Multi-generational travel on the rise for Chinese families

January 12, 2017

Travel search engine Wego.com has highlighted the growing trend of Chinese adult children travelling with elderly family members, especially as many of these young professionals have either relocated to first-tier cities such as Beijing or Shanghai, or have moved to other countries for their careers.

James Huang, market development manager, Wego, North Asia said: “Young Chinese professionals are taking the lead in travel planning and bookings for their parents and extended family to maintain the limited time they spend together.”

Chinese New Year thus presents a favourable opportunity for family travel, as adding annual leave to the Spring Festival holiday will translate into one of the longest continuous break for many Chinese executives. Long weekends are also becoming a popular time for outbound family travel.

Huang has also noticed an emerging trend of young professionals flying out their family to where they are based or to other destinations to spend quality time together.

“Young professionals living away from home are willing to spend more money to ensure their ageing parents especially travel in comfort by booking full-service flights for them. They prefer family-friendly hotels close to public transport in modern cities such as Tokyo and London,” said Huang.

“For destinations outside of Asia, they’ll select hotels who cater to Chinese tastes with familiar meals such as congee or hotpot, as elderly family members are less likely to adapt to Western food,” he added.

Amid changing market trends, Huang also urged a redefinition of the Chinese family segment to beyond that of younger families with small children in oder to pave for new opportunities and creative offerings.

“Hotels can incorporate local menus and larger, more comfortable road transfers, and airlines might consider flexible flight packages designed for three to suit an older family unit that includes options for premium economy seats (for older parents) and economy for an adult offspring,” he suggested.

CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group leaves

By TTG Asia

January 12, 2017

Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has announced the resignation of CEO Bernold Schroeder, with effect from January 1, 2017.

Schroeder, who has been with the group for three years, will be pursuing other interests. The appointment of a new CEO will be announced before the end of February, the company said in a statement.

In the interim, Gwee Lian Kheng, group chief executive of UOL Group (PPHG’s owning company) will oversee the management of the company.

HK’s Travel Expert inks inventory deal with JacTravel

By TTG Asia

January 12, 2017

One of Hong Kong’s largest agencies has partnered UK-based B2B wholesaler JacTravel to connect to its global accommodation inventory.

This agreement will give Travel Expert, a 40-year FIT specialist firm with 60 retail branches and 700 staff, access to over 12,000 directly-contracted hotels under JacTravel’s portfolio, in addition to an aggregated portfolio of over 130,000 properties worldwide.

Alfred Kam, Travel Expert’s COO, said: “JacTravel has a broad selection of city centre hotels in major destinations around the world, which will enhance our offer.”

Agents sold on standardised sales periods in Malaysia

By S Puvaneswary

January 12, 2017

Inbound agents are hopeful that the government’s recent decision, which limits the number of sales periods to four times annually, will maintain the uniqueness of the events and enhance Malaysia’s appeal as a shopping destination.

Put into place from January 1, 2017, the three sales periods as gazetted by the government will be the New Year Sale from March 1 to 30, Mega Carnival Sale from June 15 to August 31 and the Year-end Sale from November 1 to December 31. Traders are allowed to set a fourth period of their choice to hold another sale on their own.

All sales must have a minimum discount of 10 per cent according to the new regulation.

Abdul Rahman Mohamed, general manager at Mayflower Holidays, said: “It will make it easier to plan a group, especially from regional markets and China, to coincide with the sales periods.”

Nigel Wong, director of Urban Rhythms Tours, Adventures & Travel, said the new regulation now makes shopping sales “a tourism event”. But to strengthen Malaysia’s branding as a shopping destination, he pointed out that retailers too have a part to play to ensure quality and genuine sales.

Concurred Raaj Navaratnaa, general manager, New Asia Holiday Tours & Travel: “It is also important to ensure that branded goods have good discounts as Malaysia is also competing with Singapore’s shopping sales where branded goods can go as low as 70 per cent.”

But a current weak ringgit will work in Malaysia’s favour as accommodation and shopping will comparatively offer more value for money for inbound tourists, he added.

Singh joins Marco Polo Hotels – Hong Kong as hotel manager

By TTG Asia

January 12, 2017

Marco Polo Hotels has appointed seasoned hotelier Dalip Singh as hotel manager of its three Hong Kong properties – Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Prince Hotel and Gateway Hotel.

In his new role, Singh will be assisting the general manager to oversee the operational departments of the three hotels. He will also be managing the day-to-day operations, focusing on maintaining product and service standards across all departments in the hotels.

Singh previously served as the managing director of KOP Properties where he was responsible for strategic growth and positioning of the company’s business units.

Singh has held senior management positions for over 20 years in hotel groups in his native Singapore, as well as Malaysia and Dubai, including The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Dusit Residence Dubai Marina and Pangkor Laut Resort.

Let personalities do the talking

By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

January 11, 2017

To see, hear, and feel the locals’ emotional, cultural and spiritual connection to the land allows the Balinese personality, character and essence to shine more than any destination branding or marketing efforts.

jan_xinyi

I’m in two hearts over Bali, where I just spent a four-day break last month. I could easily see why this famed vacation island is a darling among travellers, with its beguiling charm and cultural energy, the people’s easy smiles and warm hospitality, lush rice terraces, and astounding temples dotted across a volcanic landscape.

