THE Maldives is imposing a green tax of US$6 per bed on tourists from November 2015, drawing concern that the country could soon become an overpriced destination.

Tourism minister Ahmed Adheeb told the local media that the new tax is aimed at protecting the Maldives’ fragile environment. “Revenue generated from the tax will go into managing the waste from local resorts and other islands,” he said. Guesthouses will be exempt from this tax.

Resort owners and travel companies have often complained of too much taxation on tourism, which provides the bulk of national revenue.

“The green tax will definitely have an impact. (My Chinese tour operator partners are saying) it is already becoming too expensive to go to the top resorts because of all the service charges and taxes,” noted Shafraz Fazley, managing director of Viluxur Holidays.

In July 2014, an airport exit tax of US$25 per person came into effect. While the Maldives discontinued a US$8 tax per bed per night in November last year, GST rose from eight to 12 per cent that same month.

Michelle Flake from Koamas Luxury Escapes, said the green tax is essentially the return of the bed tax in a different guise. “Have a look at the TripAdvisor Forum… I am sure people are moaning and saying it will be too expensive for them to come soon,” she said.

However, Abdulla Ghiyas, president of the Maldives Association for Travel Agents and Tour Operators, believes there will not be much damage. “When the bed tax was waived in November most of the contracts were already done with US$8 in mind. Thus I don’t think this creates any issues.”

HAVING secured the land use rights for the site, Hong Kong-listed Haichang Holdings is set to begin work on its latest entertainment complex that will come up in Shanghai in 2017.

Shanghai Haichang Polar Ocean World is the theme park operator’s ninth facility and will be built on a 29.7ha piece of land to occupy 19ha in total gross floor area, said Haichang in a press statement.

Blending “entertainment, ecology and the scientific”, the theme park will feature a world-class marine theme park showcasing animals from the North and South Poles, a themed resort hotel, 13 exhibition halls, four animal interaction plazas, four large cinemas, 18 rides, and other entertainment options.

The theme park, situated beside Dishui Lake in Lingang New City, Nahui District, is about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from downtown Shanghai and half an hour from the Pudong International Airport. Shanghai Disney Resort, which opens this year, is also a 30-minute drive away.

Qu Naijie, chairman of Haichang Holdings, said the opening of the theme park would give the company a strategic foothold in East China. “Considering the geographic location of Shanghai, this project will also enable Haichang Holdings to open up the regional markets of East Asia, and eventually step onto the world arena,” he said in a statement.

Haichang has engaged international companies that have participated in Disney and SeaWorld projects to work on the park’s concept development.

Despite the theme park operator’s professed commitment to “world-class” standards, it remains to be seen if travellers, now increasingly aware of issues of animal welfare and conservation, will take the bait.

SeaWorld reported significant losses in earnings and visitor figures last year.

AS PART of a plan to attract more tourists, South Korea will approve the construction of two more casino resorts and 5,000 new hotel rooms this year.

According to Reuters, the South Korean government is aiming to increase tourism investment by some 3.5 trillion won or US$3.3 billion.

The integrated resorts and their foreigner-only casinos and will be run by government-appointed operators, each to inject one trillion won each into the resorts by 2H2015.

This is in line with South Korea’s three-year economic plan, said the Reuters report.

Two consortia – comprising Caesars Entertainment and Lippo, and a joint venture of South Korean company Paradise and Japan’s Sega Sammy Holdings respectively – have been given the go-ahead.

SINGAPOREANS are making use of the long Lunar New Year weekend to travel abroad, with travel consultants anticipating a 20 per cent increase in travel bookings.

The first two days of Singapore’s Lunar New Year, which are public holidays, fall on February 19 and 20, a Thursday and Friday. Travellers are combining this with the weekend to take four-day breaks.

According to local travel agencies, popular destinations at the moment include China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia.

Jane Chang, head of marketing communications, Chan Brothers Travel, said: “We have received bookings for this period from as early as September last year and (sales are) currently 10 per cent higher than for the same time in 2014. We expect to easily surpass 2014’s figures by at least 20 per cent.

“Singaporeans are avid travellers and some religiously plan their holidays in advance, taking into account upcoming long weekends and public holidays,” she said.

NATAS spokesperson, Alvin Lim, predicted a lower level of growth. “We expect outbound travel over the festive period this year to be higher than last year’s by five to 10 per cent. Most long weekends tend to see a surge in travel interest, especially shorthaul trips from three to five days.”

Dynasty Travel director of marketing communications, Alicia Seah, who is expecting bookings to go up by 20 per cent, pointed out that some Singaporeans are taking another three days of leave before the New Year for an even longer holiday.

Seah attributed the rise in travel demand to the strong Singapore dollar as well. As such, she highlighted Europe as a popular longhaul destination Singaporeans are headed for this festive season.

RAMADA Dua Sentral has begun welcoming guests in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur after Wyndham Hotel Group clinched a management agreement for the property.

Owned by Trinidad Dua Sentral, the hotel was formerly known as Best Western Premier Dua Sentral and reopened on January 1, 2015 as Ramada.

Facilities within the property include four F&B outlets – Grill 582, Kembali Kitchen, Hugo’s On 6 and the Punch Bar & Lounge– as well as nine meeting rooms, Avana Spa Luxe, a fitness centre and a swimming pool.

The 33-storey hotel is a short walk from the Kuala Lumpur’s integrated rail transportation centre and close to the city’s main business and tourist hub. It is also a 50-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Ramada Dua Sentral will add to Wyndham Hotel Group’s portfolio of more than 30 South-east Asia and Pacific Rim Ramada hotels. It joins Ramada Plaza Melaka as Malaysia’s second Ramada hotel, and both are eligible for participation in the company’s guest loyalty programme, Wyndham Rewards.

