Ixora Ho Tram by Fusion, Vietnam
Joining the integrated resort, The Grand Ho Tram Strip complex, Ixora Ho Tram by Fusion offers 164 residences and 46 villas, all of which boast sweeping ocean vistas and sunset views.
Facilities include a spa, kids’ club, and F&B options.
The hotel has a complimentary daily shuttle bus and is easily accessible by expressways – it is located approximately two-and-a-half hours from Ho Chi Minh City.
Capri by Fraser, Phnom Penh
Capri by Fraser, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The 86-key Capri by Fraser, Phnom Penh is located within the heart of the city and in close proximity to attractions, shopping malls, multi-national companies and embassies, as well as an abundance of F&B choices and a thriving nightlife scene.
The property offers a mix of studio and one-bedroom units to meet the needs of business and leisure travellers on short or long stays, and has facilities such as a gym, rooftop bar, launderette, meeting venues, and a social hub.
DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama
DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama, Japan
DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama is situated just a 10-minute taxi ride from Kyoto Station and a one-minute walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station on the Keihan Main Line.
The 158-room hotel houses an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar, fitness centre and public bath.
Nearby attractions include the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu-dera Temple; Yasaka Shrine; and the Gion district, famous for its traditional teahouses, boutiques, and restaurants. The hotel is also close to the Kyoto National Museum and the Ponto-cho dining area.
Citadines Gatot Subroto Jakarta
Citadines Gatot Subroto Jakarta, Indonesia
Featuring 121 furnished serviced apartments, Citadines Gatot Subroto Jakarta also houses facilities like a fitness corner, swimming pool, mini golf area, launderette, breakfast lounge, and meeting rooms.
Guests can also experience Citadines’ signature programmes such as activ∞ which offers an exclusive access to skyline gym, and For The Love of Coffee to indulge themselves with a selection of local coffee.
Staybridge Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit has released an Early Bird Escape offer starting at 2,912 baht (US$112) per night.
The offer includes breakfast for two, free drinks and snacks at The Social Hour, access to sauna, fitness centre, pool and Japanese onsen. There is a free shuttle to and from the BTS Phrom Phong skytrain station.
Staybridge Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit is offering an early bird discount in October
Bookings earn IHG One Rewards nights and points, and is available for booking till October 23 for stays until October 31.
Staybridge Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit is ideally located for quick access to Phrom Phong BTS Station, the Emquartier and Emporium malls, Samitivej Hospital, many overseas embassies, plus varied dining and nightlife options.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts has appointed Andrew Hartley as its new cluster director of sales and marketing, overseeing Raffles Hotel Le Royal and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.
Based in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, Hartley brings with him more than 20 years of experience in luxury hotels around the world, including in Thailand, Singapore, Australia, China, Vietnam, the UK and Oman.
He was most recently assistant vice president of strategic sales and marketing for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in the Asia-Pacific based in Singapore.
Nearly 80% of travellers will pay at least 10 per cent more for sustainable travel features despite the cost of living crisis, a Euromonitor International report has revealed.
In fact, 41% of travellers are also prepared to pay more than 30% extra for adventure and eco-tourism, according to the Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, mentioned in Euromonitor’s newly-released Sustainable Travel Index 2023.
Melbourne stands at the top of the sustainability pillar for Euromonitor’s Top City Destinations Index, targeting to reach net zero emissions by 2040
Europe dominates the Sustainable Travel Index 2023 taking the top 17 places. Sweden continues to top the chart, with Finland second and Austria in third. South American destination, Uruguay, has made the top 20 for the first time, moving up 15 places from the previous year.
Egypt and the Maldives are the most improved countries over the last five years. Egypt has outshone other markets by building resilient tourism, helped by its recovery after travel bans and the pandemic, and driving up average spend per arrival to increase value creation through tourism for the benefit of local communities.
Melbourne stands at the top of the sustainability pillar for Euromonitor’s Top City Destinations Index with an ambitious target to reach net zero emissions by 2040. It is followed by Spain’s Madrid and Seville, part of the Net Zero Cities initiative in the EU that includes 112 European cities in total.
