VISITORS from Hong Kong are the most willing to spend on lodgings of all inbound source markets to India, paying Rs8,061 (US$134) per night in 2013. This is according to Hotels.com’s latest Hotels Price Index, which said the figure was up six per cent over 2012’s Rs7,599.

Travellers from the Middle East ranked second with Rs7,909 followed by South Africans (Rs7,594), growing three and four per cent respectively. Switzerland ranked fourth (Rs7,457, 15 per cent), Singapore came in ninth (Rs7,123 with no growth) while China ranked 10^th (Rs7,115, 17 per cent).

Anil Punjabi, chairman-east, Travel Agents Federation of India, said: “Business travel has increased, showing a rise in higher end hotel usage by visitors from Hong Kong, China, the Middle East and South Africa. This trend is likely to escalate in 2014 and 2015 with greater flight connectivity and the increase in luxury hotel rooms in key destinations.”

European countries displayed the most growth in amount spent on accommodation, with Belgium leading the pack (25 per cent), trailed by Italy and Finland (22 per cent), and Austria (16 per cent).

Ravi Gusain, managing director, New Delhi-based Erco Travels, said: “The growth in room rate paid by visitors from western European countries like Finland, Italy, Austria and Switzerland augurs a healthy trend. If these economies are recovering, then there will be a resurgence of tourist inflow from these traditional markets this year and in time to come.”

New Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru continued to be the most-visited destinations for international inbound travellers to India.

ABU Dhabi-based domestic carrier Rotana Jet today launched flights to two airports in Sri Lanka, in what appears to be its first international flights.

Airline officials said the two-year old carrier will operate three flights a week from Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka’s main Bandaranaike International Airport just outside Colombo and the recently Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 7, 2013).

The airline will use an Airbus A319 aircraft with both business and economy class seats. In a statement, the airline said it planned to increase flights to six per week later.

Schedules were finalised during recent discussions in Colombo between Sri Lankan minister of aviation Piyankara Jayaratne, secretary of civil aviation Ravindra Ruberu, the UAE ambassador in Sri Lanka and Rotana Jet chairman, Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan.

The carrier is a charter and scheduled service operator that initially conducted domestic operations with flights to Bahrain, Muscat, Salalah, Sir Bani Yas island, Fujairah, Delma and Dubai.

SUNWAY Group yesterday announced it will open Asia’s first Nickelodeon-branded attraction zone within Sunway Lagoon theme park come March 2015.

In a strategic collaboration with Viacom International Media Networks Asia, the Nickelodeon Explorers’ Oasis will receive a total investment sum of RM100 million (US$30.9 million). Nickelodeon will bring its characters, expanded interactive shows and signature green slime to Sunway Lagoon.

It will be located within a four-hectare area where the Elephant Walk and Waterfall Gardens are.

Nickelodeon Explorers’ Oasis will comprise nine attractions and six rides as well as feature immersive attractions such as the Oasis Lagoon Splash Pad and climbing structure, an interactive water play area using reactive technology, daily signature slime events, a variety of other water slide attractions, retail shops, games and food service establishments themed with Nickelodeon’s hit properties, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorerand Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Gerald Raines, vice president, recreation business development for Nickelodeon, said: “This is an ideal location for Nickelodeon to start its themed-based attractions in Asia, which will no doubt open up opportunities for our recreation business in Asia. It is also an important next step in boosting the Nickelodeon experience across all facets of entertainment for families across Malaysia and Asia.”

Nickelodeon Explorers’ Oasis is targeted at children from three years old, said Indra Suharjono, executive vice president and managing director of Viacom International Media Networks Asia. It will add to the existing rides and attractions in Sunway Lagoon, which total more than 80 and span over 35 hectares.

Other Nickelodeon-branded attractions and parks around the world include Nickelodeon Universe in Minneapolis’ Mall of America, SeaWorld on the Gold Coast, Australia, Nicklodeon Land at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the UK, Nickland at Movie Park Germany and a new Nickelodeon Land to open at Parque de Atracciones Madrid.

BEST Western International’s expansion drive in South-east Asia has taken it to Makassar on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, where it has opened Best Western plus Makassar Beach.

