STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will soon have two of its hotel brands – Sheraton and The Luxury Collection – in Sri Lanka.

Earlier this month, India’s ITC Group, a franchisee for the Sheraton and Luxury Collection, finally pushed through a deal with Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment, allowing it to develop a mixed-used project with a Luxury Collection hotel on a two-hectare site in Colombo.

Simultaneously, Starwood signed a management contract with Lanka Hotels & Residencies, Greenwater Resorts India and Eurocon Building Industries UAE to operate the 306-key Sheraton Colombo Hotel.

Located about a kilometre from the proposed Luxury Collection site, the Sheraton is scheduled to open in September 2013.

Anura Lokuhetty, president, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, said the country was experiencing a “second wave” of top international hotel chains entering the market.

“Brands look at places where there is potential…where others go. A good example is the Maldives, where all the big brands are present,” he said.

GARUDA Indonesia has signed an MoU with China Airlines to codeshare on the Taiwanese carrier’s flights between Indonesia and Taiwan.

The agreement will see the airlines codesharing on China Airlines’ Taipei-Jakarta, Taipei-Denpasar and Taipei-Singapore-Surabaya routes.

Plans to codeshare Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dubai flights are also in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, Garuda will introduce daily services between Jakarta and Taipei using a B737-800NG aircraft, starting May 24.

THE HONG Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has appointed Aviareps as its official trade and PR representative in Russia, in a bid to boost inbound numbers from the market.

“We are excited about the robust growth of the Russian market in recent years, which is now our fourth largest source market in Europe,” said Anthony Lau, executive director, HKTB. The NTO has been targeting Russia since 2008.

“Riding on Aviareps’ professional knowledge in the travel industry, HKTB will build even closer (ties) and partnerships with the trade and media in Russia,” Lau added.

Following the implementation of mutual visa-free access between Hong Kong and Russia in 2009, and a subsequent increase in direct flight connections, arrivals from Russia to Hong Kong hit 86,800 in 2010 (+102 per cent over 2009), and 131,537 the following year (+51.5 per cent).

In 1Q2012, over 50,000 Russians travelled to Hong Kong, a 72.3 per cent jump over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, HKTB is planning to launch a series of marketing initiatives in Moscow and St Petersburg, which will be expanded to other Russian cities in the future.

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have signed a joint venture agreement which opens up the possibility of going beyond existing codeshare ties, to include co-ordination of flight schedules, joint sales activities and enhanced network connectivity.

The enhanced partnership is expected to lead to growth in air services between Singapore and Scandinavia, and pave the way for a new route between Singapore and Stockholm. SIA currently operates thrice-weekly flights between Singapore and Copenhagen in a codeshare partnership with SAS.

The two airlines are now awaiting regulatory approval from authorities in Singapore and Europe to go ahead with their plans.

SIA CEO, Goh Choon Phong, said: “This agreement is a win-win for SIA and SAS, and benefits our customers by making air travel more convenient between Asia and Scandinavia. We look forward to co-ordinating schedules to enable more seamless connections to points in Northern Europe, as well as Asia and Southwest Pacific, through our respective hubs.”

He added: “When market conditions allow for it, we also look forward to expanding frequency between Singapore and Copenhagen, and adding new destinations in Scandinavia.”

SAS president and CEO, Rickard Gustafson, said: “We are pleased that the joint venture agreement is now signed, and we can proceed with expanding our partnership and improving the service and benefits for Scandinavian travellers. SIA will be a vital part of our Asia strategy, and we look forward to jointly exploring further opportunities in this exciting and important market.”

A DISPUTE between Air India pilots and management with regards to the national carrier’s faltering merger with Indian Airlines has led to hundreds of its pilots engaging in a ‘sick leave’ protest.

At the centre of contention are efforts by Air India management to integrate and enforce parity in the employment status of both airlines’ flying staff.

More than 400 Air India pilots have called in sick for the eighth day in a row, wreaking havoc on the airline’s flight schedule. Earlier today, 10 international flights from Mumbai and New Delhi were cancelled.

The airline has reacted by suspending 11 of the ‘errant’ pilots, with a recommendation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to revoke their pilot licences.

The aviation authority has so far refused to engage in discussions with the suspended pilots and their de-recognised union, the Indian Pilots’ Guild.

Meanwhile, the authority warned that it may enforce a complete shut down of Air India’s international operations if the situation deteriorates over the coming week.

ACCOR has opened Mercure Okinawa Naha, its inaugural hotel in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.

