THE newly minted I’m Hotel in Makati is hoping to lure corporate groups with its onsen spa and other novel water treatment concepts when it soft-opens in November.
I’m Hotel, a brand so named to project guests’ personalities and preferences for an experiential stay, is owned by a Singaporean group and is a sister property to Hotel H2O in Manila. It will first open with 100 rooms, an onsen spa, an infinity pool, MICE facilities and most other facilities. The remaining 334 rooms will open in 1Q2017.
Director of marketing, Melissa Lim, said I’m Hotel targets travellers from Australia, the US, the UK, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and China.
“Based on our studies, the latter four markets will be particularly interested in our onsen spa concept,” she told TTGmice e-Weekly.
I’m Onsen Spa covers 3,800m2 of space over six storeys, with state-of-the-art facilities including carbonated bath technology from Japan; 69 beds; executive and VIP rooms for small exclusive gatherings; relaxation lounges. Premium rooms have a bathtub atelier who will draw a bath with customised scents and light bites and beverages.
I’m Hotel elevates swimming into a sensorial experience with an acrylic-bottomed, see-through infinity pool that can be seen upon entering the lobby.
Lim said the hotel has several venues for events. The 80m2 Palmera room can take 40 pax in a classroom setting, while Narra Ballroom can seat 400 people for a banquet.
WHILE corporate travel budgets in China increased only marginally in 2016, cost-effective and efficient solutions as well as employee safety are emerging as some key concerns among Chinese organisations, according to new findings from the China Business Travel Survey (the Barometer) by CITS American Express Global Business Travel.
Average growth for travel and expense (T&E) budgets in China in 2016 was 4.86 per cent, consistent with 4.8 per cent growth in 2015.
Of the surveyed organisations, 52 per cent maintained stable T&E budgets for the last 12 months and 61 per cent indicated they will not increase their budgets in 2017.
While the uncertain economic climate impacts enterprises, the majority of organisations surveyed indicated that travel is a core business function and they will continue to invest in and improve their managed travel programmes. 36 per cent said they will need to find smarter ways to spend their budgets to support travel activities, and 29 per cent will try to find ways to increase travel to further accelerate business growth.
Moreover, the proportion of spending on international air travel against domestic air travel decreased this year. The domestic portion this year is an average of 73 per cent (up from 66 per cent in 2015) and international is 15 per cent (down from 19 per cent in 2015).
Meanwhile, the Barometer indicates the top three priorities in formulating business travel policies include: ‘employee safety’, ‘employee’s mental and physical conditions’ and ‘work efficiency of the employee during and after the business travel’.
Among the companies that have changed travel policies during the last 12 months, 28 per cent did so in response to the need to enhance processes and policies in relation to duty of care. Of these, 57 per cent implemented feeds to security service providers, 47 per cent mandated air bookings with a designated agency, and 32 per cent mandated hotel bookings with an appointed agency.
As well, nearly 30 per cent of organisations said they would consider updating their business travel policies in future to address traveller needs, mainly to take into consideration the use of enhanced safety measures.
And while there was a considerable movement away from the practice of using multiple TMCs or agencies in 2015, there has been no further significant change when it comes to using multiple TMCs. However, nearly 59 per cent of multi-agency users surveyed are considering using fewer agencies.
53 per cent of organisations surveyed undertook projects involving enhancement of their travel technologies solutions during the last 12 months.
WORLDHOTELS, a global brand of independent properties, is planning to add 20 China members over the next two years and focus on increasing its share of MICE business.
Roland Jegge, executive vice president Asia Pacific, named Hangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, Shenzhen, Kunming and Chongqing as target cities.
“Location, good MICE facilities and a green approach are the key factors we are eyeing. With China MICE groups looking at getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life, we are also keen on mountain resort locations that provide between 200 and 500 rooms,” he added.
As well, Worldhotels launched the Nin Hao Guest Programme in January to help global members qualify and attract the right business from China. Apart from providing Chinese translation for collateral and websites, the Worldhotels Academy also provides courses and training on how to sell to the Chinese and conduct business in China.
Jegge also announced that a former longtime member Hotel Kunlun in Beijing has rejoined Worldhotels’ Deluxe Collection.
Of Worldhotels existing network of 30 hotels in Greater China, the majority are located in Hong Kong, followed by Beijing and Shanghai. The company also has presence in Guangzhou with two hotels and one each in Nanjing, Macau, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Suzhou, Changsha and Wuxi.
Meanwhile, Worldhotels launched World Luxury – a collection of independent hotels certified by LRA by Deloitte – in May. It welcomed its first China member, The White Swan Hotel, in July. The hotel in Guangzhou joins an exclusive club of five others in Phuket, Nha Trang, the Maldives, Gothenburg and Los Angeles.
Travel centres providing services such as ticket sales, currency exchange, baggage storage and tourist information is set to open at Japan’s main transportation hubs.
One such facility will open in March 2017 at Osaka Station, a gateway for travel in the Kansai region. Information there will be provided in English, Chinese, and Korean, and is catered to the needs of foreign visitors specifically.
