HOTELS in Bangkok responded quickly after a bomb attack in the Thai capital which saw at least 21 dead and over 120 injured.

Among the dead and injured are locals and tourists from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

No stranger to political violence, Thailand was however stunned by the scale, timing and location of the bombing, which was caused by a large explosive device left in the Erawan Shrine, one of Bangkok’s busiest tourist attractions, at the peak of the evening rush hour.

The shrine is connected to the Grand Hyatt Erawan and surrounded by some of the city’s major hotels and shopping malls. Nearby establishments kindly opened their doors to help emergency services and provided support to the public in the aftermath.

Meanwhile, hotels and airlines are stepping up safety precautions.

Gilles Cretallaz, vice president of operations for AccorHotels in upper South-east Asia, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “AccorHotels in Bangkok have heightened security and precautionary measures with emergency procedures in place to protect our guests and employees. We have also advised them to avoid the Ratchaprasong intersection and crowded areas.”

AccorHotels also established a crisis management committee as part of its security protocol and is monitoring the situation closely alongside Thai authorities. It will update its properties on the latest development regularly, Cretallaz added.

Opinions differ as to the bombing’s impact on the tourism industry.

Demonstrations and a military coup last year dented improving visitor arrivals and Thailand’s turbulent politics, which saw troops battle demonstrators next to the Erawan Shrine in May 2015, may have emptied hotels across the city, but only initially.

“Regarding tourism, it is too early to tell. We hope it doesn’t affect (tourism) much as it was bouncing back well compared to last year,” said Olivier Berrivin, managing director of international operations at Best Western International.

Cretallaz acknowledged the group was anticipating “some cancellations” but declined to specify how many.

THE states of Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh will be the likely beneficiaries of a tourism development initiative by India’s Ministry of Tourism.

The government recently revealed plans to sanction US$13.3 million for developing a desert tourism circuit in Rajasthan. The circuit will boast components such as a railway dining attraction, salt complex, caravan park, cycling track and night safari, among other things.

An additional US$9.5 million will also be spent on developing the town of Pushkar in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan. The area is well-known for its religious and cultural sites.

Bhim Singh, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Rajasthan chapter, said: “We are further requesting help to increase the air connectivity within the state by asking international and domestic airlines to fly to destinations like Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer.”

Vasundhra Raje, chief minister of Rajasthan, also urged the government to fund tourist infrastructure projects that are yet to be completed due to the disruption caused by state and national elections in 2014.

Another US$10.7 million has also been earmarked for the development of Hope Island in Andhra Pradesh as a coastal and ecotourism circuit.

Ranga Reddy, chairman of IATO’s Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chapter, said: “The (allocation) of financial aid to develop this area is a good gesture, but we also need to employ and train staff who can protect the biodiversity and to attract visitors at same time.”

THE Vietnamese government has announced plans to offer one-year tourist visas to US citizens. Currently, the longest tourist visa available to Americans is three months.

The extended visa proposal is Vietnam’s latest move to bolster its sagging tourism numbers. Last month, the country began offering visa-free entry to citizens from six European nations.

No specific time frame has been unveiled, but according to the state-run Vietnam News Agency, tourism minister Hoang Tuan Anh told the US State Department last week that he hoped Vietnam would see one million American visitors annually by 2017, more than double the number in 2014.

Suzanne Chater, project manager at Exo Travel Vietnam, called the proposal “a step in the right direction” although it is unlikely that visitors will stay for a year. American visitors, in particular, tend to have limited leave and visit Vietnam for one to two weeks.

And neither does Tran Hoang Gia, manager of An An Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, think that longer visas would have a significant impact on hotel bookings. Tourists usually opt for an apartment if they are staying for extended periods, he said.

Reporting by Dave Fox

SINGAPORE’S Park Hotel Group has ventured out of Asia to manage Park Hotel Adelaide, its first hotel in Australia which is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2018.

Speaking during the hotel management contract signing ceremony between the hotel group and Pirie Investments yesterday, Allen Law, CEO of Park Hotel Group, said: “We have been looking to expand into Australia for a while and this collaboration presents an exciting opportunity for us to do just that.”

Explaining the choice of Adelaide, Law said: “Increased flight connectivity, a strong event calendar, and continued growth of the Chinese and Asian markets would also drive record visitorship.”