Yet I couldn’t help but feel a tad miffed at the congestion on the roads as well as in the many hip lifestyle cafes and restaurants mushrooming across the island. In Ubud, Bali’s cultural heart, I was disappointed to find snaking traffic, tour buses emptying day trippers onto the narrow streets and terraced paddies, and macaques and humans jostling for each other’s attention in the Monkey Forest.

The Klungkung regency in eastern Bali, on the other hand, where I stayed at the newly opened Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort for two nights, offered a rustic sense of solitude. Come evenings, locals are seen relaxing on the black sand beach, some playing a game of football, others line fishing for snappers, while laughing kids lunge into the breaking waves.

Klungkung’s vibe is still palpably raw, honest and not yet pandering to the mass preferences of tourists. But for how long, I wondered. The plot of land adjacent to Wyndham is already marked for a Marriott.

But I could also see how the foray of an international hotel into a previously undeveloped area for tourism also brings with it economic and employment opportunities for the locals. Several hospitality staff I spoke with told me they no longer had to make the long daily commute to resorts in southern Bali, as the new Wyndham property offers work closer to their homes, something they very much prefer.

Although the effects of mass tourism on Bali are undeniable, what I also find remarkable is its unique culture and artistic way of life which, like the omnipresent Hindu gods overseeing the island, is still alive and thriving.

Balinese’ personal lives still appear to be very much influenced by local customs and Hindu traditions. While sharing about our personal lives, my driver Goesmank told me expenses was a major deterrent for him in not wanting more than two children. “Balinese have too many ceremonies each month, during full moon, no moon, and we still need to offer special black ducks too. I have no money left!” he exclaimed. We all laughed.

Now, that’s the real Bali for me – to see, hear, and feel locals’ emotional, cultural and spiritual connection to the land, which allows the Balinese personality, character and essence to shine more than any destination branding or marketing efforts.

And no doubt, it’s also this rich, complex and diverse nature of South-east Asia’s people, geography, history and culture that compel visitors to return to South-east Asia time and again, a constant theme for the 50 tour operators who share their most memorable travel experiences in ASEAN (see pages 9-12). This marks the first of our dedicated ASEAN@50 features in each issue this year to commemorate ASEAN’s golden jubilee in 2017, so look out for other interesting stories to come!

This article was first published in TTG Asia January 2017 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

A taste of finer things

By Paige Lee Pei Qi

January 11, 2017

Already renowned as a food destination with myriad dining options from hawker fare to celebrity restaurants, Singapore’s Michelin debut is just the icing on the cake in luring visitors, discovers Paige Lee Pei Qi

STB-Singapore

Singapore’s reputation as a thriving dining city was further elevated with the launch of its first Michelin Guide last year, which cemented the city’s honour of being the first and only country in South-east Asia to be covered by the guide.

Not only is Singapore the first South-east Asian city to boast two hawkers with the coveted Michelin star, it is also home to the world’s most affordable Michelin-star meal – Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodles, rated one star, offers dishes from just S$2 (US$1.40).

Such attractions make compelling drawcards for tourists to Singapore, and tour operators in Singapore are quick to seize the Michelin buzz as marketing opportunities.

Fred Seow, senior vice president of marketing & B2B at Asiatravel.com, said: “This Michelin Guide will give us good mileage in the Singapore brand story. It is a clear recognition of our overall F&B standards and not just the credited restaurants. It also demonstrates our originality and creativity so this means we are an exciting place even when food, a basic need in travel, is concerned.”

Star Holiday Mart has since included several Michelin-listed restaurants and hawker stalls in some of its tours, a move that general manager Dominic Ong said has boosted the appeal of their packages due to the strong recognition of the food guide among global travellers.

Even for visitors who are not drawn to Singapore for its food, the city’s F&B offerings can still be “a great complement to their trip”, Ong opined. To encourage repeat visits, he suggests promoting more gourmet restaurants in the city to international travellers.

Also seeing a “good selling point” in the Michelin Guide, GTMC Travel CEO Samson Tan intends to include the newly crowned Michelin-star dining experiences in his packages, but will wait for the hype to die down before officially selling them. “There are too many long queues for the hawker stalls,” he said.

Such recognition naturally lends a hand in the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) destination marketing efforts. Said Ranita Sundra, director of attractions, dining and retail at STB: “This guide further reinforces Singapore’s standing as Asia’s hub for culinary excellence and encourages the growth of gastro-tourism by further elevating awareness and interest in our diverse dining options.”

But with or without the Michelin gastronomic guide, Sundra pointed out that the Lion City is already home to a dynamic array and diversity of dining experiences in culinary hotspots such as Arab Street and Tiong Bahru Market.

She said: “We also emphasise the experiential epicurean adventures available there. For instance, food lovers can enjoy a duality of dining experiences in unexpected places, like Bincho (in Tiong Bahru Market). It is a mee pok stall by day that transforms into a yakitori omakase restaurant at night.”

