The Organization of Hotel Sales and Marketing Professionals (HSMA) has announced its 2017-2018 board of directors.

The new board comprises hospitality professionals from resorts and hotels from across the Philippines:

New guards: (from left) Jonalyn Agrazada, Celeste Romualdo, Rose Libongco, Margie Munsayac and Christine Urbanozo-Ibarreta

President: Christine Urbanozo-Ibarreta, Golden Phoenix Hotel Manila
Vice-president: Joy de Mesa, Novotel Manila Araneta Center
Secretary: Loleth So, Peninsula Hotel Manila
Treasurer: Rene Lapid, Hotel Fleuris Palawan
Pro: Carmela Hidalgo-Bocanegra, Chroma Hospitality (Crimson and Quest Hotels)
Director, membership: Celeste Romualdo, Best Western Hotel La Corona Manila
Director, programmes: Cristina Silvestre-Carreon, Marriott Hotel Manila
Director, education: Michael Jaey Albana, Conrad Manila
Director, ways & means: Jonalyn Agrazada, Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park

Meanwhile, Rose Libongco continues to sit as chair of HSMA’s Virtus Awards, now into its third year.

Malaysia opens doors to medical tourists from Bangladesh

By TTG Asia

August 14, 2017

0

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has entered into a partnership agreement with Bangladesh’s NCH Consumer Healthcare for patient referrals to Malaysia.

As the healthcare traveller spending from Bangladesh to Malaysia increased 34 per cent in 2016 from 2015, MHTC is eager to leverage NCH Consumer Healthcare’s network in Chittagong, Bangladesh’s second largest city with a population of over 2.5 million.

NCH Consumer Healthcare’s Rahbar Anwar (left) with Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council’s Sherene Azli at signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur

From 643,000 healthcare travellers to Malaysia in 2011, the segment has grown to more than 921,000 travellers in 2016. Meanwhile, healthcare travel in Malaysia climbed 23 per cent from 2015 to record over RM1.1 billion (US$255.9 million) in hospital revenues.

MHTC CEO, Sherene Azli, commented: “Malaysia Healthcare seeks to establish a stronger brand presence, as well as build greater relationships with Bangladeshi consumers and industry stakeholders. The Asian market plays a key role in our development strategy, with Bangladesh being one of our strongest markets, and one we want to engage with more closely.”

A pharmaceutical company with more than 30 years of operations, NCH Consumer Healthcare is also targeting Malaysia as a preferred destination for Bangladeshi healthcare travellers as it expands its portfolio into healthcare travel.

The Malaysian Immigration Department, with support from the High Commissioner’s office in Bangladesh, has implemented special considerations for registered medical travellers to fast-track their visa applications from five working days to only two, and within 12 hours for emergency medical cases.

For young Singaporeans, a growing demand for offbeat destinations and travel agents

By Pamela Chow

August 14, 2017

0

As young Singaporeans show a greater yearning for more unusual and offbeat destinations for their holidays, they are also turning to travel agencies for guidance and tours in unfamiliar lands, reported industry veterans at the NATAS Holidays 2017 travel fair last weekend.

Steven Ler, acting president of NATAS, shared that “there has been a spike in searches for increasingly unique and less conventional cities” among Singaporean travellers, citing a 121 per cent rise in searches for Okinawa as revealed in Skyscanner’s recent Singapore Travel Report.

Lesser travelled destinations gaining interest from Singapore millennials; Gyokusendo underground cave, Okinawa, pictured

Besides Okinawa, rustic areas like Tasmania in Australia as well as the Balkans and South-eastern Europe are picking up steam among the millennial travel segment from Singapore.

Adventurous travellers – mostly young couples and families – are opting for self-drive packages especially through Australia, said William Loh, operation manager of Farmosa Holiday Tour.

“Young families like to travel on their own time and target, without the stress of following a schedule,” explained Loh. “We’ve tailor-made many self-drive packages for this segment.”

