Hmlet has teamed up with TCRE Partners and JMD Group to launch Owen House by Hmlet. This will be the first hotel for Hmlet, and is scheduled to debut in 1Q2023.
The 106-key hotel is located in the Little India neighbourhood, and can accommodate both long- and short-term stays, with room sizes ranging up to 52m². It will also have a communal lobby and island bar on site.
Owen House by Hmlet is scheduled to open in 1Q2023
“The launch of Owen House by Hmlet comes at an opportune time to ride the upswing in momentum for the residential leasing market and tourism recovery as Singapore’s borders reopen,” said Joshua Li, chief real estate officer, Hmlet.
TCRE Partners and JMD Group are confident that Owen House provides the ideal accommodation for the inspired traveller, and will “inject fresh energy to the bustling and eclectic Farrer Park neighbourhood”.
Earlier in April, Hmlet had announced its merger with Habyt – Owen House will join the newly combined Habyt group’s portfolio across the world, with over 8,000 rooms under management and a presence in 10 countries and 20 cities.
Owen House will also be part of the Hmlet Boutique Collection, following the successful launch of its serviced apartment Hmlet Cantonment in August 2019.
Dusit Hotels and Resorts in Thailand are offering international travellers a chance to escape the cold with a new long-stay package applicable for stays at one property or a choice of up to six properties nationwide.
With two options available – 50,000 baht (US$1,383) or 135,000 baht – the Always Warm with Dusit package is valid for bookings and stays made through March 31, 2023 and comprises 30 nights’ accommodation with daily breakfast, dining and spa discounts, laundry services and more.
Guests can escape the cold and bask in the warmth of Dusit Hotels and Resorts in Thailand with the new long-stay package; Dusit Thani Hua Hin pictured
They can choose to spend the entire time at one property or purchase a pack of six vouchers valid for five nights each at the participating hotels of their choice.
Participating properties include Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Dusit Thani Hua Hin, Dusit Thani Pattaya, Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort, Dusit Suites Hotel Ratchadamri Bangkok, dusitD2 Chiang Mai, dusitD2 Hua Hin, Dusit Princess Srinakarin Bangkok, and ASAI Bangkok Chinatown.
Always Warm with Dusit is available for booking now until March 31, 2023. Guests will need to sign up for Dusit’s guest recognition programme, Dusit Gold, to qualify for these special rates and privileges.
Martin Rinck has been appointed to the executive board by Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH).
In this role, he will support SLH’s strategic vision and growth plan for SLH, along with their continued expansion of independently owned and operated properties.
As a seasoned hospitality executive with over 35 years of global experience in strategy, operations, business development, P&L and brand management, he has held leadership positions at some of the world’s largest hospitality companies and brings with him extensive business, talent, and stakeholder management expertise.
Most recently, he was the executive vice president and chief brand officer at Hilton, where he led a portfolio of 18 brands across 6,500 hotels globally, developing and executing the enterprise portfolio strategy, and leading multiple ESG initiatives for the company.
Preparations are underway in Yogyakarta to welcome delegates of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023, with improvements being made to various tourist attractions, venues and facilities.
For instance, Jogja Expo Center, the official venue for ATF, is currently under renovation and targeted for completion in December 2022.
The welcome dinner for ATF 2023 will be held on the grounds of Prambanan Temple
Other infrastructure improvements include the Malioboro shopping stretch which will introduce a number of electric becak rickshaws, and the Sultan’s Palace museum which is undergoing an upgrade to include 4D technology.
Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Bendara, head of the Yogyakarta Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD) and chairman of the ATF 2023 Committee, shared that the city is keen to showcase its cultural experience to delegates.
That is why the welcome dinner will be held on the grounds of Prambanan Temple, while the closing event will be at the Sultan’s Kraton Palace where a special royal dinner will be served.
In all, ATF 2023 is expected to attract 1,000 delegates, both from Indonesia and overseas.
However, direct air links to Yogyakarta have not been reinstated to pre-pandemic levels. Currently, direct flights to the new Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) include flights from Singapore (Scoot), and Malaysia (AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines).
Responding to concerns over accessibility, Singgih Raharjo, head of Yogyakarta Tourism Office, shared there will be more direct regional flights starting next month. For instance, Thai Smile will commence operations from Bangkok, while AirAsia plans to mount a Singapore-Yogyakarta service in December.