According to Aria Aoyama of the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau, the move comes as the city is seeing great inbound growth. Arrivals in Osaka rose from 2.03 million in 2012 to 7.16 million in 2015.
“We hope the centre will provide not only travel essentials but increase convenience and peace of mind for visitors, allowing access to more than just the expected, but for exploration of the region in greater depth,” said Aoyama.
In recent months, East Japan Railway Company had opened travel service centers at Ikebukuro, Tokyo and Shinjuku Stations, adding to its existing centres at Narita and Haneda International Airports.
A spokesperson said the company is “selecting places for the new centres based on the number of inbound visitors and spaces at stations and airports.”
Yoshihide Taniguchi of Japan National Tourism Organization’s inbound tourism strategy department says travel centres offering regional information is a convenient way for visitors to gain information as they proceed on their travels in Japan.
Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has lived GX Aviation, the world’s first global in-flight high-speed broadband connectivity service.
Lufthansa is currently in a soft launch phase with the product and will commence commercial passenger services with GX Aviation in November.
Within Asia-Pacific, Singapore Airlines has chosen the service provider for its B777-300ER and A380-800 aircrafts while Vietnam Airlines is also utilising it aboard its A350 fleet.
Meanwhile, Air China is in the midst of offering it on their A330 flights and Air Astana and Air New Zealand are also set to come onboard in the near future.
A key differentiator between GX Aviation and current airline internet service providers is its ability to provide global coverage as a single operator. This means no intermittent, patchwork connectivity commonly experienced currently.
“GX Aviation is the first constellation, the first global network designed specifically to enable broadband to things that move, such as planes, ships and people. It also enables a 4G experience for passengers onboard an aircraft for the first time,” said Rachel Donald, director strategy and communications at Inmarsat Asia-Pacific.
“We have airlines knocking down our doors to talk about GX (because) it’s unlike anything that’s been in the market before. Both LCCs and premium carriers are interested as they see it as an ancillary revenue opportunity and because of the rising demand from customers.”
She further revealed that it is in Asia-Pacific that they are seeing the highest business growth, partially because most carriers are expanding their fleets and product offerings within the region.
Airline passengers are most likely to fork out extra money on cabin class upgrades, food and beverage, preferred seating and extra legroom, according to a recent study conducted by Sabre.
Respondents indicated that the above ancillary items are equally important with each one receiving 11 per cent of the total votes. This is followed by inflight Wi-Fi and extra checked baggage accounting for nine per cent of surveyed travellers each.
The popularity of each ancillary varied between travellers from each region, with North Americans and Europeans choosing preferred seating and extra legroom; Latin Americans opting for onboard Wi-Fi; and Asia-Pacific travellers selecting extra checked luggage.
For travellers from Africa and the Middle East, food and beverage and fast track security respectively topped their pick.
“It’s clear that while there are regional differences in ancillary preferences, 80 per cent of all travellers spend on air extras, representing a significant revenue opportunity for airlines,” said Dino Gelmetti, vice president EMEA, airline solutions at Sabre.
“Airlines know what their travellers want based on the data they have of past purchases. Yet so much of this data remains unused today. However, by leveraging the latest technology, airlines can unlock this data and show they know their travellers by offering the right products at the right time and tailoring a personalised experience that will improve customer loyalty and generate much needed revenue.”
By region, African travellers spent most on ancillaries (US$95) followed by those from the Asia-Pacific (US$63), while North Americans spent the least (US$44). The average spending on ancillaries worldwide amounted to US$62.
Respondents further revealed that they will be comfortable with spending up to US$99 on average to improve their flight experience.
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) will increase its marketing activities in four South-east Asian markets next year, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Spearheading the efforts is a marketing office to be set up in Singapore to look after the aforementioned markets and to carry out promotional activities aimed at the travel trade, consumers and media.
GNTB’s international market relations manager for Asia/Australia, Till Weigl, said the decision to set up an office was made after a market research carried out in 2015 revealed that these markets showed the most potential for growth in the region.
Said CEO of GNTB Petra Hedorfer: “In 2015, about two million trips to Europe were made from these four important high-growth markets, nearly 300,000 of these were to Germany.
“By 2030, the volume of overnight stays from these four markets, which we haven’t had a presence so far, could more than double to grow from 1.4 million to 3.3 million.”
According to Till Weigl, marketing strategies to grow the South-east Asian markets will include a GNTB-led B2B roadshow with German suppliers next year to update outbound agents there selling Germany.
The focus will be on product information and to provide ideas on how to sell Germany beyond the main gateway cities with the intention of increasing average length of stay and average spend.
A social media campaign for these markets will also be introduced to generate consumer interest.
Corporate hotel solutions provider HRS is bringing online Tauzia Hotel Management’s entire portfolio, making the Indonesian hotel group’s entire inventory available on HRS’ booking platform and its partner GDS, TMC and online booking distribution channels.
Tauzia, an independent hotel company, currently has a portfolio of 45 properties across Indonesia with 60 more in the pipeline.
Its collection of brands include heritage hotel label Préférence; mid-scale family and business chain Harris; an affordable offering named Yello catered to millennials; and Pop! – a network of budget, ecofriendly hotels.
