MAJOR Philippine outbound operator, Rajah Travel Corporation, has soft launched a new website selling both inbound and outbound products. Offering both B2C and B2B functionalities, the site is expected to be fully operational by June.

“We’ve created a website that’s not just for the outbound market, because it didn’t make sense for us to be online and cater only to the Philippines,” said Aileen Clemente, president, Rajah Travel Corporation.

Managing director, Maria Bernadette Marin-Arnaiz, said the site would first sell flights, inbound and outbound packages, tours from brands such as Insight Vacations and Contiki, land arrangements and specialty products like Uniworld boutique river cruises.

It would also eventually have a real-time chat facility for enquiries, a hotel booking engine and online payment options.

Travel consultants can access products through a separate B2B login.

The site will also carry themed, special interest tours from the company’s new tour brochure which was launched late last month. “This is something of a first – a history- and culture-based compilation of tours which goes beyond sun, sea, and sand, released in the Philippines by a tour operator,” Clemente pointed out.

Funtastic Vacations Philippines features tours like Heroes Trail, taking the visitor to World War II landmarks, and adventure itineraries such as volcano trekking to Taal Lake. The brochure also highlights getaway staycation deals with Rajah’s partner hotels and resorts across the Philippines.

GENTING Group has completed the purchase for a piece of the glitzy Las Vegas Strip with intentions to establish Resorts World Las Vegas on the 35-hectare property.

News agency AFP reported that Genting had paid Boyd Gaming Group US$350 million in cash for the land, where work on Boyd’s Echelon project had ceased in 2008 due to the financial crisis.

According to a Genting press release, the hotel-casino complex will offer 3,500 rooms, 16,258m² of total gaming space across several floors, and a number of luxury dining and retail amenities in the first phase of launch. The resort will also include additional convention space for Las Vegas tradeshows.

Resorts World Las Vegas marks Genting’s first destination resort in the city. “This is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase what has made the Resorts World brand a globally recognised success for the past several decades,” said KT Lim, chairman and CEO, Genting Group.

TAYLOR’S University and Destination Resorts and Hotels (DRH) yesterday signed an MoU to develop a school for hospitality, tourism and culinary arts in Desaru Coast.

Under the agreement, DRH – backed by the Malaysian government’s investment arm Khazanah Nasional Berhad – will develop the school and infrastructure at Desaru Coast, while Taylor’s University’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts will supply the curriculum.

With Johor projected to see the opening of 40 new hotels in the next 10 to 12 years, the new school would train much-needed hospitality professionals for the future.

Eliena Gaman, director corporate strategy, DRH, said: “With the 3,500 job opportunities to be created in Desaru Coast within the next five years, it is critical for us to make available a sustainable platform for the supply of human capital to be placed in the various components at Desaru Coast.”

She added that students could be exposed to a real-life industry environment through practical trainings in Desaru Coast ranging from hotel management to theme park operations.

Spanning more than 1,578 hectares, Desaru Coast will also offer premium resorts and hotels, differentiated leisure attractions and a multi-purpose convention centre when it launches its first phase of development in 2015.

SPANISH travel group Barceló Viajes may have acquired its rival, Orizonia, but the buyout will not include any of its former Asian outbound operations.

Speaking to TTG Asia, Barceló’s marketing director, Mar Fernández, said Orizonia’s Asian business had been carried out mainly under the Kirunna and Iberojet brands.

Barceló has its own longhaul brand, La Cuarta Isla, set up in January 2012 to handle Asian business.

While Barceló could not give figures on the extent of Orizonia’s business in Asia, a market analyst said it had “been fast disappearing with the rest of its business in the last few years”.

Queries to Orizonia have gone unanswered.

At the height of the Spanish outbound market in the early 2000s, Orizonia had been among the top four Spanish operators in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Japan.

Under the new agreement, Barceló will take over parts of Orizonia’s charter airline business, Orbest, and the Vibo travel agency chain, Last December, Orizonia sold its hotel chain Luabay to Globalia travel group, owner of Air Europia.

KOREAN Air yesterday made an official bid for a 44 per cent stake in the wholly government-owned Czech Airlines (CSA).

Czech daily DNES reported that the Asian carrier intends to acquire a 44 per cent stake for “a few million dollars”. Ernst & Young auditors have estimated the stake to be worth 148 million koruna (US$7.5 million).

The same paper said that Qatar Airways had previously expressed interest in the stake, but would not take part in the bidding.

The Czech Republic has offered 96 per cent of its troubled flagship carrier to European investors, but non-European companies are only allowed to own minority stakes in strategic companies as per European Union regulations, stated AFP.

In 2011, CSA recorded a loss of 241 million koruna.

ITB Berlin will open tomorrow with Indonesia as the official partner country for this year’s show, the first time a South-east Asian country has held the position.

Through the theme of Heart Matters, Indonesia will showcase the hospitality of its people and highlight the country’s culinary and cultural icons. Its pavilions in Hall 26A, 16 and 4.1 will feature the country’s latest products, especially for the 16 tourism destinations and seven special interest segments it is focusing on for development.

Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will officiate the opening ceremony alongside German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Meanwhile, Accor has been appointed official partner for Indonesia at the show. Accor’s booths and its annual gala dinner for top buyers and VIPs will bear elements of Indonesian arts and culture.

Accor Indonesia’s president director, Gerard Guillouet, said the timing was perfect for Indonesia to do large-scale promotions.

“Indonesia has suffered in terms of image in the past, but in the last 15 years or so, a lot of effort has been made by the government to put Indonesia on the international map.

“Today Indonesia enjoys an exceptional reputation overseas and is improving more and more, and now we have the opportunity in Europe to (invite travellers) to come to this wonderful country.”

– Look out for our ITB Berlin Daily from March 6-8, 2013

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and Virgin America are building on their codeshare agreement with a new frequent flyer programme partnership.

Under the tie-up, SIA’s PPS Club and KrisFlyer members can earn miles when travelling on all Virgin America flights and redeem miles for travel on all routes operated by the partner carrier.

Similarly, members of Virgin America’s Elevate programme are able to earn and redeem points on SIA flights.