TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Tuesday, 16th December 2025
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Lego holiday cheer returns to Legoland Malaysia

By TTG Asia
0

Legoland Malaysia Resort has launched its festive season with the unveiling of a new Lego Holiday Tree, built from over 315,000 bricks and requiring more than 1,800 hours of assembly.

The tree debuted during the Brick-tacular Holidays Launch 2025, which included a Light Up with Love ceremony attended by over 50 children from Pusat Kebajikan Kalvari Johor and Children’s Wishing Well (Singapore).

Families can enjoy immersive shows, creative Lego workshops, and heartwarming holiday activities until January 11 next year; photo by Legoland Malaysia Resort

Running until January 11, 2026, this year’s Brick-tacular Holidays transforms the resort into a vibrant festive wonderland. Visitors can enjoy interactive Lego build activities, live entertainment, and meet-and-greets with popular Lego holiday characters.

The seasonal programme features a range of shows and performances, including the whimsical Jolly Gingerbread Jam, the musical Brick Beat Brigade, and the Merry Lego Musical culminating in the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

From December 20, the Brick-tacular Spectacular will showcase festive bagpipe performances with transforming costumes, while the Brick-mas Parade from December 25 to 28 brings Lego Santa and his entourage to Lego City. At Sea Life Malaysia, guests can explore an underwater Christmas adventure during the Merry Fish-mas event.

Families can also participate in creative hands-on activities such as Build an Ornament, the Jolly Minifigure Exchange, and The Brick-mas Workshop, which encourage personalised creations and festive fun.

As part of Lego Group’s global Build to Give initiative, guests are invited to create Lego hearts and share them online using #BuildtoGive. For each heart shared, Lego will donate a set to a child in need through its global charity network. Children from participating organisations joined guests at the launch to contribute to this initiative, highlighting the season’s spirit of giving.

Visitors can also take part in the Daily Advent Calendar Draw, with purchases of 150 ringgit (US$38) or more at resort outlets giving a chance to win prizes up to 50,000 ringgit.

Early online bookings receive a 20 per cent discount on one-day tickets, while an annual pass offers unlimited visits in 2026 along with exclusive in-park benefits and discounts.

With its festive shows, workshops, interactive experiences, and charitable initiatives, Brick-tacular Holidays at Legoland Malaysia Resort offers a season of creativity, community, and memorable family moments.

For more information, visit Legoland Malaysia Resort.

TFE Hotels appoints new leadership team in Melbourne

By TTG Asia
0

TFE Hotels has appointed Grant Fleet, Michael Gibson, and Angelo Di Marco to key leadership roles in its Victorian operations team, reinforcing its focus on operational excellence and guest experience across its Melbourne portfolio.

Fleet joins Rendezvous Melbourne as hotel general manager. He brings more than 15 years of hospitality leadership, including senior roles at Yarra Valley Lodge, Mercure Resort Great Keppel Island, Towers of Chevron Renaissance, and several Rydges properties. He will oversee the hotel’s 340 guestrooms, event spaces, and dining venues.

From left: Grant Fleet, Michael Gibson and Angelo Di Marco

Gibson has been named general manager at Quincy Melbourne, with over 20 years of hospitality leadership across Accor, Ultiqa, Marriott, and Mantra Group.

Angelo Di Marco joins Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Docklands as hotel general manager, bringing more than a decade of experience, including his previous role as general manager at Rendezvous Hotel Perth Central and a secondment at Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart in New Zealand.

Wong Hong takes helm as director general of AAPA

By TTG Asia
0

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has appointed Wong Hong as director general, effective April 1, 2026, following the decision of current director general Subhas Menon to step down after leading the Association since 2020.

Wong brings over 22 years of international aviation experience, having held senior roles in network planning, revenue management and sales at Singapore Airlines and Delta Air Lines. He most recently served as Delta Air Lines’ president – China, based in Shanghai, leading growth in the Chinese market through a partnership with China Eastern Airlines.

Reporting to the executive committee and the AAPA Assembly of Presidents, Wong will represent the interests of member airlines on aviation policy issues and work closely with industry stakeholders.

Hannah St Hotel expands leadership team ahead of opening

By TTG Asia
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Hannah St Hotel has made three senior executive appointments ahead of its opening later this month in Melbourne’s arts precinct.

Lindsay Guy joins as executive assistant manager, bringing extensive experience in guest experience and operational leadership. He has held senior roles at Crown Resorts, Accor Hotels, Ennismore Group, and Marriott International, including at the Hyde Melbourne Place, Pullman Melbourne City Centre, Sheraton Melbourne, Crown Metropol, and W Melbourne.

