PATA Indonesia Chapter (PIC) was relaunched yesterday after being dormant for the past five years.

With new chairman Setyono Djuandi Darmono, president commissary of Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko Temple Park Management at the helm, PIC has set a target of achieving 20 million arrivals by 2020.

Darmono said: “Indonesia is lagging behind its neighbouring countries in tourism. Seven million arrivals a year are too few for a country as big and as rich in attractions as Indonesia.”

“Therefore, PIC is calling on tourism stakeholders to join hands in supporting the tourism authority to boost arrivals with an annual growth of 15 per cent a year.”

Asked if such a target was not overly ambitious considering arrivals to Indonesia had been increasing by between eight to 10 per cent over the last five years, Darmono said: “A growth rate of 15 per cent is still small for a country like Indonesia, when arrivals are only seven million.”

Darmono added that to entice travellers and airlines to Indonesia, more of the country’s tourism products needed to be developed and promoted.

He said that PIC would be working with the Indonesian Sultanates and Kingdoms Association to develop 100 destinations where the various royal houses have a presence. Local tourism stakeholders will be roped in to develop infrastructure and products, as well as promotional initiatives.

“These royal houses are rich in culture and traditions, which are valuable tourism assets,” he said.

MACAU is pulling out the stops to promote itself to both consumers and the travel trade, as other neighbouring destinations up the ante on their own marketing campaigns.

Between July 14 and 19, the Experience Macau roadshow made various stops across South-east Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Over 20 representatives from Macau’s tourism sector including airlines, travel agencies, venues and hotels participated in the trip, which was targeted chiefly at the trade.

Charles Leong, general manager, MGTO Singapore, said stiff competition from Singapore’s two integrated resorts was a key challenge for Macau.

“The novelty of (Singapore’s) integrated resorts has diluted some traffic from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and to some extent, Hong Kong. However, it is to be seen if the novelty factor will decline with time,” he said.

To compete against neighbouring destinations, Macau is working closely with mainland China authorities as well as the travel trade across East and South-east Asia to develop Macau’s tourism products, infrastructure and manpower.

Ceclia Tse, head of promotion & marketing department, said: “Collaboration and support from governments and the travel trade is vital to Macau’s future tourism development.”

Tse cited Macau’s recent framework agreement with Guangdong province as an example.

The deal, signed on March 7, sealed Guangdong and Macau’s commitment to jointly promote multi-destination tours and devise a mutually beneficial long-term tourism development strategy.

The strategy includes cooperation on a number of joint tourism projects encompassing niche segments such as medical, cruise and cultural tourism, as well as making it easier for Guangdong residents to visit Macau.

A similar pact is being discussed by Macau and Hong Kong.

According to Tse, MGTO’s next round of marketing initiatives will be targeted at key South-east Asian markets including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

The initiatives will focus on promoting Macau’s upcoming large-scale events such as its Grand Prix, the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest and the Macau International Music Festival.

CATHAY Pacific is seeking a fresh take-off to Kolkata, in a development that industry representatives are saying is the biggest move for civil aviation in east India since the low of March 2009, when British Airways made an exit from the city.

Tom Wright, Cathay Pacific’s general manager for India, Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, is believed to have written to the chief minister of Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, seeking “a meeting to explore the possibilities of Cathay Pacific or Hong Kong Dragon Airlines (its sister airline) starting scheduled passenger services from Hong Kong to Kolkata”, according to sources.

Cathay Pacific, which operated flights to Calcutta between 1953 and 1970, presently runs services from Hong Kong to Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

Sources said the airline decided to explore the Kolkata market, based on market research and positive feedback about its business prospects in the region.

In another development, Nayef H. Al-Fayez, managing director of Jordan Tourism Board said: “We will request Royal Jordanian Airlines to look at Kolkata. There is a lot of MICE tourism from east India, but the biggest impediment is the lack of a direct flight to Amman.”

Royal Jordanian operated flights to Kolkata for 18 years till 2006.

Kolkata’s international presence has grown since Hainan Airlines, SilkAir and Qatar Airways launched services from the city last month (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 22).

Emirates, Thai Airways International, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Asia, Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, and some other low-cost carriers already have a strong presence there.

By Sirima Eamtako

SATTE, one of India’s key travel and tourism events, has secured the support of three leading trade associations in the country.

This is the first time that the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Association of Domestic Tour Operators in India (ADTOI) have officially endorsed the event.

SATTE aims to link international and domestic buyers to opportunities in India’s booming inbound, outbound and domestic tourism markets.

It also acts as a networking platform for the travel trade and tourism policy makers to discuss initiatives to facilitate tourism development in the country.

The 19th edition of SATTE will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from February 10-12, 2012. The annual event, organised by UBM India, will feature over 600 exhibitors targeting over 6,000 qualified buyers.

SATTE 2012 will also feature an offshoot event, SATTE Mumbai West, which will be held from February 15-16, 2012 at the Leela Kempinski, Mumbai.

This year’s edition of SATTE saw an increase in the number of visitors (17 per cent) and exhibitors (34 per cent) compared to the year before.

ASCOTT has secured a lease agreement for a 96-unit serviced residence in Bangalore, which it will rebrand as Citadines Richmond Bangalore. The group will operate the property, its first in India, from August 1.

The serviced residence, located along Richmond Road in Bangalore’s central business district, will offer a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Facilities will include a swimming pool and poolside café, a gym, serviced offices and conference facilities.

Ronald Tay, Ascott’s CIO who oversees the company’s business in India, said: “Given the strength of the information technology sector in India, it is timely for us to deepen our presence in Bangalore, which has been touted as the Silicon Valley of India.”

