STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has introduced its premium Luxury Collection brand to China with The Astor Hotel, Tianjin.

The 148-year-old landmark reopened in August last year after an 18-month makeover by award-winning designer Alexandra Champalimaud.

The only luxury hotel in China classified by the National Important Historical Relics Protection Unit, the hotel features 152 rooms and suites in both classic Victorian style and more contemporary design.

The hotel offers 1,000m2 of conference and meeting space including the Buckingham Ballroom, Windsor multi-function rooms, and five private dining rooms, each able to hold up to 12 guests.

Rounding out the facilities are five F&B venues, a business centre, a fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool, a private museum, and a pier, which will be used as a departure point for river cruises.

MYANMAR’S state-run domestic carrier, Myanma Airways, is planning to launch regional routes to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India next year, after it takes delivery of two new aircraft.

The carrier recently signed an agreement with China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation to acquire two ARJ21 aircraft. The planes, which come in 78- or 90-seat configurations, have a range of 3,700km and can fly at a maximum altitude of 11,900m.

According to Myanma Airways’ spokesperson, details on route expansion will be released once the aircraft have been delivered.

If the carrier’s expansion goes ahead, one of its competitors on these international routes will be national carrier, Myanmar Airways International, in which Myanma Airways has a 20 per cent stake.

Meanwhile, Myanma Airways is also planning to expand its domestic services linking the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, to Mandalay, Kalay in Sagaing Region, Kengtung in eastern Shan State, and Myeik in Tanintharyi Region.

The airline currently operates flights to 26 domestic destinations using two ATR-72s, one ATR-42, and three other turboprop aircraft.

CHIANG MAI’S long-deferred convention and exhibition centre (TTG Asia e-Daily, April 11) will finally open its doors in July next year, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Construction delays have hampered the launch of the state-funded MICE facility, which will comprise a 10,000m2 exhibition space and a 3,000-seat convention hall.

The ministry’s permanent-secretary, Sombat Kuruphan, said construction of the buildings would be completed by December 16, followed by about six months of interior design and landscaping work.

The MICE centre will occupy a 52.16-hectare plot in Chiang Mai, and will comprise 55,076m2 of indoor and 364,549m2 of outdoor space.

The ministry intends to contract a professional venue management company to run the venue.

So far, NCC Management & Development and IMPACT Exhibition Management have expressed their intention to bid for the contract. NCC manages four MICE venues in Thailand, while IMPACT owns and manages one.

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG) will launch in Bangkok its economy Holiday Inn Express and boutique Hotel Indigo brands by end 2011 and in 2013, respectively.

With Holiday Inn Express Siam Bangkok and Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road set to be the brands’ pioneer properties in South-east Asia when they open, Bangkok will be the first city in the region to have all five IHG brands in operation.

Alan Watts, the group’s vice president operations South-east Asia, said: “Our strategy for expansion in the region is not about growing for growth’s sake; it’s about bringing the right brands to the right destinations at the right time.”

“Holiday Inn Express and Hotel Indigo will further strengthen our presence in Thailand and across the region, alongside our other established brands – Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza,” he added.

Meanwhile, IHG has opened a new office in Bangkok, with dedicated resources across key functions such as sales and marketing, development, human resources and business performance.

In Thailand, IHG currently has 10 operational hotels, and 11 properties that are scheduled to open over the next five years, including two InterContinentals, one Crowne Plaza, two Holiday Inns, four Holiday Inn Express, and two Hotel Indigos.

THE BUSTLING metropolis in eastern India is set to benefit from a whole host of access developments coming its way – from the imminent arrival of a bevy of airlines to the 2012 opening of a state-of-the-art airport terminal.

Beginning next month, three international airlines will touch down in Kolkata, boosting links to China, the Middle East and Singapore.

Hainan Airlines will commence thrice-weekly flights to Shenzhen from July 12, offering connections to 20 other destinations. It will also provide a complimentary bus service from Shenzhen to Hong Kong and a subsidised one to Guangzhou. To get to Hong Kong, passengers currently have to transit in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

From July 28, Qatar Airways will also operate daily flights between Kolkata and Doha, providing an additional option to travel to Europe and North America. It will have to compete with Emirates, which already has a strong presence in Kolkata with 12 flights a week.

In addition, SilkAir is scheduled to start flying from Singapore to Kolkata four times a week from August 1. Together with Singapore Airlines, it will operate seven weekly flights to Kolkata.

To sweeten the deal, this influx is being matched with infrastructure improvements. Kolkata airport is due to open its swanky third terminal by next February as part of a major overhaul of the entire airport. The 195,000m2 integrated building will help the airport handle 20 million passengers a year, up from the annual four million it was originally built to accommodate.

– Read more in TTG Asia, June 24 issue

By Sirima Eamtako

MBK HOSPITALITY Management (MBKHM) is not planning to expand or revamp the five-star Layana Resort and Spa on Koh Lanta, Krabi, which it acquired in April, according to the group’s assistant managing director, Supanit Vimooktanon.

