TTG ASIA’s ongoing Facebook competition recently found its first lucky winner in Chiew Chi Yuen, a travel consultant with Malaysia’s S&C Leisure.

Chiew won for himself a two-night stay for two in a Grand Executive Suite at the Grand Hyatt Macau, complete with Grand Club Lounge privileges, after ‘liking’ the TTG Asia Facebook page and subscribing to the travel trade magazine.

Next month’s prize will be a four-day three-night stay for two persons in a Lagoon Pool Villa at the Furama Xclusive Villas & Spas, Ubud-Bali.

Members of the travel trade industry stand to win prizes every month by ‘liking’ the TTG Asia Facebook page, and increase their chances by subscribing to the magazine.

For more details, visit www.facebook.com/ttgasia

THE OPENING of Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku on November 1 marked the debut of Accor’s economy hotel brand in Japan.

The property, a rebranded hotel with 206 guestrooms, will undergo an extensive refurbishment over the following months.

Once the makeover is completed, the Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku will add to almost 100 hotels and over 17,340 rooms in Ibis’ Asia-Pacific network.

Michael Issenberg, chairman and COO of Accor Asia Pacific, said: “This addition of Accor’s strongest hotel brand will extend the network’s portfolio in Japan, offering guests a comprehensive hotel selection to choose from.”

Patrick Basset, Accor’s vice president for Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan, said: “This hotel is the first Ibis hotel brand to set foot in Japan, but it will be the 10th hotel in Accor’s Japan network.”

Accor’s other Japanese properties include one each in Hyogo, Aichi, Shizuoka, Kanagawa, Chiba, Tokyo and Gumma, and two in Hokkaido.

IT’S BUSINESS as usual in Thailand’s far north and southern regions, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand scheduled to bring in about 300 international buyers to attend two travel marts in Chiang Mai and Phuket this month.

The buyers, comprising about 200 travel experts from Asia and South Pacific, and 100 more from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas—including 20 from Argentina and Brazil (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 8), will be arriving via Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

They will then take connecting flights to Chiang Mai to attend the Chiang Mai & the North Tourism Forum (November 22-23), and afterwards fly direct to Phuket to attend the Phuket-Andaman Travel Mart (November 25-26).

In addition, TUI Frankfurt office will be sending some 150 travel experts from Germany to Phang Nga for the launch of its summer 2012 brochure on November 10, while Thai Airways International will be flying in 336 VIPs, media and travel experts from Denmark on its inaugural Copenhagen-Phuket direct service on November 12.

Meanwhile, Bangkok-based Destination Asia (Thailand) managing director, Pornthip Hirunkate, said the DMC was able to retain eight out of 10 incentives groups between October and November, by diverting them to either a combined Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai itinerary or just Phuket.

While Phuket International Airport reported a 20 per cent growth in passenger arrivals for October, compared to the same period last year, Chiang Mai-based Standard Tour director for MICE department and worldwide leisure market, Vorapong Muchaotai, said it was slightly more difficult to gauge the situation in Chiang Mai.

Even though hotels in Chiang Mai have been receiving increasing numbers of domestic guests, there have been some cancellations from international markets, due to the floods as well as the postponement of the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek festival, which will now start on December 14.

By Sirima Eamtako

ASIAN Trails has urged overseas tour operators to think twice and consult their handlers for an accurate picture on the ground before cancelling trips to Thailand, after a New York-based client axed two groups in a row without seeking its opinion.

The two groups were bound for Bangkok and north Thailand for a 10-day stay. The operator sends 15 groups to Thailand annually, with average group size of between 35 and 45 pax.

“There is NO problem for us to operate tours on almost normal itinerary. They never asked for our opinion, but simply canceled the two groups,” said Asian Trails CEO Luzi Matzig.

“The floods in Ayuthaya are receding and yesterday one of our Swiss groups from Voegele Reisen visited three of the main temples in Ayuthaya for the first time in three weeks,” he added.

“The whole of downtown Bangkok is still dry and today Asian Trails operates city and temple tours, floating market of Dam Noen Saduak, etc, as usual. All transfers operate normally and all hotels except the Sofitel Centara in Lardprao and the Chao Phaya Park are open and fully functional.

“There are no problems at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The Asian Highway from Bangkok via Ayuthaya is again open for traffic.”

Asian Trails had approximately 500 pax cancelled for period of stay November 1-15, he told TTG Asia e-Daily in an email interview. But of the 500, only 100 are from Europe and the US; 400 are from Asia.

Said Matzig: “The tourism industry needs the support of its principals overseas, and the fact that (the operator) has now cancelled two Thailand tours in a row causes additional stress on guides, drivers, restaurants, etc, who then lose badly-needed income.”

He urged: “Give some thought when deciding on whether to operate or cancel future Thailand tours, simply because CNN shows worst-case scenario footage from ‘yesteryears’ repeatedly to boost its ratings, while governments issue overly-cautious travel advisories to (protect themselves).”

SRI Lankan tourism authorities have buckled under industry pressure and agreed to reduce new online visa processing fees for overseas visitors, which were due to take effect beginning next year (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 30).

The US$50 fee will be reduced to US$10 for South Asian Association For Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nationals and US$20 for non-SAARC nationals. There will also be a fee waiver for passengers transiting through Colombo—valid for stays of up to 48 hours, and children under the age of 12.

Sri Lanka Tourism Authority chairman Nalaka Godahewa told reporters last week that the government had decided to reduce the processing fee after receiving industry feedback that the high price would hamper inbound travel.

According to Nihal Perera, chairman of Colombo-based Sparklink Travels, many overseas tour operators complained that the fee would cut into their margins. “There was some hesitancy to promote Sri Lanka by operators because of this new cost,” he said.

