Edison Travel Services, Trip Affiliates Network to digitally empower tour and activities operators
Taiwan’s DMC Edison Travel Services (ETS) and Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network) have partnered to empower tour and activities operators to thrive in the digital landscape.
By leveraging ETS’s years of hospitality expertise and TA Network’s travel technology solutions, the partnership signifies a significant advancement in the innovation and expansion of the Taiwan travel market.
TA Network operates as an open ecosystem catering to traditional offline B2B channels such as travel agencies, wholesalers, and corporate intermediaries. Through live room rates and inventory management, TA Network enhances efficiency and expands its network of partners, ensuring seamless connectivity and enriched service offerings. ETS will collaborate closely with TA Network ecosystem partners on selected destinations, enhancing the travel buying experience for customers and driving conversions by automating business processes with TA Network’s in-house solutions.
Dennis Kuo, general manager of Edison Tours, remarked that the user-friendly interface and enterprise-level suite of software provided by TA Network will help in significantly boosting conversions and elevating their business not only in the Asian market but also beyond.
TA Network’s regional director for ecosystem and partnerships, Jean Hsieh, emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership in opening new service avenues and reaching a wider audience in the international travel space. She is enthusiastic about automating the future of travel in Taiwan and beyond through collaboration with ETS.
Amara Hotels & Resorts to redesign two Singapore properties
Amara Hotels & Resorts will be giving two of its flagship Singapore properties – Amara Singapore and Amara Sanctuary Sentosa – a brand redesign with the aim of delivering meaningful connections, memorable experiences, and tailored spaces for guests.
Amara Singapore commenced its phased renovation in October 2023 with the final transformation to be completed by September this year. The extensive refurbishment introduces an all-new Lobby Bar and a reimagined Cafe Oriental. All 389 rooms at Amara Singapore, as well as facilities such as event venues, will also undergo enhancements.
Meanwhile, the beachside oasis of Amara Sanctuary Sentosa is set to revitalise its suites, villas, and shared spaces, with completion slated for mid-2024.
Amara Singapore and Amara Sanctuary Sentosa will also unveil a series of new brand experiences by end-2024.
“This transformative journey marks a pivotal milestone for Amara Hotels & Resorts,” shared Dawn Teo, senior vice president of Amara Hotels & Resorts. “Our redesigned spaces are meticulously crafted to resonate with the desires of today’s travellers, offering a unique blend of sophistication, warmth, and joie de vivre that elevates our unparalleled hospitality experiences.”
BWH Hotels signs new SureStay property in Bangkok
BWH Hotels is expanding its portfolio in Asia with the signing of SureStay by Best Western Iconic Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok, Thailand.
With this new signing, BWH Hotels will offer a comprehensive portfolio of 13 hotels in the Greater Bangkok region.
Situated close to the Bang Na-Trat Expressway and providing access to Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown Bangkok, SureStay by Best Western Iconic Suvarnabhumi will offer 198 rooms, a restaurant, and an outdoor pool.
“We are delighted to welcome the SureStay by Best Western Iconic Suvarnabhumi to the BWH Hotels family. This modern hotel is perfect for visitors seeking a convenient place to stay, whether they are travelling to, from or within Thailand,” said Olivier Berrivin, vice president – APAC at BWH Hotels.
Silversea Cruises’ looks to strengthen trade partnerships in Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific is a big part of Silversea Cruises strategy in the region, with trade partnerships being a “pivotal focus” for the luxury cruise line, says its new senior vice president, global sales & revenue, Massimo Brancaleoni.
Speaking to TTG Asia, Brancaleoni said: “I truly appreciate the potential this region has for Silversea. It’s a vibrant, dynamic and highly sophisticated region, very different from the Western, mature cruising markets. Recognising those differences, identifying the right product for the Asian customer, and working very closely with our partners in the region will be the key to our success.”
Strengthening collaborations allows Silversea and its partners to drive mutual growth, as the cruise company aims to amplify its reputation in luxury cruising through innovation and providing “exceptional service, and unparalleled experiences”.
Demonstrating its commitment to the region, Silversea has committed its newest and most sophisticated ships here. The deployment includes Silver Nova, the largest in the Silversea fleet and first of its Nova class, Silver Moon, which succeeds Silver Muse, in 2025.
