The region’s leading attractions describe their most unusual requests in 2013 and the ways they overcame the challenges

Flight of the Gibbon, Chonburi, Thailand
Ian Leonard, COO

The most unusual request this year was from a Malaysian gentleman who asked if there was anywhere on our zip line course where he could propose to his girlfriend. It was our pleasure to ensure the first request of this nature succeeds, so we planned his proposal spot at the finish of the course, which lies at a 45m abseil down from a 350-year old banyan tree.

On the day, we spoke with the gentleman’s brother-in-law to abseil down first to the bottom in order to get his video recorder ready, followed by the nervous gentleman who was about to propose to his girlfriend. Then came the bride-to-be, who came down the abseil totally unaware of what was about to happen.

When she reached the bottom, the gentleman fell to his knees and asked his girlfriend if she would marry him. The look of shock on her face was worth a thousand words; she said yes and burst into tears as he put the ring on her finger.
The brother-in-law then gave her a bouquet of flowers specially prepared by us, and there was much happiness at Flight of the Gibbon that day.  – Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

Gardens by the Bay Singapore
Ong Chui Leng, director, programming

Gardens by the Bay was the venue for the Mid-Autumn Festival @ The Gardens 2013 between September 13-22, marking the Garden’s first partnership with Singapore Press Holdings’ Chinese newspapers division and the People’s Association to organise the event.

While we had hosted many evening programmes at the Gardens before, this was the first time that we have been involved in organising a night festival of such scale. The 10-day event featured 54 huge lantern sets spread across the Gardens’ grounds and numerous activities, from stage performances and food stalls at The Meadow to handicrafts at the Supertree Grove.

As the lanterns had to be crafted on-site, a temporary workshop for the craftsmen was set up at one end of the Gardens. Even though we had pre-determined the locations of the lantern sets, we still had to move the displays several times to find the perfect spot to maximise visibility to facilitate movement around the Gardens and encourage visitors to explore our extensive grounds while taking in the colourful sights.

To complement the festivities taking place outdoors, Gardens by the Bay put up a special Mid-Autumn-themed floral display in our Flower Dome. Opening hours of our cooled conservatories, information counters, retail and F&B establishments were also extended during the 10-day period. The Gardens further extended support to the event by mobilising staff to assist with traffic and crowd control.  – Hannah Koh

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Martin Leung, business solutions & events director

Earlier this year, a client approached us looking for a venue for their bi-annual town hall meeting cum company outing for over 1,000 staff.  While the venue had to be well-suited for a corporate presentation, it also had to be inspiring and fun for that wow factor.

We leveraged our circular, concert hall setting of the Theater in the Wild in Adventureland, as a non-traditional platform. Gobo plate projections on the theatre floor were utilised instead of using the usual screen-and-projector-type presentation. This ultra-creative approach and unique environment made for a more interactive and unforgettable experience. – Lee Pei Qi

Mutiara Taman Negara, Pahang, Malaysia
Nathan Vaithi, general manager

The most unusual request we had recently was from a Dutch couple who wanted to do a Malay traditional wedding in our resort amid the rainforest. They asked if we could organise the event for them. This was the first time we received such a request to hold a wedding ceremony in our property.

We sent them details of the facilities available here and the pricing for organising a traditional Malay wedding ceremony for 60 pax. We are awaiting their reply. – S Puvaneswary

What’s in your travel bag?

With their firm understanding of the local destinations, these travel experts dispense advice on what to pack or take away if they were visitors to their own countries

Laurent Granier
Co-founder & general manager,
Laos Mood Travel

A bottle of lao-lao (rice liquor):  make ‘Laogria’, the Lao version of the Spanish sangria, to wow guests at a home party. Otherwise, get a big, well-wrapped bottle of Beer Lao as you may find only smaller versions in cans outside Laos. Add some ice into your glass and recall the lovely sunset on the Mekong River.

A rattan kator ball (sepak takraw), which is light and can be played anytime, anywhere. Impress your friends with your juggling skills or organise a game.

A Lao cookbook: after you have participated in a Lao cooking class, show off your newly acquired techniques of mixing herbs and ingredients to make unusual appetisers and dishes during BYOD (bring your own dishes) parties.

Traveling can be educational, so be engaged and buy responsibly such as a T-shirt from the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise and spread the word on the ban of cluster munitions or recycled and fair-traded scrap items like spoons and bracelets made by communities affected by unexploded ordnances. – Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

Joey del Rosario
Director of operations,
Annset Holidays Philippines

Pack a hygiene pouch with a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving set and other personal items. With the exception of luxury properties, hotels outside Manila generally will have only basic amenities like soap, shampoo and towel in the room, so other personal items will come in handy.

