Singapore’s multi-currency e-wallet YouTrip celebrates its fifth anniversary with the launch of Apple Pay and the Simply YouTrip It public transport campaign, granting its users ease and convenience to use their YouTrip card to pay for in-store purchases, online transactions, and public transport.
This integration makes it even easier for YouTrip cardholders to pay for their travel expenses, including public transportation, when they are travelling abroad and in Singapore. Apple Pay on YouTrip enables users to link their YouTrip cards to their iOS devices, making transactions faster, more secure, and hassle-free.
YouTrip has launched Apple Pay for faster, more secure, and hassle-free transactions
Caecilia Chu, CEO and co-founder of YouTrip, said: “YouTrip started off as a travel wallet five years ago, and has now become the go-to payment option not only for foreign currency transactions, but also for everyday transactions for different purposes.”
From now to September 15, the Simply YouTrip It campaign lets YouTrip cardholders earn up to 10 per cent cashback when they utilise their YouTrip card to pay for public transport using Apple Pay.
In addition, YouTrip is offering five per cent cashback for contactless public transport spending to cater to non-iOS users. Google Pay is also slated for launch later this year.
Desaru Coast’s second instalment of its Gourmet Series 2023 edition will feature award-winning chefs who will create fresh flavours using locally-sourced produce at One&Only Desaru Coast from September 1 to 3 September.
Titled An Ode to Nature, the Desaru Coast Gourmet Series 2023 will showcase two Malaysian chefs – Su Kim Hock of Au Jardin (One Michelin Star) in Penang and Johnson Wong, founder of gēn Penang (Michelin Select Restaurant) and Communal Table by gēn (Bib Gourmand). Joining them is Valerio Pachetti, executive chef at One&Only Desaru Coast, for this six-hand event.
From left: Chefs Su Kim Hock, Johnson Wong, and Valerio Pachetti take centrestage at Desaru Coast’s second instalment of its Gourmet Series 2023
There will be two intimate dinner events on September 1 and 2 at Ambara, priced at 800 ringgit (US$173) per person, and a brunch at Ember Beach Club on September 3 priced at 450 ringgit per person. There is an additional cost for wine pairings for both dinner and brunch.
A third instalment will be held in November and will feature chef Raymond Tham of Beta and Skillet (MICHELIN Select Restaurants) at the Big Easy Bar & Grill, The Els Club Malaysia Desaru Coast.
Bangkok-based Minor Hotels is set to expand its brands portfolio as the company seeks to grow from 530 open hotels now to a targeted 600 operating properties by 2025.
The global hotel chain has just eight brands, namely Anantara, Avani, Elewana Collection, Oaks, NH Hotels, NH Collection, Nhow and Tivoli. A behemoth such as Accor has 45 brands and 5,100 hotels, suggesting that brands are critical to a chain’s development, despite widespread criticisms over their lack of differentiation in general.
Di Tullio: we have to grow slowly but surely
Minor’s new chief commercial officer Ian Di Tullio, in an interview with TTG Asia, noted that “one of our top priorities is to establish our brand portfolio and brand strategy, which allow us then to accelerate our development plan”.
“We have eight brands today while our competitors have anywhere from 20 to 40-plus brands,” said Di Tullio, who came to Minor from Accor, where he was chief commercial officer Europe.
Minor is already doing some “demand space mapping” to determine the brands and sub-brands it needs.
He said: “When you look at different segments, there’s certainly a high growth around brands in the lifestyle space, in soft brands versus hard brands.
“We believe that there is opportunity in the soft brand space and we’re examining where we want to position ourselves (in that space). But lifestyle for us is less about creating a ‘lifestyle’ brand because that word has been convoluted – it’s how much lifestyle do you want a brand to be? Inherently most of our brands are already lifestyle if you qualify lifestyle as having lots of F&B and a lot of activations that enhance their attractiveness to the outside business.”
However, he added that the company will not double the size of its brands overnight.
“We have to grow slowly but surely. If we put a brand into the market, it will be a success, not a trial and error,” he said.
Di Tullio foresees at least three brands will evolve, also hinting that “one of our brands certainly will change and will increase in remit” without revealing further details as the process is still in the early stages.
Prince Hotel re-opens its doors in August after an extensive three-year renovation to its lobby, 394 guestrooms and suites, Continental Club and dining venues.
