airasia Super App has added a ride hailing service to its offering in Bali, Indonesia, allowing tourists to book a car ride for a safe, affordable and integrated travel experience in one seamless application.
Arbi Wienandar, head of delivery, airasia Super App, Indonesia, said: “For more than two decades, over 700 million people have flown with AirAsia. Undoubtedly, we can do the same with land transportation (with) airasia ride, through an integrated, affordable and inclusive digital ecosystem for everyone.
airasia ride is now available in Bali, Indonesia
“The pool of rich database that we have as a travel super app is also an opportunity to enhance our customers’ journey in having a great experience.”
To celebrate its maiden entry in Indonesia, airasia ride users can now earn 10x airasia points which can be used to exchange for transactions across all airasia Super App services and products, including airasia food, flights, hotels, travelmall and SNAP.
Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) has signed the Glasgow Declaration, reaffirming the group’s commitment to sustainability.
The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism is a catalyst for increased urgency about the need to accelerate climate action in tourism and to secure strong commitments to support the global goals to halve emissions over the next decade and reach net zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050.
Radisson Hotel Group reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability by signing the Glasgow Declaration; The Tsinandali Estate, A Radisson Collection Hotel pictured
RHG has made substantial strides to drive change in the hospitality industry’s response to climate change, towards sustainability, renewable energy, green building design, green mobility, and the establishment of the Hotel Sustainability Basics to target net zero Hospitality by 2050.
Aside from receiving confirmation and validation of its near-term Science Based Targets (SBTs) aligned with its commitment to be net zero by 2050, RHG also has set clear targets and plans to reduce its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 46 per cent before 2030, as well as to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel and energy-related activities and franchises by 28 per cent within the same timeframe.
Reducing its carbon footprint with a strategy focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy as two key impact levers, the group is currently undergoing an energy transition and is rolling out renewable energy solutions designed to achieve the greatest carbon reduction impact tailored for each of its core markets.
Over the past decade, RHG has achieved energy efficiency savings of 30 per cent, and offset over 45,000 tons of carbon for clients with its 100 per cent Carbon Neutral meetings. Compared to 2019, the group has also reduced carbon emissions by 22 per cent per square metre and water footprint by 23 per cent per square metre in 2021.
Aligning with building LEED, BREAM, and EDGE sustainable building certifications, RHG has defined its own Build Planet guidelines which provide an additional framework and modelling tools for forward thinking asset owners looking to join the path to net zero.
In addition, RHG plans to expand its network of over 510 electric car-charging stations across EMEA, in partnership with Allego. The group has also recently launched the first ultra-fast Electric Charging Hub in Frankfurt, Germany, and will install its first Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers in partnership with SunFuel at the Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi International Airport in India this September.
There are also plans to install additional EV chargers across RHG’s portfolio in South Asia.
Alie V Sison is the new director of sales and marketing at Swissotel Clark, replacing Albert Lafuente who is now resident manager of Sedona Suites Ho Chi Minh City.
Prior to that, Sison was director of sales at Raffles and Fairmont Makati as well as Mandarin Oriental in Manila. She was also director of sales and marketing at Discovery Suites Ortigas.
The St Regis Goa Resort, India
The St Regis Goa Resort is a sanctuary between the Sal River and Arabian Sea near India’s south-western coastal city of Goa, famous for its tropical beaches, historic Portuguese-era architecture, seafood and culture.
Just a 60 minutes’ drive from Goa International Airport, the resort features 206 guestrooms including 46 suites, 20 suites and villas with plunge pools and private access to the beach.
Offering four dining venues and two bars, onsite facilities comprise a pool, gym, kids pool, mobile library, play park, 2,972m² of event spaces, and a 12-hole executive golf course.
Ayana Segara Bali
Ayana Segara Bali, Indonesia
Ayana Segara Bali is a new hotel inside the Ayana Estate in Jimbaran. The hotel features 205 rooms, as well as a two-bedroom Ocean View Suite for families and larger groups.
The hotel offers three restaurants which serves up dishes using fresh local ingredients available from Ayana Farm for a pure farm-to-table experience.
Highlights at Ayana Segara Bali include Vista, a new open-air function space situated above the property boasting panoramic views of the Jimbaran Bay area; and the largest indoor-outdoor pool in Bali. Other facilities available are the main pool, rooftop pool, spa and fitness centre.
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, Thailand
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa has reopened after 18 months of renovation and expansion work.
