Novotel Phuket Kata Avista Resort & Spa has unveiled a new water attraction in its dedicated family fun zone – a splash pad for the little ones and young-at-heart.
Adjoining the Little Ocean Kids Club, Play Area and Family & Toddler swimming pools, the new splash pad features water sprinklers and water cannons in a whimsical theme. Other recent additions of kid-friendly attractions at the resort include a sandy play area with an adventure climbing frame, water scooters and eKick boards, and the Family Zone that offers activities like a pool table, foosball table and kids’ corner.
Families can enjoy water play at Novotel Phuket Kata Avista Resort & Spa’s new splash pad
Upcoming enhancements to the family experience include a poolside VR Games Room.
The resort is located just a short walk from Kata Beach and Karon Beach in Phuket.
The familiar Macao Light Festival will kick off its eighth edition this Saturday with a new brand – Light up Macao 2022 – along with fresh highlights and the support of integrated resorts in the destination.
Organised by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and in partnership with local enterprises, Light up Macao 2022 will illuminate 28 locations across eight districts under the theme, Dazzling Winter, from December 3 to January 1, 2023.
A rendering of The Door of Pixels, one of the light installations planned for Light up Macao 2022
Weaving public art and innovative technology, the festival will present light installations, interactive games, projection mapping shows and light decorations under different themes such as Immersion · Metaverse; World Heritage · Aesthetics; Instant Travel · Nature; Virtual & Reality · Quantum; Mystery · Fiesta; Romance · Winter; and Leisure · Space.
The event is expected to attract a wider range of visitors, enrich the destination experience and extend visitors’ length of stay by showcasing more areas of Macau and expanding nighttime entertainment options.
Six integrated resorts will support the annual event for the first time, offering their facades and facilities for light installations and projection light shows.
Festival-goers can look forward to four projection light mapping shows presented by teams from Macau, China and other countries. These will take place from 19.00 to 22.00 daily, with the last show starting at 21.50.
Light up Macao 2022 will also offers visitors a chance to shop for a range of local cultural and creative products, including those themed after Mak Mak, the local tourism mascot, at Anim’Arte Nam Van. Mak Mak will make an appearance during the event.
Further experiences will be offered online, through games and missions to win souvenirs.
Archipelago International is celebrating its 25th anniversary with 200 hotels in the pipeline across South-east Asia plus more to come in the Caribbean and the Middle East over the next decade.
Speaking at an anniversary celebration in Jakarta last week, founder and chairman Charles Brookfield said: “Celebrating 25 years of trustworthy hospitality marks a key milestone in the history of our company.
(From left) John Flood and Charles Brookfield celebrate Archipelago International’s milestone in Jakarta
“Now the focus is on the future. The lodging and travel industry offers tremendous opportunity over the long term and we are ready for the next 25 years and beyond.”
Archipelago International has grown organically with much success in its home markets, while perfecting its brand portfolio, technology, systems, and standards. Today, the company’s brand portfolio features Aston, Collection by Aston, Alana, Huxley, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, Neo, favehotel, Nordic and Powered by Archipelago.
The company boasts over 15,000 employees.
Elaborating on Archipelago International’s expansion plans, president and CEO John Flood told TTG Asia that South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and India are on radar.
“Now, with the capabilities to compete with and outperform any major international hotel chain, our group is successfully expanding to new global markets while staying true to our Asian roots and world-renowned Asian hospitality,” he added.
Having set up an office in India and the Middle East, Flood said the group has signed hotel projects in Saudi Arabia, and has a holiday home rental company in the UAE and Dubai. Farther afield, the company is developing in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and has established an office in Mexico.
A high-level delegation from South Korea’s Gyeongsangbuk-do province has agreed on mutual trade and tourism development with the Singapore branch of the World Korean Trade Association and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS).
Agreements were signed when the delegation was in Singapore last week.
The meeting, jointly organised by Xperience DMC in Singapore and Channel K in South Korea, and supported by NATAS and Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), also featured a presentation on the South Korean destination as well as a round-table discussion with senior hoteliers.
Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) has signed Radisson Resort & Spa Hua Hin with Destination Group, and is set to open the property in February 2023.
The 243-key Radisson Resort & Spa Hua Hin will be RHG’s sixth property in Thailand.
Radisson Resort & Spa Hua Hin is the second property signed in partnership with Destination Group
Located a 2.5 hours’ drive from Bangkok, the resort will offer eight restaurants and bars, outdoor pool, spa, fitness centre, and a beach club with private beach access. There will also be meeting venues, including a 576m² ballroom.
David Nguyen, managing director, Indochina and strategic partnerships, South East Asia & Pacific, RHG said: “We look forward to expanding our strong collaboration with partners like the Destination Group to launch exceptional hotels in sought-after destinations across the country.”
“Together with the group’s highly engaged support offices, global distribution and marketing coverage, commitment to sustainability, and a loyal customer base through the Radisson Rewards programme, we are confident that this rebranding will mark the start of an exciting new era for our resort,” said Gary Murray, founder and CEO of Destination Group.
RHG aims to double its portfolio of hotels in operation in Thailand by 2023 and has set up a new business unit in Bangkok.
The Mulia Hotels & Resorts (MUHR) and Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network) have signed an agreement enabling MUHR to access TA Network’s online direct booking solutions for offline travel agencies, wholesalers and corporate travel intermediaries.
TA Network’s managing partner Ho Siang Twang shared that hotels will “need to implement an even higher level of automation in managing their direct booking partnerships with their preferred agents and corporates” in this post-pandemic environment where there are widespread staffing shortages.
MUHR gets a distribution boost with TA Network
Bagus Artadi, director – revenue & digital distribution, The Mulia Hotel said: “TA Network solutions has enabled Mulia Hotels & Residences to manage the conservative wholesale contract digitally which makes our B2B distribution more efficient and effective.
“Additionally, we will have access to business opportunities to work with several major channels integrated with the TA Network and our onboarding process with new partners will be faster.”
With summer just around the corner, Accor is offering a selection of vacation ideas in Australia and New Zealand from as low as A$159 (US$107) per night.
Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort
Hotels in Australia include Queensland’s Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort, Mantra South Bank and Mantra Legends Hotel Surfers Paradise; Pullman Sydney Hyde Park and Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel in New South Wales; Novotel Canberra in Canberra; Victoria’s Mantra on Russell and Peppers Marysville; Mövenpick Hotel Hobart and Novotel Devonport in Tasmania; The Adnate Perth – Art Series and Pullman Bunker Bay Resort in Perth; and Northern Territory’s Mercure Darwin Airport Resort.
For New Zealand, properties in North Island include SO/ Auckland and ibis Wellington, and in South Island, BreakFree on Cashel Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa.
In addition, members Accor Plus will receive an additional 10 per cent off promotional rates.
The revamped Macau Grand Prix Museum features the new Formula 3 simulator offering interactive and close-to-reality racing experiences
Monthly city highlights include “November Formula” under the brand-new “Experience Macao, Unlimited” promotional campaign in line with the recent 69th Macau Grand Prix (pictured)
Macau is racing along the path to recovery, drawing 182,000 visitors over the seven-day National Day Holiday period, exceeding the expectations of Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO).
The gaming and entertainment destination in Asia is showing no signs of slowing down with visitor arrival figures set to grow further with the resumption of electronic issuance of travel permits from China to Macau from November 1.
The government’s latest easing of inbound requirements from ‘7+3’ to ‘5+3’ from November 12 serves as another booster for tourism numbers.
Under the new policy, visitors from Hong Kong, Taiwan and any foreign countries entering Macau must spend five days in centralised medical observation at designated hotels and three days of home isolation after. Travellers are also required to take tests during this period.
Committed to promoting the city as a safe and quality destination, MGTO has been rolling out exciting new tourism offerings to welcome visitors back in a big way.
