A HOST of short-term measures and a HK$180 million (US$23.2 million) war chest for the tourism sector were announced this morning by the Hong Kong government, which wants to revive the sector after it took a beating from Occupy Central last year.

Financial secretary John Tsang said measures include a six-month waiver of licence fees for 1,800 travel consultants, 2,000 hotels and guesthouses, as well as restaurants and hawkers, including the fees for restricted food permits.

Additionally, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will be allocated an extra HK$80 million to boost international promotions and rebuild international investor and tourist confidence.

Commenting on the announcement, Arrow Travel Agency’s managing director, Tommy Tam, said: “Licence fees cost about HK$5,000 per year, which is peanuts to us. The government should at least waive fees for one year like it did during the SARS period in 2003.

“Frankly, the consequences of Occupy Central…still affect tourism. Moreover, the extra funds for HKTB to promote overseas is not a big sum and I hope it won’t just focus on China but also longhaul destinations like Russia.”

Gray Line Tours Hong Kong’s deputy general manager, Michael Wu, was more positive, saying: “International arrivals dropped 10 per cent in October and November last year, so it’s a positive move. Indeed, the board needs more resources to build visitor confidence and drive more overnight stays from South-east Asia and markets like India, South Korea and Japan. “

A LEISURE resort village combining luxury suites and low-rise retail and restaurant developments is underway in Panglao Island, Bohol, slated for launch in 1Q2016.

The resort, named Modala or ‘gathering’ in the local tongue, is located in the vicinity of Bellevue Resort and Ananyana Beach Resort & Spa on Doljo Point.

The 20ha project will have 68 rooms and two levels of retail shops and restaurants in the first phase of development, said Randy Salvador, resort manager of the resort operator, Raintree Hospitality Group.

“It’s a beachfront property, the first of its kind in the Philippines, with a ‘multifaceted’ environment – a mall attached to a hotel, but in a beach setting,” he explained.

Different room categories, including two-room and junior suites will be offered, with room sizes averaging 38m², Salvador said. A beach-facing pavilion good for 150 pax will also be a key feature of the resort, “perfect for MICE” and ideal for weddings.

TTG Asia e-Daily understands more rooms and boutique properties are expected to to rise in the resort in the future.

Modala joins a number of hotel and resort projects planned for Bohol, which include the soft opening of the 208-key Be Resorts Bohol next month, and the 400-room Henann Resort on Alona beach, which soft opens by May.

BOOKINGS for Princess Cruises’ voyages to Europe and Alaska will open on March 19 and ahead of that, the cruise operator has unveiled the upcoming routes and itineraries.

Princess Cruises’ Europe sailings will be operated by its five ships including the newest and largest vessels, Royal Princess and Regal Princess. Highlights include the cruise line’s return to the Canary Islands and maiden ports of call in Croatia, Ireland, Norway and Scotland.

Its series of British Isles Cruises will see Caribbean Princess anchored in the region for summer and sailing between the UK, Ireland and Scotland, while Pacific Princess will call at maiden ports in Ullapool in Scotland, and Galway on the Irish west coast as part of a 14-day Irish Counties & Scottish Highlands itinerary. Cruises depart from London (Dover).

Other notable itineraries include North Cape sailings to the Arctic Circle during the peak midnight sun period on Emerald Princess and Pacific Princess. Emerald Princess will also visit Norwegian fjords and Pacific Princess will perform maiden call at Haugesund, Norway.

Princess Cruises’ Alaska cruises are also opening for booking soon with 106 depatures from Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver and Whittier on offer.

Popular itineraries include Voyage of the Glaciers sailing between Vancouver and Whittier to visit UNESCO-listed Glacier Bay National Park.

Over 20 additional land-tour options will also allow passengers to explore the Denali area and beyond, with a new option to buy a prepaid meal package for the land portion.

More information is available on the Princess Cruises website.

ASIAN DMC Diethelm Travel Group has unveiled its Diethelm Distinctive product line with an emphasis on authentic, educational and fulfilling travel experiences, in a bid to sharpen its USP against the popularity of OTAs today.

“There are many travellers who want to do more than simply visit a place, they want to experience and to learn,” says Maarten Groeneveld, CEO of Diethelm Travel Group. “This kind of traveller is not satisfied with pre-packaged culture or nature experiences. He or she wants to meet local people, explore and possibly also to give back to a local community.”

The answer is therefore to “provide the extra personal value for travellers that cannot be obtained from OTAs”, said a Diethelm release.

A Diethelm Distinctive itinerary includes learning elements that enable travellers to acquire new knowledge about local people, culture and the environment.

This includes an evening food tour in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, or canoeing by starlight to explore the caves in Phang Nga.

More information can be found on the Diethelm website.

INDIAN tour operators have expressed concern over the government’s decision to make biometric data collection for UK tourists beginning March 14, saying it will handicap India’s ability to grow tourist arrivals from the UK.

The move requires all UK tourists to make appointments online to visit any of the 14 visa application centres and have fingerprints taken there. Centres are located in cities including Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool and Belfast.

The trade is far from happy. Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators, said: “We were looking to double tourist arrivals from UK this year. However, it will be not possible with mandatory biometric data collection.

“We have spoken to the tourism and home affairs ministries to express our concerns and requested they add the UK to the list of countries that can avail e-visas, which will then do away the need for a biometric test overseas,” he told TTG Asia e-Daily on the sidelines of the Travel Agents Federation of India annual convention in Jerusalem.

TTG Asia e-Daily understands that the Ministry of Tourism has already recommended that the UK be granted e-visa services, and the Ministry of Home Affairs is likely to give the go-ahead sooner rather than later.

“The EU is moving towards a biometric regime. So, generally it is done in reciprocity – if a country requires a biometric test to be done for Indian tourists, we also do the same when their tourists visit India,” commented Ashwani Kakkar, executive vice chairman, Mercury Travels.

“But we have to understand that we need tourism more than some of these countries who have very large tourist numbers do. For example, France gets inbound arrivals of 80 million annually and we, as a country about four times larger, get only seven million tourists. So we have to be careful in implementing these tit-for-tat tactics.”

Kakkar added: “We have heard from UK tour operators that compulsory biometric data collection will make things difficult for them, as tourists may need to travel far from home to get it done. It complicates the entire travelling process.”