Ennismore will introduce the first Maison Delano in Asia with Maison Delano Seoul slated to open in 2026.
Situated in the heart of South Korea’s capital in the Gangnam district, Maison Delano Seoul will boast 81 guest rooms and 52 branded residences, with F&B establishments, members’ club, garden courtyard, spa, gym, as well as an indoor and outdoor infinity rooftop pool overlooking the tree canopy of Gangnam Park.
The first Maison Delano in Asia, Maison Delano Seoul, will open in 2026
As a reinterpretation of the traditional Korean Pavilion, the hotel will resemble a park with the building cocooned in trees and greenery to create a connection with nature.
Chadi Farhat, brand COO for Delano & Head of Middle East & Asia Pacific at Ennismore, said: “Maison Delano is making its way to Asia to cater to a growing number of modern travellers who seek a sophisticated getaway and elevated experiences with creative energy like no others.
“We are incredibly excited to bring the Delano brand to Seoul, and curate a unique experience for guests in a city which is so rich in culture.”
Delano launched in Miami in 1995, and has since been recognised as the hotel for travellers looking for a bespoke experience.
The first Maison Delano is due to open in Paris in March.
Vietjet introduces its new direct service to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from Ho Chi Minh City.
The airline will also resume its Danang-Taipei service and increase the Ho Chi Minh City-Hong Kong route frequency.
Vietjet’s new Ho Chi Minh City-Tokyo service will operate from April 26
The new Ho Chi Minh City-Tokyo service will operate one return flight daily from April 26 while flights from Danang to Taipei will operate every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 1.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City-Hong Kong flights will increase to operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from March 8.
Be among the first to stay at Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore when it opens June 1.
As an opening celebration, guests may craft their own Pan Pacific journey from a plethora of lifestyle experiences and privileges – from evening cocktails at Pacific Club Lounge to daily breakfast at Mosella, which serves Mediterranean cuisine with a Peruvian flair.
Pan Pacific Orchard opens June 1
Located within the serene Claymore enclave on the Orchard Road shopping belt, the 347-key, 23-storey hotel offers residential-style guest rooms and suites with views of either the terrace landscapes or the Orchard cityscape.
Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort’s BDMS Wellness Clinic Retreat has launched a new package specially designed to help families unwind and rebalance, while reconnecting with each other.
The new Family Wellness Package focuses on promoting mindfulness and connectedness through shared activities such as family yoga, Muay Thai classes and healing spa experiences for both parents and children, as well as guided canal excursions and hands-on cooking classes.
The Family Wellness Package includes a hands-on cooking class with the resort’s chefs
Young guests can join the kids’ club while adults relax with antioxidant-rich IV drips and potent facials from the clinic’s signature range as well as getting into shape with a slimming body treatment.
Available for stays of three consecutive nights or longer, rates start from 26,952 baht (US$782) per room per night based on two adults and one child sharing.
The package includes accommodation, daily breakfast, Klong Tour experience, BDMS Royal Fountain of Youth treatment, BDMS Royal Slim treatment, family cooking class, massages for parents and children, Muay Thai class, family yoga activity, and more.
Changi Airport will begin construction of its fifth terminal in 2025, as land preparation and drainage works at Changi East comes to a conclusion.
In an update today, transport minister S Iswaran said the new terminal will be operational around the mid-2030s.
Changi Airport Terminal 5 will be operational in the mid-2030s
The project was frozen earlier due to the pandemic, and the facility underwent a redesign to be able to operate more safely and flexibly during a pandemic.
In support of the development, the Singapore government has injected an additional S$2 billion (US$1.48 billion) into the Changi Airport Development fund.
In a CNA report today, Iswaran said Changi Airport Group and airport stakeholders have worked out “operational plans” to be ready for additional flights and passengers at the other terminals in the run-up to Terminal 5.
The aviation workforce currently stands at about 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with a full recovery expected by this year, he said.
Traveloka and Philippine Airlines have strengthened their cooperation to provide services to meet travellers’ needs and grow tourism in the Philippines and in South-east Asia.
Stanley Ng, president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines, said: “Our intent is for the partnership to unlock new travel options for our customers to fly with Philippine Airlines to various wonderful destinations all around the Philippines, and to diverse international destinations as well.”
Traveloka and Philippine Airlines will collaborate to grow tourism in the Philippines and in South-east Asia
Under this partnership, domestic and foreign tourists will find it easier to visit various destinations in the Philippines, such as Siargao Island, El Nido, Coron and Balabac Islands.
Iko Putera, CEO of transport – Traveloka, noted that during the post-lockdown period, people’s enthusiasm for business and tourism travel has increased along with the return of consumers’ confidence.
He said: “Since 2015, Traveloka has expanded to six countries in South-east Asia, including the Philippines. Our presence in the market shows our commitment to offering services that focus on increasingly dynamic consumer needs (and) providing easy access through the adoption of technology to fulfil consumers’ travel aspirations in South-east Asia.
“Our platform offers various travel solutions and services, from accommodation options to local activities through Traveloka Xperience. We hope this partnership will positively contribute to tourism recovery in the Philippines and South-east Asia.”
Based on data from the Philippines Department of Tourism, around 83,000 tourists visited the Philippines from the South-east Asia region in 2020, a dramatic drop from over 526,000 in 2019 due to global border restrictions.
At the end of 2022 however, the number of South-east Asian visitors heading to the Philippines more than doubled, hitting 188,000 travellers.