An emergency kit with personal utilities will be useful in case of delays or transfers, especially since the geographical set-up of the Philippines often require travellers to hop from one destination to the other by car, boat and/or a short flight.

Casual wear like T-shirts, shorts and a pair of good walking shoes will be ideal for exploring the Philippines, which is home to a lot of destinations with natural beauty. Cameras and the latest gadgets will enable you to capture the unforgettable moments and share them with your loved ones, friends and all.  – Rosa Ocampo

Eimi Miwa
Sales manager, international sales for Asia & Oceania, international travel division, Nippon Travel Agency Japan

First, a camera to capture pictures of both the traditional and modern sides of Japan, whether it’s the bustling cities of Tokyo and Osaka or the countryside.

Second, a portable Wi-Fi device as there are not many free Wi-Fi spots in Japan and tourists will have to pay US$10 a day for Internet access. Hotels receive a lot of complaints about this.

Third, a travel guidebook and translator app on my phone, as most Japanese cannot speak English and I would have to explain what I want in Japanese. – Hannah Koh

Leonardus Nyoman
Managing director, Flores Exotic Tours Indonesia

Whenever I travel in Indonesia, I bring along my camera and support accessories. I love taking pictures and there are just so many interesting things to capture in Indonesia. I always post the pictures on social media and share them among my photography club friends. This also serves the purpose of promoting Indonesia.

I always carry my laptop wherever I go in order to check emails and the latest news. A first aid kit with medicine for small injuries, mosquito repellent and vitamins are always in my bag, not only useful for myself but also for travel companions or even people we meet during a trip. – Mimi Hudoyo

Manish Poddar
Vice president – sales & marketing, Orient Express Travels & Tours India

A mobile phone to stay in touch with family, colleagues and work partners, a compact camera with a rechargeable battery as India has many interesting sights and monuments, and a comfortable pair of shoes for sightseeing. – S Puvaneswary

That’s all folks – as we bid goodbye to a year of ups and downs, the TTG Asia team recollects the outstanding and not-so-great moments encountered while working the ground

Best My best interview of the year was with Pansy Ho, managing director of Shun Tak Holdings, which seems to have a finger in every pie of Macau tourism.

Like her father Stanley Ho, she’s a force behind Macau’s tourism destiny, but I glimpsed new-generation thinking, passion and drive. She was powerful yet accessible, talking patiently to each of the delegates circling her after her panel at the PATA Annual Summit in Bangkok. When my turn came, she agreed to a 30-minute private interview at the Centara lounge. I made her promise to be there (I had an experience when the CEO just didn’t show up) – she was there before me.

Worst A CEO friend wanted me to develop “strategic communications and promotions”, “beautiful full-page features” and “interviews with photos” for him and his company in not just TTG Asia print but “also TTG UK and others”.

I’d featured him when he launched his company and acquiesced whenever he asked for email addresses in the early days, but this was a little greedy of a friend, aside from being offensive to a journalist, who does not do PR.

Raini Hamdi, senior editor

Best I attended the Asian Attractions Expo for the first time this year when it was held at Marina Bay Sands in June, and was awestruck by all the science and technology that went into creating a theme park. I used to think that anything with 4D capability was wonderful, but after walking through the exhibition, I realised how backward I was. Also, through my interviews with International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions’ chiefs and production specialists, I learnt that the sole pursuit of the latest technology will not bring lasting success, as theme parks are an emotional product and a great storyline is king. The expo made me appreciate theme parks so much more.

Worst None, thankfully!

Karen Yue, group editor

Best This year’s TravelRave Leaders Gala was well-executed by Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Held at Gardens by the Bay, it offered a platform to mingle with the region’s who’s who and showcased the country’s event capabilities amid a verdant setting. The F&B was orchestrated by pop-up restaurant Gastrogig, which rounded up an unconventional culinary collective, from a gourmet food truck-cum-social enterprise to edible gardens. This wasn’t all. An STB representative booked cabs for delegates as transport out of the park was anticipated to be a problem. Good service is always a winner.

Worst I was rudely brushed off by a seller at ITB Asia who had earlier granted an interview to my TTG China colleague. Even after I explained that we worked for two separate publications, she insisted it was “first come, first served”. It was the first time in my years of reporting I encountered such a “policy”.

