Christian Ruge has been named the general manager of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok.
The German national has a 25-year career in hotel management and leadership across Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Asia.
He was most recently the general manager at Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena in Bansko, Bulgaria.
Outpayce, a wholly-owned Amadeus company, has shared its second edition of the Consumer Travel Spend Priorities research which reveals that consumer demand for travel is expected to remain robust over the coming twelve months, despite continuing economic uncertainty.
The research surveyed 4,500 travellers from the US, the UK, France, Germany and Singapore during 2Q2023 using an online methodology by international market research firm Opinium on behalf of Outpayce from Amadeus.
International travel was once again ranked by consumers as the highest discretionary spend priority from a basket of six categories.
All spend categories edged up compared to last year’s study pointing to a tentative jump in overall consumer confidence. However, the number of people ranking travel as a ‘high priority’ for the coming twelve months increased by the largest margin, rising to 47%, up 12% year-over-year. Travellers expect to spend significantly more on international travel during the coming year with average expected spend of US$3,422, an increase of US$753 per consumer, or 28%, compared to last year.
Jean-Christophe Lacour, senior vice president, global head of products management and delivery, Outpayce, Amadeus commented: “People are clearly prepared to spend savings that may have been amassed during the pandemic, and to make sacrifices in other areas, to dedicate more funds to international travel. (However), there’s no room for complacency – travel companies that clearly price their products in the traveller’s native currency, offer flexible ways to pay, and focus on delivering a smooth retail experience stand the best chance of converting shoppers into paying customers.”
Moderation in demand for short-term credit
Last year a huge 75% of consumers said they were ‘more likely’ to use Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services to fund travel. This number dropped to a still significant 33% of travellers being ‘more likely’ to choose BNPL to fund travel over the coming twelve months, suggesting continued demand for BNPL, albeit at a reduced growth rate. This trend is evident across all forms of short-term credit with significantly fewer consumers saying they are ‘more likely’ to use credit cards or payday loans to fund travel this year.
Instead, 40% of consumers said they plan to pay for travel by dipping into their savings and a third confirmed they will reallocate spend from areas like clothing and home improvement to fund travel plans.
Transparency and limits fees
Travellers continue to value fintech services that offer transparency and help them avoid foreign exchange (FX) fees when travelling. Notably, 66% of travellers said they would be more likely to select a travel company that allowed them to pay in their own currency so they could better understand the cost of travel, which reflects a notable jump of 18% compared to last year. 68% of respondents said they will pay close attention to FX fees incurred when traveling.
The Consumer travel spend priorities can be downloaded here.
Malaysia Airports Holdings and Asia Mobiliti have adopted Google Cloud’s open data cloud to deliver sustainable, digital-first travel experiences.
To stay ahead of spikes in passenger traffic in and out of its five international airports and 17 domestic airports in Malaysia, Malaysia Airports, with support from CloudMile, has migrated its digital real estate to Google Cloud’s open, scalable, secure, and energy-efficient infrastructure.
By using Google Cloud’s database management services to break down internal data silos, Malaysia Airports is enhancing its ability to push real-time airport and flight information to millions of passengers, thereby allowing them to enjoy smoother experiences from check-in and immigration to boarding and baggage collection.
Vijaykumar Dayinde, chief information officer, Malaysia Airports Holdings, said: “Google Cloud’s open data cloud will provide a strong yet flexible foundation for Malaysia Airports to fulfil our vision of becoming a global airport group that champions connectivity and sustainability, and serve as the gateway for tourists to discover and enjoy all that Malaysia has to offer.”
To enable seamless and more sustainable multimodal transport experiences for tourists in Malaysia, Asia Mobiliti is building and running its mobility-as-a-service platform for businesses and consumers entirely on Google Cloud’s open, scalable, secure, and energy-efficient infrastructure.
With support from PointStar, Asia Mobiliti has also deployed Google Cloud’s advanced analytics and business intelligence tools to give its B2B customers access to real-time insights that help them better respond to commuters’ needs. By leveraging Asia Mobiliti’s ability to ingest and analyse data across different modes of transport and accurately forecast demand using its proprietary machine learning (ML) algorithms, an airport operator or a public transport operator could, for instance, offer demand-responsive transit services (DRT) to malls or hotels in the city. DRT services mean a passenger vehicle, such as a bus or van, is dispatched in response to demand, optimising ridership and cost of trip, and ensuring travel resiliency and reliability with intelligent routing for the quickest and most fuel-efficient routes.
