The fifth instalment of The Chapman’s Challenge is back on the beaches of Pangkor Laut from August 25 to 27.
Renowned for its challenging routes and breath-taking landscapes, this year’s edition of The Chapman’s Challenge has a new Official Timekeeper, NORQAIN. The race consists of a 3.8km road run around the island and 2.4km through the untouched rainforest, culminating with a 1km swim in the sea off Emerald Bay.
The Chapman’s Challenge returns to Pangkor Laut with challenging routes and breath-taking landscapes
The race is a tribute to Colonel Spencer Chapman, a British officer-naturalist who demonstrated extraordinary courage, endurance, and mental toughness during World War II.
The winner of the challenge will receive the 42mm NORQAIN’s Wild One Khaki timepiece (valued at 24,680 ringgit) by Swiss watchmaking company NORQAIN.
Priced from 2,600 ringgit (US$567) per villa for two adults, the package at Pangkor Laut Resort includes accommodation for two nights, return scheduled speedboat transfer to and from Marina Island Pangkor, daily meals, entry for The Chapman’s Challenge 2023, post-race refreshments for each race participant, and pre-dinner cocktails and beach barbecue dinner on August 26.
Swiss-Belhotel International is set to grow its presence across Indonesia following the acquisition of its Indonesia management companies November last year.
Indies Capital Partners (Indies Capital), an alternative asset manager in South-east Asia, has acquired 60 per cent stake in Swiss-Belhotel International Indonesia and Zest Hotels International Indonesia from Ciputra Group Indonesia, with Hong Kong-based Swiss-Belhotel International Holdings owning the remaining 40 per cent.
Swiss-Belhotel International is set to expand across Indonesia; Swiss-Belinn in Timika, pictured
The new ownership is expected to open up opportunities for the hotel group, with a significant advantage in the financial support that Indies Capital can provide during the development phase of new hotel projects.
Emmanuel Guillard, senior vice president, operations and development Indonesia, Swiss-Belhotel International, remarked that the budget for any hotel project could go up in the middle of the development stage.
He elaborated: “In situations where investors may face financial constraints (during an ongoing project), Indies Capital has expressed its willingness to offer key financial assistance, such as providing money to secure loans for property owners and eliminate operational delays.”
Indies Capital will eventually help Swiss-Belhotel International Indonesia to acquire local hotel companies and consolidate them under its portfolio, according to Guillard.
“With our resources, we can provide upgraded standards and enhanced services that smaller hotels may struggle to afford, ultimately supporting their growth,” he said, adding that the taking over of existing hotels and acquiring hotel companies would speed up Swiss-Belhotel International’s plan in the country.
Discussing the future strategy, Guillard said Swiss-Belhotel International would focus on secondary and tertiary cities in Indonesia.
“The major cities are a bit saturated. With a large population spread across numerous islands, there are second- and third-(tier) cities which house 200,000 to 300,000 inhabitants, creating a demand for quality facilities. We do not have presence in every one of them, so the opportunity is there.”
Earlier this year, the hotel company took over the management of two midscale hotels in Eastern Indonesia, namely Swiss-Belcourt in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and Swiss-Belinn in Timika, Central Papua. Additionally, it will expand its hotel collection in the Eastern region, including the upcoming Māua resort in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara.
Development projects are also underway with the signing of the Swiss-Belexpress project in the Cipali toll area and the Swiss-Belinn project in Indramayu, West Java. A Swiss-Belhotel will also open in the Yogyakarta International Airport area in 3Q2023.
There are also several project developments planned in 2024, including in Lampung, Jember (East Java), and Pontianak (West Kalimantan).
The Traveloka International Travel Fair 2023 will be held from May 29 to June 2, and will showcase a wide range of travel products at a discount, including transportation, accommodation and lifestyle deals from over 4,500 international business partners.
The International Travel Fair in Thailand last year saw a near six-fold increase in international flights transactions, with top Traveloka destinations across Asia such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
From left: Traveloka’s Iko Putera and Traveloka’s brand ambassador (Thailand and Vietnam) Baifern Pimchanok
The Thai Travel Services Association (TTSA) said that outbound tourism is recovering, and as many as one million Thais could visit Japan this year – TTSA also predicted that the total number of outbound tourists could reach between six to seven million, or about 70 per cent of pre-pandemic figures.
In addition, Traveloka will enhance its travel products with features including Student Tickets flights, Pay Upon Check-In, and Xperience, which provides customers access to both easy refunds and rescheduling on beauty and spa products, and more.
Iko Putera, CEO of transport, Traveloka, said: “The International Travel Fair is part of the company’s commitment in growing global tourism, while providing convenience to our customers in planning and realising their travel aspirations, especially for international travel.”
Asian Trails has joined forces with Vox City to launch Digital Trails, a new line of products that allow users to design their own travel experiences using a smartphone or tablet.
Asian Trails’ Digital Trails provides access to a mix of curated and insightful walking tours, including both guided and self-guided experiences. Users can choose to join guided walks led by local experts who offer unique insights into the destination, or opt to explore the city on their own and at their own pace using the GPS route maps, written explanations and audio guides available on the app.
