Expedia Group shows B2B growth with new partnerships and tech features

May 10, 2023

‌Expedia Group has announced new partnerships and tech features aimed at expanding its network following a strong quarter for its B2B segment where it delivered 55 per cent in revenue growth compared to 2022.

‌The announcements came as hundreds of leading travel players met at Expedia Group’s EXPLORE 23: Connect conference, held for the first time at its Seattle campus.

Expedia Group will launch new tech features and partnerships aimed at expanding its B2B network

‌“Our growth in B2B is largely due to the pace at which our tech has been adopted by businesses of all sizes who want to either break into travel or expand their current travel offerings. The demand for this business continues to be strong as evidenced by our new partnerships with Mastercard, SoFi, and some of our biggest hotel partners,” said Peter Kern, vice chairman and CEO, Expedia Group.

‌“The work we’ve done in building a widespread B2B network that provides travel to millions around the world through leading names in banking, travel and more, will grow as we continue to establish our tech as the primary operating system for the travel industry.”

‌The group’s White Label Template and API solutions power travel for more than 400 million loyalty members worldwide.

‌Expedia Group’s exciting new and expanded partnerships include Travel with Rewards with Mastercard, which is a loyalty points redemption programme to allow cardholders to redeem credit card loyalty points for travel bookings; and SoFi Travel, which will soon allow members to book flights, hotels, cars, packages, activities and vacation rentals through SoFi.

‌“Over the last decade, our B2B segment has grown phenomenally as we power online and offline travel programmes,” said Ariane Gorin, president Expedia for business, Expedia Group, adding that the company enables “businesses of all sizes to succeed in the world of travel, and in an industry that is nearly US$2 trillion, there is plenty of room to grow”.

‌Expedia Group is also committed to help more companies succeed in the world of travel with the following developments.

‌Expedia Group’s travel operating system, Travel OS, will externalise its tech in the form of microservices to help any kind of travel company use its tech to enhance their business, such as fraud capability, which has now reached commercial status. Its service tech and revenue management API are now in beta-testing with partners.

‌After a year of success working with hotel partners to create a guest experience score that shows which hotels give great traveller experience, Expedia Group’s Guest Experience Score will be made available to travellers in 2H2023, where hotel partners can view their Guest Experience Score by logging into Expedia Group Partner Central.

‌In two years, Expedia Group has tripled the number of participating chains using Optimised Distribution, an innovation that provides hotel partners with greater control of their wholesale businesses. New rate-management capabilities will be released later this year, allowing for more flexibility for a wider array of partners to leverage.

‌Expedia Group’s first-ever fully unified loyalty programme, One Key will launch on July 6 in the US, and additional markets will follow in 2024. In addition to the Member Only Deals for hotels, cruises and activity partners, the programme will now extend these offerings to air partners, helping them increase visibility to One Key members. Member Only Deals for flights will first be available in the US for One Key members.

‌Expedia Group continues to invest in its Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP), which powers more than 35,000 travel agencies across more than 30 countries with its booking platform built specifically for their unique needs.

‌TAAP has also launched several new capabilities including enhanced payment options, which provides travel advisors more flexibility and improved servicing with Live Agent chat to help travel advisors get answers to their questions faster.

‌Expedia Group is seeing strong usage with 32 per cent of all agent interactions in the US in 1Q2023 serviced through Live Agent chat. A reimagined booking experience which will make it easier for travel advisors to serve their clients will be rolled out in the US this year with the global launch to follow later in 2023.

New Zealand broadens marketing attention to Asian markets

By Rachel AJ Lee

May 10, 2023

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Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) has shifted its focus from Australia and North America to Asia, as the country works towards building a more resilient and broader portfolio of inbound markets amid tougher economic times.

Rene de Monchy, chief executive, TNZ, told TTG Asia: “We are going to focus on building off peak travel from Asia, as the region gives us the highest seasonality. We want to get more productivity out of the Asia region (as the different markets have various) outbound timings, to even (visitation) out as much as we can across the year.”

de Monchy: we will be pushing a full suite of marketing activations in key Asian markets

For example, in India, the big travel season is from April to June, while for Japan and South Korea it is during summer, from June to August. These months are generally New Zealand’s lull season.