Brancaleoni noted that Silversea’s offerings are well positioned to meet the growing appetite for luxury cruising in Asia-Pacific.
“Today’s luxury travellers are seeking deeper, more immersive experiences. They desire journeys that are not only luxurious but also sustainable and meaningful. Our guests from Asia seek unique and very special experiences, close encounters with nature, immersive cultural experiences into local communities and the local food and wine scene,” he said.
Silversea offers a range of unique experiences including being the only luxury cruise line with a S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) programme that aims to connect guests to local tastes of the destinations on their voyage, and its flagship expedition Antarctic Bridge programme where guests skip the Drake Passage and fly straight to the White Continent to take the six-day cruise.
“Our focus on exclusive, transformative experiences and deep community engagements is a testament to our unwavering commitment to redefining luxury cruising. With the launch of groundbreaking vessels like Silver Endeavour, Silver Nova and Silver Ray, we are actively broadening our appeal to a younger demographic while reinvigorating our loyal guests with fresh, innovative features, experiences, and destinations,” Brancaleoni added.
World’s biggest Mercure opens its doors
Singapore is the proud home of the world’s largest Mercure hotel – 989 keys captured in a new-build infrastructure rising in a vibrant part of the city and surrounded by a blend of conserved shophouses of Chinatown and modern towers.
Within Mercure Icon Singapore City Centre, guests can enjoy artworks of iconic shophouses by local artist Ripple Root, six distinct dining experiences as well as an oasis of wellness and serenity. Outside, a world of adventure awaits, as the neighbourhood of Club Street, Ann Siang Hill, and Duxton Hill presents a blend of exquisite dining and vibrant street art.
The hotel has also curated a complimentary Chinatown Food and Heritage Walking Tour to bring its guests on a deep dive into the area’s culinary and cultural heritage.
Oceania Cruises offers free pre-cruise hotel stay for 2024/2025 itineraries
Oceania Cruises will offer guests a free pre-cruise hotel stay on a range of sailings throughout late 2024 and 2025, allowing travellers the convenience of arriving a day before their cruise embarkation.
This offer is available on 33 destination-immersive sailings exploring locations such as Brazil, the Canary Islands, Japan, Singapore, Bali, and New Zealand on itineraries ranging from 11-day explorations to an expansive voyage of 35 days.
During the free pre-cruise hotel stay, travellers can explore the port destination they are at, such as meandering through the Ginza District of Tokyo, admiring the views of Table Mountain in Cape Town, enjoying a stroll through Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, passing the time in Cape Town on Boulders Beach in South Africa, experiencing the beaches and lush countryside of Bali, or immersing themselves in the colourful, sun-soaked culture in Rio de Janeiro, before boarding the ship for their cruise voyage.
The offer is available for reservations made between now and May 31, 2024.
For more information, visit Oceania Cruises.
Bert Hernandez takes over as president of Silversea
Royal Caribbean Group’s president Barbara Muckermann will depart Royal Caribbean Group after 14 years with Silversea to pursue other opportunities. Succeeding her will be Bert Hernandez.
Hernandez has been with the Royal Caribbean Group for the past 20 years, and was most recently serving as senior vice president, international.
With an extensive commercial and operational experience, he has also served as president of China operations for Royal Caribbean International, where he built the brand into China’s leading cruise line.
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore makes two key appointments
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore has appointed Audrey Lim as the director of human resources, and Jin Kim as the executive assistant manager of rooms.
Lim brings over 20 years of experience working as a trusted human resource and talent partner to blue chip multinational corporations in regional and global roles in Singapore, China, and Indonesia. Most recently, she was the regional human resources director at Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy overseeing the South-east Asia and Australia markets.
Kim will oversee all room operations, including housekeeping, guest services, The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, and the fitness centre. He most recently served as director of rooms at Grand Hyatt Jeju.
Indian outbound demand heats up this summer
As summer travel season sets in across India, travel consultants in the country are enjoying strong outbound bookings for near and far, from Asia to Europe.
According to Dove Travels’ managing partner Ashwani K Gupta, demand is up by some 15 per cent this summer season compared to the last.