Located an hour’s drive north of Phuket International Airport, the resort has built a total of 127 additional rooms and villas including 178 rooms with direct access to a private pool or the resort’s 2.4km lagoon pool waterway.
Boasting 11 restaurants and bars, the resort also has a new ballroom for events, an adults only swim up bar, a family Aqua Play Zone, and curated experiences such as a couples spa journey, private temple excursions, beachfront dining, cooking classes, a DIY spa workshop and mixology masterclasses of cocktails, and more.
Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard
Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard, Singapore
Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard houses 256 rooms across five room categories – Superior, Deluxe, Premier, Family, Suites – and is situated in the residential enclave of Orchard Road with easy access to Singapore’s longest shopping belt.
F&B options include the Lobby Bar, a social space for guests, transitioning from a café setting in the day to a watering hole at night; ROOS, an all-day dining destination serving up Australian-inspired cuisine; and the 24-hour self-service snack counter, Vibe Pantry.
With facilities like a pool and gym, there are also curated round-the-clock itineraries and exclusive perks for guests of Vibe Singapore.
As China continues with its zero-Covid policy, Japanese prefectures that once relied on Chinese tourists are turning their attention to other international markets for recovery.
Of the 31.9 million tourists who visited Japan in 2019, about one third were from China, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, making Japan the most visited overseas destination by Chinese visitors that year. Chinese tourists also punched above their weight in spending, generating 44 per cent of total consumption by inbound tourists in 2019.
The hospitality sector in Okinawa Prefecture is currently targeting travellers from East Asia; Miyakojima Island in Okinawa Prefecture pictured
Aside from Tokyo and Osaka, Shizuoka, Okinawa, Hokkaido, Aichi and Fukuoka were among the prefectures that benefitted the most from Chinese visitors in 2019. Due to China’s ongoing border restrictions, however, many regions are pivoting their efforts towards the rest of Asia and Europe.
Central Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, where 56 per cent of all inbound tourists were from China pre-pandemic, has launched a new website: Amazing Aichi. Introducing the area as a place renowned for samurai history, manufacturing and nature, the new initiative is supported in Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and French – as well as English and Chinese – in an effort to lure new markets.
In Okinawa Prefecture, the hospitality sector is eyeing East Asia, at least in the short term.
“Before Covid, most direct flight traffic to Okinawa came from China,” Makoto Suzuki, global sales and marketing at Kariyushi Hotels Group, Okinawa, told TTG Asia.
Now, with the continuation of China’s zero-Covid policy, “the most speedy recovery is expected to be from Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong,” he said.
Hong Kong Airlines resumed direct flights to Naha International Airport, Okinawa, on November 2, while Korean Airlines will resume flights from Incheon International Airport, Seoul, to Naha on December 1.
Meanwhile, in Shizuoka Prefecture, where 73 per cent of all international tourists in 2019 arrived from China, efforts are ongoing to attract the luxury market, including in Europe.
Accommodations opened in recent months include Loquat Villa Suguro, which was converted from a 100-year-old traditional property, and two new glamping sites in the foothills of Mount Fuji: Gran Regalo Asagiri and Moss Jurigi.
Indonesia welcomed G20 delegates this week with upgraded and sustainable infrastructure and attractions in Bali, with a spotlight on local cultural arts and craft and cuisine.
Angela Tanoesoedibjo, vice minister of tourism and creative economy, said at a virtual media briefing from Bali that the offer of various national dishes represented an Indonesian gastronomic diplomacy.
Electric vehicles were operated during the event to bring the G20 delegates around (Photo: Media Centre G20 Indonesia)
Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s (MoTCE) deputy of tourism products and events, Rizki Handayani, shared that the Story of Gulu and Friends food theatre and the Archipelago on a Tray highlighted culinary delights from different parts of Indonesia.
She said: “The tray, for example, showcased (dishes with ingredients) sourced from Aceh to Papua. The duck, for example, was from Sumatra, coffee from Gayo (Aceh), and tea from West Java. All islands in the country were represented (in the lunch).”
The story of sustainable food sources was also presented through an integrated performance.
As part of the G20 side event, head of delegations visited the Ngurah Rai Mangrove Forest Park. Ahead of the visit, facilities at the mangrove area were upgraded, including the construction of the entrance gate, parking area, G20 monument, plaza area, Beji (the sacred garden in the temple area), Wantilan (pavilion), mangrove tracking track, nursery area, nursery irrigation system, receiving area, viewing deck towards Benoa Bay, and viewing tower.