Gracia Chiang, deputy group editor

Best I was assigned to stay at Banyan Tree Hotel & Resorts’ upscale Banyan Tree Lang Co property. It was four glorious days of sun and sea, being chauffeured around in buggies, feasting on top-notch Vietnamese fare and getting some me time by the private pool of my own villa. The highlight was a visit to a local fishing village. There, a sun-baked fisherwoman with an endearingly toothy grin steered our party through mangrove swamps and emerald green waters in a coracle held together with tar and buffalo dung. Which is far more charming than it sounds, I assure you.

Worst I was tasked to go to the launch of a refurbished cruise ship in January and to interview the cruise line’s CEO.

Despite having sent in my questions at the PR department’s request, the CEO had not been briefed and refused to answer most questions due to their “sensitive” nature, leaving me with very little to report on. Worse, the PR in-charge later said with thinly veiled patronisation: “Well, you’re not a real reporter, are you?” It was disappointing to see how the region’s leading cruise line could be so unprofessional.

Hannah Koh, assistant editor, TTG Asia Online

Best The impressive hospitality from the Taiwanese during a fam trip there. And I am not just talking about the locals in the hosted facilities, but basically everyone from the taxi driver to the guy selling street snacks. They literally welcomed me with open arms, making me feel right at home.

Worst During a media event, the company spokesman introduced me to everyone as a representative from Channel NewsAsia and I had to awkwardly clarify that I am from TTG Asia. He did not seem apologetic too.

Lee Pei Qi, assistant editor, Singapore

Best In 2008, Exotissimo Travel’s Hamish Keith hired me for a position in the company, prompting my move to Bangkok and launching a career in travel journalism. Five years later, we saw a reversal of roles as I got to interview my ex-boss-turned-friend Hamish in my position as a TTG Asiareporter. I enjoyed the interview and felt very happy to be part of Thailand’s dynamic tourism landscape. After all, Thailand has become my second home.

Worst When I approached the staff of a Chinese airline for more information at a recent tradeshow, all of them ignored me; one even gave me an exasperated look and asked me to visit the website instead. And when I asked for a contact, they said they were sales staff and could not provide a point of contact to their marketing/communications department. I wonder why the airline bothered to take up a booth space at the show when the money could be spent on training its staff on better communication skills.

Xinyi Liang-Pholsena, assistant editor, Thailand

Best Stumbling on the Chinese government’s new tourism law that became effective October 1 while interviewing Malaysian inbound agencies handling the Chinese market for their 2014 business predictions. I was very lucky to get an opportunity to sit in at their discussions. This turned out to be a page one story in TTG Asia.

Worst The worse function I attended was the launch of the 1Malaysia year-end sale in mid-November.  As it was during the rainy season, the organiser created a temporary tent to hold this event. It rained heavily that evening. The tent leaked and was just too small to accommodate everyone. Many reporters turned up for this event and anticipated a press conference with the tourism minister, who did not want to hold one. Perhaps he anticipated unwelcomed questions on the kidnapping of the Taiwanese tourist and her husband who was killed in Pom Pom Island just two days earlier.

I was sorely disappointed. Why were the media called to cover an event without a press conference? Why not just send out a press release and save everyone time and money?

S Puvaneswary, editor, Malaysia/Brunei

Best The fam trip to Solok, West Sumatra. The trip was an eye-opener for me, showing me how a small city which did not exist on the Indonesian tourism map managed to place itself on it within 10 years of development. From a city deserted by its inhabitants following the end of the coal era, Solok has managed to draw people back and develop agricultural and travel-related businesses. I was impressed by the local government and community’s ability to accommodate a large number of guests for dinner at the old railway station, despite the lack of restaurants.

Worst When one airline, through its media consultant, invited TTG Asia to attend its press conference at ITB Berlin and I was assigned to cover it. The press conference turned out to be in German, which I don’t understand, and there was no English press release.

I requested for an interview with the airline’s executive right after the press conference but was turned down due to the person’s full schedule. The English press release eventually arrived in my mail box in the evening, but I couldn’t submit my story without seeking additional information.

Mimi Hudoyo, editor, Indonesia

Best Chatting with Phoenix Voyages’ Jean Michel Romon about his calamitous experiences as the official ground agent for the World Economic Forum in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. It was the first major event to be hosted in the country, which has scant infrastructure for such events. For some 2,500 delegates, the 220-strong team arranged 5,000 room nights across 22 hotels, more than 800 transfers and 14 charter flights. To ensure attendees could get from A to B in the city, 146 cars and buses had to be transported from Yangon and Mandalay as Naypyidaw has only 11 private taxis. But as Romon said: “It was hard but worth it. Everyone was proud to play a part, especially the Burmese.”