Also influencing this trend is the availability of more routes from LCCs linking secondary and tertiary cities, said New Shan Travel Service’s assistant general manager Chris Tay. She observed that travellers are choosing to book their own flights before approaching agents to arrange tours.

“The role of travel agents is a bit different now. We need to change to fit the needs and wants of our clients,” opined Tay.

To keep up with the interest, ASA Holidays is rolling out chartered flights to more uncommon destinations like Australia’s Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Myanmar and Guilin, the agency’s director Ristanio Arfando Aripin told TTG Asia.

For Japan specialist HIS Travel, which began offering Free and Easy Plus packages that comprise extra days of land tours three years ago, demand for such trips picked up considerably in the past year as other agents have begun to offer similar packages, observed Eddie Kheng, outbound manager (Singapore market), outbound department.

Despite the growing FIT crowd, travellers still turn to HIS Travel to arrange visits to hidden gems in Japan with more local flavour, added Kheng.

Singapore polytechnic takes steps to ‘future-proof’ hospitality workforce

By TTG Asia

August 14, 2017

0

Singapore’s Republic Polytechnic (RP) has announced MoU signings with 14 new industry partners and a revamp of one of its diploma programmes to support the hospitality sector’s transformation.

The initiatives were unveiled at the institution’s School of Hospitality (SOH) Industry Day last Friday, in line with the day’s theme of Ready Employers, Ready Employees.

New partners Frasers Hospitality, Eureka Technologies, DRx; photo credit: Republic Polytechnic School of Hospitality

The school’s Diploma in Wellness, Lifestyle and Spa Management will be renamed Diploma in Wellness and Hospitality Business, and updated with new modules to equip students with relevant skills and up-to-date knowledge on wellness industry trends.

SOH will also collaborate with its 14 new partners – spanning the hospitality, events, wellness and F&B sectors – on areas including the test-bedding of technologies and development of processes to enhance productivity, and providing RP students with more opportunities for skills training.

Dilmah Singapore will also provide a Dilmah School of Tea classroom and training room, and explore setting up a joint lab with RP.

The latest partnerships bring SOH’s total number of MoU partners to 41.

Examples of productivity-enhancement solutions that the school (under the Hospitality Solutions Centre) has rolled out include Singapore’s first hotel front-of-house Autonomous Guided Robot at M Social Singapore Hotel, known as Automated Room-service Associate, in collaboration with StarHub and robotic vendor, Savioke. The Millennium & Copthorne group now plans to deploy the solution across all its Singapore hotels.

At 30 Bencoolen Hotel, RP also launched the Smart Room and Integrated Solutions Ecosystem in collaboration with Eureka Technology, Saflok and Amadeus to resolve electrical defects before affecting the guest experience.

Registration for ITB China 2018 now open

By TTG Asia

August 14, 2017

0

The second edition of ITB China, which will take place at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition from May 16-18, 2018, is offering exhibitors who register early by August 31, 2017 a 10 per cent discount on stand fees.

Interested parties may register at www.itb-china.com/exhibitors/exhibitor-registration/.

Since online registration for ITB China 2018 opened, the number of exhibitor sign-ups has surpassed that seen at the same time last year for the show’s inaugural edition, according to the show organiser.

David Axiotis, general managed of ITB China, said he is expecting the exhibition space will become “scarce again” despite having significantly increased the overall scale of the event.

ITB China 2017 saw the participation of some 600 exhibitors from 70 countries alongside 10,000 attendees.

Hilton to plant a DoubleTree in Halong

By TTG Asia

August 14, 2017

0

A DoubleTree by Hilton property is scheduled to open its doors in Vietnam’s Halong city in 2Q2021, which will increase Hilton’s footprint in Vietnam to nine hotels open or under development.

At the singing ceremony, (from left) Tri Duc Hotel JSC’s Tran Toan Thang and Truong Thanh Long along with Hilton’s Guy Phillips and Christian Pucher

The brand’s third hotel under development in the country, the 318-room DoubleTree by Hilton Halong Bay will four F&B options, a spa, fitness centre and swimming pool, as well as 1,200m² of meetings and events facilities including a ballroom.

