Tourism Malaysia is rebuilding international tourism demand by taking Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) and Thai media on a familiarisation trip to promote Malaysia as a safe holiday destination.
The 97 participants comprising TTAA members, tour operators and media were invited for a four-day, three-night stay in Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands and Melaka from July 18 to 21.
Thailand media and travel partners attended a dinner hosted by the minister of tourism, arts and culture, Nancy Shukri
They have so far toured the country’s administrative centre in Putrajaya and attended a dinner hosted by the minister of tourism, arts and culture, Nancy Shukri.
Visits to Resorts World Genting and Sunway Resort; a trip to Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage City to experience attractions such as Dutch Square, St. Paul’s Church, Jonker Street, A’Famosa and Malaysia’s oldest traditional Cheng Hoon Teng Temple are part of the line-up.
Nancy said: “Thailand is one of Malaysia’s essential short-haul markets. In 2019, we welcomed 1,884,306 arrivals from Thailand, and almost 70 per cent of Thai tourists were repeat travellers. They came to Malaysia for holiday, shopping and to visit friends and relatives.”
She hopes these curated experiences will encourage Malaysia’s travel trade partners to experience the tourism products first-hand, enabling them to promote and sell the destination and its products effectively.
Since the country’s border reopening on April 1, Tourism Malaysia has organised several familiarisation trips for the Singapore and Indonesian markets to promote Malaysia as a preferred travel destination in this region.
Agents from leading travel companies in India are taking in the best of the Maldives this week, at the invitation of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relation Corporations (MMPRC), which hopes to boost arrivals from India – the leading source market for the Maldives since 2020.
Programmes on the familiarisation trip are designed to position the Maldives as a top-of-the-mind destination, demonstrate how the Maldives has recovered as a destination after the pandemic, and the unique products and experiences on offer for visitors.
Agents from India’s top travel companies experience Maldivian hospitality, activities and different cuisines
These travel trade influencers will stay at Grand Park Kodhipparu, Crossroads Maldives and Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa, and experience Maldivian hospitality, activities and different cuisines.
The trip is expected to raise arrival figures and bookings from India to the Maldives. Some 119,967 tourists from India have set foot on the Maldives so far this year.
Travellers to Bhutan will pay a much higher Sustainable Development Fee when the destination reopens to international visitors on September 23, but freedom to engage tourism services directly without restrictions of a Minimum Daily Package Rate will be granted.
The Sustainable Development Fee will be adjusted from US$65 per tourist per night to US$200, and be used to fund activities that promote carbon-neutral and sustainable tourism, such as carbon offsetting and workers’ training.
Travellers visiting Bhutan will need to pay a much higher Sustainable Development Fee; Taktshang Goemba Monastery in Bhutan pictured
The Tourism Council of Bhutan said in a press statement that the country’s tourism sector will undergo a revamp that focuses on infrastructure and services, tourist experiences, and tourism’s environmental impact.
A new set of standards will be established for tourism service providers, who will soon have to be certified. Training and upskilling programmes will also be ordered to raise service quality.
Tandi Dorji, foreign minister of Bhutan and chairperson of the Tourism Council of Bhutan, said: “Covid-19 has allowed us to reset – to rethink how the sector can be best structured and operated, so that it not only benefits Bhutan economically, but socially as well, while keeping carbon footprints low.”
At the same time, Bhutan will remove the Minimum Daily Package Rate and restrictions to only packaged tours provided by tour operators, allowing tourists to now engage and pay for tourism services directly.
“Our strategy for the revamp of the tourism sector brings us back to our roots, of ‘high value, low volume’ tourism, where we meet the needs of tourists while protecting our people, culture, values and environment,” commented Dorji Dhradhul, director general, Tourism Council of Bhutan.
South Korean airline, Air Premia, launched on July 16 its first flight to Singapore from Incheon in partnership with Changi Travel International as its GSA for the city-state.
For a start, the airline will provide thrice weekly services between the two points and will ramp up operations to four times a week from July 25.
Air Premia is a hybrid service carrier focussing on medium and longhaul routes
Positioned as a hybrid service carrier, Air Premia will focus on medium and longhaul routes. It aims to fill the gap in the market by fulfilling routes which low-cost carriers are not able to fly, and full-service carriers cannot provide attractive prices for.
