TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 8th April 2026
Page 2068

The Westin Manila Sonata Place to welcome guests in 2019

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STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts yesterday announced the signing of The Westin Manila Sonata Place and The Residences at The Westin Manila Sonata Place, slated to open in 2019.

The Westin brand’s first mixed-use development in South-east Asia, the new build property will be located in the Ortigas business district in downtown Manila and will be 11km from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The Westin Manila Sonata Place will offer 300 guestrooms, three F&B venues, fitness centre, spa and swimming pool. For meetings and events, there is 1,400m2 of function space, including two ballrooms and six meeting rooms.

Residents of The Residences at The Westin Manila Sonata Place will enjoy a separate pool, fitness centre and lounge, as well as access to the public areas of the hotel.

The property joins two other Philippines-based hotels in the Starwood pipeline, Sheraton Manila Hotel and The Westin Manila Bayshore, scheduled to open in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Strong start for Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel in Tokyo

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dn290415_ayakoiwasaki_gm_millenniummitsuigardenhoteltokyo

MILLENNIUM Mitsui Garden Hotel, the first hotel in Japan for Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C), has outperformed its management’s expectations since opening last December.

General manager Ayako Iwasaki told TTG Asia e-Daily that the hotel had enjoyed an average occupancy of above 80 per cent for the past four months, with 20 to 30 per cent of bookings coming from travel consultants and the rest through online channels.

The hotel is operated in partnership with Mitsui Fudosan Group. Mitsuru Adachi, president of Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management, remarked: “We had expected to start with 70 per cent, so business has exceeded our expectations.”

Iwasaki attributed the strong performance to the hotel’s prime location.

The 329-key hotel is located in the busiest part of Ginza, Tokyo, placing it among numerous shops and entertainment destinations. It is also a 20-minute walk to the Tokyo International Forum, one of the key convention venues in the Japanese capital. Guests enjoy easy access to other parts of Tokyo, as the hotel sits above Higashi-ginza train station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line.

Leisure travellers make up 70 per cent of the hotel’s clientele, while the rest are business travellers.

“Asia is our biggest market, followed by Europe and the US. Most of our Asian guests are from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, largely because these markets have convenient flight access to Tokyo,” explained Iwasaki, adding that sales and marketing efforts have also been targeted at these Asian markets through roadshows.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s Bottega-inspired exterior and Zen garden-inspired interior have caught the eye of the judges of US-based International Design Awards, earning it the Silver Award for interior design.

M&C chairman Kwek Leng Beng played an integral role in the hotel’s planning and building phases, working closely with Mitsui Fudosan and designers.

Iwasaki said the win not only boosted the hotel’s brand and appeal, it also instilled pride and inspired loyalty in its staff.

India offers gratis visas for stranded tourists in Nepal

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THE Bureau of Immigration in India is providing gratis visas for all tourists stranded in Nepal after Saturday’s earthquake that caused widespread damage and over 4,000 deaths.

Usually granted to diplomats and officials or those travelling to India at the invitation of the government, India has now extended gratis visas to tourists who want to leave Nepal as quickly as possible via the country.

K S Dhatwalia, additional director general, Ministry of Home Affairs, said: “In view of recent events in Nepal, we have directed the Bureau of Immigration to provide gratis visas free of charge with minimum validity of 15 days.

“Any foreign national stranded in Nepal seeking to come to India can apply for gratis visa at Indian embassy or can also avail of services at airports (in Delhi and Mumbai which are connected to Kathmandu by flights). We have also made arrangements to grant visa at check posts (if a person is travelling by road).”

Travellers who enter India via Nepal must do so through one of six designated points: Siliguri, Raxaul, Sunauli, Rupadhiya, Gauriphanta, and Banbasa.

The secretariat at Consul General Office of Nepal in Kolkata told TTG Asia e-Daily that all Mount Everest expeditions have been suspended as over 15 climbers are reported dead after the avalanche.

Historical sites and structures in Nepal were razed by the quake including the Dharahara tower and Patan Durbar Square that were part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kathmandu valley.

The famous Basantpur Palace and ancient temples such as Kalmochan Temple have also been severely damaged.

Dusit Fudu grabs 2 properties in Shanghai

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SHORTLY after announcing that it had clinched a deal for a resort in Zaozhuang, Shandong province, Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts says it has secured two new projects in Shanghai.

