Travelport has become the first GDS to be granted both Aggregator Level One certification and IT Provider Level Two status for IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) programme.
With this, Travelport has the option to distribute IATA NDC offers for fares and prices on behalf of the airlines electing to use IATA’s industry standards.
Travelport’s ability to fully integrate with the NDC application programme interface will enable airlines using NDC-XML messaging to distribute and deliver their fares and products.
Travel agencies and TMCs will enjoy enhanced travel content and greater access to ancillary offers via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform. For the first time, Travelport-connected agents will be able to make ancillary sales post the original flight booking and through their preferred agency workflows.
“We know the industry needs to transform the way flights are sold and IATA’s NDC is an important part of this,” commented Ian Heywood, Travelport’s global head of product and marketing, air commerce.
Besides driving its own merchandising innovation, Travelport is an active participant in IATA’s NDC planning and has been a member of various working groups and steering and committees focused on NDC development.
PATA has teamed up with travel trade engagement specialist Equator Learning to launch an initiative that allows members to create online learning modules for agents.
Through the Asia & Pacific Experts online tool, PATA members can create 30-minute learning modules that provide agents with information about a destination for more effective selling.
“Travel agents are becoming increasingly time poor and picking up unqualified knowledge. This can damage a destination and its reputation,” said Chris May, managing director – Equator Learning.
The platform also provides an avenue to promote and link to the organisation’s website.
An annual fee secures agents a module in their chosen language(s). They can then switch between different members modules and qualify towards Asia Pacific Expert status.
Dusit Thani yesterday signed an agreement with the Crown Property Bureau to continue leasing the land on which Dusit Thani Bangkok sits – plus an additional plot of almost 3.8ha – at the intersection of Silom Road and Rama 4.
With the lease extended by 30 years (with the right to extend for another 30 years), Dusit Thani intends to reinforce the standing of its Bangkok flagship and build a mixed-use real development with its partner Central Pattana.
Dusit Thani Bangkok
The new development – with an estimated project value of 36.7 billion baht (US$1.1 billion) – is expected to feature a hotel, residences, retail areas and office spaces and a large green space.
Suphajee Suthumpun, group CEO, Dusit Thani, commented: “It will be a new icon of Bangkok’s new era the same way the iconic Dusit Thani Bangkok made history 47 years ago.”
A citizenM hotel will open in Kuala Lumpur in the second quarter of next year, a South-east Asian breakthrough for the brand’s expansion in Asia through its partnership with Hong Kong-based Artyzen Hospitality Group.
The 198-key property is located in the city’s fashionable hub, Bukit Bintang, and will showcase to the region the hallmarks of a brand that made the industry sit up when it debuted a decade ago.
citizenM London Bankside
Brainchild of founder Rattan Chadha, these hallmarks feature the living room lobby concept with ultra-modern designer furniture, contemporary art collections, innovative technology that allows guests to customise their room experience including lighting, temperature and movies on TV, and the 24/7 canteenM offering quality local food.
Above all, the brand was one of, if not, the first to understand the ethos of a new generation of travellers – the mobile citizens (both in physical mobility and technology where it got its name from) – and ushered in a whole new style of ‘affordable luxury’.
The Kuala Lumpur hotel is owned by Cornerstone Partners Group, which picked citizenM to leverage “the expertise of a global, trend-setting hospitality company, combined with strong local market knowledge”, said Mizi Rahim, director of Pinnacle Supreme, the subsidiary of Cornerstone that signed the management contract with Artyzen.
It will be the third citizenM to open in Asia. The first, Taipei Northgate, another management contract, will open in Q2 this year, followed by citizenM Shanghai Hongqiao in 2Q2018, which is owned by Shun Tak Holdings, Artyzen’s parent company.
Till now, citizenM owns and operates all its hotels in Europe and North America and has been growing roughly one hotel a year in the past 10 years. It operates three hotels in its home base, the Netherlands (two in Amsterdam and one in Rotterdam), three in London, one in Glasgow, two in Paris and one in New York.
But it is rapidly expanding now, with Asia and North America as prime target regions. A second hotel is being built in New York, scheduled for opening early next year, while a hotel each in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston have been confirmed, said Robin Chadha, the founder’s son who is chief marketing officer of the company.
