EXPEDIA is launching its Travel Agent Affiliate Programme (TAAP) in South-east Asia, beginning with the Singapore market, which it recently entered (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 23).

It has forged a sales and marketing partnership with Discover the World Marketing to market TAAP to agents in Singapore and Malaysia. Agents who join TAAP earn in general a 10 per cent commission on non-air bookings and one per cent on air, with other commission rates applied for special promotions and packages.

TAAP is an eight-year-old programme launched in the US and Europe, as well as in Asia-Pacific, where it was introduced only last year in Australia/New Zealand and India. Apart from Singapore and Malaysia, it will also be launched in Thailand, the latter two being the markets Expedia will be entering in the next two months.

Stuart Udy, manager Expedia Travel Agent Distribution APAC, said that while agent contribution to Expedia’s bookings in mature online markets such as North America was small, it was “significant” in markets such as Asia-Pacific. He declined to cite revenue figures booked by agents in Asia-Pacific markets, but said direct consumer bookings would always be the bigger share to agent bookings in any market.

In New Zealand, 50 per cent of agents are Expedia TAAP agents, with 20 per cent in Australia. In India, 900 agents have signed up.

“If we were a retail group, we would be the biggest in terms of the number of agents using the product,” said Udy.

When asked about competition with B2B inventory sites such as Gullivers Travel Associates, Udy said Expedia’s competitive pillars were its attractive rates – “a buying power second to none”, he said – availability, wider inventory and service/training support provided to agents.

Sites such as Agoda, on the other hand, do not have a travel agent affiliate programme, said Tony Lim, Discover the World Marketing managing director Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong & China.

Udy said that even without TAAP, some agents were using Expedia’s global inventory of more than 130,000 hotels and over 300 airlines to get preferential rates. “They then either charge a service fee or it’s part-and-parcel of their service to clients. With a commission, they have even more reason to book with us,” Udy said.

Asked why Expedia needed agents, Udy said: “Our position is we’re a seller of inventory and we’re also in a position to offer agents a commission when they work on our site. Why not be partners?”

TWO Malaysia-based inbound agents strong in the Indian market are predicting an increase in forward bookings for the upcoming peak summer season, from end-April to mid-June, compared to the same period last year.

Red Apple Travel & Tours’ managing director, Arokia Das Anthony, is projecting a 30 per cent increase in advanced bookings, while Tina Travel & Agencies’ managing director, Adam Kamal, is anticipating a 15 per cent hike.

Adam said the increase will be due to Indian travellers switching destinations from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China over fears of radiation exposure resulting from the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.

Meanwhile, Arokia Das has noticed an increase in number of younger travellers from India, which he attributes to low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia launching budget services between the two countries. “They used to be in their 30s and above, now we’re seeing more travellers in their late 20s.”

Arokia Das added that he was seeing increasing demand this year for tours combining traditional destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, with Sabah or Sarawak.

MÖVENPICK Hotels & Resorts has taken over management of the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Cebu with immediate effect.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts president and CEO, Jean Gabriel Pérès, said: “We are very excited about our arrival in the Philippines. It is a significant milestone for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, as it marks our 15th signed hotel in Asia.”

The Mediterranean-inspired Mövenpick Resort & Spa Cebu, set on its own private beach on Mactan Island, offers deluxe and executive rooms, as well as one- and two-bedroom Executive Spa Suites.

Mövenpick has been busy extending its Asian presence, with four openings in India, Singapore and Thailand slated for this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 25).

PAN Pacific Hotels Group will open its flagship PARKROYAL hotel, PARKROYAL on Pickering, in Singapore next year.

The 363-room PARKROYAL on Pickering’s hotel-in-a-garden design, with sustainable characteristics including rainwater harvesting, automatic sensors to regulate energy and water usage, and solar cells to power landscape lighting, has earned it a Green Mark Platinum rating from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority.

“With its design features, this is a brand-defining hotel for PARKROYAL,” said Patrick Imbardelli, president and chief executive of Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

The hotel, which will cost close to S$350 million (US$277.6 million) to build, will have a dedicated wellness floor with day spa, a 300m nature trail and waterfall walk, a pool terrace, a gymnasium, a business centre with full secretarial services, and a rooftop bar with 360-degree views of the city skyline.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group currently owns and operates three other PARKROYAL properties in Singapore – PARKROYAL on Beach Road, PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road and PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore.

