Abu Dhabi spotlights summer play potential
The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has rolled out its One Summer Isn’t Enough campaign to highlight that wide range of experiences available throughout the season, as well as three new promotions to get travellers to bite.
The campaign supports Abu Dhabi’s plan to attract 24 million visitors by 2023.
The all-inclusive Abu Dhabi Summer Pass provides access to more than 30 attractions, 600 restaurants, and a variety of retail outlets.
Visitors will also benefit from the Stay More, Pay Less promotion at participating hotels, which offers an extra night with every three nights’ stay booked.
For families, the Kids Go Free promotion serves up a complimentary hotel stay and meals for one child with every paying adult. Children also get complimentary entry to their choice of Yas Island’s theme parks.
The destination promises a mix of fun attractions and events all summer. Visitors can mark their calendar for the opening of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on May 23. The attraction features interactive family fun and eight themed realms.
Easy access around Abu Dhabi comes in the form of Experience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus, which is complimentary to all. It stops at indoor theme parks, cultural venues and other unique attractions.
South Australia kicks destination marketing into high gear
The South Australia Tourism Commission is stepping up on international marketing spend as tourism gets back on track, and has hired a new Singapore-based marketing manager to lead its push into the South-east Asian market.
Angie Hua, PR manager international, South Australia Tourism Commission, told TTG Asia at the recent Australia Tourism Exchange that “everything gearing up, you’ll see much more of us moving forward”.
The Commission will be focusing on bringing travellers familiar with the country to South Australia, leveraging on twin-city potential.
“We are never really targeting a first-time visitor, because Singaporeans and Malaysians, for example, already know Australia. For them, going to Sydney and Melbourne is like an itch that needs to be scratched. We can pull a lot more visitors from Melbourne (making South Australia part of the same trip) because it’s only an hour away,” explained Hua.
She added that South Australia also works with other states for markets further afield such as the US and UK, as it “makes more sense” to entice these travellers to “extend their trip to Adelaide”.
She said: “You can’t tell the biggest Australian story without doing Adelaide and understanding its people and energy. We’ve got the largest undercover market (Adelaide Central Market) in the Southern Hemisphere, and you can easily drive out of the city for something completely different like a wildlife experience.”
Aside from promoting luxury experiences, dining and the wine region, Earth Adventure’s CEO, Andrew Gowan, said: “I want to move from (the already marketed and well-known) luxury and wine scene, to focusing on well-being and the outdoors. We have many great outdoor activities, such as a kayaking tour in Adelaide city, and snorkelling and surfing on the Fleurieu Peninsula.”
In order to spread awareness about the city’s myriad offerings, Gowan has joined Pelago, Singapore Airlines’ travel experience platform. He hopes to take more travellers into the great outdoors, something many look for coming out of the pandemic.
Banyan Tree Group on track for Asia expansion
Singaporean hospitality group, Banyan Tree Group, has unveiled ambitious plans to double its footprint worldwide by 2025, with a string of new properties planned for Asia.
The announcement follows in the footstep of the group launching its latest brand, Dhawa, a casual and contemporary full-service hotel experience that aims to bring together innovative design, comfort and technology.
In January this year, the brand debuted with Dhawa Xi’an Chanba in China. This was followed by the opening of Dhawa Ihuru in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll, a rebrand from Angsana Ihuru, also part of the group.
The brand will enter Vietnam’s Ho Tram and Ha Long Bay this year, and a third will open in China’s Daming Lake. In 2024, Dhawa properties in Binh Dinh, Vietnam and Palawan, the Philippines will begin to welcome guests.
Judy Ong, director of sales and marketing, Maldives, said Banyan Tree Group has been extending its reach. At the end of 2022, the group has 63 properties across 10 hospitality brands. It also enjoyed a year-on-year 23 per cent spike in revenue last year due to the recovery of international travel. This saw the company’s operating profits increase nine-fold to US$31.4 million.
Eight new properties joined the portfolio last year and another nine is planned for 2023. The group intends to double its portfolio by 2025.
“Our goal is to open 50 new or converted hotels, pushing our portfolio to 113 hotels,” she told TTG Asia, adding that the focus will be on wellness, lifestyle and extended stay brands. Properties in the pipeline throughout Asia span China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Ong said: “This is an exciting time for Banyan Tree Group as we explore more markets and expand our brands and global reach.”
Sri Lanka looks to privatise national carrier
The Sri Lankan government is pursuing the sale of state-owned national carrier SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiaries, as years of government handouts have failed to stem losses.
