Uni-Orient Travel widens outbound offerings to tap Philippine travel trends

September 9, 2015

WHOLESALER Uni-Orient Travel is broadening its focus beyond the inbound sector by expanding its list of destination packages with upmarket tours locally and abroad.

“I’m focusing on inbound but I also want to create a series of tour packages with monthly departures both domestically and internationally,” said Wilson Techico, vice president for business and product development at Uni-Orient Travel.

Apart from launching tours to Russia via China Eastern Airlines, Uni-Orient is also offering options to Turkey, Europe and China with several departures a year, as Philippine travellers are now seeking new destinations beyond their usual jaunts in Asia and the Middle East, according to Techico.

He aims to create unique packages including a series of high-end tours to destinations like Baguio-Sagada and Boracay, leveraging Uni-Orient’s position as a major inbound operator and partnerships with other travel suppliers in the Philippines.

Techico added that Uni-Orient’s year-old B2B portal, U Xplor, is making it easier to develop new destinations. From just 500 hotels in its database, U Xplor now includes over 300,000 hotels worldwide, in addition to land transfers, tours and packages.

With these functions in place, “travel (consultants) are starting to partner with us” and new verticals such as flights may be added in the future, said Techico.

More fun for repeat travellers to the Philippines in 2016

By Mimi Hudoyo

September 9, 2015

A SUCCESSFUL year-long campaign in 2015 has inspired the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DoT) to extend another year of welcome to overseas travellers.

The Visit the Philippines Again (VPA) 2016 campaign will focus on travellers, especially those who have had a great time in the destination before, with lures being exclusive travel deals, discounted air fares and hotel stays.

Explaining the campaign’s extension, Gerard Panga, tourism attache, Market Development Group of the DoT, said: “It is to continue the momentum that we are having, despite challenges in the region. We are still seeing a good increase of eight per cent in arrivals, so we are on target to hit 5.2 million footfalls for 2015.”

Tourism data shows 2.6 million tourist arrivals in 1H2015, with most coming from North Asia such as South Korea and Japan.

China, in particular, registered strong growth of 59 per cent month-on-month in July after the Chinese government did away with its travel ban on the Philippines.

“Tour groups have started to pour in. At the moment, we have 14 direct flights to destinations such as Boracay and Cebu from all over China,” Panga said.

DoT’s decision to boost tourism through repeat travellers is based on findings that 60 per cent of visitors to the Philippines have toured the country before.

The tourism board also intends to drum up interest among specific groups of travellers with its array of events next year. Such events include the ASEAN Tourism Forum and Routes Asia 2016 for business people; Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 for foodies; and 2016 Ironman 70 for music and concert lovers.

Supporting the DoT’s tourism goals, the government will address a route development programme to encourage more flights into the country and lower the barrier of entry for foreign visitors.

Panga said: “Last year we came up with a policy allowing Indian passport holders with (visas from) the US, Japan, Australia, Schengen states and the UK to visit the Philippines and stay for seven days, extendible to 21 days, without a visa.”

This has resulted in a 27 per cent increase in Indian arrivals so far, he said.

OTAs gain ground in India but offline agencies still valued

By Rohit Kaul

September 9, 2015

INDIAN consumers are increasingly going online to research and book travel itineraries, and even more are expected to do so according to a study by consultancy firm Phocuswright.

The research, which was published earlier this year, involved 2,500 travellers from higher income groups across 25 cities in India. They were required to have taken at least one overnight holiday.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily on the sidelines of the PATA Technology Forum on September 6, Phocuswright’s research analyst, Asia-Pacific, Chetan Kapoor, said: “40 per cent of travel bookings in India are now made online. Consumers have become confident and are embracing the Internet as a means to discover prices and information. We expect the share to reach 50 per cent in the next four years.”

Sharing more details on the study, Kapoor said OTAs are top choices for travel information and two out of three travellers are buying pre-packaged tours online.

Offline travel consultants in India are, however, not perturbed by the shift in buying behaviour and growing share of the online travel segment, believing that the market is big enough for everyone.

Deepak Narula, managing director of Aman Travel Group, said: “Indian travel business is growing so there is room for both online and offline agencies. Indian travellers want excellent services and competitive prices. An offline consultant who can provide these will survive.”