Worst Networking and meeting sources are especially important when reporting on trade events. But at September’s Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macau, journalists were separated from delegates, save for pre-arranged interviews. We dined and were accommodated separately, and only had an hour post-event to rub shoulders with the travel trade’s great and good, by which time most seemed more keen on wine than being interviewed.

Greg Lowe, correspondent, Thailand

Best The city’s grand dame – The Peninsula Hong Kong – threw a celebratory gala to mark its 85^thanniversary. The open house concept was adopted, with all outlets lavishly decorated and opened to invited guests, complete with free flow of wine, food, live music and entertainment.

Worst Taipei ITF this year, which was branded as its biggest show ever. I had to pin down as many trade buyers and sellers in the first morning, which was the only session for the trade. The show drew more than 310,000 visitors, and I lost my voice after three days.

Prudence Lui, correspondent, Hong Kong

Best One of the best interviews was with Chris Heim of Sea Explorers,
a diving and travel expert company based in Cebu, which opened in 1989 and now operates in four main locations. Meeting him and other dive operators gave me the chance to write about one of the Philippines’ genuine advantages as the world’s true centre of marine biodiversity: the best diving in the world is here, guys.

Worst At one travel association’s meeting, Department of Foreign Affairs representatives were there to brief the members on changes in passporting procedures. When the Q&A rolled around, some travel consultants were very vocal about feeling excluded from the new process, which intends to end the need for their services. This avenue of business is starting to close for the trade, but some appear to hang on without looking for other opportunities.

Marriane Carandang, correspondent, The Philippines

Best Interviews with John Paul Cabalza, president, Philippine Travel Agencies Association. Not only is he nice, accessible and approachable, he also has depth. His comments are well-thought out and analytical.

Worst In the Visayas just weeks apart, the tragedy wrought by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that crippled Bohol and to a much lesser extent Cebu, followed by super typhoon Haiyan that flattened Tacloban, eastern Samar, certain parts of Cebu and several other destinations.

Rosa Ocampo, correspondent, The Philippines

Best Undoubtedly ATM in Dubai. It was an event that unfolded with clockwork precision. The media conferences and briefings were spaced well with plenty of prior information handed out at the media centre that was located in the hub of all activity and not tucked away in a corner as in many other events. The exhibitor booths were also buzzing with activity and were well manned so one got the opportunity to speak to at least one person during any unscheduled visit.

Worst Although the maiden IBTM India was a success with its one-on-one meeting format, as hosted media I was offered two nights’ accommodation for a three-day event and no airport-hotel transfers. On the final day, one had to check out in the middle of the day’s proceedings and leave before all the sessions were over as we had to catch our respective flights. One expects an international event to make it more convenient for hosted delegates and I hope they will next year. I would want to work through the entire IBTM India event as it was buzzing!

Shekhar Niyogi, chief correspondent, India

Best/Worst Meeting a group of Chinese travel consultants in Colombo for an interview, I was more intrigued than amused to find there was a Mr Sketic (I heard it as ‘sceptic’), Mr Trigger (certainly looked a happy bloke) and Mr Sword among them. Honestly!

The interview went on well, but there were occasions when they couldn’t understand my English (or maybe my accent). There were times they smiled sheepishly or nodded their heads; I didn’t know whether they nodded in agreement or didn’t understand a clue of what I said!

Feizal Samath, correspondent, Sri Lanka

Best The opening of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan in August was the best event for me. Apart from the fact that the property is located in a serene and peaceful setting, I finally got to be on a media fam trip! The opening also coincided with my birthday so that was special too. It was my first trip to Pune, and I found the city to be a wonderful place for a sojourn, thanks to its pleasant weather and people.

Worst The “exclusive interview” with a senior official of the Ministry of Tourism in the beginning of the year turned out to be a damp squib. Even though I waited for three hours at the ministry’s office for the interview, the senior diplomat was not keen to answer my questions and would only divulge information that I already had.

Rohit Kaul, correspondent, New Delhi

The rest of us

From left: Kathy Neo, copy editor, Sim Kok Chwee, correspondent-at-large, Lina Tan, editorial assistant, Redmond Sia and Goh Meng Yong, creative designer

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the TTG ASIA editorial team!