SOLUXE Hospitality Group, a Singapore-based international hotel chain owned by the China National Petroleum Corporation, has taken over the management of the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in Siem Reap and rebranded it as Grand Soluxe Angkor Palace Resort & Spa.

Weng Aow will continue to lead the luxury resort as general manager.

Aow said the resort would tap the “extensive international network of Soluxe Hospitality Group to (attract) more business”, and would be represented as part of the group’s portfolio at roadshows and trade shows.

“With us being Grand Soluxe Angkor Palace now, we will be looking at enhancing and reinforcing our management structure, and leveraging on the strength of our team in our Singapore office headed by group general manager Bernard Chong,” he said.

Soluxe Hospitality Group manages several brands including Grand Soluxe, Soluxe, Soluxe Courtyard and Soluxe Inn, and has over 60 hotels in China and other destinations.

FOLLOWING the success of Eat, Pray, Love, which was filmed in Bali, another Hollywood movie, The Philosophers, is set to feature even more of Indonesia as a tourist destination.

Directed by John Huddles and produced by George Zakk and Cybill Lui, the film, which will premiere in May or June next year, has just finalised shooting at the Indonesian tourist destinations of Mount Bromo, the Prambanan temple complex and Belitung island.

Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, said: “This is the second achievement of our efforts to promote Indonesia as venue for world movie-making.”

The drive to promote Indonesia as a movie-making destination has two aims, according to Wacik. The first is to create jobs for locals, while the second is to “promote tourist destinations through films”.

Wacik said: “If Eat, Pray, Love promoted Bali, through The Philosophers, we will promote Bromo, Prambanan, Belitung and Jakarta. This is what we call the low-cost high-impact marketing strategy that we have taken.”

According to Wacik, another filmmaker from France is planning to create an adventure film featuring Rajaampat, one of Indonesia’s best diving spots, while a US television programme has just finished shooting in Jogjakarta.

ALL SEASONS Property (ASP) has set aside some one billion baht (US$33.5 million) for the five-year upgrading programme of All Seasons Place and Conrad Bangkok, which celebrated its eighth anniversary on Monday.

ASP managing director, Frankie Bao, said the programme would revamp both the property’s software and hardware, to maintain competitiveness amid growing competition from other luxury and mixed-use properties.

Some 40 condominium units are currently under renovation, slated for completion by the middle of next year.

Bao said ASP was carrying out a feasibility study for the upgrading of security systems and lobbies at office buildings in All Seasons Place, as well as a proposed three-year renovation plan for the hotel.

According to Bao, the Conrad Bangkok had been running at an average occupancy of about 60 per cent year-to-date, and was on course to end the year at around 60-65 per cent, up from the 50 per cent recorded last year.

Barring further crisis, Bao said the hotel’s occupancy was expected to exceed 70 per cent next year, but added that it would take longer to raise the average room rate to its previous highs.

Bao is expecting the rate to grow from its current 4,500-4,800 baht to more than 6,000 baht within the next three years, when the number of luxury hotels in Bangkok stabilises.

In the first three to four years of operation, the Conrad Bangkok recorded above 80 per cent occupancy and an average daily room rate of more than 6,000 baht.

By Sirima Eamtako

EXPEDIA has introduced AirAsia flights and packages on its Malaysian website as part of an ongoing joint venture with the Malaysia-based low-cost carrier (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 29).

Travellers from Malaysia will now be able to book hotels, flights and holiday packages simultaneously via Expedia.com.my

Dan Lynn, CEO of Expedia Asia, said: “With this partnership, we are now the only third party online travel agency in Malaysia offering all AirAsia and AirAsia X flights to over 75 destinations worldwide.”

To celebrate the full-service launch, Expedia.com.my has launched an AirAsia flight and accommodation promotion, offering a free night’s stay for every two nights booked at 49 hotels across the region.

Valid until end-October, travellers need to book online at Expedia.com.my from now till September 7 to take advantage of the promotion.

THE DEAL signed yesterday between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia is set to rationalise the airline sector in Malaysia and help the flag carrier return to profitability.

By entering into a Comprehensive Collaboration Framework (CCF), both airlines have agreed to complement each other’s businesses, so as to leverage on core competencies and optimise efficiency. This involves an assessment of their respective network services.

An immediate effect of the CCF is a demarcation of the airlines’ business turfs. MAS will focus on the premium segment while its wholly-owned subsidiary Firefly will become a full-service carrier serving regional destinations. AirAsia and AirAsia X will continue with their low-cost services to local, regional and intercontinental destinations.

The development takes place nine-years after AirAsia CEO, Tony Fernandes, first told TTG Asia that AirAsia and MAS should be working together to synchronise their schedules and frequencies to take on airlines of neighbouring countries, instead of competing with one other.

However, Fernandes emphasised that yesterday’s deal was “not a merger”.

The CCF was facilitated by a share swop deal (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 8) between Tune Air, AirAsia’s holding company, and Khazanah Nasional, the government’s investment arm, which owned a 69 per cent stake in MAS.

Tune Air received 20.5 per cent equity in MAS, while Khazanah received 10 per cent equity in AirAsia. Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun of AirAsia will sit on the MAS board, while MAS director Mohamed Azman Yahya will join the AirAsia board.

