THE Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA) is planning to beef up its member programmes from next year on, as it moves to raise membership fees.

From 2013, entrance fees for Ordinary and Associate members will double to S$1,200 (US$983). Ordinary and Associate members will also have to fork out S$800 and S$1,200 respectively for an annual membership next year, up from the current S$600 for both.

According to a statement from ASA, Ordinary membership fee and entrance fees have not increased since 1996, while Associate membership fee was raised in 2006 from S$380 to S$600.

The statement pointed out that the rate of inflation over the past 16 years has made “running the association based on the (current) membership fees untenable”.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily in an interview, ASA chairman Kevin Cheong said the membership increment would come with improved programmes and benefits.

“We have been tweaking its programmes over the past two to three years to bring more value to its members. Our master classes for members, conducted with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency over the past two years, have seen growing interest and we intend to continue offering such programmes in the coming years,” said Cheong.

ASA’s first master class in 2011, led by Tom Mehrmann, chief executive of Ocean Park Corp, saw 90 people in attendance. A session conducted in early 2012 by Bob Rogers, founder and chairman of BRC Imagination Arts, drew 130 attendees. The most recent master class, which focused on Generation Y travel consumption and buying behaviour, was attended by 160 industry players.

The association is also looking to “continually create market intelligence” for its members and “acquire greater independence by having its own staff”.

He explained: “The association’s staffing is now being outsourced and dependent on volunteers. With a full-time staff, ASA can do more and provide greater value to its members.”

“And we want to do even more in 2013. We are talking to the Singapore Tourism Board to establish a productivity standard, and with Spring Singapore (a government agency that promotes the country’s economic growth and productivity) to create an industry-wide service standard,” said Cheong.

“There are now international names in Singapore’s (attractions) industry, such as Universal Studios, so it is important that ASA brings everyone else on par with the global standard. Only with this can Singapore’s attraction owners compete on the global playing field. And with higher standards, foreign investment in Singapore’s attractions landscape will be more viable.”

SUNTEC International on Tuesday inked the deal to design, market and operate the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC), about the same time AEG Ogden went over the moon for winning the bid to operate the new International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney at Darling Harbour.

Suntec was in the running for ICC Sydney but pulled out to focus on the US$147 million modernisation plan of its own centre in Singapore, which would re-open on May 1. Arun Madhok, CEO, Suntec Singapore and Suntec International, said: “We did not submit the bid, although we remained closed to the consortium in giving them advice and views. I was of the opinion it was best to focus the time and effort on ours.”

Suntec was part of Australia’s Plenary Group/Brookfield Multiplex consortium while AEG Ogden is in the Destination Sydney consortium which will now develop the new integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct at Darling Harbour.
Madhok said Suntec International was not taking a back seat. “It was just (the timing of) this particular project. We intend to grow the Suntec brand.”

For its latest deal, a subsidiary, Suntec Penang, has been set up. PWCC, developed by IJM Land, is part of The Light’s commercial precinct, “an integrated, world-standard infrastructure” waterfront project that aims to redefine Penang, said IJM Corp’s group CEO and managing director, The Kean Ming.

Conceptualised by Larry Oltmanns, its centrepiece is a 10,000m² column-free multipurpose hall that can be subdivide or used as a single space for exhibitions, conventions, corporate events and private functions. It can be converted into a 9,000-seat arena for world-class concerts that can be held in Penang for the first time.

PWCC is expected to open in early 2017. “There are 14 top known convention centres in Malaysia but none of them are located in Penang,” said Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng during the signing ceremony last Tuesday.

– Read more in Penang’s new light, TTGmice, February/March 2013

INDONESIA’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and Ministry of Public Works have signed an agreement for cooperation in developing the country’s health tourism sector.

Under the agreement, both ministries will work hand-in-hand with hospitals, spas and health-related associations to form the Indonesia Wellness and Health Tourism (IWHT) working team.

Bali, Jakarta, Manado and Makassar have been chosen as kick off points for the new initiative.

According to Mari Elka Pangestu, minister of tourism and creative economy, IWHT will collaborate with hospitals that have worked with spas to create a year-long brand awareness campaign and rope in Indonesia’s embassies in other countries to promote health tourism.

Health minister, Nafsiah Mboi, expects the promotion of health tourism facilities in the country to generate stronger revenue from international travellers and encourage locals to seek treatments at home.

She estimated that Indonesians spend up to US$1.4 billion annually on medical tourism overseas.

Concurring with Mboi, Pangestu said: “Moreover, Indonesia has traditional healthcare and medicine, which can attract international tourists. But there are still many things we need to do to develop health tourism here.”

ONE billion tourists travelled the world in 2012, setting a new record for international tourism, according to UNWTO.

The agency noted that the one-billionth tourist had arrived today, although the destination of arrival was unknown.

Despite global economic uncertainty, international tourism continued to grow in 2012, eventually gaining a traffic figure that cements tourism’s position as one of the world’s largest economic sectors, accounting for nine per cent of global GDP and up to eight per cent of total exports of the world’s Least Developed Countries.

In light of this, UNWTO launched the One Billion Tourists: One Billion Opportunities campaign to celebrate the milestone, showing tourists that respecting local culture, preserving heritage or buying local goods when travelling can make a big difference.

As part of the campaign, the public was asked to vote for the travel tip that would have the greatest benefit for the people and places they visit and to pledge to follow that tip when travelling.

THE 112-unit Fraser Place Melbourne, which soft opened in July and celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, has reported a robust occupancy of more than 82 per cent.

Located in Melbourne’s entertainment quarter and near the city’s financial district, the new property offers spacious studio residences with integrated living, dining and kitchen areas. Residents are given access to a gym and Apple Mac workstations in the lounge.

According to a press statement from Frasers Hospitality, Fraser Place Melbourne is well placed to cater to an increasing demand for quality accommodation in a city that is expected to see international tourism grow at an average rate of 5.4 per cent until 2014.

The property’s opening is in line with Frasers Hospitality’s move to strengthen its presence in Australia, where it soft opened the luxurious 236-unit Fraser Suites Perth in October. The company’s third property in the country is Fraser Suites Sydney.

Choe Peng Sum, Frasers Hospitality CEO, said: “As one of the more robust economies in the current global market, Australia – with its well diversified economy boosted by the strength of its service and resource industries – offers tremendous potential for Frasers.

“The country is expected to see an increase in international traveller stays by an average annual rate of 3.8 per cent up till 2014, driving a demand for premium-serviced residences, which is in line with our growth strategy to establish a strong foothold in Australia’s key cities.”

UK-BASED wholesale tour operator, JacTravel, has appointed Abba Lee to lead its new office in Hong Kong.

Lee joins from Hotelbeds, where he managed the transition from Pacific World upon acquisition and was responsible for establishing the company as the predominant wholesaler in Hong Kong and the Greater China region.

At JacTravel, Lee will be responsible for the company’s planned product expansion in Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he will have a team of five to help grow the breadth and depth of JacTravel’s inventory in the Far East.

Since 2009, JacTravel has increased its sales in Asia by 319 per cent to over eight million pounds (US$12.9 million), while its client base has grown by more than 20 new clients in the past year.

Lee’s appointment and the opening of a local office will help JacTravel to rapidly deliver its growth aspirations for the region, which are to triple present revenues. The region has grown to over 350 directly contracted hotels in key locations, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in the past year.

Lee envisions building the company’s locally sourced inventory to more than 1,500 hand-picked properties within the coming year.