While SriLankan Airlines has been reporting operating profits in recent months, its net loss remains high, running into billions of Sri Lankan rupees.
SriLankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall said on May 7 that the airline has an operating profit of US$103 million, but US$100 million is channelled into servicing past debts.
“If the airline can find a solution for its debt, SriLankan can become truly profitable,” he told local media.
The government has announced its intention to privatise the airline, but calls for expressions of interest from interested parties have yet to be made.
Minister of ports, naval and aviation services Nimal Siripala de Silva, who confirmed this decision, said it would be wise to divest SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiaries SriLankan Catering and Ground Handling services at once to a single investor, instead of opting to bring in multiple investors.
The government is looking at offering a 49 per cent stake to private investors in this process with expectations to raise US$ 500 million to 600 million from the sale of the two subsidiaries, and more from the sale of the airline.
Local media reported that an Indian operator has shown interest in investing.
This is the third time in the national carrier’s history that the government is seeking external help to improve the airline’s fortune. In 1979 Singapore Airlines offered its expertise to run the national carrier, which had then changed its name from Air Ceylon to Air Lanka. In 1998, a 40 per cent stake of the airline was sold to Emirates, which later withdrew in March 2008 when the partnership agreement was up for renewal.
TRENZ gets underway in Christchurch; directs attention to international markets
After a pandemic-induced hiatus, TRENZ 2023 is back in-person this year, where 1,500 international buyers and New Zealand-based sellers will be able to reconnect and rebuild connections over the next three days (May 9-11, 2023).
“With TRENZ to be held in person this year, and a ramping up of our online TRENZConnect online showcase, international buyers will be able to develop and renew relationships with top quality New Aotearoa Zealand tourism operators. We have 40 new sellers and new products to showcase this year,” shared Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s (TIA) chief executive Rebecca Ingram.
Held in Ōtautahi Christchurch at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, this also marks the return of New Zealand’s most significant international B2B travel trade event to the compact city after 17 years. This excludes TRENZ HUI 2021 and 2022, where both events then focused on bringing the New Zealand tourism industry together to prepare for the return of international visitors.
Post-lockdown, Tourism New Zealand’s trade strategy has shifted back to international markets, as domestic tourism has reached 2019 levels – worth NZ$17.7 billion (US$11.2 billion) – since December 2022.
The strategy for the Asian market will focus on encouraging visitation outside of the popular summer season.
“We are working closely with local trade partners and media advocates on joint campaigns and content collaborations to promote the off-shoulder autumn season and encourage Asian visitors to come during this time,” she elaborated.
Tailored fam trip opportunities for travel agents will also be a “key platform to engage and showcase products to buyers”, noted Ingram.
For instance, as part of the If You Seek fam trip, travel agents from countries such as Singapore, India, South Korea and Japan were brought around the North Island to explore Waiheke Island, Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain), Redwoods Treewalk, and Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The If You Seek brand campaign, which was launched in August 2022, was Tourism New Zealand’s first global campaign post-lockdown. It recently went live in China.
“We’re now focused on embedding the campaign in all international markets and continuing to evolve it with new content,” Ingram added.
China travel bookings skyrocket for May Day holiday: Trip.com
Trip.com Group’s data revealed sharp increases in domestic and international travel consumption as China’s May Day holiday climbed in popularity.
International flights during the holidays recovered to around 40% over the same period in 2019, with searches increasing by more than 60% compared to 2019.
Compared to the Chinese New Year holiday (January 21 to 27), Ctrip platform data reports that flight bookings from China to South-east Asian countries during the May Day holiday have increased by 91%. Flight bookings to Japan and South Korea increased by 120% and 204%, respectively, while longhaul flight bookings to Europe have grown by over 40%.
Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the US, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, and the UK were the top 10 most booked overseas destinations for the holiday period.
The Ctrip platform also showed that Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur were popular with first-time travellers aged 18 to 23.
Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, said: “The May Day holiday has ushered in the first wave of outbound tourism growth this year, driving recovery and local service capabilities.
”With capacity continuing to increase, Chinese consumers will soon seek destinations beyond Asia-Pacific and return to longhaul travel to EMEA and the Americas. We continue to work with global partners to ensure capacity and safeguard the pent-up travel demand seen from Chinese mainland consumers.”
Meanwhile, Chinese cities continue to focus on domestic tourism. Numerous scenic spots joined hands with Trip.com Group’s Ctrip platform to offer VIP services and special activity packages to provide a wide range of experience options for May Day visitors.
