WORLDHOTELS has signed a deal with China-based air travel and tourism IT solutions provider, TravelSky, for the two companies to provide mutual access across their respective inventories.

The agreement will allow TravelSky customers to access Worldhotels’ global portfolio of more than 450 hotels, while giving Worldhotels an expanded presence in China through TravelSky’s GDS and travel agent network.

TravelSky’s global computer reservation system is subscribed to by over 7,000 Chinese travel agents. Its GDS supports more than 8,000 domestic hotels, and 60,000 hotels elsewhere in the world.

In addition, TravelSky processes more than 200 million passengers annually, through 30 domestic and 200 regional and international airlines, operating at 147 airports across China.

Worldhotels vice president Asia-Pacific, Roland Jegge, said: “This partnership dramatically extends our potential distribution reach in China’s rapidly growing travel market. It is a significant milestone for Worldhotels in the world’s most populous country.”

TravelSky is headquartered in Beijing, and has more than 4,000 employees. The company was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2008, and has subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Europe and the US.

HYATT Hotels Corporation has entered into an agreement with Bahagia Investment Corporation (Malaysia) to manage Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. The hotel is under construction and is expected to open in 2012.

Willi Martin, area vice president, South-east Asia, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, said: “We see Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur as a remarkable opportunity to expand the presence of the Hyatt brand into a principal city in the rapidly emerging South-east Asia market.”

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will be located in the Golden Triangle area of Kuala Lumpur, in a prime location on Jalan Pinang, close to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petronas Towers.

The hotel will be part of a mixed-use complex, occupying floors 17 through 39 of the property. It will feature 412 guestrooms, including 42 suites, over 3,000m2 of meeting and event space, a cafe, a specialty restaurant featuring multiple cuisines, a Sky Lobby Lounge, a poolside restaurant and bar, a spa with 11 treatment rooms, and a swimming pool.

There are currently 51 Hyatt-branded hotels in Asia-Pacific, and Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will join the two existing Hyatt-branded hotels in Malaysia, Hyatt Regency Kinabalu and Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort.

In addition to Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, twelve other Grand Hyatt properties are currently under development around the world.

TIBET Airlines, the only carrier to be based at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, will launch its inaugural route, from Lhasa to Beijing on July 20. This is two weeks after the carrier takes delivery of the first of three Airbus A319s on order.

The other two A319s are scheduled for delivery in August and September. All three aircraft will offer eight first-class and 120 economy-class seats.

The airline is planning to grow its fleet to 20 aircraft over the next five years.

Besides providing links from Lhasa to other Tibetan cities, the carrier intends to expand its network to South Asia (India, Pakistan and Nepal) and South-east Asia by 2013, and to Europe by 2015.

Tibet Airlines has a start-up capital of RMB280 million (US$43 million), with the Tibet Autonomous Region Investment Company holding a 51 per cent stake, and two companies, Tibet Sanli Investment Company and Tibet Ruiyi Investment Company, owning 39 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively.

Air China, Sichuan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines are the top three carriers currently serving Lhasa.

THE PANORAMA Leisure Group is targeting consolidated revenue of 2.3 trillion rupiah (US$270 million) this year, a 27 per cent increase over 2010.

Speaking at a public expose in Jakarta recently, Panorama Leisure Group president director/CEO, Budi Tirtawisata, said: “The business climate continues to be positive this year.”

“Internally, we will continue our consolidation programme for Panorama Sentra Wisata’s four business units, covering inbound, travel and leisure, transportation and MICE, and sharpen each unit’s focus to achieve the target.”

According to Tirtawisata, Panorama posted net profits of 6.4 billion rupiah last year, an 11.74 per cent increase over the 5.7 billion rupiah earned in 2009.

He added that the group’s inbound arm, Panorama Destination, posted 264.6 billion rupiah in revenue last year, a 14.36 per cent increase over 2009’s 231.4 billion rupiah.

Panorama Destination director of operations, Rocky Praputranto, said: “This was a result of the increased number of tourists we catered to last year, and the wider choice of tour packages.” The group catered to 116,419 customers last year, 23.50 per cent more than in 2009.

“The Sumatra, Java overland operations contributed 58.85 per cent of revenue, followed by beach holidays (18.34 per cent), then incentives (16.79 per cent),” Praputranto added.

Panorama Destination is planning to open offices in Makassar and Labuan Bajo this year.

AFTER launching last Friday a promotional website targeting tourists as part of its I Need Spain marketing campaign, the National Tourist Office of Spain is now planning to start a dedicated website for the trade.

National Tourism Office of Spain, Mumbai director, Miguel Nieto-Sandoval, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “The Spain Addicts website is a kind of private network for Spain supporters. We will launch a new website in August for the trade. Travel trade members can log on using their password to access detailed information of the destination.”

The NTO also launched a dedicated Facebook page targeting the India market on June 2. Sandoval said: “India is an emerging market for Spain, the third most important in Asia, after Japan and China. We felt the need (for the Facebook page) as more and more people there are using social networking sites to communicate. It will also help build brand awareness and educate people about Spain.”

The Spain in India Facebook page offers regular updates on events, festivals, music, trade fairs, food and other interesting information on Spain, and will also run regular contests for its visitors.

Meanwhile, the National Tourism Office of Spain in India is planning to work closely with the Indian travel trade over the next months. Sandoval said: “We’ll have personalised visits to individual offices in Mumbai and Delhi, and conduct training for staff. Bengaluru and Chennai might also be included for this.”

The NTO has also engaged in joint marketing activities with the upcoming Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, due for release on July 15. Sandoval said: “We joined with the film for a marketing campaign, as the plot was Spain-related and the footage filmed entirely in Spain over two months. It connects with the destination.”

According to IATA, Indian arrivals to Spain in 2010 were 10.1 per cent higher than the year before, while 25,667 Indians visited Spain in the first quarter of 2011, a 49.61 per cent year-on-year increase.

By Anand & Madhura Katti

GLOBAL distribution technology provider Pegasus Solutions has enhanced its RezView NG central reservation system with mobile capabilities.

Dubbed RezView Mobile, the mobile version enables hotels to centrally manage content and rates for all channels, as well as provide a customised mobile experience, on consumers’ mobile devices.

Pegasus Solutions claims that RezView Mobile is more affordable than standalone solutions. Since the mobile offering is operated via a private label website and Internet booking engine, it does not require in-house design, development and maintenance costs on the hotel end.

Mark Peacock, chief information officer of Pegasus Solutions, said that burgeoning opportunities in mobile are proving a challenge for hoteliers with tight technology budgets and limited resources.

“We’ve developed a suite of products that support the two most strategic direct channels for hoteliers… (and) we’ve done this in a way that makes participation in the mobile market accessible for hotels, that previously would have had to devote extensive time and resources to building homegrown mobile solutions or work through costly third-party providers,” he said.

Pegasus Solutions is among a growing pool of travel and tourism players who have plunged into mobile distribution in recent months. Global hotel booking website, Hotels.com, launched in May two mobile apps for iPhone and Andriod smartphones, allowing travellers to search and book more than 20,000 accommodation deals from over 135,000 hotels worldwide.

Hotel chain Dusit International also created a mobile version of Dusit.com for smartphone users. Available in English, Mandarin, Japanese and Arabic, the smartphone-friendly site allows for real-time online bookings, maintains guest history and booking status, and provides users with information on special offers, and hotel information and directions.

– Read more in travel distribution report, TTG Asia, July 22 issue

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.