TRAVEL consultants in Singapore are putting together more tour packages to the Philippines as statistics point to an increasing number of residents from the city-state heading there.

According to the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT), there were 148,215 visitors from Singapore in 2012, registering 15.7 per cent growth over 2011. Singapore is among the Philippines’ top 10 source markets.

Having sold FIT packages so far, Joe Lim, executive director, Konsortium Express and Tours, will be bringing his first leisure group of 100 to Manila and Tagaytay next month. He said: “There is greater push and publicity to promote the Philippines over the past year so it is not surprising to be receiving a frequent flow of enquiries.”

A tour group offers an option for those who want “easy holidays”, said Lim, adding that he intended to introduce more of such tours.

Jenny Ho, managing director, Classic Travel, said: “The appeal of the Philippines to Singaporeans is that there is no language barrier and service standards are excellent. We want to see how we can promote more tours because we observe growing interest not just in Manila, but also in other areas like Cebu, Palawan and Boracay.”

A spokesperson from Econ Holidays, Jimmy Woo, echoed Ho’s enthusiasm, but pointed out that accessibility to certain destinations, such as Boracay that requires flight transfers, was still an issue.

Charles Leong, marketing director, DoT, said: “The perception of the Philippines as a fun and attractive tourist destination has been growing over the past two years due to better branding and publicity of the country.”

Referring to the tour bus hostage crisis in Manila in 2010 (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 16, 2011), he added: “There may still be that concern about safety from some, but most have already overlooked that as it was a one-off encounter.”

FINNAIR is preparing to launch its two new routes to Asia next month, but further expansion to this region is likely limited in the near future.

The airline will kick off thrice-weekly flights to Xi’an and Hanoi (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 29, 2012), becoming the first European airline to connect these cities and bumping up its Asian destinations to 13.

In addition, Qatar Airways’ and SriLankan Airlines’ upcoming entry into Oneworld will also spell opportunities for Finnair to extend its reach, said Finnair’s senior vice president commercial, Allister Paterson, at a press conference at Helsinki Airport.

However, expansion in Asia will be restricted until the airline starts to take delivery of its 11 Airbus A350 aircraft order in 2015, Paterson revealed. The airline’s executives declined to reveal new destinations on the company’s radar.

Said Finnair deputy CEO, Ville Iho: “North Asia-North Europe is the sweet spot for Finnair. Going via Helsinki saves four hours on average, an important consideration for business travellers.”

Added Paterson: “The Asia-centric approach works better for the Far East markets. We are seeing good load factor on our Asian routes, although they are lower on developing markets like Chongqing and Xi’an…Not everyone knows the Polar route, so we need to teach geography (to the travel trade). There is a lot of growth left in Asia, which we plan to grow.

“For almost all of our Asian destinations, our location in Helsinki enables us to make a round trip within 24 hours, allowing us to optimise daily schedules and drive up aircraft utilisation.”

Finnair has outlined plans to double its revenue from Asia-Europe traffic by 2020 from a 2010 baseline (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 15, 2011).

EMAAR Hospitality Group has launched a new four-star brand targeting young travellers looking for affordable but luxurious stays.

The first property under the freshly unveiled Vida Hotels and Resorts brand will open in downtown Dubai this June with 156 rooms. Vida Hotels will be located in prime city locations where the young travellers congregate.

Josef Kufer, COO, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Our lifestyle brand will target a larger share of the emerging market of young visitors. During their stay, guests can order food and beverages via their iPads and smartphones.”

“With so much to offer in entertainment, fine dining and luxury experiences, younger travellers are looking to extend their stay in Dubai from three to five days on the same budget. Vida will cater to this segment,” commented Imen M’Hedhbi, sales and marketing manager, Dubai-based Royal Adventure Travel & Tourism.

Emaar Hospitality Group’s portfolio includes The Address Hotels + Resorts, Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club and the Dubai Marina Yacht Club.

US GAMING and hospitality giant Trump Organization has secured a management deal for a golf course, spa and hotel in Dubai, which will be rolled out in phases from next year.

The Trump International Golf Club, Dubai – encompassing a 2,787m² state-of-the-art clubhouse and a 7,205-yard, par 71 golf course – and the spa and wellness centre are scheduled to open by 3Q2014. The yet-unnamed hotel will be operational by 2016.

They will be located within the 260.1-hectare project called Akoya, which is currently under development by DAMAC Properties.