“At Asia Mobiliti, our goal is to help digitise all modes of transport and connect them with each other, thereby enabling seamless and on-demand multimodal transport experiences,” shared Ramachandran Muniandy, CEO and co-founder, Asia Mobiliti.
“While tourists tend to be the biggest consumers of multimodal transport services, citizens stand to benefit too. An effective multimodal public transport system reduces the need for private or single occupancy vehicles. This then translates to reduced road congestion and carbon emissions.”
Air India, a Tata Group-owned airline, has revealed its new brand identity along with new aircraft livery, with a design that symbolises a ‘Window of Possibilities’.
Its new logo – The Vista – and aircraft livery don a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights, as well as a chakra-inspired pattern, signifies the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future.
Travellers will begin to see the new logo throughout their journey starting this December, when Air India’s first Airbus A350 enters the fleet in the new livery.
Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & managing director, said: “Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage. The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted to its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service.”
Air India is also making significant investments throughout the guest experience to elevate its service and to strengthening its position as the preferred airline for travellers flying to, from, and within India.
The airline has confirmed historic purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing at US$70 billion with deliveries of the new aircraft starting November this year.
The transformation of Air India’s fleet has already begun with the airline leasing and buying 20 widebody aircraft this year. A US$400 million programme to completely refurbish the interiors of its legacy fleet of 43 widebody aircraft commences mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity.
By March 2024, 33 per cent of the airline’s widebody fleet will be upgraded, and over the next two-and-a-half years, its entire longhaul fleet will be reborn.
In addition, Air India has a new website and mobile app, and will launch a new 24/7 customer contact centre in nine Indian and foreign languages by year end, as well as completely redesigning its loyalty programme by early 2024.
It is also investing in building new lounges at Delhi and New York JFK airports, and plans to build aviation training academies in India that will upskill a massive number of aviation professionals.
IHG Hotels & Resorts and Sharjah Asset Management (SAM) have signed a management agreement to bring a voco hotel to Sharjah in the UAE.
As the first IHG hotel in the Emirate, the voco hotel is scheduled to open in 2027, and will comprise 191 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, gym, pool, spa facilities, and event venues.
The hotel will be located in a prime position near the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club on the Al Dhaid-Masafi Road, and will offer convenient access to Sharjah International Airport. It will be part of a masterplan encompassing retail spaces, offices, and SAM’s headquarters.
Waleed Al Sayegh, CEO of Sharjah Asset Management, said: “The new voco hotel will be a qualitative addition to the company’s portfolio in the hospitality sector and will add value to the overall tourism industry in the Emirate.”
Haitham Mattar, managing director, IHG Hotels & Resorts India, Middle East and Africa, added: “This milestone is significant as we are committed to expanding our presence in key regional markets, including the UAE. Sharjah is a fast-emerging tourist destination with its natural and man-made landscapes and diverse tourism offerings.”
Banyan Tree Samui in southern Thailand has introduced a new free-of-charge activity for all its guests – the twice-weekly aromatherapy workshops aim to encourage guests to unlock the mystery of the ancient traditional practice.
During the workshop held at Banyan Tree Gallery Samui (the resort’s on-site boutique), they can select which essential oils they would like to create including cedarwood, rosemary, lavender, ylang-ylang, bergamot, peppermint and pine. Guests will learn how extracts from plants are obtained – either a process of expression or steam distillation – to yield aromatic oils that can be used for healing.
The hotel also provides oil burners and incense in each villa with a daily rotation of fragrances as part of the turndown service.
Among the other aromatherapeutic activities provided for guests is a Sense of Nature Walk, which feature guided tours around the property to discover and explain some of the tropical flora and fauna.
For more information, visit Banyan Tree Samui.
Brought to you by AltoVita
Accommodation booking platform AltoVita is bringing its Smart, Safe, Sustainable Summit to Singapore on September 6, marking the first time the event series moves out of London.
Taking place at Swissôtel The Stamford, the interactive and engaging event now turns its sights onto the Asia Pacific region — a region that is experiencing rapid growth in both employee relocations and corporate travel following the lifting of restrictions.
The event, which proudly includes TTG Asia as a media partner, brings together the extended stay accommodation sector with experts from the fields of relocation, talent mobility and corporate travel.