“As such, we’ll be launching a full suite of activities across consumer and trade. Last year, we didn’t have any activity in South Korea and India, but in this new financial year, we will be pushing a full suite of marketing activations in key Asian markets,” he added.

Specific trade activities will include Kiwi Link in China and a roadshow in Singapore, to enable the sector to re-engage and reconnect with buyers, as a lot of travel to New Zealand is still converted through trade channels.

Consumer marketing will also be intensified, under the banners of the If You Seek campaign which launched last August, or 100% Pure New Zealand.

“The If You Seek campaign is performing really well, and people are engaging with it highly. At a global level, 92 per cent of people are more interested in New Zealand after they’ve seen the campaign than they were prior. We’ll continue to use that with new creatives,” said de Monchy.

So far, in this first year of recovery and New Zealand’s first summer post-lockdown, de Monchy pointed out that operators have had to scale back up as well as look for and train staff, which has been “challenging” as travel demand was returning faster than anticipated, leading to a manpower constraint in running activities, increase in flight ticket prices, and lack of rental cars.

He opined that by early 2024, recovery will “stabilise” and operators will be “thinking ahead towards the next summer”.

When asked if there was an overall target in terms of the number of visitors that New Zealand wants to welcome, de Monchy shared that TNZ “does not set a volume target, but a value target”. This is because tougher economic times are expected globally, and tourism will be a “really important buffer” for the New Zealand economy.

“This is why as we look ahead to 2024, we will work on maximising the value of visitors and ensure that they grow more quickly than the volume. Part of this work is influencing visitor choices when they arrive in New Zealand, to enhance their experience, and ensure they have a more positive impact on the places they visit,” he stated.

He is optimistic about New Zealand’s tourism future.

“But we are also realistic that it will be very competitive,” noted de Monchy. “We are going to have to focus and work very hard to (win more Asian outbound travellers), as the region is crucial for both tourism and exports.”

Philippines to boost medical tourism with strategic global partnership

By TTG Asia

May 10, 2023

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The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) has recently joined forces with Dubai-based Agora Group, a global leader in the medical and wellness industry, to position the country as an emerging medical and wellness tourism destination in Asia.

Both will also partner for the first International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress (IHWTC) 2023, which will be held from June 8 to 9 in Dusseldorf, Germany. This two-day event is a high-level closed-door gathering of invitation-only tourism stakeholders mostly from the medical and wellness industry.

The partnership will help position the country as an emerging medical and wellness tourism destination in Asia

Tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco commented that the partnership will help strengthen the Philippines’ position as a health and wellness tourism hub in Asia, as well as globally. She also emphasised how special the Philippine medical healthcare workers are, primarily the Filipino diaspora.

“We are giving the Philippines a fighting chance at becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia. We recognise that medical tourism and wellness tourism hold one of the keys to this endeavour, because we have the people, we have the facilities, and we are adjusting government policies to ensure that the climate for medical tourism to thrive will ensue,” she said.

Competing with other countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar with prime healthcare facilities, Frasco acknowledged that while those countries already have the “wealth of medical facilities”, however, “the culture of care and compassion shown by Filipinos who are in these facilities give us the strategic advantage that people from the Middle East are already familiar with the level of care that Filipinos can give”.

In addition, 23 of the country’s health facilities are internationally accredited and recognised by the International Society for Quality in Health Care, and there are 63 private hospitals in close proximity to four international airports.

The DOT is targeting to train 100,000 tourism front-liners this year under its Filipino Brand of Service Excellence programme, and with the IHWTC 2023 later this year, this would open massive opportunities for the country’s health and wellness offerings and to market the Philippines, especially from the most coveted Middle East tourist market.