Robin Chadha
In Europe, two other hotels been confirmed in Paris – one in the city centre and the other in Gare de Lyon – and the company is starting to look into other markets such as Switzerland and Italy, he said.
In Asia, Artyzen seeks to grow its South-east Asia presence in gateway cities such as Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, said Artyzen’s president, Robbert van der Maas.
Management contracts seems the preferred model in Asia, Chadha said. “Having management contracts of course brings different complexities than if you were the owner of the hotel yourself, but it’s a fantastic way to expand quickly,” said Chadha, when asked if the company was leaning more towards management in the future. He added citizenM would invest or co-invest in hotels if the right opportunity comes along.
“We’re lucky to have Artyzen as partner as they have experienced people here and know the local landscape. They manage the full business here in Asia while we support them in sharing our concepts. We’re based in Europe and have predominantly European people working for us who might relate to the North American culture but not to the Asian sensitivities, so it’s better to have a local partner on the ground who understands the culture, the red tape and other business ways of doing things. Plus, every market in Asia is different,” said Chadha.
When asked if there’s a need to orientate the brand to Asian needs, he said: “There will be some changes, but ever so slightly, for example, F&B or giving amenities such as slippers/bathrobe. There were talks of changing the room design but we said no.
“So unless it’s a cultural no-no, we’re sticking to our guns because we’re bringing something new to the market.”
Eleven colourful dinosaur statues will call the Gardens by the Bay’s Supertree Grove home from March 10 to April 2, 2017.
Part of the Children’s Festival, Rexy the red Tyrannosaurus and his friends – including Brachy the blue Brachiosaurus and Tricey the yellow Triceratops – are part of an imaginative world where life-sized dinosaurs roam the gardens. Activities include a dino-egg hunt, carnival rides, games, crafts, workshops and music from the Jurassic Park performed by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
After a recent top-to-toe refurbishment, the brightened rooms and eye-catching cross-cultural decor of this five-star hotel makes Paige Lee Pei Qi feel right at home
Location
The hotel is situated in Clarke Quay, offering easy access to the nearby Boat Quay as well as numerous bars and restaurants in the area. The Raffles Place financial district is about a 15-minute walk away.
Rooms
The property completed an 18-month extensive renovation in October 2016. The 476 rooms and suites were given an overhaul, which made me feel as though I was staying in a brand-new hotel.
In terms of design, all the rooms now take on a brighter tone while maintaining the hotel’s mixed Swiss-Peranakan features. Similarly, the corridors now sport a lighter hue.
Swiss Executive Room.
Upon entering my Swiss Executive Room, I was enthralled by the panoramic view of the city skyline which stretched across the Singapore River. As well, the platter of chocolates that awaited my arrival added a touch of Swiss hospitality to the overall experience.
One of the main changes to the rooms were the bathroom upgrades. Bathtub showers are now been replaced with standing showers, making the place feel more spacious.
I like how the hotel also provided a Handy smartphone that allowed for complimentary IDD calls to 10 selected countries and data access. This would surely help foreign guests stay connected with their families.
F&B
The Ellenborough Market Café has also undergone a revamp and now sports a vibrant turquoise interior, complete with a sparkling diamond-cut glass wall feature, shedding its earlier wooden-oriented interior and more dated feel.
The international and Peranakan style buffet continues to delight diners with its wide array of fresh seafood and nyonya items such as kueh pie tee and babi pongteh. And of course, not forgetting the signature durian pengat which ended my sumptuous meal on a celebratory note.
Ellenborough Market Cafe Dining Room
Alternative dining options are available at the newly revamped lobby lounge Crossroads Bar and poolside diner Blue Potato, which features a Western a la carte menu with a selection of fine wines and beverages. It also features an open grill kitchen by the pool deck on the second floor, which will be better suited for casual diners.
My room on the 11th level provided me access into the private Executive Club as well, where cocktail hours are from 18.00 to 20.00, offering evening drinks and finger food.
Facilties
Recreational facilities include an idyllic pool area featuring a swimming pool with waterslides – a big bonus for families with children – and an outdoor Jacuzzi.