A series of thought-provoking panels and roundtables will shed light on the latest trends and best practices in leveraging data intelligence and technology to drive innovation. This will be a timely event, as many destinations are experiencing a highly competitive environment where accommodation prices are rising.
Organisations now need to balance rising travel and accommodation costs with their business objectives and sustainability commitments, so the summit will also explore the Asia Pacific region’s corporate housing landscape in detail, tackling key issues such as:
Who’s speaking?
Brought to you by WorldHotels
Tawa Ravadee Resort Prachinburi
WorldHotels expanded its portfolio in Thailand with the signing of Tawa Ravadee Resort Prachinburi. A member of WorldHotels Distinctive, the exceptional upscale property showcases the grace and charm of Thai heritage.
Home to 199 rooms and suites, the enchanting retreat which emphasises the outdoor living space, promises unique and welcoming stays for discerning travellers.
Overlooking a lake and surrounded by lush forests and rice fields in the Prachinburi province, close to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Khao Yai National Park, and about two and a half hours’ drive east of Bangkok, the exquisite resort is ideal for leisure sojourns, cultural adventures and out-of-town events.
Infused with the charm of the Dvaravati style, Tawa Ravadee Resort Prachinburi is also an outstanding destination for events, with 10 meeting rooms and a dedicated convention hall that can host 1,000 guests.
Event organisers and planners are spoilt for choice with the diverse venues available for varying events from corporate retreats to one-of-a-kind wedding celebrations.
Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport
The largest hotel complex at Japan’s busiest airport, Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport, a member of WorldHotels Distinctive, allows leisure and business travellers ease of accessibility to the airport and other popular tourist destinations in Tokyo.
A convenient central point, the 1557-room hotel is also directly connected to numerous shopping options, restaurants offering both local and international cuisines, a large-scale conference hall, bus terminal, and even natural hot springs complete with views of airplanes and Mount Fuji.
Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport is the ideal choice of accommodation for travellers who prefer to have all the conveniences and needs within easy reach for a comfortable stay.
Expanding footprint in Asia
Both properties are new additions in WorldHotels’ portfolio, a privately held hotel soft brand within the BWH Hotels.
Founded by independent hoteliers dedicated to the art of hospitality, WorldHotels offers one of the finest portfolios of independent hotels and resorts around the globe, expertly curated to inspire unique, life-enriching experiences that connect people and places.
WorldHotels comprises four unique collections, each with its own personality and style to appeal to the needs of today’s travellers. The collections include WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Crafted and WorldHotels Distinctive.
What’s more – its Status Match…No Catch programme for the WorldHotels Rewards (WHR) enables guests to match their existing loyalty programme status (at other hospitality brands) with the equivalent WHR elite tier.
Are your clients keen on a status match to qualify for WorldHotels Rewards?
For a fuss-free experience, guests can complete the Status Match…No Catch procedure at the front desk by emailing the support team at StatusMatch@bwh.com.
Guests can also initiate a status match on their own by completing the form, available on worldhotels.com here.
For enquiries, email StatusMatch@bwh.com.
Silver Nova’s asymmetrical ship design – said to be the industry’s first and one that allows for innovative use of spaces for guests – has attracted immense interest from both travel agents and travellers, resulting in a large showing of first-time guests who will sail with the new luxurious vessel on August 14.
According to Silversea Cruises, some 400 new first-timers along with 200 loyal Venetian Society programme guests will set sail on Silver Nova’s maiden journey, a roundtrip from Venice that will call at many of the Adriatic’s most iconic destinations over seven days, including Piran in Slovenia; Zadar, Dubrovnik, Split, and Rovinj in Croatia; and Kotor in Montenegro.
Barbara Muckermann, president and CEO of Silversea Cruises and member of Royal Caribbean Group’s executive committee, said the “category-breaking” Silver Nova “will move us farther away from the old images of cruise ships and open up the market for us further”.
Silver Nova is the first in Silversea Cruises’s Nova Class to launch and, with capacity for 728 guests, is the largest in the cruise line’s complete fleet. Her design has created several highlights including long stretches of spaces that grant guests unblocked views of destinations she calls at; high and airy atriums; a greater selection of suites, including top-end ones in the aft (back of the ship); a 130m² pool area – largest in the cruise line’s fleet – with an abundant supply of deck chairs; and expanded spaces for Silversea Cruises’s signature Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T) destination deep-dive culinary experience programme.
