Cathay Pacific signs MoU to nurture aviation talent in Hong Kong

February 21, 2023

The Cathay Pacific Group and Vocational Training Council (VTC) of Hong Kong have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly nurture a new generation of talent for the aviation industry.

This is in anticipation of the growth in the industry upon the completion of the Three-Runway System in Hong Kong, which will significantly increase the airport’s handling capacity.

The partnership will nurture a new generation of talent for the aviation industry

Participating companies include Cathay Pacific, HK Express, Air Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Services, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.), Hong Kong Airport Services, and Vogue Laundry Service.

While VTC offers a broad range of courses covering aircraft engineering, aviation and logistics, aviation services and inflight and passenger services, the collaboration with Cathay would further enhance its training facilities and career support for students.

The partnership will also equip students with practical industry knowledge that would better prepare them for their future career. Student internships and project-based learning opportunities including in-flight menu planning and design, as well as the CSR projects by Cathay, would also benefit students from other VTC’s member institutions, namely the Chinese Culinary Institute and the International Culinary Institute.

Ronald Lam, CEO of Cathay Pacific Group, said: “As Hong Kong’s home airline, we are committed to continuing to invest in young local talent and the long-term development of the Hong Kong aviation hub. The collaboration with VTC provides a sound foundation for the talent supply chain in the aviation industry. We look forward to welcoming students with a passion for joining the aviation industry and becoming part of the Cathay Pacific Group upon graduation.”

Cathay will also provide a series of life-planning activities, including mock-up interviews and career talks, to introduce the career prospects in the aviation industry to VTC students, where graduates have the opportunity to be nominated for full-time job interviews to join the industry.

In addition, Cathay will further explore the integration of innovative technologies into the programme, including applying Virtual Reality (VR) technology for service training and safety training for cabin crew.

Como Hotels and Resorts sets eyes on regional expansion

By Mimi Hudoyo

February 21, 2023

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Singapore-based luxury hotel group Como Hotels and Resorts has opened its Asia-Pacific sales and marketing office in Jakarta to boost traffic to its international properties from emerging South-east Asian markets, such as Indonesia and India.

Spearheading the new office as senior global director of sales – Asia Pacific is Indonesia’s seasoned hotelier Taufik Rahman. He will oversee 15 Como properties located in Perth, Fiji, Bangkok, Phuket, Bhutan, Maldives, Tuscany, London, and Turks and Caicos Islands, and cover markets like Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

Taufik: (there is) a lot of potential from these regions

Taufik told TTG Asia that having an office in Jakarta would “enable us to establish more efficient sales distribution and effective public relation and marketing communications”, especially with the increase of outbound travel from Indonesia.

In addition, the office will assist in strengthening the brand positioning and distribution for its three properties in Bali – Como Uma Canggu, Como Uma Ubud and Como Shambala Estate – and continue to work closely with B2B and B2C travel partners in countries like Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

Taufik said the brand’s focus now is to develop in emerging markets like India, Indonesia and the rest of South-east Asia, explaining that there is “a lot of potential from these regions”.

He noted that high-end travellers are seeking holidays in destinations like Bangkok, London, Bhutan, Phuket and the Maldives.

In order to develop in these new markets, a number of sales and marketing activities are in place, such as fam trips and participating at B2B and B2C travel marts, along with a series of Como road shows later in the year.

An egg-citing Easter at Kandima Maldives

By TTG Asia

February 21, 2023

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This Easter, Kandima has an egg-citing programme of events that will surely keep the whole family entertained throughout their stay.

From April 6 to 9, the island’s kid’s club Kandiland will have activities like bunny crafts, Easter egg piñata, string art workshops, and even Easter egg and cookie decorating sessions.

Enjoy Easter celebrations at Kandima Maldives with its line-up of family activities

There will also be special Easter dining options, such as the Chef’s special breakfast which includes a pancake station, the Easter Special High Tea, and the four-course Chef’s special lobster set dinner (US$120++ per pax).

Don’t miss out on the pool parties at the Breeze Pool Bar or the Easter Bazaar which will include a live DJ session along with treats, food stalls, kid’s face painting and family games. At night, families can even enjoy a movie under the stars.

Situated in the Dhaalu Atoll, the resort is a short boat ride away from the airport.

For more information, visit Kandima Maldives.

Japan sees uptick in inbound travel consumption

By Kathryn Wortley

February 20, 2023

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International tourists to Japan are spending more than they did in 2019, according to recent and pre-pandemic analyses, which is welcome news for the Japanese government as it unveils its plan to increase tourism consumption still further.

In an analysis by the Japan Research Institute, which compared overseas visitor consumption in December 2019 and December 2022, spending at theme parks saw the highest uptick (60 per cent), followed by apparel shops (40 per cent) and restaurants (30 per cent).

