PASSENGERS at Cambodia’s two key airports can soon expect improved premium lounges and services, with the appointment of a Hong Kong-based company to the upgrading task.

Plaza Premium Lounge Management will design and operate the airports lounges at the newly built extensions of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports’ passenger terminals. The lounges in the two airports combined span over 2,200m².

Plaza Premium will also introduce value-added arrangements for travellers, including meet-and-greet service as well as spa and shower facilities.

The services are expected to kick off at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports by mid-2015 and year-end, respectively.

To better handle steadily rising demand, Cambodia Airports had launched in January 2014 a US$100-million upgrading programme to expand the terminals at both airports and double their capacity to five million passengers each. The commissioning of the new facilities is scheduled in early 2016.

VIETJET today revealed plans to increase its Singapore-Ho Chi Minh City flights to two roundtrips daily to meet growing demand on the route.

With the addition from May 30, the route will offer 5,040 seats weekly, with daily flights departing Singapore Changi International Airport at 13.50 and 18.00 and Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 08.55 and 14.00 respectively. The flight duration is two hours and five minutes.

In accordance with its expansion plans, the LCC will take delivery of more new Airbus jets to its fleet this September.

ABSOLUTE Hotel Services Group (AHS) yesterday announced the expansion of its Eastin Grand Hotels brand into Vietnam with the rebranding of an existing property in Ho Chi Minh City.

AHS has been appointed by A-1 International (Vietnam) Corporation to manage its hotel at 253 Nguyen Van Troi Street as Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon from April 1.

Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon is AHS’ third Vietnamese property, with another eight properties in the pipeline in the country. It is also the second flagship property after Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok.

The hotel offers 268 deluxe rooms, local and international dining options, large conference and meeting facilities, an executive lounge, pool and gym.

THE 2015 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was revealed at an awards ceremony in Singapore early this week, with Bangkok’s Gaggan securing the number one spot.

Thailand is also represented by Nahm (no. 7), Eat Me (no. 25), Bo.lan (no. 37) and Issaya Siamese Club (no. 39).

The 2015 list features eight new entries, including first-timers from the Philippines (Antonio’s, no. 48) and Cambodia (Cuisine Wat Damnak, no. 50).

China boasts 16 restaurants on the list, followed by Singapore and Japan with 10 and eight respectively.

Now in its third year, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was launched in 2013 and takes in six voting regions: India & Subcontinent; South-east Asia – South; South-east Asia – North; Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau; China and South Korea; and Japan.

The full 2015 list can be viewed here.

FOLLOWING dramatic price increases in Myanmar’s tourism industry in recent years, industry players say rates are stabilising in line with growing supply and as more tourists to South-east Asia seek value for money.

Richard Ludwig, product manager, Exo Travel Myanmar, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Each of the previous three years has presented drastic changes in pricing for Myanmar’s tourism industry and it was not uncommon for hotels to reissue contracts with 50-100 percent rate increase.

“For 2014/15 and beyond we have seen a reduction in hotel rates, small decreases in transport and stable flight fares.”

As Myanmar attracted record numbers of visitors in recent years and quality infrastructure remained in short supply, many components, in particular hotel rooms, saw a monumental surge in price. Many visitors were unaffected by the rapid price increase, although Ludwig said that the trend is changing.

“Now we are seeing cost-conscious leisure travellers who will compare trips with (other) South-east Asia destinations. Myanmar is still more expensive than Vietnam or Thailand but gains have been made to make it a competitive destination,” he said.

Journeys Adventure Travel general manager, Lee Sheridan, agreed that prices have begun to stabilise this season and that “we are no longer seeing the dramatic price hikes of previous years often accompanied by little or no increase in quality”.

“However, Myanmar is still a very expensive destination compared to the region, which is making it difficult to attract returning visitors. Myanmar has plenty to offer, but I see high prices being a significant deterrence to faster growth in the repeat-visitor market,” he said.

GIVING a further fillip to its film tourism segment, VisitBritain, in association with TUI India, has announced a Bollywood Britain campaign showcasing key film locations in Britain.

