William Costley has been appointed as Minor Hotels’ new senior vice president of operations for Asia.
In this role, Costley will oversee all Minor Hotels brands, including Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Hotels and NH Collection throughout Asia.
Based in Bangkok, he joins Minor Hotels after 32 years with Hilton Hotels, where he previously served in the same capacity overseeing the group’s Arabian Peninsula and Turkey region.
Brought to you by Silversea Cruises
There’s no better way to discover authentic beauty of Australasia on a Silversea ultra-luxury cruise. With a surplus of unique sights and flavours their idyllic itineraries, Silversea’s ultra-luxury cruises will have guests in its thrall from day one. There’s less than one month to go until Silver Muse begins her journey from Singapore to Australia, the start of Silversea’s long awaited 2022-2023 season with her first voyage embarking in Singapore and sailing via Indonesia before discovering the cities and ports of Australia. It has been two years since Silversea has sailed to this region and the upcoming season promises a deeper view of the region with a number of sailings offering a myriad of opportunities. Guests can immerse themselves in the wildlife sanctuaries of Kangaroo Island, explore Australia’s cosmopolitan cities or take in New Zealand’s awe inspiring Fjords. What’s more, with overnights and late departures on every voyage, Silversea promises an opportunity to travel deeper, wherever you are.
Sail this region on Silver Muse and enjoy one of the highest space-per-guest ratios at sea as well as the pleasures of finely appointed suites featuring expansive ocean views and lavish amenities. Silversea’s personalised butler service allows guest to indulge – attending to everything from unpacking luggage to serving a private breakfast, handling laundry requests, and shining shoes before dinner.
Discover Silversea’s Incredible Voyages
Singapore to Sydney: Sailing from Singapore to Sydney, this voyage takes in the very best of Australasia. Beginning with two days at sea, you’ll enjoy Bali’s fabled beauty and Lombok’s genteel way of life. Three further sea days will see you arriving on Australia’s west coast, with stops in Perth, Busselton and Albany. Kangaroo Island’s rich diversity of flora and fauna – and eponymous wildlife – will keep nature lovers happy, while the bustling cities of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney are perfect for urbanites.
Auckland to Melbourne: Experience the very best Australia and New Zealand on this amazing 12-day voyage that will take in stunning beauty, rugged shores, fascinating history and some very fine wine. A fusion of big cities – Wellington, tartan flare – Dunedin, rolling vineyards – Hobart, and days at sea this voyage is one the best bites the region has to offer.
Brought to you by TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An
Hotels should be designed for the guests, but also for the people who operate them. The new lifestyle brand TUI BLUE, which is currently making its way from Europe to Asia, has set itself exactly that target.
Holidaymakers enjoy hotels tailored to their individual needs and preferences. TUI Blue offers accommodation for adults aged 16+ as well as for families or travellers interested in local culture and authentic experiences. One of the first hotels the brand opened in Asia is the TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An in Vietnam.
The resort is located in Quang Nam, the famous central province of Vietnam, which is much appreciated by visitors because of its endless coastline and rich cultural heritage: two UNESCO protected sites as Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary. TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An is the very first 5-star resort located in the south of Quang Nam. The resort invites the guests to enjoy it’s scenic private beach with a long untouched stretch of white sand.
The hotel team has been working hard to reduce the environmental impact, while at the same time guests can discover the charm and hidden germs of the province and bring benefits to the local community. At TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An, sustainable initiatives are taken seriously and in-depth to ensure a responsible operation of the resort, a close interaction with the local community and creating amazing eco-friendly and authentic experience for the guests.
For example, the holidaymakers start the day by exploring the nearby Tam Tien Fish Market in the early morning. It’s only 2 km away from the resort and can be easily reached by walking on the beach or even cycling on a low tide day. The market has immerged spontaneously over 15 years ago, and still preserves its original simplicity. An authentic spot to buy some fresh fish, seafood and local delights.
Upon the return to the resort guests are invited for an organic garden tour. More than 50 species of local herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers are being grown at TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An for a unique farm-to-table experience. Chief Gardener Thoi will firstly welcome them with a glass of homemade lemonade infused with a hibiscus freshly harvested in his garden. Then he will proudly introduce one by one a variety of aromatic plants. All the fertilizers used in the garden are produced from the organic waste, collected in the same resort area then grinded and composted.
Amidst the lush organic garden, holidaymakers will find a bamboo hut where chef Qua will follow up with a cooking class, with the fresh seafood brought from the market and instant harvested herbs and vegetables from the organic garden. Guests will cook all these ingredients under the chef’s guidance and according to the local traditions and recipes. This is what Blue Taste is about.