Destinations popular with Chinese tourists pre-pandemic have seen a slower recovery in tourism spend

Still, increased spending was not seen across the sector, as department stores saw only 40 per cent of the sales they did in December 2019, thought to be due to the slow return of visitors from China who outshopped other tourists pre-pandemic – their total spend amounted to 39 per cent of all inbound tourism spending in 2019.

The lack of Chinese visitors in December 2022 resulted in mixed spending nationwide, according to the study. Destinations that were particularly popular with Chinese tourists pre-pandemic, including Osaka and Kyoto, have seen a slower recovery in tourism spend than regions that attracted a broader portfolio of countries pre-pandemic.

Still, the government is optimistic that increased spending will continue, and is targeting five trillion yen (US$37.36 billion) of annual spend by foreign tourists as soon as possible, to exceed the 4.8 trillion yen spent in 2019.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has launched a three-year plan to encourage spending of 200,000 yen per capita in 2025, about 41,000 yen more than in 2019.

Tourists will be encouraged to stay in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya at least 1.5 nights by 2025, up from 1.35 nights in 2019, and to travel to more remote parts of the country. Additionally, campaigns will encourage them to incorporate more experiences, such as farming and fishing, into their itineraries.

Officials also hope to attract more wealthy tourists, particularly from Western countries.

Accor signs two new properties in Japan

By TTG Asia

February 20, 2023

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Accor will collaborate with Heiwa Real Estate Co. and Sapporo Real Estate Co. to open Mercure Tokyo Hibiya and Hotel Sousei Sapporo – MGallery respectively.

Mercure Tokyo Hibiya will be transformed from the current Uchisaiwaicho Heiwa Building in Tokyo, and is slated to debut in the winter of 2023.

A rendering of Mercure Tokyo Hibiya, slated to open later this year

The 178-key property will showcase traditional theatre design elements, paying homage to the history and culture of Hibiya. It will have a restaurant, fitness centre, executive lounge with a theatre and cigar room, meeting rooms and other facilities for both business and leisure travellers.

Centrally located, Mercure Tokyo Hibiya is a three-minute walk from JR Shimbashi Station and Uchisaiwaicho Station, and is close to local attractions such as Hibiya Park and Tokyo Midtown Hibiya complex, which houses offices, restaurants, shops and Toho Cinemas Hibiya.

Hotel Sousei Sapporo – MGallery will be the first MGallery Hotel in Sapporo, Japan and is scheduled to open in 2024.

Located on the historic site of what is said to be the first authentic beer brewery founded by the Japanese, the property will feature 118 guestrooms and suites, a restaurant, lounge and fitness centre.

The hotel is named after the nearby Sousei River which features the Sousei Bridge, the oldest bridge in Sapporo. With the ongoing redevelopment of the Sousei East area and the upcoming Hokkaido Shinkansen in 2030, the new MGallery hotel will be a key addition to the project.

Adjacent to the hotel is the Sapporo Factory, Nagayama Memorial Park, Sapporo TV Tower and the popular Sapporo Beer Museum.

Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands earns GSTC certification

By TTG Asia

February 20, 2023

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Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore has been certified to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels and Accommodations for its continued efforts in implementing innovative sustainable solutions.

The resort’s achievement of the GSTC certification is in line with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Singapore Hotel Association’s (SHA) announcement of the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap in March 2022, which targets 60 per cent of the hotel room stock in Singapore to attain internationally-recognised hotel sustainability certification by 2025.

Marina Bay Sands is the largest Singapore hotel to receive the GSTC certification

The GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels aims to promote the best sustainable tourism practices around four main themes: effective sustainability management, minimising environmental impact, maximising social and economic benefits for the local community, and enhancing cultural heritage.

Jeannie Lim, assistant chief executive, policy and planning group, STB, said: “(Marina Bay Sands’) efforts support our goal to become one of the world’s most sustainable urban destinations, guided by the Singapore Green Plan 2030. We also hope that their example will inspire other hotels to strive toward similar goals in line with the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap.”

Meridith Beaujean, executive director of sustainability, MBS, shared: “The GSTC certification is a testament to Marina Bay Sands’ ongoing commitment to minimise our environmental impact while providing our guests with a luxurious experience.”

MBS also recently received the Special Award for Sustainability at the STB’s annual Singapore Tourism Awards in 2022.

Having reduced its carbon footprint by over 50 per cent since 2012, MBS is focused on annual performance goals in Energy, Waste, Water, Resource Management, Sustainable Procurement, Biodiversity and has a global commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative, pledging to reduce Las Vegas Sands Corp’s greenhouse gas emissions by 17.5 per cent by 2025.

Trip.com launches real-time travel guide TripGen

By TTG Asia

February 20, 2023

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Trip.com has unveiled TripGen, an advanced context-based Natural Language Processing-integrated (NLP) chatbot designed to provide travellers with live assistance through AI technology, enabling users to receive tailored travel routes, itineraries and travel booking advice in real time on the Trip.com platform.