Wharf Hotels president, Thomas Salg said: “The much anticipated return of Prince Hotel in the Tsim Sha Tsui district has been many months in the planning. We are excited to open our doors to a new chapter, and to new experiences designed for travellers who are eager to revisit or discover the hotel and myriad attractions surrounding the property.”
Prince Hotel and its sister properties Gateway, Hong Kong and Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel are part of the Marco Polo Hotels brand which is under the Wharf Hotels portfolio.
Located on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui district, Prince Hotel is integrated with Harbour City – one of Hong Kong’s largest luxury retail and dining complex – and within walking distance to the scenic harbour front promenade, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Space Museum.
With the iconic Star Ferry, Tsim Sha Tsui underground, Kowloon Canton Railway station and high-speed rail link a short stroll away, guests can enjoy quick and easy access to Hong Kong island and beyond.
Hotel highlights
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Located in Tsim Sha Tsui district, Prince Hotel is integrated with Harbour City – one of Hong Kong’s largest luxury retail and dining complex
The guestrooms and suites deploy vibrant colours to demarcate spaces and inject personality into the interiors
The hotel is home to 394 guestrooms and suites
The Continental Club suites feature an open-plan design
The bar zone in dining destination, SAVVY, is one of three spaces, blended together for diners to enjoy the restaurant’s offerings and relax in one inviting area
Two private dining rooms are available for events
SAVVY, on level three, reimagines the concept of combined spaces to offer three zones – a bar, lounge and stylish restaurant
Presenting a new colourful aesthetic The refurbishment delivers bright and functional spaces that reflect a colourful aesthetic.
The revamped lobby boasts grey coloured marble flooring, enlivened by vivid pops of blue and orange, while the design scheme incorporates colour-changing light panels with abstract brush strokes and modern artwork.
The guestrooms and suites – ranging from 29m2 to 56m2 – offer views of the city or harbour and deploy vibrant colours to demarcate spaces and inject personality into the interiors with statement walls, in artwork or on selected furniture.
The cocooning rooms each include a chaise lounge for guests to enjoy quieter moments by the window, as well as IPTV and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The Victoria Harbour-facing Continental Club suites on levels 16 and 17 adopt an open-plan layout where warm neutrals in brown and beige ground the same bold colour scheme and come complete with walk-in bathrooms with marble counter tops, open closets and separate showers.
Dining destination, 743m² SAVVY on level three, reimagines the concept of blended spaces to offer three zones – a bar, lounge and stylish restaurant – for diners to enjoy the restaurant’s offerings and relax in one inviting space.
Additionally, two private dining rooms are available for business meetings, celebrations, and exclusive dining experiences.
SAVVY’s culinary experience, delivered by Chef de Cuisine Derek Ng – who has more than 30 years of experience – and his team, is a smorgasbord of Asian and western flavours instilled into sustainable seafood, hearty bowls of noodles, vegetarian and gluten-free options and grilled meats.
For guests keen to adhere to their exercise regime during their stay, they can utilise the hotel’s 24-hour gym which houses cardiovascular and weight training equipment, as well as the outdoor pool and other facilities at Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, which is a five-minute walk away.
“Prince Hotel is, and will continue to be, a destination for the local community and travellers to come together. With the transformation completed, we look forward to welcoming guests back and shaping how they dine, stay or celebrate with us to create collectible moments and inspire new stories,” said Gerhard Aicher, area general manager, Marco Polo Hotels in Hong Kong.
Celebrating the reopening with “We Are Open!” offer Available until October 31, 2023, the special offer includes a free room upgrade, welcome drinks at SAVVY, in-room house red wine, and a chocolate gift box.
To make a reservation, call (852) 2113 3115, email resv.hkh@marcopolohotels.com or book online.
International flights from Japan during the country’s traditional Bon holidays from August 10 to 20, have rebounded to 67 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, while domestic flights have recovered to about 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with marked increases over the same period in 2022.
The uptick in bookings reflects Japanese people’s increased willingness and openness to travel since the government downgraded Covid-19 to the same disease classification as influenza in May, according to All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL).
JTB study finds South Korea is the most popular overseas destination for Japanese travellers this summer; Seoul pictured
About 560,000 outbound flight reservations had been made on the two national carriers as of early August, double that of the same period in 2022, while domestic flight reservations were up 20 per cent year-on-year, at 3.7 million.
