TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Tuesday, 30th December 2025
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Page 576

Asia-Pacific NTOs rank high on online readiness for Muslim travellers

By TTG Asia
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Asia-Pacific tourism boards have dominated the top 10 rankings of the report How Online Ready are NTOs for Muslim Travellers in 2022? for the third consecutive edition – comprising of 62% of the top spots, and widening the gap between themselves and their European peers.

The 2022 report was a result of a first-time research collaboration between the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC), an entity under the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture tasked to develop the Islamic tourism segment, and Pear Anderson, a consultancy specialising in the South-east Asian tourism industry and the Muslim-friendly travel market.

Muslim travel spend is a significant and fast-growing sector

The report was launched in conjunction with the 3rd World Islamic Tourism Conference (WITC) held at World Trade Centre from October 17-19, an annual conference organised by ITC to share insights on the Muslim tourist market and its impact on the socio-economy.

It examines the online resources that NTOs from the top 50 most visited non-Muslim destinations worldwide have created to support Muslim-friendly travel, including information about Muslim-friendly food, prayer spaces and hotels. Through analysing the top 50, the overall importance on which NTOs are placing Muslim-friendly travel can be gauged.

Out of the 50 destinations studied, 54% of them now have some level of Muslim-friendly travel information, compared to just 36% in 2019’s inaugural report, and up from 46% in 2020, a signal of the continued importance destinations are placing on Muslim travellers to boost tourism recovery.

In the 2022 edition, South Korea and Taiwan came in tied at first place, with Japan and Hong Kong jointly in second place, and Singapore in third place.

Mohmed Razip Hasan, director general, ITC said: “It’s clear that there’s a big move among destinations to attract Muslim tourists. Online information, clear communication and branding are important in gaining the attention and interest of this market. We hope that this report will provide insights to help destinations make the right decisions and action plans.”

Hannah Pearson, director, Pear Anderson stated: “Asia-Pacific destinations are keeping up their impressive lead when it comes to creating online Muslim-friendly travel resources. (South) Korea and Taiwan are world leaders in innovative Muslim-friendly traveller formats and content which, at the heart of it, ensure that Muslim travellers feel welcomed and included in their destinations.”

The report also features a case study from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, as well as industry best practices for online Muslim-friendly tourism resources.

Muslim travel spend is a significant and fast-growing sector, set to grow to US$189 billion by 2025, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2022.

Click here for more insights into the report.

SLH, La Vie drive luxury hotel expansion in Asia-Pacific

By TTG Asia
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Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has partnered with La Vie Hotels and Resorts (La Vie) to provide bespoke tailor-made hotel management services for independent luxury hotels across the Asia-Pacific region.

This partnership will see La Vie’s bespoke management solutions and operational services, together with SLH’s global sales, marketing and distribution network, create an end-to-end solution for independent hotels to become competitive in a global travel marketplace.

From left: La Vie’s Craig Bond, Jerry Xu, SLH’s Mark Wong, and La Vie’s Shellia Chang

The qualified hotels will also gain recognition and affiliation as members of SLH’s exclusive brand portfolio.

The first luxury hotel to join the SLH brand will be the award-winning Islington Hotel Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. La Vie acquired this historic 11-room hotel earlier this year and will be bringing it back to its former ‘stately’ charm. Another project includes a new build in Sydney’s Surry Hills district due to open in December.

Mark Wong, senior vice president Asia Pacific, SLH said: “Our winning combination of ‘Act Local. Think Global.’ will offer entrepreneurial management and distribution solutions that are relevant and effective for independently spirited hotels.”

Jerry Xu, CEO and founder of La Vie, said: “The Islington Hobart lends itself perfectly to SLH’s clientele and we look forward to adding a few more properties to SLH’s portfolio over the coming months.”

Accor signs two new hotels at Yogyakarta International Airport

By TTG Asia
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Accor will launch two hotels at the new Yogyakarta International Airport – Novotel New Yogyakarta International Airport Kulon Progo and ibis New Yogyakarta International Airport Kulon Progo. Both hotels will debut in 4Q2023, with a combined total of 413 keys.

Owned by Lentera Prosper Indo and managed by Accor, this dual-branded project is just a five minutes’ drive from the airport and about 45 minutes from Yogyakarta city centre. Each property will have its own unique design and facilities, while sharing back-of-house areas to enhance efficiency.

ibis New Yogyakarta International Airport Kulon Progo will feature 224 rooms and slated to open in 4Q2023

Novotel New Yogyakarta International Airport Kulon Progo will provide guests with 189 rooms, along with a pool, children’s pool, kids’ area, spa, fitness centre, and all-day restaurant and bar. There is also a 700m² ballroom and nine meeting rooms.

The 224-key ibis New Yogyakarta International Airport Kulon Progo will comprise a lobby lounge, gym, kids’ room, nursery, an all-day restaurant and event spaces.

