THE Gateway Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), has forayed into the resort segment with the opening of The Gateway Resort, Damdama Lake, Gurgaon on Monday.

The 78-room property, launched in partnership with Samak Dhoot Resorts and Spa, is positioned as a weekend destination in the Delhi NCR region, with an adventure park zone offering activities like rock climbing.

In its first year of operation, the resort is targeting an average room rate of US$129 and average occupancy of 50 to 55 per cent, said Prabhat S Verma, COO, Gateway Hotels.

IHCL is also looking to expand its resort portfolio with the opening of three more properties in the coming year.

“We are looking to open resorts in Pune, Raipur and Corbett Park in Uttarakhand next year under the management contract model. Shimla is also a destination we are considering,” said Verma.

IHCL operates four brands: the luxury Taj, upper-upscale Vivanta by Taj, upscale Gateway by Taj and budget Ginger.

*The article initially stated the IHCL debuting its inaugural resort, which is inaccurate. It has been amended.

THE landmark Australia-China free trade agreement (ChAFTA), announced earlier this week when negotiations concluded between Australian prime minister Tony Abbott and Chinese president Xi Jinping, looks set to be a major boost for tourism Down Under in years to come.

When the ChAFTA is fully implemented, 95 per cent of Australian exports to China will be tariff-free while Australian service providers in sectors such as banking, tourism, education and healthcare will gain greater access to the Chinese market.

The Federal Government has announced that Australia would grant visas for up to 5,000 Chinese work and holidaymakers annually. In addition, up to 1,800 skilled Chinese workers, including chefs and Mandarin-language tutors, would be eligible to apply for ‘457’ work visas.

Commenting on the changes to the visa arrangements, acting CEO for Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA), Carol Giuseppi, said that the timing of the announcement was particularly important.

“Australia is undergoing the largest expansion of its hotel sector in over 20 years, with new hotel developments across the country, so it will be beneficial to have access to a pool of labour to work in both existing and new hotels,” said Giuseppi.

“Their availability will come at a time of record growth in Chinese inbound travel and will cater for the many hotel groups seeking Mandarin-speaking staff. The allocation of more ‘457’ visas to chefs will particularly address a shortage of skilled labour in hotel F&B operations.

Giuseppi said that other changes announced as part of the ChAFTA would also benefit the industry.

“Australia’s hotel and tourism sector will benefit from increased investment via the new Investment Facilitation Arrangements, while education-related travel to Australia will be significantly boosted as a result of new measures announced as part of the agreement,” she added.

At the same time, Giuseppi also urges the authorities to review the visa application process “to make it easier and cheaper for Chinese travellers to visit Australia”.

“While TAA applauds the government’s positive initiatives, the hospitality sector would benefit even further if the Working Holiday Visa programme was extended from 12 months to 24 months duration, with a corresponding increase in the working portion of this from six months to 12 months,” she commented.

“To meet the shortage of workers in the hospitality sector, we would also call on the government to allow Working Holiday Visa holders who meet the criteria for extending their stay by working in a regional area, to be able to spend their second six-month working stint working in a city-based tourism business.”

THE US state of South Carolina is keen to dramatically increase tourist arrivals from India in the next two years, having formulated a strategy to tap this market, said a senior tourism executive during an official visit to the country.

Duane Parrish, director, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, said: “South Carolina recorded around 30,000 Indian arrivals in 2013. We are looking to double this figure. The growth of middle and upper-middle classes in India makes it a prime market for us.”

South Carolina will be partnering Brand USA to participate in their upcoming roadshows in India, apart from investing in print and online advertising.

“We want to use social media and outdoor advertisement as tools to create awareness. We are also looking to organise a fam trip for Indian travel consultants in the next 12 months,” added Parrish.

Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina who is on a 10-day trip to India to boost business ties between the two countries, said: “Whether you want to have a board meeting or vacation, South Carolina is the place.”

At present, half of all Indian visitors to South Carolina come for business, while the rest are leisure travellers.

Parrish said: “We are keen to increase the share of leisure travellers from India.

“South Carolina offers unique experiences, featuring historical monuments and massive plantations. We also want to promote adventure activities like kayaking, boating and hiking.”

Parrish is planning to visit India again in September 2015 with a 12-member delegation comprising tourism promoters from specific locations like Charleston.

Currently, key source markets for South Carolina include Mexico, Canada, the UK, Germany and France.

THE Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has issued a strong statement rebutting Malaysian tourism and culture minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz’s position regarding tourist safety in Lahad Datu.