Located adjacent to Tsubogawa monorail station in Okinawa’s capital, Naha, the hotel offers 260 guest rooms, an all-day dinning restaurant, and several meeting rooms.

“We are very excited to extend the Mercure brand network and Accor’s presence in Japan to include Naha (Okinawa), and provide more choice to visitors to the Japanese Southern Islands,” said Patrick Basset, vice president for Accor Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

Mercure Okinawa Naha is the sixth Mercure branded property in Japan, and the ninth overall in Accor’s local portfolio.

THAILAND was the top overseas destination for Indian travellers last year, registering over 900,000 visitors from India.

According to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) figures, a record 917,832 Indians were received in 2011, a 16 per cent jump over the 791,185 handled in 2010. In 1Q2012, 210,722 Indians travelled to the destination, a 1.64 per cent hike over the same period last year.

Sethaphan Buddhani, director, TAT Mumbai said: “We have achieved this consistent growth due to our result-oriented marketing strategies that are matched with performance indicators. We are also grateful to the Indian travel trade, which has been actively supporting our initiatives through joint promotions that showcase Thailand as a value-for-money destination.”

According to Buddhani, TAT’s ongoing efforts to tap the Indian market include educating travel consultants, tour operators, wedding planners and media about new attractions and products, through various ground-based marketing activities incorporating workshops, seminars and educational tours.

These activities are augmented by exhibitions, joint promotions, and mass communication through a range of outdoor, print, electronic and online media.

Buddhani added: “We (have also) realised the need to tap niche segments as the Indian market has matured over a period of time. As a result, we now tap niche segments such as golf, luxury holidays, weddings, medical, and Bollywood tourism.”

THE MEDAN Municipal Government is offering a range of incentives to travel consultants and MICE planners, in a bid to achieve 250,000 international arrivals through its Visit Medan 2012 campaign.

Offered to both MICE and leisure travellers, the incentives include a complimentary welcome cultural performance at the airport for groups of at least 25 pax, on condition that the travel arrangements in Medan are managed by a local groundhandler. A group of 50 pax and above will receive a complimentary lunch or dinner, including cultural performance.

Last year, Medan received 197,762 visitors. Malaysia, Singapore, China, Australia and Europe were the main source markets.

The mayor of Medan, Rahudman Harahap, said the city offered attractions such as Maimoon Palace – built in 1888 by Sultan Makmun Al Rasyid Perkasa Alam Syah of Deli, Tjong A Fie Mansion, and various cultural and contemporary arts and performances.

“Visit Medan 2012 aims to attract tourists, both domestic and international, to see for themselves what Medan has to offer,” he said.

As part of the campaign, Medan will play host to several international events throughout the year. Last week, Medan was the venue for the annual Indonesia Corporate Meeting & Incentive Travel Mart.

Other upcoming events include the Medan Jazz Festival, Sumatra International Travel Fair, and International Ecotourism Business Forum & Mart in June, and the Maimoon International Festival, Siombak Lake Festival, Medan Mega Fair and Asia Pacific Paintball Championship later this year.

TOURISM in Myanmar will become a ‘success story’ and important job-creation vehicle, said the head of UNWTO during a visit last week, as he announced that the country was seeking to rejoin the international body.

“(Myanmar president U Thein Sein) informed me that Myanmar was very keen to rejoin UNWTO. This will open the door to so many other things, such as creating jobs, infrastructure, trade, investment – all these are part of tourism,” said UNWTO secretary general, Taleb Rifai.

“In the case of Myanmar, we are very optimistic. The country has tremendous natural and environmental (qualities). It is also located in a region that is booming. We feel that (together) we can achieve a tourism success story in Myanmar.”

During the visit, Rifai held discussions with Thein Sein and Myanmar’s Minister for Hotels & Tourism, U Tint Hsan, on ways in which UNWTO could help Myanmar’s tourism industry develop.

“We discussed … specific plans on how to move forward on important issues, such as education and training, promotion and branding, and sustainable development,” said Rifai, adding that Thein Sein was particularly interested in training and human resource development.

“(Thein Sein) asked for UNWTO to send a special team to assess how to upgrade the curriculum and teaching standards at tourism-focused education institutions (in Myanmar),” he said.

“The second most important (issue discussed) was promotion. We think that Myanmar must have a strong brand like all the other Asian destinations.”

Meanwhile, UNWTO has thrown its weight behind Myanmar’s bid to get Bagan listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. “It’s time to do that and we must do it very quickly,” said Rifai, adding that the ancient capital was a “fantastic open museum”.