Basel Khairy, project manager – MICE, Dubai-based Alpha Tours, said: “DAMAC Properties builds truly luxury properties, and golf is very popular with our high-end clients. It will be a quality addition to the attractions of Dubai and will help drive more MICE business to the emirate.”

Paola Rossi, managing director, Italian Glamorous Services, a Rome-based luxury tour operator added: “Adding a luxury golf course with a luxury spa will certainly add exceptional value to Dubai as a destination for the discerning and demanding traveller.”

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are currently ranked the sixth most popular golfing destination worldwide.

Trump Organization has 14 golf courses to its name.

MALINDO Air is inching into travel agency territory this year, expanding its online services to include a platform that allows travellers to purchase hotels with their flights.

The airline’s CEO, Chandran Rama Murthy, said the holiday portal would go live in September, as would Malindo’s new web check-in facility.

Tina Travel & Agencies managing director, Adam Kamal, said: “Most airlines already go direct to consumers with hotel offerings and instant confirmation. Malindo Air will soon enter this space and it will give travel consultants one more reason to have our own online distribution system or have their website linked to a third-party online distribution system.

“Our company is also in the midst of expanding our offerings to include B2C online services.”

Chandran said the carrier had also recently signed a Letter of Intent with Abacus, and Malindo’s tickets will be sold on the GDS from next month on. He revealed that Malindo was also considering working with other GDSs.

Welcoming the development, Grandlotus Travel Agencies managing director, K Thangavelu, said travel consultants would have another channel to buy tickets from.

THE Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has signed a deal with Sekisui House for The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, scheduled to begin welcoming guests in 2014.

Blending tradition and modernity, its architects and designers have incorporated the traditional Meiji house and courtyard into the architectural structure of the hotel.

The hotel will feature 136 guestrooms with an average size of 50m² for standard rooms, offering views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains.

Located on the Kamogawa River, Nijho Ohashi, close to the Kyoto’s retail and entertainment district, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto will also offer four dining options, banquet and meeting rooms, and a spa.

SINGAPORE has beaten Tianjin, China and Monterrey, Mexico to secure a five-year contract to host the prestigious Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Championships between 2014-2018.

International tennis stars will battle it out every year-end at the 7,500-seat Singapore Indoor Stadium, part of the US$1 billion Singapore Sports Hub, scheduled to open in April 2014 (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 13, 2012).

For the first time at the WTA’s season finale, both top eight single players and top eight doubles teams will face off in the same city for the top US$6.5 million prize.

There will also be new entertainment events including WTA Future Stars, WTA Legends exhibition matches, concerts, coaches and trade symposiums, Women in Business Leadership Conference, daily fan festivals open to the public and a VIP experience.

Singapore is the first city in Asia – and the ninth city worldwide – to host the WTA Championships.

“This world-class event is expected to draw local and foreign tennis fans and add to Singapore’s reputation as a vibrant global city by complementing our existing suite of lifestyle offerings,” said Lionel Yeo, CEO, Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

World Sport Group represented Singapore for the winning bid, with support from the Singapore Sports Council and STB.

SEVEN of the top 10 hospitals on the 2013 World’s Best Hospitals for Medical Tourists list are in Asia, offering opportunities for the travel trade to work more closely with healthcare providers.

Issued by the Medical Travel Quality Alliance, on the list are:

1. Prince Court Medical Center (Malaysia)
2. Asklepios Klinik Barmbek (Germany)
3. Clemenceau Medical Center (Lebanon)
4. Fortis Hospital Bangalore (India)
5. Wooridul Spine Hospital (South Korea)
6. Bumrungrad International (Thailand)
7. Anadolu Medical Center (Turkey)
8. Bangkok Hospital Medical Center (Thailand)
9. Gleneagles Hospital (Singapore)
10. Asia Heart Institute (India)

Only five Asian hospitals made the cut last year.

Julie Munro, president of the Medical Tourism Quality Alliance, said: “Most hospitals do not understand the value a medical travel facilitator can bring. Medical travel facilitators have pretty much brought this on themselves because many of them don’t understand the full complement of services and needs a patient has.

“It is easy enough to talk about providing airport pickups and a cell phone, but the real value a medical travel facilitator can bring is understanding and knowing the local healthcare system. They need to act as a patient advocate to make sure care is conducted in the proper way.”

Facilitators must understand everything from how nurses handle medication to the specific treatments surgical staff provide, she explained.

At the same time hospitals also need to ensure staff have relevant language skills, foreign patients are charged the same as locals and that hospital security meets international standards.

Providing aftercare services and follow-ups once a patient has left the country where treatment was provided is another essential requirement, added Munro.