From today, TUI India offers Indian clients – specifically young couples and honeymooners – five distinct tour packages with three to nine days itineraries involving visits to key film location sets in London, Oxford, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

The strategy is in line with the NTO’s announcement of a mobile application launched last year, known as Bollywood in Britain Destination Movie Map.

Indian actor Saif Ali Khan has been appointed spokesperson for the campaign.

VisitBritain regional manager for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, Sumathi Ramanathan, said: “This is the first time we are working with a travel partner in India specifically targeting the Indian market through our film tourism campaigns.

“TUI as our partner in this campaign will facilitate tourists with the entire range of film tourism products and services, and the packages will be sold until end-May 2015.”

The NTO is also planning the Great Tourism Week India roadshow, which is expected to kick off from July and cover more than nine cities across India.

DUSIT International has lent its name to three properties in Davao that will open within the next two years.

Earmarked for launch early-2017 is Dusit D2 Resort on Kopiat Island off the Davao Gulf, offering 200 rooms, a beach club with conference facilities, spa, lounge and a host of activities in the marine sanctuary surrounding the island.

A Dusit D2 Hotel in a luxury community development called Siam 8000 in Davao City will open end-2016 or early-2017 with 120 rooms, a spa and gym, conference facilities and restaurants.

Next to the hotel is Dusit Residences, which will have 168 luxury suites when it debuts next year.

An unspoiled destination not yet discovered by tourists, Davao has only a few foreign hotel brands including Park Inn by Radisson, Maro Polo, Microtel Inn by Whydham and Tune Hotel.

Janoo Hardasani, marketing project manager of Blue Development, Inc, which is developing the properties together with investor Torre Lorenzo Development Corp, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “We see tourism in Davao steadily increasing…We understand that flights to Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea are going to be open for direct flights to Davao, which should open many more doors for investments and tourism.”

Dusit’s Philippine presence is currently limited to Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati. But late this year, Anya Resort and Residences in Tagaytay (south of Manila) will open, including Dusit’s Devarana Spa.

GLOBAL travellers will now find accommodation more friendly to their pockets in Singapore – deemed one of the more expensive cities in Asia – given a drop in its hotel prices in recent years, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI).

Between 2013 and 2014, a nine per cent drop in average room rate (ARR) was recorded in the city, which has experienced a steady decline since 2012. ARR in 2014 was S$239 (US$172), down from S$263 and S$264 in 2013 and 2012 respectively.

Hotels.com regional director, Katherine Cole, said: “The popularity of Singapore as a stopover point makes it highly susceptible to any changes within the region. Demand for hotels here fell last year as travellers sought alternative destinations during the period of Thailand’s Martial Law, and also as Chinese visitor numbers to the country dropped.

“However, we expect to see increased demand for travel to Singapore in 2015, especially as the Chinese and Russian travel markets continue to boom, and as the city-state gears up for its Golden Jubilee and the South-east Asian Games this year.”

HPI also shows the global ARR as having risen three per cent year-on-year in 2014, due to the overall economic recovery and resulting increased travel spending by consumers.

Asia was the only region to experience a fall, while the index rose in North America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

Meanwhile, a stronger Singapore dollar also aided local travellers by lowering prices in 10 out of 15 Asian destinations. Indonesia took the biggest tumble of nine per cent, followed by Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore – all of which fell six per cent.

Only five countries experienced price increases – Japan (five per cent), Macau (five per cent), China (three per cent), the Philippines (two per cent) and Cambodia (one per cent).

Cole said: “The latest findings reinforces Asia’s position as the leader of best-value destinations worldwide for the third year running. This certainly aids in fuelling and catering to the rising demand for luxury-for-less travel.

“Overall, more than 1.1 billion travellers ventured abroad in 2014, up nearly five per cent over the previous year. We expect Asia to continue riding high on Singaporeans’ travel agenda, especially as traditionally hot destinations like Japan and Thailand regain travellers’ trust.”