Online booking system rezio has launched a new integration with Google, allowing its operators to show ticket booking links directly on Google Search.
This new function makes it easy for users to click through and book tickets and tours directly on suppliers’ websites. Free ticket booking links allow suppliers to show their offers to potential customers without needing to take part in paid advertising campaigns.
rezio’s integration with Google allows its partners to show ticket booking links directly on Google Search
rezio has been empowering attractions, tours and activities operators to digitalise their business during the pandemic, and will now also enable tour operators to claim, create and power their “official site” booking button by driving customers directly from Google Search results.
Through rezio’s all-in-one system, operators will now be able to expand their channels as well as take control and manage their product, prices, distribution and marketing.
rezio offers more than 30 global payment methods, and allows merchants to create their products in seven different languages.
The revamped Macau Grand Prix Museum features the new Formula 3 simulator offering interactive and close-to-reality racing experiences
Macau tourism players are anticipating a more vibrant year-end holiday season as access for visitors from Shanghai and the provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Fujian improves on the back of a new e-visa process.
The e-visa system was activated by China’s immigration bureau on November 1.
Macau Grand Prix Museum has several new attractions for travellers returning to Macau
Travellers entering Macau from China are not required to serve on-arrival quarantines, but must have a negative result to show from their nucleic acid test taken 24 or 48 hours prior to arrival via Zhuhai-Macau checkpoints.
“This is obviously a very positive signal for a gradual recovery in visitation, especially from these key provinces and municipality,” said Sands China’s senior vice president of hotel operations, Kris Kaminsky.
Kaminsky added that the eased entry may even drive the return of business events to Macau.
“We hope to see a more well-rounded mix of visitation building up toward the end of the year,” he said.
China Travel Service (Macao), travel department sales and marketing manager, Pun Cheng-man, said the e-visa system came into effect at a good time. His Chinese agent partners have been tipping him off on readiness among their customers for group and FIT travel to Macau.
“Despite the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Guangdong province, we remain optimistic because events, like the Macau Grand Prix, were quickly resumed. The event was held in just two short days for the local audience last year. This year, however, it is back to normal and will welcome international racers and audience with open arms this Thursday (the race will be held from November 17 to 20),” said Pun.
Returning Chinese visitors will discover plenty of fresh draws in Macau. Attractions that were recently launched include an AR experience at the Old Taipa Village and Coloane; a new Formula 3 simulator and two new AR interactive games at the Grand Prix Museum; and Studio City’s four-storey Super Fun Zone.
Kaminsky pointed out that November and December are the “best time of the year in Macau”, with activities offered through events like the Macau Grand Prix, Macau Food Festival and Christmas celebrations.
Sands China itself will launch the Londoner Light and Sound Spectacular at The Londoner Macao in early December, part of the programming for Macao Government Tourism Office’s Light Up Macao 2022.
“All these attractive offerings, from accommodation packages and retail promotions to entertainment, superb dining and Christmas decorations, will craft a dreamy winter escape for mainland China visitors,” said Kaminsky.
According to Macao Government Tourism Office, the destination registered about 4.36 million visitors between January and September 2022, with China contributing 3.9 million visitors.
InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping will open its doors mid-2023 – the hotel is part of the strategic partnership between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Thailand’s real-estate group, Asset World Corporation (AWC).
Previously the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping is centrally located and surrounded by Chiang Mai’s iconic landscapes, offering guests connectivity to nature and the city’s walking streets, night bazaar and the historic Tha-Pae Gate.
InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping will open its doors mid-2023
When the first phase of renovations is completed, the property will feature 240 rooms and suites, all with zen bathrooms that include a plunge bathtub and separate shower.
Guests will learn more about the indigenous Lanna culture through curated culture-centric activities, such as traditional toy and umbrella-making classes and pottery workshops. There will also be a variety of children’s activities available through the brand’s signature Planet Trekkers programme.
F&B options comprise five restaurants and bars, including a rooftop bar, all-day-dining restaurant, lobby lounge and more. There are also event venues such as a ballroom and central lawn.
Air India, the national airline of India, has joined the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) as a member with immediate effect.