Melbourne’s sustainability successes are wide-ranging – from retrofitting buildings to reduce their carbon footprint and transition to renewables, to greening streets, along with hosting carbon neutral events.
In terms of sustainable tourism demand, Australia, Iceland and New Zealand are the top three destinations. As longhaul destinations, Australia and New Zealand benefit from the high length of stay and New Zealand also flies the flag for regenerative tourism, going further and deeper than mere sustainability, leaving a positive legacy for generations to come aiming to give back.
Reflecting on the findings of the report, Caroline Bremner, head of travel at Euromonitor International, said: “Our Sustainable Travel Index uses 56 indicators across seven pillars – environmental, social, economic, risk, demand, transport and lodgings – determining the comparative performance of sustainable travel and tourism for 99 countries through scores and weightings to produce an overall ranking.
“There are three main types of indicators. The health of a destination relating to happiness, equality and social justice, then the specific impacts of tourism on the local environment such as hotel energy use, followed by the general state of tourism such as quality of infrastructure or dependency on international demand.
“Looking to the future, the Sustainable Travel Index highlights green technology and digitalising the traveller journey as two sure-fire ways to help achieve the road to net zero. Partnering with new start-ups in the green tech space could help pave the way for a greener and cleaner travel future.”
The Sustainable Travel Index can be downloaded here.
From 2024, Onyx Hospitality Group will make it compulsory for all staff to complete 60 hours of training every year in order to advance on their personal career track in the organisation.
The requirement is part of the new Onyx Academy, which will launch in the new year with instructor-led as well as online courses that are jointly developed with a range of partners such as Lobster Ink, LinkedIn, eCornell and Harvard Business School Online.
One of ONYX Hospitality Group’s talent investments is made in Pimali Foundation, where students have the chance to learn and work with the company
Yuthachai Charanachitta, owner and CEO of Onyx Hospitality Group, told TTG Asia that Onyx Academy “is essential, as it forces team members to stretch their minds and capabilities”.
He said: “There will also be cross-training opportunities, where we will assign some of our staff to other properties. At the end of it all, they will be better ready to move forward on their career track.”
Completion of courses will also earn participants valid certification with reputable institutions.
He believes the programme will appeal to the younger generation, as they “want to learn and rise up quickly in the company, and the academy provides such career development opportunities”.
When asked to put a dollar value on the implementation of Onyx Academy, Yuthachai said it would easily be in the range of US$1 million to US$2 million every year.
“This is because we have almost 4,000 staff across our system and we intend to involve 100 per cent of them. Taking them off duty for training also comes with opportunity costs,” he explained.
However, this is an investment that Yuthachai is happy to make, especially as the company looks to continuously expand and up-skill its workforce to support ongoing expansion plans.
The company has a target of 54 properties across its brands by 2025, up from 44 currently. Its Amari Hotels & Resorts portfolio welcomed the opening of Amari Raaya Maldives on August 1, and is set to further grow with four more in 2024 – three city hotels in Sri Lanka’s Colombo, Laos’ Vientiane, and Thailand’s Bangsaen; and one resort in Niseko, Japan.
Onyx Academy will join the company’s other ongoing talent acquisition and retention projects, which include providing education and job opportunities for underprivileged youths at Thailand’s Pimali Foundation; and the Pre-Employment Program with universities that offers local students internship placement, attractive pay packages and possibilities for employment.
Accor has teamed up with Crowne Estate Malaysia to debut the Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts brand to Malaysia with Swissôtel Genting Highlands slated to open in 2028.
Boasting views of the mountains, the 300-room property will offer conference facilities, a grand ballroom, all-day dining options, executive lounges, and bars. Leisure amenities include a heated swimming pool, sundeck, fitness centre, spa, scenic jogging tracks, and a kids’ club.
The 300-key Swissôtel Genting Highlands will open in 2028
Just a 15-minute drive away to the Genting Highlands summit, guests will be able to venture beyond the Swissôtel Genting Highlands to discover Crowne Estate Malaysia with its villas and bungalows, as well as residences and serviced apartments.