By August 31, the number of overseas travellers is expected to reach 1.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 214 per cent, but only 40 per cent of what it was in 2019, according to a forecast by JTB, Japan’s largest travel agent, based on a survey of 2,060 people.
JTB’s report noted several issues hampering Japan’s outbound recovery: “Airline seat supply has yet to fully recover to 2019 levels. The weak yen, price hikes and staffing shortages in the service industry remain challenging.”
The most popular overseas destinations for Japanese travellers this summer are South Korea (19 per cent), Taiwan (16 per cent) and Hawaii (13 per cent). JTB products to Guam, Singapore and other parts of Asia have also been selling well. Most trips last four-days/three-nights (27 per cent), followed by three-days/two-nights (20 per cent) and two-days/one-night (12 per cent).
When asked to name post-summer overseas destinations that would be desirable, popular responses included Hawaii (13 per cent), Europe (11 per cent), Australia/New Zealand (10 per cent), Taiwan (nine per cent) and South Korea (eight per cent).
Spectrum of the Seas has resumed sailings to Japan after nearly four years, with the ship calling at Kobe on August 10, and Yokohama, Japan on August 12.
Featuring her longest itinerary yet, the ship hosted over 4,000 guests on a 12-night sailing, where the guests explored top Asian destinations including Nha Trang, Vietnam; Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as destinations in Japan including Kobe, Okinawa, Ishigaki, Mt Fuji, Kyoto and Kagoshima, before arriving in Yokohama.
Japan celebrates the return of Spectrum of the Seas after nearly four years
“We are thrilled to return to Japan this year,” said Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International. “These longer sailings which take in key port destinations in Japan have been extremely popular especially with the fly-cruise market from Australia, Europe and the US, with guests who are keen to explore the unique culture and rich heritage of Japan. Many of the sailing’s international guests would have stayed in Tokyo ahead of the sailing, exploring the local sights and enjoying the city’s great food, offering a strong economic benefit to the city’s tourism industry.”
Hiroya Nakano, director general of Port and Harbor Bureau, city of Yokohama, welcomed the arrival of Spectrum of the Seas to the port of Yokohama and hopes the ship will continue to “call the port of Yokohama in the future, and that the many cruise passengers will help revitalise the city’s economy”.
From April 2024, Spectrum of the Seas will set sail from Shanghai, China, offering guests a combination of four- and five-night cruises to destinations like Fukuoka, Okinawa, Nagasaki, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. The ship will also offer eight sailings from Hong Kong starting from December 2024, bringing guests to places such Ishigaki and Miyazaki in Japan, as well as China and Vietnam.
The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has launched a generative artificial intelligence (AI) powered web chatbot to enhance the travel stages of planning and booking as part of the guest journey.
Named after Ascott’s mascot, Cubby, the chatbot is designed to play the role of a ‘travel buddy’ to all guests – it provides travel insights including destination highlights, accommodation recommendations, must-visit attractions, suggestions for shopping and adventure activities, and more.
Ascott’s chatbot aims to enhance the travel stages of planning and booking, as well as provide travel insights
Currently in its test-bedding stage, the ChatGPT-fuelled chatbot is built on Microsoft OpenAI and Azure Services, and leverages real-time data using Bing search and Azure services, alongside data and insights accessed via Ascott’s global website.
Ascott’s managing director for brand & marketing, Tan Bee Leng, said: “Cubby, with its AI prowess, taps into a vast treasure trove of data, enabling fast analysis of travel preferences, trends, and recommendations; from suggesting hidden gems to tailoring itineraries that match specific areas of interests. Every interaction with Cubby is set to unlock a realm of limitless possibilities in AI-driven travel planning.”
For a start, Cubby will be supporting Ascott’s live chat agents, so that the agents can focus on responding to more complex inquiries which require deeper and more thorough engagement with guests.
Cubby has the ability to generate personalised itineraries according to user input, which can be customised and amended according to the destination(s) selected, length of stay, travel preferences, and other criteria. The chatbot is also able to share travel tips as well as health and safety information alongside advice on visa requirements, travel budgets and packing checklists.
In anticipation of evolving guest expectations, Cubby will become multichannel in its later phase, seamlessly integrating with different applications for greater convenience. Improved language capabilities will also be implemented to ensure that Cubby is optimised for local use. This integration will allow Cubby to respond instantly across channels, using the guest’s preferred language and platform while handling an immense volume of guest inquiries simultaneously and consistently.