Beside the culinary delights, the Blue Guides, acting as competent local contacts, support guests to find their perfect holiday experiences. And for those who prefer to look up details online, the Blue App is a digital service assistant before, during and after the trip to design an individual stay. The activities on site also include the comprehensive Bluef!t fitness and relaxation programme.
Not only the guests, but also the hotel team should find a specially designed environment. The TUI BLUE model offers partners the opportunity to increase the performance and revenue of their hotels, optimise costs and make hotel operations even more efficient. TUI BLUE belongs to TUI Group, one of the world’s leading tourism groups, and benefits from the operational expertise and marketing and sales power with 27 million customers per year. In addition, it also provides access to a digital hotel platform. The smart technology enables efficient hotel management and a seamless digital customer experience. For example, through the digital front office which streamlines collaboration across departments and different hotel areas in order to process the guest’s wishes faster and more efficiently. All elements of the comprehensive ecosystem are based on the long-standing know-how in designing holiday experiences.
The new lifestyle brand is planning to expand in China and Southeast Asia. Guest can look forward to new TUI BLUE locations and hotel partners are invited to join the family. Guided by heart, built on expertise.
The continued absence of an e-visa facility for travellers from critical source markets Canada and the UK is putting Indian inbound operators on edge, as they see potential business being lost to other more accessible destinations.
Indian inbound operators told TTG Asia that they have been demanding that the facility be resumed at the earliest.
The lack of in-person visa application appointments in the UK is also resulting in a significant number of trip cancellations to India, sources said.
Dipak Deva, managing director of Sita, TCI & Distant Frontiers, told TTG Asia that India’s tourism industry has much to lose from this situation.
“The largest source market for us is the UK – both in terms of volume and traveller spend. There has been a large number of cancellations in the last four weeks owing to the absence of the e-visa facility coupled with a (lengthy) waiting time to apply in-person for a visa, detailed Deva.
Although more visa slots are opening up now, travellers are still turned off by the inconvenience, he added.
Subhash Goyal, chairman of STIC Travel & Air Charter Group, said India’s introduction of the e-visa facility in 2014 had been a game-changer for the country’s tourism industry. Prior to that, visa applications for India was largely considered a tedious process.
“It was because of the e-visa facility that we recorded 11 million inbound tourists in 2019 and the country earned about US$30 billion in foreign exchange. However, as the government has stopped e-visa for two of the most important source markets (for India), inbound tourism has been adversely impacted,” said Goyal.
Indian tour operators are seeing potential customers moving to other destinations.
“After 2.5 years of the pandemic, the last thing you want is your largest source market being damaged because of a visa issue. This is a very important decision factor for a traveller, and they will opt for other destinations like Vietnam and Japan if a convenient visa option is not available,” stated Deva.
He noted that most of the UK customers who had cancelled trips to India were already booked to go to Japan instead.
Travel stakeholders in Goa also warned of severe business impact, as the UK contributes to charter business during the current peak inbound season.
“No charter clients will book India if they have to wait for a visa. Goa has a lot to lose from the absence of e-visa facility,” said Deva.
Deva also rued the weak destination marketing undertaken by the tourism ministry. He believes that promotions should have started six to eight months ago in various source markets to build demand for India.
“This is an opportunity lost,” he concluded.
Sydney-headquartered independent hotel management company La Vie Hotels & Resorts has restructured its business and established an umbrella brand, La Vie Hospitality Group, to house all of the group’s business units.
The new La Vie Hospitality Group comprises six business units including La Vie Hotels & Resorts, Leadwell Asset Management, La Vie Hospitality Services, Marion Building Management, Paro Procurement Group, and a joint venture with hospitality training school Alliance College.
Jerry Xu, founder and CEO, La Vie Hospitality Group, said: “This is an exciting evolution of our business and we’re proud to be one of the first Australian hospitality groups to launch a fully integrated offering that provides a one-stop shop for owners.”
Xu said La Vie Hospitality Group provides everything from managing hotels and procurement, to hiring and educating staff for its clients.
La Vie’s latest partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) is a “strategic brand and distribution partnership”, Shellia Chang, group director of sales & distribution, La Vie Hotels & Resorts told TTG Asia, as La Vie has numerous upper upscale boutique properties that do not fit with big brands.
Chang added: “We are opening another 38-room sustainable hotel in Surry Hills in Sydney, and the Islington Hobart, both in partnership with SLH.”