The joint venture company, backed by Thailand’s Dusit International, will partner Mingyuan Group to open a Dusit Thani hotel and a Dusit Princess serviced residence.

 Dusit Thani Hotel, Shanghai Zhabei will offer guests 215 guestrooms and suites, a conference centre, two restaurants, a lobby lounge, rooftrop swimming pool and pool bar.

Slated to open in early 2019, the hotel will be located within Zhabei district, an up and coming commercial centre with easy access to the city’s international airports and high-speed train transport hub.

To launch before that in summer 2016, the Dusit Princess Serviced Residence, Shanghai Xuhui is situated in Xuhui district, close to the headquarters of MNCs.

The property will come with 112 units ranging in areas from 36 to 78m2.  An all-day dining restaurant, indoor swimming pool will come as part of the residence.

Jet Airways and Bangkok Airways seal codeshare pact

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INDIAN airline Jet Airways has announced a codeshare agreement with regional airline Bangkok Airways in a deal meant to reinforce both carriers’ international networks.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Bangkok Airways’ services between Mumbai and Bangkok will carry Jet Airways’ flight code, while Bangkok Airways will have its code tagged to Jet Airways’ flights between Bangkok and Mumbai.

Codeshare flights will be available for purchase starting tomorrow for travel from May 4.

“Established as the second largest economy in South-east Asia, Thailand has seen exponential growth in trade and tourism, attracting travellers from across the world including India,” said Raj Sivakumar, chief commercial officer, Jet Airways, in a press release.

“These codeshare flights will offer wider and convenient travel options to our esteemed guests travelling between India and Bangkok for business and leisure.”

Frasers, Ascott expand into further lands

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Singapore-based serviced residence operators Ascott and Frasers Hospitality Group are looking set to break into new geographic markets.

The Ascott will make its South America debut with the 92-unit Citadines VN Jardins São Paulo (opening 4Q2017) and 122-unit Citadines VN Faria Lima São Paulo (opening 2020), both to be franchised and operated by local real estate company Vitacon.


Renderings of Citadines VN Jardins São Paulo (left) and Citadines VN Faria Lima São Paulo

Explaining the move, CEO Lee Chee Koon said: “We see strong potential to scale up Ascott’s presence in Brazil given its status as the powerhouse of South America, accounting for close to half of the region’s FDI.

“Brazil’s FDI hit a record high in December last year, reaching US$15.4 billion. This signifies great opportunities for serviced residences as the region continues to attract corporations and business travellers.”

Lee added the group will continue exploring opportunities in new markets including Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. It is aiming for 10,000 units in South America in the next five years.


Fraser Suites West Bay, Doha studio

Meanwhile, Frasers announced it will enter the Saudi Arabian market for the first time with properties in Jeddah, Khobar and Riyadh, as government plans to develop attractions and improve visa issuance are forecast to boost the country’s tourism.

Africa will also receive its first Frasers properties with openings in Nigeria and the Republic of Congo. Citing World Bank forecasts for economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa to rebound to 2.9 per cent in 2017 and rise above 3.5 per cent by 2018, Frasers stated the continent is “a key focus of the group’s global growth strategy”.

With the 398-unit Fraser Suites West Bay in Doha in its pipeline too, Frasers Hospitality Group will altogether roll out eight new properties and boost its inventory to more 1,500 units in the Middle East and Africa.

dusitD2 to rise in northern Bangkok

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Dusit International has signed a management consultancy agreement with Sanguantas Development Company to operate the 200-guestroom dusitD2 Chaengwattana when it opens in 2020.

The 23-storey upscale business hotel will sport a cantilevered design featuring tiered gardens. Facilities include a rooftop international restaurant and bar, a rooftop infinity swimming pool, fitness centre and a banquet facility with panoramic views of the city.


dusitD2 Chaengwattana

Located on Chaengwattana Road between Sois 23 and 25 in northern Bangkok, the hotel is a 30-minute drive from Don Mueang Airport and a 15-minute drive from Impact Arena, Exhibition and Convention Center. Other landmarks nearby include ISB International School, World Medical Center Hospital and the Government Complex, while CentralPlaza Chaengwattana shopping mall is 300m away.

As well, the Pink Line Mass Transit Monorail System is slated to open in the same year with a station located nearby the hotel.