It operates with the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, in a two-class seat configuration comprising 56 Premium Economy seats and 253 seats in Economy class.
“With (South) Korea being an immensely popular destination for Singaporeans and vice versa, we are excited to offer travellers greater value and a superior experience for their travels,” said Ricky Chua, head of CTI.
Myongseob Yoo, chief executive officer, Air Premia, said: “As (South) Korea’s first hybrid airline, we want to make travellers’ journeys more comfortable and happier with high-quality services at reasonable prices. Starting with Singapore, we will continue to operate medium and longhaul distance routes so that more customers can experience Air Premia’s exclusive services.”
Banyan Tree Bintan will launch its Wellbeing Sanctuary on August 1 – a concept enabling travellers to design and combine a leisure vacation with wellness elements. It also includes a digital mental support programme that extends beyond the resort.
The package for two comprises a Wellbeing Ocean Villa on the Rock accommodation, daily balanced breakfast and afternoon nutrition platter, 24-hour check-in and check-out, amenities such as yoga mats, stretch bands and singing bowls for private practice, nightly rest rituals, as well as spa and nature-based activities.
The Wellbeing Ocean Villa on the Rock at Banyan Tree Bintan
Guests also get premium access to the Intellect app: a personalised approach to mental well-being, throughout and after their stay. The app hosts a library of evidence-based content, self-guided tools and trackers, and is available in 14 languages with an extensive network in 20 countries.
Country leaders have ordered restricted access to both Borobudur and Komodo National Park to minimise damage to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Plans to substantially raise Komodo National Park entrance fees face intense trade rejection
Tourism players urge measurable, alternative solutions for more effective conservation efforts
The Indonesian government has ordered stricter visitor controls at Borobudur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy)
The Indonesian government has ordered stricter visitor controls at two iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Borobudur and Komodo National Park – to ensure better protection and conservation, with measures including crowd limits and increased entrance fees.
Borobudur Conservation Center (BKB) has implemented a maximum limit of 1,200 people daily to the revered temple complex in Magelang, Central Java, along with an online registration requirement for all visitors.
Wiwit Kasiyati, head of BKB, told TTG Asia that the biggest damage to Borobudur is caused by mass tourism, which ran wild pre-pandemic. According to BKB data, visitorship to Borobudur peaked at 3.7 million people in 2019 – or 10,270 people every day.
“The large number of visitors who go up to the temple has caused rock wear and tear at a number of points. There is a sunken surface which had eroded up to five centimetres from its initial condition,” said Wiwit, adding that Borobudur also suffers from littering and vandalism.
Besides the capacity limit and pre-registration procedure, BKB has also made it a requirement for visitors to wear footwear made from natural materials to reduce damage to the temple surface. Visitors must also be accompanied by a certified tour guide.
Over at Komodo National Park, visitor management will be digitalised to facilitate online reservations while there are plans by the government to impose a full-year access entrance fee of 3,750,000 rupiah (US$250) per person. Currently, visitors to Komodo National Park pay 150,000 rupiah per person per visit on weekdays and 250,000 rupiah on weekends.
Irman Firmansyah, leader of the Ecosystem Services-Based Carrying Capacity Study Team at Komodo National Park, said the Tourism Capacity Carrying Capacity Team had recommended that the ideal number of visitors per year to Komodo Island and Padar Island was 219,000 and 39,420 respectively.
Carolina Noge, coordinator of the Function Reinforcement Program at Komodo National Park, said the revised entrance fees will help to fund a number of conservation projects, such as Komodo dragon habitat restoration, coral reef transplantation, waste management, and optimised supervision and area security to combat illegal hunting and fishing.
Not just numbers
While Indonesian travel trade players are wholly supportive of stern conservation efforts of the country’s precious heritage sites, and acknowledge that efforts will come with a number of restrictions, many have expressed doubt about the viability of higher entrance fees as a form of control.
Sugeng Sugiantoro, chairman of the Central Java Tourism Board (CJTB), said: “The mission of conservation is to convey a message to visitors about the sustainability of the site, and not to close off their access.”
He said an effective conservation policy requires clear visitor management, which must include managing both visitor behaviour and circulation.
For Borobudur, Sugeng suggested applying a tiered visitor priority system where Buddhists worshipping at the temple will be first in line for entry, followed by conservation practitioners and researchers. Finally, members of the public who had made reservations online or through travel operators would be allowed to enter.
