Peter Katusak-Huzsvar
PETER Katusak-Huzsvar has been appointed the new general manager of the first W hotel in mainland China, W Guangzhou.
The hospitality veteran brings with him more than 20 years of experience and was last general manager of W St Petersburg, where he was responsible for the Russian property’s pre-opening and opening activities.
Katusak-Huzsvar has also worked with big-name hotel operators such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Kempinski Hotels.
FREDERICK de Marcy Chelin has been nominated director of sales and marketing for Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa, which is due to open in the Indian Ocean in December.
De Chelin has notched up eight years’ hospitality experience in Mauritius, having worked for Starwood Hotels & Resorts during the last four years as director of corporate and group sales.
Before that, he was with two destination management companies in Mauritius.
THE global adventure travel market has grown at 65 per cent annually since 2009 and is estimated to have been worth US$263 billion last year, excluding airfare, reported a new study.
The consumer report 2013 Adventure Tourism Market Study, produced by The George Washington University conducted in partnership with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), studied the three key outbound regions of Europe, North America and South America, which account for almost 70 per cent of overall international departures.
According to the study, the exponential growth in adventure tourism over the years reflects the surge in international tourism and can also be attributed to the increase in the percentage of European and South American travellers classified as adventure travellers.
An increase in average spend by adventure travellers globally – from US$593 per trip in 2009 to US$947 in 2012 – and the emergence of new source markets also boosted the adventure tourism market.
The report also highlighted the following trends:
– 45 per cent of adventure travellers intend to use a tour operator on their next trip, compared to 31 per cent of non-adventure travellers
– Almost 54 per cent of travellers plan to take up an adventure activity on their next trip; a rise from the present 42 per cent
– The average length of a soft adventure trip was 10 days in 2012, up from eight in 2009
– 73 per cent of adventure travellers plan to do a new adventure activity on their next trip, while 22 per cent will participate in the same activity
ATTA is calling for more travel consultants who deal with adventure travel products to sign up as association members (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 17, 2013).
Thailand is also seeking to tap the growing segment, having promoted itself as an adventure travel destination at this year’s Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 11, 2013).
DESPITE recent reports of further radioactive leakages at Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima nuclear plant, Malaysian travel consultants spoken to have recorded no cancellations or postponements in year-end travel bookings to Japan.
Cooper Huang, CEO, Malaysian Harmony Tours & Travel, said: “The (affected area) is far from popular tourist spots such as Hokkaido and Osaka.”
Instead he noted: “We’re getting new bookings for tour packages to these destinations, and also more enquiries from the Muslim segment for our autumn and winter tour packages to Japan.”
Huang also expected that AirAsia X’s conversion of its four-times-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Osaka flights to a daily service (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 23, 2013) would further stimulate the FIT segment, as the company would “benefit from selling ground packages to them”.
At the same time, Apple Vacations & Conventions’ group managing director, Desmond Lee, reported that the company had not received any enquiries from customers regarding safety issues.
Japan continues to be a hot-selling destination for high-income groups looking for a leisure destination as well as for the incentives market due to the visa waiver in that came into effect in July (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 26, 2013), he said.
To capitalise on growing demand for Japan tours, the company has organised six charters to Hokkaido between December 4 and 29 to coincide with the year-end school holiday period.
Meanwhile, one hotel company TTG Asia e-Daily spoke to said its hotels in the Tokyo area continue to see strong rates and bookings.
Kenji Goto, representative director of Hotel Okura, said: “Our group is on target to see at least a 10 per cent year-to-date increase in revenue versus the same time last year. Higher occupancies (rather than higher room rates) are definitely a factor as we have seen more overseas visitors (this year).”
The group, whose stable of brands comprise the four- to five-star Okura Hotels & Resorts and Nikko Hotels International and the three- to four-star Hotel JAL City, has posted strong occupancies of between 75 and 97 per cent at its Tokyo properties.
Additional reporting by Hannah Koh
THE regional hospitality sector has remained resilient in the face of tumultuous global financial conditions, with ARR increasing in 31 out of 35 of Asia-Pacific’s top 50 cities during the January to June period.