As of April 19, bookings for domestic hotels, flights and scenic spot tickets for the May Day holiday on the Ctrip platform surpassed 2019’s level.
The top 10 cities were Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing, Xi’an, Wuhan and Shenzhen.
According to data from Ctrip’s FlightAi market insight platform, more than 80,000 domestic flights were operated this May Day, with the average daily level increasing by around 15% compared to the same period in 2019.
Escaping the city and embracing the rural areas has become a holiday choice for more users. Ctrip data shows that during May Day, the overall volume of rural tours has recovered to 242% of the same period in 2019, and the proportion of orders from tourists staying in the countryside for more than three days has increased by 230% compared to 2019.
The overall volume for Trip.com Group’s Country Retreats increased by 261% year-on-year. Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hangzhou became the most vibrant cities for countryside tours.
Malaysia’s hospitality big data provider sets sights on South-east Asia
Malaysia-based hotel data and AI platform, ADATA, has plans to expand its offerings to countries in South-east Asia by 4Q2024, with approval from the ASEAN Hotel and Restaurant Association.
The Association finalised a Memorandum of Understanding with ADATA late last year to expand the services ADATA was providing to Malaysian hotels by collecting hotel performance data and making it freely available to the hospitality industry. Data on average room rate, average occupancy rate and hotel inventory could be searched by proximity, competitor set, city, state and country.
ADATA set up a representative office in Bangkok two months ago and it plans to launch full access of data to Thai hotels sometime in 3Q2023. It also plans to launch a representative office in Brunei Darussalam by this year-end and the rest of ASEAN member countries by 4Q2024.
The platform works on data sharing within the hospitality industry in order to promote growth and healthy competition instead of collecting and selling data. This ensures that all hotels, regardless of size and brands, gain free access to much needed data for operational and strategic planning.
Those outside of the hotel industry, such as media outlets, banks, research and valuation houses, will have to pay for information access.
ADATA director, CS Goh, shared: “In addition to providing valuable data insights to hotels, ADATA also serve as a primary source of hotel industry performance data to policy makers, media and the travel industry stakeholders. The consolidation of data from independent, local and international chains of hotels and the availability of timely, accurate and granular insights, like segmented analytics, promotes a healthy environment for travel related investments.”
Goh said his closest competitor was STR Global, but claims that ADATA is miles ahead in terms of hotel coverage, with more than 400 hotels in Malaysia including independent, local and international chains. ADATA’s investment in artificial intelligence capabilities for performance trend prediction further strengthens its market leadership.
The company is currently funded privately. Riding on the high growth of the region’s travel industry, ADATA has reached financial breakeven point and is well positioned to achieve significant profitability as it expands its footprint over the region.
La Vie Hotels & Resorts unveils lifestyle brand NOOE
Independent hotel management company La Vie Hotels & Resorts has rolled out a new lifestyle brand, NOOE, as well as the first property to carry this label.
NOOE properties promise to be a place where great things happen, where lobbies are buzzing, restaurants serve local favourites, pools double up as day clubs, and gyms build both mental and physical wellness. Guests are invited to lounge in studios, suites, bungalows and villas, not rooms, and sharply designed spaces inspire work and creativity, as much as rest and relaxation.
Craig Bond, managing director of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, said: “We have been working on creating the NOOE brand for some time now, and we are thrilled to be launching this new lifestyle offering in the Maldives with our partners CJL Investments.
“The NOOE brand brings together what it means to live a balanced lifestyle; blending work, play, relaxation, good food and drink, and adventure all into one, and we are excited to grow the brand in other resort and urban locations.”
The first NOOE property is NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi. It features 72 bungalows and villas across three hectares, 39 of which boast an overwater location; six F&B outlets; a Dive & Watersports Centre; kǔlh·un’ (Play) Kids Club; Boutique Shop; and Th·āri by Mandara Spa, which has three private treatment rooms and a range of curated treatment options.
“The Maldives has always been known as a bucket list destination for travellers across the globe, so what better place to launch a new lifestyle brand that promotes a balanced holiday than the place everyone dreams of visiting,” said Bond.
“We’ve long seen a gap in the market for an upscale lifestyle brand and see huge growth opportunities for urban and resort properties within this segment across Asia-Pacific.”
Airbnb introduces Airbnb Rooms
Airbnb has introduced Airbnb Rooms, a new take on the original Airbnb and one that is said to provide a more authentic way to experience a city.