Recent monthly city happenings include “November Formula” under the brand-new “Experience Macao, Unlimited” promotional campaign in line with the 69th Macau Grand Prix, and the upcoming “Dazzling Winter” in December, where both visitors and locals will be mesmerised by the city’s glittering lights.
Fresh experiences and attractions A string of new tour experiences has been unveiled as part of the ongoing government-sponsored programme of local tours. The itineraries are packaged with an exhilarating mix of new and traditional attractions.
Macau's highlights
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GoAirborne’s first indoor skydiving centre features a stunning 15m tall competition standard wind tunnel
teamLab SuperNature involves a complex, three-dimensional interactive space filled with mind-boggling works
The revamped Macau Grand Prix Museum features the new Formula 3 simulator offering interactive and close-to-reality racing experiences
Macau is home to the world’s first Line Friends presents Casa De Amigo
Zipcity is Asia-Pacific’s first urban zipline attraction
Macau saw 182,000 visitors over the recent seven-day National Day Holiday period
W Macau – Studio City is scheduled to open in December 2022
For example, the Macao Highlight Tours include visits to the Macau World Heritage sites, gastronomy-themed and maritime tours, alongside latest attractions like the revamped Macau Grand Prix Museum, Macau teamLab SuperNature, as well as GoAirborne and Zipcity Macau at Lisboeta Macau.
The newly-renovated Macau Grand Prix Museum now houses six times its original capacity and the new Formula 3 simulator – highly resembling the design of a Formula 3 car cabin – offers interactive, close-to-reality racing experiences which will fascinate Grand Prix fans and museum-goers alike.
GoAirborne’s first indoor skydiving centre features a stunning 15m tall, competition standard wind tunnel, within the Lisboeta Macau integrated resort.
Meanwhile, teamLab SuperNature involves a complex, three-dimensional interactive space with varying elevations that spans 5,000m2 , filled with mind-boggling works by art collective, teamLab, while Zipcity is Asia-Pacific’s first urban zipline attraction.
Besides, visitors checking out Taipa and Coloane can tap on newly-launched virtual experiences, “Arraial na Taipa” and “Arraial em Coloane”, spotlighting interactive AR installations set up in various iconic tourist spots. Tourists can also scan the QR codes on the signs in the district for offers such as lucky draws, cash coupons, discounts and souvenir giveaways too.
New hotels and unique homegrown brands Visitors in Macau are spoiled for choice when it comes to luxury and boutique accommodation options. From the classic The Londoner Macau, fashion-inspired The Karl Lagerfeld Hotel and Palazzo Versace Macau, to the world’s first Line Friends presents Casa De Amigo, they have all descended upon the Cotai Strip recently.
Twelve hotels are also currently under construction and new additions in the pipeline include Treasure Island Resort World Hotel, Andaz Macau and Raffles at Galaxy Macau.
Scheduled to open in December 2022, W Macau – Studio City will also form part of the Studio City Phase 2, a multi-complex development that includes indoor and outdoor water parks, cineplexes and meeting facilities.
Beyond Michelin-star outlets and international shopping complexes, gastronomic adventures and retail therapy abound at homegrown speciality brands under the Distinctive Shops Programme offering 14 restaurants, 11 F&B venues and 19 retailers.
Supported by the government in phases, the first pilot rollout features unique restaurants and retailers in the district around Rua de Cinco de Outubro, imbued with cultural and historical significance.
G Adventures has invested in a restorative travel technology start-up, Reforest, to support local communities in preserving their ecosystems via tree planting.
Based in Brisbane, Australia, Reforest is a digital platform connecting travellers with local communities that are actively restoring their ecosystems using reforestation. Travellers can give back by having their own trees planted in places where community tourism relies heavily on the preservation of the local environment, while receiving tangible, visible, scientific data measuring the positive impact of the trees planted on their behalf.
Reforest allows customers to see the trees planted on their behalf and track the cumulative restorative impact of their trip
Reforest is also designed to help travel companies understand their carbon footprint, and connect them with local projects to support their reforestation efforts. The platform then converts the hard science of climate action into personalised interactive experiences for companies’ customers, who can then continue planting trees.
Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, noted that travellers are increasingly looking to ensure their travels have a meaningful impact and tree planting is an effective way to both reverse climate change and support community tourism.
He said: “Travellers want to see natural beauty, so we need the world’s most beautiful places to be around for as long as possible, and to stay as pristine as possible. The Reforest platform will help us achieve that goal and help combat climate change, as planting trees is one of the easiest ways to help decrease emissions.”
Daniel Walsh, co-founder of Reforest, shared that G Adventures’ stake gives the company the means to improve its technology, and expand its offering by marketing the platform more widely within the global travel industry.
In addition to customers being able to see the trees planted on their behalf and track the cumulative restorative impact of their trip, the drone-based footage and satellite imagery “brings ground-breaking tangibility to the restoration projects and offer powerful impact personalisation”.
The third edition of Further East, themed New Horizons, returned to Bali earlier this month from November 7-10, 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Held at the Alila Seminyak and organised by This is Beyond, this year’s show – now called Further East APAC – also expanded its focus to include the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Dance performance during the Open House, a new programme at Further East
Calling the pandemic a “gamechanger”, Serge Dive, founder and CEO of This Is Beyond, said that 2022 has gone through a “reboot”, and is a “new chapter” for the tourism industry.
For instance, Dive pointed out that sustainability and climate change have become essential considerations for tourism businesses. He added that as tourism recovers, this is an opportunity to think of how the industry can build back better as well.
Meanwhile, Jinou Park, founder of Normal, built on the topic of surviving in the new era in his presentation Igniting your Brand’s Purpose Post-Pandemic, and stated that it was important for travel businesses to have clear branding and purpose in mind.
This comes as lockdowns and restrictions have caused a change in consumers’ behaviours, where they have had to pause and adapt to a new way of life. This, in turn, develops “new habits” that remain post-lockdown, Park said.
For instance, among the millennials and Gen X-ers, their spending is now more “purposeful”. Expectations of travellers have also changed post-lockdown, cautioned Park, where hospitality providers now need to take into consideration more personalised experiences, and ensure the highest levels of well-being and care are provided.
Park added that remote work, and living spaces in destinations with a high quality of life and excellent transportation, will also be in demand moving forward.
Further East APAC 2022 was attended by 137 exhibitors, 37 per cent coming from Indonesia, eight per cent from Australia and New Zealand and the rest from other Asian countries. A total of 140 buyers attended the show, where 70 per cent were from outside Asia-Pacific.
A high-level delegation from South Korea’s Gyeongsangbuk-do province has agreed on mutual trade and tourism development with the Singapore branch of the World Korean Trade Association and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS).
Archipelago International is celebrating its 25th anniversary with 200 hotels in the pipeline across South-east Asia plus more to come in the Caribbean and the Middle East over the next decade.
Speaking at an anniversary celebration in Jakarta last week, founder and chairman Charles Brookfield said: “Celebrating 25 years of trustworthy hospitality marks a key milestone in the history of our company.
“Now the focus is on the future. The lodging and travel industry offers tremendous opportunity over the long term and we are ready for the next 25 years and beyond.”
Archipelago International has grown organically with much success in its home markets, while perfecting its brand portfolio, technology, systems, and standards. Today, the company’s brand portfolio features Aston, Collection by Aston, Alana, Huxley, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, Neo, favehotel, Nordic and Powered by Archipelago.
The company boasts over 15,000 employees.
Elaborating on Archipelago International’s expansion plans, president and CEO John Flood told TTG Asia that South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and India are on radar.
“Now, with the capabilities to compete with and outperform any major international hotel chain, our group is successfully expanding to new global markets while staying true to our Asian roots and world-renowned Asian hospitality,” he added.
Having set up an office in India and the Middle East, Flood said the group has signed hotel projects in Saudi Arabia, and has a holiday home rental company in the UAE and Dubai. Farther afield, the company is developing in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and has established an office in Mexico.