According to Hogg Robinson Group’s (HRG) latest HRG Interim Hotel Survey, Tokyo was the top performer in terms of rates in the local currency, with ARR jumping 19 per cent year-on-year to soar from 22,281 yen (US$226) to 26,514 yen. However, the increase was muted by exchange rates and registered a mere one per cent rise in the British pound.
Meanwhile, rates in Mumbai and Bengaluru strengthened both in the Indian rupee and British pound, growing nine per cent and six per cent respectively. HRG credited growth in Bengaluru to the lack of new openings, and Mumbai’s growth to strong demand from the outsourced IT sector and growth of the SME sector using best available rates.
Rates in Beijing rose three per cent when measured in yuan and doubled in pounds. Meanwhile, Singapore remained flat in the local currency while inching up four per cent in pounds.
Hong Kong and Singapore also maintained their positions within the top 20 most expensive hotel room cities, despite not being megacities.
Overall, the survey stated that Asia posted modest growth in 1H2013, which masked the large swings each way in key cities. The regional ARR shifted from 165 pounds (US$257) to 167 pounds.
Margaret Bowler, director, global hotel relations, HRG, said: “The early sign of recovery in hotel prices is encouraging; what is a surprise however, is that in certain key cities the rates are not as high as the market had expected – in many cities this is attributed to new supply.
“On the whole, occupancy is increasing faster which, coupled with continued high demand, means we will be likely to see rates climbing in certain markets in the second half of the year and beyond.”
TRAVEL solutions provider Amadeus today launched the Amadeus Notification Suite, reducing the need for travel consultants to monitor booking changes or deadlines manually by sending automatic notifications.
Comprising Amadeus Flight Notification, Amadeus SMS Solution and Amadeus Ticketing Timeline Advisor, the product is available at a single price.
Amadeus Flight notification alerts the travel consultant/traveller whenever a major change to a booking takes place; Amadeus SMS Solution keeps travellers posted on their travel itineraries, e-ticket information and more via SMS; and Amadeus Ticketing Timeline Advisor monitors, notifies and moves up ticketing deadlines so consultants do not miss ticket issuance deadlines.
Bruno des Fontaines, vice president customer solutions group, Amadeus Asia-Pacific, said: “Today, our travel agency customers are constantly competing with online booking options, so the ability to deliver a timely and highly personalised service for a seamless experience is a key differentiator.”
MARRIOTT International officially launched Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan last week in the automobile and manufacturing hub of Chakan, making it the city’s maiden international business hotel.
General manager Ritu Chawla said: “There are a number of high-profile delegates who visit Chakan. Earlier, there was no property of international standards that could serve the luxury business traveller, but with the opening of our property, this gap has been filled.
“This belt has great potential for F&B too as presently there are no outlets that can serve corporate clientele. The all-day dining restaurant (in our hotel), Momo Café, offers an interesting mix of international, Indian and local specialties.”
The brand’s 10th property in India features 175 rooms including 12 residential suites and 1,089m2 of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Rates at the hotel start from Rs6,000 (US$95), and the hotel’s management hopes to exceed 50 per cent occupancy by next year.
Rajeev Menon, area vice president, South Asia, Marriott International, said he expects up to 65 per cent of business to be driven by foreign guests, with domestic travellers making up the rest.
“However, we expect the domestic share to increase as we move ahead. As we sit today, 67 per cent of (Marriott’s) business across the country is driven by Indian customers. We foresee Indian consumers accounting for 70 to 80 per cent of business for the Courtyard and Fairfield brands in the near future,” he shared.
Marriott is planning fam trips for travel trade partners as part of its marketing strategy.
Pune has seen hotel supply surge in the last four years and now has the fourth-largest supply of rooms in the country. Occupancy has also grown year-on-year, rising 12 per cent between 2011 and 2012, said Chawla.
The group is aiming to have 23 operating hotels in India in its portfolio by end-2013 and 50 by 2017. It also hopes to introduce the Edition brand to the country and is mulling the debut of Autography.
THE Ascott will open the first Citadines Apart’hotel in Hangzhou in late 2014, hot on the heels of new contracts announced for Hefei, Chongqing and Xiamen (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 15, 2013).
To debut as Citadines Intime City Hangzhou, the 100-unit property is situated in West Hangzhou, close to three major central business districts in the city and part of the mixed-use development Intime City.