From left: Lindsay Guy, Bernard Glaude and Sergio Morales

Bernard Glaude has been appointed food & beverage manager, bringing 20 years of international hospitality experience, including Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and consulting on openings with Massimo Bottura and the Gramercy Park Hotel. He will oversee food and beverage operations across the hotel and Queensbridge precinct.

Sergio Morales joins as experience director, responsible for premium concierge services and lifestyle programmes within the mixed-use precinct.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan names new resort manager

By TTG Asia
0

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan has appointed Tim Churchmack as resort manager, where he will oversee the property’s operations.

He joins following a series of leadership roles across the Four Seasons portfolio and will focus on operations and guest experience as the resort enters its next phase.

He most recently served as hotel manager in Chicago.

Thailand reshuffles SEA Games venues as flooding disrupts Songkhla

By Anne Somanas
0

Thailand is accelerating preparations for the 33rd SEA Games from December 9 to 20, 2025, expected to draw over half a million spectators and more than 10,000 foreign athletes, even as severe flooding in the south forces a major reshuffle of competition venues.

Following a high-level meeting on November 27 chaired by Tourism and Sports minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakon, the SEA Games Committee approved the relocation of 10 sports originally assigned to Songkhla to Bangkok.

Atthakorn Sirilatthayakon addresses venue changes for the SEA Games following severe flooding in southern Thailand; photo by Sports Authority of Thailand

Songkhla, one of the three host provinces chosen by Thailand alongside Bangkok and Chonburi, has suffered widespread infrastructure damage due to ongoing floods.

Several competition venues in Hat Yai and Mueang districts were severely affected, rendering Songkhla unable to host its scheduled events in line with required safety standards. Additionally, health concerns were raised by several participating countries of the risk of disease outbreak after the flood.

Atthakorn emphasised that the decision to change the competition venue was made prudently and with due regard for international standards.

“Although Thailand is facing a flood situation, we will not allow any risk to athletes and those involved. This SEA Games must be a safe, beautiful arena, and one that builds confidence among all nations,” said Atthakorn.

Chalitrat Chantarubeksa, deputy secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Thailand, acknowledged that Thailand would need to consider compensating participant countries for flights and accommodation booked in Songkhla.

Events impacted include Muay Thai, men’s football qualifying matches, chess, kabaddi, wushu, pencak silat, judo, petanque, karate, billiards and snooker.

While Bangkok is host to most of the 50-plus SEA Games sports, Chonburi’s coastal cluster – covering Jomtien beach, Bang Lamung, and Sattahip – is the stage for 15 sports such as sailing, jet skiing, open-water swimming, and triathlons.

With Songkhla out of the running, Bangkok will take on the additional host duties, with the sports being reassigned to venues such as Rajamangala National Stadium, Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Impact Arena, Siam Amazing Park, and a university sports complex.

Chess will be hosted at The Bazaar Hotel Bangkok, whilst wrestling has been relocated to Pacific Park Sriracha in Chonburi.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced in July that SEA Games 2025 is targeting more than 500,000 spectators, supported by an estimated budget of 10 trillion baht (US$278 billion) and projected to generate around 17 trillion baht in economic value, alongside the creation of over 14,000 jobs.

As of the end of the June entry-by-number deadline, a total of 12,506 athletes from 11 NOCs were entered, with host nation Thailand fielding 1,807 athletes.

Additionally, Thailand will become the first South-east Asian nation to host a major regional sporting event with carbon neutrality at its core, with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports implementing a Green SEA Games & Sustainable Paralympics concept in partnership with Chulalongkorn University to create an “environmentally friendly and sustainable sports festival”.

Organisers will promote reusable personal water bottles over single-use plastic and encourage vendors to adopt biodegradable or recyclable materials; the event will also prioritise proper waste separation and management to maximise environmental sustainability, noted Pramoj Rangsanwichit, dean of Chulalongkorn University’s College of Petroleum and Petrochemicals, during preparations.

Thailand kicked off the SEA Games 2025 Torch Relay, involving 276 torch bearers and four host provinces – Bangkok, Chonburi, Songkhla and Nakorn Ratchasima – on November 16, with Atthakorn and Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt jointly leading the launch to mark the nationwide countdown to the Games.

The official opening ceremony is scheduled for December 9 at Rajamangala National Stadium.