Traveloka’s internal data from 2021 to 2022 depicted a recovery in the travel sector, with the number of visitors heading to the Philippines from South-east Asian countries – where Traveloka has operations – having increased by eight times. The number of passengers using the flight network of Philippine Airlines to various international destinations has also almost doubled.
One year after acquiring Air India and embarking on a major transformational programme for the airline, Tata Group has said the company aims to operate only with two airline brands – a full-service carrier and a low-cost carrier.
Presently, the group’s carrier portfolio besides Air India includes Vistara in the full-service airline domain, with Air India Express and Air Asia India in the low-cost carrier space.
Wilson: there is an immense opportunity to operate point-to-point in longhaul markets
The brands that will continue to operate in the future are Air India and Air India Express. Vistara will, therefore, cease to exist.
While speaking on the fate of Vistara, in which Singapore Airlines (SIA) owns 49 per cent stake, Campbell Wilson, CEO and managing director, Air India said: “Vistara has been a successful airline primarily operating on domestic routes, though in recent years it has expanded in international markets too.
“We will use Vistara merger in Air India to accelerate our transformation programme, as we intend to keep a lot of processes and practices of the former.”
In November 2022, SIA and Tata agreed to merge Air India and Vistara, with SIA also investing US$250 million in Air India as part of the transaction. SIA and Tata aim to complete the merger by March 2024, subject to regulatory approvals. Air Asia India also became a fully-owned subsidiary of Tata Group last November.
Earlier this month, Air India announced a mega order to purchase 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, worth US$70 billion, to support its growth plans. Tata is further investing US$400 million dollar on refurbishments for all seats and inflight entertainment on existing aircraft. It expects to deploy refreshed aircraft on operational routes by the middle of next year.
Air India sees a major opportunity in serving longhaul markets through non-stop flights in Europe and North America. The airline recently resumed non-stop flights between Delhi and Vienna, as well as Mumbai and New York. It also relaunched non-stop service between Delhi and Copenhagen.
Wilson commented: “Considering the size of India’s population, and its diaspora of about 37 million people who are often among the wealthiest in their country of residence, there is an immense opportunity to operate point-to-point in longhaul markets.”
He added that a layover of four to five hours would be inconvenient, thus Air India intends to “fly from just not one hub but multiple ones in the country” to serve more people with “a product that they are wanting but are not getting”.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Asset World Corp Public Company (AWC), have signed the first Fairmont hotel in Thailand, Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit, which is slated to open in 2024.
The first project signed under AWC’s multi-property framework agreement with Accor will elevate Bangkok as a global hub for luxury leisure, business and group travel. Together, AWC and Accor will open more than 1,000 keys across multiple Accor-branded hotels in key tourist destinations throughout the country, strengthening Thailand as a sustainable tourism destination.
Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit will be the first project signed under AWC and Accor’s partnership
Located in the Sukhumvit mid-town and Asoke junction, Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit will serve as a home away from home for guests with its 419 rooms, featuring a variety of specialty restaurants and bars, swimming pool, fitness centre, spa and wellness centre.
As the first fully integrated luxury MICE hotel in Thailand, the hotel will also offer extensive meeting facilities. The property will have easy access to the BTS Skytrain and underground MRT train network, and Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
Mark Willis, CEO, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are confident that this partnership with AWC and our shared vision will create a new benchmark for world-class luxury in Bangkok, supporting both the continued growth of the tourism industry in Thailand, as well as the ongoing expansion of the Fairmont brand across South-east Asia.”
Wallapa Traisorat, CEO and president, AWC, stated: “Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit will be the first AWC-affiliated hotel to be managed by Accor, and the top integrated luxury MICE hotel in Thailand, enhancing the capital as a global hub for the luxury MICE market. The introduction of the Fairmont brand will also strengthen the Thai tourism industry, create long-term value, and elevate the surrounding communities and society.
“As one of the most popular destinations in the world for both leisure and business travellers, Bangkok is renowned for its food and culture, and its reputation as a lifestyle destination with strong logistics infrastructure and convenient transportation. Therefore, Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit will be ideally positioned to meet the needs of a new era of luxury events with a distinctive and unique design,” she added.
Aligning with both Fairmont’s and AWC’s commitments to sustainability, the hotel will meet LEED and WELL green building standards that prioritise energy saving and a circular economy model on waste management.
AirAsia X (AAX) has resumed its services to Shanghai, China on March 2 with four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur.
AAX plans to ramp up capacity and increase the frequency of services to Shanghai with 11 weekly flights by 2Q2023. The airline has also restarted its weekly flight to and from Hangzhou.
AirAsia X guests travelling from Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on March 3
The Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai service operates every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, while the Shanghai-Kuala Lumpur route flies every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Marriott International has named Yibing Mao as president of the company’s operations in Greater China, reporting to president and chief executive officer, Anthony Capuano.
Based in Shanghai, Mao will lead the next chapter of growth for Marriott in Greater China in her new role.
She joined Marriott in 1996 and held the title of senior vice president & chief counsel, Asia Pacific, prior to stepping down in 2020. In that role, she managed a large legal team across seven offices in Asia that was responsible for more than 700 hotels in the region, and was actively involved in all aspects of the business.
Prior to joining Marriott, Mao held positions at law firms in both the US and Hong Kong, including McGuireWoods LLP, Slaughter and May and Milbank.