ACI World’s latest air travel outlook reveals strong northern hemisphere summer season ahead

June 20, 2023

Airports Council International (ACI) World’s latest quarterly airport traffic outlook shows strong air travel demand will continue to improve into the northern hemisphere summer season.

Highlights from ACI World’s 13th Advisory Bulletin on the impact of Covid-19 on the airport business, and the path to recovery, include:

Strong air travel demand will continue to improve into the northern hemisphere summer season

The easing of inflation and rising consumer confidence in most OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries combined with declining jet fuel prices, suggests sustained strong air travel demand that will continue to improve into the summer season.
Airports are forecasted to welcome 2.7 billion passengers in 2Q2023 and 2.9 billion in 3Q2023.
Global passenger volume is projected to reach 8.4 billion in 2023, representing 92% of 2019 levels.
The reopening of China’s economy further contributes to global activity and international air travel. Its economy exceeded expectations in 1Q2023, with GDP growth accelerating to 4.5% from 2.9% in 4Q2022.
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to rebound in 2023, reaching 2.9 billion, or 85.3% of 2019 levels.
The share of international passengers is expected to make up 38% of total passengers in 2023, close to the 42% of traffic share it achieved in 2019.

ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “GDP growth forecasts have moderated – energy and food prices, although decreased from their peak levels, remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. Inflation will also be an issue in the near term, straining the financial viability of airports as they face increased operational costs.

“Amid this background, regulators must support airports by allowing them to operate as businesses in their own right. In many jurisdictions, airports cannot adjust charges without regulatory approval – conversely, airlines can freely adapt their tariffs based on demand and supply factors. Flexible policies on charges can help airports recover and grow sustainably, optimise the use of infrastructure and the customer experience, invest in current and future infrastructure, meet decarbonisation targets, and maximise airports’ social and economic benefits among many other benefits.”

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts to debut in Portopiccolo

By TTG Asia

June 20, 2023

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Minor Hotels will introduce its Tivoli Hotels & Resorts brand in Italy, with the addition of a property in Portopiccolo, near Trieste, in northern Italy, later this month.

Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Resort, a former member of the Marriott Luxury Collection, is part of the Portopiccolo complex owned by the Porto Piccolo Fund, managed by independent Italian asset management company, Investire SGR.

Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Resort will open later in June; Ocyan Restaurant Terrace, pictured

Located in the Duino Cliffs Nature Reserve on the Gulf of Trieste, the five-star property is within 20 minutes’ drive of Trieste Airport and features 58 guestrooms and 73 branded apartments overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

Facilities comprise four restaurants and two bars, six swimming pools, a beach club, spa, wellness and fitness centre, and 1,200m² of meeting space.

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts continues its expansion in Europe with the recent additions of a property in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, an all-inclusive resort in Alvor in the Algarve, south of Portugal, and soon-to-launch property in Tenerife, Spain.

In addition, the brand made its Asia debut in 2022 with the launch of Tivoli Chengdu at Cultural Heritage Park in China and is expanding its footprint in the Middle East, where Minor Hotels currently operates three Tivoli properties in Qatar, with two further new-build properties under development in Bahrain to launch in 2025 and in Muscat, Oman, slated to open in 2026.

Hong Kong’s Harbour Chill Carnival brings summer fun to the city

By TTG Asia

June 20, 2023

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For a free relaxing and fun event, join in the activities at the Harbour Chill Carnival starting July 8.

Held over 10 days on five weekends, the Harbour Chill Carnival will be staged at the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct, HarbourChill, Wan Chai and Wan Chai Temporary Promenade with a series of exciting programmes for the public to enjoy such as street performances, music shows and X-game performances.

The Harbour Chill Carnival will feature street performances like the lion dance, pictured

Each week along the Wan Chai Waterfront Promenade, street performances will showcase a special theme, from European-inspired acrobatics and juggling, Samba drumming, to kung fu and diabolo performances, as well as interactive performances such as Australian artistic gymnastics, the local lion dance, and more.

There will be an outdoor X-Games performance area where local, Mainland and Japanese BMX and skateboarders will showcase their deft tricks; the carnival will also feature local breakdancers and street dancers, including Olympic breakdancing Hong Kong team member BBOY Think, local breakdancing troupe Good Job Brother and Hong Kong’s first children’s street dance troupe Funky Heroes.

Featuring a new generation of musicians of more than 40 groups of musicians from Hong Kong, Mainland, Taiwan and overseas, there will be 20 music shows held on a water stage, each with a different theme: Asia Power, Fresh Finds, Indie Rocks, Cantopop Hits, and DJ Nights. Tickets to the music shows will be distributed free of charge on Hong Kong Tourism Board’s e-platform on June 27 and July 17 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guests can also marvel at the A Symphony of Lights waterfront pyrotechnic night show during the ten days of the carnival.

