Sotetsu Group will launch Sotetsu Grand Fresa Taipei Ximen on February 2 next year.
This will be the Sotetsu Grand Fresa brand’s second overseas hotel and first in Taiwan.
Sotetsu Grand Fresa Taipei Ximen will open in February next year
Located near the popular Ximending shopping area, the new hotel will offer 200 guestrooms, self-check-in and check-out terminals, as well as a water-purifying “Ryosui Kobo” system.
Just 25 minutes by car from Taipei Songshan Airport, and 50 minutes by car from Taoyuan International Airport, the hotel is also nearby Ximen station, which provides easy accessibility to attractions and the CBD.
Rosewood Phnom Penh in Cambodia invites guests to experience the pinnacle of festive luxury this season.
Firstly, guests staying during the month of December will receive US$100 credit to be enjoyed at any one of the hotel’s dining destinations, or for treatments at the property’s spa.
Rosewood Phnom Penh gives guests plenty of joyful offerings this holiday season
Next, Rosewood Phnom Penh presents a series of menus that interweave local and international flavours on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day – from lavish dinners that unfold over several courses to festive afternoon tea.
In addition, the hotel also has Christmas hampers for sale, featuring an array of festive sweets treats.
Come New Year’s, diners can choose from a two- or three-course menu at Cuts or a buffet brunch at Brasserie Louis or even a 10-course omakase at Iza, while Sora cocktail and sky bar will feature live entertainment as everyone welcomes the new year.
Booking.com has joined forces with UNWTO to launch a new series of free online courses designed to support accommodations on their journey to operate more sustainably.
Geared towards accommodation providers globally, but accessible to the general public as well, a pilot version of the first course, which is focused on community engagement, is now available online. After this initial optimisation period, all four courses will be rolled out and available via the Tourism Online Academy (TOA), managed by UNWTO and IE University.
The online courses will provide practical knowledge around sustainability for accommodations
The four online courses form part of a larger initiative to raise awareness for accommodations on why adopting more sustainable practices is beneficial for their business, guests, environment and local community. Each course will provide practical knowledge around sustainability for accommodations, and will focus on a different topic – local community engagement, energy usage and greenhouse gases, food management, and water management.
The modules also share actionable recommendations that accommodation providers can immediately start integrating into their practices, ranging from how to calculate a property’s energy consumption and reduce its emissions to best practices for community engagement.
The series is led by respected subject-matter experts and academics, and Booking.com accommodation partners are also included in the modules as a way of sharing practical success stories from their own individual sustainability journeys.
Danielle D’Silva, head of sustainability, Booking.com, shared: “Supporting partners, and the wider industry, to integrate more sustainability practices into their operations is a core component of our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By increasing the supply of more sustainable accommodation options, we are also enabling travelers to make more mindful travel choices. This ultimately benefits the places we visit, the people who live there and the planet.”
“Education and skills development are the foundations for building a more sustainable tourism sector,” added UNWTO executive director Natalia Bayona.
Qantas will launch a new portal next year, which will give all travel agents access to New Distribution Capability (NDC) content. Registration and access to the portal will be available through the Qantas Agency Connect website from February 2024.
Agents who may not access Qantas NDC content via an Approved Technology Partner will now have the ability to shop, book and service flights using the capabilities of the Qantas Distribution Platform. Agents in more than 60 countries will have access to a wider range of products, features and capabilities which are only possible via NDC.
All travel agents will have access to Qantas’ NDC content from next year
The portal is tailored for simple customer bookings, and is part of the airline’s commitment and investment in the capabilities of its NDC programme, including lowering domestic and trans-Tasman fares for trade partners, designed to unlock broader industry benefits and modernise how agents service customers.
Qantas continues to invest in its network of Approved Technology Partners, which play an integral role in delivering rich Qantas NDC content, to ensure more agency partners can access the Qantas Distribution Platform.
Hong Kong may be among the last tourism destinations in Asia-Pacific to reopen to the world after the pandemic disruption, but the city had been all ready to hit the ground running when the last entry barriers were lifted in February this year.
Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) swiftly flagged off its Hello Hong Kong campaign, which was fronted by three legendary pop icons – Aaron Kwok, Sammi Cheng and Kelly Chen. It was rolled out across South-east Asia, even in the non-Chinese-speaking Asian markets like Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Hello Hong Kong campaign appeals to a younger audience
According to Martin Gwee, director, South-east Asia, HKTB, it worked because Hong Kong’s pop culture has a strong grip across the region. “The campaign reinforced the cultural closeness of Hong Kong and South-east Asia, and made it easier for us to get back into the minds of travellers from this region.”
The star-studded Hello Hong Kong campaign has recently been updated with a new set of content that plays up aspects of Hong Kong which appeal to a younger audience. It focused on culinary, entertainment, night life, great outdoors and culture.
In mid-September, HKTB rolled out Night Vibes Hong Kong, a campaign that packs in a slew of night-time events. Running till December, the campaign encourages tourists to head outdoors after sunset through the lure of performances, cultural events, markets and guided tours lined up at harbour-front sites. More than 80 shopping malls will extend their opening hours, conduct cultural and sports events as well as outdoor night markets, and offer special dining and consumption deals. HKTB is also handing out Hong Kong Night Treats dining vouchers to visitors, plus special prices for open-top bus tours.
Running alongside these initiatives is HKTB’s Seeing is Believing approach, which focuses on getting travel influencers to share their positive, first-person experience of the city.
Seeing is Believing applies to Hong Kong’s business events sector too. A fam trip involving 170 event agents and corporate buyers from China, South Korea and India was hosted in summer, and more of such activities will be conducted for other markets.
However, the biggest push Hong Kong is making for the recovery of its business events sector lies in the application of subventions.
Marilyn Tham, deputy general manager, MICE with meetings & exhibitions, Hong Kong, said: “Government support for inbound events is the strongest ever this year, all to spur the recovery of Hong Kong’s business events industry. Subsidies are available for all forms of business events, for different scales, and for different stakeholders.
“We understand that resuming events now can be challenging, especially as capacity and manpower issues are pushing prices up, so the government is doing all it can to help events take off in Hong Kong.”
A new HK$1.4 billion (US$179 million) incentive scheme was rolled out on July 1 to attract recurring exhibitions to Hong Kong. It is expected to support over 200 exhibitions in the coming three years.
This is joined by a further HK$200 million funding to enhance bids for international large-scale business events related to finance, innovation and technology, medicine industries, which will in turn attract high-value visitors to Hong Kong. – Additional reporting by Prudence Lui
Philippine Airlines (PAL) and American Airlines (AA) have teamed up to introduce codeshare flights between both the Philippines and the US.
PAL has placed its “PR” code on AA’s flights between Los Angeles and seven cities in the US: Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando and Washington, DC, enabling connectivity with PAL’s trans-Pacific service.
The partnership provides customers travelling between Asia and the US with more options
PAL operates twice-daily nonstop flights to Los Angeles, daily flights to San Francisco and multiple weekly flights to New York, Honolulu and Guam.
AA’s customers are now able to book tickets on the website for codeshare flights operated by PAL to Manila and Cebu via Tokyo. Additionally, customers will be able to fly to Manila from Honolulu and Guam.
“This partnership with American Airlines unlocks more options for customers travelling between Asia and the US,” said Eric David Anderson, PAL’s chief commercial officer.
“We are excited to partner with Philippine Airlines, which will provide our customers seamless connections to Manila, the capital and economic hub of the region, and Cebu, the gateway to countless tropical islands with pristine beaches,” said Anmol Bhargava, vice president of global alliances and partnerships, AA.
Collinson and I.A.S.S Co. have expanded their collaboration with the addition of two new lounges in Narita International Airport to Collinson’s Priority Pass’ network.
This enhanced agreement comes as part of Collinson’s ongoing expansion of airport lounges and travel experiences within its Asia-Pacific network. Between January to September 2023, 13 new airport lounges and travel experiences have been added to the Priority Pass network in Japan, bringing the total number of airport experiences in the market to over 20 to date.
