Minor Hotels has named Martin Zarybnicky as general manager of Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.
With a hospitality career spanning 29 years, he was previously complex general manager of two hotels under his remit, InterContinental Bangkok and Holiday Inn Bangkok.
He is also fluent in Czech, English and Russian.
The Ascott Limited has appointed Serena Lim as its chief growth officer.
The hospitality industry veteran will lead Ascott’s global business development team and be responsible for steering and managing the company’s growth in management and franchise contracts globally, excluding China, where development will continue to be led by the in-market team.
With over two decades of industry experience, Lim joins Ascott from InterContinental Hotels Group, where she was vice president, development, South-east Asia and Korea.
Recognising the need for Changi Airport to have the needed capacity to handle increasing flight and passenger flows as China reopens, Singapore will continue to take a “cautious approach” to rebuilding scheduled flights to and from China.
Singapore transport minister S Iswaran shared in Parliament on January 9 that Singapore and Chinese airlines have applied to operate more flights between the two countries, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is evaluating these applications.
Weekly services between China and Singapore have increased from 25 at the end of October 2022 to 36 around mid-December. At press time, there are 38 weekly flights between the two countries.
Iswaran noted that the current service level is barely 10 per cent of the number of Singapore-China flights pre-pandemic, and about 1.5 per cent of the total flights handled by the airport.
Daily arrivals from China stand between 700 and 1,000 – about one to 1.5 per cent of the airport’s total daily arrivals and less than 10 per cent of pre-pandemic numbers.
A majority – at least 60 per cent – of these arrivals are Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders.
The paced restoration of flights will ensure that Changi Airport has the capacity to “manage the ramp-up in flights, provide clarity and certainty to airlines, and ensure that passengers have a safe and smooth experience” he said, adding that aviation authorities will respond swiftly to “material change in the health ministry’s risk assessment, such as the emergence of a new variant of concern”.
During discussions about the projected restoration of Singapore-China flights to pre-pandemic levels, Iswaran said a surge was unlikely in the near term. Factors impacting speed of return to service include the public health situation as well as Changi Airport’s ability to manage increases in the number of passengers.
Japan will tighten border controls for travellers arriving from Macau.
Starting on January 12, travellers on direct flights from Macau will be required to show proof of a negative test result obtained within 72 hours before their departure.
Upon arrival, they will need to undergo a PCR test, or similar.
These measures have already been implemented for those arriving from mainland China.
Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) has refreshed the Sentosa brand to offer both local and international guests novel ways of discovering new experiences and celebrating connections on Sentosa.
The new brand identity sees the island taking centre stage and reflects Sentosa’s efforts to better connect with its audiences through leisure experiences that play up the island’s natural attributes and is anchored on four values: Island Soul, Island Connection, Island Discovery and Island Future.
In addition, the new tagline ‘Where discovery never ends’ draws inspiration from the island’s many unexpected sights, sounds, and experiences at every turn.
Thien Kwee Eng, CEO, SDC, said: “The natural island environment inspires SDC to continue to curate new experiences that empower our guests to forge new connections and foster deeper relationships with each other.”
In view of guests’ evolving needs and the desire to discover new experiences, SDC has delivered new leisure offerings over the course of its Golden Jubilee, such as the wellness festival, Zentosa Fest, and Sentosa Food Fest.
Looking ahead, Sentosa will introduce a diverse range of new leisure and experiential offerings, including new low-carbon leisure experiences in the nearby Southern Islands, Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa, Sentosa Sensoryscape, the opening of Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club at Siloso Beach in April 2023, the upcoming The Palawan @ Sentosa, and more.
Sentosa will also make its first foray into the metaverse, via a virtual space known as SentosaLand, where guests can explore and discover a fantastical reimagination of Sentosa island. Hosted on gaming platform Roblox, SentosaLand will be accessible to the public from today.
The river cruise tourism segment, which is in a nascent stage in India, is expected to receive a shot in the arm with the commencement of the world’s longest river cruise journey, Ganga Vilas, on January 13.
The 51-day cruise sailing on the rivers of Ganges and the Brahmaputra will start from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam, and includes Bangladesh as part of the itinerary.
Operated by Antara Luxury River Cruises, Ganga Vilas offers an opportunity for travellers to explore some of the most ancient regions of South Asia.