TOKYO will get a new luxury hotel in summer 2016, although analysts warn that the Japanese capital is still short of high-end accommodation.

Seibu Holdings has announced plans to open the Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioi-cho hotel on the site of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka in the city’s Chiyoda Ward. The 250-room hotel will occupy the top six floors of a 36-storey building, which will also house offices, retail outlets and residential units.

The most luxurious property in the Seibu group’s hotel portfolio, rates are reportedly significantly above the 20,000 yen (US$170.73) per night average in a Tokyo hotel.

That is unlikely to put visitors off, however, as Tokyo faces a shortage of rooms at all price points.

A study conducted by CBRE in November determined that if inbound tourism continues growing as anticipated and meets the government’s target of 20 million visitors in 2020 – when Tokyo will host the Olympic Games – there will 14,000 people without accommodation in the city every night of the year.

The shortage of hotel beds is slightly less acute in Osaka where the shortfall is around 7,000 people per night.

“Whenever we interview investors and hotel brands, the number one market where they want to be in Asia is Tokyo, and the city is in the top five in the world,” said Arthur Buser, executive managing director of CBRE.

“We believe that anyone who can build a hotel in Tokyo should go ahead and do so and that they will do fairly well.”

New luxury hotels that have recently debuted in Tokyo include the 329-key Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel and the 84-unit Aman Tokyo.

TRAVEL consultants attending South Beach’s last North Asian roadshow pit stop in Hong Kong yesterday welcomed the leisure complex’s launch in April, saying it provided one more option for customers going to Singapore.

The showcase had travelled to Beijing, Taiwan and Hong Kong and will continue on through South-east Asia for the rest of the month, to be followed by India, Australia and the UK later on.

Wing On Travel, deputy general manager for South-east Asia and longhaul operations, Simon Ma, said his clients tend to stay in five-star hotels when in Singapore and South Beach is a new option. “Singapore is home to a range of hotels, from heritage hotel and integrated resorts to this new (development). It’s good to have something different.”

Lotus Tours, general manager, sales for corporate, whole and retail, David Law, said: “This creates more noise for the destination. Apart from business travellers, South Beach can also tap travellers who want an individualised place and premium experience.”

South Beach Consortium CEO, Aloysius Lee, commented: “The integrated resorts (Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands) have been up for five years and hotels in town are quite full, especially for luxury hotels, which enjoy 85 per cent occupancy.

“It’s difficult for consultants to make bookings there so our property comes at the right time. It will coincide with Singapore celebrating its 50^th anniversary of nationbuilding, so there will be a lot of promotions (for the travel industry).”

South Beach also held a roadshow in Tokyo earlier this month to entice the Japanese market.

CAPITALAND-OWNED serviced residence operator The Ascott Limited last week launched another handful of new properties and has plans to further its regional footprint.

Ascott has opened the 203-unit Citadines DPulze Cyberjaya, its first property in Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor; the 136-unit Citadines Grand Central Sri Racha in Thailand that is also the group’s 10^th property in Thailand; and Somerset Central TD Hai Phong City in Vietnam, the ninth Ascott in the country.

Lee Chee Koon, Ascott’s CEO, said: “Last year, we opened 17 properties and added 28 with over 4,800 apartment units to our global portfolio. Besides expanding through acquisitions, management contracts and leases, we secured our first franchises in Vientiane and Bali. We also formed strategic alliances in China and Australia to accelerate Ascott’s growth.

“In 2015, there will be no let-up in our expansion. We are on track to achieve our target of 40,000 apartment units worldwide by the end of this year and aim to have 80,000 units by 2020.”

Ascott intends to continue building its portfolio in cities in Asia, Europe and the Gulf region.

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG) will operate the 268-room Holiday Inn Busan Seomyun, the first IHG hotel in South Korea’s second-largest city of Busan.

Located in the city’s CBD Seomyun, the hotel is a short drive from the international airport, city hall and the Busan International Finance Centre.

When it opens in 2017, Holiday Inn Busan Seomyun will feature a fitness centre, a rooftop swimming pool, meeting rooms and a business centre, a lobby lounge and all-day dining restaurant on the 20^th floor.

The hotel is owned by SiLee and will be managed by IHG. Karin Sheppard, COO, Australasia, Japan and Korea and AMEA franchising, said: “There is thriving tourism across South Korea’s major cities and as its second-largest city Busan is also one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country.

“We’ve identified a number of opportunities for growth and are especially pleased to be entering Busan with one of our most well-loved brands, Holiday Inn.”

There are also plans for the redevelopment of the area surrounding the hotel to convert it into a lifestyle hub including Busan Central Park and SSH Boulevard Park.

IHG currently operates eight hotels and resorts in South Korea under its InterContinental and Holiday Inn brands.

GENTING Jeju Casino officially opened its doors yesterday as Genting Hong Kong’s first gaming facility in South Korea.

Located in the Hyatt Regency Jeju Hotel, Genting Jeju Casino is equipped with world-class gaming facilities that include 29 gaming tables and 16 slot machines.

The gaming facility is jointly owned by Landing International and Genting Hong Kong in a 50-50 split.

The casino is Landing International’s pioneer casino project.

Yang Zhihui, chairman of Landing International, said: “The opening of Genting Jeju Casino marks a big step forward on the company’s development of integrated resort and tourism properties in the global markets.

“As one of the most striking landmarks in Jeju, Genting Jeju Casino is expected to drive tourism and retail growth in the city, further enhancing Jeju’s leading position in South Korea’s tourism.”