Kevin Goh, managing director for North Asia, The Ascott, said: “Citadines Apart’hotel, which provides independent travellers with flexible services to suit their lifestyle needs, has been enjoying very healthy occupancy since we launched it in China in 2006.
“With a fast-growing demand for serviced residences in Hangzhou, we are confident that Citadines Intime City Hangzhou will perform well. As the capital city of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou’s economy and foreign direct investment have grown respectively by an average of more than 10 per cent and 12 per cent annually in the last five years.”
Citadines Intime City Hangzhou will offer residents a range of studio to two-bedroom apartments with a fully equipped kitchen and separate working and sleeping areas.
Other facilities include a business centre, meeting room, laundry room, gym, sauna, as well as breakfast and residents’ lounges.
The Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) CEO, Lee Meng Tat, who joined in March 2012, admits he is not ‘an animal kind of person’, but he keeps his ear to the ground to bring fresh perspectives and expertise in helming the organisation. By Lee Pei Qi
Did you imagine you would be helming WRS?
No. I have never been an animal kind of person. But I believe things always happen for a reason and the previous appointments were opportunities that (led me to the present job).
So how did you land this job?
After 12 years at F&N (Fraser & Neave), I felt it was time to move on and started looking out for opportunities.
When the headhunter first put this portfolio on my table, I told him he must be joking and said: “Let’s have a good laugh and move on.” But I decided to really take a look at it and it took me a weekend to decide that I wanted to take this up.
You were at F&N for 12 years. How has that helped your current role?
At F&N, it was about getting the right product and brand across. Here, I am working with the marketing people to get our branding right.
We have four parks under the WRS umbrella brand that promise everyone the ultimate wildlife experience in a safe and controlled environment.
If you want a day experience, we have the Singapore Zoo and the Jurong Bird Park for bird lovers; for the night experience, we have the Night Safari. Now, with our latest River Safari, you can see giant fishes in a freshwater environment.
We have a mix of everything for everyone. So this is the brand I want people to know when they think of WRS.
How has the past year been?
In the beginning, it was all about learning and getting to know the people. You can’t get going until you know the people and what they have done.
It is important for me to understand the business first. Apart from my weekly staff lunches, I also make it a point to walk around the park to put my ear to the ground.
WRS has been very well-run and has done a great job. The key thing is not to be a CEO who comes in to change everything. We continue what works and tweak what needs to be improved. Over the past year, we have been busy getting our River Safari up and running so that is where I have been spending most of my time on.
How do you ensure your parks stay as Singapore’s top attractions?
I am currently looking at a 10-year masterplan to refresh and rejuvenate our parks. We have just agreed on the framework and a timeline so we are now at the first stage of implementation.
What we are doing first is to review our animal and exhibit collection in the parks, which has been around for 40 years. We want to look at which are the ones to keep, why, and what is the conservation value. Then we want to make sure we can create an immersive experience.
This masterplan has a 10-year cycle so when I talk about change, it is not a dramatic reconstruction but a programme that will introduce things in phases so we can have a continuous refreshing experience to bring people back after their first visit.
What makes WRS stand out from the other attractions?
We already have the product, but the differentiating factor is our service excellence. This is something simple to say, but difficult to execute. The product is always there but how you deliver it is our winning edge. Our people are the difference. We do not pay the best salaries but we get the most committed and passionate people who love animals and service.
What else is new in the parks?
We are now inviting our guests to come backstage to see how we care for animals and to have rare, close encounters with our reptiles or baboons.
We did not show them before but these are actually fascinating experiences that we can share and which we are promoting now, to much success.
What are the challenges with handling animals?
These living exhibits move around, so you may not see them all the time.
We do try to design our spaces in such a way that visitors can see almost everything, but if the animals want to rest in a hidden spot, we need to give them the space to rest. We cannot be poking the animals to wake them up because they have a right to sleep too.
The animals are living their lives and we should appreciate the fact that they may be asleep. People need to understand we are not showcasing an exhibit that is always there and that we are participating in the animals’ way of life.
How do you measure success at WRS?
We are a self-funded organisation, which means we must (earn) our own keep.
All the revenues we get must go back to taking care of our animals, exhibits and staff, so we need to balance between doing good and doing well.