Asian Trails’ Digital Trails lets users choose to join guided walks or to explore the city on their own using maps and guides provided on the app
This gives explorers the freedom and flexibility to plan their own days and travel independently, all while gaining local knowledge via the app.
Digital Trails is currently available in Bangkok, Thailand and Hanoi, Vietnam – plans to expand to other destinations in Asia are in the works.
In Bangkok, Digital Trails’ users currently have access to three guided walking routes and five self-guided walking routes, with written and audio content available in English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.
In Hanoi, Digital Trails’ users currently have access to three guided walks and two self-guided walking routes, with written and audio content available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and French.
Indonesia’s first Online Travel Agent, tiket.com, has launched the new Tiket Multi-Currency feature in collaboration with Stripe (Asia-Pacific).
Tiket Multi-Currency enables customers to transact in 16 different currencies for purchases on all tiket.com products such as accommodation, flights, and attractions, as well as allows customers to cut any extra fees due to foreign exchange rates, which includes credit card administration fees when converting currencies.
Tiket Multi-Currency enables customers to transact in 16 different currencies for purchases on tiket.com products
International customers can configure their home currency through their tiket.com profile settings, which will be instantly displayed in all products, making payments and refunds.
The currencies include Indonesian rupiah, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Chinese yuan, euro, Sterling pound, Hong Kong dollar, Japanese yen, Malaysian ringgit, New Zealand dollar, Philippine peso, Singapore dollar, Thai baht, US dollar, and Vietnamese dong.
Gaery Undarsa, co-founder and chief marketing officer, tiket.com, said: “The launch of this feature comes at the right moment when the trend of tourism, both inbound and outbound, has been increasingly peaking in 1Q2023.
“With the presence of Tiket Multi-Currency, we hope to pave the way to introduce tiket.com to international tourists, so that they can enjoy the convenience of planning their travel with a one-stop solution from tiket.com.”
The new Siam Adventure Club curates crafted itineraries to keep kids engaged and ensuring stress-free holidays for parents.
It is currently available at four resorts – Radisson Phuket Resort & Suites, Radisson Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Holiday Inn Phuket Surin Beach, and Holiday Inn Phuket Karon Beach.
Siam Adventure Club offers activities which focus on sustainability and community interaction for kids of all ages
Each Siam Adventure Club comprises an array of activities and amenities suitable for children of all ages. Activities will focus on sustainability and community interaction, as well as live entertainment and new opportunities to embrace technology such as virtual reality and AI.
Soon to launch is the Mini Sharks swimming school, as well as other revamped zones including Kids’ World, Arcade Galaxy, Hangout, Movie World and Champions Sports Bar.
Families can head out into their destination with sustainable experiences such as a day out at the elephant sanctuaries. In addition, dedicated events will also support local community projects through the group’s Destination Kids foundation.
New Siam Adventure Clubs will soon be launched in the popular Thai resorts of Pattaya and Khao Lak, and the first international Siam Adventure Club is being planned in Bali, Indonesia.
Centara Hotels & Resorts’ new Paradise Found: Maldives Exclusive offer allows travellers to save up to 30 per cent when booking stays at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives and Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, while enjoying an array of exclusive privileges.
At Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, guests will receive breakfast set-ups, a 15 per cent discount on seaplane transfers, spa treatments and dining, as well as a sunset cruise in the Indian Ocean, and access to snorkelling, diving, the lively Kids’ Club and much more.
Save on overwater villa stays at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, pictured
Couples and honeymooners can opt for an adults-only experience at Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives and enjoy complimentary hotel speedboat transfers, 15 per cent off dining and spa treatments, and a sunset fishing trip.
Booking is now open till July 31 for stays through December 20. CentaraThe1 members are eligible for an additional 15% discount.
Attractions in Hong Kong have embarked on new experiences to rebuild and court inbound travellers this year.
At Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL), the World of Frozen will be launched in 2H2023, alongside a host of other activities and projects. These include the iconic Castle of Magical Dreams, the outdoor music party Follow Your Dreams, the magical show Momentous, and newly-launched themed activities like Duffy and Friends Play Days and Marvel Season of Super Heroes.
Ocean Park has introduced new multimedia shows, pet-friendly programmes and a technology experience hub
HKDL’s director of sales for Hong Kong and international, Eva Lau, commented: “Overseas and mainland guests can enjoy unique Disney entertainment and services that they have not experienced in the past few years due to the pandemic.
“We are stepping up efforts to promote our offerings to international markets. For instance, our management team has recently been visiting the South-east Asia region, including Thailand and the Philippines, to promote our resort. We will continue to work with the tourism board, industry and corporate partners to promote world-class entertainment in Hong Kong.”
Numerous operational adjustments have also been made at Ocean Park to accommodate the rising attendance. Examples include two multimedia shows – Soul of the Ocean and Visions of Hong Kong – that seamlessly merges its entertainment expertise with conservation and education roots.
