TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Monday, 15th December 2025
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Hong Kong’s post-pandemic accessibility hurt by flight disruptions

By Prudence Lui
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Continued operational challenges among airlines operating flights to and from Hong Kong have been aggravated by a pick up in travel demand since the city eased its travel restrictions on September 26, resulting in numerous flight disruptions.

Explaining the underlying causes of flight disruptions, Tommy Tam, chairman of the Society of IATA Passenger Agents, told TTG Asia that foreign carrier crew members are required to observe quarantine arrangements upon their arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, while air and ground operations are burdened by serious talent shortage.

Flight disruptions have impacted short-haul services and contributed to greater workload for travel partners

While travel demand has improved, most of it is driven by FITs and not yet groups. Hence, airlines are still having to make the “commercial decision” to combine flights with low occupancy.

Tam observed that most of the flight disruptions have impacted short-haul services.

For travel agents, these disruptions have contributed to greater workload at a time when many are running on reduced manpower.

CTM Asia’s CEO Larry Lo said the procedures to deal with flight cancellations and rescheduling have tripled the workload of his employees.

“From our clients’ prospective, these are poor experiences that leave a negative impression (on the airline),” said Lo.

While flight cancellations were common during the height of Covid-19, disruptions today are unexpected, he said and urged airlines to “communicate with us earlier and give us more time to prepare (for changes)”.

While international connections to Hong Kong are set to improve in 2023, with British Airways returning to service in Hong Kong next month and Air France and Qantas Airways come January, the exit of Virgin Atlantic after 20 years of service is said to have left a dent in Hong Kong’s post-lockdown accessibility, dampening Hong Kong’s status as an aviation hub, said Tam.

In response to TTG Asia‘s questions about service plans ahead, a Hong Kong Express spokesperson said a comprehensive review of its 2023 flight schedule has been conducted and clear plans for the new year will be provided to allow customers “sufficient time to make their own plans accordingly”.

Singapore is Tourism Western Australia’s top international market

By TTG Asia
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Tourism Western Australia (Tourism WA) has launched a new campaign, Walking On A Dream, in Singapore, where the city-state has emerged the top source market for international visitors into the state.

Aimed at aspirational travellers, the campaign brings to life the wonders of Western Australia and references its rich Aboriginal culture. The A$15 million (US$9.9 million) campaign will feature across various media including print, OOH, digital and social platforms.

From left: Tourism Western Australia’s Ava Ang and Melissa Forbes, and Eastern Hemisphere Markets’ Vivienne Li

As one of Western Australia’s closest neighbours, Tourism WA managing director Carolyn Turnbull said Singapore is an extremely important market and hopes “to entice more Singapore residents to visit us for the first time or come back to explore new destinations within the state”.

Tapping into Singaporeans’ love of Western Australian food and wines, the campaign was launched at Michelin-starred restaurant Burnt Ends, helmed by Perth-born chef Dave Pynt, where industry partners and media were treated to a taste of Western Australian produce and local wines.

Tourism WA acting executive director marketing, Melissa Forbes, commented that the new brand campaign is unique and memorable, much like Western Australia.

She said: “We have a whole host of activity going live in Singapore, including high impact Walking On A Dream assets in premium shopping and entertainment areas such as Raffles City and ION Orchard, as well as targeted social media marketing.”

Tourism WA Singapore and Malaysia country manager, Ava Ang, shared that Western Australia offers a wealth of extraordinary experiences – from wine discoveries, Aboriginal immersions, high-end dining and shopping, to swimming with whale sharks and more.

“Pre-Covid, 87 per cent of Singapore leisure visitors to Wester Australia were on a return visit to Australia. We hope this new campaign showcasing Western Australia’s magical landscapes will inspire Singapore residents to travel beyond Perth and discover new experiences.”

Far East Hospitality, Temasek Polytechnic partner to boost Singapore’s hospitality talent pipeline

By TTG Asia
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Far East Hospitality (FEH) and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) are collaborating to build a robust local talent pipeline for Singapore’s hospitality sector with the Far More Pathways initiative, scheduled to kickstart from April 2023.

This partnership is the first of its kind between a hospitality group and an education institution.

The Far More Pathways initiative by Far East Hospitality and Temasek Polytechnic aims to address the labour shortage issues in Singapore and in the hospitality sector

Arthur Kiong, CEO of FEH and Tan Siew Kim, director of business school, TP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 18, committing themselves to establishing an integrated careers internship programme (ICIP) as well as a learning and development (L&D) support with a suite of continuing education and training (CET) programmes to upskill the hospitality workforce.