Located on Jalan Botolempangan, the hotel is minutes from Losari Beach.

Glenn de Souza, Best Western’s vice president of international operations for Asia & the Middle East, said: “As Indonesia emerges as an economic power, trade and tourism is spreading out into the country’s many outlying islands and provinces. As the 11^th largest island in the world and home to outstanding cultural and ecological diversity, Sulawesi is becoming a new regional centre of trade and tourism.

“The launch of this new hotel will establish Best Western as one of the first international hotel groups on the island, and we are confident our upscale Best Western Plus product will be well-received by the increasing number of visitors to Makassar and Sulawesi,” de Souza added.

Best Western Plus Makassar Beach offers 162 rooms including nine suites, ranging in size from 27-62m².

The hotel is equipped with facilities such as free Wi-Fi, a semi-outdoor swimming pool, a pool bar, Chill In Restaurant for local, Indonesian and Western cuisine, and the De Corner Lounge for fine wines and spirits.

Meeting spaces encompass 12 meeting rooms with a capacity of 150 delegates.

GLOBAL Hotel Alliance (GHA) last week welcomed the entry of two new member brands – Thon Hotels and Glo Hotels – from the Nordic region, bringing the number of member hotels in Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark to 120.

Thon Hotels is based in Oslo and part of the Olav Thon Group. Established in 1989, it is the third largest hotel chain in Norway with a portfolio of 64 hotels in Norway, five in Belgium, one in the Netherlands and one in Sweden.

The brand targets business and convention travellers specifically, but its properties in the Arctic Circle are popular with leisure travellers as well. Thon Hotels’ membership will commence within the next few months.

Glo Hotels, with headquarters in Helsinki, is part of The Kämp Group. It has four hotels in Helsinki, marking the first time GHA is represented in Finland.

Aarne Hallama, CEO of The Kämp Group, commented: “We are a well-known, local Finnish lifestyle brand and we need access to our key feeder markets in Sweden, Russia, the UK and Germany; GHA membership will help us enormously to reach customers in these markets, which we cannot do effectively alone.”

Chris Hartley, CEO of GHA, noted that the alliance recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary.

“These two new brands bring the alliance to 425 hotels, and we are gradually gaining strength and recognition in key regional markets, such as the Nordics. This in turn is helping us drive more business to our member brands, so everyone in the alliance benefits from our growth because of the collaborative nature of our business, and in particular our sharing four million customers through our loyalty programme, GHA Discovery,” he said.

“It’s an exciting year for the alliance, and we expect more brands to join in the coming months, as independent players continue to look at how they can compete for market share with the mega-chains; and we’re providing that solution.”

CARLSON Rezidor Hotel Group has signed an agreement with Rockwood Hotels & Resorts for Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa, to open in May this year.

Simon C Barlow, president, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “We are aggressively growing our presence and reinforcing our leadership position as the largest international hotel group in India. Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa is an outstanding property and will be a great addition to our fast-expanding portfolio in India, where we now have 66 hotels in operation and 41 in development.”

The 240-key hotel is situated on the banks of Fateh Sagar Lake in Ambamata, close to the city centre and less than an hour’s drive from the airport.

It also offers facilities such as an outdoor swimming pool, a lawn tennis court, a spa, a fitness centre and four F&B options – an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, lobby bar and lounge and poolside bar.

Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa will also offer 544m² of meeting space, inclusive of a pillarless ballroom that can accommodate up to 450 people.

US-BASED small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations has engaged two traditional Phinisi ships for its seven-day Sailing Indonesia: Bali, Komodo & Flores Cruise.

Between now and mid-September, the company will launch weekly sailings covering Bali, Komodo and Flores on the 14-pax Katharina and 28-pax Ombak Putih.

Both offer private bathrooms, individually controlled air-conditioning and ample storage space for guests.

Priced from US$2,380, fees include accommodation, all meals aboard the ship, transfers in Flores, non-alcoholic beverages, limited laundry service, guided shore excursions and use of snorkelling gear and sea kayaks/canoes.

Guests can also choose to add on optional activities such as trekking, cultural tours, snorkelling, swimming and nature exploration, while scuba diving is available with advance notice.

