Credit: S Nasser

PART of the false ceiling hanging over the driveway of Hilton Singapore hotel fell off and landed atop a black vehicle yesterday at around 15.00. A nearby taxi was also hit by some of the debris consisting of plasterboard, metal frames and lighting.

According to The Straits Times, the black car belonged to a Malaysian businessman who was in Singapore with his wife and five-month-old son, while the taxi was unloading an Indonesian family when the incident happened.

While no one was crushed nor seriously injured, according to local news reports, four persons, including a passerby and a hotel staff, were sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for minor treatments and as a precaution.

Peter Webster, general manager at Hilton Singapore cited recent inclement weather as a possible reason for the ceiling collapse.

“We have the building checked on a regular basis. We had an inspection just last week and it was absolutely perfect. We have been highly commended for the condition of the property,” said Webster in an interview with Channel NewsAsia.

“Obviously it’s been raining in the past few weeks but the rains seem to be bit heavier than usual this year.”

HOTELS that provide services catered to the taste of each individual guest creates greater customer loyalty, and hotels that make use of data and technology to gain relevant insights to do so are more successful at it, according to a study by Sabre Hospitality Solutions.

The research, Customer Experience in Hospitality: Embrace Customer Data and Elevate the Guest Experience, conducted by Forrester Consulting, adds that most travellers are also willing to share personal data to ensure hoteliers can meet their personal preferences.

However, their expectation to be offered more relevant deals, discounts or loyalty points similarly increase.

“Building and maintaining customer loyalty isn’t simply about letting customers accumulate points,” stated Alex Alt, president, Sabre Hospitality Solutions.

“It’s about finding ways to make customers feel special and to recognise and honor their preferences. Hoteliers who use data and technology to elevate the customer experience will ultimately generate loyalty that drives revenue.”

The three most compelling reasons guests are willing to divulge personal information are for check-in and check-out times to fit their schedule, for room selections to be based on their likes and dislikes, and for better recommendations on nearby happenings.

Additionally, the study finds that travellers aged 55 and above are more willing to share personal data in exchange for more bespoke services compared to younger travellers.

TOURS and activities provider BeMyGuest has lived an online booking platform catered to travel agents.

Named Agents Marketplace, it offers registered users industry rates for over 10,000 products gathered from more than 3,000 travel agencies, tour operators, attractions and transfer providers from across Asia and beyond.

The principal benefit comes from nett rate pricing, which enables agents to collect gross payments from clients, allowing for immediate commissions.

Other features include instant price comparisons with normal retail prices, e-tickets sent directly via email, account wallet for payments and no requirement for integration with other systems.

“This new B2B platform is tailored to meet the needs of traditional travel agencies which account for the vast majority of bookings in the travel industry,” said Clement Wong, CEO, BeMyGuest.

“We have created Agents Marketplace as a result of numerous requests from our current tours and activities providers, who want to sell to other providers already working with us and want to tap on the industry rates which we can get as a result of our distribution partnerships.”

MARRIOTT Hotels has opened the Shenzhen Marriott Hotel Nanshan, sited on the 43rd to 60th floor of the SCC Building.

The 340-room property is a 40-minute drive to Shenzhen International Airport and a 30-minute ride to Shenzhen North Railway Station.

Guestrooms range from 40m² to 70m² with amenities including internet-enabled TVs, iPods and Nespresso machines, as well as boasting views of Shenzhen Bay and the Hong Kong border.

F&B options include all-day dining Nanshan Kitchen, Chinese restaurant Man Ho, the Lobby Lounge bar and The Café which offers freshly brewed coffee, pastries, handcrafted sandwiches and desserts.

The hotel features 2,000m² of meeting space, including a 900m² grand ballroom, seven function rooms and three boardrooms.

ACCORHOTELS is targeting to operate 200 hotels in Indonesia by 2020, up 100 from its current portfolio there.

The group had recently opened its 100th hotel, Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla City Center, in October 2015.

Speaking at a media conference in Jakarta last week, Garth Simmons, CEO for AccorHotels Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore said Indonesia is AccorHotels’ biggest growth engine in South-east Asia, and are entering into partnerships with the country’s tourism ministry, Garuda Indonesia and Telkom Indonesia as a key business strategy.

Confirmed projects in the pipeline include two Sofitel and five Pullman properties, one hotel each under the Grand Mercure and MGallery labels, over 10 Novotels and a handful of Mercure and ibis properties.

It also plans to open hotels in secondary Indonesian cities like Samarinda, Berau, Pangkalan Bun, Palangkaraya, Pekalongan, Cirebon and Gresik.

Rio Kondo, vice president, development, AccorHotels Malaysia and Indonesia, said: “We continue to look at new opportunities for hotels in eastern Indonesia.”

“The eastern part of the country offers big potential but accessibility and infrastructure are the challenge. Therefore, the opening of Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla City Center was a milestone for us, a hub to further grow in the area.”

WORK has formally begun on a 417km-long railway connecting China’s southern city of Kunming to Thailand’s northern frontier at Nong Khai by passing through Laos at key cities such as Louang Namtha, Luang Prabang and capital Vientiane.

The project is funded and led by the Chinese government and is expected to take five years to complete.

While the new link connects to China Railways’ existing high-speed rail, trains travelling on the extended route are only allowed a maximum speed of 160km/h.

