Village Hotels has a new Discovery Package offering guests the best value-for-money staycation experience.
Guests who book the Discovery Package can now enjoy a complimentary upgrade to a Deluxe room at Village Hotels, as well as breakfast for two, late check-out, and Village Currency worth S$30 (US$21) to use at over 20 partner establishments.
Village Hotels’ Discovery Package is available at four properties; Village Hotel Katong pictured
Also included in the package is the interactive LocoMole Precinct Trail app for those keen on exploring Singapore’s major attractions around the hotel precinct; and a Village Passport with local recommendations.
Available daily at the hotel lobby is the retro snacks pushcart featuring some of Singapore’s favourite childhood snacks – ice gems, wheel crackers, haw flakes, white rabbit candy and more!
From as low as S$188 nett per room per night, the Discovery Package is available for booking from now till December 30, 2023 for stays till December 30, 2023.
Participating Village Hotels include Albert Court, Bugis, Changi and Katong.
Sri Lanka is setting up a new authority to develop a string of small islands across its shores into tourist resorts, modelled on the success of tourism in neighbouring Maldives.
The move comes amid the struggle by the country to regain its tourism potential after a series of setbacks precipitated by the Easter Sunday terror attacks in 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic year-long closure of the airport, an acute shortage of foreign currency and an economic crisis triggering protests across the country which thwarted tourists from visiting Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka islands have the potential for tourism; colonial ruins built of coral stones on Delft island pictured
Arrivals have fallen to record lows from the peak in 2018. Arrivals totalled 526,232 in January-September this year compared to 1.7 million in the same 2018 period. The main source markets this year were India, the UK, Australia, Germany and Russia. Sri Lanka is aiming to attract one million arrivals this year.
Urban development minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the government will soon set up the Sri Lanka Islands Development Authority to harness maximum benefits of more than 60 small islands around the country, developing these as tourist destinations. A cabinet paper for this purpose will be submitted to the cabinet of ministers soon.
The country has missed opportunities on a number of occasions due to inappropriate economic policies, continuous political violence including insurgency, North East war, Easter Sunday bomb attacks and, the recent economic upheaval and protests. The present administration has to leapfrog in terms of tourism development to secure much needed foreign exchange for the country, said Ranatunga, a former tourism minister.
Tourism with earnings of US$4 billion in 2018 was a top foreign exchange earner for the country along with remittances from migrant workers and apparel exports.
Hoteliers welcomed the move but said it would depend on what extent the government would prepare the infrastructure and other groundwork.
“There is immense potential for tourism on small islands,” said Hiran Cooray, chairman of Jetwing Symphony hotels and a former chairman of the Tourist Hotels Association. He referred in particular to Delft island off the northern coast which has one of the best beaches in the country.
However, he pointed out that the infrastructure needs to be in place before attracting investors.
The Maldives is one of the biggest success stories in the world where about 200 resorts have been established on its islands under a one-island-one-resort concept.
Officials from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said an agreement has been signed to lease out Uchchamunai Island in the north-west Kalpitiya region to a Swiss investor. This $417.5 million project will be implemented under the Kalpitiya Tourism Development Master Plan of the SLTDA.
Hong Kong’s lengthy travel and tourism disruption has claimed another corporate victim – the 58-year-old Hong Thai Travel, whose parent company Caissa Tosun Development Co. in Shenzhen announced its liquidation on October 28.
Hong Thai Travel’s departure from the industry follows another shocking closure of Morning Star Travel earlier this year.
Hong Kong’s travel and tourism trade are concerned more companies could go bust in the coming months
The decision came to light after all six branches of Hong Thai Travel were suddenly shut down on October 26. A notice issued by Caissa Tosun Development Co. stated that the company is unable to repay its debts due to dwindling profits resulting from the pandemic.
As of June 30, 2022, Hong Thai Travel’s negative asset stood at $68 million yuan (US$9.3 million) while income for the first six months of 2022 was $10 million yuan.
Hong Thai Travel’s closure has triggered alarm among Hong Kong’s travel and tourism trade, who fear that more companies could go bust in the coming months as the government has no clear timelines for Hong Kong’s removal of all Covid-19 restrictions and reopening of China’s borders.
Blue Sky Travel, managing director, Angela Ng, told TTG Asia: “It’s heartbreaking to see Hong Thai Travel go.”
She added that its closure serve as a warning to other agencies in Hong Kong.
“It’s lucky if agents can survive today,” she remarked, adding that Hong Kong’s 0+3 travel measure serves little benefit to motivate arrivals.
The 0+3 arrangement requires inbound travellers to undergo daily medical surveillance for the three days of arrival, which comprises daily RAT/ARTs and a PCR test on the second day, followed by a further five days of self-monitoring with daily RAT/ARTs and PCR tests on the fourth and sixth day.
“Furthermore, with the establishment of TIA, agents have to comply with more formalities and (regulations),” Ng said.
The industry is now watching the development of Connexus Travel, another important industry player that has laid off most of its staff and awaiting a restructure.
