Chatrium Hospitality has named John Neutze the new general manager of Chatrium Residence Sathon Bangkok.
Neutze has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and is responsible for the hotel’s overall operations and business strategy.
He possesses extensive experience in sales and marketing, operations and guest technology engagement solutions across hospitality brands like Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Stamford Hotels and Resorts.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will increase services to points across Japan and restore its Indian network to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months in response to strong demand for air travel.
By October 30 this year, SIA will operate 62 per cent of its pre-Covid operating capacity to Japan with four daily flights to Tokyo, two daily flights to Osaka, three weekly flights to Fukuoka, and three weekly flights to Nagoya. This includes the Singapore-Los Angeles route via Tokyo (Narita).
SIA will operate almost 100 per cent of its pre-Covid operating capacity to India by October 30 with five weekly flights to Ahmedabad, 16 weekly flights to Bengaluru, 17 weekly flights to Chennai, twice daily flights to Delhi, daily flights to Hyderabad, twice daily flights to Kochi, daily flights to Kolkata and 16 weekly flights to Mumbai.
For the Northern Winter season (October 30 to March 25, 2023), SIA will add a daily non-stop flight to Los Angeles from November this year on top of the current daily service, bringing the total to 21 weekly services to Los Angeles.
The Singapore-Paris service will increase to five times weekly service from its current three times weekly service from December 1 this year, and the airline will continue with its thrice-weekly direct service to Vancouver.
Together with other adjustments to the SIA and Scoot network, the SIA Group capacity is projected to be at around 81 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by December 2022.
Vietjet has started direct routes from Hanoi to two destinations in Japan – Fukuoka and Nagoya – as well as reinstated services to Busan in South Korea.
The Hanoi-Fukuoka route operates thrice-weekly on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while the Hanoi–Nagoya route operates four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
With these new services, Vietjet has increased its connections between Vietnam and Japan to seven services per week. Vietjet currently operates direct flights between Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo (Narita)/ Osaka with a daily return flight on each route.
The airline also resumed its Hanoi–Busan service on July 1, becoming the first carrier post-pandemic to connect Vietnam to South Korea. The return service currently operates thrice weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, but will increase its frequency to a daily return flight from July 12.
Presently, Vietjet operates six other routes between Vietnam and South Korea, linking Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang with Seoul (Incheon International Airport).
IHG Hotels & Resorts is set to open Holiday Inn Gurgaon NH 8 in India’s NCR region come 1Q2025.
The 139-key property is located on the NH8 highway, which connects Delhi Airport to Gurgaon, putting guests in close proximity to established commercial development and the city centre.
An all-day dining & bar, lobby lounge, swimming pool and gym, as well as meeting and event spaces are planned for the new hotel.
Sudeep Jain, managing director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Gurgaon has established itself as one of the most prominent and preferred corporate hubs in the country and is among the most robust hospitality markets of the region.
“With the presence of large residential and commercial catchment around the location, we are confident that the new hotel will emerge as a great option for both corporate as well as leisure requirements.”
Hang Lung Properties (Hang Lung) has signed Hilton on as the hotel management partner of a new-build lifestyle boutique hotel within Center 66, a mixed-use development in Wuxi.
The property will bear the Curio Collection by Hilton flag, and is slated to officially open in 2H2024.
Located in the prime business district in downtown Wuxi, the new hotel will comprise a seven-story main building and an adjacent three-story heritage building, providing a total of 106 guestrooms, a lobby lounge, two restaurants, a bespoke event space, an indoor pool, and a fitness centre.
Jerry Huang, president of development, Hilton, Greater China & Mongolia, said: “Wuxi is one of the birthplaces of the famed Wu culture, and the historical significance of this sought-after destination will be thoughtfully reflected in the hotel’s physical design and distinctly local offerings. When the hotel opens, we warmly welcome guests to rediscover the city of Wuxi with newfound curiosity.”
The Center 66 development was designed as a two-phase project – the first phase, opened to the public in September 2013, comprises a shopping mall and an office tower complex.
Upon completion of the second phase, located to the south of the current complex, Center 66 will be the iconic retail and commercial landmark in Wuxi’s core business district, incorporating a luxury shopping mall and Grade-A office towers with a hotel and serviced residences.
Changi Airport has launched the Hello, Changi Precinct gallery to drive awareness of the Changi Precinct, which includes areas in and surrounding Changi Airport.
Featuring interactive elements and photo spots modelled after iconic sights and sounds in the Changi Precinct, visitors can pose for photos and discover fun facts across seven themed zones. Learn interesting nuggets and stories of Siglap in the drawers of an old-school barbershop, play a digital arcade game at an HDB void deck and ‘watermelon’ playground, and jump onboard a bumboat that brings visitors through the history of Pulau Ubin and the eastern coast of Singapore.