With the maiden journey fully booked by Swiss tourists, Raj Singh, founder & chairman, Antara Luxury River Cruises, told TTG Asia: “India’s cultural offerings are a big attraction for foreign tourists. River cruise has the potential to be a new segment for foreign travellers looking to explore India. This cruise will go through the hinterlands which otherwise are not accessible.”
He added that the historic route was finalised with the support, assistance and cooperation of both India and Bangladesh governments to ensure a seamless travel between the two countries.
Beginning September 2023, the river cruise journey will have regular departures operating throughout the year. With key inbound markets like the UK and Europe, the cruise will also be marketed in South-east Asian markets such as Singapore and Malaysia.
“For our other shorter river cruises of seven days, we have received good response from South-east Asian markets. We will be engaging with foreign tour operators in the region to promote this new offering,” said Singh.
Priced at US$66,000 plus taxes per cabin for two, the journey offers many offshore and onshore experiences including a visit to UNESCO-protected Sundarbans, home to the world’s largest mangrove forest; Matiari, where guests can watch brassware and textiles in the villages being hand-created; and Vikramshila, the site of one of the largest ancient Buddhist universities.
Regal Hotels Group has tapped into the metaverse by acquiring a “Land” at Mega City 2 of The Sandbox and launching MetaGreen, said to be the first green metropolis in the decentralised gaming virtual world.
The first phase of the development will launch on January 12, with support from pioneering strategic partners Hang Seng Bank, UOB Hong Kong, City Super Group and The Mills.
It includes an array of eco-friendly facilities, including Regal Hotels as the first eco-friendly hotel built in the metropolis. Gameplay highlights comprise Hang Seng Bank Metaverse Branch where the community can learn about ESG investments; UOB Art Space in MetaGreen’s Art Park; The Mill’s sustainable techstyle space; and more.
Poman Lo, vice-chairman and managing director, Regal Hotels Group, shared: “Regal Hotels group seeks to co-create a powerful collaborative ecosystem with strategic partners to inspire decarbonisation and behavioural changes in the consumer and business communities.
“MetaGreen is a progressive green movement aimed at promoting green actions in (the) metaverse and real life through immersive edutainment experiences, online and offline rewards. By harnessing the power of technology, MetaGreen will help accelerate the transition to a circular economy and a brighter, greener net zero future for us all!”
Sebastien Borget, chief operating officer and co-founder of The Sandbox, added: “The MetaGreen initiative from Regal Hotels Group is a first pillar that will set an example for additional environmentally-focused projects in the metaverse, to be followed by other large brands and companies worldwide.
“In the coming months, we hope to encourage more ESG-related development to boost the long-term environmental sustainability of The Sandbox.”
Peter Pottinga has been appointed as the general manager of the soon-to-open InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping hotel.
In his new role, he will oversee all aspects of the hotel’s pre-opening and opening phases.
He was most recently the general manager of InterContinental Budapest before taking the helm at InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements have been stepped up for all Changi Airport workers in passenger-facing and janitorial duties as China resumes international travel.
Transport minister S Iswaran said in Parliament today that “protecting the health of our aviation workers, travellers and the broader community” remains “top priority”.
According to local news reports, the minister said that Changi Airport stakeholders are also encouraging employees to stay up to date on their vaccination. Staff can obtain their booster shots at the Raffles Medical clinic at Terminal 3.
“As of now, almost 100 per cent of the workers have attained minimum protection as defined by the Ministry of Health, and about half have up-to-date protection,” he said.
Thailand today (January 9) revoked a policy announced over the weekend which required inbound travellers to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, citing sufficient immunisation levels globally.
An update from the Tourism Authority of Thailand stated that the country remains fully-reopened to all international tourists.
Thailand’s health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, clarified that “international travellers arriving in Thailand are not required to show proof of vaccination”.
Foreign arrivals are also not required to show a negative Covid-19 test result.
As part of Thailand’s full reopening to tourism, the authorities are offering a longer period of stay for visitors. Effective through March 31, 2023, visitors from visa-exempted nations will be permitted to stay up to 45 days – up from 30 days previously. Those eligible for visa-on-arrival can stay up to 30 days, up from 15 days prior.