“We are also launching our own brand, with the first resort due to open in the Maldives by the end of this year.”
Other fresh launches include a hotel in Patong, Phuket, in partnership with Choice Hotels, and The Motley Hotel in Richmond as part of a multi-partnership deal with Amber Property Group. Currently, La Vie Hospitality Group operates hotels across Australia, Bhutan, China, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, the UAE and Ukraine.
“We are growing rapidly. In addition to Australia, South-east Asia is going to be our key focus in the next 12 months,” Chang affirmed.
When asked how its offering differs from franchise management, she explained: “We are owner-centric and offer a 360 degree and tailor-made approach. We have a great relationship with big brands. While our hotels can be a franchise of a brand, we are the ones managing the hotel, and we ensure commercial delivery for the owners.”
For instance, La Vie Hotels & Resorts works with Radisson Hotels Group for three properties in Sri Lanka, as the latter is considered as the “best fit” for the region to “maximise financial returns” for owners.
Marriott International has some very substantial sustainability and social impact goals to achieve by 2025. Can you shed light on how the company’s Asian divisions have been able to contribute towards Serve 360 in recent years?
Serve 360 is a critical framework developed to guide and track Marriott International’s sustainability and social impact efforts through 2025. It is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and outlines four priority areas – Nurture Our World, Sustain Responsible Operations, Empower Through Opportunity, and Welcome All and Advance Human Rights – each with its own set of 2025 goals.
Since the launch of Serve 360, our global operations have made significant impact across all four areas.
As part of Nurture Our World, our Asia-Pacific teams (excluding Greater China) launched a campaign in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. It sought to support those who have been affected, including our associates and their families. More than 2,000 associates contributed 3,500-plus volunteering hours to raise US$21,027 to the World Central Kitchen, which serves millions of fresh meals to Ukrainians fleeing their homes. Last year, when the pandemic devastated some of our markets, around US$660,000 was raised through the APEC Marriott Disaster Relief Fund to support associates who have been affected by the situation.
The Asia-Pacific (excluding Greater China) region is leading our international regions with a total contribution of 3.7 million volunteering hours to-date. Globally, our target is to contribute 15 million hours of volunteer service by 2025.
As part of Sustain Responsible Operations, one of our key programmes is the removal of tiny, single-use toiletry bottles. In 2019, we made a global commitment to replace these with larger, pump-topped bottles – ultimately preventing about 500 million tiny bottles annually from going to landfills. So far, 70 per cent hotels in my region have already implemented this change, and we are on track to fully comply by the end of 2022.
Food waste reduction is also one of our top priorities, and globally we have committed to reduce 50 per cent of our food waste by 2025. To support this ambitious target, more than two-thirds of Marriott hotels in our region are already enrolled in our environmental reporting platform. This is a crucial step because tracking will help our teams determine cost-effective solutions and avoid over-ordering. Studies have shown that Asia alone accounts for over 50 per cent of global food waste. We recognise the urgency of this issue and are working hard to enrol 100 per cent of our hotels by the end of the year, while continuing the expansion of our back-of-house food waste reduction programming.
Under our Empower Through Opportunity priority area, we have made Diversity, equity and inclusion integral to how we do business and interact with our key stakeholders. In Asia-Pacific (excluding Greater China), we’ve made significant progress towards gender parity for management positions. Around one-third of our hotel management positions are taken up by women, and there are 60 female general managers and hotel managers in the continent with a robust pipeline of top talent.
Supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion has also been a key priority for us. In this region, we created a formalised LGBTQ+ committee to increase visibility of the community and promote the importance of allyship within the workplace. Beyond the workplace, we partnered with external organisations…to raise awareness and demonstrate our full support towards LGBTQ+ inclusion.
And finally, for our Welcome All and Advance Human Rights priority area, Marriott International is committed to the fight against human trafficking, child sexual exploitation and forced labour. One of our 2025 targets is to have 100 per cent of on-property associates complete our human rights training. In my region, more than 55,000 associates from both managed and franchised properties have completed the training.
While this is by no means an exhaustive list, we recognise that there is still much work to be done. By leveraging the Serve 360 framework, we remain steadfastly committed to our goals as they guide our efforts to do good in every direction.
Did the pandemic disrupt Marriott’s ability to fulfil these goals?
To a certain extent, it did result in many of our programmes being put on hold. However, it is during these trying times that we also need to heavily rely on our core values to put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and continue to find the drive to serve our world.
