CENTARA Hotels & Resorts will make its maiden foray into Laos with the opening of Centara Grand Hotel Vientiane in 2017.

Located in the downtown district of Vientiane, the hotel is owned by Simuong Group and will be developed under an investment of 1.5 billion baht (US$46.2 million).

The 200-room Grand Centara Hotel Vientiane will sport French colonial design and feature two restaurants, a Spa Cenvaree, kids club, swimming pool, fitness centre and meeting facilities, including a ballroom.

Said Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales & marketing of Centara Hotels & Resorts: “Laos is a natural market for us, being a direct neighbour of Thailand, and we are delighted that we shall have a five-star hotel in the centre of downtown Vientiane.”

“This will add to our marketing strength in South-east Asia, providing an exciting new destination for our large customer base around the world and adding to the opportunities for our business partners.”

RITZ-CARLTON Hotel Company will regain its foothold in the Australian market with the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Perth hotel in 2018.

The luxury hotel operator has signed an agreement with Asian residential apartment developer Far East Consortium for the 204-room Perth property.

It is located in Elizabeth Quay, an up-and-coming waterfront development that boasts convenient access to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Elizabeth Quay will feature 1.5km of promenade space when completed.

When finished, the hotel will also provide ground-floor retail space, waterfront fine dining and luxury one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Guests will also enjoy views of the Swan River, Kings Park and the Botanical Garden.

The ground-breaking for the hotel will take place in 2015.

THE Indian government may give the go-ahead to adventure tour operators for the use of satellite phones, with a final decision expected in the next few months.

Despite industry demands for permission to use satellite phones – previously a standard requirement to ensure the safety of adventure tourists travelling to remote areas – the government has baulked over security concerns.

However, Anand Kumar, joint secretary at India’s Ministry of Tourism, confirmed: “We are taking up the issue with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Telecommunications. We are discussing the ways we can implement it. Allowing satellite phones is in active consideration.”

Ajeet Bajaj, founder, Snow Leopard Adventures, said: “One of the major challenges faced by adventure tour operators has been the use of satellite phones, especially in the wake of rescue and search operations.”

It is expected that the government will give the go-ahead, which will be a “major boost for the industry”, he added.

Likewise, Sanjay Basu, managing director, Far Horizon Tours, said: “The safety and security of tourists is of utmost importance when we deal with foreign tour operators. Allowing satellite phones will go a long way in addressing these issues.”

Inbound adventure tourism in India is witnessing year-on-year growth of five to seven per cent and 15 to 20 per cent year-on-year domestically.

MYANMAR’S Ministry of Transport has revealed grand plans to overhaul the aviation landscape and transform Myanmar into an Asian aviation hub.

Speaking at the Myanmar Civil Aviation Development Conference 2014 in Yangon this week, Nyan Htun Aung, union minister of transport, said: “For the future of Myanmar’s aviation sector, we have set a vision that aims to make Myanmar become a major (aviation) hub in Asia.”

Four strategic thrusts were outlined: pursuing the liberalisation of economic regulation; establishing new air links to international destinations; promoting national airlines and improving infrastructure.

Tin Naing Tun, director general of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) said the ministry will first conclude air services agreements with new bilateral partners and revise some old agreements with more liberal provisions.

Myanmar will also expand air route networks to Europe, the US and Australia, as it is already linked to Japan and emerging economies like India and China, he said.

The ministry will also raise the safety and service standards of its national airlines to put it on a par with regional airlines. Furthermore, the DCA is allowing the set-up of private airlines under relevant waiver clauses despite this being disallowed by current legislation.

Finally, Tin Naing Tun said the ministry has embarked on public-private partnerships for the development of infrastructure such as airports. “These steps are supported by our new foreign investment law, paving the way for foreign investors to make investments in 20 air transport service sectors, including airports and air carriers,” he added.

Total passenger traffic to Myanmar numbered 6.5 million in 2013, a 16.5 per cent increase compared to 2012, according to DCA statistics. Twenty-eight international airlines were operating in Myanmar last year, with eight LCCs, more than double the 12 airlines in 2009.

A NEW campaign was launched in Cambodia today to prevent child sexual exploitation in tourism and spread awareness of what tourists can do to make responsible choices during travel.

Child Safe Tourism is backed by World Vision Cambodia and Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, and also part of the Australian government’s Project Childhood Prevention Pillar initiative that wants to stamp out the sexual exploitation of children in the Mekong sub-region.

Phang Chanda, Project Childhood coordinator for World Vision Cambodia said that World Vision’s research showed many travellers “wanted to help at-risk children however, they were confused about what actions they could take and wanted more information”.

Since then, promotional material such as stickers, tent cards and signboards have been created and are being distributed in Cambodia’s major tourist destinations. The travel trade has also been engaged with the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents taking charge of spreading word on the campaign.

Said Phang Chanda: “These materials provide useful information and advice to help travellers make responsible choices and take a stand against all forms of child abuse. The materials will also allow local residents and private stakeholders to take more action to better protect children.”

