Kurt Macher
KURT Macher has joined Pan Pacific Singapore as resident manager.
Macher brings with him 18 years of international experience in the hospitality industry and was last executive assistant manager at The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Rory Campbell named DOSM of Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort
Rory Campbell
AUSTRALIAN Rory Campbell has been appointed director of sales and marketing for the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort in Thailand, with effect from yesterday.
Campbell has 15 years’ experience of hotel sales and marketing in senior executive positions at Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas in Thailand, the Eaton Hotel in Hong Kong, and with the Duxton Hotel and Rydges Hotel, both in Perth.
He was last director of sales and marketing – rooms at Hilton Barcelona.
Preferred Hotel Group picks new director of revenue account management
DANIEL Chong has been appointed director of revenue account management & global strategy, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa for Preferred Hotel Group.
Chong, who will be based in Singapore, has 20 years of experience in hospitality and seven years in international banking. He has worked at major hospitality companies including Hyatt International and InterContinental Hotels Group.
He was last corporate director at Banyan Tree Hotels & Resort.
Changi Airport unveils plans for new mega terminal
SINGAPORE Changi Airport will get a fifth terminal that can handle up to 50 million passengers a year as part of an ambitious expansion plan spanning over a decade.
Announced at a media briefing last Friday, The Straits Times reported that the aim was “to seal the airport’s premier hub status”, in view of growing competition from other air hubs in the region and beyond.
Slated for opening in 2025, Terminal 5 will be bigger than Terminals 2 and 3 combined. It could either be a single building or a smaller facility connected to a satellite terminal through an underground rail link.
It will be located at Changi East, linked to the rest of the airport, and possibly have its own MRT station.
When completed, Changi expects the new terminal to catapult the airport’s total passenger capacity to 135 million annually, up from 66 million currently.
Meanwhile, Yap Ong Heng, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, said there are plans to “stretch” the airports existing two runways. Singapore’s third runway at Changi East will be operational around 2020.
Aman debuts in Vietnam with Amano’i
AMANRESORTS has expanded its South-east Asian footprint with the launch of its first property, Amano’i, in Vietnam.
Situated north-east of Ho Chi Minh City on the coast of Nui Chua National Park, Amano’i offers 31 Pavilions, private swimming pools and five Aman Villas, all with a view of Vinh Hy Bay.
Notably, Aman Villas consist of four or five free-standing bedroom pavilions, as well as living and dining pavilions and a private swimming pool. They also come with a live-in housekeeper and cook.
The resort’s recreational facilities include the full-service Aman Spa, a gym, a pilates studio, a lakeside yoga pavilion, two outdoor tennis courts and the expansive Beach Club.
Amanresorts is also in Phuket (Amanpuri), Siem Reap (Amansara) and Luang Prabang (Amantaka).
Jet Airways to add one more Mumbai-Singapore service
JET Airways will further increase connectivity between India and Singapore with the commencement of a second daily service from Mumbai to the Lion City this November.
A Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be deployed for the day flight, complementing the existing daily late-evening Airbus A330 flight.
From November 1, Flight 9W 10 will depart Mumbai at 09.50 to arrive in Singapore at 18.00, while Flight 9W 09 will depart Singapore at 20.05 to arrive in Mumbai at 23.10.
The additional frequency will also make Jet Airways the only Indian carrier to operate six daily direct flights connecting Singapore with New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.
Amadeus engages travel agencies with VIP Innovation Series Workshops
AMADEUS has launched its VIP Innovation Series Workshops, with the aim to provide travel agencies with an in-depth look at the trends and new technologies that will shape the industry over the next 18-36 months.
Having recently held its inaugural workshop in Bangkok for more than 20 participants representing Asia-Pacific’s top travel agencies, VIP Innovation Series is the first of many planned for the region over the next 18 months.
Attendees will have an exclusive peek at Amadeus’ new suite of solutions that will be introduced to travel agencies over the coming year, including mobile and social media solutions that will help them increase sales, enhance customer service and improve operational efficiency.