Sri Lanka sets eyes on the Middle East market

By Marissa Carruthers

May 10, 2023

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Sri Lanka is bouncing back after three years of crises and is targeting the Middle East as a key market due to the mix of high-spending Emiratis and expatriates.

Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Udaya Indrathna, ambassador at the Sri Lanka embassy in Abu Dhabi, said: “Sri Lanka has had its challenges but I’m pleased to say most have passed.”

Sri Lanka has shifted its focus from quantity to quality and is targeting the Middle East as a key market

He went on to refer to the 2019 bomb attack, Covid-19 pandemic, and recent political and economic turmoil. He said the new president has surrounded himself by young talent to steer the country in a new direction, with tourism positioned as a promising economic pillar.

In this new chapter of Sri Lankan tourism, the country has shifted its focus from quantity to quality, with the Middle East region – home to a healthy mix of high-spending Emiratis and expatriates – being aggressively targeted.

According to official figures, expats from the region tend to stay an average of four to five days and Emiratis for two weeks, enjoying luxury accommodation and experiences.

Dushan Wickramasuriya, director of marketing, Sri Lanka Promotion Bureau, noted: “The UAE in particular is unique because 80 per cent of the population are expat residents from places like India, Europe, the US and Canada. These are all key markets for us, so when we target this region, we’re not only reaching Emiratis but other nationalities as well.”

Minister of tourism, Harin Fernando, said the ministry has set a target to increase visitor spend from the current average of US$200 to US$250, to between US$400 and US$500 by next year.

“The Middle East market is crucial as we are now seeking quality tourists over quantity. We slowly want to focus on the right markets and right people over numbers,” he noted, adding there are no plans to make Sri Lanka an expensive destination – instead it will appeal more to the “affordable luxury” segment.

At ATM, Emirates also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to actively promote Sri Lanka as a leading tourist destination.

SEIT expands to North Queensland

By TTG Asia

May 10, 2023

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Local small group touring specialists SEIT has expanded into North Queensland with the rollout of a brand refresh along with the launch of two new Daintree tours.

Known for its interactive small group tours offering experiences which immerse travellers in hyper-local culture and history, SEIT’s new tours comprise rich and authentic experiences within the Daintree Rainforest and the Tablelands Region.

The Daintree Dreaming – Aboriginal Art & Culture offers travellers a glimpse into the lives of the indigenous people (Photo: James Fisher Tourism Australia)

The full-day small group Daintree Dreaming – Aboriginal Art & Culture and Daintree Dreaming – Traditional Aboriginal Fishing tours, offer travellers a glimpse into the unique lives of the Kuku Yalanji people, the Indigenous people of Mossman country.

‌In addition, as part of the brand refresh, a new logo and visual identity was created to support and enhance the SEIT brand as it branches out to new destinations.

“The SEIT brand refresh reinforces and further articulates the already outstanding experiences we offer, our local small group tours allow travellers to embrace the art of doing, feeling fully immersed and energised via our truly individual guides,” said Ben Hall, CEO of SEIT.

‌“Our guides are the beating heart of our business, encompassing our brand ethos, sharing stories through hands-on experiences to travellers looking to feel truly connected to a place.”

Oceania Cruises takes delivery of newest ship Vista

By TTG Asia

May 10, 2023

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Oceania Cruises has welcomed its newest ship, Vista, which was delivered at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa, Italy. She was christened on May 8 in Valletta, Malta.

‌The 1,200-guest Vista boasts spacious standard staterooms at sea, three brand-new dining concepts and operates with a market-leading service ratio of two staff members for every three guests.

Vista will sail to the Mediterranean for her inaugural voyage this summer

‌Frank A Del Rio, president of Oceania Cruises, remarked: “From the smallest of design details to the largest per capita galley at sea, Vista is a marvel that will be enjoyed by guests for decades to come.”

‌The ship will feature a few select staterooms for her inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean. Vista will then sail to Canada and New England before heading south for a series of winter itineraries exploring the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.