Mohamed Nazri told the parliament on Monday that certain places in Sabah remained unsafe and that he would not order tourism officers abroad to promote the destination. The Rakyat Post quoted him as saying that he personally will not visit Lahad Datu to avoid trouble, while The Star stated the minister does not want to be responsible for guaranteeing the safety of tourists in Sabah.

Responding to the minister’s remarks in a press release, MATTA vice president inbound, KL Tan, said: “In the first place, Lahad Datu is not a tourist destination. Perhaps the minister should also say he cannot guarantee the safety of any tourist to Malaysia as there are many unresolved cases involving the security of tourists.

“If a tourist is murdered in West Malaysia and the case remains unresolved, can we also say that Peninsular Malaysia remains unsafe?” he questioned.

Tan added that the Mohamed Nazri’s statement is a blow to the local industry and negates the concerted efforts by all tourism stakeholders to promote Sabah, echoing Sabah tourism, culture and environment minister Masidi Manjun’s remarks in an earlier report by The Star that his federal counterpart’s statement threatened to undo the hard work undertaken by the Sabah tourism authorities to bring back tourists to the state.

At the same time, Tan also expressed his confidence that the east coast of Sabah will remain safe due to the additional measures taken by security forces including prohibition of entry from the sea from 17.00 to 05.00, plus the recent RM660 million (US$196.7 million) budget allocation to enhance security in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) and the Eastern Sabah Security Command.

“With the government’s full focus on the safety and security issues in ESSZONE, it is only a matter of time that full confidence will be restored and travel advisories lifted. We would rather listen to the advice on the safety of Sabah from the minister of home affairs and minister of defence,” he commented.

ITALIAN travel agency Mappamondo has intensified its efforts to attract more tourists from South-east Asia to visit Italy as a mono destination by appointing a Kuala Lumpur-based marketing representative, Barbara Sette, since February.

The company has already introduced pilgrim tours targeted at Christians from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Last month, these outbound tours were extended to Indonesia’s top consultants and pilgrimage agencies through a roadshow in Jakarta, according to Sette, who is also managing director of Sette Reps.

She added: “We have received requests after the roadshow in Indonesia while from other markets such as Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore, we operate ad hoc groups. Italy is a must-see destination for Christian pilgrims and the interest is obviously big.

“An interesting route we operate is Rome, Cascia, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Pavia, Padua and Venice. This is one of our popular itineraries that can be done in 11 days/10 nights.”

In early 2015, Mappamondo will introduce halal tours targeted at the Muslim markets from Malaysia and Indonesia, said Andrea Mele, the company’s president & managing director. These tailor-made tours will cover Milan, Venice, Florence and Rome, focusing on the Islamic attractions, cultures and local communities living in Italy.

Mappamondo, which has been doing outbound tours from Italy to South-east Asia for the last 30 years, has diversified into the inbound market from South-east Asia to Italy in the last four years, added Mele.

THE DMC formerly known as Exotissimo for more than 20 years has unveiled its new identity as Exo Travel.

Exo Travel’s new name is accompanied by two short films to explain the rationale behind the rebranding.

Olivier Colomés, one of the founders, explained: “We now work with more than 1,300 agencies from 76 countries, and we’ve grown to have 700 staff and 22 offices in eight destinations in Asia.

“With a global workforce and client base, we felt it was important to explain the new brand visually to our clients and team so they could really appreciate the new brand direction.”

One of the videos, titled Our Brand Story (below), shows how the new logo provides Exo with more flexibility when used for marketing. “The new branding also allows us to breathe more life into the specialist divisions working inside Exo,” said the company, referring to Exo Foundation, Exo Events and Exo Adventure.

Group managing director Hamish Keith commented in a press release: “The rebrand does not signal a change of direction, it’s more a case of the brand better representing who we are and the services we offer.”

CRUISE industry professionals will gather at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in less than a week’s time for the fourth Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific.

This marks the first time the event is taking place in Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) as its official event partner.

The event returns this year with a conference and exhibition featuring sectors in the Asian cruise industry including market potential and challenges, infrastructure and itinerary development, shipbuilding and refurbishment, and passenger sourcing in Asia, especially in China.

Travel consultants can take part in a two-day travel agency training programme, developed by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and presented by renowned trainer Peter Kollar to help them better understand the cruise industry’s value and revenue potential.

This year’s Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific will also introduce the new, free session – The Cruise Line/Port Interface Workshop – aimed at driving port infrastructure and development in the Pan-Asia cruise region.

At the same time, the conference section will see the likes of Anthony Lau, HKTB executive director, and Zinan Liu, chairman, CLIA North Asia, and president, China and North Asia for Royal Caribbean Cruises sharing about the regional cruise industry.

NEW World Hotels & Resorts is raising its profile in the Philippines with the takeover and rebranding of Hyatt Regency Hotel & Casino, which will become New World Manila Bay Hotel.