Singgih added that the government is also working with Indonesian airlines to add more flights from Jakarta and Bali to Yogyakarta. He added that Yogyakarta is also easily accessible from Jakarta and Surabaya by land transport, as well as via trains.
Other preparations include the arrangement of shuttle services for delegates during the summit, as well as transportation from the airport into the city, shared Wayan Suweta Darma, director of Karma Events, the official organiser for ATF 2023.
A total of 10 official hotels and 14 partner hotels will provide accommodation for the ATF 2023 delegates.
Philippine Tour Operators Association have declared Mindanao as a safe destination to promote
Department of Tourism to spur connectivity by improving accessibility and infrastructure
Tourism Promotions Board to work with property development companies for accommodation standards
The Philippine government is paving the way for tourism in Mindanao, a pristine and undeveloped part of the southern Philippines that has had a troubled image.
After several travel caravans to various parts of Mindanao, Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) president Fe Abling-Yu, concluded that it is safe, and has listed it as one of the new destinations to promote.
Mindanao booths at Philtoa’s 33rd Philippine Travel Mart in Manila
In late September, all five of Mindanao’s regions were present at Philtoa’s 33rd Philippine Travel Mart in Manila, stealing the limelight with their colourful booths and costumes, quality artisanal wares, and tour packages even in areas previously off to tourism.
“Imagine the impact on local communities and their livelihood, on small and medium enterprises, on the local economy, on investments, if Mindanao is given the chance to wield its full tourism potential,” Abling-Yu commented.
The need to change perceptions
While areas of armed conflict still exist, tourism stakeholders need to help change misconceptions and create awareness that Mindanao also has safe tourist spots such as Siargao, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Bukidnon, GenSan, and Zamboanga.
Recently added to this growing list is the island province of Basilan, which used to have an exaggerated image of violence. Today, demand is growing for tour packages twinning Basilan’s capital, Isabela de Basilan, with its gateway port, Zamboanga City, noted Charles Anthony C Rotoni, senior tourism operations officer, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula).
“When you see Basilan, it is different from how it is perceived. We have tourism circuits that include Basilan for farm tourism, Yakan indigenous culture, gastronomy and its clean, pristine beaches,” said Errold Lim Bayona, tour director of Itravel Tourist Lane and manager of All For South Consultancy.
Bayona said that although his companies are in Zamboanga Peninsula, they are also expanding to the neighbouring island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi because tourism products are already available there.
Zamboanga too, used to have a spotty image many years ago, but successfully transitioned into a safe, popular destination, with varied offerings of nature, secluded pink beach, seafood delights, and cultural heritage from Christianity and Muslim backgrounds, among others.
Rotoni said that apart from Basilan, DOT Region 9 is also starting to promote the cities of Dapitan and Dipolog, both in Zamboanga del Norte. These safe havens have oft been overlooked due to limited access and infrastructure.
“We’re trying to spur connectivity under DOT’s thrust on (improving) accessibility and (building) infrastructure,” shared Rotoni.
For instance, national carrier Philippine Airlines currently flies to various points in Mindanao, and is helping to encourage domestic tourism by adding more flights to and from Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato and Jolo.
Nograles: to make sure that when we say Mindanao is safe, it is safe
Government assistance
For Mindanao to gain a larger foothold on the tourism map, DOT’s Rotoni said they will be pushing for a Northern Luzon Travel Exchange next year for its main domestic source market.
“We see the potential of this market so we nurture and grow it. Tourists who visited are the best bet in telling the story on the ground and world-of-mouth advertising instead of relying on photos and videos,” Rotoni explained.
Tourism Promotions Board (TPB)’s new chief operating officer, Margarita Nograles, added: “We have to make sure that when we say Mindanao is safe, it is safe.”
“A quick solution for us to show to the world that Mindanao is safe is to bring more fam tours and let international tourists enjoy meaningful experiences in our region…. especially now that we’re rooting for sustainable, community-based tourism,” Nograles pointed out.
Stakeholders also understand that Mindanao has miles to go in achieving lasting peace and building tourism hardware.
Hence, apart from destinations that are already known to foreigners like Siargao, its target market is mainly domestic and viable markets in certain Asian countries for halal tourism, and those not sensitive to travel advisories.
This comes as Western countries have red-flagged parts of Mindanao in their travel advisories and travel insurance for their citizens excludes portions of Mindanao.