The Estuary Dam Solar Power Plant (SPP) also had upgrading works done, such as optimising the function of the water reservoir in the Muara Reservoir, which is expected to reduce the impact of climate change. This renewable energy transition is in line with one of the global issues at the G20 Summit.
In addition, Indonesia showcased its green energy concept by implementing the SPP on the Bali-Mandara Toll Road, with electric vehicles – 962 cars, 454 motorcycles, and 28 bus units – operated during the event to move G20 delegates around.
Amadeus is partnering with Yanolja Cloud, the wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korean travel company Yanolja, to shape the future of travel with the creation of Travel Innovation Alliance.
The alliance will unlock key strategic areas of interest that will improve the travel experience for customers all over the world. Both organisations will combine their resources, strategic objectives, and roadmaps for the future, and work together through deep dive workshops to identify key target areas to invest in, and the next big problems to solve in travel.
From left: Yanolja’s Jongyoon Kim and Amadeus’ Fred Barou
Many aspects of travel will be explored to find areas of synergy such as accommodation, airline merchandising and distribution, destination tours, and tickets to activities like concerts, sports, and exhibits. This offers the possibility for Yanolja and its affiliates to gain access to Amadeus’ global network of travel sellers via the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Other Amadeus content and solutions will also be reviewed for integration into existing Yanolja Cloud and affiliate platforms.
In addition, Yanolja Cloud and its affiliates will deep dive into Amadeus’ search solutions such as MasterPricer and Instant Search, as well as technology around automation and merchandising to enhance Yanolja platforms. Together, these solutions will help travellers using the Yanolja platforms find and book personalised travel experiences easier and faster than ever before, while travel sellers will be able to reach their target customers more efficiently.
“This Travel Innovation Alliance is a key step in our commitment to giving back to the travel industry and travellers,” said Fred Barou, senior vice president, online travel and market strategy, Asia Pacific, Amadeus.
Jongyoon Kim, CEO of Yanolja and Yanolja Cloud, added: “The travel industry can only evolve and innovate at the speed of collaboration. In today’s connected and globalised world, no company can risk working alone. Working together, we will be able to achieve great things and accelerate the much-needed transformation of this industry.”
AirAsia will increase flights to and from Hong Kong starting this December, with a special promotion to support the surge in travel demand ahead of the upcoming festive seasons.
From December 15, flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok (Don Mueang) will increase to four times weekly, while Hong Kong-Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong-Manila will operate three-times weekly.
AirAsia will fly to and from Hong Kong starting December
With the promotional all-in one-way fare starting from HK$672 (US$85), passengers can now fly to destinations in South-east Asia, or connect via the airline’s network to Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Singapore, Bali and more.
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has partnered Dinso Resort Co. to introduce its Luxury & Lifestyle collection brand, Vignette Collection, to Thailand’s Patong in mid-2023.
The sustainability-focused Dinso Resort Phuket, Vignette Collection will support the brand’s continued global expansion since its launch in 2021. It will be IHG’s fourth opened or pipeline Vignette Collection property in Thailand.
The sustainability-focused Dinso Resort Phuket, Vignette Collection will open mid-2023
A 60-minute drive from Phuket International Airport and just eight minutes from the tourism hub of Patong, the resort is located nearby Patong Beach, restaurants, bars, night markets and shopping centres.
The property offers 148 rooms and suites, as well as 26 tree-top pool villas. Facilities include two restaurants and bars, a 150m² meeting room, swimming pool, fitness centre and spa.
Singapore gears up for the inaugural Singapore Sail Grand Prix (SailGP), supported by Singapore Tourism Board, which will take place on January 14 and 15, 2023 at the destination’s Parkland Green in East Coast Park.
It will be the eighth leg of an eleven-stop global championship that visits some of the world’s most iconic cities – from San Francisco to Saint-Tropez to Sydney, and for the first-time ever in the region, Singapore.
The eighth leg of the Sail Grand Prix will be held in Singapore for the first time ever in January next year
With teams from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the US sailing F50 catamarans at highway speeds, guests can enjoy the exciting event from shore with a range of ticket options starting from S$28 (US$20). These include private VIP hospitality suites, waterfront access to the race village that includes live commentary and entertainment, plus access to the race boats and opportunities to interact with SailGP athletes.
Guests can even go behind the scenes at the SailGP Team Bases, and tour the “pit lane garages” where athletes and shore teams prepare the high-tech F50 race boats.
Prior to that, Sison was director of sales at Raffles and Fairmont Makati as well as Mandarin Oriental in Manila. She was also director of sales and marketing at Discovery Suites Ortigas.