Recognising that “online business is a reality that offline consultants cannot ignore”, Ranjan Kumar Mishra, managing director of Odisha-based Eastern Voyage, advised small-sized tour operators to “focus on alternative revenue streams such as travel insurance to survive”.

Some hoteliers have also said that offline agencies remain a key channel for their business and will continue to be so in the coming years.

“We have tie-ups with many OTAs and generate good business through them. However, offline agencies are giving us healthy MICE business. Furthermore, hotels must depend on different (channels),” said Debashis Dutta, associate director, sales and marketing with The Golden Palms Hotel & Spa, Bangalore.

Sri Lanka to welcome PATA World Congress 2017

By Paige Lee Pei Qi

September 9, 2015

SRI Lanka’s successful bid to host the PATA World Congress in 2017 will propel the country into international spotlight, boosting tourism awareness for the destination.

Ruan Samarasinghe, chairman of the PATA Sri Lanka Chapter, said: “Sri Lanka has developed a lot (since the end of) the civil war in 2009 and we are now on a level playing field (in terms of tourism) with other developed countries.

“Even better, (Sri Lanka is) a unique destination that can offer sea, mountains, wildlife parks and cultural draws all at once. Not many other (countries) can do that,” he added.

According to Samarasinghe, the congress will welcome over 600 global industry leaders to Negombo, and will help to showcase to the world that the country is ready for business and leisure travel.

The association’s Annual General Meeting, PATA Youth Symposium, PATA Market Place, PATA Chapter Colloquium, PATA Foundation Gala Dinner, committee meetings, workshops and complimentary tours will also be held there.

Negombo, north of Sri Lanka’s largest city Colombo and a 15-minute drive from the international airport, is ready for world events. It has more than 2,000 hotel rooms today, making up 10 per cent of the country’s total 22,800 keys.

While the current top source markets for the country are China, the UK and India, Samarasinghe said there is a lot of untapped potential from South-east Asia.

Bhagaban Shrestha, managing director of Himalayan Holidays in Bangkok, who has up to 400 pax travelling to Sri Lanka on five- to seven-day packages every year, commented: “Sri Lanka appeals to the religious in Thailand because of its temples and pagodas. We also have direct air connections so it is convenient.”

Earlier in May, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau announced that it had secured a Rs3.4 billion (US$51 million) promotions budget for 2015 to fund trade fairs, roadshows, advertising and fam trips for 280 travel consultants and 280 journalists this year.

These efforts are expected to help Sri Lanka hit 2.5 million arrivals in 2016.

Weaker currencies make SE Asia hot for longhaul travellers

By S Puvaneswary

September 9, 2015

Credit: 123rf

THE appeal of South-east Asia continues to hold strong in the hearts of longhaul travellers, said buyers at this year’s PATA Travel Mart, who added that the region is now more enticing due to new products and cheaper rates resulting from weaker Asian currencies.

For longhaul travellers from countries whose economies have yet to recover from the global financial crisis, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are top favourites.

Jorge Barbosa Elias, director of United Tours Brazil, told TTG Asia e-Daily that the Brazilian real has devalued drastically against the US dollar in the past year, forcing Brazilians to look for cheaper alternatives to the US for their holidays.

The real had fallen an astounding 62.7 per cent against the greenback from a year ago and 14 per cent over the past six months.

Elias said: “Hotel rates in Bangkok and Bali are very good. They are at least 40 per cent cheaper than rates of similar class hotels in the US. In addition, Qatar Airways and Emirates are also offering attractive rates.

“Next year we have three incentive groups combining Bangkok and Bali. Each group will have around 20 people.”

He added that Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia hold particular appeal to his clients as they are “very new destinations”.

He urged the NTOs of these destinations to do more marketing in Brazil, especially in promoting their value-for-money packages.

Ben Gosman, managing director of Amsterdam-based FreeStyle Incentives, has observed a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in leisure traffic to Indonesia and Thailand, while the growth in corporate incentives to the two destinations is just under 10 per cent.

Gosman said both Thailand and Indonesia are seen as value-for-money destinations and the devaluation of the local currencies have helped drive demand.

“The euro had devalued earlier so Thailand and Indonesia were very expensive to us, but not anymore. Demand is good and the destinations are selling by themselves because the Dutch are well informed about what Thailand and Indonesia have to offer,” he added.

Ekaterina Milosh, deputy director of Tour Prestige Club, Russia also finds Asia becoming more attractive for rich Russians.