The 13th ASEAN Para Games, scheduled for January 20-26, 2026 in Nakhon Ratchasima, will follow shortly after, which the Ministry of Tourism and Sports expects to draw over 4,000 participants.

Artotel Group enters into Eastern Indonesia with Myze Hotel Waingapu

By Mimi Hudoyo
0

Myze Hotel Waingapu, an Artotel Collection, has opened in East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, marking the Artotel Group’s expansion into Eastern Indonesia.

The property is positioned as a premium accommodation designed for travellers looking to experience the nature and culture of East Sumba.

From left: Myze Hotel Waingapu’s Anndy Bramasto, East Sumba vice regent Yonathan Hani, and Artotel Group’s Daniel Sunu Prasetyo

Located 10 minutes from Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport, the hotel offers access to the regency’s attractions, including Prailiu Traditional Village, Persaudaraan Hill, Walakiri Beach, Tenau Savanna and Warinding Hill.

Eduard Rudolf Pangkerego, COO of Artotel Group, highlighted the hotel’s importance: “Myze Hotel Waingapu is an exotic property for us as it is located in Eastern Indonesia, a region with remarkable tourism potential. This motivates us to advance tourism in (the area) by creating market demand among millennial and Gen Z travellers to vacation here through various activities, from nature exploration to wedding and honeymoon destination, as well as a venue for corporate and government meetings combined with leisure.

“In addition, we aim to promote the hotel internationally, especially to Australia – which is geographically close to Waingapu – and to South-east Asian countries, positioning the regency capital as a new tourism destination beyond Bali and Lombok.”

At the opening ceremony, Yonathan Hani, vice regent of East Sumba, expressed his appreciation to Nahna Maju Bersama, the hotel’s owning company, for developing an upscale property in Waingapu.

Emphasising the broader impact of the hotel on regional development, he shared: “The (opening) of Myze Hotel Waingapu proves that Sumba Island, East Sumba Regency, has the potential for tourism development. Additionally, the presence of this hotel provides a wide opportunity for the local community to learn and work. The hope is that (the hotel) will bring a positive impact on the local community, for this island.”

Acknowledging the government’s commitment to developing the tourism sector by lobbying airlines for increased capacity and participating in trade exhibitions in Europe, Daniel Sunu Prasetyo, director of operations of Artotel Group, was optimistic about the destination’s future.

“What we (as the hotel operator) need to do is to train our staff (more than 80 per cent of whom are local talents) to reach the five-star level of service and create experience programmes to offer to travellers,” he said.

The group’s target is a 65 per cent occupancy rate next year, projecting that 40 per cent will come from business events, with domestic and international tourists each contributing 30 per cent.

To support this growth, the hotel has 127 rooms and villas, an all-day dining restaurant, an executive lounge, a cigar lounge, a pool bar, a gym, a spa and a kids’ club. Its MICE facility is the biggest in East Sumba, with a ballroom for 600 guests and three break-out rooms that can each accommodate 100 guests.

Travellers to prioritise meaning over miles in 2026, says GHA

By TTG Asia
0

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) has released insights from its GHA Discovery loyalty programme, which has more than 32 million members worldwide, on travel trends for 2026. Survey results indicate travellers are seeking connection, comfort, and authenticity.

In 2026, journeys are expected to be more personal, with 65% of travellers saying travel expresses their identity and nearly 90% agreeing or remaining neutral overall. Among Gen Z, 50% consider travel more important than career milestones.

Gole: our 2026 study paints a picture of a traveller who’s more thoughtful and values-driven than ever

Leisure travel is also increasing, with travellers planning an average of six personal trips versus four for business. Nearly half expect more leisure travel, while only 12% plan to travel more for work. Gen Z and millennials are driving the shift, and over 40% expect to travel internationally for personal trips, led by China, Thailand, and India.

Curiosity is influencing destination choice, with 62% preferring new locations and 38% revisiting destinations for a deeper experience. Safety, cultural interest, and wellness are key factors, while younger travellers prioritise exploration. Slow-paced and conscious travel is growing, with 60% favouring small cities or rural escapes, while 42% prefer unplanned, restful trips.

Spending is becoming more selective, with 79% focusing on quality upgrades rather than free splurges, and luxury increasingly associated with personalised service, dining, and flexibility. Travel loyalty is evolving from point collection to lifestyle benefits, with travellers valuing room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, timesaving, exclusive access, and recognition.

