MOVENPICK Hotels & Resorts has put in place the structure to support its swift Asian expansion by creating a new position, vice president operations-Asia, which has been filled by a hotelier who is no stranger to the region, Bruno Huber.

From just a sprinkling of hotels in the Far East, Movenpick will have 25 hotels in operation and under construction in the region by 2015. Huber, currently general manager and regional manager-Jordan, will be based in Bangkok, where he served the Plaza Athenee before joining Movenpick nine years ago. The appointment is effective September 3, 2012.

The new role is in keeping with Movenpick president & CEO Jean-Gabriel Peres’ vision to turn Movenpick into the best upscale hospitality company in the world.

Since joining Movenpick 13 years ago, Peres has internationalised the Swiss chain, which was previously operating a mixed bag of around 30 mid-market, four- and five-star hotels in Switzerland, Germany and Egypt. Now, Movenpick’s network spans across 25 countries, and includes over 70 hotels in operation and more than 30 under construction, all of which are upscale and upper upscale properties.

In Asia, Movenpick operates two hotels in Phuket and one each in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Singapore and Cebu. This year, it will open a hotel each in Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Palawan. It has also signed and announced a hotel each in Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Manila, Jomtien, Bangkok, Shanghai, Sanya, Mongolia and Qui Non (Vietnam).

“I’m a great believer in the decentralisation of a number of operational functions. We need to be close to market, where the owners are. Having a strong regional base with good competence is the name of the game,” Peres told TTG Asia e-Daily.

He attributed Movenpick’s globalisation and evolution into the pure upscale segment to an infusion of talent from five-star brands and who already know Asia well – such as Andreas Mattmuller, COO, Middle East and Asia – into a brand which had strong foundations.

Peres said the chain’s Middle East expansion focus in the beginning had been deliberate, as it was a region “pretty close” to Switzerland. He said the Arab Spring had not affected Movenpick as some people had thought. “We do not have downtown hotels. We’re in resort destinations where people fly directly to and are therefore less affected than a property in, say, Cairo. In Bahrain, for example, we’re close to the airport.

“Yes, there has been overall a decrease of some business but it has not been a collapse,” Peres said, adding that Movenpick would continue to sign properties in the Middle East and would also seek to establish a bigger presence in Sub-Saharan Africa.

– Movenpick’s mover, read View from the Top, TTG Asia, July 13, 2012

CITILINK has finally obtained its Air Operator’s Certificate from the Indonesian civil aviation authorities, marking its full separation from parent carrier, Garuda Indonesia.

Citilink, which has been operating 14 aircraft across 11 domestic routes connecting eight cities, has managed to secure the rights to fly a total of 70 domestic and 16 regional routes following the spin-off.

Citilink president Arif Wibowo was quoted by local media as saying: “We are going to focus on domestic routes this year, and will enter regional destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and South Australia next year.”

Garuda president & CEO, Emirsyah Satar, said Citilink would receive six more aircraft by end-2012, and that its fleet would grow to 50 planes by 2015.

“Operating as an LCC, Citilink will target customers who prefer to travel by rail rather than by air, in line with their increasing buying power,” he said.

THE LEGIAN Bali reopened on June 1, 2012 following a four-month makeover.

Natural light, easy airflow, prime ocean views and inviting green space were all on the agenda as the hotel underwent its most extensive facelift since opening in 1996.

The 68-room resort now boasts a new 30-metre infinity lap pool and beachfront sun deck, freshly landscaped gardens, improved lighting in half of its guestrooms, and upgraded views of the Indian Ocean from its private, three-bedroom Beach House.

In the first of two stages of renovations, improvement works were focused on the guest rooms. The plumbing was fixed for better temperature control, the air circulation systems were recalibrated, and new lighting was installed on the terraces.

The resort’s exclusive Beach House was the recipient of a new 20m2 terrace with sunbeds, accessible from the master bedroom, which was also rearranged for better ocean views. More windows were installed to allow more sunlight into the building, while the living room was opened up with two walls of transparent folding doors – giving guests the option to enjoy 180-degree panoramic views.

The new infinity pool, the highlight of the refurbishment, was built from the ground up closer to the shoreline than the resort’s two other oases. Meanwhile, the new deck space fronting the Ocean Bar delivers peerless views of the sunset.

LUFTHANSA recently took delivery of its second Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft, with which the German flag carrier is planning to operate a daily service between Frankfurt and New Delhi from August 6, 2012.

The B747-8 is a completely new aircraft that builds upon the positive features of the Boeing 747 series, Lufthansa’s longhaul workhorse for more than 40 years.

On board, passengers can enjoy the new Business Class, which offers seats that can be converted into horizontal sleeping surfaces measuring 1.98 metres in length.