Dusit International’s group CEO Suphajee Suthumpun said: “The hotel will also be an ideal venue for meetings in its own right, with state-of-the-art facilities allowing us to cater for a wide range of events. We also hope to leverage our close proximity to the Government Complex by hosting many high-level functions at the hotel.”

DusitD2 Chaengwattana is Dusit International’s first dusitD2 branded hotel in Bangkok. The company currently operates two hotels in the city, Dusit Thani Bangkok and DusitPrincess Srinakarin Bangkok.

Ozo Wesley HK dangles meetings deal for Talk

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PLANNERS can look to take up Ozo Wesley Hong Kong’s new meeting packages when they book its cheekily named meeting venue Talk.

The space allows a range of configurations from 12-pax boardroom meetings to cocktail functions and classroom or theatre seating of 40 guests.

A Full-Day Meeting Package comes with use of the venue from 09.00 to 18.00, two refreshment breaks with snacks, and one set lunch for HK$500 (US$64.50). A Half Day Meeting Package includes venue rental from 09.00 to 13.00 or from 14.00 to 18.00, as well as one refreshment break with snacks and one set lunch, priced at HK$400.

Prices are per person and subject to a 10 per cent service charge.

Furthermore, Ozo Wesley will throw in a 20 per cent discount for meeting packages if 20 or more room nights are booked.

Details are on the Ozo Wesley website.

Vibe Hotels opens landmark hotel and conference centre in Marysville, Victoria

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VICTORIA has added to its catalogue of MICE products with the milestone opening of the A$28 million (US$22 million) Vibe Hotel Marysville.

Officially launched last Tuesday by the Victorian minister for regional development, Jaala Pulford, the new-build comes six years after the small township was ravaged by the Black Saturday bushfires on February 7, 2009.

Located 90 minutes from Melbourne in the Yarra Valley at the base of the city’s closest alpine resort, the 4.5-star hotel features 101 guestrooms including five suites, a conference centre with capacity for 300 guests theatre-style and five meeting rooms, spa and wellness centre, outdoor pool and Radius Bar & Grill restaurant.

TFE Hotels group director of marketing, Emma Fraser, said the group has a rolling 12-month strategic activation plan in place with each of its trade partners to take the Vibe Hotel Marysville to market.

“Our joint venture partner, Far East Hospitality, gives us the gateway to Asia and this is a perfect opportunity for us to ensure all of our hotels are featured in Asia from a rooms and MICE perspective,” she said.

“We also have a GSA in that market to deliver business into our Vibe Hotels, as well as our key MICE hotels in the TFE Hotels portfolio.”

At the time of the launch, over 1,300 delegates had attended a conference since it opened to the public in February.

Trampoline park bounds into the corporate market

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JUMP Street KL trampoline park will use its birthday wish on attracting more corporate business when it turns one year old next month.

Events manager, Azlan A Aziz, said the park’s operator Jump Street Malaysia is targeting to have at least 30 per cent of its business come from the corporate segment in 2016, compared to under 20 per cent now.

Jump Street KL is located in a renovated warehouse in Section 13, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and equipped with 145 interconnected trampolines from the floor right up to the walls.

The venue can cater to corporate events of up to 500 people, such as teambuilding activities, product launch parties and family day outings.

Corporate packages can be customised to meet the company objectives, with refreshments and lunch provided for by Jump Café on the first floor.

In addition to the main play areas, there are three meeting rooms that can be joined to form one large space for up to 80 people in theatre seating. A second outlet, Jump Street Penang, opened in January 2015 and is located in Bayan Baru.

Azlan said the company plans to work with more event companies, local DMCs and PCOs, as well as do its own direct marketing to corporate companies.

The bulk of business now are birthday parties. “Our weekends are full of such events as well as locals who come here for a spot of fun. The corporate market is important to us as it will help to fill the place during weekdays.”

Corporate companies that have had their events here include Dell Malaysia, British American Tobacco Malaysia and SapuraKencana Petroleum.

“A trampoline park is still new to Malaysians but it is familiar among expatriates from the US and European markets, thus it is currently easier to market to multinational companies rather than local companies,” said Azlan.

To create greater awareness of its facility and offerings, Jump Street KL will organise a national trampoline dodge ball tournament at the end of 2015, its second after the November 2014 tournament that saw 16 teams participating.