Swissôtel Genting Highlands will be located close to King’s Park by Highlands ParkCity, which is home to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions, as well as several other hotels. Additional features comprise a neighbouring cable car service, Awana golf course, a high-end Genting Premium Outlet and amusement parks.
In addition, the sustainable and environmentally-friendly community will prioritise water conservation and use renewable energy sources.
Crowne Estate’s chief operating officer Sean Chen commented on the first strategic alliance with Accor: “It is a huge step forward for Highland ParkCity and Crowne Estate Malaysia in their goal to make the King’s Park in Genting Highlands into an eco-friendly tourist and destination hub for people all over the world.”
“The signing of Swissôtel Genting Highlands in one of the most popular destinations in the country for locals and tourists alike, further strengthens Accor’s leading position in Malaysia’s hospitality industry,” said Garth Simmons, CEO, Accor for South & Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and India.
This year’s Singapore Night Festival (SNF), which takes places from now till August 26 at the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct, is lighting up the nights with over 50 that illuminate the BBB precinct and connects its history with contemporary experiences for all to enjoy.
Guided by the theme Singapore, the Great Port City, SNF 2023 sheds light on Singapore’s evolution from a vital port city to today’s dynamic modern metropolis.
Singapore Night Festival goers can enjoy live performances and food, such as indulging in kueh at the Festival Village @ Armenian Street, pictured
This year’s highlight act, Time is a Black Circle by Dawn Ng, transports festival-goers to the roaring sixties and seventies to experience the discothèques located in the BBB precinct, where they get to roller skate in a cylindrical “disco time portal” and relive a bygone era, or choose the non-skating option to enjoy an immersive multi-sensorial experience of psychedelic colours and nostalgic tunes of the discothèque era.
Festival-goers can also enjoy a six-minute theatrical experience that takes them on a journey through 700 years of Singapore’s port city history; a homage to Singapore’s cultural heritage and history of its flora and fauna motifs with the garden projection of traditional wood carvings; as well as SNF’s first dedicated family zone at Fort Canning.
There are also local delicacies like kueh to indulge in at the Festival Village @ Armenian Street organised by the Peranakan Museum, and the Main Festival Village @ SMU Campus Green features over 10 F&B stalls and SNF-exclusive tipples to enjoy.
Nestled in the heart of Manly, Australia, Peppers Manly Beach is celebrating its opening on August 25 with a range of exclusive packages and special rates for guests when booking directly with Accor.
Previously known as the North Tower of The Sebel Sydney Manly Beach, Peppers Manly Beach boasts breathtaking coastal views and exceptional service. With an array of amenities like two swimming pools, three conference spaces, and personalised experiences, the hotel is a suitable getaway for romance, family vacations, or corporate retreats.
Peppers Manly Beach opens on August 25
Rates start from A$333 (US$214) per night in a Superior One Bedroom Apartment.
Industry leaders at the Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia), held July in Macau, expressed optimism in the region’s potential for casino and integrated resort (IR) development, but acknowledged that the inclusion of multiple non-gaming features is necessary for business advancement.
The number of IRs with gaming facilities in Asia is set to grow with new additions in Japan and South Korea.
Industry leaders are optimistic about the region’s potential for casino and integrated resort (IR) development
In April this year, the Japanese government approved a plan to open the nation’s first IR, to be developed by Osaka IR KK, a joint venture between MGM Resorts Japan and ORIX Corporation. The project, which is estimated to cost US$10 billion to develop, will be located on a reclaimed island in Osaka. In a joint press statement earlier on, Osaka IR KK said the IR will “transform the region into one of the world’s top entertainment and hospitality destinations and to serve as a hub for tourism across Japan”.
Speaking on a G2E Asia panel, MGM Japan’s president global development Ed Bowers said recruitment and training activities are now underway.
Over in South Korea, Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon is scheduled to soft-open in late 2023 and follow up with its casino launch in 1Q2024. Its COO Chen Si revealed that the company’s strategic vision, set a decade ago, was to develop the country’s airport hub into an international business and tourism centre.
To achieve a return on the company’s US$1.6 billion investment, Chen said diversity is key.
“This (ROI) can’t be achieved without non-gaming business,” he quipped, pointing to Inspire Entertainment Resort’s inclusion of a 15,000-seat arena, indoor water park, and various family-friendly facilities.