Garth Simmons, CEO, Accor, Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea said: “As the gateway to one of Indonesia’s largest and most enchanting cities, Yogyakarta International Airport is a key destination that has the scope to expand significantly in the coming years.”

He added that the two properties will “cater to the rising number of domestic and international travellers, as well as event organisers” while complementing Accor’s existing locations in downtown Yogyakarta.

Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach unveils senior leadership team

By TTG Asia
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Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach in Thailand has announced the executive management team ahead of its grand opening in 4Q2022.

Back row from left: Thanate Likhittumrongkawin, Alexis Movio, Ranjeet Rajebhosale, Vincenzo Gatti, Kriengkrai Chongkhanpond; front row from left: Anna Rhee, Dollarpapat Sookmuang, Sunny Yu

Leading the team is Ranjeet Rajebhosale as general manager, who has amassed 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He was previously general manager of Hyatt Regency Liberation Square Chongqing, China.

Anna Rhee is executive assistant manager – rooms, and has been with Hyatt for more than 23 years. Her most recent position was with Hyatt Regency Nha Trang in Vietnam where she served on the pre-opening team.

New director of sales & marketing Sunny Yu joins the team after over a decade with IHG where she held roles in loyalty marketing, global sales effectiveness and commercial marketing. In addition, she is in her fifth year serving as president of the Thailand Chapter of Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International.

Overseeing the hotel’s restaurants, bars and lounges is director of food & beverage Alexis Movio. A dynamic F&B professional, he has worked in some of Asia’s most luxurious hotels and resorts.

Vincenzo Gatti is the resort’s executive chef. Gatti has worked in the top kitchens of Europe and Asia for two decades, as well as in Asia. He has extensive experience of Hyatt and its brands, having worked at Park Hyatt Guangzhou, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in the past six years.

Thanate Likhittumrongkawin joins the team as director of finance. He has worked with brands including JW Marriott and W Hotels before joining Hyatt Regency Phuket.

Dollarpapat Sookmuang is the director of human resources, and joins Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach from Park Hyatt Maldives, while Kriengkrai Chongkhanpond, director of engineering, most recently worked on the launch of Hyatt Regency Koh Samui.

Hallyu amusement park K- Wonderland opens in the metaverse

By TTG Asia
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The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) together with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has unveiled K-Wonderland, a Hallyu-theme park metaverse, on the global metaverse platform ZEPETO on October 14.

K-Wonderland consists of spaces – K-Wonder Castle, K-Wonder Hall, K-Pop Stage, and K-Drama Studio – for Hallyu experiences and creations enjoyed on the metaverse platform and will offer a variety of opportunities to experience the Hallyu culture using the latest digital technology to people all over the world.

K-Wonderland is a Hallyu-theme park metaverse that generates a creative environment for global Hallyu fans

Users will first encounter K-Wonder Castle where they can take rides and take snapshots together with sculptures and architecture. K-Wonder Hall offers information on events, a guide on how to enjoy K-Wonderland, Hallyu-related events, as well as exhibitions related to Hallyu stars, and games. K-Pop Stage features actual music broadcast stages, practice rooms, and waiting rooms, while K-Drama Studio recreates famous scenes from six popular Hallyu dramas to induce users to play various roles in dramas.

K-Wonderland generates a creative environment where users can make secondary creations on their own using personal avatars, rather than simply experiencing the metaverse space, allowing Hallyu fans around the world to be more familiar with Korean culture.

Through the shooting features provided by ZEPETO, users can record photos or video content of exploring and enjoying K-Wonderland and can make their own music videos and dramas using various spaces of K-Wonderland.

KOFICE president Jung Kilhwa said: “We expect that this K-Wonderland in combination with digital technologies will be an attempt to dominate a new content market in advance and expand Hallyu content for future generations.”

Qatar wins Asian Cup bid

By TTG Asia
0

Qatar has been selected as host of the next AFC Asian Cup in a new bid that opened after original hosts China relinquished its rights earlier this year due to the country’s zero-Covid policy.

Other countries that made a pitch for the second bid included South Korea and Indonesia.

Qatar grows its sports events calendar; Doha pictured

To avoid Qatar’s summer heat, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup would likely be shifted from mid-2023 to early 2024.

The Gulf nation previously hosted the Asian Cup in 1988 and 2011.

Thailand airports step up Covid checks on Hong Kong, Singapore arrivals

By TTG Asia
0

Airports in Thailand are conducting random Covid-19 tests on passengers with respiratory symptoms from Hong Kong and Singapore, in light of both countries’ Omicron’s new XBB subvariant cases.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) stated that 29 people who arrived in Hong Kong on October 14 were tested positive for the XBB strain, of which 24 were detected on arrival and five others tested positive on their second day in Hong Kong, reported Bangkok Post.

Inbound passengers from Singapore and Hong Kong will be subject to random Covid tests at Thailand airports

DDC also said there was no local transmission yet of this subvariant in Thailand.