Technology is also shaping travel choices, with 60% using AI tools to plan trips, and contactless payments, digital hotel keys, and biometric boarding among the most valued innovations. Asia remains the top region, with Japan the most desired destination at 14%, followed by China at 7% and Thailand at 6%. Inspiration comes primarily from friends and family, followed by social platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

“Our 2026 study paints a picture of a traveller who’s more thoughtful and values-driven than ever,” said Kristi Gole, executive vice president of strategy at GHA. “They are travelling less for work, more for meaning, and choosing experiences that reflect who they are. What’s particularly exciting is how loyalty has evolved; for GHA Discovery members, it’s about lifestyle, recognition, and belonging wherever they go.”

Hotel Groove Shinjuku enhances accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing guests

By TTG Asia
0

Hotel Groove Shinjuku, A Parkroyal Hotel in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, is enhancing its facilities to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing guests. The initiative is part of the hotel’s commitment to becoming a “people-friendly hotel”, one of Tokyu Hotels’ three sustainability goals, aiming to create a universal environment where all guests can enjoy a comfortable stay.

Staff receive sign language training through sessions with the Tokyo Sign Language Interpreter Dispatch Center and the Japanese ASL Signers Society, supporting communication in both Japanese and international sign language.

The front desk at Hotel Groove Shinjuku features a real-time subtitle system to assist deaf and hard of hearing guests

The reception desk now features a Cotopat subtitle display system, which converts voice into text, illustrations, and videos in real time to facilitate smooth communication. Guests can also use the chat function of the multilingual concierge app Kotozna In-room to request services, access hotel information, and obtain local tourist guidance in real time.

The hotel has 538 guest rooms across floors 20 to 38, with layouts suited to various travel purposes and a mid-century modern design reflecting Kabukicho’s history. JAM17 Dining & Bar on the 17th floor serves as a social hub connecting guests to the surrounding area. These initiatives align with Tokyu Hotels’ sustainability policy, which aims to create an Earth-friendly, city-friendly, and people-friendly hotel, guided by six key themes and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Hotel Groove Shinjuku, A Parkroyal Hotel, also recently supported the Tokyo International Deaf Arts Festival in Koenji, Tokyo, held from November 6 to 9, 2025. The festival featured theatre, film, performances, and markets. The hotel hosted a stall, participated in clean-up activities, and engaged with attendees on November 7. In connection with the festival, 109 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku screened the Academy Award-winning film Coda from November 7 to 13 with barrier-free Japanese subtitles.

Emirates teams up with OpenAI to advance AI innovation

By TTG Asia
0

Emirates and OpenAI have entered a strategic collaboration to advance AI adoption and innovation across the airline.

The collaboration will include enterprise-wide deployment of ChatGPT Enterprise, supported by tailored AI literacy programmes, technical exploration, and executive strategic alignment to embed AI capabilities across the organisation.

The agreement will support AI adoption across the airline, including technical programmes, leadership sessions, and pilot projects

The partnership will explore practical use cases, develop an internal AI champion network, and establish an AI Centre of Excellence. It will also identify areas to enhance and expand AI capabilities across the organisation, covering the skills, processes and technology required.

Emirates will gain early access to AI research and emerging developments, and collaborate on government-led innovation projects and accelerators. Leadership sessions will be run jointly to examine practical applications, build support for AI initiatives, and provide leaders with insight into OpenAI’s product roadmap.

Technology teams from both organisations will work together to optimise the integration of OpenAI’s models, establish rapid prototyping and deployment practices, and provide sandbox environments to accelerate experimentation across generative AI use cases.

The airline said it aims to develop practical and scalable AI solutions that benefit travellers, communities, the wider industry, and all its brands and businesses.

Ali Serdar Yakut, executive vice president IT, Emirates Group, said: “We see enormous potential for AI technology to support our business requirements, helping us tackle complex commercial challenges, strengthening our operations, and enhancing the customer experience. Closely working with OpenAI will make our technology investments both strategic and scalable, enabling us to deliver enhanced value to our employees and customers, fundamentally changing how we innovate, deliver value, and maintain our competitive edge in the industry.”

Rod Solaimani, regional director, MENA & Central Asia at OpenAI, added: “Emirates Group has laid out a bold vision for how AI can transform the future of aviation. With this collaboration, we’re proud to help them bring that vision to life – embedding intelligence across their operations, empowering teams with powerful new tools, and reimagining the travel experience for millions of customers.”

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | Sun Siyam launches major solar energy project in Maldives resorts
TTG Asia | Taiwan sets new course for tourism sector
TTG Asia | Lufthansa Group unveils new brand identity