Wyndham upgrades loyalty rewards for the holiday season
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ Wyndham Rewards programme is offering 20 per cent off hotel rates for stays between October 25, 2022 and February 28, 2023.
The discount applies to stays for two consecutive nights or more at participating hotels in Asia-Pacific.
Unravel the Gift of Holiday Fun offer also dishes out complimentary daily breakfast for two at any participating Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in China or a free room upgrade to the next tier at participating hotels in all other countries across Asia-Pacific.
In addition, members that book directly will earn additional 3,000 Wyndham Rewards bonus points.
Trip.com teams up with Queensland
Trip.com Group, together with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), has launched a promotional campaign targeting travellers from six major markets to experience A Beautiful Way to Be in Queensland.
Aimed at travellers in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, the campaign will focus on two key tourist segments – couple getaways and family vacations.
A Beautiful Way to Be went live on October 25 and will run for a month. It is
TEQ’s first global campaign to launch in six international markets simultaneously.
Trip.com will host dedicated localised pages sharing all the wonders of Queensland, as well as hotel discount coupons for consumers when booking Queensland hotels on its platform.
According to Tourism Research Australia, Queensland welcomed 194,000 tourists around the 3Q2022, still below pre-pandemic levels but up by 542 per cent compared to the same time in 2021 following the loosening of exit and entry policies.
Trip.com’s data showed that searches for Queensland as a destination rose nearly 350 per cent from January to August 2022 compared to the same period last year, with the upward trend continuing.
Edison Chen, general manager, destination marketing, Trip.com Group, commented that this campaign “marks a great step forward for Trip.com Group’s growth in the region”.
Ant Group, STB deepen partnership to drive tourists to Singapore
Ant Group has expanded its partnership with Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to make cross-border travel to Singapore more seamless and convenient with the SingapoReimagine with Alipay+ campaign.
Having collaborated since 2019, both parties will drive tourism growth in Singapore through a series of digital and marketing initiatives over the next two years in key markets like Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand.
To help Singapore businesses reach and engage a new pool of customers while increasing the visibility and awareness of Singapore’s tourism offerings, the joint campaign will also highlight exclusive offers to users of the six Alipay+ partner mobile wallets when they travel to Singapore.
The new mobile wallets accepted in Singapore are GCash from the Philippines, TrueMoney from Thailand, and AlipayHK from Hong Kong, adding to existing partners Kakao Pay from South Korea, Touch ’n Go eWallet from Malaysia and Alipay from Mainland China.
Travellers with these mobile wallets can easily and securely transact with local businesses across tourism and lifestyle industries that accept Alipay+.
In addition, Ant Group will progressively expand the Passion Made Possible Privileges, a mini programme co-branded with STB to serve tourists in Singapore – previously available only on Alipay – to other Alipay+ mobile wallets.
STB and Alipay+ will also pilot digital solutions with local businesses in areas such as digitalisation of service operations, digital marketing efficiency and enhancing customer experience.
STB chief executive Keith Tan said: “Singapore has seen strong travel demand from Asia since our reopening and we hope our joint initiatives can grow and sustain that demand.
“The next phase of our exciting partnership with Ant Group will also offer a seamless experience when travellers visit Singapore, build affinity for our destination, and drive the digitalisation of our tourism sector.”
AIRA holds inaugural B2B fair; promotes itself on the world stage
The Association of Indonesian Recreational Parks & Attractions (AIRA or PUTRI in Bahasa Indonesia) recently held its own PUTRI Travel Fair for the first time in Jakarta, with the aim of making it an annual affair.
Hans Manansang, chairman of AIRA and managing director of Jakarta Aquarium and Safari, said at the fair’s opening: “The goal of this event is to promote the existence of AIRA, as well as to boost sales among the (members), who have been (affected the most by the pandemic).”
Also present at the fair were non-member sellers representing the Greater Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali areas.
Aside from B2B selling, Heni Smith, secretary general of AIRA added that the fair was also a promotional event which offered direct sales to the general public, as well as schools and travel companies in the greater Jakarta area.
AIRA is a non-profit organisation founded in 1973, with members ranging from recreational parks and tourist villages to conservation areas and natural attractions.
It counts East Java Park, Safari Park, Ancol Dreamland, Jakarta Aquarium & Safari, Yogyakarta Palace Museum, Merapi Park, Saung Angklung Udjo, Mini Indonesia Park, Bunaken Marine Park, Bogor Botanical Gardens, Lombok Wildlife Park, Lombok Tree House, Marina and Sei Timiang Agrotourism, and Galang Island Historical Tourism Area, among its members.