Raymond Chia, CEO and chairman of LGB Corporation, which owns Pirie Investments, said: “We are excited about this partnership and confident that with Park Hotel Group’s track record and expertise, the new hotel is well-poised to elevate the standards of quality upscale accommodation in Adelaide.”

The 250-key Park Hotel Adelaide, located a stone’s throw away from the Adelaide railway station and central bus station in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD area, is a 20 minutes’ drive from Adelaide International Airport.

A concept café and bar as well as recreational facilities including a gymnasium and swimming pool will be part of the new property.

Park Hotel Group is also looking to expand the brand into cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, revealed Law. The group currently owns a portfolio comprising 12 properties across five countries, namely Singapore, China, Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and now, Australia.

CELEBRITY Cruises is launching a new route from Japan aboard its 91,000-ton Celebrity Millennium from October 17, departing from Kobe with ports of call in Busan as well as in the Japanese cities of Kochi and Akita.

“Many of the bookings and inquiries that we have taken so far are from Japanese customers. We are also keen to sell to the international market,” said Yukihiko Hashimoto, a spokesman for the marketing division of Miki Tourist, which is acting as Celebrity Cruise’s sole Japanese agent.

The company aims to attract travellers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and, to a lesser extent, China, Hashimoto told TTG Asia e-Daily.

The 12-decked Celebrity Millennium has accommodation for 2,158 passengers, with amenities including 11 restaurants, a gym, a 1,300-seat theatre and a relaxation spa. The vessel’s Celebrity iLounge is also the first authorised retailer of Apple products at sea.

Shore excursions feature visits to the castle city of Kochi and Akita in autumn, views of Mount Fuji from the city of Shimizu, and time for eating and shopping in Busan.

Prices for the eight-night journey range from Y159,800 (US$1,280) per person for a double cabin to Y299,800 for the premium Aqua Class stateroom. Passengers have a choice of disembarking at Kobe or Yokohama.

MYANMAR National Airlines (MNA), previously known as Myanma Airways, has returned to the international arena with the launch of six-weekly services between Yangon and Singapore on August 17.

The airline will operate the route using its new Boeing 737-800 aircraft to offer business, premium economy and economy class cabins. MNA is also the first Myanmar carrier to offer premium economy service.

From October 26, the Singapore service will be operated on a daily basis. The carrier will also begin services from Yangon to Hong Kong and Taipei in October.

Eileen Lim, country manager of MNA, said: “Besides through fares to domestic destinations, our Singapore-Yangon service also connect conveniently with our flight to Bagan and passengers and their baggage may be checked-through to their final destination.”

Familiarisation trips to showcase its new international service and rejuvenated operations are also in the works, according to MNA’s sales manager, Patrick Chia. In the last two decades, the airline operated only domestically while other local carriers provided international services.

MNA has ordered six B737-800s, the second of which will be delivered in October and the remaining to be delivered by 2017 at the rate of two per year.

THE Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched a S$10 million (US$7.1 million) fund for the development of tour and technology initiatives.

Named the Experience Step-Up Fund (ESF), the capital serves to encourage businesses to develop new tourism experiences that can enhance overall visitor satisfaction in Singapore.

Choo Huei Miin, director of visitor experience and capability development at STB, said: “Increasingly, travellers are seeking varied and engaging experiences that allow them to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of our stories and heritage.

“Through the ESF, which is underpinned by STB’s Quality Tourism strategy, we aim to spur tourism businesses to create and deliver more and better experiential offerings that add to Singapore’s overall destination attractiveness. They are also encouraged to adopt innovative technology solutions to up their game.”

Sentosa Development Corporation and Robinsons are two businesses that are looking at utilising the ESF.

Susan Ang, divisional director, island investment and branding at Sentosa Development Corporation said that the scheme “will be helpful to our many partners on the island as they would have the opportunity to tap on this funding to enhance their offerings and ultimately, create a more dynamic and memorable experience for all our visitors”.

Robinsons, meanwhile, is hoping to utilise the new fund by establishing a heritage gallery at their flagship store at The Heeren shopping mall, commented Christophe Cann, group managing director, Robinsons.

STB is now calling out to Singapore registered business to submit their tour development and technology initiatives proposals from now until February 5, 2016.

Evaluation sessions for proposals will be held in October and December this year, and February next year. Applications are to reach STB by the 5th of the month of the evaluation cycle.

More details will be shared at the STB’s industry briefing session on September 4. Information on the briefing session is available at www.stb.gov.sg.