THE governments of Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to a slew of measures for the development of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) at a MoU signing ceremony held yesterday.

Foremost in the agreement is the projected start date of HSR operations by 2026. Construction is expected to take place between 2018 and 2025, and a year of testing will be undertaken before service formally starts. Advanced engineering studies are to take place to look into factors such as track alignment and architecture before construction begins.

Tracks will stretch 350km in total, 335km of which will be in Malaysia. Eight stations will service the line, namely Singapore, Iskandar Puteri, Batu Pahat, Muar, Ayer Keroh, Seremban, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

The HSR, set to boast trains with top speeds of 300km/h and a capacity of around 1000 passengers, is expected to cut travel time between Singapore and the Malaysian capital down to about 90 minutes from the current 11 hours via existing rail services.

Malaysia and Singapore will each be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the civil infrastructure and stations within their own countries, specifically MyHSR Corporation and the Land Transport Authority respectively.

An assets company, to be appointed through international tender, will provide and maintain HSR trains and its associated systems such as power, signalling and telecommunications.

There will also be two train operators appointed, one to run the international routes (the 90-minute nonstop Singapore-Kuala Lumpur express service and the 15-minute Singapore-Iskandar Puteri shuttle service) and another to run a domestic service within Malaysia.

Plans are also in place to co-locate customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities at three locations – Singapore, Iskandar Puteri and Kuala Lumpur – so that international-bound passengers will need to undergo CIQ clearance by both Malaysia and Singapore authorities only at the point of departure, and not at the point of arrival, thus requiring passengers to go through checks only once.

A legally binding agreement for the development of the HSR is set to be signed at the end of this year.

SINGAPORE’s Jurong Bird Park is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year with a look back at its major milestones.

The avian wildlife park opened in 1971 on a 20.2ha hillside and within a year, welcomed its first millionth guest. It has since become home to the world’s largest walk-in aviary standing 13 storeys tall and in the last five years bred seven critically endangered blue-throated macaws.

The park, Asia’s largest of its kind, receives over 800,000 visitors annually. Among its visitors over the years are several foreign dignitaries including Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Come 2020, the park would move to a 17ha site in the newly planned Mandai nature precinct housing the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari and a new Rainforest Park.

SINGAPORE-based Dynasty Travel now offers potential clients greater convenience by allowing them to meet with their travel consultants at a venue of their choosing.

This Mobile Concierge service allows customers to book an appointment at least three days in advance with Dynasty agents by calling 9738 1033 or via the agency’s website. The service comes at no additional cost and carries no obligation to purchase any travel products, assured Alicia Seah, spokesperson for Dynasty Travel.

According to her, this is the first time a full-service agency is offering such a service in Singapore.

“Our new Mobile Concierge is in line with the company’s vision to use technology for efficiency and uphold our core tenets of providing quality, service and convenience to our customers,” said Seah.

“It is part of Dynasty Travel’s new concept of being a hybrid travel agency. It combines Dynasty Travel’s technological capabilities with its brick and mortar business.”

She added: “Previously, customers have to visit our office or roadshows to make travel bookings. This is the first time that we provide our services at their convenience, where our travel consultants can meet the customer anywhere, whether at their home, office or café.”

Appointments must be made between 09.00-20.00.

Seah also believes the greatest demand for the service will come from the luxury segment, as well as from corporates and returning customers.

INDIA will jump four spots to become the world’s sixth largest corporate travel market in the next five years, based on forecasts in a Visa-sponsored report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Foundation.

GBTA also expects India to leapfrog Brazil this year and surpass both South Korea and Italy in 2017.

This latest semi-annual GBTA BTI Outlook India report projects a growth of 10.7 per cent in business travel spending for the market in 2016 followed by another 10.2 per cent the following year.

Domestic spending would be the key driver of India’s overall business travel performance, which is expected to grow 11.5 per cent in 2016 and 10.3 per cent in 2017, the report stated.

With international outbound travel being more volatile, GBTA reckons global travel spend will move forward just 3.1 per cent in 2016. But an improved global economy and brightening prospects for increased trade activity will help push international outbound spending further forward in 2017, by a projected 9 per cent.

Commenting on the results, Gaurav Sundaram, GBTA India regional director, said: “If it continues on its current path, India is poised to be a world leader in business travel for decades to come.

“The growth rate of business travel in India is on par with other leading industries in the country, showing once again how business travel is playing an important role as a driver of economic growth and jobs.”

James and Suzy Amis Cameron

NEW Zealand prime minister and minister of tourism John Key kicked off Tourism New Zealand’s latest marketing campaign in Jakarta yesterday, aimed at multiple source markets worldwide.

The initiative features a video by Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron, who spent four days with his wife Suzy Amis Cameron filming and experiencing New Zealand’s South Island. The video comprises footage of the couple trekking at the Tasman Glacier, kayaking through the Dart River canyon and aerial views of Blanket Bay, among others.

