Changi Airports International (CAI) has signed two agreements with Cairo Airport Company to jointly develop Cairo International Airport in Egypt.
There will be two consultancy agreements in this collaboration: the first is passenger focused and seeks to implement impactful solutions to improve passenger experience at Cairo International Airport; the second is for a feasibility study to develop a cargo and logistics area, Cairo Cargo City.
Changi Airports International will collaborate with Cairo Airport Company to develop Cairo International Airport
Leading a high-level Egypt delegation on a visit to Singapore Changi Airport, Mohamed Abbas Helmy, minister of civil aviation of Egypt, said: “We have every confidence that Changi Airports International will be able to provide world-class solutions for Cairo International Airport as part of the strategic plan to strengthen the Egyptian position as a hub for passenger and cargo.”
“We look forward to tapping Changi Airports International’s experience and expertise to implement value adding solutions at Cairo Airport,” added Magdy Ishak Azzer, chairman and CEO of Cairo Airport Company.
CAI’s CEO Eugene Gan commented: “We seek to unlock Cairo Airport’s tremendous potential for growth, leveraging on its status as one of the busiest airports in Africa by passenger and cargo volumes. We also look forward to not only providing impactful solutions in the short term, but to a longer-term partnership with Cairo Airport Company.”
The Indonesian government is reviewing a plan to merge Garuda Indonesia and Pelita Air, a unit of energy firm Pertamina, to ensure affordable airfares.
This comes a year after Garuda reached an agreement with its creditors to restructure its US$9 billion debt.
The possible merger could strengthen the aviation industry in Indonesia
Plans to merge both state-owned airlines are still ongoing, said Garuda Indonesia director Irfan Setiaputra in his official statement on Tuesday.
“The development plan is still at an early stage,” he added, explaining that the government is exploring various business synergy opportunities in order to optimise performance profitability while strengthening the business ecosystem of the aviation industry in Indonesia.
Furthermore, Irfan disclosed that this is also a positive signal for efforts to strengthen the company’s performance fundamentals, especially after the restructuring.
“Therefore, we will certainly continue to communicate the projections of this merger process on an ongoing basis, in case there is a more specific follow-up assessment of the realisation of the strategic plan.”
The possible merger would “strengthen the aviation industry” and ensure affordable ticket prices, remarked Dendy Kurniawan, president director of Pelita Air. It would also increase the number of airplanes in Indonesia.
Citilink, a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, however, will remain as is with no plans to merge, stated a source from Indonesia’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
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.
He was most recently assistant vice president of strategic sales and marketing for Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in the Asia-Pacific based in Singapore.
