THE Langham Hospitality Group has just appointed Carmen Ng to the newly created role of director of sustainability.
In this new role, Ng will drive the group’s corporate sustainability programme to encourage sustainability in all aspects of business.
Ng has worked with the group for more than four years, where she developed a more structural approach for its sustainability growth. She also helped The Langham Auckland secure its EarthCheck Gold level of certification.
ASIA-PACIFIC travellers are willing to sacrifice perks offered by LCCs to save more money, according to Expedia’s Low Cost Carrier Airline Index released yesterday.
The study polled about 3,200 travellers in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan, examining perceptions regarding customer service and perks between LCCs and traditional carriers.
Key findings include:
LCC growth and supply in Asia-Pacific is expected to increase 9.5 per cent year-on-year during March 2015, according to the study.
For country-specific results of study, click here.
MALAYSIA today saw the launch of a new carrier, flymojo, which will be based out of Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu.
Speaking at the launch of flymojo at he Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2015 exhibition, Aziz Kaprawi, deputy minister of transport: “With flymojo’s primary hub at Senai International Airport, Johor and secondary hub in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, the airline’s ultra-modern fleet of CS100 aircraft will play a key role in improving connectivity between the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak, as well as other parts of the region.
“In addition, as the only airline utilising the Southern Corridor as its headquarters, flymojo will transform Senai into a key regional aviation and logistics hub – augmenting the government’s initiatives in developing Iskandar Malaysia and the Southern Corridor,” he added.
“Further strengthening Kota Kinabalu’s standing as a gateway into Malaysia, flymojo will also boost tourism into Sabah and Sarawak.”
Flymojo is expected to be the first customer and operator of the CS100 aircraft in the region upon execution of its firm purchase agreement with Canadian company Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Both parties signed a Letter of Intent for the sale and purchase of 20 CS100 aircraft, with options for an additional 20, at the LIMA 2015 exhibition.
SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) yesterday announced the extension of their partnership for the Changi Transit Programme to March 31, 2016.
In a joint press statement, SIA’s divisional vice president for sales and marketing, Foo Chai Woo, said: “The Changi Transit Programme has been very well received by our customers since it was launched in October 2012. We are pleased to extend our successful partnership with CAG as we work together to attract more customers to transit through Changi Airport and experience more of what it has to offer.”
Under the extension, SIA and SilkAir customers transiting through Changi Airport through either carrier as well as selected Air New Zealand-operated flights to or from Auckland can redeem a Changi Dollar Voucher of S$20 (US$14) or S$40 value, depending on their point of origin.
The vouchers are valid for one-time use at more than 510 retail, F&B and service outlets in the transit and public areas of Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and are redeemable for one-time access to the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals 2 and 3 for up to two hours.
SOUTH Korea’s Lotte Group will in May complete its acquisition of KT Rental, a major domestic company in the car rental sector, for about one trillion won (US$906 million) as part of its efforts to diversify its portfolio.
The auto rental company is being sold by KT Corp, South Korea’s second-largest mobile communications provider, which has been struggling financially in recent months.
Han Bo-young, a spokesman for Lotte, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Considering recent consumption trends in Korea and overseas, we believe that the auto rental and sharing services will show high growth in the long run. We also expect it to create synergy with our diverse businesses, from retail to tourism and financial services.”
International and domestic travellers are prime targets for Lotte, which plans to dramatically increase its car rental outlets through its existing retail facilities, but the company also intends to tap into the growing trend for long-term car rental services among local residents.
The new venture will help make Lotte a more influential player in the inbound tourism market by providing a range of connected services for tourists.
It also has its eyes firmly on overseas markets. KT Rental and Lotte already have separate presence in Vietnam, Han pointed out, which creates more opportunities for collaboration in the future.
INDIA has added Sri Lanka to the list of countries accorded visa on arrival (VoA) through the electronic visa authorisation, effective April 14, announced India’s prime minister Narendra Modi during a recent visit to the country.
Modi also revealed that Air India will commence flights between New Delhi and Colombo shortly.
Welcoming the move, Sonal Swamy, director of Mumbai-based Syrisa Travels, said: “Sri Lanka is a huge potential source market for India, and the VoA will boost Buddhist tourism leisure travel greatly and provide an impetus with anticipated growth of 25-30 per cent immediately.”
Industry members in Sri Lanka also laud the move.
Sasi Ganeshan, CEO, VMS Travels, said the VoA will tremendously ease the process of travelling to India. “Getting a visa can be a cumbersome process as it takes a minimum of three days and applicants also have to submit bank details,” he explained.
S Paramanathan, managing director, Atlas Lanka Travels, said: “This is a huge boost. The Indian agency that issues visas on behalf of the Indian embassy here is processing 600 visas a day – that’s the kind of demand for Sri Lankans visiting India.”
Nilmin Nanayakkara, managing director, Nkar Travels, believes the VoA could spur “weekend hoppers”, such as those seeking new destinations apart from Singapore, which also offers VoA.