Apart from hosting its own travel fair in Jakarta, AIRA recently participated at ITB Asia in Singapore to promote itself on the international market by introducing its members and products available in Indonesia.
Emirates serves up vegan dining options
In line with the upcoming World Vegan Day on November 1, Emirates has introduced a curated vegan menu into First and Business Class, as well as refreshed the selection of plant-based produce for Economy Class menus.
The vegan menu in First and Business Class was developed after a year of multiple presentations and tastings at the Emirates Flight Catering based at Dubai International Airport. The tasting panels included both vegan and non-vegan chefs and team members to ensure an inclusive approach.
In Economy Class, current passenger favourites include a spinach and avocado mousseline, with marinated tofu, blanched snow peas, radish, asparagus, pomegranate seeds, courgette ribbon and sriracha oil; and arley risotto with mushrooms, served with sundried tomatoes, buttered chestnuts, blanched broccolini and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Menus across all classes are refreshed monthly, where the airline currently offers more than 180 plant-based recipes catering to vegan customers. The vegan dishes are complemented by gluten-free Vitality juices, a bespoke range of juice blends, created by UAE brand Barakat.
Meanwhile, ingredients for the new vegan dishes are sustainably sourced from UAE-based suppliers, such as Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm.
Although Emirates has been serving vegan options onboard since the 1990s, vegan dishes are now rapidly gaining popularity on routes from the US, Australia, Europe and the UK.
These new vegan options are available to order and pre-order onboard, as well as in Emirates Lounges.
Accor, Panthers Group ink deal for Pullman Sydney Penrith
Accor and Panthers Group have partnered to launch a new five-star Pullman hotel at the Penrith Panthers precinct in Western Sydney, slated to open in 4Q2023.
The 153-room Pullman Sydney Penrith hotel forms part of Panthers Group’s landmark transformation of the Penrith Panthers precinct to create a new state-of-the-art business and entertainment destination, and follows Accor’s seven-year deal for the naming rights of Accor Stadium at Sydney’s Olympic Park.
The hotel will service the adjoining new 1,250m² Western Sydney Conference Centre (WSCC), which remains on track to open in 4Q2023, and will include a café as well as a restaurant and bar.
Panthers Group CEO, Brian Fletcher, said: “Pullman Sydney Penrith will be a welcome addition to Western Sydney’s tourism offering and builds upon the existing and upcoming new amenities within the Panthers precinct and the wider Penrith locale.
“This development will enhance Penrith’s reputation as a world-class event and tourism destination.”
Meanwhile, the upcoming Western Sydney International Airport – set to open in 2026 – is just a 30-minute drive away.
Go on a geological adventure with Ocean Park
Ocean Park is adding a new programme, Little Geologist, to its marine tourism series Island South Discovery which will bring guests on a boat ride to explore Hong Kong’s southern coastal geology and discover its ecological and cultural diversity.
There are two adventures to choose from. The Little Geologist – Surf in History Tour, priced at HK$688 (US$87), is for those aged nine and above, and combines a jet boating experience with an educational sightseeing opportunity where participants will learn about Hong Kong’s military and nautical history as they go past landmark attractions including Murray House in Stanley and the Wordless Monument in Tai Tam Bay.
Meanwhile, the Little Geologist – Life on Coast Tour, priced at HK$190, is suitable for adults and younger kids (three and up), where they relax on a traditional fishing boat and learn about Hong Kong’s fishing heritage and culture, and explore the different rock formations like the Godzilla Rock in Tau Chai, and the sea caves around Middle Island.
The programmes are narrated in Cantonese and run from October 29, 2022 to January 2, 2023 at scheduled timings. Participants below 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, visit Ocean Park.
Satish Kumar helms St Regis Goa Resort
The St Regis Goa Resort has appointed Satish Kumar as general manager.
Kumar was previously general manager at The Leela Goa and Conrad Pune.
He has over two decades of experience in luxury hospitality, having led hotel operations with The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, The Taj Group of Hotels, and overseas properties like The Marriott Marquis Doha, The Westin & Le Méridien City Centre Bahrain, and JW Marriott Jakarta.