She said: “The weak rouble has affected the middle-income market. The upmarket travellers, however, are still travelling. For them, Asia is becoming more interesting because airfares to that region are sometimes cheaper than Europe.”

Milosh identified Thailand, Vietnam and Bali as being most popular among her travellers. These destinations have luxury hotels and coaches, private jet services, many attractions and excellent airlinks from Russia, she explained.

“Russians like to fly to destinations that require only two transits at most,” she added. As such, Bali is the best selling destination in Indonesia, while little attention is paid to other less accessible destinations in the country.

However, not all longhaul travellers are drawn to the South-east Asia because of the favourable currency exchange.

Although the Mexican peso had fallen in the past year, Reuven Sagi, president of RAS International Tours in Mexico, said demand for Bali is still good as “honeymooners are less price-sensitive because it is a special occasion (for them).”

Jeff Roberts, founder of Global Pursuits Services in the US, said young Americans who are travelling to Asia for the first time are keeping demand strong for Thailand.

Additional reporting by Mimi Hudoyo

In pursuit of high-end tourism

By Caroline Boey

September 9, 2015

Already a popular destination among domestic travellers attracted to its cultural heritage sites and scenic spots, what else does Leshan need to attract the international high-end clientele?

As Sichuan and its provincial capital Chengdu become increasingly popular destinations on the international travel circuit, the Chinese trade is also observing a marked interest in Leshan, a city located about a two-hour drive from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

Close to Leshan are the UNESCO World Heritage Cultural and Natural Sites of Mount Emei Scenic Area, which includes the 3,099m Mount Emei and the 8th century Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, as well as Mount Qingcheng.

Last year marked a turning point in Leshan’s tourism development with the opening of the Anantara Emei Resort & Spa in April and the launch of the inaugural Sichuan International Travel Expo in September. The city also hosted the PATA Annual Summit in April this year.

More buzz will be created for the region with the entry of Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, which soft-opened in mid-June and will officially open in September. It is one hour away from Chengdu and two hours away from Leshan.

Access to Leshan is easy as Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is served by domestic carriers as well as international airlines like AirAsia, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, KLM, SilkAir and Thai Airways International.

In addition, a high-speed train takes travellers from the Chengdu airport to Leshan in under an hour.

Bo Wu, PATA regional director – Greater China, said the availability of natural and man-made attractions in Leshan is a boon to developing high-end heritage and culture in the destination.

More work on the software is needed though, remarked several industry members.

Linda Wang, managing director, Destination Asia (China), said: “Sichuan is up-and-coming and Leshan definitely has the potential with Anantara Emei Resort & Spa and Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain.

“There are good products for high-end heritage and culture tourism, and the infrastructure is in place. But when we propose a high-end programme, we have to send a tour director from Beijing or Chengdu who is fluent in English.”

Kris Van Goethem, Asian Trails China managing director, pointed out that Mount Emei is “busy with domestic tourists”, driven by a huge domestic demand for Leshan from Chengdu on weekends and during the national holidays.

However, Mount Emei is not a priority for Asian Trails China’s upmarket clientele. So far, the DMC has been promoting Leshan as a day trip from Chengdu for a 500-pax UK group series that contributes about 20 to 40 people per group.

The availability of better operational options will therefore make Leshan more appealing to high-end tourists from abroad, he said.

“Good buses are limited and the boats on the river to view the Giant Buddha in its entirety are old, while the entrance fee to Mount Emei – RMB300 (US$48) – and staying at Anantara are not cheap.

“Mount Emei and Leshan are significant (destinations) in China’s domestic tourism but still in the shadow as far as international visitors are concerned,” Van Goethem observed.

“To sell to high-end international tourists, we can plan a three-day programme with accommodation at Anantara or Hongzhu Shan Hotel, and take them hiking in the less crowded middle part of Mount Emei and visit Bifengxia Panda Center in Ya’an.”

Van Goethem said self-drive holidays are big with the domestic market and the influx of domestic incentives and meeting business is expected to be the next development for Leshan.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, August 7, 2015 issue, on page 20. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Ritz-Carlton Reserve lands in Bali with launch of Mandapa

By TTG Asia

September 8, 2015

Credit: Ritz-Carlton Reserve

THE third property to come under the Ritz-Carlton Reserve portfolio is now open in Ubud, Bali. Named Mandapa, the resort is located along the island’s Ayung River and set among traditional temples, padi fields and a jungle.