The initiative seeks to address the perennial labour shortage issues in Singapore and in the hospitality sector by mutually leveraging FEH and TP’s resources and capabilities to devise programmes aimed at talent attraction and retention in the sector – building a strong and stable Singapore talent core.

Kiong said: “Far More Pathways is one of our commitments as we seek to build a sustainable local talent pipeline to meet the manpower needs of the hospitality industry and, at the same time, ensure a Singaporean core is ever present in complementing today’s diverse workforce as Singapore continues to welcome talents from all across the globe.

“(The partnership) will help us grow a local pool of hotelier talents who will not only be equipped with future-ready mindset and skills, but also set on exciting career pathways, while being instilled with our standards of Singapore-inspired hospitality excellence.”

Sharing his sentiments, Peter Lam, principal & CEO, TP added: “This internship programme will help our students be better prepared to tackle future challenges and provide them with valuable training and industry exposure. This real-world experience will also enhance the students’ chances of gaining employment when they enter the workforce.”

In addition, FEH and TP will gradually expand into other potential collaboration areas such as sponsorship of education materials, prizes, and scholarships and co-development of research projects.

Is there an off-season in the post pandemic world? Trip.com

By TTG Asia
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Trip.com’s recent analysis data brings up the question on whether on- and off-season travel is becoming a thing of the past following the pandemic.

Increased demand for overseas travel, coupled with more flexible work schedules in remote working environments, appears to be producing a trend towards year-round demand to many destinations, which traditionally were more popular in the summer months or school holidays.

With travel rising in many parts of the world, the notion of traditional on- and off-seasons is no longer applicable

Pre-pandemic, it was easier for travel companies to predict when travel would be slower in specific markets.

Taking an in-depth look at bookings during October for some of the most popular winter sun destinations, Trip.com revealed some intriguing insights.

Trip.com’s analysis showed that while off-seasons vary country by country, travel in many parts of the world is becoming consistently busy, and the notion of traditional on- and off-seasons is no longer applicable.

Trip.com data showed a 20% increase in flight searches from Europe and the US to Asia-Pacific destinations in October compared to September.

Flight searches are on the up
The Maldives is particularly popular for off-season travel, with flight searches from Germany up by 116% in October compared to September.

Other markets have followed this trend, with flight searches to the Maldives from the UK up 57%, Italy up 47% and the US up by nearly a third (27%) for the same period.

Similarly, interest in the Philippines has also increased, with flight searches from Italy up by 45% and for the UK and Germany by almost a third (29% and 28% respectively), while flight searches from Singapore to the Philippines and Maldives were up more than a third (34% and 32% respectively).

Data also showed a 27% increase in flight searches for travel within Asia-Pacific in October.

Blurring of peak, shoulder and off-peak travel
This increased interest resulted in many resorts across the globe staying open year-round for the first time, as they welcome high occupancy rates in what was previously a shoulder or slower season.

With the blurring of peak, shoulder, and off-peak travel, it would appear that travellers look at destinations differently.

The distinct high-water mark in June, July and August – with accommodation occupancy levels in the high 90s – which would evaporate with the summer heat and typically drop off at the end of the summer, could become as rare as summer snow.

Asian bookings boom
Across select Asian destinations, Trip.com data showed flight bookings rose by 19% in October 2022 compared to the previous month.

Flight bookings to the Philippines from Europe and the US were up by an average of 14%, while flights from Asia-Pacific to the Philippines have seen an average increase of 12%.

Bookings for flights within Asia-Pacific, as a whole, were up by 15%, with flight bookings to the popular Maldives increasing by an average of 12%.

However, other parts of Asia showed flight bookings to the Maldives from Europe and the US down 11%, despite flight bookings from Germany to the Maldives seeing a 63% increase.

Chasing the sun
Travellers from the UK continue to look for warmer destinations in the winter months, with flight bookings from the UK to New Zealand rising by 71% in September versus October.

Future travel seasons
Considering the data, travel periods will continue to vary as people look to travel more frequently and for longer. Continued work-from-anywhere policies will likely continue to influence these trends.

While it is impossible to predict how future travel seasons will evolve, it is evident that travellers continue to look for warmer destinations in the colder months.

Ascott receives GSTC-recognised standard status, launches sustainability framework

By TTG Asia
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Ascott has received the conferment of Recognised Standard by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), one of the first hospitality groups to be accorded this status, for its adoption of the GSTC Industry Criteria.