Laurent Kuenzle, CEO of Asian Trails is sanguine of the development, saying: “It will not only be the foundation of creating new packages within Thailand, Laos and China, but also cross-border tour packages particularly between Laos and Thailand as well as Laos and Yunnan.”

“This is not only of interest for local tourism but also to international tourists who will be interested in exploring these new routes.”

Concurring, Siprang Srinarintranon, regional marketing and communications manager, Diethelm Travel, said: “We foresee new potential inbound clients to Thailand from the Chinese market as well as an opportunity for Thailand outbound to China.”

Travellers in the departure room of Yangon International Airport

WE have it on good authority that Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism is stepping up its enforcement of the outbound travel sector by making it compulsory for travel companies in the country to apply for licences to offer overseas trips for Myanmar nationals.

In general, tour companies have been offering air tickets, hotels and outbound tour packages for many years without an outbound licence. With the introduction of the new rule, many travel companies are expected to apply for the new licence, with at least one company – Myanmar Polestar Travels & Tours – already expressing the desire to do so.

Its chairman Kyaw Min Htin, who is also president of JTB Polestar, welcomes the government’s efforts to regulate the outbound travel sector and protect both customers and agents at the same time. He is also looking forward to tapping the Burmese travel interest to India’s Bodh Gaya and growing the nascent outbound market “systematically”.

At a time when Myanmar’s tourism traffic is heavily tilted towards the inbound sector, the lopsided trend looks set to reverse in the near future when it becomes easier for Myanmar nationals to travel overseas.

The door to South-east Asia’s last tourism source market is opening soon.

QATAR Airways has unveiled a global branding campaign, named Going Places Together, aimed at encouraging passengers to take journeys that will help them achieve their dreams and ambitions.

The new campaign, pursued to reflect the airline’s fresh direction, emphasises on themes such as connectivity, exploration and family.

“Whilst it’s true that we are taking more people on more aircraft to more destinations as we continue to grow, we also recognise that travel itself has changed; it has become a process of enrichment, of self-discovery, of life-changing moments and fulfilling ambitions,” said Akbar Al Baker, group CEO of Qatar Airways.

“We hope that our new campaign will inspire more people to embark on their own personal journey, exploring new places and opportunities, together with their friends, family or colleagues.”

A television commercial launched as part of the campaign can be viewed here.

klapsons The River Residences Bangkok

PREFERRED Hotels & Resorts has added two new properties to its collection in Asia, with another two due to join in 2016.

Located near Thailand’s iconic Chao Phraya River is the recently opened 77-key klapsons The River Residences Bangkok. The serviced and private residences offers picturesque riverside views with features including a private pier and ferry shuttle services.

Weil Hotel, Ipoh

Also open is the 313-room Weil Hotel in Ipoh, adjoined to the Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre. The hotel’s amenities include six F&B outlets, a rooftop infinity pool and bar.

Meanwhile, Bali and Shanghai will welcome their first Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend collection property in 2016 with Katamama and Wanda Reign On The Bund respectively.

Katamama, Bali

Sited on Petitenget Beach in Seminyak, next to Potato Head Beach Club, will be the 58-suite Katamama featuring a gym, private pool, wet deck, mixology centre and a Spanish restaurant.

Wanda Reign On The Bund

Wanda Reign On The Bund will offer 193 rooms including 14 suites and a 288m² chairman suite that will boast views of Huangpu River and the Pudong skyline. Features include wireless control dashboards, Hermes or L’Occitane amenities and five F&B options.

The 35th instalment of the ASEAN Travel Forum (ATF) is set to showcase products and services from over 40 destinations across the 10 ASEAN countries, with a representation of more than 450 exhibition booths on the show floor. Host Philippines is spotlighting 13 regions from across the country, and this is one of Philippines’ best with over 150 exhibiting booths.

The appeal of ASEAN destinations has drawn the interest of global buyers from across 65 countries, with the participation of top markets such as Australia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Singapore, United Kingdom and United States of America. 500 hosted buyer and media delegates are featured at this largest collection of ASEAN tourism products and services. Some 100 hosted international media will join 75 local media from the Philippines to cover the latest travel developments that the region has to offer.

Registration booth at ATF 2015.

Christopher D’Souza, Global MICE Consultant of Liberty Travel, United States of America said, “I can’t think of any trade event that presents Asia in a better format than ATF which brings together 10 ASEAN countries all under one roof. Attending ATF allows me to source for my clients with ease.”

Juhan Kamaruddin, Editor of Gaya Travel, Malaysia concurred, “I find that ATF is an important platform for all ASEAN countries to meet, compare notes , update on each other’s progress with regards to tourism and push for a more integrated ASEAN. The region offers so much exoticism, diversity and getaway opportunities not just for those outside of ASEAN, but also for those based in AEAN. From a media standpoint, ATF allows me to obtain updates directly from the ASEAN members about their latest tourism offerings.”

It is certainly more fun in the Philippines with an exciting array of hosted tours that await the 2016 delegates. Right before the buzz of ATF, delegates will step into Manila’s rich history with day tours on January 18 and 19. The best is yet to come, as hosted foreign buyers and media are spoilt for choice in selecting one of the 10 available 4 days-3nights post-show tours commencing from January 23 to 26. From UNESCO sites and heritage tours, to islands hopping and highlands visit, there is a destination in the Philippines to suit every taste.

Click here to read more about this exciting event that everyone is geared up for!

For more event information, visit www.atfphilippines.com