In a letter issued to clients in September that TTG Asia got to see, Connexus Travel said the decision “to scale down our operation during these uncertain times” was due to “a host of quarantine and travel restrictions in the last few years” and recovery that is “still beset with difficulties”.
A former employee with Connexus Travel told TTG Asia that a new CEO would take over in December to explore and set a new business direction for the company.
Connexus Travel’s former CEO, Gloria Slethaug, has recently joined Greater Bay Airlines as general manager for marketing & sales.
Connexus Travel was formed in 2017, following Swire Travel’s acquisition by KWG Property Holdings. It later took over another established agency, Jardine Travel, in 2020.
According to Travel Industry Authority, Connexus Travel’s licence will expire after January 31, 2023.
The 2022 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed that top concerns by travellers in the post-Covid crisis period are focused on simplification and convenience.
“Travel during Covid-19 was complex, cumbersome and time consuming due to government-imposed travel requirements. Post-pandemic, passengers want improved convenience throughout their trip. Digitalisation and use of biometrics to speed up the travel journey is the key,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security.
Passengers are willing to take advantage of technology to improve the convenience of their airport experience
Planning and booking
Passengers want convenience when they plan their travel and when choosing where to depart from.
Proximity to the airport was a main priority when choosing where to fly from (75%) over ticket price (39%). 82% of travellers were satisfied being able to pay with their preferred payment method and having access to planning and booking information in one single place. 18% of passengers said that they offset their carbon emissions, with 36% that did not citing the reason that they were unaware of the option.
Travel facilitation
Most travellers are willing to share their immigration information for more convenient processing, with travellers sharing they have been discouraged from travelling to a particular destination because of immigration requirements (37%).
Process complexity was highlighted as the main deterrent by 65% of travellers, 12% cited costs and 8% time.
Where visas are required, 66% of travellers want to obtain a visa online prior to travel, 20% prefer to go to the consulate or embassy, and 14% at the airport.
To speed up the airport arrival process, 83% of travellers said they would share their immigration information – slightly down from the 88% recorded in 2021.
Airport processes
Passengers are willing to take advantage of technology and re-thought processes to improve the convenience of their airport experience and manage their baggage.
44% of travellers identified check-in as their top pick for off-airport processing, with immigration procedures the second most popular (32%), followed by baggage. 93% of passengers showed interest in a special programme for trusted travellers (background checks) to expedite security screening.
For baggage handling, 67% are interested in home pick-up and delivery and 73% in remote check-in options. 80% of passengers said that would be more likely to check a bag if they could monitor it throughout the journey, and 50% said that they have used or would be interested in using an electronic bag tag.
In using biometric identification, 75% of passengers want to use biometric data instead of passports and boarding passes. Over a third have already experienced using biometric identification in their travels, with an 88% satisfaction rate – however, data protection remains a concern for about half of travellers.
“Passengers clearly see technology as key to improving the convenience of airport processes. The technology exists to support this ideal experience, but we need cooperation across the value chain and with governments to make it happen. We need to continuously reassure passengers that the data needed to support such an experience will be safely kept,” said Careen.
The landmark Ambassador Hotel Taipei has closed its doors after over five decades in operation and will undergo a complete redesign to be unveiled as Ambassador Palace Hotel Taipei in 2028.
Ambassador Palace Hotel Taipei will be located in the trendy Zhongshan district, just a 15-minute drive from Taipei Songshan Airport and a 40-minute drive from Taoyuan International Airport.
Ambassador Hotel Taipei will undergo a complete redesign and debut as Ambassador Palace Hotel Taipei in 2028
The Ambassador Hotel was the first privately owned luxury hotel in Taiwan when it opened in 1964. Previously with 425 guestrooms, six restaurants and 29 banquet rooms, the new hotel will debut with 106 rooms and suites and feature a fitness centre, swimming pool, lounge, spa and versatile events spaces. The expansive property will also encompass 73 luxury private residences housed in an adjacent, 23-story tower.
Daisuke Yoshihara, president, Palace Hotel Co. shared: “It’s fitting that our first luxury project outside of Japan is in collaboration with a brand that trades on its history as an ambassador.”
In fact, it was during the original Palace Hotel’s nearly half-a-century tenure that 284 ambassadors from 124 countries made the journey by horse and carriage from the hotel to the Imperial Palace nearby to present their credentials to the emperor.
Commenting on the collaboration with The Ambassador Hotel Co., he added: “Both properties have played a pivotal role in elevating the hospitality industry in each country. Through this partnership, we will work together to take the Ambassador brand to ambitious new heights, just as we have done with Palace Hotel Tokyo.”
Palace Hotel Tokyo also underwent a transformation over a decade ago, with a three-year rebuild from the ground up followed by a re-opening in 2012. Palace Hotel Co. will draw on this wealth of experience as it begins a similar journey in Taipei.
Accor has signed its first Mercure property in Cambodia in the country’s capital, Phnom Penh. Mercure Phnom Penh Beung Keng Kong 1 will boast 200 rooms and is set to open in 2027.