According to latest available figures, some 300,000 Sri Lankans visited India in 2013 for business, leisure and pilgrimage, with the main destinations being Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru.
India also granted Seychelles VoA from March 13, for a period of three months.
Additional reporting from Kolkata and Feizal Samath.
LUXURY helicopter tours for Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi Island, together with exclusive chartered flights to several popular tourist destinations around Malaysia, have been launched by AsiaHeli.com.
James Greaves, director of the Kuala Lumpur-based company which began operations this January, said: “Services are targeted at high-end tourists in search of breathtaking scenery and ‘time-saving’ charter flights.”
The tours include narration from the pilots. In Kuala Lumpur, customers may choose from 30-, 45- or 60-minute tours, with prices starting from RM1,105 (US$299) per person for a 30-minute flight.
In Langkawi, options of six-, 15-, 20- or 30-minute tours are available, with a six-minute flight costing RM185 per person.
There are also charter flights available from Kuala Lumpur to popular tourist destinations around Malaysia, including Tioman Island, Malacca, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Langkawi and Pangkor. Charter services to Singapore are also available.
AsiaHeli.com works with travel consultants and will discuss the commission structure upon enquiry.
TOURISM New Zealand and Changi Airport Group have come together to launch a life-sized Hobbit Hole as part of the NTOs Naturally New Zealand exhibition, in the departure hall of Changi Airport Terminal 3 to the public last Saturday, tentatively until April 5.
Local English-language newspaper Today reported that both parties, together with several partners including DHL and Singapore Airlines, are involved.
Russell Alexander, owner and general manager of Hobbiton, was quoted as saying: “Hobbiton sits in an idyllic landscape in New Zealand and we hope to give visitors a little taste of what New Zealand has to offer.
“You can smell the flowers; the props and the timber were all brought in from New Zealand. We have art directors and builders to make sure everything is made to look like our hobbit holes back home. There are 44 hobbit holes in Hobbiton… this travelling one is our 45th.”
Jacqui Smith, a representative from Tourism New Zealand was also quoted as saying: “We know there is quite a big appetite for New Zealand in Singapore. The last film in the Hobbit trilogy is the highest grossing among the LOTR and Hobbit series here. Singapore is a key market for visitors to New Zealand and this year, we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations as well.”
The same article reported that other activities, including food tasting sessions of New Zealand produce and a 5D simulator ride built next to the hole are being run in conjunction.
Visitor numbers from Singapore to New Zealand have continued to rise, increasing 8.2 per cent as of end-January 2015. Tourism New Zealand’s regional manager of South and South-east Asia, Steven Dixon, said in a press statement the rise is expected to continue with increasing air connectivity and promotional campaigns.
“We were very pleased to officially welcome our national carrier back to Singapore earlier this month and will be working closely to grow both demand and capacity for travel to New Zealand,” he said.
REGIONAL DMO Capital Region USA, which represents Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland, is keen to boost the China market with an extra US$800,000 marketing budget this year, having added Hong Kong to its annual sales mission in China.
Capital Region USA president & CEO, Matt Gaffney, said: “We visited Chengdu and Guangzhou before coming to Hong Kong. Our goal is to create awareness and educate the trade and media about our destination.
“In 2015, we will work closely with Brand Story plus partner with Air China, which inaugurated its four-weekly, Beijing-Washington route last June. In fact, Asia is ranked as the top market, registering double-digit growth last year. It is a star in terms of arrivals. China even surpassed the UK for the first time, delivering the highest traffic of 285,000 visitors.
“Another favourable development is the reciprocal 10-year multiple-entry visa access policy for business and tourist travel in both countries since last November.”
Explaining the solo mission in China, president and CEO for Washington DC, Elliot Ferguson, said: “Unlike other popular states, we are not that well known, so it’s good to come alone and build (awareness of) our destination before joining hands with the others.
“We hope to build a relationship with travel consultants and target organising our first fam tour this year, followed by more next year. The consultants can spend three to four days in DC.”
Martens Law, assistant manager for international travel, Smartcom, said: “We have branches in the capital and regularly arrange trips for company partners and staff from China. Washington DC is a good option and I would like to learn what the destination can offer.”
FOLLOWING the opening of a global sales office in Bangkok, new Thai hospitality entrant Manathai Hotels & Resorts has rolled out beachfront resort Manathai Khao Lak.
Overlooking the Andaman Sea and a 90-minute drive from Phuket International Airport, Manathai Khao Lak features 158 rooms, the Pad Thai restaurant, facilities for kids, a swimming pool, fitness centre, private library, and meeting space for up to 30 guests.
The property is offering special opening rates from 4,895 baht (US$149) which include daily breakfast for two in a Deluxe Balcony room, until April 30, 2015.
Manathai Khao Lak also joins Manathai Hua Hin and Manathai Surin Phuket in the collection, with Manathai Koh Samui set to open in Q2.