Sorano Hotel
Opened in 2020 when Japan was still closed off to the world and domestic movements were limited, Sorano Hotel in Tachikawa, a city in western Tokyo Metropolis, became a well-kept secret of Tokyo urbanites looking to escape the humdrum of city life.
Now that Japan is welcoming international travellers again, Sorano Hotel can finally demonstrate to a wider audience why it is so loved by local Tokyo staycationers.
Location
A 30-minute train ride from Tokyo’s Shinjuku takes one from a busy part of the Japanese metropolis to a quieter district where gardens and open spaces are visible in all directions.
This district is the new Green Springs multipurpose lifestyle development that was launched to a limited and domestic public in April 2020, when international travel was heavily restricted to stave off Covid-19 infections.
The biophilic design of Green Springs means visitors are brought into a garden city, where public spaces are filled with trees, shrubs and plenty of places for rest and interactions.
Benefiting from this concept is Sorano Hotel, whose prominent entrance resembles a tent. Stepping within, guests will find themselves in a cocoon of light-coloured wood and gentle shades of grey and white, complemented by endless stretches of greens beyond the enormous windows.
Accommodation
Sorano Hotel offers just 81 keys, which helps to maintain its intimate and serene setting for guests looking to rejuvenate in peace. Rooms are generously sized – from 52m2 standard rooms to 86m2 one-bedroom suites.
Among standard rooms, there are four types on offer – Sky King Park View, Premier Park View, Wa Modern Park View, and Wa Modern Garden Terrace. They are differentiated by Japanese or western-style layout, and by the levels they are on.
I spent the night in a Premier Park View on level eight, and I adore it for its space, therapeutic green views from my balcony, and palette of earthy and neutral shades. What I love even more is its lightning system, which comes in Day, Night and Midnight modes. Lights turn up and down progressively over 17 seconds to mimic sunrise and sunset.
The room offers twin beds and an oversized ottoman that can be combined with the sofa to create a third bed. This is an ideal option for families with young children. Another treat is the large bathroom that comes with both a bath and shower.
I had a peek into a Japanese-style standard room, which comes furnished with thick futon-style mattresses on a tatami floor plus a low table where guests can sit at for a cup of matcha. It is a tantalising option for travellers wanting a local stay experience in a modern hotel.
Another good point to note – the hotel is pet-friendly!
F&B
There are two dining venues– Daichino Restaurant on the ground floor and Sorano Rooftop Bar on level 11.
Daichino Restaurant takes pride in using locally-sourced ingredients, with priority given to fresh and seasonal produce – particularly vegetables – from the Tama region where Tachikawa belongs. The sustainability-focused kitchen will source from around Japan when needed.
Its menu claims to showcase “Japanese crossover food” which is defined as Japanese food fused with “the essences of dishes from various countries”. I am not sure what that means because my bento lunch was as Japanese as I could wish my meal to be. I am impressed by the visual presentation and flavours of my lunchbox. The six bite-sized dishes – comprising delicacies like straw-smoked autumn salmon and Shiratama miso-glazed eggplant – and accompanying seasoned rice and red miso soup are memorable.
I did not have time for a post-dinner tipple at Sorano Rooftop Bar, but I was able to pop in quickly to assess the space in the afternoon. With it located on the topmost floor, the bar boasts picturesque views of Showa Kinen Park and Mount Fuji in the distance.
Facilities
Private parties can take their pick of a 12-seat or 16-seat private dining room. There is a 40-seat Terrace that is a great spot for furkids to laze alongside their hoomans.
Sorano Spa is not to be missed. It comprises a 60-metre infinity pool plus a shallow wading pool for children; an indoor spa with piped-in hot spring water that is temperature controlled for year-round use; a Nano-Mist Sauna that uses ultra-fine particles; and a gym. Aqua tai-chi and yoga lessons are offered too.
A quick look at the hotel’s website reveals even more – and rather fascinating – wellness treatments, such as Full Moon Watsu Aqua Therapy that draws on the spiritual healing powers of, well, a full moon.
Service
The service team carry themselves elegantly, speaks well in English, and is attentive. My host at Daichino Restaurant took the time to introduce every dish he brought out to me.
Verdict
I am a city girl who loves escaping the city buzz while wanting modern conveniences and the occasional luxury treatment. Sorana Hotel satisfies all that I desire, while gifting me with the convenience of being in such close proximity to the beautiful Showa Kinen Park and the Tachikawa train station which can connect me with the Tokyo city centre.
Contact details
Tel: +81 0 42 540 7777
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.