A wild Komodo at the Komodo National Park (Photo: Tiara Maharani)
Director of Flores Exotic Tours, Leonardus Nyoman, said a higher entrance is no guarantee that visitors would be careful with the ecosystem of a heritage site.
“It is tourist behaviour that must be changed. For example, visitors should not be allowed to bring plastic bottles and objects that trigger fires or other damages to the park,” said Leonardus, referring to Komodo National Park.
He added that a pricier admission fee was unreasonable, while an annual access was unrealistic and unnecessary.
“Most tourists only come to visit Komodo National Park once in their lifetime. It is highly unlikely that a person or group of tourists will visit more than four times in the same year. Even long-stay tourists are also unlikely to visit multiple times, as they prefer to explore other areas to get a different experience,” he said.
Private sector involvement
Rocky Pekudjawang, head of the East Nusa Tenggara Tourism Promotion Board, hopes that the government would involve the tourism industry in their conservation planning.
“This is so that the management and utilisation of heritage sites (for tourism) can be sustainable and of a higher quality,” he explained.
Private sector players, such as Sugeng and Leonardus, have plenty of ideas to improve the visitation situation at Borobudur and Komodo National Park.
Pranoto Prayitno, director of Citra Gilang Tour, suggested another solution that takes some of the spotlight off the iconic sites. For example, instead of taking visitors to Borobudur, tour programmes can showcase sunrise over Borobudur from Punthuk Setumbu, a small hill located about three-kilometres west of the temple complex.
“Visitors can also enjoy Borobudur in a tourist village where they will learn about the historical value of the temple through the eyes of local residents,” Pranoto added.
There is also the possibility of establishing alternative tourism around Borobudur, such as other hidden-gem temples.
“Visitors can go on a safari to visit temples or villages, plow the fields, and catch eels,” he said.
Trip.com Group and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are deepening their collaboration across key markets including Thailand, South Korea and Hong Kong, while expanding their partnership to include new markets Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.
This builds on the three-year MoU signed between the two in November 2020.
The collaboration will include reviews from KOLs to promote Singapore as a destination of choice; South Korea’s travel_bellauri on Singapore Cable Car pictured
The collaboration will focus on promoting Singapore to travellers from key markets through a series of initiatives, including marketing campaigns, public relations activities, KOLs’ reviews and promotions through Trip.com Group’s brands including Trip.com and Ctrip.
The reopening of borders in the region in recent months has led to a strong growth in Singapore’s international arrivals – with 418,310 visitors in May, up from 295,100 in April.
Trip.com Group’s chief marketing officer Sun Bo said: “Based on the recent growths in visitors’ arrivals to Singapore, there is reason to be optimistic that inbound arrivals will rebound to pre-pandemic levels, and Trip.com Group is committed to supporting STB in every way possible.”
STB’s assistant chief executive (international group) Juliana Kua said: “With the resumption of travel, we are delighted to deepen our partnership with Trip.com Group, which has a growing network of services, users and data. We will tap on these to showcase Singapore’s refreshed destination offerings, and encourage travellers to reimagine travel to Singapore as part of our SingapoReimagine global marketing campaign.”
Both organisations will work together on a series of marketing campaigns in several South-east Asian markets, as well as South Korea and Hong Kong in the coming months.
One of the initiatives will include curating and delivering content via Trip.com’s app and website to showcase Singapore as a safe country and destination of choice – be it a sanctuary for sustainability, haven for urban wellness, paradise of gastronomy, with a variety of activities and experiences for travellers to explore.
Joint campaigns to promote Singapore as an attractive travel destination will be launched in South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, including deals and collaborations with travel KOLs such as travel_bellauri and im0gil from South Korea, and CHAILAIBACKPACKER from Thailand – who will share their insights and recommendations on experiences and itineraries visitors can look forward to in Singapore.
While Singapore is known as a food and shopping paradise, Sun noted that the destination also offers new and unique experiences like wellness and nature activities, and many new and refreshed offerings by local tourism businesses.
The travel industry in South-east Asia has come a long way since a decade ago. Traveloka was founded to solve the fundamental problem of flight discovery and booking present in Indonesia.
