SINGAPORE-based travel metasearch engine Wego.com has officially launched Wego Indonesia, one of 35 international sites to be introduced as part of its global expansion.

Available in Bahasa Indonesia and English, the site, www.wego.co.id, has been in beta testing mode since last December.

Wego co-founder and CEO, Ross Veitch, said: “There was strong growth from the Indonesian market over the last 18 months, hence our early decision to invest heavily in localising our services for Indonesians.”

Recent Indonesian market trends observed by Wego include domestic flight clicks growing by over 400 per cent year-on-year, with users frequently referred to Lion Air, Batavia Air, Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air and AirAsia Indonesia flights.

International flight clicks increased by 180 per cent year-on-year, with Tiger Airways, AirAsia Indonesia, Malaysia Airlines, Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia, ValuAir and Jetstar seeing the most volume. Singapore was the primary international destination for Tiger Airways flights.

Popular destinations within Indonesia, including Padang, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Malang, Kupang, Bengkulu, Jayapura, Kendari and Palu, witnessed seven- and up to eight-fold increases in interest, while Bali tripled in search volume year-on-year.

“This tends to suggest that the domestic market is beginning to mature as travellers seek out new destinations beyond Bali,” said Graham Hills, Wego general manager Indonesia.

STAR Travel Corp Taipei was listed on Taiwan’s Gre Tai Securities Market stock exchange on February 24, becoming the second local travel consultancy to go public after Phoenix Tours International last November.

More domestic travel and hospitality firms are expected to follow suit, with Chateau International Development, a resort hotel operator in Kenting, scheduled to go public on March 14, and Lion Group Taipei due to launch an IPO in third quarter 2013.

According to Mars Hsu, analyst, Grand Cathay Securities, two travel consultancies, nine hotels and one amusement park are already listed on the stock exchange in Taiwan.

“I think this is an effort by (local travel companies) to push their brand names in China and elsewhere, though of course, they will also use the capitalisation to seek additional business opportunities,” he said.

Echoing Hsu’s sentiment, Star Travel CEO Vincent Lin explained that the opportunity to boost brand awareness overseas was a key factor behind his company’s listing, which he believes will help its three branch offices in China – in Xiamen, Shanghai and Suzhou – to grow traffic to Taiwan, particularly in the FIT segment.

“We wanted to elevate the value of our brand and increase brand perception among consumers,” said Lin. “Many companies use stock market listings to raise capital. We didn’t need to do that as we are part of Tsann Keun Enterprise (a Taiwanese home appliance and consumer electronics giant).”

Reporting by Glenn Smith

CHAKRA Resorts, the sister brand of Karma Royal Group’s Karma Resorts and Royal Resorts properties, is set to launch within the next two weeks.

Offering a global portfolio of 4.5-star properties in four locations, Chakra Resorts will feature self-contained suites, apartments and hotel rooms targeted at families, couples, as well as young, single travellers.

Founder and CEO of Karma Royal Group, John Spence told TTG Asia e-Daily that the new brand bridges the existing ultra-luxury Karma Resorts and upscale Royal Resorts brands.

He added that Chakra would retain some luxury features of Karma Resorts, but that rooms would cost from S$200 (US$159) per night, compared to the S$1,259 per night charged at Karma.

The four Chakra properties expected to launch by year-end include Schliersee in the Bavarian Alps, Rottnest Lodge near Perth, another in a historic mansion in Jaipur, and a fourth in Bali.

The group also plans to open resorts in the Bahamas, Tuscany in Italy, St Tropez in France, Dartmoor in the UK, and Palawan in the Philippines, alongside two Karma Spas in Qatar and Morocco.

THAILAND’s ONYX Hospitality Group is growing its footprint in Asia-Pacific through a 1.5 billion-baht (US$48.9 million) expansion programme.

Peter Henley, group president and CEO, said: “2012 is a big year for us, as we prepare to open five properties across three of our brands, whilst taking our first steps as a company into two new international markets (China and India).”

The group’s first OZO hotel will open in Hong Kong later this year, alongside Amari openings in China and India. Looking further ahead, the ONYX pipeline also features two more Shama properties in China, three properties in Sri Lanka and another in Qatar.

“Our expansion into China and India presents a great opportunity to take advantage of growing domestic visitor numbers, while plans to grow our offer into Sri Lanka means we will have a foothold in one of the world’s most rapidly growing tourist destinations,” said Henley.

On the domestic front, Amari Hua Hin will open in June this year, OZO Koh Samui in 2013 and Amari Residences Pattaya in 2015. Renovations are also set to begin at the Amari Watergate and Amari Coral Beach Phuket, as Thailand remains central to ONYX’s growth strategy.

Even though growth potential for the Thai hotel market is “minimal” in comparison to other parts of Asia, according to Yuthachai Charanachitta, owner, ONYX Hospitality Group, “Thailand remains our anchor. Whatever we do outside is intended to promote sales here,” he said.

With a current portfolio of 31 properties across two brands in Thailand, Hong Kong and China, Onyx aims to have 51 properties in operation by 2018.

By Timothy France

FIREFLY, which ceased its jet services last December as part of a wider network rationalisation by parent company Malaysia Airlines, is looking to reassure consumers and travel industry partners that its turboprop operations will remain online for the foreseeable future.

Ignatius Ong, COO of shorthaul Malaysia Airlines/Firefly, said: “We strongly reiterate that the turboprop aircraft operating out of Subang and Penang hubs to other domestic and international destinations remain unaffected and plans for growth are in motion.”

“There are plans to expand Firefly’s existing network and acquire more turboprop aircraft to support the growth within the medium to longer term,” he added.

“Passengers can look forward to an increase in frequencies for selected routes in March and announcements of new routes in the near future.”

Firefly, which operates to 18 destinations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, flew 1.5 million passengers using 10 ATR-72-500 aircraft in 2011.

The carrier expects to grow the number of passengers handled by more than 30 per cent this year, following the addition of two more ATR-72-500s to its fleet.

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir have decided to increase the fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after March 8, 2012 due to rising jet fuel prices.

The surcharge will see a raise of between US$2 and US$28 per sector, depending on distance and class of travel.

The surcharge now amounts to US$36, US$174 and US$287 for economy flights between Singapore and South-east Asia, Europe/South Africa, and the Americas, respectively.

The last time SIA and SilkAir raised the fuel surcharge was in March last year.

According to a statement from SIA Group, jet fuel now accounts for 40 per cent of the company’s overall expenditure.

HILTON Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Magnolia Finest Corporation, the property arm of Thai-Chinese business family Chearavanont, to open in Bangkok the first Waldorf Astoria in South-East Asia.

Due to open in 2015 along Ratchadamri Road in Bangkok’s Patumwan district, the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok will offer 170 guestrooms (including 34 suites), sized at a minimum of 50m2.

Facilities will include an all-day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants, two bars, a lounge, two ballrooms, nine meeting rooms, a fitness centre and spa, as well as an outdoor pool.

“The Waldorf Astoria name is synonymous with timeless luxury and sophistication, and guests to the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok can expect a truly luxurious experience,” said John Vanderslice, global head of Luxury and Lifestyle Brands at Hilton Worldwide.

The Waldorf Astoria Bangkok will mark the entry of Hilton Worldwide’s ninth property and fourth brand in Thailand, joining Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts branded properties as well as the first DoubleTree by Hilton in Bangkok next year.