In addition, a refreshment area with summer drinks and snacks will be available for participants to enjoy.

For more information, visit Harbour Chill Carnival.

Alibaba Group announces new chairman and CEO

By TTG Asia

June 20, 2023

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Alibaba Group Holding has announced that Joseph C. Tsai, currently executive vice chairman, will succeed Daniel Zhang as chairman, while chairman of Taobao and Tmall Group, Eddie Yongming Wu, will succeed Zhang as chief executive officer and take over his place on the company’s board of directors.

Both appointments will take effect on September 10.

From left: Joseph C. Tsai and Eddie Yongming Wu

Tsai joined in 1999 as a member of the Alibaba founding team and has served on the board of directors since the company’s inception.

As one of the company’s co-founders, Wu started out as technology director of Alibaba at the company’s inception in 1999. He has been in his current role since May this year.

Zentis Osaka welcomes new GM

By TTG Asia

June 20, 2023

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Mikio Akiyama has been named the general manager of Zentis Osaka.

With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Akiyama has worked with international brands throughout Asia.

He was most recently director of operations at Palace Hotel Tokyo, having joined the hotel since 2013.

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali names new GM

By TTG Asia

June 19, 2023

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Sander Looijen has been appointed the new general manager at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali.

He brings a wealth of experience to the resort and will lead the to reach new heights of excellence in service, guest experience, and overall operational efficiency. He will also oversee event management at the resort’s adjacent, Bali International Convention Centre.

He was most recently cluster general manager at Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung.

Bali on the road to tourism recovery

By Mimi Hudoyo

June 19, 2023

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Bali is well on its way to economic recovery, according to governor Wayan Koster who spoke at the opening of Bali and Beyond Travel Fair 2023 last weekend – and tourism has been credited as a major contributor.

Bali’s economy had hit its lowest point in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a negative growth of 9.3 per cent. Things turned around in 1Q2023, with the regional economy recording a positive growth of 6.04 per cent, performing better than the national growth rate of 5.03 per cent.

Bali governor Wayan Koster (centre) at the opening of Bali and Beyond Travel Fair 2023

“More than 54 per cent of Bali’s economy depends on tourism; therefore, the recovery of tourism directly impacts Bali’s economy,” he said.

He added that international arrivals have improved, reaching more than two million by the end of the year as compared to just 500 in January 2022. With this, Bali has gained the “momentum to accelerate the growth of tourism”, he remarked, and urged continued tourism development in the destination that abides with government regulations while maintaining Bali’s culture-based, high-quality, and dignified tourism.

Koster said: “This requires the commitment of all stakeholders. I am also working towards tightening regulations regarding tourists’ inappropriate behaviour in Bali. ‌

“I am also intensively developing tourism infrastructure because the infrastructure in Bali is still far behind (that of) Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, Vincent Jemadu, deputy of product development and MICE, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE), has identified connectivity as one of the remaining challenges for tourism growth in Bali and Indonesia.

He said: “Domestic flights have only recovered 60 to 70 per cent of that in 2019, while international flight frequency is still below 50 per cent (of pre-pandemic levels). MoTCE is striving to restore flight frequencies because it is the key to (tourism) recovery.”

He revealed that some flights have earned the approval of the Ministry of Transportation for operation, and his team’s goal is to have at least 21 frequencies per week back from China, Japan, and South Korea.

Jemadu also shared that MoTCE plans on attracting more cruises to make port calls in Indonesia, as the country “should not only rely on airlines alone but also utilise other means of transportation”.

Southern Vietnam hotels unite to create plastic waste upcycling plant

By TTG Asia

June 19, 2023

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The hotel industry in Vietnam’s Cam Ranh have joined forces to tackle plastic waste by establishing a local plant that upcycles all types of plastic waste.

The End Plastic Soup in Cam Ranh campaign, which kicked off with an extensive two-day clean-up of Long Beach on June 17 and 18, is spearheaded by Alma Resort, The Anam Cam Ranh and Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh, and supported by 10 other resorts on the Cam Ranh peninsula.

Community leaders unite for the End Plastic Soup in Cam Ranh campaign

The campaign is part of the global environmental End Plastic Soup project, supported by thousands of Rotarians worldwide, with a goal seeking “no more plastic soup” in the oceans and seas and “no more plastic waste in our lakes, rivers, forests, parks and streets” by 2050.

The weekend beach clean attracted around 300 volunteers from participating hotels, Vietnam’s Rotary Clubs and local schools, with a welcome dinner for volunteers and the community held at Alma on June 17.

Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler shared that Cam Ranh’s hospitality industry would work together with Rotary Club Saigon International to support Rotary-initiative End Plastic Soup to establish a plant in Cam Ranh to upcycle all types of plastics.

