NASH Dom Primorye, a wholly owned corporation of the Primorsky Territory government of Russia, has issued a Request for Concepts process inviting global investors to develop integrated resorts with casino gaming components at its Integrated Entertainment Zone (IEZ).

In a statement released yesterday, Nash Dom Primorye said it was aiming to capitalise upon the significant economic growth of Asia’s economies through the development of the IEZ – one of only four designated areas in Russia that will allow legalised casino gaming activity.

Located approximately 20km from Vladivostok International Airport, the IEZ is also currently the only zone with direct access to Asia. Just a two-hour flight from both Seoul (Incheon) and Tokyo (Narita), Vladivostok International Airport is also served by non-stop connections on Aeroflot and S7 Airlines to Beijing Capital and Hong Kong International Airports.

According to a report in TODAYonline, Nash Dom Primorye is planning to develop 12 casinos in total within the IEZ, with the first phase of a three-part rollout set to be unveiled in 2016, at an overall investment of around US$2 billion.

General director of Nash Dom Primorye, Marina Lomakina, said: “We believe the IEZ will create a compelling experience for Asian tourists seeking a destination that is near, but culturally different. We also believe that investors will be interested in the tourism and casino gaming potential of the IEZ.”

“While casino gaming is legal in the zone, we are looking for concepts that focus on tourism development. We look forward to receiving RFC responses that capitalize upon Vladivostok’s strong linkages with Asia,” she added.

ASIA’s leading travel and tourism publisher and event organiser, TTG Asia Media, has rejuvenated its 38-year-old newspaper, as part of ongoing efforts to raise the standards of its bi-weekly print product.

Weighing 100g and packing a ton of information, TTG Asia, from this issue (July 13-19, 2012) onwards, comes in upgraded premium quality paper, presenting readers with features that look, not just read, better.

Content has also undergone a makeover. New columnists in Tip Sheet deliver insights on issues ranging from agency best practices to online booking trends, and regular space has been dedicated to intelligence, which gives meaning to statistics, and travel trivia, which enables consultants to upgrade their knowledge in a fun way.

With a heavier emphasis on analysis compared to the news-breaking TTG Asia e-Daily, destination briefings, thematic reports and guides and editorials are now at the heart of TTG Asia.

The publication also includes the hottest news and talking points from www.ttgasia.com, while sections like appointments and trade deals have been moved online.

TTG Travel Trade Publishing deputy group editor and TTG Asia editor, Gracia Chiang, said: “TTG Asia not only strives to deliver the best content that’s relevant to your business needs but also sweats the details.

“You can count on us to continue to innovate, as we draw on our strengths of the widest network of dedicated travel trade correspondents across Asia.”

A TTG Asia app is in the pipeline, while new sister publication, TTG Asia Luxury, will be launched in October.

TTG Asia has a bi-weekly BPA-audited circulation of 14,500, while its digital version, TTG Asia Digital, is blasted out to 28,000 subscribers, and can be read on mobile, desktop and online.

THE 405-room Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park and 384-room Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park have been busy building up their talent pool for their respective openings in December 2012 and February 2013 (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 14, 2012).

Tony Cousens has been appointed pre-opening general manager of the two properties, while management for the human resources, sales & marketing, revenue, F&B and rooms departments are already in place.

Cousens brings with him over 30 years of hotel management experience in North America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, including previous stints with Le Meridien, Four Seasons and Jumeirah. He also led the successful relaunch of Marina Mandarin Singapore in 2005.

“Our immediate task now is to recruit associates to join us as part of our pre-opening team for both hotels,” said Cousens. “We are looking for people who will come and shape the future of the two international hotels within the Wyndham family in Singapore.”

As part of its recruitment efforts, Days Hotel will be hosting a career fair from August 17-18 at the Drama Centre Foyer of the National Library Board building in Singapore.

BEST Western International (BWI) has launched the Best Western Premier Dua Sentral in Kuala Lumpur.

Located in the up-and-coming business and transportation hub of KL Sentral, the 364-room flagship property marks BWI’s entry into the Malaysian capital, and is also the inaugural Best Western Premier hotel in the country.

Glenn de Souza, BWI’s vice president, international operations – Asia & the Middle East, said: “We are delighted to open this stunning new hotel and introduce our Best Western Premier brand to Malaysia.”

Best Western Premier Dua Sentral offers rooms with sizes ranging from 34 to 183m². Hotel facilities include eight function rooms with space for 12 to 192 pax, three F&B outlets, an infinity-edged swimming pool, and a spa.

Elsewhere in Malaysia, Best Western Wana Riverside Hotel will open in Malacca later this year, while other Best Western properties are also scheduled to open in Ipoh, Klang, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 23, 2012).