Accompanying the deal was the resignation of MAS managing director, Azmil Zahruddin (whose position was described as tenuous in TTG Asia, August 5 issue), and seven other directors. Replacing them, in addition to Fernandes and Kamarudin, are four high-profile corporate figures. Mohamed Rashdan Mohd Yusof has been designated as MAS executive director.

A senior travel agent who declined to be named welcomed the changes. “MAS board members should be made up of high flyers who travel first class in other airlines, who can then share their experiences with MAS; not government retirees,” he said.

Until MAS appoints a new managing director, an executive committee comprising MAS chairman Md Nor Yusof, Azman, Rashdan, Fernandes and Kamarudin will oversee its management.

By N. Nithiyananthan

MAYFLOWER Acme Tours last week launched a Japanese-themed travel kiosk and merchandise retail outlet at The Pavilion mall in Kuala Lumpur.

Mayflower is one of the tenants adopting the Nakamise kiosk concept at the Tokyo Street section on the sixth floor of the mall. Nakamise is a centuries-old shopping street providing visitors with snacks and souvenirs.

Mayflower brand & marketing head, Aliyah Alisha Soo, said: “Primarily targeted at the Japanese expatriate and residents’ market in Malaysia, this travel kiosk has adopted the Japanese Nakamise design. Any visitor will get the feeling they are in Tokyo Street, Japan.”

“All our staff here wear the Yukata (Japanese garment) as part of their uniform,” she added.

Products tailored for the Japanese market include Mayflower’s high-end Heavenly Vacations in Malaysia packages. Travel-related merchandise like aircraft miniatures and made-in-Japan suitcases are also available.

By N. Nithiyananthan

AUSTRALIA’S Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has finally lifted a six-week ban on the domestic operations of Tiger Airways.

Though the lift is immediate, Tiger Airways Australia will only be allowed to fly nine return flights a day for the rest of August, with any expansion subject to CASA’s approval.

The airline said in a statement that it would recommence ticket sales and gradually resume domestic services, starting with flights between Melbourne and Sydney, from August 12.

The carrier was flying about 60 flights a day till July 2, when CASA grounded its operations over safety concerns (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 7).

THE ERAWAN Group has ditched Six Senses Resorts & Spas for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, rebranding its resort on Naka Island in Phuket to a Luxury Collection property.

Six Senses has managed the property for about three years. A statement from Six Senses said the decision, effective August 1, was “mutual”.

The Erawan Group is pouring an additional investment of 70 million baht (US$2.4 million) to rebrand the resort as The Naka Island, including enhancing the 67 pool villas. The resort, closed on July 31, is scheduled to reopen on November 1.

A statement obtained by TTG Asia e-Daily quoted president of the group, Kamonwan Wipulakorn, as saying the rebranding would transform the resort from “its formerly restricted wellness destination” to “a broader market demand of luxury pool-villa resort”.

The company anticipates a growing number of tourists in the second half of the year with the increase in direct flights from various destinations to Phuket.

In Singapore last week, Starwood’s regional vice president South-east Asia, Chuck Abbott, said “there are lots of activities” with existing owners to rebrand properties into Luxury Collection.

There are 13 Luxury Collection properties in operation in Asia-Pacific and six more openings by 2014. The website shows the following: Keraton at the Plaza, Jakarta (December 1, 2011), Twelve at Hengshan (May 1, 2012), Vana Belle Samui Resort & Spa (July 1, 2012), The Royal Begonia, Sanya (February 18, 2012), The Sarasvati, Bali (July 1, 2013) and The Chengbao Hotel, Dalian (January 1, 2014).

CHINA Southern Airlines will double its Melbourne services by introducing twice-daily flights between Guangzhou and Melbourne from October 2011.

The introduction of double-daily services comes just one year after the carrier introduced daily flights, up from thrice-weekly.

Melbourne Airport CEO, Chris Woodruff, said China Southern’s additional services would increase the number of visitors from China to Melbourne and Victoria, as well provide more opportunities for Australians travelling to China.

“China is our number one longhaul market and as Victoria’s international aviation gateway, we are pleased to be able to support the strengthening of Victoria’s tourism, education and business relationship with China,” he said.

There were 386,118 Chinese nationals who travelled through Melbourne Airport in 2010/11, a 26.2 per cent increase over the previous year.

Chinese visitors are responsible for the highest level of expenditure of all international source markets for Victoria.

DUSIT International has released more information about their first resort in the Maldives (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 8) scheduled to open in December 2011.

Dusit Thani Maldives, located on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, will feature 46 beach villas, two beach houses, 30 water villas, 20 ocean villas and two ocean houses.

Facilities will include a 50-metre swimming pool and a pool bar, over-water and grill restaurants, a tree-top spa, tennis courts, and a dive centre.

Chanin Donavanik, CEO of Dusit International, said: “This new project is our first foray into the Maldives. This is a very exciting addition to our growing portfolio and represents a great milestone for the Dusit brand.”

A total investment of some US$77 million has been committed to this project with Dusit International as the majority shareholder.