He said: “Alma and the local hospitality industry know it is crucial to do our bit to raise awareness about the damage plastic is doing to our stunning oceans, direct harmful plastics to upcycling efforts, and fundraise to help contribute to establish a plant here in Cam Ranh that will help the environment and the local community.”

Other hotels participating in the campaign include Aquamarine Resort, Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa, Selectum Noa Resort, Ana Mandara Resort Cam Ranh, Melia Vinpearl Cam Ranh Beach Resort, Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh, Swandor Cam Ranh, The Westin Resort & Spa Cam Ranh, Wyndham Garden Cam Ranh Resort and The Arena Cam Ranh Resort.

Travel and tourism industry deal activity plummets in January-May 2023, reveals GlobalData

By TTG Asia

June 19, 2023

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GlobalData reveals that during the first five of months of 2023, the travel and tourism industry witnessed a massive 41 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in deal activity from 475 deals between January and May 2022 to 282, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals.

Commenting on the decline, GlobalData’s lead analyst Aurojyoti Bose said that it indicates “dampened sentiments and cautious approach of investors” and that the “ongoing uncertainties and impact of the geopolitical tensions, inflation and recession fears have forced deal makers to adopt a more conservative approach”.

The first five of months of 2023 saw a decline in deal activity in the travel and tourism industry

All the deal types under coverage registered decline in volume. For instance, M&A deals volume decreased by 43 per cent while the number of venture financing deals and private equity deals YoY declined by 34 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively, between January and May 2023.

“The industry also witnessed a substantial YoY decline in deal activity across most of the regions worldwide during the period,” added Bose.

North America experienced a decline of 48 per cent in deals volume between January and May 2023 compared to the same period during the previous year, while Europe, Asia-Pacific, as well as South and Central America regions registered decline of 49 per cent, 27 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, deals volume for the Middle East and Africa region remained unchanged.

The US, the UK, India, France, Australia and Japan witnessed significant YoY decline of 48 per cent, 48 per cent, 33 per cent, seven per cent, 29 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively, in deals volume from January to May 2023.

Bose concluded: “On the other hand, easing of travel restrictions seems to be encouraging Chinese travellers. As a result, China stood out as a notable exception and registered a 19 per cent YoY growth in the number of deals announced during the period.”

IAAPA Expo Asia concludes on a positive note

By Caroline Boey

June 19, 2023

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International amusement park and attractions show IAAPA Expo Asia, last held in Singapore in 2017, was “sold out” with 287 exhibitors, including 64 first-timers, taking up 7,000m² of space at Marina Bay Sands.

The show took place from June 13-16, 2023, and hosted 47 exhibitors from North America, 83 from Europe and 150 from Asia; comprising sellers from China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, Macau, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, according to IAAPA. China and Hong Kong made up the biggest block with 118 exhibitors, and 107 were from the mainland.

This year’s IAAPA Expo Asia saw the participation of 287 exhibitors (Photo: Caroline Boey)

June Ko, executive director and vice president, IAAPA Asia Pacific, told TTG Asia that some brands which had merged since 2019 returned this year, and the association managed to bring in new buyers from new regions like Europe.

The four-day event recorded 5,330 registered attendees from 75 different countries and regions, including 3,764 qualified buyers from 2,145 companies.

Exhibitor highlights this year included entertainment design company Legacy Entertainment showcasing its “destination dining initiative” in North Jakarta which combines retail and entertainment in a sustainable way.

Described as a floating metropolis, the Batavia Pantai Indah Kapuk mega-development is billed as the world’s first overwater retail destination featuring more than 40 restaurants, retail outlets, attractions and live entertainment.

Opened in early June just ahead of the expo, a spokesperson said the project, which is the size of San Francisco, will be completed by end-2023.

On the technology front, DOF Robotics specialising in AR and VR immersive attractions gave attendees the chance to test its enhanced Hurricane VR 360 attraction and the debut of its new VR movie Homeland: Rise of Nomads.

The expo agenda included 11 EduTours, some across the causeway to Genting SkyWorlds and Gamuda Cove in Selangor, 30 EduSessions, and a Young Professionals Forum and Reception special event.

IAAPA Expo Asia 2024 is scheduled to take place in Bangkok from May 27-30.

ACI World’s latest air travel outlook reveals strong northern hemisphere summer season ahead

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts to debut in Portopiccolo

Hong Kong’s Harbour Chill Carnival brings summer fun to the city

Alibaba Group announces new chairman and CEO

Zentis Osaka welcomes new GM

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali names new GM

Bali on the road to tourism recovery

Southern Vietnam hotels unite to create plastic waste upcycling plant

Travel and tourism industry deal activity plummets in January-May 2023, reveals GlobalData

IAAPA Expo Asia concludes on a positive note

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