Every Airbnb Room features a Host Passport, which helps guests get to know their host before booking their stay – hosts will share more details about themselves, like where they went to school, what they do for work, a fun fact about themselves, and much more.
“With Airbnb Rooms, we’re getting back to the idea that started it all – back to our founding ethos of sharing,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “Airbnb Rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and they’re the most authentic way to experience a city. This is the soul of Airbnb.”
The platform has also created a Rooms category with over one million listings, redesigned filters and added new privacy features, such as whether the bedroom door has a lock or if the host will be in the home during the guest’s stay.
Other new features and upgrades include total price display, transparent checkout instructions, improved maps, redesigned wish lists, more affordable monthly stays, payment instalments, and instant rebooking credit if a host were to cancel within 30 days of arrival.
In addition, Airbnb has created a dedicated all-day support team for priority access.
For hosts, Airbnb has launched improvements such as new pricing tools to help hosts set competitive prices, add weekly and monthly discounts, and compare their listing to similar ones in their area, as well as a yearly view in calendar, the ability to easily enter checkout instructions, read receipts and new quick replies in messaging, and more.
Results from the Southeast Asia Summer 2023 Domestic Travel Survey, conducted by consumer research firm Milieu Insight, reveals interesting insights on the willingness to travel domestically, concerns for safety, and the number and duration of trips planned for the year.
The survey involved 2,500 working individuals aged 20-65 in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia in April 2023.
Findings show a positive outlook for the travel industry in the region, with about eight in 10 respondents (76%) keen to travel in their own country; 85% of respondents across the region plan to embark on at least two domestic trips this year.
Four in 10 respondents in Thailand intend to take four or more trips this year, the highest across the region for domestic travel intent. This suggests that travel companies should consider offering packages and promotions that cater to multiple trips to boost the frequency of travel.
Additionally, the duration of travel per trip remains stable across markets, with the majority preferring an average of three to four days per trip. This information is valuable for travel companies when planning their packages and promotions.
Interestingly, the promotion of the destination is less impactful than a recommendation from family/friends in most countries, except Malaysia and Thailand, which means the tourism offices have done well in boosting local tourism.
The survey also revealed that concerns about Covid-19 safety have waned across most of the countries surveyed, with the Philippines showing the highest level of concern, likely due to rising cases in the country as reported by the Department of Health (4,456) in the last week of April 2023.
Travel spots and sceneries rank highest in key considerations for domestic travel in Indonesia (69%), Thailand (66%) and Vietnam (58%), while the safety of travel (69%) tops the list of considerations for respondents from the Philippines.
Of noteworthy mention is that while costs of the whole vacation do have an impact on travel decisions, especially for domestic travellers in Indonesia (61%), Malaysia (61%) and Thailand (60%), the weather of the destination takes precedence especially for those living in Thailand (62%) and Vietnam (55%). This could likely be due to concerns about extreme weather events that can happen quite frequently in both countries, reflecting the negative impacts of global warming.
Beach holidays are popular across the region, with destinations known for their beautiful beaches ranking first in each country: Boracay in the Philippines, Bali in Indonesia, Danang in Vietnam, Sabah in Malaysia, and Phi Phi Island in Thailand.
Waterfalls across Thailand are hotspots for domestic travellers, with 24% of respondents choosing them as favourite travel destinations.
National carriers (full-service airline) are top choice among respondents in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam: Philippine Airlines (76%), Garuda Indonesia (74%), and Vietnam Airlines (72%).
In Malaysia (84%) and Thailand (83%), low cost carrier AirAsia is the airline of choice, likely due to higher price sensitivity for travellers in both the countries.
When planning holiday activities, South-east Asians prove to be foodies, with about five in 10 planning a food trip experience, while four in 10 respondents from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are keen to shop locally.
Beach holiday activities are especially popular among Filipinos, with five in 10 respondents choosing swimming and other beach activities like paragliding or parasailing (13%).
Among Thai respondents, 65% is keen to join tours, which is also a popular activity for Malaysians (45%), Indonesians (40%) and Filipinos (43%).
Museum visits are especially popular among respondents in Vietnam and Malaysia, with at least two in 10 inclined to visit a museum while on vacation.
From sightseeing to relaxing holidays, travel planners should consider that South-east Asian travellers are drawn to activities that offer them opportunities to relax and unwind. With the diverse food culture in different states, the opportunity to eat like a local and discover hidden food gems will definitely be a draw.