If you talk about doing well, we look at the commercial part and it is of course about visitor arrivals. For the financial part, are we making enough money to be self-sustaining?
But on doing good, it is not about money but about the types of conservation projects we have and how we are contributing to the sustainability of wildlife. It is a bit harder to quantify the doing good part because there is no monetary value; it is more about making sure all animals are well taken care of.
Some have commented that your entrance tickets are too expensive.
As a self-funded organisation, we have to make sure that whatever we earn is sufficient for whatever we spend and that we have enough left over for the rejuvenation of the parks.
We need to make a profit but the key thing is we are not profiteering. We have done benchmarking exercises on entrance tickets with the rest of the attractions in Singapore and we compare well in terms of pricing and the experience we provide.
Where do some of the costs go?
We need to feed our animals. You won’t believe the amount of fruits and vegetables that come through our zoo everyday. We have more than 13,000 animals in all four parks and each of them must get their nutrients. We need to buy the right food for the animals because they are living things too and they cannot just eat anything.
How do you cultivate a relationship with travel consultants?
There is definitely a lot of dialogue going on and we like their valuable input and innovative ideas. We have good relationships with the consultants to make sure their programmes dovetail well with what we can offer. And we make sure we invite them for fam trips and provide them with updated information (for their) packages.
So having been a non-animal lover, has that changed now?
(Laughs) No, it’s a bit hard to change that given that I have not been an animal kind of person all my life. But I can say that coming here has provided me a new perspective and taught me how to appreciate animals better.
Prospects are buoyant as more Asians start to see the beauty of cruising With additional reporting from Lee Pei Qi, S Puvaneswary, Greg Lowe, Mimi Hudoyo, Prudence Lui and Marianne Carandang
While a string of disasters at sea recently has somewhat taken the shine out of cruising, particularly in the world’s biggest cruise market North America, in Asia the waters are anything but murky.
With cruise companies reporting healthy increases in the number of Asians getting onboard their ships, expectations that the size of the Asian cruise market will expand to 3.7 million by 2017 are looking within reach. Currently, there are around 1.2 million Asian cruise passengers, according to the 2012 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Asia-Pacific regional director, Kelvin Tan, said: “The number of our Asian guests have increased by an average of 20 to 30 per cent year-on-year since 2007. As the region grows increasingly affluent, cruise vacations are being viewed as a fresh, alternative holiday option to the traditional land vacation.”
Eileen Oh, head, marketing & communications, ASA Holidays Singapore, said: “Our cruise business has been seeing a healthy year-on-year growth of at least 20 per cent. In 2012, the total sales figures generated from cruise packages grew almost twofold compared to 2011, largely spurred by increased take-ups in longer-haul cruises which cost an average of about S$6,000 (US$4,730) per person.”
Singapore-based Chan Brothers Travel’s spokesperson, Michelle Yin, said: “On average, we see a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in demand for regional cruises from Singapore and fly-cruises from port-of-calls beyond Singapore. This trend was evident since 2010, when we started to focus on international or fly-cruises.”
Said Imam Syafii, president director of Menara Tudjuh Sembilan, Costa Cruises’ GSA in Indonesia: “The regional cruise (business) increased 30 per cent in 2012 from 2011 since Costa Cruises deployed Costa Atlantica in Singapore last year. Between 30 and 40 per cent of the market are first-time cruise travellers.
“Indonesia is a sleeping giant. While the longhaul (cruise) traffic will continue to grow it will remain niche, while shorthaul cruise destinations will be big (for Asian passengers),” added Imam, who projected the market to expand a whopping 40 per cent this year.
Multi facilities net diverse travel segments
Michael Goh, Star Cruises’ senior vice president of sales, said: “Asians enjoy holidays that bring them to several destinations, allowing them to experience different food and cultures all in one go. Cruising offers them the most convenient way of exploring multiple exotic destinations in a single holiday.”
Regional cruises are also well-received among Asian travellers who dislike longhaul flights or have tighter budgets. “Asian cruises are attractive to families with young children, first-timers and incentive groups with lower budgets and time limitations,” said Sukanya Rattanavadee, GSA general manager, Regale International Travel Thailand.