Taking the pulse of affluent Chinese travellers

By Karen Yue

May 10, 2023

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Your new report, Decoding the Luxury Traveller Mindset: Spotlight China, looks at a hot topic: the travel behaviours of wealthy Chinese. There have been so many other studies on Chinese travel intentions, so what makes this latest study stand out from the rest?
Although the topics of revenge travel and resuming international travel has been portrayed publicly, this report has much more granularity and dives right into the push and pull factors.

Quantifying the findings creates genuine, actionable insights for professionals in the luxury travel industry. For instance, we learn that there is a strong appetite for living their bucket list and that there is clear push and pull factors such as health and safety that remains the most influential factor in holiday bookings, but also the retail/food and drink offering (49 per cent) and sustainability credentials (46 per cent). The report also contains a lot of verbatim illustrating the data points.

Finally, we have been running this survey for the second year in a row, so we have been able to highlight some critical evolution in the luxury traveller’s mindset.

Furthermore, the survey has been exclusively submitted to validated affluent and HNWIs to bring relevant content and help luxury industry professionals understand their target more precisely. More than two-thirds of the interviewees (69 per cent) were the equivalent of USD millionaires (US$1m in investable assets), while almost half (49 per cent) had a household income of US$300,000 or more.

What are some of the most fascinating finds from the survey?
We noticed a surprising turn since the previous wave. In 2021, 48 per cent of wealthy Chinese preferred spending on luxury goods rather than luxury experiences versus only 37 per cent in 2023. Also, 73 per cent told us they are willing to spend more and travel in style on more extravagant and unique trips.

Are there earlier industry projections on Chinese travel intentions that have now shown to be mere speculations?
We have heard a lot about privacy/seclusion becoming the guiding choice for the years to come, or that regional tourism will take over international trips. The study has demonstrated that just 39 per cent now prefer this, and international trips are already back on the agenda, with 60 per cent of the interviewees planning to go abroad.

Based on your research, what new business avenues or opportunities are there for travel and tourism organisations and destinations looking to grow their share of HNW Chinese travellers?
Family and multi-generational trips are growing, with almost half of the wealthy Chinese planning for one in the next 12 months. Mental wellness-related travel is a priority for 41 per cent, increasing by five percentage points. It is important to give the right attention to these trends in the imminent future, (and for) travel agents to gain more market share by offering more complex trips to this hard-to-reach population.

Editor’s note: Findings from Decoding the Luxury Travellers Mindset; Spotlight China will be presented during ILTM Asia Pacific 2023’s Opening Forum at the Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore on June 19

IHG group CEO steps down

By TTG Asia

May 10, 2023

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‌InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) group CEO Keith Barr will be stepping down from his role as well as from the IHG Board effective June 30.

‌Having been with the company for 30 years, he has transformed IHG for long-term sustainable growth, as well as navigated a global pandemic while continuing to grow IHG’s footprint and reputation with key stakeholders around the world.

‌Barr will be succeeded by Elie Maalouf, a member of IHG’s Board and Executive Committee, who has led IHG’s Americas business as regional CEO for the past eight years. Taking up his new position on July 1, Maalouf will be based in the UK.

Milieu Insight tracks summer travel sentiments in South-east Asia

By TTG Asia

May 9, 2023

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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.

Preferences of domestic destinations and airlines

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.

Abu Dhabi spotlights summer play potential

By TTG Asia

May 9, 2023

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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.

Visitors to Abu Dhabi can benefit from three summer promotions as well as a free city shuttle that stops all top attractions

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.

Expedia Group shows B2B growth with new partnerships and tech features

New Zealand broadens marketing attention to Asian markets

Philippines to boost medical tourism with strategic global partnership

Sri Lanka sets eyes on the Middle East market

SEIT expands to North Queensland

Oceania Cruises takes delivery of newest ship Vista

Taking the pulse of affluent Chinese travellers

IHG group CEO steps down

Milieu Insight tracks summer travel sentiments in South-east Asia

Abu Dhabi spotlights summer play potential

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