The campaign has also been launched in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Hor Sarun, under secretary of state at the Ministry of Tourism Cambodia, said: “Most tourists come to enjoy the beautiful attractions and culture that Cambodia has to offer, but child sexual abuse committed by a handful of tourists is a major concern for Cambodian society as well as the globe.”

SINGAPORE Changi Airport and the Okinawan prefectural government are keen to start direct flights between both destinations, a link that will promote Singapore as a hub to Okinawa.

Both sides signed an MoU at the international terminal of Okinawa’s Naha Airport yesterday, pledging to work closely to promote tourism and trade ties between the Japanese prefecture and Singapore, as well as South-east Asia, India and Australia.

The MoU will see Changi Airport and Okinawa establish new direct routes from Singapore to boost arrivals, beginning with charter flights launched in collaboration with airlines and travel agency partners.

Wong Woon Liong, senior advisor to Singapore Changi Airport, said: “This MoU is aimed at enhancing direct air connectivity between the two cities. Changi Airport is keen to establish a direct link to Okinawa. The prefecture shares the common interest to promote tourism, trade and transport people from one destination to another.”

“With this non-stop flight inauguration, it will decrease flight time to Okinawa, and provide greater comfort and convenience to business and leisure travellers. To start with, we will work together with key travel agencies to launch charter flights between Singapore and Okinawa. This will create and further develop the Singapore-Okinawa market for the first scheduled direct flights. We are also planning to conduct marketing promotion activities together,” he added.

MELIÁ Hotels International has inked an agreement for a second Innside by Meliá hotel in Indonesia, to be opened in December 2015.

The 130-room Innside by Meliá Makassar will be situated 25 minutes from Sultan Hassanuddin International Airport and five minutes from the main shopping and business areas of Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi.

The hotel will also feature two restaurants, meeting rooms, a fitness centre and a swimming pool.

According to a press release, Meliá expects business travellers to make up 80 per cent of guests at the hotel.

The Spanish hotel chain is on a roll in Asia, having announced plans for properties in China, Vietnam and Indonesia in January this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 29, 2014).

The first Innside by Meliá hotel will open in early 2015 in Jogjakarta, with 258 rooms.

ODISHA is banking on its allure as a Buddhist tourism destination to draw arrivals from South-east Asian countries such Thailand and Malaysia and reach its annual arrivals target.

The state recorded around 70,000 international tourist arrivals in the fiscal year 2013/2014.

“We are looking to promote our diamond circuit, which comprises the Buddhist sites of Udyagiri, Lalitgiri and Ratnagiri, in South-east Asia. Presently, we are receiving around 3,000 tourists from South-east Asia which is not encouraging. We are targeting 100,000 international arrivals and the South-east Asian region will be our focus,” said MR Patnaik, director, tourism, Government of Odisha.

To that end, the board is planning to start roadshows in South-east Asia in April and has multiplied its budget to develop infrastructure that meets international standards, such as hotels and roads.

“Our tourism budget was Rs700 million (US$11.5 million), which we have increased to Rs3.6 billion (US$59.2 million) for the financial year 2014-2015,” said Patnaik. Odisha has earmarked Rs1 billion (US$16.4 million) for the diamond circuit and the golden circuit that comprises Konark, Puri and Bhubaneswar.

“International arrivals are expected to increase with Odisha getting its first international airport in the form of Biju Pattnaik International airport last year (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 27, 2014). Odisha has many sites of importance for Buddhists so promoting such places in South-east Asia will help the state to draw more international tourists,” said Ranjan Kumar Mishra, managing director, Eastern Voyage.

“Developing infrastructure and tourist facilities at Buddhist sites will go a long way in attracting international tourists especially from neighbouring South-east Asian countries. At present we get few international guests in our properties. With the international airport coming up in Bhubaneswar and promotional efforts of the government, we expect numbers to grow in coming months,” said Jyoti Ranjan Pattanaik, regional manager-sales, The Crown.

FRHI Hotels & Resorts has bought the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa in Berkeley, California in partnership with California financier Richard Blum and family.

The property will be refurbished and branded as a Fairmont Hotels & Resorts hotel, joining other landmarks such as New York’s The Plaza and The Fairmont San Francisco.

Offering 279 rooms and suites, the hotel boasts views of the San Francisco Bay, castle-like architecture and history dating back to 1915.

It also includes a 1,500-member strong Social & Tennis Club that utilises the hotel’s amenities.

Other FRHI properties in California include: The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont San Jose, The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, The Fairmont Newport Beach, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows and The Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square.

Kevin Frid, president, Americas, FRHI Hotels & Resorts, said: “Growth continues to be one of our top priorities, so we are extremely excited to be adding an asset as attractive as the Claremont.

“We see this as an opportunity to grow one of our leading brands with the right product, in the right market, and firmly believe the hotel is a perfect complement to many of the other celebrated hotels in the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts portfolio.”