Marking this milestone, Ascott has unveiled Ascott CARES, a sustainability framework that aligns its growth strategy with environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations alongside GSTC Criteria. The framework is centred around five pillars representing the acronym CARES – Community, Alliance, Respect, Environment and Supply Chain.

Ascott’s new sustainability framework aligns its growth strategy with ESG considerations alongside GSTC Criteria

“As both an owner and an operator, Ascott has the ability to design a strategy that integrates purposeful sustainability goals with financial objectives. We have a strong position that allows us to influence and manage properties throughout their entire real estate lifecycle, beginning from the investment stage, to design stage, right through to operations,” said Beh Siew Kim, chief financial & sustainability officer, lodging, CapitaLand Investment and managing director, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Japan and Korea, Ascott.

“The need for us to accelerate our sustainability initiatives stems from the wider crisis of climate change. The built environment is a key contributor to the climate change crisis and there is much work to be done. As a key player in the lodging industry, every stakeholder has a part to play.”

Having evolved from a hygiene and safety programme that was first introduced in May 2020, Ascott CARES has since been strengthened to extend the culture of care and hospitality to the community and environments within which it operates through its business and across its supply chain as part of its sustainability framework.

Ascott CARES is aligned with CapitaLand’s Sustainability Master Plan pillars and will be rolled out across all of Ascott’s managed and branded properties. Alongside the new framework, Ascott has also announced its supporting targets which will be progressively achieved from 2023, with target completion by 2030.

Driving effective implementation of the sustainability programme, Ascott has taken further steps to establish a robust sustainability governance structure that fosters cross-collaboration between regional leaders and Ascott’s Sustainability Leadership Council (SLC).

Co-led by Ascott’s CEO, Kevin Goh, and Beh, Ascott’s SLC exercises oversight of sustainability and climate risks, and determines the strategy and goals for the company. These strategies are driven by the corporate sustainability team, in collaboration with regional and property leaders who facilitate the execution of programmes within the local market.

“Responsible stewardship is key to corporate governance, and a sound governance structure will ensure we remain focused in our efforts. Sustainability has been a key priority for all our stakeholders and will continue to play an integral part in our business and growth strategy,” said Beh.

Belmond names Sébastien Samoye as VP of real estate

By TTG Asia
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Sébastien Samoye has been appointed as vice president of real estate of Belmond, and will play a key role in curating the ultimate travel collection for the company.

He brings with him over twenty years of international experience working in asset management, finance and real estate, most recently in his own practice, CREO Advisory, and has overseen an extensive portfolio of hotels during his career.

Samoye will play a significant role in asset management of Belmond’s owned real estate and working with joint venture partners.

Alpine Adventure: Swiss Winter Wonderland

By TTG
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Brought to you by Switzerland Tourism 

Endless deep snow, wide ski tracks, jaw-dropping winter sceneries – all within quick and easy reach. Switzerland is the original winter vacation destination. The Swiss winter is perfect for snow lovers and will recharge your batteries with unforgettable experiences with family or friends. Find all the inspiration you need with the following tips.

Winter magic tour

The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland merges the most beautiful panoramic lines into one unique route. No prescribed direction or duration. Simply hop on and off wherever you please. Taking the tour in winter will pamper your eyes with magical winter landscapes: glaciers, powder snow and frozen lakes. The best part: You can experience the entire tour with only one single ticket – the Swiss Travel Pass.

▸ Grand Train Tour | Switzerland Tourism

Igloo lunch fondue in Zermatt

Somehow fondue tastes better than anywhere else when it is enjoyed in an igloo. Between February and April, the Gornergrat Bahn takes you to the Rotenboden station. The igloos, which are in the ski area, are between Reiffelberg and Gornergrat and can be reached in a ten-minute walk.

▸ Grand Train Tour | Switzerland Tourism

Ten kilometres of thrill and fun

Explore an adventure of 10 km sledging runs by taking Bernina Express from Chur and getting off at Preda before arriving to St. Moritz. Along the famous track to pure excitement on wooden runners: that’s what the Preda/Darlux – Bergün sledging adventure holds in store. The train will carry you up to Preda, where the sledging fun can begin on the trail down to Bergün. More adventurous sledgers can take the chairlift to Darlux, from where the hardcore trail descends to Bergün.