“Working with Tauzia Hotel Management is a strategic move for both parties to create a win-win situation. The extensive portfolio all across Indonesia will be able to provide good options for our corporate clients when they visit the country for their business trips,” said Alex Tan, director of hotel solutions at HRS.
Asian markets, especially those in South-east Asia, have been critical to Trafalgar’s success in the region.
“We’ve had an outstanding 2016. Our growth was as much as 60 per cent in one year, and every year it has been solid double-digit growth (over the past five years) out of South-east Asia,” revealed Gavin Tollman, Trafalgar’s global CEO in an interview with TTG Asia.
“The main markets that have recorded great growth are Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and India.”
Back in August, Trafalgar offered agents an exclusive deal to sell 2017 Trafalgar tours. When asked how much that helped to boost sales, Nicholas Lim, Trafalgar’s president Asia, said: “Sales were up 80 per cent compared to the same time last year. Now we are currently up 30 per cent as numbers have stabilised.”
Trafalgar has also launched a separate booklet on family experiences this year, and Tollman explained that while it has been inside regular brochures all along, it was separated this year as the company has seen an enormous pick-up of Singaporeans wanting to travel together as families. Another thing he noticed, was that Singaporeans really love food.
He shared: “We have an Italian series built entirely around food and this tour has a higher percentage of Singaporeans as compared to any other tour. It seems that the love of food has definitely had an impact here.”
However, he lamented that the market was “very last-minute driven”. To Trafalgar, last-minute tours are those booked within 90 days of departure.
“For example, I had an agent tell me yesterday that they had a group of 12 looking for a Christmas market, but there were no more tours available. (This is because) the rest of the world has been buying such tours since March, which is something that they could have done too,” Tollman elaborated.
He stressed: “It’s a psychology I need to talk to the trade about. What I would be reiterating to our agent partners is this: to avoid disappointment, you have to make a commitment earlier.”
Tollman also spoke of the other trends that are coming out of Asia, such as the change in travel styles.
For instance, he said that the CostSaver Europe and Britain tours for 2017 tended to attract a much younger audience, because “there are fewer inclusions, and this segment sees it as an opportunity – within a structured environment – to go to a destination, but have the chance to explore on their own”.
Moreover, current hot destinations in demand from the Asian outbound market are Iceland and Scandinavia.
“Different trends come and go, and right now the flavour of the month is nature and natural experiences. There is a lot of open space and natural beauty in Iceland and Scandinavia,” he said.
Tollman concluded: “When I looked for growth five years ago, I saw a huge opportunity by looking East. To date, it is one of the best decisions I have made in my 30-year career. At the moment, there is a 30 per cent growth going into 2017, and it does not look like it’ll stop anytime soon.”
Wang Chuk Tshering speaking at the Discover Breathtaking Bhutan Travel Fair
Drukair, the national carrier of Bhutan, is taking a four-pronged approach to promote arrivals among South-east Asian markets, but not before making India its first priority.
The first initiative is the recent launch of holiday packages via Royal Druk Holidays, an extension of the airline that promotes and markets Bhutan.
Wang Chuk Tshering, head of marketing and sales, Drukair, told TTG Asia: “It is similar to Royal Orchid Holidays by Thai Airways. This is a separate department from Drukair with its own department head. We have also recruited new staff for the department.”
He indicated that Royal Druk Holidays’ priority was to “promote all inbound tourism into Bhutan, especially to the huge Indian market first as they don’t need visas”.
“After the Indian market, we are targeting countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,” Tshering outlined.
In 2015, almost half of international tourists (48.9%) were from the Asia-Pacific region. Of the top 10 source markets, tourists from China accounted for 19.3% of total visitors, followed by the US (14.6%) and Thailand (7.7%).
Tshering attributes the increased awareness of the country to roadshows and dinner events – the second approach – that Drukair has been part of.
He elaborated: “We hosted dinner events for potential and top agents in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and this was done in collaboration with the Tourism Council of Bhutan.”
Tshering also added that Changi Airport has been “very supportive” when it came to marketing events, as much of Drukair’s traffic goes through Singapore, a major hub for the airline. The other three cities that Drukair considers to be major are Kathmandu, New Delhi, and Bangkok.
To expand the airline’s network, Drukair’s third approach is exploring codeshares and alliances. In addition, the airline will be increasing flight frequencies next year.
“We have seasonal flights to Mumbai in India, and next season we plan to increase our frequency. Currently, we fly daily to Bangkok, but from next year May we will be increasing that to twice-daily. For Singapore, we have three flights weekly and we plan to increase it to four flights a week,” he said.
On the final approach, Tshering shared: “We do a lot of online promotional activities through Twitter and Facebook. Also, we run promotions such as winter discounts. For example, this year we ran a 25 per cent discount offer.”
Bhutan received 155,121 visitors in 2015, a growth of 16.2% over 2014.
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Druk Asia, the Singaporean representative of Drukair, is currently running a Discover Breathtaking Bhutan Travel Fair at Ion Orchard Basement 4 until October 30.
