Regala Skycity Hotel in Hong Kong’s transforming Lantau Island is helping parent company, Regal Hotels International, to cater to a growing segment of travellers who blend leisure and business and also expect wellness and sustainable features as part of their stay experience.
While the five-star 1,208-key hotel was officially opened in late-2021, it went on to support the government’s hotel quarantine programme for almost a year and has only just begun its first year with normal commercial operations, following Hong Kong’s full reopening to tourists this February.
The recent months have brought healthy business for Regala Skycity Hotel, shared Dora Liu, vice president-sales, with Regal Hotels International.
Liu told TTG Asia that the hotel’s location – as an airport hotel supporting Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), directly connected to AsiaWorld-Expo convention and exhibition centre, and a 15-minute drive to Hong Kong Disneyland – has allowed it to acquire an average occupancy rate of over 80 per cent.
Since the start of the year, Regala Skycity Hotel has seen a stronger showing from transit guests than event guests, as “it takes time for mega events to return to a destination”. Its transit guests are made up of travellers stopping over at HKIA as well as from China who would cross the Hong Kong-Zhuhai Macao Bridge to access more international flights out of HKIA.
However, Liu expects the business events and transit guest mix to even out starting 2024, as business, leisure and sporting events pick up speed in the coming months.
“The strong advantage of Regala Skycity Hotel is that it is not your traditional airport hotel. It has 1,208 rooms and suites, many with a patio so that guests can exercise in private while taking in fresh air; a very nice swimming pool, gardens (as well as jogging track and outdoor gym on the Sky Deck); five game rooms that will appeal to all ages; three restaurants; themed rooms for families; and a selection of event venues.
“We also offer packages that combine room and access to top attractions, allowing the hotel to encourage guests to head out and appreciate Hong Kong as a destination,” said Liu.
She said the family- and fun-focused aspects of the hotel ensure that guests will have a memorable stay, even for just one night in transit.
“These facilities also attract locals, who enjoy the hotel for staycations,” she added.
As for its sustainability pitch, the hotel is awarded Silver EarthCheck Certification and Beam Plus Gold Cetification.
This unique work and play, rest and recharge positioning taken by Regala Skycity Hotel also avoids cannibalism with the long-established sister hotel Regal Airport Hotel in Chek Lap Kok, explained Liu. Furthermore, it occupies a sweet spot between the top-end Regal collection and the select-service iclub Hotels collection.
She believes that the Regala brand has the potential of growing beyond Hong Kong. Regal Hotels International currently has six Regal hotels and six iClub Hotels in Hong Kong, as well as four Regal properties in China’s Dezhou, Shanghai and Xi’an. The company is developing a boutique product in London, which could open in 2024; the brand has yet to be determined.
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.