Amy Wei, senior product director at Trip.com group and product owner of TripGen, shared that with so much information available to users, TripGen provides travellers “with closed-loop services before, after, and during their trip”.

TripGen provides travellers with live assistance through AI technology in real time on the Trip.com platform

Schubert Lou, COO of Trip.com, said: “The release of TripGen provides real-time, question-and-answer services in the Trip.com app, resulting in greater, faster, and more diverse support for travellers.”

The all-in-one app currently supports the languages English, Japanese, Korean and traditional Chinese. More languages will be added in future according to user needs.

Hong Kong Airlines debuts flights to Beijing

By TTG Asia

February 20, 2023

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From March 15, Hong Kong Airlines will start a four-time weekly service from Hong Kong to Beijing.

Hong Kong Airlines will operate the Hong Kong-Beijing service four times a week from March 15

The Hong Kong-Beijing return services will operate every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

IHG Hotels & Resorts appoints new leadership team

By TTG Asia

February 20, 2023

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IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the following senior leadership appointments.

From left: Emma Hynes, Joel Gordon and James Young

Emma Hynes is the new director of operations – Australasia & Pacific. With 15 years of leadership experience across large hotel estates, she will lead the bulk of IHG’s Premium & Essentials-branded managed estate in Australasia, including the Crowne Plaza, voco and Holiday Inn brands.

Joel Gordon will start as director of operations, franchised, Australasia & Pacific on February 20, and will look after the IHG’s Franchised estate in the region, as well as provide additional support to parts of its managed estate.

James Young will take on the role of director of operations, luxury & lifestyle, overseeing the Luxury & Lifestyle estate which includes the InterContinental, Kimpton, and Vignette brands across Australasia and the Pacific.

From left: Sam Swaffield, Malcolm Zancanaro and Cameron Burke

Sam Swaffield, director of performance – JAPAC, will act as a conduit between IHG and the DOPs, setting the strategy for performance that will be adopted and embedded across the estate, as well as reducing complexity by streamlining initiatives, creating tools and support services.

Malcolm Zancanaro is the new director, new hotels Australasia & Pacific, and will focus on opening new hotels according to schedule. He has over 30 years’ experience in the hotel industry.

Cameron Burke has been appointed director, development Australasia & Pacific and he will drive the execution of IHG’s portfolio growth strategy for Australasia & the Pacific.

JTB predicts strong inbound travel in 2023

By Kathryn Wortley

February 17, 2023

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JTB Corporation is expecting Japan to enjoy a bumper year for inbound tourism following the recovery of key markets in late 2022 and the anticipated return of visitors from China in summer.

Some 21.1 million foreign tourists are expected in 2023, a 551 per cent year-on-year increase, according to its latest travel trend forecast.

Japan is anticipating 21.1 million foreign tourists this year; Shinjuku in Tokyo pictured

The figure is based on inbound recovery since border restrictions were eased on October 11, 2022 to allow visa-free, independent travel. In October, Japan welcomed 498,600 foreign visitors (up from 206,641 in September), which was followed by 934,500 arrivals in November and 1.37 arrivals million in December.

The largest rebound markets in 2022 were Asian, particularly Vietnam (with a 57 per cent increase in visitors on 2019 figures), followed by South Korea (18 per cent) and Thailand (15 per cent), but the US is also showing growth (19 per cent), prompting JTB to predict similar patterns in 2023.

Arrivals from China, meanwhile, are expected “to return in earnest from July and show the same pattern of rapid recovery as other markets so far”, said the forecast.

Still, 21.1 million visitors is only 66 per cent of the record 31.88 million tourists who came to Japan in 2019, demonstrating that Japan has some way to go to achieve its target of 60 million tourists annually by 2030.

In domestic travel, JTB predicts 266 million Japanese residents will make a trip in 2023, up nine per cent year-on-year, yet only 91 per cent of the number that travelled in the country in 2019.

The report noted that Japanese consumers had refrained from travel in 2022, largely due to personal concerns about Covid-19 or requests by local governments to curb movement in the face of local infection spikes.

Overnight stays in 2022 recovered only following the end of public appeals to contain virus spread and the implementation of a domestic travel campaign, so consumers, particularly older ones, are expected to take more time to resume travelling as they did in 2019.

Cathay Pacific signs MoU to nurture aviation talent in Hong Kong

Como Hotels and Resorts sets eyes on regional expansion

An egg-citing Easter at Kandima Maldives

Japan sees uptick in inbound travel consumption

Accor signs two new properties in Japan

Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands earns GSTC certification

Trip.com launches real-time travel guide TripGen

Hong Kong Airlines debuts flights to Beijing

IHG Hotels & Resorts appoints new leadership team

JTB predicts strong inbound travel in 2023

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