Air India is the first Indian airline to join the association, having operated its first flight in 1932 in India – one of the largest civil aviation markets in the world.
Air India is the first Indian airline to join the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines
AAPA’s director general Subhas Menon said: “The airline will add considerable weight to the international aviation discourse undertaken by AAPA on behalf of Asia-Pacific airlines.”
UK-headquartered booking technology solutions company Vibe has appointed Graham Whyte as business development manager, APAC.
In this new role, Whyte has been tasked with leading the company’s expansion in Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific.
Whyte has over 30 years of senior travel industry experience, including at Travelport and Virtuoso in Australia, New Zealand and the US. He was previously the regional commercial manager at Sabre.
Macau Holy House of Mercy, a historic building in Senado Square
Macau will follow at the heels of China’s revised inbound travel policy, requiring five days of centralised medical observation and three days of home isolation after.
The new entry requirements will come into effect November 12 and apply to individuals arriving from Hong Kong, Taiwan and any foreign countries.
Individuals entering Macau from November 12 will serve five days of centralised medical observation and three days of home isolation after
Travellers will need to take a nucleic acid test on the first four days of their centralised medical observation. Negative test results from all tests will clear the individual from centralised medical observation on the fifth day.
Travellers will hold a code red Macao Health Code during their home isolation, and will only be allowed to leave home to perform nucleic acid tests. Tests are needed on all three days, starting from their exit from centralised medical observation. Furthermore, individual must obtain a negative RAT/ART result prior to leaving home for nucleic acid tests.
Their Macao Health Code will only turn yellow once sample collection is completed, and then green when a negative result is eventually obtained.
ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023 will take in a series of government meetings on February 2 and 3, NTO meetings on February 4, and a new concept for its TRAVEX tourism exhibition component.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s minister of tourism and creative economy, said plans were well underway to host next year’s event.
ATF 2023 will feature two new components within TRAVEX to showcase more of Indonesia and local creative industies
“The government, both central and regional, are committed to the success of ATF 2023, (and are getting ready) to welcome participants and delegates,” he said.
Martini Mohammad Paham, deputy for resources and institutions of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE), revealed that the high-level meetings would address issues related to marketing, investment, human resources, and sustainable tourism. Discussion outcomes would be shared in a joint statement by the ASEAN ministers at the end of the event.
Meanwhile, TRAVEX will carry the theme, Journey to Wonderful Destinations. Held at Jogja Expo Center, the exhibition in 2023 will feature two new components, shared Rizki Handayani, deputy of tourism products and events of MoTCE.
The Indonesia Tourism Exhibition B2C show will provide regional tourism offices and industry members an opportunity to present and sell their products, while an SME exhibition will showcase creative industries from Yogyakarta and its surroundings.
TRAVEX, to be held from February 3 to 5, targets 250 exhibitor booths and 250 international buyers in attendance. Ninety buyers will be fully hosted by MoTCE, and some will be semi-hosted in cooperation with trade members.
Rizki said: “We are working with ASEANTA, as the steering committee, to organise ATF, and with ASTINDO and ASITA to invite their overseas partners to participate.”
As part of its aggressive expansion to improve passenger service and experience in South-east Asia, the Plaza Premium Group has launched at Clark International Airport a Plaza Premium Lounge, ALLWAYS bespoke Meet & Assist Services, and TGM Root98 dining outlet.
On level three of Clark’s international departure terminal, the Lounge is suitable for passengers’ layover, with pay-per-use shower, VIP Meet & Greet service, in-lounge flight information and smoking room.
Lim: Plaza Premium Group’s expansion continues to gain pace
It also serves as the Business Class lounge of Philippine Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Plaza Premium Group regional general manager (South-east Asia), Steven Lim, also disclosed plans to have an airport VIP Lounge where departing passengers will be picked up by limo straight to check-in and immigration, bypassing the main terminal. They will then get to rest at the VIP Lounge while waiting for their flight.
Also by next year, an Aerobar overlooking Mount Pinatubo will take shape at the airport’s international departure terminal.
