Owners and stakeholders in the outdoor lodging and glamping sector have come together to form the Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association (APOLA), aimed at playing a pivotal role in guiding, promoting, and structuring the burgeoning industry in the region.
This announcement was made at the recent Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST).
Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks and a founding member of APOLA, outlined the association’s mission. “APOLA’s mission will be to help define the standards for the region, raise awareness, develop an accounting system for project financing, and educate the industry about the advantages of this lower-impact, sustainable hospitality model,” he shared.
The establishment of APOLA comes in response to the surging popularity of outdoor lodging and glamping, fuelled by changing consumer preferences for experiential travel and a desire to connect more closely with nature. The Asia-Pacific region, known for its pristine locations and cultural richness, has witnessed significant growth in this sector. However, it currently lacks comprehensive regulations, general standards, or guidelines.
APOLA aims to become a repository of best practices, offering support to public and private entities seeking to establish standards for outdoor lodgings. Its primary goal is to assist members in providing safe, exceptional, and unforgettable guest experiences while advocating for sustainable practices to reduce environmental impact.
Paul Dean, principal at Dean & Associates international resort development consultancy, emphasised the need for industry collaboration.
“Our immediate priority is to reach out to regional developers and operators to bring them onboard so that our new platform can become a repository of industry knowledge for the Asia-Pacific region,” he stated.
APOLA has already begun engaging with prospective members from diverse locations, from Nepal to Australia, to ensure comprehensive representation of the Asia-Pacific region.
More details on the association will be provided in the coming weeks. APOLA’s next meeting is scheduled for January 15, 2024, during the Thailand Tourism Forum.
Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko, the state-owned company that manages the temples, has set new regulations for visitors looking to explore the archeological site of Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Indonesia.
The new regulations include limited tickets for sale, pre-set visiting sessions, and a sale period of no more than a week ahead of the intended visit. These are aligned with the Indonesian government’s policy of imposing stricter visitor controls at the temple, with no more than 1,200 people allowed each day or 150 per session.
From hereon, tickets are only sold online and open for sale seven days before the intended visit; a maximum of 10 tickets may be purchased in a single transaction.
Visitors can choose from one of eight hour-long sessions, between 09.00 and 17.00.
Jamaludin Mawardi, general manager of the Borobudur Unit of TWC Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko, said visitors are welcome to purchase an additional session for longer visits, and can do so with the help of a guide and subject to ticket availability.
He said the new regulations are being tested until October, and improvements will continue to be made.
“There will be a special landing page for tour operators on the website, including a special quota plan for ASITA (Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies) Yogyakarta members using voucher codes,” Jamaludin added.
Indonesian travel trade players welcome the new regulations, especially as the sole online sales channel will remove ticket brokers, and are offering ideas for system improvements.
Monas Tjahjono, managing director of Monas Tours & Travel Surabaya, said TWC should make the sale of tickets transparent, so that visitors to the site can see the number of tickets available for sale in real time. This is important since tickets are very quickly snapped up, as soon as the online purchase slot is opened.
The temple’s online ticketing system could also take a leaf out of airlines’ book, where sales are open every day throughout the year and which allows visitors to see ahead tickets that are available for sale.
She then urges TWC to reduce website downtime.
Meanwhile, Trianto Sunarjati, director at Travel Help Indonesia, opined that the reservation system needs to be separated for the public and travel operators, so that the latter could purchase more tickets for tour groups.
However, ASITA vice chairman Budijanto Ardiansjah voiced concerns for the sudden regulations change “in the middle of the year, during the high season”.
As group bookings have been confirmed since last year, travellers worry if they would still be allowed into Borobudur Temple, while tour operators are concerned about cost increment and affected earnings.
Budijanto hopes that destinations or attractions that are the main tourist draws, such as Borobudur Temple, will consult tourism industry players when making decisions.
“Keep in mind that tourism is a future business, where business obtained today is the result of last year’s actions,” he stated.
Budijanto also suggested a dual online and offline ticketing system during the trial period, to allow tour operators to try for tickets manually should they fail to secure online tickets.