There are also two new exploration tours – My Changi Airport Tour and My Changi Village Heritage Tour – in partnership with local non-profit organisation, MyCommunity.
In addition to the two new tours, visitors can also sign up for six other tours running till October, each exploring a key area of the Changi Precinct such as Bedok, Pulau Ubin and Pasir Ris. For a more hands-on experience, there will be curated specialty and craft workshops during the September school holidays.
Admission to the gallery is free, and will run till October 23, 2022 at Terminal 3 Departure Hall. Tour are priced from S$20 (US$14.25) per person.
For more information, visit Hello Changi Precinct.
Hong Kong’s new chief executive John Lee said the authorities are considering the possibility of shortening Covid-19 quarantine requirements for travellers.
The city currently requires a seven-day hotel quarantine for arriving travellers, along with strict pre-boarding testing and application procedures.
Speaking at his first news conference on July 5 as the new Hong Kong leader, Lee told journalists: “I am conscious of the need for Hong Kong to remain open and convenient to travellers, but it is also important that we address the risks at the same time.”
Lee shared that health secretary Lo Chung-mau has been tasked to develop options that will facilitate a shorter mandatory quarantine for travellers.
Grand Lisboa and one floor of Shoppes at Four Seasons within Plaza Macao have been locked down by Macau authorities following the emergence of fresh Covid infection clusters.
Grand Lisboa’s closure will run from July 5 to 11.
In its worst-ever Covid outbreak since the pandemic hit in 2020, the city has ordered multiple rounds of mass testing to curb community transmission as well as lockdowns of buildings with multiple cases of infection. As of July 6, at least 16 other buildings in the city are also locked down.
It is, however, the first time that Macau has shut a casino down due to infections. Casinos have so far been allowed to remain open to ensure job security in an industry that generates more than 80 per cent of government income.
Accor has added nine Mercure hotels and an ibis Styles property to its collection in Australia following its landmark hotel management portfolio agreement with Salter Brothers.
There are now 53 Mercure properties in Australia.
Accor Pacific CEO Sarah Derry said: “We are delighted to be adding these great hotels to our portfolio. The hotels are located in highly desirable central city locations and in the best metropolitan areas. The properties will have access to our powerful network and we are working closely with our partners Salter Brothers to rejuvenate the properties and set them up for success.
“We continue to focus on expanding Accor’s presence across the Pacific region. Accor has one of the most appealing brand portfolios in the world, positioning us well to continue introducing more choice and more experiences for leisure and corporate travellers.”
In an Australian first, the management agreement includes an innovative industry-leading link to ESG outcomes.
Paul Salter, managing director, Salter Brothers, said: “Both Salter Brothers and Accor are committed to leading the way with ESG hotel benchmarks and our agreement will see us working together to structure performance against targets, which are linked to commercial outcomes.
“With energy costs rising, the importance of ESG hotel benchmarks is now more important than ever and we’re looking forward to establishing these targets with Accor as they move into full operation with the portfolio.”
Captain Cook Cruises has rolled out a new series of gourmet cruises from Perth city to the scenic Swan Valley, known among locals as the food bowl of the Western Australian capital city.
Six experiences are now available under the Swan Valley Wine Cruises collection, with the Swan Valley Gourmet Wine Cruise and the Taste of the Swan Valley – both priced from A$185 per adult (US$128.40) – being the most indulgent.
The Swan Valley Gourmet Wine Cruise takes guests on a cruise from Perth’s Elizabeth Quay to the Swan Valley, during which they will enjoy tea, coffee, muffins as well as a tasting of premium West Australian wine plus cheese and biscuits before arriving at the elegant Sandalford Estate for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the winery and wine tasting.
The day continues with a two-course lunch at Sandalford Estate, and guests are invited to restock their wine collection at exclusive rates.
The Taste of the Swan Valley programme combines a river cruise with an in-coach tour operated by Swan Valley Tours. The experience takes in lunch at Homestead Brewery and tasting opportunities at Lancaster Winery, Margaret River Chocolate Company, and Providore Swan Valley. There is no rest for bellies on this tour, as the return cruise to Perth City features all-inclusive wines at the open bar along with cakes, tea, coffee and live entertainment.
Travellers familiar with Captain Cook Cruises’ programmes in Perth will be pleased to know that the company renovated its fleet during the travel disruption, equipping its ships with new screens as well as refreshed destination commentary that introduces indigenous history and contemporary local information. Wine-and-dine cruises in general also feature upgraded menu and wine list.
For more information, visit Captain Cook Cruises.