Accor currently has six hotels in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, with a pipeline of four committed projects across Cambodia.
Mercure Phnom Penh Beung Keng Kong 1 will be Accor’s first Mercure property in Cambodia
Mercure Phnom Penh Beung Keng Kong 1 will be located in the city’s Beung Keng Kong district featuring an array of restaurants, bars, shops and international schools.
The hotel will offer a restaurant, bar, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, and event spaces. It is in close proximity to the Independence Monument, Central Market, Royal Palace and National Museum.
“We are delighted to sign the first Mercure hotel in Cambodia and look forward to unveiling this fabulous address to our loyal fans,” said Garth Simmons, CEO, Accor, South-east Asia, Japan and South Korea.
“The hotel will also enrich our collection of hotels in Cambodia which today encompasses the Raffles, Sofitel and ibis Styles brands.”
Aircalin is expanding its flight programme between Singapore and Noumea, increasing the number of weekly flights to four from October 31.
The route will depart Singapore in the morning or overnight with an early arrival in Noumea. For return flights, there will be two flights departing Noumea in the morning and two flights in the evening.
Aircalin will expand its Singapore-Noumea service from October 31
These new schedules will allow travellers to connect flights in both directions – to and from South-east Asia, as well as to and from Pacific Islands like Tahiti via Noumea.
Didier Tappero, CEO, Aircalin shared: “We aim to foster greater interest in New Caledonia as an attractive travel destination and entice them to fly with Aircalin.”
The Bangkok Riverside Fest is back in 2023 after a three-year hiatus. The three-day event by the banks of the Chaopraya River will take place from February 3-5 next year.
With many top entertainment acts set to play at the event, there is also a line-up of festival activities such as a Gourmet Zone including international and local vendors, a Community Zone with a flea market and local artists showcasing their colourful installations and artistic pieces at the Art Zone. There will also be a Play Zone for the younger festival goers, as well as dragon boat races on the river.
Local artists will be showcasing their art pieces at the Bangkok Riverside Fest
Ticket pricing starts from 200 baht (US$5) per person. VIP tickets are also available at 3,999 baht and include free flow of drinks and light food snacks. Children under 12 can participate for free.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to elephant-related projects throughout Thailand.
Dusit Thani Maldives has named Jacques Leizerovici as its new general manager.
He brings to the role more than 30 years of experience working in senior management positions for renowned hotel brands under the Accor group across South America, Malaysia, and Canada.
Most recently, he held the position of general manager of Pullman Vung Tau and Convention Center.
As countries in Asia-Pacific actively lift travel restrictions, Amadeus’ business intelligence data is showing strong recovery indicators for the remainder of 2022, and evidence of growing traveller confidence as the sector looks towards 2023.
From July to September 2022, Asia-Pacific hotel occupancy reached an average of nearly 60% compared to 63% of the same period in 2019, according to Amadeus’ Demand360 data.
Business travel is recovering, with hotel bookings tripling in September compared to January 2022
For September 2022, hotels in Singapore saw an occupancy average of 75% with a 13% growth in average daily rate and 10% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared with the same timeframe in 2019, while October 2022 bookings are outpacing pre-pandemic levels – a 2% increase from three years ago.
Mirroring the recovery of occupancy rates is the stabilisation of booking lead times. 2022 now virtually matches the booking behaviours seen in 2019 with 64% of global bookings made in the 0–7-day window versus 60% of bookings made in this timeframe in 2019 – this implies increasing traveller confidence as people make longer term commitments globally.
Moving from leisure to group travel, group occupancies in the region have consistently been between 2-3% of pre-pandemic levels as the conference sector rebounds in 2022. Australia and New Zealand are reporting strong conference season numbers for 4Q2022. Looking ahead, Amadeus data shows that Asia-Pacific group bookings are now also starting to extend more confidently into next year, with 1.8 million bookings already made for 1H2023.
Another segment seeing steady recovery as the year continues is business travel, with 2022 closing the gap to 2019 levels and Asia-Pacific hotel bookings across all major global distribution systems (GDS) tripling in September compared to January 2022. At the start of this year, hotel booking volumes fell behind 2019 performance by 77%, but this gap has progressively closed over the months, with GDS bookings in September finishing 17% behind 2019 levels.
This is supported by a new Amadeus survey of global travel agents, in which 55% of agents from Asia-Pacific say they are using GDS platforms more now than in 2019, the highest percentage out of all regions.
Maria Taylor, head of commercial, hospitality, Asia-Pacific, Amadeus, said: “As countries start to ease restrictions, demand for travel looks set to continue to build in the forthcoming months. It is essential that hoteliers and destination marketers have accurate, forward-looking data insights to enable them to maximise their revenue strategies, confidently plan for larger groups, and consider their distribution mix to offer a wide variety of promotions and accommodations.
“With this insight, they can also understand more about who is travelling, enabling them to deliver a truly differentiated experience.”
Most recently, he held the position of general manager of Pullman Vung Tau and Convention Center.