Added Cooper Huang, CEO of Malaysian Harmony Tours & Travel, which sold 100 per cent more South-east Asian cruise packages in 1H2013 than in first-half 2012: “You can take a three-night cruise for below RM2,000 (US$614), inclusive of city tours.”
Huang continued: “Many families with children book these cruises during the school holidays whereas working adults travelling with small groups of friends may take a few days’ leave from work to go on a cruise. For the elderly, the attraction is visiting different places without having to lug around luggage.”
Abdul Rahman Mohamed, deputy general manager, channel management of Mayflower Acme Tours, promotes SuperStar Libra, homeported in Penang, for its easy accessibility. The Kuala Lumpur-based firm recorded a growth of between 15 and 20 per cent in South-east Asian cruising in 1H2013, driven mainly by the Muslim market since the ship launched two halal restaurants – Spices and Blue Lagoon – earlier this year.
He added that most cruise clients were either first-timers or had been on Star Cruises in the past, hence they were usually keen to experience shore excursions in a new destination and facilities on board a “moving five-star hotel”.
“Compared with the longhaul market, travellers in the region take cruises because they want to try new big ships which offer more facilities and entertainment on board than the destination itself,” noted Edhi Sutadharma, general manager of Golden Rama Tours & Travel Indonesia, which has set up a separate cruise division to tap the growing cruise market.
Shorter cruises in demand
As Asian travellers warm up to cruising, the trade is seeing a surge in interest for shorter and more affordable itineraries.
“Due to (Asians’) lack of familiarity with cruising, they prefer to cruise in South-east Asia as it is closer to home. As a result, they also prefer shorter cruise itineraries of three to five days for their first cruise,” said Ong Huey Hong, cruise director of Singapore Tourism Board.
Budget also plays a key consideration as many first-time cruise travellers in Asia do not wish to fork out prices beyond HK$20,000 (US$2,579) for European and American cruises, pointed out Kevin So, deputy general manager of Sightseer (HK).
He said: “It’s also typical to see experienced Asians cruise travellers sail in their backyard because they enjoy the cruising experience and look for affordable shorthaul trips, for example a six-day journey under HK$10,000.”
Menara’s Imam added: “The advantage of these short cruises is that travellers can decide on a short getaway at the last minute, provided the cabin is available, since there’s no need for a visa.”
He said short cruises of between three and five nights were a favourite among Indonesian travellers, with the Costa Victoria roundtrip Singapore-Penang-Langkawi-Phuket itinerary departing on December 28 as the bestseller since it would berth in Phuket on New Year’s Eve.
As Asian travellers take to the seas in rising numbers, cruise lines are also venturing into more remote waters in the region, steering the course to hitherto less visited destinations like Sabah and Myanmar.
Apart for the popular 4D3N itineraries in its portfolio, Goh said that Star Cruises had rolled out a special 7D6N cruise departing from Penang to Krabi, Yangon and Phuket this month. It would also homeport the 1,511-pax SuperStar Aquarius in Kota Kinabalu from November, with calls at Brunei’s Bandar Seri Begawan and Sarawak’s Bintulu, he added.
Meanwhile, Silversea Cruises is developing new regional itineraries and experiences to attract more Asian travellers. “Three of our ships (Silver Whisper, Silver Shadow and Silver Wind) are returning to Myanmar in 2014 and will each incorporate a special multi-night stay in this mystical and undiscovered destination,” said Asia regional director, Melvyn Yap.
Meetings market growth
While cruises are undeniably suited for leisure travellers, the trade also sees cruiseships’ strong potential for the MICE market, especially with the recent launch of Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore and Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.
Star Cruises’ Goh said: “Many corporations see cruising as a great tool for team building, breaking free from traditional land-based venues. The setting out at sea is serene and perfect for brainstorming and exchange of ideas.
“A good number of sizeable corporations as well as special interest groups have organised MICE events onboard SuperStar Libra, such as a 4D3N destination cruise for 1,000 guests for an India-based incentive group,” he added.
Said Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Tan: “For Indonesia and India, MICE business makes up almost 50 per cent of our total sales. Incentive travel is a popular trend for companies in these markets.”
MICE cruises make up a small but growing segment for Jebsen Travel Hong Kong, according to cruise section assistant sales manager, Crystal Wong. Such cruises were particularly “hot” for investment banks, which would invite their clients and hold seminars on board” she added.