Throughout this period, we are immensely proud of how our associates showed up for their local communities. Across the region, our hotels delivered lunch boxes, donated daily necessities, and collected unused linen for face mask production, just to name a few. There were many different efforts, but the outcome was the same – to help push through the crisis and serve our world.
Although the past few years have, arguably, never been more complex, global events such as the pandemic, increasing climate risks and humanitarian crises have led to significant increase in consumers prioritising purposeful brands. Challenging times like these have helped us reflect even harder on ways to advance sustainability and drive social impact around the world.
For example, last year we took the next step in our climate action journey with the announcement of our ambition to go net-zero, and commitment to setting a science-based target to aggressively reduce our environmental footprint. This year, we announced (our plan) to hire 1,500 refugees over the next three years.
Pioneered in Asia-Pacific, we have the Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme which was designed to meet our guests’ concerns about their personal impact on the environment and their need for more meaningful travel.
As the largest hospitality company in the world, we believe we have the responsibility to make a positive and sustainable impact wherever we do business. We are optimistic about the future of travel, and ready to pick up where we left off, go further, and look for more suitable opportunities to do good.
How do Marriott’s Serve 360 goals influence its conversations with clients, be they corporate accounts, trade buyers or leisure travellers?
Sustainability has been a priority for our customers for some time. However, a heightened focus on sustainability has become clearer during the pandemic as the natural environment in destinations previously impacted by over-tourism begin to recover.
Our Serve 360 goals provide a framework for us to partner with our customers, who have their own sustainability goals in mind, and are looking to embed many aspects of sustainability throughout their operations and value chain. As we work to advance our sustainability journey, we support our customers to do the same. This is particularly important in the area of reporting. For over a decade, the hospitality industry has been using a standard way to calculate two key metrics – carbon footprint and water footprint per occupied room. This information, along with environmental practices such as sustainability certification, recycling, and more have been shared with our business travel community through RFPs, addendums and business sales channels.
On the leisure side, this information has also been requested to help influence purchasing decisions. Google, Booking.com and others are adding hotel-level sustainability criteria to their search options, and our own Marriott.com hotel websites now also feature a Sustainability section – with further enhancements and sustainability practices forthcoming – to help our consumers better understand the responsible operations at each hotel.
Let’s talk more about the Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme, which has expanded from just 15 pilot hotels to nearly 100 hotels and resorts now across more than 50 destinations across Asia-Pacific in the span of a year. Where does it sit within the Serve 360 promise?
Our Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme is an extension of our Serve 360 efforts to make a positive and sustainable impact wherever we do business. The programme invites guests to reimagine travel from a perspective of pure leisure to an opportunity to forge deeper connections with local communities and environments, and create a positive impact on the places they visit.
To create meaningful and purpose-driven experiences, we make a concerted effort to work closely with NGOs and local experts, such as marine biologists and artists. To qualify, each of the experiences must fall within the three distinct pillars: Environmental Protection aimed at supporting the resiliency of the natural environment due to environmental degradation, pollution, and climate change; Community Engagement aimed at creating a positive impact in the communities where Marriott hotels operate through cultural education or volunteerism; and Marine Conservation designed to restore and preserve marine ecosystems and species.
In addition, we have a cross-disciplinary governance committee that reviews each hotel application from the perspective of operational feasibility; local relevance; community/environmental impact; brand resonance. All experiences are further tailored to support resiliency in the individual environment and community surrounding each hotel and will vary from one another due to different location needs, partners engagement and programme design.
Has Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy provided the company with new ways to engage its customers and to build valuable loyalty during the pandemic and now that travel has returned?
We are constantly finding new and meaningful ways to build emotional connections and engage with our close to 60 million Marriott Bonvoy members across Asia-Pacific. Our award-winning Marriott Bonvoy programme, in particular, offers guests the opportunity to unlock extraordinary experiences in appreciation for their loyalty. Members can redeem their points on getaways, vacations, flights and exclusive once-in-a-lifetime, money-can’t-buy experiences with Marriott Bonvoy Moments.
Now that travel has returned, we have observed that travel is becoming increasingly purpose-driven and impact-oriented. People are now looking to spend intentionally with the goal of leaving a positive impact whenever and wherever they travel to. According to the 2022 American Express Travel Global Survey, 83 per cent of millennials are considering the importance of purpose when they plan trips and decide which companies to work with, higher than 79 per cent of overall survey respondents.
Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy offers specifically curated guest experiences for sustainability and social impact awareness and action, and empowers guests to make a positive impact on the environment or communities when they stay at Marriott International hotels.