Located in the city’s tourism precinct about 14km from Tuan Chau International Port, the hotel provides boat and cruise connections to Halong Bay as well as access to entertainment and attractions including Halong Ocean Park.

Genting Dream

By Prudence Lui

August 14, 2017

0

Dream Palace pool

What The 18-deck, 151,300-tonne Genting Dream was designed to tap the high-end market in China and Asia. Out of 1,674 cabins, more than 70 per cent offer private balconies while over 100 provide connecting rooms catering for extended families and groups.

I embarked on a three-day, two-night weekend cruise that departed from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on a Friday evening, looking forward to a full-day high seas voyage across the South China Sea the following day and the journey back to shore on the third day.

Apart from the six meals included at Dream Dining Room (Lower and Upper) and Lido Buffet, guests are spoilt for choice with over 35 restaurant and bar concepts covering Chinese regional, Asian and international cuisine to suit different palates. My favourite is the Silk Road, which offers Chinese fine dining by day and turns into a cabaret and burlesque show by night.

While there is no room service, some food outlets like the Lobby Bar operate till 01.00 while Bar 360 stays open round the clock.

Not to be missed are some pioneering concepts like the world’s first Johnnie Walker House at sea serving upscale Scotch whisky.

Balcony stateroom

Why The premium Asian hospitality style is fully reflected from the bilingual (English and Chinese) public signage and room keycard, as well as its 2,000 crew members who are mostly friendly Asian faces i.e. Chinese and Filipino. Since the liner has a guest capacity of 3,352, it creates a high crew-to-guest ratio for cruising in Asia.

My 20m² Balcony Stateroom on the 12th floor can accommodate up to four guests, thanks to the extra sofa bed and a spare duvet set stored in the cabinet. But what won my heart were the premium in-room amenities – think TWG tea bags packed in a dedicated black case – and the comfortable bed, clad with bouncy duvet and a choice of pillow from satin to feathers, ensured two nights of sweet dreams for me.

For those who yearn for the ultimate luxury experience, the two-storey Dream Mansion offers a ‘ship-within-a-ship’ experience with 142 suites featuring European-style butler service and exclusive facilities like private pool deck swimming pool and Genting Club restaurant.

How After completing a business conference on Saturday morning, I was left with only half a day to explore this 335m-long vessel proper – and that’s not enough.

Duty-free retail outlets and gaming facilities aside, the ship abounds with diverse entertainment options. The 45-minute China’s Got Talent is a theatrical representation of the Chinese hit TV series held in the 999-seat Zodiac Theatre at 21.00 while the Rhythm Divine: Latin Ballroom Dance Show is scheduled at 23.00 and the Voyage of a Lover’s Dream takes place at 14.00 and 16.00.

However, I missed the afternoon shows as I was too engrossed in other recreational activities like bubble football, hip hop dance with staff, mini golf, a water park featuring six different slides and a rock climbing wall.

Karaoke fans will be thrilled to know that five private karaoke rooms are provided on board.

Verdict An ideal short escape for families as well as guests seeking a premium cruise experience at sea.

Rates Summer promotional rate from HK$1,649 (US$212) per person, based on double occupancy and excluding gratuity, port charges and visa

Contact details
Tel: (852)-2317-7711
Website: dreamcruiseline.com
Email: reservations@dreamcruiseline.com

Qantas opens online booking store on Alibaba’s Fliggy

Louis T Collection to manage historic Perth hotel

Tourism Fiji names rep in Singapore

Philippines’ HSMA elects new 2017/18 board

Malaysia opens doors to medical tourists from Bangladesh

For young Singaporeans, a growing demand for offbeat destinations and travel agents

Singapore polytechnic takes steps to ‘future-proof’ hospitality workforce

Registration for ITB China 2018 now open

Hilton to plant a DoubleTree in Halong

Genting Dream

Tried and Tested

Disney Adventure

What to Buy Now

Singapore HeritageFest 2026 to spotlight maritime heritage