Thailand has stepped up surveillance at Suvarnabhumi airport and all other airports to conduct random testing on all arrivals from Singapore, Hong Kong and countries with XBB outbreaks and show respiratory symptoms.

Singapore’s Glow Festival 2023 returns to showcase wellness concepts

By TTG Asia
0

Marina Bay Sands will be home to Asia’s leading urban wellness haven with the return of Glow Festival from February 4-12 next year. The festival aims to cater to the well-being needs of participants through its comprehensive programme.

The inaugural event in 2019 drew a crowd of 15,000 active participants to Sentosa.

Glow Festival returns to Singapore and will be held at Marina Bay Sands from February 4-12, 2023

Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Glow Festival 2023 will feature unique workshops designed and conducted by wellness experts, in-person and digital experiences, and a line-up of international celebrity fitness instructors.

Ong Ling Lee, executive director, sports and wellness, STB said: “We are proud to support homegrown wellness events such as the Glow Festival 2023, which showcase the wide range of innovative wellness offerings in Singapore, while making them accessible to both locals and visitors.

“Such events add vibrancy to Singapore’s calendar of events and support our ambition to become a leading urban wellness destination that prioritises holistic well-being”

Highlights of Glow Festival comprises curated workshops and wellness classes hosted by celebrity instructors, food items at selected MBS restaurants, and a dazzling closing party at MARQUEE Singapore.

The multi-sensory studio space by Kingsmen spans the size of four tennis courts and highlights humankind’s connection with nature – each session will be an immersive experience of sounds, smells, and sights of the natural world.

In addition, participants can use The Glow App from January 1 to February 12, 2023 to complete gamified fitness challenges island-wide. Titled LightEarn, the app experience is designed to amplify the connection between exercise and mental health, where runners, walkers, cyclists, and hikers can stand a chance to win up to S$25,000 (US$17,516) in cash prizes and more.

The Glow App will also be fundraising for Community Chest in support of its 40th anniversary in 2023. All of the funds raised will be channelled through Community Chest to the Samaritans of Singapore to support its essential work in mental health.

Martin Capstick, chief executive of Exceed Sports & Entertainment and founder of Glow Festival said: “Mental, physical, and emotional well-being are at the core of Glow Festival 2023’s messaging. We want to inspire festivalgoers to adopt new practices to live happier and healthier lives and present them with a truly unique opportunity to unwind.

“We also believe in the strong connection between improved mental well-being through exercise and the simple act of giving. To that end, we’re very proud to be supporting Community Chest and the hugely important work of the Samaritans of Singapore.”

International Surfing Cup returns to Siargao Island

By TTG Asia
0

Siargao Island in the Philippines has begun its tourism recovery journey with the opening of the 26th Siargao International Surfing Cup on October 15.

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) secretary Christina Garcia Frasco stressed that tourism development in Siargao is a priority, and will “flourish in partnership with the national government”.

Unveiling of the Jaime Rusillon Surf Tower in honour of former mayor Jaime Rusillon

She added that the DoT identified infrastructure and gateway access as critical solutions to key destinations such as Siargao, stating that “the national government is here to help Siargao recover, is here to help Siargao rise to the primary position that it deserves in the world”.

A tourism-first island, Siargao welcomed 14,404 tourists, with the bulk coming from domestic tourists, at 12,870 and 1,534 foreign guests for the first semester of the year, according to the Provincial Tourism Office.

Side activities at the World Surf League-sanctioned competition include surfing masterclasses, yoga, salsa, arts and cultural show, a bazaar, beachside bonfire, sound sessions, beach clean-up drive, and a free concert.

Frasco also presented a one-million peso (US$16,951) check to the Municipality of General Luna as a manifestation of the support of the national government to the international surfing competition.

Trip.com Group joins Global Sustainable Tourism Council

By TTG Asia
0

Trip.com Group is now a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

The company will support GSTC’s mission to promote sustainable tourism standards in the travel and tourism sector, allowing it contribute to the important work of the GSTC in promoting the widespread adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles.

Trip.com will support GSTC’s mission to promote sustainable tourism standards in the travel and tourism sector

Trip.com Group had detailed its green tourism goals earlier in July.

“At Trip.com Group, we believe we can only solve big issues by working with our peers from across the industry. This is why we are very excited to become a member of the GSTC, joining their global community to collaborate on sustainable travel initiatives that contribute towards a more sustainable future,” said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group.

Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC said: “(Trip.com Group’s) power in the marketplace can deliver much in the way of more sustainable forms of tourism being made available to more travellers throughout the world, and we look forward to partnering in those efforts.”

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Hilton appoints Marco Neukom to lead dual Bali hotels
TTG Asia | JAL steps up sustainable aviation efforts
TTG Asia | Productivity in tourism economy takes centre stage at 11th GTEF