Regardless, TPB is pushing forward with a Colors of Mindanao campaign to highlight indigenous people, and reiterate that Mindanao is a safe destination for visitors.
Charles Aames Bautista, TPB’s deputy chief operating officer, added that Mindanao is also being explored as a “MICE destination”, which is why the “next MICECON will be held in Davao next year”.
“If it’s any indication, even the private sector is echoing our sentiments. We just had a meeting with a few online platforms and (are) working with property development companies to set the standards for accommodations.
“A lot of travel agents are creating Mindanao tours and circuits but if you don’t have a place to stay, it’s no use. That is why accommodation and food availability are always in conjunction with tourism circuits,” Bautista explained.
Nearly half (46%) of travellers cannot remember which online travel agency (OTA) they used to book their last leisure trip, according to the Modern Retail Study, a new independent research commissioned by Travelport.
This new research study, in partnership with Toluna Research, is to better understand the current online travel retailing landscape and identify gaps in travellers’ shopping experiences among thousands of leisure and business travellers around the world.
Travelport’s Modern Retail Study aims to understand the current online travel retailing landscape and improve travellers’ shopping experience
Over 3,000 travellers from Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the US were surveyed.
Modern retailing demands stellar, memorable experiences
The study results revealed important factors that contribute to brand recall for OTAs, such as the experience of booking. Of all travellers surveyed that could recall the last OTA they booked with, the vast majority (78%) ranked the experience as ‘above average’ or ‘excellent’. While most travellers from the US do not have a preferred OTA (55%), many travellers in Saudi Arabia (63%) and Japan (70%) say they do have a favourite travel site.
Of those travellers that do have a preferred OTA, factors such as ‘a wider range of options’ have fuelled loyalty in Saudi Arabia (54%), the US (51%) and Japan (38%). OTAs are also winning over travellers in Japan with personalised experiences (45%), as well as the ability to ‘easily navigate the site’ in Saudi Arabia (42%) and in the US (40%).
“As one of the first sectors to go digital many years ago, the travel industry has a strong history of innovation,” said Jen Catto, chief marketing officer for Travelport. “However, travellers’ digital expectations have rapidly evolved, far surpassing current travel retailing capabilities.
“Prioritising the needs of our customers to better serve their customers is our priority – agencies need more choice, clear comparison shopping, and easy ways to manage experiences like exchanges. While price is important, these value-add factors create an ‘excellent’ modern retailing experience that stands out and earns loyalty.”
Customers are less price sensitive
Historically, OTAs have been trying to compete on one factor alone – price – but that is not what customers need to remember the experience. Of the travellers who cannot remember the last OTA they used, nearly half (44%) ranked their last experience as ‘poor,’ or ‘below average’. In certain parts of the world, where many travellers in Saudi Arabia (60%) and the US (60%) were shown to be the most forgetful of specific OTA brands they have used, and there was a significant 19 and 27 percentage point gap between recall and an ‘above average’ experience, respectively.
The study indicates that OTAs may be less distinguishable because they have been focusing on the wrong things. While there is a heavy focus on price, that has likely come at the expense of other experience factors that travellers care about when booking a trip. As travellers are using OTA sites for research and comparison, the survey revealed there is a missed opportunity for bookings as the majority of travellers do not follow through with booking car (67%) or air travel (55%), and 36% do not book their hotel accommodations on OTA sites. However, travellers also shared that the ability to ‘book everything at once’ is one of the most important reasons for using an OTA.
Business travellers are even less engaged
Even with the majority (78%) of business travellers collectively bound by corporate policy, the research finds that 99% of employees do not know the name of the travel management company (TMC) they use to book business trips.
Looking deeper into the potential causes, the survey found that most business travellers (69%) find the options provided as ‘undesirable’ while 46% want more choice, 38% lack confidence overall in their TMC booking and 35% want business trip options that support their well-being.
Minor Hotels has signed a management agreement with Phuket Boat Lagoon Co. to rebrand the existing Boat Lagoon Resort in Phuket to NH Boat Lagoon Phuket Resort, marking the arrival of NH Hotels to Thailand and the brand’s Asia debut.
The rebranding process will be completed in phases, and is set to open in mid-2023.
NH Boat Lagoon Phuket Resort will be the brand’s debut in Thailand and in Asia
The 271-key NH Boat Lagoon Phuket Resort will be located on the east coast of Phuket, in the heart of Boat Lagoon, Phuket’s first full-service marina. There will be a mix of rooms and serviced apartments, alongside facilities such as an all-day dining restaurant, lobby café, swimming pool with a bar, gym, tennis court and a kids’ club.