The group, which already has an 11-key airport transit hotel Aerotel and a Plaza Premium Lounge each at the domestic and international terminals of Cebu Mactan International Airport, is also in discussion to have a Plaza Premium Lounge at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Lim said Plaza Premium Group’s global expansion picked up speed during the pandemic, growing from 170-plus lounges pre-Covid to 250 today.
He said that within a month, the group will open its first mega lounge – “a lounge within a lounge” – in Terminal 3 of Jakarta’s international airport. The lounge can hold 700 pax at once, and will contain the Singapore Airlines Lounge that the group will also manage.
A similar “lounge within a lounge” will be launched at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by 1Q2023. It will feature both Plaza Premium Lounge and Plaza Premium First for first class passengers.
Elsewhere in South-east Asia, Lim said the company is looking to expand in Vietnam and Cambodia where it already has a presence, particularly to operate in Ho Chi Minh Airport when it is ready in three years’ time and a new airport in Phnom Penh. It is also keen to enter Laos and Brunei.
Airline leaders at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) 66th Assembly of Presidents in Bangkok, Thailand last week agreed to resolutions that seek to address regulatory challenges relating to passenger facilitation, safety and sustainability.
Noting the proliferation of onerous regulations imposed on the air transport industry during the pandemic, AAPA airline chiefs stressed the critical importance of governments adopting a more coordinated approach to ensure the speedy recovery of the sector in the coming months.
Members of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines agree to address regulatory challenges relating to passenger facilitation, safety and sustainability following their assembly in Bangkok last week
“AAPA carriers have shown great resilience in confronting the challenges brought about by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic, while maintaining the highest safety standards,” said Subhas Menon, AAPA director general.
“However, the lack of coordination of travel requirements across borders, and the burden of restrictive government regulations, hold back the sustainable recovery and growth of Asia’s carriers, as well as their ability to fully contribute to the social and economic development of the region.”
While many governments introduced digital apps to process contactless pre-travel verification of health status, many of these apps were neither interoperable with each other, nor enabled for other purposes, such as for immigration clearance or check-in, resulting in confusion for travellers.
AAPA calls on governments and border control agencies to work together in the adoption of interoperable digital applications for air travel, in accordance with ICAO guidance, so as to reduce unnecessary pre-departure congestion, delays and inconvenience to the travelling public. It also urges the use of existing passenger data exchange systems to provide integrated pre-travel verification responses to aircraft operators related to immigration, security and public health requirements, while fully respecting passenger privacy rights.
Another area of serious concern for AAPA airline members are unilateral regulations introduced by national/regional aviation regulators, failing to take into account the international nature of airline operations.
In the current instance, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now requires that all commercial aircraft be retrofitted with new or modified radio altimeters by July 2023 to maintain their operations to the US, in order for telecommunications companies to power up their 5G networks to the full capacity authorised by the Federal Communications Commission, even as the full effects of 5G on aircraft operations are being studied.
Unresolved spectrum issues relating to aeronautical safety services have resulted in flight cancellations, degradations of air traffic management services, and interruptions of flight operation.
A comprehensive frequency spectrum strategy in line with ICAO Standards and Recommended Principles is required to support timely availability and protection of adequate spectrum for civil aviation. AAPA believes that introducing regulations to meet specific regional or sectoral goals that are counterproductive to aviation safety and recovery, is not in keeping with ICAO’s “no country left behind” principle.
AAPA calls on governments, aviation regulators, safety agencies and other stakeholders to support the ICAO frequency spectrum strategy. AAPA also calls on governments to consult with aviation safety regulators, subject matter experts and airspace users, to provide all necessary considerations and to establish regulatory measures to ensure that incumbent aviation systems and services are free from harmful interference.
AAPA member carriers are fully committed to achieving the ambitious industry target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Achieving sustainable objectives require global government support and incentives to ensure that sufficient investment is made by all stakeholders, including fuel suppliers, in infrastructure and frameworks that will provide sufficient quantities of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at affordable cost to meet the long term needs of the airline industry.
AAPA calls on governments to work with relevant stakeholders such as fuel suppliers to accelerate the fuel research, certification and development as well as processing technology and feedstock production, and the certification of new aircraft and engines to allow the scaling-up of SAF in sufficient quantities at competitive cost to meet the long term needs of the industry. The association also renews the call on governments to participate in ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) scheme, to respect the scope and the integrity of CORSIA, and refrain from applying duplicative requirements on international aviation carbon emissions.