Access to travel alternatives and experiences across the region was also a challenge then. Trips were planned based on word of mouth or reliance on tour operators, focused on classic experiences – visiting Borobudur in Indonesia, swimming in Phi Phi Islands, sightseeing atop the Petronas Towers, cruising along Halong Bay, and cable car dining in Singapore. There was no transparency in flight options or pricing, so oftentimes, consumers are at the mercy of the travel consultant. This gap got us to build a platform that simplifies the painful process of travel booking across South-east Asia.
The next big challenge was financial access. At least 24 per cent of the population in South-east Asia is estimated to be ‘underbanked’. Due to the structural challenges in Indonesia and other parts of South-east Asia, it has been historically difficult to verify creditworthiness, with credit card penetration remaining at 10 per cent or less in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Built on the foundation of deep customer trust and data from our beginnings in the travel business, we launched a number of financial services products, including pioneering Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) in Indonesia, and later two more products on the back of strong demand, making it easier for customers to enjoy these experiences.
As we move into travel recovery post-pandemic, the next frontier of travel will focus on leveraging technology to bridge the rift between the expectations and reality of travel.
Connected to disconnect
Travel is making a strong comeback. Airports and airlines alike are increasingly confident that they have reached a turning point in their financial recovery. Since the start of the year, travellers are quickly booking their next trips to fulfil their pent-up demand. As more countries fully reopen their borders, dropping all need for pre-departure and on-arrival tests, as well as quarantine requirements for the fully vaccinated, those looking to satisfy their wanderlust are increasingly encountering the nightmare of surging fares, alongside varying levels of concern and hesitance – from the virus to safety.
In order for travel to pick up and make a triumphant return to pre-pandemic levels, the purposeful deployment of technology will be key. Obviously, technology has been embedded in society now and has brought about many conveniences. Even the tourism industry, which has traditionally not been the most tech-connected industry, has stepped up to embrace digitalisation. For example, Changi Airport is making a concerted effort to make tech work harder for travellers, bringing contactless services to the next level. Self-check-in kiosks and baggage drops now operate when a person hovers their finger over a screen, and passengers can use automated immigration gates that scan faces and irises if those biometrics are registered in a passport.
The travellers of today want more holistic and personalised travel experiences. They are digitally engaged, and these connected consumers are expecting a better experience than ever before. The connected consumer is looking for instant gratification, everything and anything should be at their fingertips. If consumers can spend all their time looking at their phones; making comparisons before purchasing the products and/or services, all done on a single platform, fuss-free; travel should be no different. From the moment the individual thinks of taking a trip, to when they return safely to the comfort of their own homes, the new connected travel experience is the way to go.
The reality of travel
In actuality, the market for travel and local services continues to be highly fragmented in South-east Asia. There is a disparity between what discerning middle-class consumers expect, and what service providers can currently deliver. Technology can help to mitigate this problem by helping providers to better understand consumer preferences, and enabling them to create the experiences that they want – this is where the idea of a superapp comes to play.
Superapps need to understand the gaps and unique pain points that customers in each of their markets face, and then solve them. Strong data analytics capabilities are critical in understanding the different needs of consumers across the region, and to tailor and localise products and services accordingly is critical to ensuring success across geographies. Data insights will also play an important role in helping companies to meet and anticipate the future needs of consumers – particularly within the context of structural challenges across South-east Asia.
With this, superapps will connect providers and consumers, channelling feedback and guiding providers to improve their quality of service, which, in turn, establishes superior consumer experiences and gains better traction. Ultimately, with the speed of technological innovation, it is important that we establish clear principles for who we want to be as a global community, and that this is reflected in the technology we develop, and how it is implemented.
Technology must be used to build an equitable world
As we have seen, technology plays an important role in addressing the structural challenges in South-east Asia, such as financial inclusion and access to essential services. It will bring unprecedented opportunities to create greater equity and a better future for millions. But it is also clear that we need to ensure technology is building an equitable future for all; that all people and societies – from developed to emerging economies – are benefitting.
The pace of digitalisation will continue to accelerate and transform how we travel, connect, and live. Greater digitalisation will provide stronger data insights into the unique behaviours of South-east Asian consumers, and lifestyle services will become less fragmented as a result. We expect this to transform the customer experience, by necessitating personalisation never before seen in the world, in turn retaining and attracting customers.