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a 20-year joint venture partnership with Duet India Hotels Group, the hotel investment arm of global asset manager Duet Group, to develop and manage 19 new Holiday Inn Express hotels across India by 2016.

IHG Asia Australasia’s CEO, Jan Smits, said: “The Holiday Inn Express brand will address the need for internationally branded and high-quality hotels for domestic travellers.”

IHG will invest through a 24 per cent equity stake, injecting US$30 million to support construction of the 19 hotels over the next five years. The first hotel is expected to launch by mid-2012.

The hotels will add approximately 3,300 rooms to IHG’s current India development pipeline of over 10,000 rooms (46 hotels), and will primarily be located in India’s major metros and key secondary cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

“IHG is strongly positioned to build a significant India footprint, with a growing presence in India’s key business and leisure hubs. Overall, we are on track to have a 150-hotel presence by 2020,” said Smits.

Over 75 per cent of IHG’s India pipeline is with the Holiday Inn family of brands.

WORLDHOTELS has opened its first office in India, with hospitality industry veteran Naresh Chandnani appointed as regional director hotel development for the Indian subcontinent and the Maldives.

Worldhotels’ vice president Asia-Pacific, Roland Jegge, said: “Opening a dedicated office in India is a significant step, supporting a fast-growing network on the subcontinent as we continue to expand worldwide.”

The new office in Delhi National Capital Region will support the group’s significant growth in India, with a portfolio of nine hotels in the region so far.

This includes the Asiana Hotel in Chennai, The Claridges in New Delhi and Surajkund, Pride Park Premier in Gurgaon, The Sahara Star in Mumbai, Aamby Valley in Pune, Matthan Hotel in Bangalore and new Svenska Hotels in Mumbai Juhu and Bangalore Electronic City.

Worldhotels’ network expanded to 450 hotels (100,000 rooms) last year, with 25 per cent growth in roomnight production from 2009. The group has added 73 new hotels to its portfolio in the last one year, many in new destinations.

THE THAI cabinet yesterday appointed Ayuthaya as the host city in the country’s bid to host the World Expo 2020.

The ancient Thai capital was chosen for its close proximity to Bangkok and its planned mega-infrastructure development compared to Chiang Mai and Chonburi, the other destinations shortlisted during a feasibility study led by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in August last year (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 23, 2010).

TCEB president Akapol Sorasuchart said Thailand would submit its bidding proposal to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) within six months.

Thailand will need to win votes from at least 80 countries out of a total of 157 to secure its host country status, said Akapol.

Other countries in the running include Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, the UAE, the US and South Africa. The BIE will announce the successful host country in 2014.

By Sirima Eamtako

CARLSON has expanded its Thailand portfolio with the opening of the 125-key Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 hotel.

“This is our second Park Plaza hotel in Thailand,” said Simon Barlow, president, Carlson Hotels, Asia-Pacific.

The Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 hotel is located near Sukhumvit, Bangkok’s entertainment and shopping district, and is within walking distance of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

“The hotel will appeal to both corporate and leisure travellers,” said the hotel’s general manager, Martin Fabiano.

Besides Mezza, an all-day dining restaurant with a show kitchen featuring Western grill, local Thai delights and Mediterranean tapas, there is also Sway, the hotel’s rooftop pool bar and Chai, the lobby cafe.

The hotel offers private meeting spaces for small-to-medium-sized events, a fully equipped business centre and complimentary wireless Internet in all public areas.

TERRAPURI Heritage Village in Penarik, Terengganu, will soft-open on June 1 with seven heritage villages. This will be the inaugural property of CEO Alex Lee, who is also the CEO of Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours.

The boutique resort was initially scheduled to soft-open last August (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 12, 2010).

According to Lee, the resort is already fully booked for June and almost full for July. Projected occupancy for this year is 75 per cent.

He is targeting Asian and European FIT travellers and will work with agents overseas to promote the resort, which is about 45 minutes by speedboat from Redang Island’s famous dive sites.

Lee expects the resort venture to contribute at least 10 per cent of his overall business.

Featuring restored palaces and aristocratic houses from the 19th century, there will be 19 villas in total when the resort is fully open in April 2012. They will offer views of the South China Sea or the Setiu Wetlands. Facilities include a restaurant, spa, gallery and a swimming pool.