For gym rats, there is a well-equipped two-storey fitness centre that is open 24 hours. The Pürovel Spa & Sport, an in-house Swiss spa brand, is a new addition to this property.
Service
The hospitality of the staff was remarkable. They were ever-ready to assist me and were quick to greet the guests with smiles. It made me feel right at home.
Verdict
The rejuvenation project was well worth the wait. It has transformed the property into an even more vibrant venue to dine and stay in.
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has named Joseph Yamdee as resident manager to lead the opening management team in the new-build Mövenpick Residences Ekkamai Bangkok – the company’s first serviced residences in Asia opening in March 2017.
Yamdee was most recently the resident manager for Viva Garden Serviced Residence, and prior to that also held the same position at Citadines Sukhumvit 8 Bangkok and Citadines Sukhumvit 11 Bangkok.
Etihad Airways has appointed Germano Rollero as its new general manager for China.
Rollero will lead the development of the airline’s commercial strategy and be responsible for strengthening its partnerships with travel trade partners and corporate customers.
Based in Beijing, he will report to Lindsay White, Etihad Airways’ vice president for Asia-Pacific and Australia.
With a strong background in leisure and corporate travel, Rollero has over 12 years of experience in senior sales management roles for CITS American Express GBT, Air China, Prudential Financial and Italcamel Travel Agency.
Amadeus IT Group achieved adjusted profit of 911 million euros (US$964.5 million) for 2016, representing a growth of 21.2 per cent from 2015.
Growth was supported by an increase of 14.3 per cent in revenue to 4.5 billion euros (EBITDA up 16 per cent in EBITDA to 1.7 billion euros).
Luis Maroto, president & CEO of Amadeus, commented: “The strength of our core businesses, our diversification strategy and the positive contribution of recent acquisitions such as Navitaire drove Amadeus’ successful financial performance in 2016.”
Amadeus’ distribution business saw revenue increase 6.8 per cent to over 2.9 billion euros, with travel agency air bookings growing 5.9 per cent to total 534.9 million euros.
LCC bookings grew 15 per cent compared with the previous year, with content from more than 90 low-cost and hybrid carriers now available to subscribers to Amadeus’ inventory data.
According to Amadeus, the stronger distribution performance was also supported by new contracts of Amadeus’ merchandising solutions. At the end of last year, 66 per cent of the global bookings made through Amadeus were eligible to carry a merchandising item.
By end 2016, more than 120 airlines had contracts for Amadeus Airlines Ancillary Services, of which more than 90 had implemented the solutions; while 52 airline customers had contracted Amadeus Fare Families, with 33 seeing through to implementation.
For its IT solutions segment, Amadeus too reported growth in revenue, up 31.7 per cent to almost 1.6 billion euros.
Amadeus reported that more than 175 airlines had contracts for one of the Amadeus Passenger Service System (Altéa or Navitaire New Skies) at the end of 2016.
Amadeus passengers boarded grew 85 per cent to a total of 1.4 billion euros, fuelled by the addition of passengers boarded from Navitaire and a 12.2 per cent increase in Altéa passengers boarded.
Developments in its new business arms include a 10-year deal with Copenhagen Airports; the launch of the B2B Wallet Prepaid payment solution enhanced by partnerships with MasterCard and Ixaris; and the rollout of Amadeus Performance Insight and Amadeus Booking Analytics.
An extension of its agreement with Amadeus and AccessRail has also enabled travel to book 18 rail and bus operators across 26 countries on the same screen as air travel.
Application for the ITB China Startup Award, which aims to recognise innovative ideas turned into viable business solutions, is now open.
Taking place within ITB China on May 11, 2017 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Conference Center, the event will see finalists demonstrating their solutions and pitching before the judges.
ITB China is welcoming applications from products launched within the past three years and that demonstrate innovation, add value to customers and are commercial. Companies of any size or sector may apply.
All applicants will receive online exposure on the ITB China website and through all its press channels and media coverage from the show’s media partners including TTG, the official show daily for the three-day event.
The winner will get to showcase their product at a nine-square-metre basic shell-scheme booth worth over US$4,000 at ITB China 2018.
The application deadline is March 31, 2017 and finalists will be confirmed on April 15, 2017. For more information on how to apply, visit itb-china.com/awards.