Regal Hotels Group (RHG) has joined hands with Friends of the Earth (HK) to host Tree Planting Challenge 2023, an annual flagship programme by the latter which aims to enhance biodiversity and achieve carbon neutrality through tree planting.
By supporting this event, RHG engages members including Century City Group, Paliburg Group, Regal Real Estate Investment Trust, and Cosmopolitan International Holdings Limited, to form a volunteer team with around 70 employees by planting 700 trees at Tai Lam Country Park.
Regal Hotel Group, with a volunteer team of around 70 employees, plants 700 trees at Tai Lam Country Park
Poman Lo, vice chairman and managing director, RHG, said: “In response to growing public awareness on environmental issues, it is crucial to combat the pressing environmental challenges with sustainable solutions.
“This collaboration echoes our commitment to bringing a positive environmental impact to our community and reducing our carbon footprint. We look forward to continuing our efforts to foster a community that aims for net-zero carbon emissions and sustainability by collaborating with like-minded partners that support the same cause.”
To help guests discover local flora and fauna, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas has expanded its collection of nature-centric activities to include Tree Planting, Seed Collection and Camera Trapping experiences.
The new activities are complimentary for guests who opt into Dollar For Deeds – Anantara’s CSR programme where guests can donate five ringgit (US$1) for every night of the stay, with the resort matching the amount and donating it to Rewild Desaru, a local non-profit organisation that supports resident wildlife species to encourage safe migration and ensure long-term viability of native gene-pool.
Guests can help to collect seeds from the forest floor, which will be germinated and grown into saplings for future planting
During Tree Planting, guests will visit a nearby tree nursery to plant native species such as sea almond, sea apple and various rainforest fruit trees. These saplings will later be moved to a forest and planted in a pre-selected spot, where they will continue to grow and contribute to the ecosystem.
Seed Collection invites guests to enjoy the great outdoors while collecting seeds from the forest floor, where the seeds are then germinated and grown into saplings for future planting.
With the Camera Trapping exercise, guests will be joining forest rangers on their daily rounds of Panti Recreational Forest – a protected natural reserve a 1.5-hour drive from the resort – to check the batteries on motion-activated cameras and ensure wildlife monitoring equipment is working properly.
The resort also offers a range of family-friendly activities as part of the existing recreational programme, including Desaru Beachlife & Tidepool Discovery, Bird Watching: Desaru’s Winged Gems, and Nature Walks.
There are terrarium-making classes on Saturday afternoons where guests can make their own terrarium and take it home as a souvenir. Guests can also learn how to make all-natural self-care products such as pain-relief balms, scrubs and bath bombs during these classes, or practice mindfulness in nature with weekday Sunrise Dong Sticks workshops and weekend yoga sessions on the beach.
Fairmont Singapore introduces Good As Gold, a curation of daily rotating complimentary experiences exclusively offered to guests of Fairmont Gold rooms and suites to connect them to local culture and experiences throughout the week.
Every Monday at 17.30, guests can indulge in traditional sweets and snacks. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, they can master the art of mixology and learn how to make a selection of progressive tipples at ANTI:DOTE; then head to a wine-tasting session at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Prego, to sample a range of classic and contemporary vintages from Italy and beyond.
Fairmont Gold guests get exclusive access to Singapore’s premier contemporary art gallery, Ode to Art
Guests can pamper themselves with massages at Willow Stream Spa on Thursdays, while on Friday, they get exclusive access to Singapore’s premier contemporary art gallery, Ode to Art, offering insights into its diverse collection of paintings, sculptures and installation art.
On Saturdays, guests will head to a meaningful and educational Aquaponics Farm tour and learn how harvested produce is supplied to events and restaurants for a sustainable farm-to-table experience.
Sundays invite guests to a heritage talk by the Fairmont Gold team, sharing stories of historical sites and key attractions from where they can be seen from the Gold Lounge – from the scenic Singapore River and Boat Quay to iconic spots like the Merlion Park and Gardens by the Bay.
Good As Gold is exclusively offered to Fairmont Gold Lounge guests, who will also have full access to the Gold Lounge, which includes privileges such as check-in and check-out, daily breakfast and evening cocktails, a library room, a business centre and shower facilities.
