KUONI is enticing travellers with customised and in-depth itineraries usually associated with independent travel while keeping costs lower by packaging them for small groups under its new travel brand, Brite Spokes.

Soft launched in 2013, Brite Spokes is targeted at the growing number of travellers who demand thematic trips and experiential adventures.

Mark C Morello, CEO of Brite Spokes, commented: “Brite Spokes experiential vacation packages have been created with current and developing travel trends in mind as well as ongoing feedback from our frontline researchers who test-run all of our itineraries to ensure seamless and exciting vacations.”

“With a millennial mindset comes a travel brand focused around the kind of trips clients dream about and would plan if they had the time, as well as vacations other people actually want to hear about when travellers return home.”

Brite Spokes itineraries cover a range of topics and themes, each put together with specific niche travellers in mind.

For instance, Brite Spokes’ package for fitness fanatics provides them with a new take on everyday healthy eating and ordinary workout routines. Fitness programmes included in the itinerary take travellers to scenic locations such as the beaches of Miami, the canyons of the south-west or farmlands in the north-east US.

Meanwhile gourmands can experience the tastes and sounds of the US’ iconic cities on a culinary and cultural tour. This includes cooking classes and tastings, historical site and museum tours, and local music performances.

Brite Spokes can also customise or create an itinerary for MICE planners looking for teambuilding options.

JLL’s Hotel & Hospitality Group is launching a tender on behalf of RB Capital Group, opening an RFP exercise for hotel management companies to operate Gallery Hotel.

Located in Robertson Quay along the Singapore River, Gallery Hotel is slated to undergo a major revamp to reposition and integrate the property with the Quayside retail podium RB Capital purchased from Robertson Quay Investment last year (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 2, 2013).

Tasos Kousloglou, senior vice president, asset management, JLL, Hotels & Hospitality, said: “Choosing the right brand and operator is one of the most important decisions for a hotel owner as it involves a long-term relationship. It is also paramount to the project’s success as well as the hotel’s profitability and asset value. The new hotel will be an exciting addition to Singapore’s hotel landscape and RB Capital’s hospitality portfolio.”

Kishin RK, CEO of RB Capital Group, said: “The rejuvenation of Robertson Quay will be anchored by a new upscale boutique hotel along the historic Singapore River. We envision a hospitality experience tailored to the needs of today’s discerning business and leisure travellers. With a wealth of experience in selecting international hotel operators in the region, we are confident that JLL will make this project an outstanding success.”

DESTINATION Asia Thailand has opened a new inbound India division to bring travellers to the kingdom.

Pornthip Hirunkate, managing director of Destination Asia Thailand, said about the new division: “Destination Asia Thailand sees great potential in the India market, especially at the top end leisure and MICE segments. We have conducted extensive research and believe that we can offer unique travel products for the India market that will also include longer length of stays.”

“Destination Asia is also one of the leading MICE operators in Thailand so we will now be extending that decades of experience to the sub-continent,” Pornthip added.

The company’s inbound India division will not have any equity in any outbound India travel company or provider, with all inbound services to be provided by the respective companies in the 11-country Destination Asia Group, said the DMC in a statement.

According to James Reed, CEO of the Destination Asia Group, the creation of an inbound India division at the DMC’s Thailand office is only the beginning of its attempts to tap the Indian travel segment,

He said: “The Destination Asia Group is expanding rapidly in the Far East and we see the inbound India market as very complimentary to our business model. We will, soon, also be opening ‘inbound India’ divisions in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam and eventually to our other companies in China, Japan, Indonesia, Laos and Burma (Myanmar). The India economy is growing rapidly and we definitely see a top-end market that is complementary to our service model and ‘industry best’ operating standards.”

Rajesh Nair has been appointed as general manager/India to head the team. He has extensive experience in the inbound India market and been living in Thailand for eight years.

BANGKOK Airways will run additional flights between Bangkok and Myanmar capital Naypyidaw between May 5 and 30.

From May 16 to 30, the extra flight departs Bangkok at 17.00 and arrives in Naypyidaw at 19.00. The return flight leaves Naypyidaw at 20.05 and reaches Bangkok at 23.05.

For the period from May 6 to 12, the extra flight takes off from Bangkok at 18.25 and arrives at 19.35. The return flight leaves Naypyidaw at 20.25 and reaches 22.35.

The additional flights increases the airline’s current Bangkok-Naypyidaw frequency from five times weekly flights to daily.

Bangkok Airways commenced flights to Mandalay and Naypyidaw last September (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 22, 2013).

THE Sabah state government will impose a curfew and travel restrictions on the waters off Lahad Datu and Sandakan in the wake of the latest kidnapping incident, according to local media.

Malaysian police had not provided details on the ban at press time, but local daily The Star reported Sabah chief minister Musa Aman as saying that the state would implement control areas where entry would be prohibited or restricted based on time, place and situation.

Chinese national and fish farm manager Yang Zai Lin was kidnapped yesterday from his workplace, Wonderful Terrace on Pulau Baik (Baik Island), about 30km south of Lahad Datu.

This kidnapping came two days after pirates attacked and robbed four fishermen on Sunday at Tanjung Labian, close to Kampung Tanduo, both of which had seen the invasion of Sulu gunmen in February 2013.

In November last year, gunmen abducted a Taiwanese tourist, Chang An Wei, and killed her husband, Lee Min Hsu, from Pom Pom Island, off Semporna (TTG Asia e-Daily, April 8, 2014). Chang was rescued 36 days later from Jolo, an island in the Philippines.

Arokia Das, senior manager at Luxury Tours Malaysia, said: “We’ve tried very hard to push the islands off Sabah to the Asian and South Asia markets but there has been no interest since the Pom Pom Island incident in November. This latest incident yesterday coupled with the intended curfew and travel restrictions is going to be a further deterrence. Holidaymakers don’t fancy visiting places where there are safety issues.”

SHANGRI-LA Hotels and Resorts has launched its maiden property in the UK within the landmark The Shard development.

Occupying floors 34 to 52, Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London is located in the tallest building in Western Europe and overlooks London icons such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. It is south of the River Thames and minutes from the city of London.

The hotel’s 202 guestrooms and suites are some of the largest hotel rooms in London, averaging more than 42m², with butler service provided for suites. Free Internet access is available throughout the premises.

Guests can choose from the hotel’s three F&B outlets: Ting, for Asian specialties and locally sourced cuisine with Asian flavours; Lang, a patisserie and artisan deli; and Gong, London’s highest champagne and cocktail bar that will be opened on May 19. Gong is located on the 52^nd storey, where the hotel’s gym and infinity pool are also situated.

For meetings and events, Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London offers three river-facing event spaces connected to the sky lobby by a grand staircase. These venues will fit between 10 and 140 people, or planners can book out the entire 34^th floor for a standing reception of 200 pax.

To mark the occasion, Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London’s opening rates begin from 450 pounds (US$764) per room per night, including VAT. The hotel’s Room With A View package starts from 530 pounds per night based on twin sharing with breakfast for two and two tickets to viewing platform The View from The Shard, including VAT.

Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London is the group’s 83^rd hotel and third in Europe, following the openings of Shangri-La Hotel, Paris and Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul in 2010 and 2013 respectively.