METASEARCH site Wego has launched the Wego Affiliate Network (WAN.travel), a new platform and set of tools that will allow travel and tourism website publishers to integrate flight and hotel searches into their own sites.

WAN.travel provides affiliates with embeddable search boxes that can be customised through simple point-and-click interfaces, as well as a white-labelled version of Wego’s metasearch product.

Travel publishers seeking more tailored products can use the Wego Flights and Hotels APIs.

Affiliates will also enjoy the support of a dedicated account manager to guide them throughout the integration and customisation process with ongoing optimisation assistance and recommendations.

Allister Barretto, director of affiliate marketing, said: “For many years Wego’s travel metasearch technology has been used by major airports, national tourism boards and large travel portals who have customised and rebranded the Wego experience, and offered it as a feature for their own users.

“Affiliates who have been beta-testing the new WAN.travel platform are seeing significantly higher returns compared to common text ads and static display advertising.

“The gains have been even more significant for sites that attract a higher proportion of users who are in ‘shopping mode’.”

The platform is available at WAN.travel.

SILVERSEA Cruises will launch two 11-day cruises from Singapore to Hong Kong aboard Silver Shadow in 1H2014, calling on popular South-east Asian destinations in Vietnam and Thailand along the way.

Sailing from Singapore on March 19 and April 8, Silver Shadow will first call at Koh Samui before docking overnight in Bangkok, while in Vietnam ports of call include Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Chan May – gateway to the Central Coast cities of Danang and Hoi An. The 382-guest ship then rounds up the trip in Hong Kong.

All-inclusive, cruise-only fares start from US$4,750 per person, based on double occupancy.

MILLENNIUM & Copthorne (M&C) Hotels yesterday announced that it will acquire the Novotel New York Times Square for US$273.6 million, marking the company’s fourth hotel in Manhattan.

Situated in the heart of the Manhattan theatre district, the 34-storey building comprises a 480-room hotel, office and retail space, and a penthouse apartment. The property was built in 1981, and wrapped up extensive renovations in November last year.

Novotel New York Times Square will continue to be managed by the Accor Group under an existing agreement. Long-term leases for office and retail space on the first four floors of the building as well as the top-floor penthouse space will be handed over to M&C.

M&C chairman, Kwek Leng Beng, said: “Times Square is one of the world’s top tourist destinations and this beautifully refurbished property will undoubtedly increase our share of the international travel market in New York, one of our three key gateway cities.

“The property is an important strategic investment for M&C Hotels and will complement our existing midtown and downtown Manhattan hotels without adding significantly to central management costs.”

Completion of the acquisition is expected to occur during the second quarter of 2014.

Novotel New York Times Square will strengthen M&C’s existing portfolio in New York, which includes Millennium Broadway Hotel, Millenium Hilton and ONE UN New York.

INDIA’S Ministry of Culture is holding a string of festivals in South-east Asia to give potential travellers a taste of Indian culture and whet their appetites.

A delegation of 75 artistes will showcase India through food, art, dance, film, a Buddhist exhibition and yoga in Laos (February 9 to 11), Cambodia (February 14 to 19), Vietnam (March 6 to 15) and Myanmar (March 17 to 21).

Sources from the Ministry of Tourism said the festivals would focus on lesser-known destinations including Odisha, Gujarat, West Bengal, Puducherry, Kashmir and Karnataka.

Amaresh Tiwari, managing director of AT Seasons and Vacations Travel, called the move a “constructive” one as it would “enthuse” more tourists from South-east Asia to visit.

Meanwhile Harihar Patra, director-marketing of Odisha-based Toshali Resorts International, said: “With international flights being introduced from South-east Asia to Bhubaneswar (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 27, 2014), it is time that the (state’s tourism offerings) are showcased to elicit the interest of travellers from shorthaul destinations.”

Debjit Dutta, director, Impression Tourism Services, said travel agencies could bank on newfound familiarity with India to build interesting itineraries beyond the Golden Triangle and Goa. “There is so much more India has to offer, but unless you know it, why would you go there?”

HILTON Worldwide has signed an agreement with K Raheja Group’s Palm Grove Beach Hotels to manage India’s first Conrad hotel when it opens in Pune in 2015.

John TA Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands, Hilton Worldwide, said: “Pune is a key gateway destination and we are delighted to establish our brand’s presence in India, one of the key strategic growth markets for Hilton Worldwide, starting with this wonderful city.”