Cruise line Royal Caribbean celebrated the return of port call sailings in Phuket on October 30, with the popular Thai destination now offered on four- to seven-night cruises with Spectrum of the Seas.
Speaking at a commemorative event, Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International, said: “Thailand is hugely popular with our guests from Singapore – its distinctive food, culture and welcoming locals have made the country a destination of choice for many, and we are thrilled to be able to visit Phuket again so travellers can fully experience the wonders and rich heritage of the Southeast Asian region.”
The celebratory event was attended by Cherngchai Chomcherngpat, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy and deputy director of Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center, as well as Phuket governor Narong Wun Siew.
Stephen said the cruise line’s return to Phuket will uplift the local travel and tourism industries.
Royal Caribbean continues to work closely with governments in the Asia region to rebuild cruise tourism, with itineraries to Vietnam, China and Japan set to be offered in its 2023-24 sailings.
Meanwhile, Spectrum of the Seas has brought back its All Access Tour, which takes guests behind the scenes to show how the Royal Caribbean experience is brought to life. Conducted by the most senior officers onboard, participants can learn more about the technological side of cruising along with exciting fun facts through exclusive access to onboard facilities such as the navigational center of the ship.
Cebu Pacific has launched self-bag drop counters in its domestic operations, becoming the first local carrier to use the new technology in Clark International Airport.
Noel Manankil, CEO of the Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp., the consortium that operates and manages Clark International Airport, said in a press statement that the self-bag drop facility is one of the key features of the airport’s new terminal.
“We are happy that Cebu Pacific has now fully integrated the use of this contactless feature, bringing to fruition our promise of a seamless and hassle-free passenger journey here at (Clark International Airport),” said Manankil.
Cebu Pacific currently flies six times weekly between Clark and Cebu, and has intentions to ramp up the service to once daily by December 2022.
Lei Apostol, vice president for customer service operations at Cebu Pacific, said the enhancement reflects the airline’s readiness to cater to the anticipated influx of passengers from Clark.
“We believe this state-of-the-art contactless solution will make our services move faster and more efficiently in Clark,” said Apostol.
An extended partnership between Accor and Avis will gift members of ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty programme reward points when they book Avis car rentals in Australia and New Zealand.
ALL members will now earn 125 reward points per rental day on rentals of up to six days, or 150 reward points per rental per day for rentals lasting more than seven days.
Indonesia tourism villages are enjoying increased attention, as travellers are drawn to peaceful attractions, found a new Google trends report.
According to Google data, online searches for such villages in Indonesia rose by 68 per cent between September 2021 and August 2022 when contrasted against the same period in 2020/2021.
Vania Anindiar, industry analyst at Google Indonesia, explained: “There is an interest in tourist attractions that are quieter, more relaxed, more peaceful, and without too many famous tourist attractions. (Google) users are looking for is a place to hide.”
Google also found a spike in search words combining ‘yoga’ and ‘meditation’ with ‘tourism villages’, noted Anindiar.
This trend shows that efforts to develop and promote tourism villages by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) have paid off.
Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s minister of tourism and creative economy, said tourism villages have become a world trend, as they offer an authentic holiday experience in a relaxed and healthy environment.
The MoTCE recently held the 2022 Indonesian Tourism Village Award, which selected 50 best villages out of 3,416 participating villages throughout the country. The shortlist contains villages that offer varied tourist attractions, ranging from religious and culture to ecotourism and agro-tourism draws.
Some tourism villages told TTG Asia that there have indeed been busier and more rewarding days.
Rudi Riono, head of Bugisan’s Travel Awareness Group which manages the Bugisan Tourism Village of Klaten in Central Java, said both the number of visitors and revenue obtained by the surrounding community have grown by 20 per cent. Domestic arrivals to his village in 2021 totalled 18,818, but January to September 2022 brought far more – 52,522 domestic tourists and 1,009 from outside of Indonesia.
He said tourists had either booked through travel companies or directly with his village. Of those from travel companies, most were students and tourists from overseas, with some being locals.
Penglipuran Bali Tourism Village also reported a significant increase in arrivals. In 2021, the village welcomed 565 international visitors and 146,144 domestic visitors. As of September 2022, there were 29,294 international visitors and 374,472 from across Indonesia, shared I Wayan Sumiarsa, general manager of Penglipuran Bali Tourism Village.
He noted that travel agents were the key drivers of business, as 75 per cent of visitors came through that channel.