Expedia’s latest Travel for Real study found that confidence in travel comes with ease of restrictions. Most people feel safe as they are vaccinated (69%) and find testing/entry requirements easier to manage (58%) now that countries have relaxed their entry restrictions.
The Travel for Real study surveyed 1,000 Singaporeans between 18-45 years old who travel for leisure at least once every three years, with an aim to understand what stimulates travel confidence in the post-pandemic world.
Six in 10 Singaporeans considered it safer to travel as restrictions have eased globally
More trips booked as travel confidence increases
When asked about reasons for decision to travel this year, six in 10 Singaporeans considered it safer to travel as restrictions have eased, and countries have started to reopen their borders, with relaxed entry requirements. Travel confidence is evident with more than 52% feeling more confident to travel – 73% plan to travel overseas this summer, with 40% of them having already booked their summer trip.
Singaporean travellers feel safer now that they are vaccinated and know that most travellers today are. 27% and 29% of travellers aged 18 to 25 and 26 to 35 respectively have booked their summer travel plans, while 33% of travellers aged 36 to 45 have made theirs. Younger travellers take a longer time to observe situations in planning their trips.
The common reason for those still hesitant to travel was budget (45%), as travel costs have increased since before the pandemic. This is most common among the 18 to 35 age group where 48% cited budget to be among their top concerns as compared to 37% among travellers aged 36 to 45. More than half of respondents also felt that a refundable/ flexible booking policy helped to boost their confidence in travel.
Longer time-out from reality
Trips are now planned for longer durations. Of the 73% planning to travel this summer, 50% plan to take one trip while 30% are planning to take two trips. Almost 46% would like to have a trip that lasts at least six days. Travellers aged between 18 to 25 are also most keen on taking trips that last six to nine days (31%), or a trip of four to five days (29%). Meanwhile, 37% of travellers aged 26 to 35 are most keen to take a four-to-five-day trip, while 32% of them are keen on a six-to-nine-day trip.
New motivations for travel
Expedia introduced better travel planning tools for travellers to get the best out of their travel investment during the pandemic, and revealed the following traveller planning trends: visiting bucket list destinations, relaxing and doing nothing was at 32%; travellers prioritise personal well-being more now than before; 31% wanted to try a new cuisine or a restaurant never experienced before; and 29% wanted to revisit a place that was closed during the pandemic.
Lavinia Rajaram, Asia head of public relations, Expedia Group, said: “It is encouraging to see Singaporeans finding confidence and feeling excitement about travel again. With many travel restrictions easing over the past months, Singaporeans have been inspired to take to the skies once again and fulfil that pent-up travel desire.”
The 2022 Travel Trends Report released at the start of the year showed travellers were open to last minute trips and had a carpe diem mindset. Fast forward to now, travel behaviours are shifting towards plans that cater to more meaningful experiences for their well-being. That said, the wanderlust for new sensations and discoveries remains.
“Prices are already indicating a huge demand for travel, and planning is going to be key in finding that sweet spot for a good deal,” she added.
Shanghai, Tianjin and Beihai are some of the major cities in China that have ordered repeated mass testing or extended lockdowns on residents as fresh Covid-19 outbreaks emerge.
Barely out of its recent lockdown, Shanghai has ordered mass Covid testing across various districts and areas as new infections surface
Shanghai, which had only started easing its Spring lockdown in June, has planned mass testing across various districts and areas, such as Xuhui, Jingan and Huangpu, where new infections have surfaced.
Following rounds of mass testing in recent months, Tianjin will again put more than 12 million residents under new Covid tests after two local infections were reported.
Beijing shuttered a residential compound on July 18 to investigate two suspected infections.
The travel industry in South-east Asia has come a long way since a decade ago. Traveloka was founded to solve the fundamental problem of flight discovery and booking present in Indonesia.
Shanghai, Tianjin and Beihai are some of the major cities in China that have ordered repeated mass testing or extended lockdowns on residents as fresh Covid-19 outbreaks emerge.
Shanghai, which had only started easing its Spring lockdown in June, has planned mass testing across various districts and areas, such as Xuhui, Jingan and Huangpu, where new infections have surfaced.
Following rounds of mass testing in recent months, Tianjin will again put more than 12 million residents under new Covid tests after two local infections were reported.
Beijing shuttered a residential compound on July 18 to investigate two suspected infections.