Long-stay guests can enjoy the range of local shops and conveniences nearby, including Villa Market, restaurants and entertainment facilities including an ice-skating rink.
The resort will also cater to the business events market, and offer extensive meeting and event facilities such as a business centre, and a 1,000m2 marquee for large events.
Dillip Rajakarier, group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels, said: “We look forward to working together to further position the property as a key leisure and MICE destination in Phuket, as well as driving the high-potential long-stay segment.”
Acquired by Minor Hotels in 2018, NH Hotels has an existing portfolio of over 330 hotels in 30 countries across Europe and the Americas.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) celebrates the first anniversary of Considerate Collection, which was launched in 2021 with 25 founding members of actively sustainable luxury hotels.
A year later, Considerate Collection now boasts 43 hotels, a growth of over 70 per cent in the last year, with new additions such as Thailand’s Aleenta Resort & Spa Phuket and Zeavola Resort in Krabi; the 15th-century, restored farming estate Villa Petriolo in Tuscany; and Casale Panayiotis, Cyprus, a village restoration project turned luxury hotel.
Considerate Collection has grown from 25 to 43 hotels in its first year; Aleenta Resort & Spa Phuket pictured
Other sustainability efforts include planting almost 40,000 trees in the past year in collaboration with TreeSisters, coinciding with the launch of the Considerate Collection.
Earlier in October this year, SLH partnered Weeva, a new sustainability platform that caters specifically to small hotels and accommodation providers, to enable properties to adopt measurable and holistic sustainability practices. The partnership allows all 520 SLH member hotels to benefit from an exclusive and preferential annual rate on the platform.
In addition, SLH signed an exclusive brand amenity partnership with Vanity Group earlier this month. Vanity Group licenses the most sought-after beauty brands, with implemented responsible and sustainable practices for its products, packaging and processes.
Aside from its hotels, SLH continues its corporate sustainability journey by undertaking work to audit its headquarters’ carbon footprint, averaging 1,514kg per SLH employee for 2021.
Richard Hyde, managing director, SLH, said: “As we strive to improve our business practices, we’ve used the data collated and worked with ecollective to set a seven per cent C02 reduction target YOY for our team in 2023 by engaging with the right suppliers and adjusting our business travel priorities, among other strategies.
“Our footprint must get smaller and smaller each year even as we scale up the business.”
An adventure holiday awaits at The Chow Kit – An Ormond Hotel in Kuala Lumpur with two curated tours to explore this part of Malaysia.
Located just five minutes from Chow Kit suburb’s famous market, The Chow Kit is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s most authentic neighbourhood, featuring eateries that serve local fare such as hand-made noodles and roasted meats, refurbished shophouses and diverse heritage as well as history.
The Chow Kit offers two new tours to explore the neighbourhood
For 99 ringgit (US$21) per pax, The Chow Kit Walking Tour places the spotlight on the eclectic neighbourhood of Kampung Baru in which the hotel is located. Discover Kuala Lumpur’s oldest district which holds hidden gems within its alleys, and reconnect with history while exploring famous landmarks.
For food lovers, The Chow Kit Foodie Tour allows guests to live their culinary dreams for just 115 ringgit as they walk and uncover the delicacies of the city such as charcoal-toasted bread with kaya and butter alongside a cup of kopi, murtabak (savoury meat stuffed pancake) and local childhood favourites such as hawthorn flakes and ice gem biscuits.
Pimalai Resort & Spa in Thailand has appointed Brice Borin as its new general manager.
The respected hotelier has almost 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having started out as an executive chef and gradually taking on more senior executive roles from F&B manager to director of F&B, resident manager, hotel manager, and eventually, general manager.
He was recently the complex general manager of the Mövenpick Cam Ranh Resort, Vietnam, which he helped to successfully launch in 2019 and kept open throughout the pandemic.
As a seasoned hospitality executive with over 35 years of global experience in strategy, operations, business development, P&L and brand management, he has held leadership positions at some of the world’s largest hospitality companies and brings with him extensive business, talent, and stakeholder management expertise.
He was recently the complex general manager of the Mövenpick Cam Ranh Resort, Vietnam, which he helped to successfully launch in 2019 and kept open throughout the pandemic.