Six Senses will open its first Australian property at Burnham Beeches, a heritage mansion 40 kilometres from Melbourne, Australia.
The Six Senses Burnham Beeches, expected to welcome guests in 2025, will occupy what is said to be one of the finest examples of domestic Art Deco in Australia.
Six Senses Burnham Beeches will occupy an Art Deco mansion and offer guests access to a vibrant Village Square
The original three-story Art Deco Streamline Moderne mansion is reminiscent of an ocean liner. Named after the eponymous English forest, Burnham Beeches was added to the Victorian Heritage Register in 1991, and the extensive Alfred Nicolas Memorial Gardens are now managed by Parks Victoria.
The property will launch with an initial collection of 43 keys and various hospitality venues such as a welcome lounge and terrace, a restaurant with outdoor seating, a library bar, and a rooftop retreat encased by garden planters. Subject to planning applications, the masterplan will incorporate a premium and unique glamping offer to bring the total accommodation inventory to 82.
Six Senses Burnham Beeches will incorporate sprawling farm gardens from which its kitchens will obtain fruit and vegetables. The herb garden will produce healing and aromatic plants for use in Alchemy Bar workshops and Six Senses Spa treatments.
A tactile nature playground is planned as part of the Grow With Six Senses approach to connecting children with nature through play and interactive learning experiences.
Guests seeking regeneration can head to Six Senses Spa, which will sport a botanical environment.
Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs said the property would be a regenerative project that would serve the community and the ecosystems that underpin the place.
“For Six Senses Burnham Beeches to be regenerative, it will not be a static place. We’ll evolve and respond to bring the rich heritage of Burnham Beeches to life, inviting moments of exploration, discovery, connection to nature, and delight through interactive gastronomy, wellness, and sustainability experiences,” said Jacobs.
Trenerry Consortium, owners of Burnham Beeches, has plans for a Village Square that will serve as the heart of the site, which gives hotel guests access to an additional collection of venues, such as The Hearth, The Barn, Steak House, The Baker, Brew House, and Providore.
Burnham Beeches, Sherbrooke, and Nicholas Gardens are connected by a series of walking trails that weave throughout the site. Guests will be able to explore the historical, ecological, cultural, and indigenous stories from Burnham Beeches and the Wurundjeri and Kulin nation lands, incorporated into the art, architecture, signage, and landscaping throughout the grounds.
Whyte has over 30 years of senior travel industry experience, including at Travelport and Virtuoso in Australia, New Zealand and the US. He was previously the regional commercial manager at Sabre.
ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023 will take in a series of government meetings on February 2 and 3, NTO meetings on February 4, and a new concept for its TRAVEX tourism exhibition component.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s minister of tourism and creative economy, said plans were well underway to host next year’s event.
“The government, both central and regional, are committed to the success of ATF 2023, (and are getting ready) to welcome participants and delegates,” he said.
Martini Mohammad Paham, deputy for resources and institutions of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE), revealed that the high-level meetings would address issues related to marketing, investment, human resources, and sustainable tourism. Discussion outcomes would be shared in a joint statement by the ASEAN ministers at the end of the event.
Meanwhile, TRAVEX will carry the theme, Journey to Wonderful Destinations. Held at Jogja Expo Center, the exhibition in 2023 will feature two new components, shared Rizki Handayani, deputy of tourism products and events of MoTCE.
The Indonesia Tourism Exhibition B2C show will provide regional tourism offices and industry members an opportunity to present and sell their products, while an SME exhibition will showcase creative industries from Yogyakarta and its surroundings.
TRAVEX, to be held from February 3 to 5, targets 250 exhibitor booths and 250 international buyers in attendance. Ninety buyers will be fully hosted by MoTCE, and some will be semi-hosted in cooperation with trade members.
Rizki said: “We are working with ASEANTA, as the steering committee, to organise ATF, and with ASTINDO and ASITA to invite their overseas partners to participate.”
Yogyakarta last hosted ATF in 2002.