The Mandai precinct is poised to undergo a massive makeover to become an ecotourism hub with five wildlife parks and eco-lodges.

Ecotourism is set to be the newest feather on Singapore’s tourism cap when a 126ha wildlife and nature precinct dedicated to ecotourism comes online in 2023, giving optimism to the trade on new ways to package tours and attract tourists to the city-state.

Currently home to the Singapore Zoo, River Safari and Night Safari, Mandai will from 2020 onwards be joined by two new attractions – the Bird Park, which will be relocated from Jurong; and the all-new Rainforest Park.

Mike Barclay, group chief executive of Mandai Safari Park Holdings (MSPH), said: “We want to give visitors a nature and wildlife destination that they can call their own. Visitors have asked for more novel, engaging and immersive experiences. We hope the new Mandai nature precinct will provide all that and more.”

He added: “Our vision is to create an integrated nature and wildlife destination, nestled within our bustling city for all Singaporeans and tourists to enjoy. Generations of Singaporeans have grown up with the Jurong Bird Park and the (existing) wildlife parks in Mandai.

“This project provides an opportunity for renewal, and to deepen our collective affinity with the nature and wildlife of our region.”

When completed, visitors will be able to stroll on aerial walkways at the 12.5ha Rainforest Park, or relax in pods and watch birds take flight in nine aviaries that feature different landscapes – such as a wetland or bamboo forest – at the 17ha Bird Park. The Bird Park will also hold a breeding and research facility, which aims to increase the populations of critically endangered species such as the Bali mynah, black-winged starling and blue-crowned laughing thrush.

As well, the Mandai nature precinct will also boast nature trails, boardwalks, gardens, waterways and playgrounds in its surrounds.

According to MSPH, the hub is designed to be in harmony with nature. The two new parks will be developed on previously occupied land and measures will be taken to minimise impact on the flora and fauna in the area.

Meanwhile, the main hub area will feature an indoor nature-themed education centre, and hold exhibitions aimed at raising awareness and appreciation for the region’s biodiversity and natural heritage.

Moreover, an eco-link bridge spanning Mandai Lake Road will also be built. This bridge will allow animals to move between the central and northern reaches of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Sleeping under the stars could become viable for visitors who intend to spend a night or two in Mandai, as eco-friendly accommodation options such as tents, camps and family rooms are now on the drawing board.

Applauding Singapore’s ecotourism ambitions, GTMC Travel’s CEO Samson Tan, said: “This new hub will help capture tourists because it become a one-stop wildlife attraction hub. It will help tourists stay for a full day or (even spend a) night there.”

Tour East’s senior vice president sales & marketing international market, Judy Lum, expects wildlife attractions to be popular with the family segment, as the existing Night Safari is already a big draw especially for visitors from India, China and Japan.

“I am excited about this impending project. It will be a wonderful place for visitors to explore and cultivate care for nature, and it is educational for both children and adults alike,” Lum enthused.

Currently, MSPH is also exploring a range of options with the Singapore government to improve accessibility to Mandai. These include introducing shuttle buses from the upcoming Springleaf MRT station and direct bus services from areas that are not well-connected to Mandai.

This article was first published in TTG Asia October 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Improved accessibility has brought greater visibility to Vietnam’s central coast alongside other issues.

An increase in international flights into Danang is allowing Vietnam’s central coast to better hold its own alongside Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but the strengthening appeal is also bringing a new set of challenges for the Vietnamese trade.

In May, Bangkok Airways began four-times-weekly Bangkok-Danang service and Vietnam Airlines followed quickly on its heels with the launch of the same route.

Travellers responded so well to this that Bangkok Airways – barely three months into the launch – was already in discussion with Danang International Airport about potentially increasing the frequency of the service, a source told TTG Asia.

Jetstar Pacific in August started plying between Osaka and Danang, while Jetstar Asia chose Danang as the second Vietnamese gateway to fly to (after HCMC) in November 2015.

On how the prior lack of international flights placed limits on the region’s viability as a single destination for tourists on traditional package holidays, Alexander Leven, director of product development of Asia DMC, commented: “Not many group tours have (central Vietnam stays) in their itineraries. But (those that do) offer mostly Hoi An, and mostly for roundtrips.”

But this is looking set to change. Jess Yap, general manager at Country Holidays in Singapore, noted that the agency was “getting more interest these days from clients visiting central Vietnam as a mono destination”.