Gupta detailed: “Shorthaul destinations like the Middle East are in demand, while Saudi Arabia is rising on the popularity charts. Vietnam is a popular choice among group tours due to the destination’s competitive pricing. Meanwhile, in Europe, we are noticing a positive response for luxury travel to Italy, France and Spain.”
Travel consultants say travel to Europe is on the rise, as visa challenges ease.
“Last year, guests had to plan their travel at least two months in advance, as visa appointments for some European destinations required a waiting period of at least a month. However, the situation has improved a lot this year. We are seeing a good response from Indian travellers for northern European destinations like Denmark and Finland,” Ajay Jaipuria, founder, Travel Oyster India, told TTG Asia.
Jaipuria added that airfares for Europe have also improved, further fuelling strong travel demand.
He noted that an economy class seat on a European sector was priced between 75,000 rupees (US$900) and 90,000 rupees in 2023. This year, the price has fallen to between 50,000 and 60,000 rupees.
“We are observing a trend where guests are increasingly opting to spend four to five nights in a single destination, rather than hopping between multiple locations in Europe. This shift indicates a preference for a more immersive experience,” said Jaipuria.
While outbound travel is certainly growing, Ajay Prakash, president of the Travel Agents Federation of India, warned that high airfares and visas for western destinations continue to challenge business.
The “huge backlog” of Schengen and US visa applications is stunting outbound tourism growth, Prakash lamented.
Popular Asia-Pacific destinations negatively impacted by climate change can restore their reputations if they face up to the challenges and take action to implement sustainable tourism practices, according to research conducted by MMGY TCI Research, PATA’s data and intelligence partner.
Managing director and partner Olivier Henry-Biabaud, in sharing the findings on Climate Change and Tourism in Europe, noted that Vietnam’s nature-based solution – the creation of eight new festivals and new travel seasons – earned it a reputation score of 79.4 per cent, placing it in pole position among 19 destinations.
While Vietnam faces a massive climate challenge, he said its positive reputation is due to a combination of ‘facing up to it’ and seeking international cooperation to “concretely combat the situation”, which Sri Lanka – in the 13th spot – is also doing.
While Australia reputation is “positive in general, the climate change impact is so visible”, Henry-Biabaud shared during the recent PATA webinar on Climate Change Impact on Destination Reputation.
Australia is ranked 16th and traveller posts, for example, on things to know before going to Sydney, list “weather change”, “weather is a concern” and “a trip in and around the city could be impacted by the direct danger of fires or by smoke particles”.
Elsewhere, there are comments like “Paradise at risk: the Maldives in danger of disappearing due to climate change” and “Why did so many climbers die on Mount Everest this year?” with the Nepal Tourism Board claiming it was due to “climate change and the weather”.
Henry-Biabaud said a destination’s reputation can change every month; that travellers are looking for destinations they trust – naming China and Australia as two of the most travel sensitive markets – and destinations should want to better plan tourism sustainability; and younger travellers, while more aware of the impact of climate change and try to pay attention to being more responsible, are bothered by guilt as they still want to travel.
“The key is to be transparent, educate the traveller, be part of the solution and to maximise the social and economic benefits to local communities,” he noted, adding that trip planners are now risk managers of storms, landslides, fires, avalanches, air pollution and potential health issues when helping travellers choose destinations with the least risk.
For Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority deputy director general and head of Sustainable Tourism Unit, Upali Rathnayake, the destination is trying to catch up by implementing industry sustainability certification, with nine destinations in nine provinces having been identified for sustainable tourism for the future.
Fabrizio Orlando, global director, industry affairs, Tripadvisor, said the platform clearly displays certified sustainable providers, makes them “easily accessible”, and even created a list of sustainable destinations for its Traveler’s Choice Awards this year.
According to Henry-Biabaud, Bhutan is the only carbon-neutral destination in the world; all arriving visitors to the Pacific Ocean island of Palau have to sign a pledge to be good environmental stewards; and Japan is looking at a safety plan to reduce potential risk.
On a positive note, he pointed out that Asia-Pacific is embracing sustainability as part of the industry’s DNA and responsibility.
“There is room for education and destinations most proactive on sustainability are the most positive about their reputation,” he opined.
PATA’s Issues and Trends (1Q 2024): Climate Change Impact on Destination Reputation report is now available on its website.