Speculation was rife that the hospitality management arm of the cash-rich MBK Group would attempt to transform the 50-key resort into a gargantuan property, and in the process compromise the quaint, charming character of Koh Lanta.

Supanit told TTG Asia e-Daily that only minor changes were being lined up for the resort, including new furnishings. “Our direction is to fine-tune the central reservation system, to give the resort a wider market reach under the MBKHM network,” he added.

He said the resort’s identity as a luxury property located on a secluded beach, and its healthy occupancy and room rates, were what attracted MBKHM to acquire it in the first place.

According to Supanit, Layana has been running at 60 per cent occupancy on average over the last few years, and at 90 per cent to full house during the November to April high season. The resort’s average daily rate was consistently higher than 6,000 baht (US$196).

“Our goal is to increase demand during low season, to bring up the year-round occupancy to 70 per cent,” he said.

MBKHM is planning to establish more Layanas, now the top hotel brand under the group’s portfolio, in other remote destinations in Thailand, through the acquisition of existing properties.

The group is hoping to announce its second Layana resort within the next six months.

MBKHM also owns and manages the upper four-star Pathumwan Princess Hotel in Bangkok and two Tinidee resorts in Ranong and Phuket.

By Sirima Eamtako

GARUDA Indonesia has placed a firmed order for 25 Airbus A320 aircraft for its low-cost subsidiary Citilink, with an option to purchase a further 25.

Garuda president and CEO, Emirsyah Satar, said: “The purchase is part of our plan to develop the capacity and competitive advantage of Garuda Citilink, in line with the continuous growth of the domestic and regional low-cost market.”

Citilink will take delivery of the aircraft in batches of five per year, starting in 2014.

Citilink currently operates six Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 aircraft, and intends to gradually overhaul its fleet with Airbus A320 aircraft, which are 15 per cent more fuel efficient, according to Satar.

“Apart from the low operational cost, the A320 is suited to operate on high density routes, and the delivery schedule is faster than other type of aircraft,” he explained.

In the meantime, Sriwijaya Air has ordered 20 Embraer 190 jet aircraft to expand its domestic network.

Sriwijaya Air president, Chandra Lie, said the 100-seater Embraer 190s would replace its smaller aircraft, allowing the carrier to launch routes to untapped destinations.

AMANRESORTS will launch its 24th property, Amanruya, on the Bodrum Peninsula overlooking the Aegean Sea, in August.

Amanruya will offer 36 pool terrace cottages with varying courtyard and swimming pool designs, each fitted with outdoor showers, underfloor heating and a fireplace.

The resort’s facilities will include four all-day dining pavilions, a three-storey library, a wine lounge, an art gallery, two spa suites, a 50m swimming pool, a tennis court and a beach club.

ROYAL Brunei Airlines intends to suspend services to five destinations – Kuching, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City – as part of a “stabilisation plan” to improve operations, financial performance and customer service experience.

Services to Kuching will be suspended from August 1, while services to the other four destinations will be progressively suspended in the last week of October.

The carrier will continue to serve Melbourne from Banda Seri Begawan with four flights per week. Passengers who have booked to travel on the suspended flights are advised to contact their travel agent or the airline’s offices.

Royal Brunei Airline’s deputy chairman, Dermot Mannion, said: “It was not an easy decision to reduce Royal Brunei’s network. However, it is the first step towards creating a stronger foundation that will allow the airline to enhance our value to customers, employees and society.”

In 2010, Royal Brunei replaced its fleet of aging B767-300ERs with six B777-200ERs leased from Singapore Airlines (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 12, 2010), and had hoped to expand its operations on the Kangaroo Route between the UK and Australia and New Zealand.

WHILE Asia continues to be a big source market for international arrivals to Queensland, attracting visitors from countries whose citizens require visas remains a challenge, say some Australia-based inbound tour operators.

Sydney-based Australian Tours & Holidays director of sales, Gina Gaw, who handles the inbound market from the Philippines, said: “It is sometimes difficult for tourist visas to be obtained. Documentation must be in order and adequate time must be allowed for their tourist visa to be processed by the Australian Embassy.”

Idy Wong, manager of Wel-Travel Australia in the Gold Coast, cited the same situation for India inbound to the state: “The situation at the moment is low, not because of the Australian dollar, but more of the visa problems.”

Wong added that other destinations like Thailand offered better-priced deals for incentives compared to Australia. “When they decide on the destination based on cost, which most Indians do, then Australia is just too expensive,” she said.

When asked how they were working to remain competitive despite the higher prices, Wong said: “Sadly, we have to really look into a way that we can cut costs.”

According to Tourism Queensland’s International Tourism Snapshot report, Queensland received a surge in arrivals from various Asian markets, especially China, during the year ended March 2011.

Asian visitors made up 734,000 of the total 2,002,000 arrivals to Queensland during the period, more than the number of visitors from Europe (517,000), New Zealand (400,000), and the Americas (199,000).

By Amee Enriquez