CENTARA Hotels & Resorts has signed a management contract for its second east property in the Middle East ­– Centara Muscat Hotel.

Expected to open on June 1, 2015, the hotel is situated in the Oman’s capital of Muscat and owned by Irfan International Hotel Limited.

“We have a strong marketing organisation within the Middle East, along with a very large customer base, and having a hotel in Oman is a strategic advantage for us,” says Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Centara Hotels & Resorts.

“Our guest mix will be both leisure and business, and the hotel facilities will reflect this.”

Centara Muscat Hotel will offer 154 guestrooms, with two F&B outlets, a swimming pool, a spa and a fitness centre. The hotel will also include extensive meeting facilities.

Centara announced its expansion into the Middle East in February earlier this year, having secured management rights to open Centara Grand West Bay Hotel Doha (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 26, 2014).

FOREIGN travel agencies are alarmed by the abduction of two women from a Sabah resort last week, a mere five months after members of the same militant group killed a Taiwanese man and kidnapped his wife on Pom Pom Island (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 18, 2013).

The incident by the Abu Sayyaf group, which took place at Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna, Sabah, has raised concerns about safety standards in Sabah in general.

Diethelm Travel Malaysia’s managing director, Manfred Kurz, said Diethelm’s European clients have enquired about the situation and now generally avoid selling the east coast of Sabah.

He added: “The capital city, Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas are still selling well. But demand for the east coast of Sabah reduced a lot after the Pom Pom incident in November 2013. I wouldn’t be surprised if we receive cancellations for bookings (to the east coast) later.”

Adam Kamal, general manager of Rakyat Travel said overseas travel consultants who have made bookings to Sabah for April and May have also asked if Sabah is safe.

Sabah Tourism Board has sought to reassure the travelling public. General manager and board director, Irene Benggon Charuruks, explained in an advisory issued yesterday: “The police have identified the criminals and will continue investigations. The priority is to secure the safe release of the victims. All resorts operators in the East Coast are working closely with the authorities to reinforce and enhance security measures, for the safety of visitors and guests.

“Our attractions including the dive islands-resorts in the east coast, nature and wildlife sanctuaries in Sandakan and throughout the West Coast are open all year-round. Sabah is peaceful and the people are friendly. It is business as usual.”

However, today’s edition of Malaysian daily The Star reported that police have yet to locate the gunmen and their hostages – Gao Huayun from Shanghai and Filipina resort worker Marcy Dayawan.

THE Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is setting aside S$15 million (US$11.9 million) under a new Association Development Fund (ADF) to help associations capture higher value business opportunities, develop capabilities and create unique experiences in their precincts.

Unveiling this during the Tourism Industry Conference 2014 this morning, second minister for trade and industry, S Iswaran, said: “We must focus on concepts and creating distinctive software that can maximise the value we derive from existing tourism hardware and differentiate Singapore from regional competition.”

Highlighting the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, he said: “The rising external competition, the need for innovative ideas and solutions and the growing capability of industry players all mean that our tourism industry is at a stage where interdependence is a key feature.”

According to STB’s assistant chief executive, Yap Chin Siang, this fund is part of the S$905 million Tourism Development Fund that was established in 2005 (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 23, 2012).

Yap said: “One of the key areas for (associations) to address is how to curate more distinctive experiences and to tell their precinct’s stories to visitors…This could be enhanced through training classes or seminars for the association members with the help of the fund.”

STB currently supports the Orchard Road Business Association, Chinatown Business Association and the Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association, among others.

While STB already dishes out industry assistance in various grants, Yap pointed that this fund is a first that targets association industry capability.

Howard Lim, chairman of the Society of Tourist Guides Singapore, said such funds will especially benefit non-governmental organisations associations like his. “We are a non-profit group and we rely mostly on volunteers so it is difficult to run everything efficiently from our programmes to bidding for conferences.”

Lim said that due to limited funds, there is only one full-time employee in the 500-member association. With this new grant, when approved by STB, Lim said he may use it to engage a full-time secretariat to support them better.

Applications for the ADF are now open and will close in March 2016.