▸ Snow, sun and fun tobogganing | Switzerland Tourism

Exploring the interior of the Fee Glacier

High above Saas-Fee at an altitude of 3,500 m lies the entrance to the heart of the Fee Glacier. Visitors to the Ice Pavilion can experience an avalanche simulation with lighting effects and a shock wave that reverberates through their entire body. Various ice sculptures, alternating exhibitions and events make the ice grotto a real place of adventure.

▸ Ice Pavilion – view of the interior of the glacier | Switzerland Tourism

First ski experience in Davos, the pioneer of winter sports

If you are looking for a new experience, consider trying out skiing – a winter sport and activity very much loved by Swiss! Davos Klosters is the pioneer in winter tourism since 1864/65 and has a long history and competence in winter sports. Davos is definitely one of the best places to start with skiing because beginners can ski in the flat valley of Davos and must not go up to the mountain. Enjoy first steps in the snow and learn how to ski in the birthplace of winter sports.

▸ Davos Klosters – First Ski experience | Switzerland Tourism

Some winter action at Grindelwald-First Snow Park

Looking for a more challenging winter activity? Grindelwald-First snow park is number one when it comes to freestyling in the Bernese Oberland. The Oberjoch park is perfect for first jumps and rail slides. To make sure the spectacular jumps can be practised without risk, on sunny weekends a 10×12 metre air cushion will be set up next to the Oberjoch chair lift. This softly catches daring winter sports enthusiasts on their test jumps.

▸ Oberjoch Park | Snow Park Grindelwald-First | Switzerland Tourism

Thrill walk at Birg

From the terrace at Birg, the Thrill Walk leads down to the vertical drops of gorgeous rock massif. It’s a thrilling walk indeed as you will be presented with majestic views of the Alps and the Swiss skyline – the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. There are a variety of different segments which creates an interplay of air, railings and glass. Suitable for everyone of any age.

▸ Thrill Walk | Switzerland Tourism

Snowtubing fun at Trübsee Snow Park

Another activity suitable for kids and adults alike: snowtubing. In the snow park next to the Alpine Lodge Trübsee, guests can really let off steam in the snow. This fun and crazy winter activity will see the guests racing down the track on a rubber tyre. The magic carpet will then whisk them quickly and easily back to the top.

▸ Snow Park/Starterland Trübsee | Switzerland Tourism

New opening in the Maldives

By TTG
0

Brought to you by TUI BLUE Olhuveli Romance

On 1 November, the lifestyle brand TUI BLUE opened its first hotel in the Maldivian island paradise. The newly built TUI BLUE Olhuveli Romance in the South Malé Atoll is aimed at lifestyle-oriented holidaymakers aged 16+. The island with sandy beaches and a house reef has 98 beach and water villas with private pool. Guests can also expect a wide range of water sports and the culinary highlights of the TUI Blue hotels. The neighbouring island can be reached via a bridge, which allows holidaymakers to also take advantage of their restaurants and spa facilities.

FOCUS ON THE FAR EAST

Back in spring, the TUI Group announced its global hotel brand will expand further. Apart from new locations in Africa and the Middle East, there will be a strong focus on Asia. The newly opened Maldives resort is the brand’s fourth hotel in the region. The portfolio also includes two hotels in Thailand and one resort in Vietnam. TUI BLUE is set to grow in Southeast Asia and China with international partnerships in which TUI Blue hotels are operated either under management contracts or by franchisees.

Within the last months, TUI BLUE has set up a new team in Asia with considerable experience in the industry. They have not only already signed the first contracts in China and Southeast Asia, but they are also in intensive negotiations with owners who would like to use the advantages of the hotel brand for their properties. More information on new hotel locations will be released soon. Meanwhile, the team is expanding quickly as the owners notice the increasing demand of travellers for wellness and local experience during their holidays. A McKinsey report also shows the upcoming trend of all-inclusive offering will grow rapidly in the market. This paves the way for substantial growth of TUI BLUE in the region as the leisure hotelier has been in the business for years and has many successful examples to share with potential owners.

WE ARE TUI BLUE

TUI BLUE Hotels offer lifestyle- and experience-oriented holidaymakers a hotel product tailored to their individual needs and preferences. The hallmarks of the hotels are the Blue Guides, acting as the competent local contacts, the comprehensive BLUEf!t fitness and relaxation programme and the modern design. With the Blue App, holidaymakers have access to a digital service assistant available before, during and after the trip to design their individual holiday. The culinary offer at TUI BLUE hotels features local cuisine with international influences, providing high-quality food and catering for all dietary needs or nutrition plans. The hotel experience is rounded off by a wide range of daytime and evening experiences.With its global flagship brand, TUI Group – one of the world’s leading tourism groups – is driving its growth in the hotel segment further ahead. TUI BLUE aims to grow to 300+ hotels with a strong focus on the development of new regions in China, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. An important driver for the future growth strategy are international partnerships in which TUI BLUE hotels are operated either under management contracts or by franchisees.