Chen said the arena aims to host 50 to 100 concerts each year, in support of the South Korean government’s aim to promote K-pop culture. The indoor water park is expected to attract the domestic family staycation market.
He expects a balanced 50:50 gaming and non-gaming business mix, with demand also streaming in from business event groups. “We already have regional events coming over from Singapore and the US next year,” he shared.
From left: Inspire Entertainment Resort’s Chen Si and MGM China’s Hubert Wang speaking at the Global Gaming Expo Asia held in Macau last month
Melco Resort and Entertainment, COO, David Sisk, agreed that a successful IR required “a collection of experiences to bring in (people), not just gaming”.
MGM China, president and COO, Hubert Wang, added that the early movers in Las Vegas and Macau have had to continuously reinvent and elevate their infrastructure for “relevance in the market”, starting with gaming first and adding on business events and sporting events capabilities, for example.
In Macau, MGM China is diversifying properties into arts and culture – MGM Macau is said to be a cultural tourism-first property while MGM Cotai features an art gallery housing 300 pieces of work.
“Entertainment wise, we have developed some signature events throughout the years,” added Wang.
Panellists at the conference agree that Macau has a success story in IR development, and that the government policy to step up non-gaming aspects in these properties will foster a sustainable future for the hospitality sector. Under their new 10-year concessions, which commenced January 1, 2023, the six major IR operators have pledged to invest a total of 108.7 billion patacas (US$13.4 billion) into developing non-gaming projects and exploring overseas customer markets. The immediate result is a wave of high-profile concerts being staged in Macau.
Macau current leads the Asia pack in terms of gross gaming revenue, valued at US$45 billion with Singapore (US$6 billion), the Philippines (US$3 billion), South Korea (US$3 billion), Malaysia (US$2 billion) and Vietnam (US$1 billion) trailing behind, according to gaming and IR specialist 2NT8.
2NT8 expects Macau’s gross gaming revenue to hit US$60-70 billion in a decade.
Some panellists say Thailand is one to watch, as gaming development there may soon be legalised. They expect Thailand’s gross gaming revenue to hit US$7 billion, and pose a threat to gaming neighbours Macau, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Credit Suisse managing director Kenneth Fong said: “In Thailand, the local market will provide a very steady cashflow for IR operators, in addition to the inbound Chinese.”
Efforts promoting Mindanao as a safe emerging destination is paying off, with travel consultants gaining newfound confidence in selling the destination and rolling out more tour packages to an increasingly receptive market.
Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) president, Fe Abling-Yu, remarked that most travellers to Mindanao are locals who have “visited and continue to visit destinations in Mindanao” and that the island is “a beautiful, unspoiled and safe place contrary to their troubled image”.
More travellers are showing interest to visit Mindanao in the Philippines; Daku Island, pictured
She said the destination will continue to be promoted in PHILTOA’s Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) from September 1 to 3 this year even as its local government units (LGUs) continue to cooperate with tourism promotions and marketing. PHILTOA had sent travel caravans to Mindanao and got all of its five regions to join last year’s PTM.
In another development, an international cruise line is exploring the possibility of adding Zamboanga as a port of call in response to clamours for new port destinations in the Philippines.
“The fact that they came here to assess is already a fulfilment of my vision of putting Zamboanga back on the tourism map,” said Errold Lim Bayona, president, Tour Guides Association of Zamboanga.
Salvador Britanico Jr, vice president – sales, Philippine Airlines, agreed that demand for the carrier’s services to various parts of Mindanao are already back to normal except for flights to and from Cotabato, which has been temporarily halted until the repair of its airport’s runway is completed in September.
Abling-Yu noted that travellers are asking less questions about safety and security in Zamboanga, and added that they will be “bringing (more) tourists to Isabela de Basilan”.
In addition, with the increasing number of flights to Mindanao and cities like Zamboanga and Oroquieta, as well as the ferry services and buses plying the areas, more meaningful experiences and combining of destinations are in the works, she shared.
He was most recently assistant vice president of strategic sales and marketing for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in the Asia-Pacific based in Singapore.