BWI expects to operate 11 properties and more than 1,700 rooms in Malaysia by 2015.

IBIS has introduced a Ramadan promotion across its hotels in Indonesia to boost business during the upcoming Islamic fasting month.

Scheduled to run from July 20 to August 26, the Ramadhan Dimana? Di ibis Saja promotion is available at 19 ibis Styles/all seasons, ibis hotels and Formule1/ibis budget properties in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Jogjakarta, Semarang, Solo, Pekanbaru, Balikpapan and Bali.

Packages are priced from 450,000 rupiah (US$50) per night, and include pre-dawn meal/breakfast and fast-breaking meals (or standard dinner).

Guests will get double Le Club Accorhotels points and flexible check-in/check-out times, as well as opportunities to win free stays at ibis branded hotels in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and a grand prize of a sponsored Umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Speaking at a press conference in Jakarta yesterday, Accor Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore regional director, sales, marketing & distribution, Adi Satria, said: “Over the last five years, the Ramadhan programme has become a tradition for the ibis brand family and has proven very popular with our guests.

“A similar programme last year (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 14, 2011) attracted nearly 400,000 guests throughout the month of Ramadhan, and this year we expect to achieve similar results.”

TRAFALGAR has launched its latest winter itineraries to Europe, highlighting Christmas-themed vacations and immersive experiences.

Positioned as The Insider, this year’s winter lineup features immersive experiences such as drinking warm red wine at Christmas markets in Vienna, and cruising along The Seine river in Paris.

Trafalgar has also introduced three new winter itineraries – “Paris & Rome”, “Highlights of France & Barcelona with Madrid extension” and “Best of Morocco” – bringing its portfolio for the season to a total of 33 programmes.

Three family-dedicated departures have also been added, featuring highlights such as Flamenco lessons in Spain, pizza-making sessions in Rome, and painting carnival masks in Venice.

Nicholas Lim, Trafalgar’s regional director, said: “We have proactively sought to set ourselves apart, creating in-depth itineraries with exclusive trip highlights and enhanced inclusions.

“Singaporeans are some of the most frequent travellers in the region, and we fully expect the figure to grow as we head into the peak season for winter journeys,” he added.

CARLSON Rezidor Hotel Group will roll out the latest iteration of its Radisson Blu brand campaign, Turning the World Blu, across Asia-Pacific during the second half of the year.

An update on last year’s Discover Blu campaign (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 23, 2011), Turning the World Blu will run across 15 markets in Asia-Pacific, mainly through online advertising on established media channels and selected pan-regional business titles.

The campaign will feature architectural landmarks in key Radisson Blu markets, iconic photography, and visuals of hotel interiors.

Experiential consumer touch points will also be introduced, such as 3D interactive street art to highlight Radisson Blu’s free Internet, tinted Radisson Blu branded sunglasses for guests to experience the world from a ‘Blu’ perspective, and a ‘Blu Day’ in October to mark a regional celebration.

Lucinda Semark, executive vice president, revenue generation, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “This campaign is part of our three-year brand investment strategy in Asia-Pacific to encourage travellers to ‘Discover Radisson Blue’.”

Since 2011, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has invested US$7 million in building the brand’s global visibility, of which US$3 million was spent on the Radisson Blu brand campaign in Asia-Pacific between 2011 and 2012.

Simon C Barlow, president, Asia-Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “We have established strong growth momentum in Asia-Pacific, expanding the portfolio from one Radisson Blu hotel and resort in 2010, to 29 at the end of 2011. By 2015, the group will have close to 70 Radisson Blu hotels and resorts operating in the region.”

THAI Airways International (THAI) has introduced special flight arrangements for Thai Muslims planning to go on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The first flight will depart from Hat Yai on September 17, which is the first day of the pilgrimage. From September 17 to November 15, THAI will operate twice-daily services from Hat Yai to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, in addition to one daily flight each from Phuket and Krabi.

THAI will operate a total of 42 special inbound and outbound Hajj flights, using Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a 295-seat capacity. The carrier expects to serve approximately 6,000 Hajj pilgrims during this period. Roundtrip airfares for the special flights start from 48,500 baht (US$1,530) per pax.

Meanwhile, THAI and Brussels Airlines have entered into a codeshare agreement on the Brussels-Bangkok route, a thrice-weekly direct service launched by THAI last November (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 21, 2011).

“The codeshare agreement between the two carriers will offer passengers greater choice in travelling (between) Bangkok (and) Brussels, with access to other parts of Europe as well as South-east Asia,” said Pandit Chanapai, THAI executive vice president, commercial department.