India, Sri Lanka’s top source market, also raised concerns over the rate and requested that a nominal sum be implemented for SAARC nationals.

S. Paramanathan, president of the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, said the local travel trade had been particularly concerned that the fee would affect Indian arrivals.

LE MÉRIDIEN is making a comeback in Bali following an agreement between Tiara Raya Bali International (a company of Ristia Group) and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide to jointly develop an existing resort there.

Formerly known as Ristia Resort, the property will be rebranded as the Le Méridien Bali – Jimbaran, under the management of Starwood, and is scheduled to open in mid-2012.

Ristia Group chairman Richard Wiriahardja said: “We are excited to announce our collaboration with Starwood on Le Méridien Bali – Jimbaran project. We believe that our distinctive design and location is the perfect fit for Le Méridien.”

Starwood Hotels & Resorts South-east Asia regional vice president Chuck Abbott said: “The development of Le Méridien Bali will add onto our strong presence in South-east Asia and re-establish Le Méridien brand in Bali.”

Le Méridien Bali will offer 123 suites, including 28 Aqua Suites, four rooftop villas—each with an Indonesian style Bale Bengong outdoor lounge area and private plunge pool, and four penthouse suites.

Facilities will include a three-storey restaurant and bar, a lagoon swimming pool and sundeck accessible from ground floor guestrooms, a spa and fitness centre, and 200m2 of meeting space.

Starwood previously managed Le Méridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort in Tanah Lot, until its management was taken over by Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts in 2010.

AN OPERATIONS attachment programme involving the founding members of the Asia Cruise Terminal Association (ACTA) – Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) and Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal Development Co (WSK) – kicked off yesterday, ahead of the association’s official launch on November 15.

Five employees from WSK, ranging from entry-level to senior management personnel, will be attached for almost a month to various SCC departments to pick up best practices on operations, customer service and third-party liaison, explained SCC CEO, Christina Siaw.

“Workshops will also be conducted for participants to discuss how lessons learnt from the programme can be applied back home,” said Siaw.

She added: “We handle three to four cruise ships a day. We get all kinds of cruise ships from various cruise companies, carrying international passengers. There is plenty of action in Singapore, which makes it the best place for WSK and other ACTA member ports to learn how to attend to international ships and passengers.”

The full cost of the exchange programme will be borne by WSK, with Siaw recognising that the high cost of staying in Singapore for an attachment programme, which can run for at least two weeks on average, may be prohibitive for some member ports.

“Perhaps in the near future, ACTA will have to think of ways to help members who are less financially able to afford training programmes in Singapore,” she said.

Although ACTA draws a membership fee, Siaw said the money would be spent on marketing and participating in industry events such as Cruise Shipping Asia, and not to finance attachment programmes that do not involve all members.

Apart from such attachment programmes, which are expected to rise in frequency as membership grows, ACTA is planning to offer other skills development activities and support for its members.

THE TOURISM Authority of Thailand (TAT) is going all out with its efforts to woo the Latin America market, with plans to appoint a dedicated representative for the region next year, and a series of marketing initiatives due to begin this month.

According to Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT deputy governor of international marketing for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, the NTO is hoping to grow its Latin America market by 20 per cent annually this year and next, to compensate for an anticipated decline in arrivals from the US and Europe.

“The TAT Los Angeles office is now in the process of selecting/appointing a representative in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro/ São Paulo),” she said.

TAT’s aggressive push for Latin American visitors includes a first-ever participation at the Associação Brasileira de Agências de Viagens 2011 travel trade show in Brazil last month, where a 24m2 country booth featuring four Thai tour operators – Travex, Destination Asia, CBS Travel Asia and NCT Asia Tour – was on display.

This month, TAT will be partnering with Qatar Airways to bring in 20 travel experts and media representatives from Argentina and Brazil to attend the Chiang Mai Travel Forum (November 22-23) and the Phuket-Andaman Travel Market (November 25-26). TAT and Qatar Airways are also in talks for a similar cooperation ahead of Thailand Travel Market 2012, normally held in June.

According to Juthaporn, TAT is promoting Thailand in Latin America through Qatar Airways’ Buenos Aires-São Paulo-Doha-Phuket service, on top of direct flights to other South-east Asian destinations offered by carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.

Last year, Thailand recorded about 30,000 arrivals from Latin America, including 16,753 from Brazil and 9,936 from Argentina. In the first nine months of 2011, visitor numbers from Brazil grew to 17,000 – a 23 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, while visitor numbers from Argentina surged by 30 per cent to 9,500.

The average daily expenditure of visitors from Brazil and Argentina to Thailand is higher than those from Europe and the US, with similar average length of stay of about 10 days to two weeks. Brazilian visitors spend about 4,300 baht (US$140) per pax and Argentinians, 4,195 baht per pax. Europeans spend about 3,700 baht per pax and Americans, 4,200 baht per pax.

By Sirima Eamtako

ETIHAD Airways commenced on November 1 direct daily services from Abu Dhabi to Male, the Maldives capital.

The UAE flag carrier employs Airbus A320 aircraft on the route, configured with 120 economy- and 16 business-class seats.

An Etihad Airways official said the new service would cater to passengers from across the UAE and the Middle East, and also Europeans seeking connections to the Maldives.

Upul Peiris, COO of Adaaran Resorts in the Maldives, said Etihad’s new flights would help to boost connectivity between European source markets and the Maldives.

“More access means more clients. It would also help the Russian traffic as Etihad flies there too,” he said.

The Middle East accounts for 1.6 percent of total arrivals to the Maldives, and contributed 10,489 visitors during the first nine months of the year, an increase of 24.1 per cent over the same period last year.