“We have welcomed an increasingly diverse guest profile (and) seen an increase in guests from neighbouring countries who enjoy the direct flights into Danang,” observed Michal Zitek, area general manager, Banyan Tree Banyan Tree Lang Co and Angsana Lang Co.

Amid this picture of change, several other developments in the region are hard to miss, such as the establishment of regional tourism promotion body Central Coast Vietnam, Leven shared, and the explosion of international-branded hotel chains onto the scene, particularly in Danang.

“Of course, many reasons (to visit the) region also (run) the risk of attracting the masses. While many like to market the destination as an upmarket golfer paradise, many smaller businesses want quick money and (go after other) target markets,” Leven remarked, echoing the industry’s prevailing dilemma about the influx of new visitors.

In recent months, several local agents in Danang have gone public with their concerns on the behaviour of tourists and how Chinese-run businesses have encroached on their profits.

The tourist influx is also straining the region’s capacity, Leven added. “The rise in arrivals from China is so fast this year that supply of transport, restaurants and tour guides are being put to the Another trade-off of the region’s enhanced mainstream appeal, he continued, was the building of high-rise beachfront hotels, which could compromise the luxury sell-points of the region’s tranquil coasts.

Yap also expressed similar regret over once-quaint attractions. “The increase in direct flights have allowed better accessibility… Sadly, (this also means) the old town of Hoi An will get more crowded.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia October 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Cambodia’s least-explored territories are starting to find interest among tour operators and intrepid travellers seeking authentic experiences.

Home to ethnic minorities and an abundance of sprawling jungle and pristine wildlife, Cambodia’s wild frontiers are quickly becoming hotspots for the booming ecotourism trade as tourists step off the well-trodden tracks of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville coastal area.

Somborath Dy, operations manager at Cambodian Rural Development (CRD) Tours, which promotes ecotourism in north-east Cambodia, said: “Cambodia has the potential to develop ecotourism because it not only has rich cultural but also diverse natural resources.”

In the Tourism Development Strategic Plan 2012-2020, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism highlighted ecotourism as a market for development. And with recent research revealing millennial travellers are seeking more authentic experiences, industry players observed that this is an area with the potential to thrive in Cambodia.

Speaking at this year’s Mekong Tourism Forum in Sihanoukville, James Dion, National Geographic Society’s sustainable tourism programme manager, said: “Cultural experiences reign over partying. Authenticity sells and can bring benefits to people and a place. When people come to a place like Cambodia, they’re experiencing a culture you will find nowhere else.”

Jo Crisp, general manager of Peak DMC, said: “More people are keen to see the country at the pace of a bicycle, kayak or through trekking, and want to venture out into more remote areas where they can see people and sights that are relatively untouched by tourism.”

Koh Kong’s Cardamom Mountains has become a community-based ecotourism (CBET) hotspot, with trekking, kayaking, mountain biking and camping in the wild offered. Home to some of the last remaining Siamese crocodiles, the biodiverse area also boasts about 30 other endangered species such as hornbills, dragonfish and slow lorises.

Tour operators have started rolling out a range of authentic experiences centred on CBET in the area.

The Wild KK Project is one example. Started as a tool to provide an alternative source of income to the area’s 1,300 indigenous people, the tours also raise awareness of the threats the region faces such as illegal logging and hunting.

Wildlife Alliance, an NGO, also runs a successful CBET project in nearby Chi Phat. The community-run initiative sees visitors trek and bike through dense jungle terrains, where elephants and wild boars live. Guests can explore traditional burial sites and caves, and sleep in hammocks in the wild or at village homestays.

The country’s rural north-eastern provinces have also proven popular, with intrepid travellers flocking to Mondulkiri’s rolling hills where elephants are a huge draw. Several initiatives provide visitors with the opportunity to get up close and personal with endangered Asian elephants in their natural habitat.

In Kratie, tour operators such as CRD Tours offer trips to view endangered Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River, where they learn about the mammals’ conservation and history. Ibises and Cantor’s softshell turtles can also be spotted.

Despite the growth potential, Dy thinks more needs to do done to market ecotourism on both national and international levels. “Tour operators need to be encouraged to not just focus on the temples or city tours but more on nature and ecotourism,” he said.

In addition, ecotourism players have to grapple with other challenges such as a lack of infrastructure and environmental issues such as illegal logging and hunting, which is rampant across Cambodia.

“It’s true there are some real opportunities (in ecotourism), but on the other hand, deforestation and plastic pollution are growing issues,” said Pierre-Andre Romano, general manager of Exo Travel Cambodia.

This article was first published in TTG Asia October 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.