Regent Hotels & Resorts will debut its new immersive dining offering, Regent Taste Studio, at Regent Phu Quoc this year, before taking it to Australia, the UK, France, Singapore and the US.
Set to be a Regent hallmark to provide on-property dining experiences, Regent Taste Studio brings together Regent chefs and artists from across creative disciplines – such as fashion designers, film producers and musicians – to collaborate and create true multi-sensory culinary moments.
The concept was premiered in Singapore during ILTM Asia Pacific, and the invitation-only event featured Regent Phu Quoc’s executive chef Bruno Anon and chef de cuisine Andy Huynh, as well as Spanish visual artist Mark Rios, better known as Mr Dripping.
Tom Rowntree, vice president, global luxury brands, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Our intention is to deliver unforgettable epicurean experiences, and we are delighted to introduce another aspect of the Regent guest journey with the launch of Regent Taste Studio.
“We created the Taste Studio to appeal to the most discerning guests – globetrotters and tastemakers who appreciate design and craftsmanship, and seek deeply sensorial, immersive experiences rooted in authenticity. Each edition of the Regent Taste Studio will be a unique, arresting curation to stimulate the senses while showcasing its signature blend of culinary expertise and cultural exploration to captivate guests’ imagination.”
Japan’s move to allow international travellers in without booking a guided package tour since September 7 has injected fresh optimism in tour operators.
Visitors to Japan now require a local sponsor, such as a travel agency, who can track their whereabouts on any given day.
The move is designed to stimulate greater inbound tourism, whose rebound has been slow since tourists were allowed to return on June 10 after more than two years. Only guided tours have been permitted since then, resulting in about 16,000 tourism arrivals between June 10 and the end of August, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Jeff Aasgaard, president of Rediscover Japan and Rediscover Tours, described the move as “a step in the right direction.”
“This is great news for us as a specialist whose business is 80 per cent self-guided tailored travel,” said Simon King, co-founder of InsideJapan, adding that the easing of restrictions “in time for Japan’s peak autumn departures is such a relief for us and all our partners on the ground that rely on our customers’ business”.
Geoff Day, COO of Japan Travel, said the move will be “a boon for travel agencies” as independent travellers will need “to book and plan their travel through an accredited travel agency”.
Still, many agents say tourism rules need to be relaxed further for the industry to see a full recovery.
The September 7 development is “not perfect, but progress,” remarked Aasgaard.