Symon Bridle, COO of Rosewood Hotel Group, the parent company of New World Hotels & Resorts, said: “We will continue to build on the current hotel’s good business base when we take over. The business will likely be around 70 per cent FITs, both corporate and leisure, while MICE will make up the remainder.”

“Next year looks very positive for Manila with some key events and continued stability. We are looking at similar occupancies to this year at the property, with a measured rate growth,” Bridle added.

Casino operations will remain under third-party control. To minimise possible disruption to guests and continue building on their existing reputations, restaurants will retain their current names.

Hong Kong-based New World Hotels & Resorts also operates New World Makati Hotel in the Makati CBD and is eyeing “expansion opportunities in the resort sector as well as in key cities such as Cebu and Davao”, said Bridle.

He remarked that the Philippines is a key market for the company due to its “encouraging growth prospects”.

THE Shanghai Disney Resort, which is slated for opening by the end of 2015, unveiled new developments including two themed hotels and an array of attractions, during its debut at China International Travel Mart this year.

The signature 420-key Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is an Art Nouveau-inspired property while the 800-key Toy Story Hotel will be themed after the American animation film Toy Story.

Philippe Gas, Shanghai Disney Resort general manager, said: “The Shanghai Disney Resort will offer the same spirit of shared family entertainment that Walt Disney first introduced nearly 60 years ago.”

Designed with Chinese guests in mind, the 3.9km² destination will “bring the best of Disney to mainland China”, with touches such as Spice Alley, highlighting Asian cuisine, and the global premiere of the Mandarin version of The Lion King showing at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre.

The lakeside Disneytown will include a shopping, dining and entertainment district that stretches across 46,000m².

Apart from Treasure Cove, the first pirates-themed land in a Disney park, Shanghai Disney Resort will also feature Chinese elements like the Garden of 12 Friends, based on the 12 animal signs of the Chinese horoscope.

THE Indonesian trade is anticipating a surge in the number of Chinese travellers next year when visa requirements are lifted.

As part of the new government’s quick-win programmes to achieve 20 million arrivals by 2019, Indonesia earlier this month announced the exemption of visa requirements for nationals of China, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Russia starting January.

Fadli Fahmi Ali, general secretary at the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies Jogjakarta Chapter and director of Werkudara Travel Management Jogjakarta, expects a 40 per cent increase in Chinese visitors in the year ahead as a result of the visa waiver.

“Business from China has been very good in the last two years and China is now among the top five source markets for (Jogjakarta),” he said. “We are investing in human resources by training Mandarin-speaking guides, and as an association we will work together with the private sector for promotions and create Chinese signage.”

Hotels in Indonesia are also leveraging this visa-free move to boost Chinese guest numbers.

Lin Parlina, key account manager, Malaysia-Indonesia-Singapore, Accor, hopes that Chinese visitor figures next year will surpass the 20-23 per cent growth recorded in the last two years. “We’re joining travel marts like (China International Travel Mart) and doing traditional sales calls to wholesalers in China for promotion,” said Lin.

Von Go, general manager of Montigo Resorts Nongsa in Batam, said the resort aims to enter new Chinese markets through its GSAs in China and is also persuading travel agencies to package Batam with Singapore.

“For the people of Shanghai and Beijing, they may think Singapore, being a city, is similar to what they have. Batam offers them something new as it is close to the sea,” he explained.

However, Go feels that Indonesia needs to promote itself more aggressively to the Chinese, a key market for his resort. “Anywhere you go in the world you will see (the campaign) Malaysia, Truly Asia, but this is not the case for Indonesia.”

His sentiments were echoed by Beijing Hongkey International Travel Service’s general manager, Jason Hao, who said his company conducts very little business to Indonesia. “The Chinese, and perhaps the northern Chinese especially, have no real impression of Indonesia as a destination and think it’s not a very Chinese-friendly destination.”

He added: “I personally know Indonesia to be a beautiful country, but price-wise it’s not so value-for-money for the Chinese. A holiday to Phuket will cost the Chinese visitor around RMB4,000 (US$652), Bali RMB6,000, the Maldives about RMB8,000 and Hawaii about RMB9,000. To pay RMB6,000 to go to Bali, travellers would rather go to Hawaii and the Maldives.”

However, Zhong Chun, a representative from Zhang Hua Travel Agency, who currently brings groups into Indonesia at least once every three months, said: “Visa application is always a troublesome factor because there is a lot of paper work involved and the troubling part is the waiting time. Without (the need to apply) visas, it will definitely help us to promote the destination better.”

Additional reporting by Paige Lee Pei Qi