Besides Citadines Richmond Bangalore, Ascott has six properties under development in Ahmadabad, Bangalore (two properties), Chennai (two properties) and Hyderabad. These will add more than 1,300 apartment units at a cost of S$300 million (US$247 million).

Of the six properties, Somerset Greenways Chennai is scheduled to open later this year, while the remaining five are scheduled to open progressively over the next three years.

Lim Ming Yan, Ascott CEO, said: “India is a key market for Ascott, as it has significant demand for serviced residences arising from the fast-growing economy. Many local as well as multinational companies have grown their operations in the country.”

He added: “Besides investment, we are also seeking opportunities for management contracts, or lease agreements such as the Citadines Richmond Bangalore, to grow our network in the country.”

MARINA Bay Sands has launched Singapore’s first Banyan Tree Spa.

Banyan Tree Holdings executive chairman, Ho Kwon Ping, said: “After spending the last 17 years establishing 64 spas in 26 countries, Banyan Tree is finally returning to its roots in Singapore.”

The 1,213m2 spa, located on the 55th floor of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, is designed based on the Tree of Life. It features 15 rooms with panoramic views, including two royal double spa suites that offer the Tropical Rainmist treatment.

Other facilities include a beauty salon, a tea lounge for post-treatment relaxation, as well as a Banyan Tree Gallery.

All treatment room names are inspired by the orchid – the national flower of Singapore – while the spa’s signature treatment, Harmony Banyan, comprises an orchid scrub, a massage using specially produced orchid massage oil, and a therapeutic orchid bath.

The spa offers 35 different treatments and services. In-room massages are also available for guests staying in the 24 hotel spa suites at Marina Bay Sands.

CATPRO Events & Entertainment has launched India Travel & Information Technology Mart (ITITM), a B2B event focusing on MICE and travel technology.

The inaugural show will be held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre from August 11-13.

Catpro Events & Entertainment managing director, Sagar Pingali, said: “ITITM 2011 is the first edition of the planned annual event for India’s outbound and inbound MICE markets and travel-related information technology. We have partnered with Delhi-based Candid India to handle ITITM.”

Catpro has been handling events for corporates and the government for 16 years, and has been organising annual B2B congresses for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors for the past seven years.

Candid India, on the other hand, represents international travel trade and MICE shows like IMEX, ILTM, ALTM, Blossom Japan and IT&CMA in India.

Grisbi Holidays CEO, Adil Bajirao, said: “There’s no other event that ITITM will be competing with. Earlier attempts at organising such a MICE promotion event in India by others have failed. Hence, their responsibility is even bigger to handle the event well to make it a permanent annual event.”

Two hundred exhibitors, 200 buyers each from India and abroad and 40 media professionals are expected.

– Read more in TTG India, August/September issue

By Anand & Madhura Katti

MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) subsidiary MASwings, which operates to 22 destinations in Sabah and Sarawak, will start targeting transnational routes in a repositioning as a regional carrier.

MAS managing director, Azmil Zahruddin, said: “MASwings will be repositioned as a regional community airline for Sabah and Sarawak, as well as for the entire community in Borneo and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippine-East ASEAN Growth Area.”

The airline is awaiting approval to operate from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, and from Kuching to Pontianak, from October. It also intends to launch services to Borneo and the Philippines.

“We believe the move will transform MASwings into an international carrier, and also help strengthen Kota Kinabalu International Airport’s position as the gateway for travellers entering the region,” Zahruddin added.

MASwings started operations in 2007 with 450 weekly flights, now expanded to 940 per week. Passenger loads have increased by 170 per cent, from 41,000 passengers per month in 2007, to over 110,500 per month last year.

By Ellen Chen

SRI LANKA is planning to launch a new tourism campaign to provide more visibility in key source markets.

Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT) chairman, Nalaka Godahewa, will chair a committee which has been appointed to work on the finer details of the campaign. Committee members include representatives from the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators and SriLankan Airlines.

Godahewa told TTG Asia e-Daily: “This campaign, once drafted by the committee, will be launched within the next few months.” The campaign will run alongside existing marketing efforts by SLT.

According to Godahewa, SLT’s annual marketing budget is 500 million Sri Lankan rupees (about US$4.4 million). About 40 million rupees is spent on sponsoring foreign travel writers, while another 200 million is spent on participation at overseas trade fairs. “That would leave about 200 to 300 million rupees for media advertising or any other activity to be decided by the (new) committee,” he said.

The Sri Lanka-based travel trade has been complaining for the past year that SLT had not been spending enough to promote the country overseas.

Anura Lokuhetty, president of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, said: “There is (some kind) of marketing at the moment, but that is not enough. We need to be more visible in our key markets to tell the world that we are ready for business.”

Meanwhile, a draft for a new tourism policy, including the country’s proposed tourism tagline, Refreshingly Sri Lanka – Wonder of Asia, will be discussed by the Sri Lankan cabinet this week.

ROOM rates in Myanmar’s capital shot upwards as hoteliers cashed in on the high turnout at the Jade, Gems and Pearl Special Sales 2011 show earlier this month.

A gems trader said most hotels in the capital charged double their normal room rates during the event, which attracted 9,300 visitors – including 4,700 foreign traders – from July 1 to 13.

“We had to pay an extra US$100 a night just to put another bed in the double room we booked,” he said. “That was on top of the US$150 a night for the deluxe room that is normally available for US$65 a night.”

Most hotels in Nay Pyi Taw run at an average occupancy of 55 per cent to 65 per cent. Their clientele consists mainly of business travellers, NGO staff and foreign government officials.

However, during the annual gem emporiums in March, July and November, hotels run at peak occupancy to full house (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 13, 2010).

There are currently 20 hotels in Nay Pyi Taw’s Hotel Zone One. Another 19 properties are being developed in Hotel Zone Two.