Contact information

TUI BLUE Hotels & Resorts Asia
Address: 29/F-31/F The Gateway Tower 5, 15 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Email: bd.asia@tui-blue.com
Tel: +852 3180 9540

SATTE 2023 a platform to Re-fresh, Re-connect and Re-build

By TTG
0

Brought to you by Satte

SATTE
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SATTE (South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange) offers a comprehensive platform to domestic and international buyers and professionals from across the travel, tourism and hospitality industry along with National and State Tourism Boards (NTOs and STOs). SATTE is recognized as Asia’s Leading travel and tourism exhibition to conduct business, share knowledge, exchange ideas in order to arrive at solution-driven innovations to accelerate the pace of the growth of the industry. SATTE is well-supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, National and International Tourism Boards, Indian and International travel and trade associations and organizations amongst others.

With a stronger support from the Indian and global travel and tourism market, the 30th Edition of SATTE is set to become Bigger, Bolder and Better. SATTE, in the last 3 decades, evolved as an institution bringing together the stakeholders of the industry under one roof to engage and strengthen business relationships. SATTE 2023 offers a much needed platform to Re-fresh, Re-connect, Re-ignite and Re-build the industry.  SATTE offers an apt platform to exchange business opportunities and ideas to grow your business further.

The 30th edition of SATTE will be held at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR from 09-11 Feb 2023.

Expedia’s trend study reveals new travel motivations

By Jeeheng Yew
0

Expedia Group has labelled 2023 as the The Year of the No-Normal, as its latest traveller trends report finds that there is no longer a “one-size-fits-all” approach to travel.

The findings were obtained from the company’s first-party data as well as custom research of thousands of travellers and industry professionals across 17 countries.

Cultural capitals, like Bangkok where Songkran is celebrated in lively forms, are gaining favour among travellers

Sharing the findings at a media event on November 17, Expedia noted that influence from streaming content is outweighing that of social media. Nearly one in four say that watching a series or movie is most likely to pique their interest in travelling to that destination – more than social media influencers (16%). In Singapore specifically, 76% per cent of travellers considered visiting a destination after seeing it on a show or movie on a streaming platform, and one in two actually made a booking.

Shows or movies set in outdoor destinations with mind-blowing landscape (41%) and beach destination (40%) impact Singapore travellers’ destination decisions the most.

Most of the destinations seeing the largest increases in traveller demand are culture-rich cities where local fares and culture festivities are returning in full swing. Globally, the cultural capitals of Edinburgh, Scotland; Lisbon, Portugal; and Tokyo, Japan are the top trending destinations.

With Singapore travellers heavily influenced by streaming content, Bangkok, Tokyo and Seoul are top three destinations Singaporeans consider visiting.

In another report published for travel partners, Expedia notes the highest levels of optimism for travel since 2020. Most professionals expect leisure (71%) and business (70%) travel to return to pre-2020 levels within two years. In fact, more than half (51%) of the industry professionals note that business travel will be their highest priority in 2023.

Another insight from industry professionals shows travellers are choosing options aligned with their personal values such as sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility. Most travel businesses (60%) made changes in the last year to ensure their services are inclusive and accessible. Sustainability is tied with marketing as the highest area of investment for 2023, with one in five industry professionals saying they plan to invest in sustainability next year.

With loyalty programmes continuing to earn customer attention even during the pandemic, Expedia reiterated the amalgamation of its loyalty programme, One Key, allowing consumers to use it for its range of brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo and Wotif.

Lavinia Rajaram, head of public relations Asia, Expedia Brands, told TTG Asia that the trends carried on from 2022 when “travellers were forced into a series of new normals like vacations in the great outdoors, then reunions, then bucket list trips. Everyone was experiencing similar new normals. The trends this year show there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Travellers are booking what they want when they want it.”

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | InterContinental Halong Bay Resort presents Hidden Wonders experience
TTG Asia | Lufthansa Group unveils new brand identity
TTG Asia | Taiwan sets new course for tourism sector