Wally Cervantes, general manager for Arpan Air in the Philippines, remarked that the incentive segment presented immense potential for cruising and that business was only “hindered by the current deployment of ships and how creative the principals are”.
While Asia is set to be a hotbed for cruising in coming years, a significant number of South-east Asians, particularly the high-end segment, have passed over the opportunity to sail in their own backyard for the distant shores of the Mediterranean, Alaska and the Antarctica, according to cruise experts in the region.
Melvyn Yap, Asia regional director at Silversea Cruises, opined that the desire to explore exotic realms was a key motivator. “A holiday destination that offers a contrast in culture, cuisine and sightseeing than found locally can often appeal. Most South-east Asians are keen to explore a different world from what they are used to,” he said.
Added Sukanya Rattanavadee, GSA general manager of Regale International Travel Thailand: “Most experienced Thai travellers have been to most Asian countries by land, so they seem to lose interest in returning to the same cities, (where) they can easily travel by themselves probably at lower fares.”
Faraway destinations were deemed more fascinating, she said. “Our most popular cruise destination is Alaska. Thais like to enjoy cool weather, different scenery, especially glaciers and fjords and wildlife.”
Celebrity Cruises’ European and Mediterranean itineraries had sold well among Filipino cruise travellers, said Marilen Yaptangco, president and CEO of Baron Travel. She added: “The US (market) is tired of Alaska, but Asians aren’t – they can’t get enough of it.”
Similarly, Alaskan and Mediterranean cruises are popular among high-income Malaysian travellers, with bookings typically made for one cabin (two people) and duration lasting one or two weeks, according to Abdul Rahman Mohamed, deputy general manager, channel management of Mayflower Acme Tours Malaysia, which saw a five per cent year-on-year growth in cruises outside Asia in 1H2013.
He added luxury cruiseships such as Silversea, Queen Elizabeth and Princess were favoured by high-end customers, but the numbers were limited due to high cruise fees. He said: “To encourage high-end travellers to cruise within Asia, Asian NTOs have to attract more luxury cruises to make Asia their port-of-call.”
WITA Tour Indonesia director of sales and marketing, Rudiana, said: “To the Indonesians, Asian destinations like Singapore, Phuket and Penang are not new; they have been there a number of times before finally deciding on taking the cruise. Generally, people are trying the ships, enjoying the facilities and programmes (on board) rather than choosing a destination.”
More efforts are hence needed to promote regional cruises among Asian travellers, industry experts pointed out.
“Many Asians still have the mindset that cruises are more suitable for retirees or families with young children,” said Eileen Oh, head of marketing & communications at ASA Holidays Singapore. “We are exploring ideas with various stakeholders to reach out to different clientele such as the young adults and luxury travel segments.”
Urging greater efforts to demystify cruising, Tina Cortez, president of Travel People Philippines, remarked: “While pricing is always a key driver to attract markets, awareness campaigns should address (misconceptions) by highlighting cruising’s unique value propositions: all-inclusive pricing, free entertainment, activities for all members of the family, etc.”
Ong Huey Hong, Singapore Tourism Board cruise director, concurred, adding that many Asians were “surprised” to learn of the diverse offerings available on board and considered cruises to be a “value-for-money vacation choice”.
But getting repeat Asian cruise travellers is a challenge. Rudiana said: “Indonesians want to see many places when they travel and spending more time on the cruiseship is not their type of vacation. Our surveys showed that while the majority of cruise travellers are satisfied and happy with the trip, the repeat level is low.”
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for experienced cruise travellers to opt for destinations beyond Asia for their subsequent vacations, noted Karl Wat, director of sales for Asia, Compagnie Du Ponant Yacht Cruises. “They started with Star Cruises or Costa Cruises from the outset, which helped nurture a group of mature clientele (heading further afield for their cruises),” he said.
Improving shore excursions is hence key to raise the allure of regional cruises. Ground operators could operate tours in various Asian languages, for example, Regale’s Sukanya suggested.
Developing supporting infrastructure and improving awareness of cruises and training across the travel trade would help convince more Asians to cruise within the region, added Silversea’s Yap.