The luxurious resort houses only 60 rooms, comprising 35 spacious suites and 25 private pool villas, designed using contemporary Balinese interiors with every element being sustainably sourced.

Mandapa features the look and feel of an indigenous Balinese village with views of rice terraces visible from room balconies and nature being an accessible part of the decor. The center of the resort even contains a rice field where guests can plant, harvest and tend to the saplings.

F&B options include four restaurants and lounges, offering a range of Indonesian cuisine and Mediterranean food. Customised wellness and detox menus using fresh local ingredients are also available. Additionally, a special tailor-made programme called Dining Beyond allows guests to dine at offbeat locations around the property.

Credit: Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Other amenities include a spa complex, fitness centre, yoga studio and a vitality pool. An organic garden, farm and kids education area is also onsite, allowing young ones the chance to participate in nature-based enrichment activities in collaboration with The Green School in Bali.

Rates at Mandapa start from US$570 per night.

Jumeirah pens deal to run new hotel in US$1bn Dubai tower

By TTG Asia

September 8, 2015

JUMEIRAH Group has signed a management agreement with RP Global to operate the Jumeirah Business Bay, which is expected to open in time for the World Expo 2020.

The mixed-use development, located within RP Global’s US$1 billion iconic tower, will include a 200-room hotel, 350 serviced apartments and 290 residences managed under the Jumeirah brand.

Located in the heart of Business Bay and a stone’s throw away from the Dubai metro station, the tower will have a built-up area of over 278,709m2 and offer views of downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa.

The tower, designed by Atkins Global, will include various F&B outlets, a Talise Spa, health club, conference and banquet facilities, a rooftop bar as well as a thrilling sky attraction.

The Jumeirah Group currently operates 23 hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Asia with a further 25 properties in the pipeline.

More travellers from Spain heading to Thailand as economy picks up

By David Ing

September 8, 2015

THAILAND has seen a major resurgence in arrivals from Spain this summer, with the European country posting strong growth among the longhaul markets.

Figures released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) show that arrival numbers from Spain climbed almost 40 per cent in June and 62 per cent in July, translating to 70,542 arrivals as of end-July. Total arrivals for 2014 stood at 116,414, according to TAT.

Francesc Escanez, managing director of Atlantida Viatges, added that Thailand’s success is being shared by other regional destinations such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.

“Travel is slowly recuperating in Spain, and it is South-east Asia that is performing best for longhaul (travel),” said Escanez. “We thought Thailand would suffer after what has been happening there in recent months, but we haven’t had cancellations.”

India and China are also showing growth this year, but Thailand and Indochina are benefitting most because of the value they offer, explained Escanez.

He added: “There has been little increase in prices in these (South-east Asian) countries and with their standards of service they are seen as (offering) better value than elsewhere like Brazil.”

ANA to revive Skymark with 18 billion yen bailout deal

By Julian Ryall

September 8, 2015

Credit: 123rf

ALL Nippon Airways (ANA) has agreed to a bailout plan for Skymark Airlines that will see the ailing budget carrier receive a major injection of cash and a new management team.

Skymark Airlines, Japan’s third-largest carrier, filed for court protection from its creditors in January with estimated liabilities amounting to 71.1 billion yen (US$603 million).

The carrier’s ambitious expansion plans, including a fleet of new Airbus aircraft worth US$2 billion and longhaul routes to London and New York were dashed as the soaring cost of aviation fuel and the falling yen took its toll.
Now, a rehabilitation plan will be set in motion with a new management team starting work at the airline on September 29. Additionally, 18 billion yen in new capital will be injected from a private equity fund and ANA Holdings, the parent firm of the airline.

“We are considering the ways in which we will work together in the future,” Maho Ito, a press official for ANA, told TTG Asia e-Daily. “The details have yet to be decided but we anticipate this will mean codesharing on some routes, although it will take some time to coordinate ticketing and other systems.”

Ito admitted that the two airlines are “rivals” but added that ANA has a tradition of assisting fledgling airlines, including Air Do and Starflyer.

Skymark declined to comment on the agreement, but said in a statement: “Skymark will make repayments to creditors in accordance with the rehabilitation plan and will make every effort to implement it. We request your full support in this regard.”