Muckermann said: “Silver Nova will allow us to reach resort customers who may have never considered a traditional cruise ship, but will now do so after seeing our pretty cool product – and with the insane price hikes that we are seeing on the hotel side, I think the incredible value our cruise offers will come forward.”
Beyond strong interest from new guests for Silver Nova, Muckermann revealed that the company’s database is also showing “a lot of new agents and new guests” for other itineraries.
However, the new kid on the block is not expected to alienate loyal Silversea fans. Muckermann said travel partners on the preview sailing have expressed joy over the introduction of suites in the aft, an accommodation type that their regular Silversea Cruises guests have been desiring for a long time.
She said: “Even though this class of ship is so different (from what we have), the reaction we get from our loyal guests has been much more positive than what we got when we introduced our Muse Class. While the Muse Class was an evolution, it changed a lot of the language of the brand. So, with the Nova Class, we kept some beloved heritage spaces and evolved other types of experiences.
“I like to think that we have achieved a good balance based on the feedback we have received. Our guests are happy that we have given them some new things while retaining their familiar comforts. This is very important when you are developing a heritage brand.”
At the same time, Silver Nova’s abundant open spaces will now allow the cruise line to “work on a regionalisation of our deployment”, revealed Muckermann.
She pointed out that Silver Origin is ideal for the Galápagos Islands, while Silver Endeavour is perfect for the Polar regions. “In the same way, Silver Nova is the best warm water luxury ship,” she commented.
“By allowing the regionalisation of our deployment, we can bring programmes like S.A.L.T to the full extent with deeper content because we can commit more time to a certain destination and region,” said Muckermann.
Following shortly after the July launch of Silversea Academy, an exclusive training platform designed to empower travel agents in the world of ultra-luxury cruising, the ultra-luxury cruise line is reaping more frequent bookings from trade partners.
Kenneth Yau, director of sales, Greater China, told TTG Asia that the more active agent partners in his region who have completed the course, have been able to now generate “very frequent bookings”.
“While not everybody has done everything (on the training platform), the feedback I get from a lot of our partners in Greater China has been quite positive,” said Yau during Silver Nova’s ongoing exclusive preview sailing for some 200 select travel agent partners and media representatives.
Silver Nova will sail her official maiden voyage on August 14.
Further articulating the value Silversea Academy brings to trade partners, Philippa Walker, marketing director, Asia-Pacific, said the featured content brings clarity to the various classic and expedition products offered by the cruise line. Having completed the programme, travel agents will be able to talk their customers through Silversea Cruises’ experiences “with confidence”.
“If a customer is spending US$20,000 on a holiday, they want to know that they are putting their money down with a trusted partner,” she remarked.
Walker emphasised the cruise line’s continued respect and reliance on the travel agency network.
She detailed: “In Australia, for example, travel agents represent quite a large percentage of our business. A lot of our Venetian Society (loyalty programme) guests continue to rely heavily on our travel agent partners because their complete travel experience is not made up of only cruises; they also book air and pre and post accommodation. They might come to Europe for six weeks, and spend two of those weeks on a Silversea cruise.
“Also, our guests love the fact that should something go wrong, they have someone on the other end of the phone to offer solutions.”
Silversea Cruises’ support for travel agents is not limited to the new Silversea Academy. It boosts travel agent earnings by paying out commissions even on future bookings made by their guests directly with the cruise line. Additional opportunities to earn more with Silversea Cruises are also created through limited-period specials. For example, in May this year, the cruise line introduced an incentive for its Travel Partner Appreciation Month, where a new confirmed booking on any expedition cruise made in May and June would enter travel agents into a weekly prize draw for a chance to win a gift card.
Furthermore, travel agents are supported by the comprehensive Travel Partner Resource Center, which comprises insightful webinars and the Travel Partner Appreciation programme. Of these support features, Walker said the Marketing Central tool is most loved.
Walker shared: “Nowadays, travel agents don’t just sell to customers – they have to market and find new customers. They used to rely on us to do everything for them, but with Marketing Central, they can easily create Silversea flyers, ads and social media content on their own while staying on brand. They only need to click some buttons to produce the marketing materials they need.”
Yau added that Marketing Central offers travel agents across the world and different time zones the flexibility to manage their own marketing activations.
“We are operating in a very globalised world, so we need to appreciate that different trade partners work in different time zones and different markets may have different ideal timings for marketing activation,” he said.