The art deco style luxury property is located in the central business district of Pune, and will offer 310 rooms, six exclusive F&B outlets, a spa, outdoor swimming pool, conferencing facilities and a 24-hour business centre.

Nilesh Bhansali, director of Devam Tours & Travels Pune, said: “Luxury brands like Conrad coming to Pune augurs well, as tourism is bound to increase with better quality hotel rooms.

“Pune’s industries are buzzing, MICE activity is on the rise and inbound footfalls are increasing. Moreover, we are connected by road, train and air to Mumbai, the nearest international gateway city.”

THAI Airways International (THAI) has announced flight frequencies for the upcoming summer season and said the adjustments are unrelated to the political situation in Bangkok.

All changes are effective for the summer season, from end-March to end-October.

This season the carrier will be increasing the following flights:
–       Bangkok-Madrid-Bangkok, from three to four flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Denpasar-Bangkok, from five to seven flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Chongqing-Bangkok, from three to four flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Colombo-Bangkok, from six to seven flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Hyderabad-Bangkok, from four to five flights weekly

Meanwhile, THAI will trim frequencies on these routes:
–       Bangkok-Frankfurt-Bangkok, from six to five flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Copenhagen-Bangkok, from seven to six flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Oslo-Bangkok, from seven to five flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Stockholm-Bangkok, from seven to six flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Zurich-Bangkok, from seven flights to six flights per week
–       Bangkok-Moscow-Bangkok, from six to four flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Brisbane-Bangkok, from seven to five flights weekly
–       Bangkok-Islamabad-Bangkok, from four to three flights weekly

THAI will be suspending these flights:
–       Bangkok-Sendai-Bangkok
–       Copenhagen-Phuket-Copenhagen
–       Stockholm-Phuket-Stockholm
–       Bangkok-Luang Prabang-Bangkok

THOMAS Cook India has acquired India’s Sterling Holiday Resorts in a US$140 million cash and share-swap deal expected to be concluded by 4Q2014.

The deal is subject to statutory approval, after which Sterling will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Thomas Cook.

Madhavan Menon, managing director of Thomas Cook India, commented: “This is a win-win deal for both of us. Thomas Cook will be able to sell Sterling resorts to its own customers.”

Use of the Sterling brand will be discontinued as well, added Menon.

Sterling Holiday’s managing director, Ramesh Ramanathan, said: “With the cash infusion, Sterling will be able to ramp up the number of resorts and renovate the existing ones.”

Business has been sluggish in the vacation ownership segment due to the depressed economic climate. Sterling, which has 19 full-service resorts in 16 destinations in the country and 1,477 apartments, has seen its occupancy levels rise from 16 per cent to 52 per cent in recent years. It has 70,409 members and gets half its business from non-members.

Manoj Bhadola, COO of Worldwide Tour Services New Delhi, said: “The marketing prowess of Thomas Cook will certainly fill up occupancy and help build the resorts according to customer needs and demand.”

TRAVELLERS have opted to stay put along Penang’s most popular beach despite news last week of contaminated headwater in Sungai Batu Ferringhi river.

According to a New Straits Times report today, the Department of Environment Malaysia confirmed yesterday that untreated human waste has been discharged into the waters of the Sungai Batu Ferringhi, resulting in an alarmingly high level of infection-causing e.coli bacteria and pollution of the beachfront.

A massive clean-up since Wednesday has seen numbers plunge, and natural resources and environment minister G Palanivel has not ruled out the role of nearby hotels, residents and eateries in the situation.

Yap Sook Ling, managing director at Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel said: “We have a number of European clients, mainly from the UK, staying in Batu Ferringhi. We have advised them not to go to the beach. We are prepared to relocate them to city hotels if that was what they wished for, but so far there is no such request.”

Diethelm Travel Malaysia has meanwhile sent out an advisory to its overseas partners several days ago to keep them informed of the situation in Batu Ferringhi, and there has not been any cancellations yet.

Said managing director Manfred Kurz: “We sell Penang as a cultural and historical destination and with an opportunity to stay in a beach resort. Swimming in the sea at Batu Ferringhi is not very common due to jellyfish. Guests prefer the hotel swimming pools.”

Ganneesh Ramaa, manager, Luxury Tours Malaysia said immediate action should be taken to clean up the contamination, otherwise tourism in Penang would suffer.