Pan Pacific Singapore has relaunched its swimming pool after a S$3 million (US$2.1 million) revitalisation programme.

Surrounded by water features and lush greenery, the revamped pool features a new Poolside bar, a family zone with a wading pool and private lounging spaces enhanced with 11 large cabanas, nine day beds and numerous sun loungers.

The Poolside can also be booked for private events and parties for up to 150 pax.

The newly renovated pool, together with the St Gregory Spa and gym, now make up the hotel’s rejuvenated lifestyle floor on level four.

Jenny Fu will lead Beijing office as sales director

UK-based B2B travel wholesaler JacTravel has entered into the China market with the launch of an office in Beijing, adding to its established base in Hong Kong.

The expansion follows a successful drive to secure new clients in China, which has resulted in contracts with leading travel players including Ctrip, Qunar, Tuniu, U-tour and Caissa Travel in the B2C segment and Dida Haoqiao and Marco Polo in the B2B segment.

These companies now connect directly to JacTravel’s accommodation inventory, with real-time access to pricing and availability in more than 12,000 directly-contracted hotels worldwide, international chain hotels and an additional aggregated portfolio of over 130,000 properties.

The new Beijing office will be led by sales director Jenny Fu, who is supported by sales manager Fei Ren and client technical support analyst Justin Zhang.

JacTravel has since built its portfolio to 250 directly contracted properties in China, of which 74 are in Beijing and 60 are in Shanghai, plus a further 650 indirectly contracted properties.

According JacTravel’s CEO, Terry Williamson, the Beijing office has set targets to double the size of business in 2017 and expand its Chinese portfolio further.

The 23-year-old Datai Langkawi will embark on an extensive 10-month renovation from September 4, 2017 before opening its doors again in mid 2018.

The redesign will include renovations to the resort’s guestrooms, suites and villas; the construction of a Nature Centre; additional spa pavilions; a refreshed retail space; and a fitness centre by the beach as well as an overall landscaping enhancement.

Leading the revamp is interior designer Didier Lefort of DL2A, who was part of the original design team for the property’s launch in 1993.

All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) new Tokyo (Narita)-Mexico City service will provide a much-needed option for the Asia-Latin America market, where trade flows are growing but flight connectivity limited.

Commencing from February 15, 2017, this trans-Pacific service will be operated daily on a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft and will mark ANA’s longest flight.

This service will especially benefit Japanese companies with business interests in Central and South America, said Tatsuo Matsumoto, head of sales in Japan for Kuoni Japan.

“This is a busy – and growing – business route, especially for the auto sector because many manufacturing facilities and related technology companies have operations there or are setting up in Mexico,” he added.

Besides, ANA’s good connectivity with other cities in East and South-east Asia makes the new Tokyo (Narita)-Mexico City route a strong choice for Asian travellers keen to visit Central America, Matsumoto posited.

Junichi Tanaka, president of Latin America travel specialists Turismo Latino, believes the new service will be popular both among outbound Japanese leisure travellers and visitors to Japan from the region.

“A route like this also helps us to expand our operations and business in South America because it is easy to transit through Mexico City,” he said.

Jaime Bautista, president and COO, PAL

Philippine Airlines (PAL), as part of its “nose-to-tail reinvention” currently underway, is aiming to become a five-star, full-service carrier by 2020, said president and COO Jaime Bautista on the sidelines of AAPA’s 60th Assembly of Presidents last week. The airline is currently rated three star on Skytrax.

When Bautista returned to PAL in late 2014 after Lucio Tan Group took back control of the airline from San Miguel Corp, initiatives were mapped out to remedy the carrier’s identity crisis and employees’ low morale.

This includes shedding PAL’s LCC inclinations and positioning it as the national carrier of the Philippines, a move that required a reconfiguration of the mono-class aircraft with tight seat pitch ordered by the previous administration.

Fleet modernisation is now in the works, with the delivery of Boeing 777 two weeks ago and another expected in mid-December, in addition to the five A321s in 2016. By next year, eight A330s will be reconfigured with business, premium economy and economy class seats for medium-haul flights to Australia and Honolulu.

As well, Bautista shared that “with limited capacity to grow in congested NAIA”, PAL is increasingly using other hubs like Cebu and Clark.

After launching the Cebu-Los Angeles service this year, the airline also plans to increase frequencies to Los Angeles and San Francisco and open routes to Chicago and Texas when it takes delivery of A350 in 2018.

Despite stepping up frequency to daily on the London route, expansion to Europe is on hold, said Bautista.

Jetstar Asia will be increasing flight frequencies on four of its routes from Singapore to meet the expected increase in demand over the 2017 lunar new year holidays.

From January 25 to February 5, the airline will add a total of 23 services – eight to Kuala Lumpur (January 25-February 1), seven to Penang (January 26, 29-31; February 2, 4, 5), three to Shantou (January 29; February 1, 3) and five to Haikou (January 26, 28, 30; February 4, 5).

The additional services to Haikou and Shantou are subject to regulatory approval.

Australia-based hotel and resort operator Mantra Group has secured five additional hotel signings, adding to its inventory 900 rooms across Australia and New Zealand.

The hotels are newbuilds Peppers Southbank (Melbourne), Mantra 900 Hay Street (Perth) and Peppers Queenstown Resort (Queenstown), in addition to Mantra Club Crocodile (Airlie Beach) and Mantra Observatory (Port Macquarie), which are being rebranded from the existing Club Crocodile and The Observatory respectively.

“The latest group of acquisitions reinforces the strong momentum in our growth strategy and highlights our ability to convert our pipeline,” said Mantra Group CEO Bob East.

In FY2016, Mantra Group increased its inventory by 3,000 rooms across 11 new properties, making it “Australia’s fastest growing hotel group for the year”, according to Mantra.

East added: “With seven acquisition announcements in the first five months of FY2017, we’re well-placed to exceed last year’s record result.”

Mantra currently operates the second largest network of accommodations in Australia by room number.

Industry players in Maldives are urging the government to spend more on destination marketing to coincide with the opening of an array of high-end resorts in the next 16 months.

More resorts are opening in Maldives in the next two years than in the past decade, with at least 1000 new rooms spread among 10 resorts being added from 2016-2017.

The suggestion for a bigger warchest was put forward by the travel trade during the Maldives Travel Conference, the country’s first such event, held earlier this month on November 19.

Speakers at the Maldives Travel Conference included PATA CEO Mario Hardy, UNDP Representative Shoko Noda, and the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) chairman Mohamed Khaleel, who, during the conference, all alluded to the need for more robust funding for promoting Maldives.

Khaleel said a bigger marketing budget may be necessary in view of the new properties that are about to open and in consideration of stiff competition coming from other destinations.

Among the resorts due to open within the next two years are the Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, the St Regis Vommuli Resort on Dhaalu Atoll, the Soneva Jani on Noonu Atoll, and the Hurawalhi Island Resort & Spa on Lhaviyani Atoll.