The couple had chosen New Zealand as their second home four years ago. They have a coastal estate north of Wellington where James is developing the next Avatar movie.

Rene de Monchy, director of trade, public relations and major events of Tourism New Zealand, finds that film tourism plays an important role in driving traffic to the country.

He said: “Film tourism is a great way to get people to dream about coming to New Zealand and to raise awareness of the country. Our recent research shows that The Hobbit is high on the list as a reason to travel to New Zealand.”

Monchy is confident that James’ influence as a renowned filmmaker will help further leverage on the country’s film tourism potential.

Said Indonesian movie star and tourism ambassador for Tourism New Zealand Indonesia Joe Taslim: “Ever since the first The Lord of The Rings movie was released in 2001, New Zealand has come to be known as the home of Middle-earth. As an actor, I appreciate how New Zealand takes its film industry seriously.”

In his speech, prime minister John Key said travel to New Zealand had been rising rapidly and total international arrivals to New Zealand in the year ending May 2016 was 3.3 million with Australia and China being the top source markets.

He expects the number to rise to four million within four years.

Richard Casswell, brand manager, Indotrek

VIETNAM-based DMC Trails of Indochina (TOI) is treading into the adventure realm with new brand Indotrek, as it sets sights on cornering the fast-growing adventure market in South-east Asia.

“We decided to begin an adventure brand as TOI is primarily seen as a classic luxury tour brand. It was therefore difficult to target the burgeoning adventure market,” said Richard Casswell, brand manager for Indotrek, which is also based in the DMC’s headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

“Through Indotrek we can target other non-luxury markets and expand the client base. TOI is not geared specifically for adventure touring while Indotrek offers further flexibility to offer a much wider range of active tours,” he added.

The prospects for adventure tourism in South-east Asia are bright, Casswell told TTG Asia e-Daily. “The adventure tourism sector is resilient and has potential to attract high-value customers, it’s the opposite of mass tourism and goes further to support local economies and promote sustainable practices.”

Indotrek’s operations model will be primarily B2B although Casswell foresees clientele to cross over into the B2C space too with the brand’s new user-friendly website.

He commented: “Our current markets are the UK, Germany, New Zealand and Australia, however we are hoping to expand to other markets including the US as time goes on.”

Cycling and trekking will be a key focus at the adventure travel specialist, which offers cycling and trekking journeys, as well as multi-adventure, multi-country trips, across Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Trips typically last from seven to 21 days.

Indotrek is simultaneously launching its flagship bicycle city tours in HCMC, with a range of options for those who prefer to get around on two wheels.

Lim Rui Shan, executive director, Restaurant Association of Singapore

THE 23rd edition of the annual Singapore Food Festival (SFF), organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), kicked off last weekend with a record lineup of 18 events taking place around the city-state featuring local cuisine presented with a modern twist.

This year’s festivity takes place from July 15 to 31 and once again includes participants ranging from F&B chains to hawker centres and hotels. The festival also launched just as the Singapore Bib Gourmand list was announced on July 14. On July 21, the very first Michelin Guide Singapore will also be introduced.

During this three-week celebration of Singapore’s culinary scene, participating businesses do expect sales to pick up as tourists and locals alike partake in food-related activities such as the anchor STREAT Signature Event, Kueh Appreciation Day, ION Orchard Culinary Creations 2016: Picnic in Style, One Farrer’s Food Street and many more.

According to Lim Rui Shan, executive director of the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), tourism dollars account for a significant portion of F&B business earnings. Depending on the location and the menu, “it could go as as high as 30 per cent in high tourist density areas such as Chinatown”, she said.

Taking part in this STB-led initiative also allows smaller F&B outfits a chance to let themselves better stand out in an otherwise crowded and saturated industry.

“Our partnership with STB for the upcoming Singapore Restaurant Month (happening during the Singapore Food Festival) serves as a way for F&B players to be part of a nationwide food celebration that they previously might not have been able to participate on their own,” commented Lim.

“It allows them to tap onto a wider platform to further drum up awareness about their restaurant offerings to both locals and tourists.”

RAS currently has a membership of more than 300 members comprising over 2,200 F&B outlets.

Other SFF participants such as Orchard Turn Developments, which manages the ION Orchard shopping mall, are also thinking of creative ways to lure more traffic to the building through its dining options during this period.

“We are the only official mall partner of the Singapore Food Festival and are excited to offer shoppers a unique experience with our first in-mall picnic garden in the heart of Orchard Road,” said Chris Chong, CEO of Orchard Turn Developments.

“Savouring good food is a favourite pastime of many in Singapore and a key highlight for overseas visitors.”

Commenting on the success of SFF over the years, Ranita Sundra, director of attractions, dining and retail, STB, said: “The Singapore Food Festival has been carrying the torch for Singapore’s vibrant food legacy since 1994. After 23 years, it is still the only food festival in Singapore to feature local flavours and showcase the inventive spirit of our ever-evolving food scene.”