Priority Pass Members now have access to the I.A.S.S Superior Lounge -NOA- in Narita International Airport, pictured
With this expansion, Priority Pass Members now have access to the I.A.S.S Superior Lounge -NOA- (Terminal 1) and the I.A.S.S Superior Lounge -KoCoo- (Terminal 2) at Narita International Airport. These lounges are inspired by Japanese shrines and gardens (NOA) and Japanese sub-culture of anime and manga (KoCoo). Guests can also enjoy a wide range of Japanese cuisine and locally-produced wines when they dine at both lounges.
“NOA and KoCoo means relaxation and no pressure respectively in Japanese, and these are what we hope our guests will feel as they unwind and ‘switch off’ at our lounges before continuing their journeys,” shared I.A.S.S Co. director Aki Chiyokawa.
Priority Pass Members travelling across Japan can also enjoy various travel experiences, such as the in-airport Japanese-style public bath at Kutsurogi Dokoro at Chubu Centrair International Airport, or the 9h nine hours hotel (capsule) at Narita International Airport.
“Japan is a highly popular travel destination in Asia and continues to be so, as reflected by the rapid recovery in its inbound tourism numbers this year. International arrivals to the market are now at over 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels,” added Todd Handcock, global chief commercial officer and Asia-Pacific president, Collinson.
InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand
The 241-key InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit is situated in Thonglor, one of Bangkok’s most vibrant districts, where chic bistros, upscale bars, and onsen spas are located nearby the property.
The hotel offers three dining options, a spa and event venues – it also has a curated Sleep Well Program to promote healthy sleeping rituals for guests.
Ardo Townsville
Ardo Townsville, Australia
Ardo Townsville is located in Northern Queensland, Australia and boasts 132 rooms and suites.
Facilities comprise F&B options, spa, rooftop pool and pool deck.
Ardo guests will also be able to access The Ville precinct’s amenities (Morris Group’s neighbouring resort) which include the famous ocean-side swimming pool with a swim-up bar, gym and casino.
Lux* South Ari Atoll
Lux* South Ari Atoll, the Maldives
Lux* South Ari Atoll has unveiled ten new Romantic Beach Pool Villas, which are thatched-roof beach bungalows and villas perched over the Maldivian waters.
Each villa has direct access to the beach and lagoon along with private swimming pools set in lush gardens, and boasts breath-taking views of the ocean.
Curated experiences available include a bikini lunch served in the pool, a dedicated in-villa mixology experience and an exclusive cinema screening on the beach.
Lux* South Ari Atoll also features a variety of activities like bicycle rides along the jetty, swimming alongside whale sharks, partaking in marine conservation, dining at the resort’s eight restaurants, as well as seeking wellness treatments at the spa.
Pemako Punakha
Pemako Punakha, Bhutan
Nestled by the Mo Chhu River in the town of Punakha, Pemako Punakha offers a variety of accommodation options, such as 19 luxury tented villas, a two-bedroom tented villa and a presidential tented villa – each with a private temperature-controlled pool.
A 3.5-hour drive from the Paro International Airport, guests upon arrival will cross a bridge strung with fluttering prayer flags, followed by a short yet scenic ride to the resort. Direct helicopter transfers can also be arranged from the airport to the hotel via a 25 to 30-minute scenic ride.
The hotel is home to a diverse range of private dining experiences made with fresh organic, local produce. Guests can also choose from a range of wellness activities, such as yoga and meditation as well as spa treatments.
TTG Asia news bulletin will be taking a break from December 14.
We will be back on January 2, 2024, when we will resume delivering the latest headlines straight to your inbox. The site will continue to be updated with articles during the month, so do check back regularly.
In the meantime, TTG Asia Media wishes all readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have appointed dedicated directors of sales for the individual cruise lines in Asia, effective January 1, 2024.
Based in Singapore, Constance Seck will become Oceania Cruises’ director of sales for all of Asia, excluding Japan.
From left: Constance Seck and Holly Kong
Holly Kong will represent Regent Seven Seas Cruises as director of sales Asia across Asia, excluding Japan, and will be based in Hong Kong.
In the meantime, TTG Asia Media wishes all readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