To heighten awareness of Singapore’s booming dining scene, Sundra said that STB has been supporting food programmes like the recent debut season of reality TV MasterChef Asia, which showcases Singapore’s culinary diversity, from street food to fine dining.

Meanwhile, Karni Tomer of walking tour operator Wok ‘n’ Stroll sees food tours as opportunities to introduce foreign visitors to bona-fide cultural experiences in Singapore.

“We don’t only eat during our food tours. We also guide tourists through the country’s food culture and tell them the story of Singapore through food,” said Tomer, citing examples of  walking food tours that go into a heritage enclave boasting Indian and Chinese temples or visit a TCM shop stocked with herbs.

“Culinary tours are a big trend, especially in the past year. It is a great boost to the tourism industry as people are looking for more ways to feel the local experience.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia January 2017 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

HK trade mulls new tourism law

By Prudence Lui

January 11, 2017

If the Travel Industry Bill gets passed, Hong Kong would see the establishment of a new travel industry statutory body charged with policing the industry with more stringent penalties.

When established, the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) will take over the licensing and trade regulatory roles from the Travel Agents Registry and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC).

New regulations set to be introduced include the mandatory deposit of HK$500,000 (US$64,472) for new agents, which comes in addition of the required paid-up capital of not less than HK$500,000. This measure is meant to safeguard against the closure of agencies before they pay off financial penalties with the TIA.

Agents will also bear stronger responsibility for cases of misconduct. Existing agents that reach a specified threshold of penalties or frequency of non-compliance will be required to immediately deposit a sum of HK$250,000. If the next level of non-compliance is reached, they will be further required to deposit HK$250,000.

Commented Hong Kong Inbound Tour Operators Association (HKITOA), president, Charles Ng: “It’s not a big amount as transactions involve millions and the initial barriers are low.”

Pan Asia Tourist & Study Tour International, managing director, Danny Wong added that Hong Kong’s industry had for years been lagging behind neighbouring countries like China and Taiwan in raising the barriers to entry. The new measures could deter malpractice on some levels, he opined.

But some regulations may come with drawbacks involving a stricter business environment and necessary adjustment period. “For instance, tour escorts must renew their license on an annual basis by passing an exam. Currently, they only renew every three years without assessment,” he elaborated.

Meanwhile, Blue Sky Travel’s managing director Angela Ng expects the stricter rules to likely affect inbound agents specialising in mainland Chinese groups.

While not entirely opposed to the new regulations, HKITOA’s Ng hopes for the scrapping of certain obsolete regulations implemented under TIC, such as having to register inbound Chinese tours 48 hours in advance.

TIA will comprise 30 members but only 13 of them will be trade members to be appointed by the chief executive. This is meant to represent greater impartiality compared with the TIC.

The bill will be brought to the legislative council in the first half of the year.

ATF ushers in big year for ASEAN tourism

By TTG Asia

January 11, 2017

The 36^th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), which takes place in Singapore from January 16-20, 2017, will see the launch of the anticipated Visit ASEAN@50 campaign.

The campaign will officially kick off at the forum’s opening gala on January 18, graced by Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, ASEAN secretary general Le Luong Minh and ASEAN tourism ministers.

Notable highlights at the ATF include updates from the 10 ASEAN member states during the NTO Press Conferences, as well as the ASEAN Tourism Conference, which will be held alongside the ATF Travex on January 17 with the theme of Riding the Digital Wave: the Fourth Revolution.

And for the first time, ASEAN will honour outstanding tourism communities measured against ASEAN’s Community Based Tourism standards with an awards presentation on January 20.

Singapore Airlines is the official carrier and TTG Asia is the official daily for ATF 2017.

First Dubai beach resort in the works for Centara

By TTG Asia

January 11, 2017

(From left) Centara Hotels and Resorts’ (CHR) Dan Chinsupakul, Suparat Chirathivat, Thirayuth Chirathivat and Suthikiati Chirathivat; Nakheel’s Ali Rashid Ahmed Lootah and Thorsten Ries; and CHR’s Ronnachit Mahattanapreut and David Robert Good

Centara Hotels and Resorts has come together with UAE developer Nakheel in a joint venture to create a 550-room beachfront resort with waterpark at Deira Islands, Dubai.

The first Centara establishment in the UAE, the upscale resort will be located at Nakheel’s new 15.3km² tourism, leisure, retail and entertainment hub – a prime stretch of beach on Deira Islands.

“This partnership is a groundbreaking move for Centara as we continue to extend our upscale resort portfolio internationally. This is Centara’s first hotel in Dubai, and the UAE, and represents our arrival in a key gateway city in the Middle East,” said Suthikiati Chirathivat, chairman of Centara Hotels and Resorts.

The 30ha resort will open in two phases, with a soft opening in 2019 and a grand opening in 2020. It will feature a waterpark, dining facilities, business centre, kids’ club, spa and fitness centre.

Nakheel’s partnership with Centara is its second international joint venture for Deira Islands, where it has already invested more than AED3 billion (US$817 million) on development works. The first, an 800-room AED900 million all-inclusive resort and waterpark with Spain’s RIU Hotels and Resorts, was confirmed in February 2016.