Amadeus Asia-Pacific vice president for customer solutions, Bruno des Fontaines, said that constant innovation is key to staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
“These workshops are a great opportunity to build on mutually beneficial long-term relationships and to better understand how we can help our customers. Our role in Asia-Pacific is to develop new solutions and continue to support our customers’ success. We believe these workshops are just one way to do that,” he added.
Sino branches into serviced apartments in Hong Kong
SINO Group of Hotels announced yesterday the opening of The Johnston Suites, the first serviced apartments under its management.
The property on 74-80 Johnston Road was formerly Frasers Suites Hong Kong. It offers 87 apartments ranging from 52.1m2 to 92.9m2, with a special monthly rate starting from HK$36,500 (US$4,707).
Each apartment comes with a separate spacious living room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen. Recreational facilities include outdoor terraces and rooftop leisure areas, a jet pool, a whirlpool and a gym.
In a press statement, the group’s executive director and group general manager, Nicholas Yim, said: “We see a rising demand for the serviced apartment market in Hong Kong, and foresee an average occupancy rate at an uptrend of 85 to 90 per cent for The Johnston Suites.”
Abu Dhabi hotels record double-digit growth, court Chinese tourists
ABU Dhabi’s hotels and apartments welcomed more guests in the first seven months of this year compared to any other period, according to figures recently released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
Compared with the same period last year, from January to July, guest arrivals increased 10 per cent to 1.5 million. They generated almost 4.8 million guest nights, up 23 per cent, with guests staying an average of 3.2 nights, a rise of 12 per cent, and driving occupancy up by seven per cent to 68 per cent.
Year-to-date hotel revenues rose 16 per cent to almost three billion dirhams (US$81.5 million), with F&B accounting for 1.2 billion dirhams.
TCA Abu Dhabi director general, Mubarak Al Muhairi, said: “These results make encouraging reading when viewed against the fact that hotel inventory in the emirate has grown from 137 properties and 23,613 rooms in 2012 to 146 offering 25,300 rooms this year.
“With a final quarter ahead of us which is packed with major events, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Seatrade Middle East Forum and the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, the best results of the year have yet to come.”
India sent the most arrivals (92,529, up 21 per cent over 2012), followed by the UK (86,284, up eight per cent) and Germany (67,968, up 25 per cent).
Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry is also developing tailored products and attractions to cater to the lucrative Chinese market, which delivered 23,618 hotel guests in the first seven months, up 36 per cent year-on-year.
TCA Abu Dhabi director of strategy & policy, Mohammed Al Dhaheri, said: “Local stakeholders are developing specific packages catering for peak Chinese travel times, such as the Golden Week and Chinese New Year, and are increasingly employing Mandarin and Cantonese speaking staff to take advantage of opportunities afforded by the growing air links from China.
“Chinese visitors are staying with us longer and in greater numbers, largely because there’s now much more to see and do with Yas Waterworld, public beaches on Yas and Saadiyat islands and a flurry of new hotels and resorts which have come online.
“Our shopping offering has expanded, with The Galleria at Sowwah Square on Al Maryah Island bringing a new luxury precinct to the emirate’s financial district.
Singapore Jewelfest 2013 returns
ASIA’S only curated luxury jewellery fest returns to Singapore from October 11-20 and will see the debut of 15 jewellery designers and jewellery houses.
To be held in the custom-built Jewel Pavilion in Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, Orchard Road, Singapore Jewelfest will feature a lineup of fine jewellers from the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including the likes of Forevermark, Miiori New York, Kavant Jewelry, and Caratell.
This will satisfy jewelry connoisseur’s desire for high-vaue investment pieces and art lovers’ demand to see masterful design and innovation.
Debuting at this year’s edition are home-grown and Asian brands such as House of Fine Gems and Sharart Design, while European brands that will make their first appearance include Messerer Juwelier from Switzerland and Germany’s Heinz Mayer.