Pet-friendly programmes and the opening of a technology experience hub for kids, Explorer R, at Ocean Park will also bring fresh experiences to visitors from diverse backgrounds.
Rosalind Siu, executive director, sales, marketing and entertainment, Ocean Park, said: “As the tourism market gradually returns to normal, we plan to reintroduce the highly popular festive event Summer Splash in July, and stage the park’s signature Halloween Fest and Christmas celebrations in the last quarter. We will also relaunch Chill All Night in the four Saturdays of June as part of the Happy Hong Kong campaign, offering the public free access to two stunning multimedia lagoon shows.”
Siu added that Ocean Park has rolled out digital campaigns in target markets and offering promotional packages to tourists on top of organising fam tours for travel industry leaders from mainland China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and more.
Elsewhere in Hong Kong, the Peak Tram launched a vastly improved passenger experience with a redesigned terminal, upgraded facilities, and a larger capacity to serve international visitors in August last year.
Ongoing promotions include a special offer during its 135th anniversary which allows visitors to purchase a special combo of return Peak Tram tickets and Sky Terrace 428 admission tickets. There are also social media initiatives that reward visitors with a free limited edition Peak Tram souvenir. Visitors also enjoy a complimentary coupon booklet with special offers and discounts from over 20 merchants and partners at The Peak.
A spokesperson from The Peak said that these promotions have proven successful so far in achieving a large number of visitor engagement which has resulted in online ticket sales.
With low cost carrier (LCC) Go First joining the list of airlines becoming insolvent, Indian travel agents are becoming increasingly concerned at yet another airline abruptly ceasing operations.
Earlier this month, Go First declared bankruptcy and cancelled all flights for the peak summer travel season, leaving many travellers stranded and worrying about refunds.
Go First has declared bankruptcy and cancelled all flights for the upcoming summer season
On May 2, the Wadia Group-backed airline voluntarily filed for bankruptcy at the Delhi bench of the National Company Law Tribunal, citing issues with aircraft engines made by Pratt & Whitney.
“Many travellers book complete packages from travel agents that include air tickets. When a carrier decides to suddenly cancel their flights, we face many difficulties from changing the itinerary to securing refunds. While an airline takes a very long time to process the refund, consumers expect an agent to process the same immediately,” said Varun Gupta, partner, Travelz Factorry.
According to Gupta, many agents have lost “big money” due to the closures of Kingfisher and Jet Airways in the past, and now with Go First.
“There are travel agencies who have pre-blocked a large number of seats on Go First and are now wondering how much time it will take to receive refunds,” added Gupta.
Jyoti Mayal, president of Travel Agents Association of India recently met with Indian minister of civil aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, to apprise him about the various challenges emerging from the sudden cancellation of all flights by Go First.
“There is a need for a regulation to be adopted by all the airlines to implement insurance coverage on the tickets so that consumers, as well as travel agents, are protected when an airline suddenly decides to cancel its flights,” said Mayal.
The Outbound Tour Operators of India (OTOAI) has also written to Scindia seeking his intervention to safeguard the interests of travel agents and consumers.
“Providing refunds are not a solution. Most of the time, multiple bookings are involved in one trip which are all severely hampered if a flight is cancelled. Airlines should be made responsible to help make alternate travel arrangements for customers and not just give a credit note or refund,” said Riaz Munshi, president, OTOAI.
Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific has recognised 12 airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East for demonstrating outstanding accomplishments in their sustainability projects, as part of the Green Airports Recognition (GAR) Programme 2023.
The theme for the Green Airports Recognition 2023 is Single-Use Plastic Elimination as air transport continues to grow, a substantial volume of waste is expected to be generated at airports, with one increasing worldwide concern being the impact of single-use plastic, especially within the aviation industry.
Baronci: these are critical steps as part of our industry’s efforts towards protecting our environment as well as decarbonisation
The awards comprise three categories: Platinum, Gold, or Silver.
The recognised airports for over 35 million passengers per annum include Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Platinum); Hong Kong International Airport (Gold); and Indira Gandhi International Airport (Silver).
For airports with 15 to 35 million passengers per annum, Kempegowda International Airport was awarded Platinum, followed by Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for Gold, while Jeju International Airport received Silver.
Between eight to 15 million passengers per annum, airports awarded were Central Japan International Airport (Platinum); Adelaide Airport (Gold); and Bahrain International Airport (Silver).
Those with less than eight million passengers per annum include Mangaluru International Airport (Platinum), Christchurch International Airport (Gold), and Kaohsiung International Airport (Silver).
Stefano Baronci, director general, ACI Asia-Pacific, said: “Congratulations to all the recognised airports for demonstrating their leadership and commitment in implementing innovative sustainability projects at airports.
“These are critical steps as part of our industry’s efforts towards protecting our environment as well as decarbonisation. We are impressed with the innovative practices deployed by airport operators to mitigate the plastic contamination. We hope these unique concepts will inspire other airports to implement such practices as we all work towards the common vision of achieving net zero carbon emission by 2050.”