The plane also features significantly improved aerodynamics and tangible improvements in terms of eco-efficiency – consuming less fuel and achieving a 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions per passenger. In addition, noise emissions have been reduced by 30 per cent.

Since the beginning of June, Lufthansa’s first B747-8 has been deployed on the Frankfurt-Washington route.

A further two B747-8s are scheduled for delivery in 2012. The destinations where Lufthansa is planning to deploy the new planes include Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Lufthansa has ordered a total of 20 B747-8s.

THE BOOTLEG Beatles, a tribute band to the Fab Four from Liverpool, will debut at Marina Bay Sands’ (MBS) Grand Theater in Singapore from November 8-11, 2012.

For five shows only, the band will perform renditions of the greatest hits from the entire Beatles catalogue and four costume changes reflecting the Fab Four’s evolution. The act will be accompanied by an eight-piece orchestra against a video backdrop showing stills and clips evoking the 1960s.

Now in their 33rd year, The Bootleg Beatles have performed almost 5,000 shows worldwide.

The Bootleg Beatles tour of Singapore is produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions in partnership with Base Entertainment Asia. Tickets are priced from S$55 (US$43), and reservations can be made on the websites of MBS or Base Entertainment.

ROYAL Brunei Airlines (RBA) has partnered with the Brunei Tourism Board to organise a fam trip for a Malay consortium of Singapore travel experts to promote the country’s Islamic tourism offerings.

Lim Guat Wen, RBA country manager Singapore, said: “Brunei is the only remaining sovereign Malay Islamic monarchy, and this trip will help the (consultants) guide their customers better when planning a visit there. Brunei is the place to be for Muslims wanting a spiritual retreat away from the hustle and bustle of today’s lifestyles.”

Held from July 9 – 13, the fam trip will promote Brunei’s religious aspects to give the consortium a better understanding of Islamic practices in the region. The programme includes tours of iconic buildings such as the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien and Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosques, visits to key historical and spiritual centers and shopping hubs, as well as a boat ride offering views of the Istana Nurul Iman palace and Pulau Ranggu, a river island inhabited by the rare proboscis monkey.

Besides showcasing Brunei’s spiritual and cultural aspects, the itinerary will also feature the sultanate’s natural attractions. The group will experience an overnight stay at Ulu Ulu Resort, in the Ulu Temburong National Park Rainforest.

The fam trip is hosted by RBA, which operates twice-daily flights between Singapore and Brunei.

MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) will expand its network by starting thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Kathmandu services from September 1, 2012. The flights will be operated using Boeing B737-800 aircraft.

Luxury Tours Malaysia manager, Ganneesh Ramaa, said the new direct services between Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu would help to develop tourism in both Malaysia and Nepal. The KL-Kathmandu route is currently monopolised by Nepal Airlines – which provides six weekly services.

Ramaa said that with two airlines operating on the route, Kuala Lumpur would become a gateway for neighbouring countries without direct accessto Kathmandu. His company is keen on developing Buddhist pilgrimage tours to Kathmandu for the Malaysian outbound market, he added.

Meanwhile, MAS will ramp up its daytime frequencies between Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru starting September 1. Currently, MAS is the only airline providing daily full-service connections between Kuala Lumpur and these Indian cities.

MAS is planning to introduce three additional weekly services from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai, departing every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 09.20, while extra Bengaluru-bound flights will depart on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 09.50. The additional Kuala Lumpur-Chennai flights will depart the Malaysian capital every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 09.35.

THAI Smile, a sub-brand airline of Thai Airways International, commenced its first international flights to Macau on July 7.

Operating in two seat classes on new Airbus A320-200 aircraft, THAI Smile’s twice-daily Bangkok-Macau services add to Thai Airways’ existing six daily Macau-Bangkok connections.

Woranate Laprabang, THAI Smile managing director, said: “We are expecting high-spending and MICE travellers from Thailand (on the Bangkok-Macau flights), especially incentive groups. Unlike Hong Kong, where many of them have been to, Macau is new.

“Moreover, there is a lot of potential (for tourism promotion) in the Zhuhai region of Guangdong Province, north of the Macau border,” he added.

Woranate said the new route also enables travellers from India – which has no direct air links to Macau – to leverage on Thai Airways’ connecting flights via Bangkok to reach the destination.

New Sintra Tours general manager, Noella Tsui, said: “Thailand is a top (destination) for Macau residents who love going (there) for weekend escapes. It’s hard to get seats during the peak season, so THAI Smile’s entry means more choices and could possibly drive airfares down.”

According to Woranate, THAI Smile’s economy class bookings for July are about 80 per cent full. Unlike LCCs, THAI Smile offers free baggage allowance, as well as complimentary beverages and a light meal onboard.

– Read more in TTG Asia, July 13, 2012