Australia has long been a bucket list destination for longhaul travellers from the US, the UK and Europe, but intention to visit has risen dramatically throughout the pandemic, with travel agents at Australia Tourism Exchange 2022 saying their clients are eager to convert thoughts to action.
Germany-based TravelEssence’s group content manager Alexandra Anger, shared with TTG Asia that the country is relatively easy to sell.
Noubani: we are very optimistic and excited about (sending travellers) to Australia
“Many Europeans have Australia on their bucket list – it’s a dream destination to them. Pre-pandemic, there was already demand to travel to Australia, but post-lockdown, we find that people are realising that life is short, and that they better visit Australia now before another pandemic locks borders down again,” she said.
After two years of no travel, Europeans have saved a sum of money as well as accumulated a chunk of leave days, making them more willing than ever to check the box.
Florida-based Mo Noubani, president of The Travel Box International, has also noticed that the “mindset of the traveller has changed”, and his clients “who have put off (longer and more expensive) trips are now pulling the trigger to do them”.
Australia, he indicates, is one such destination.
Tom Farnworth, commercial manager of London-based Trailfinders, concurred that Australia is an “easy to sell product” to UK travellers, and his bookings are looking healthy through to 1Q/2Q2023.
Amid this optimism, airlift to Australia remains a concern, as costs are significantly higher than they were pre-pandemic.
For travellers who have confirmed their trip to Australia, Sarah Johnson from US-based Paper, Ink & Passports Travel said durations are stretching from 10 days pre-pandemic to 2.5 to three weeks now. Her FITs and luxury travel clients are also more keen on creature comforts such as premium economy seats and larger hotel rooms with balconies. They are interested to go where the locals go, and immerse themselves in cultural experiences.
A similar observation has been made by Farnworth, with clients going for longer stays and higher room categories.
“More local interactions, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences are sought after, more so than before Covid,” he stated.
Overall, travel agents expressed excitement and optimism about outbound prospects to Australia.
Anger expects European travellers to return “heavily and in large numbers” in 2H2022 or 1Q2023, as travel momentum continues to build. Europe, she noted, opened earlier than most regions, which meant that some travellers have already spent their budgets on destinations closer to home.
Agreeing, Noubani told TTG Asia: “We are very optimistic and excited about (sending travellers) to Australia. This is part of the reason we are here at Australia Tourism Exchange, and it’s great to see everyone face-to-face.
“Interest is definitely picking up, and within the next six to eight months, numbers will surge.”
Out of the 550 buyers present at this year’s Australia Tourism Exchange, around 150 longhaul buyers hailed from countries such as Canada, Germany, Italy, the UK and the US.
Data by Amadeus Travel Pulse reveals that search volumes around the globe have been increasing, reaching near-2019 levels for 1Q2022.
Global search volumes in the last week of April 2022 were only 3% down versus the same period in 2019, confirming that traveller confidence and appetite to travel continue to strengthen. There were double-digit increases in many key markets during the whole month of April, with searches from Mexico up 69%, Canada up 29%, and the US up 7%.
Internationals and domestic search volumes around the globe have been increasing
Domestic searches in the last week of April saw a 4% increase versus 2019. Markets such as India (up 47%) and Italy (up 82%) are leading the charge.
While domestic has recovered the most, intra-regional searches in the last week of April were only 4% down versus 2019, with impressive growth coming from the UK up 35% and France up 38%.
For international, Argentina is seeing one of the best recoveries with 24% ahead of 2019 levels. India drives international travel recovery as searches to and from the country went up 5% as compared to the same period in 2019.
Search is significantly ahead on a global scale when comparing 2021 to 2022 to date. The first four months of 2022 are on average 69% ahead of the same period last year. Looking at the monthly figures, January was 37% ahead year-on-year; February 77% ahead; March 67% ahead; while April is ahead by 94% compared to the previous year’s searches.
Whereas domestic search saw a 73% increase, while intra-regional search is up 72%, and international search is up 61%.
The data also reveals other aspects of the airline industry returning to familiar territory. Of the 16 most popular routes, nine are seeing search volumes comparable to 2019 including Delhi-Toronto (up 32%), Tel Aviv-New York (up 90%); Seoul-New York (up 10%); Buenos Aires-Madrid (up 49%) and Montreal-Paris (up 60%) among others.
Regional leaders are emerging in EMEA and APAC, with searches to and from London and Seoul dominating, respectively. South Korea is leading with 6 out of 10 routes departing from Seoul as well as the domestic route between Seoul to Jeju surging by 141%. In addition, the route from Sydney to Singapore in April went up by 207%.
As Indonesia has removed pre-flight PCR and ART tests for inbound international visitors, the country is striving to reach its 1.8 to 3.6-million arrival target.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) is going all out to ensure seat capacity is available to anticipate the pent-up demand of travellers. MoTCE will also focus its marketing and promotions to Australia, Singapore, France, the UK and the US.
Sporting events will attract more travellers to return to Indonesia
Minister of tourism and creative economy, Sandiaga Uno, said that the increase in the number of arrivals would be more significant if the seat capacity and number of flights increased.
Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency, the number of foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia in 1Q2022 was 74,380, an increase of more than 200 per cent compared to that of the same period in 2021, which was only 22,660.
He believed that the arrival figures would spike dramatically in line with the upcoming G20 Summit and other major events in 2022. For this reason, MoTCE is having intense discussions with several airlines on collaboration areas to increase the number of flights.
“We (will) also continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation to increase airline slots,” he said in a weekly press briefing in Jakarta.
Pauline Suharno, president of Association of the Indonesian Travel Agents, considered it a positive move by the government.
She stated: “The current condition is that demand is high, but seat capacity is lacking, which ultimately makes the price of tour packages expensive (due to the high flight component).”
Simultaneously, MoTCE is intensifying promotions in five top destination markets and will focus on showing the trade partners that Indonesia is ready to welcome tourists back.
Sandiaga said: “These five countries are the biggest contributors of foreign tourists to Indonesia. Wonderful Indonesia promotions will be intensified there, starting from participating in tradeshows, sales missions, networking dinners, to holding events that showcase Indonesia’s tourism potential and creative economy.”
MoTCE will continue to develop and improve the quality of destinations based on sports tourism and eco-tourism to encourage more travellers to return to Indonesia.
“Lombok, Bintan and Batam, which already have sport events, will be developed as sustainable destinations. This is also part of an effort to provide a unique experience in Indonesia, as well as promote beyond Bali,” Sandiaga added.
Chroma Hospitality’s newest hotel concept and addition to its brands is Grafik Hotel, located in the heart of Camp John Hay, Baguio City.
Chroma is eager to bring its world-class service to the “City of Pines”. Together with its owner and developer, Filinvest Hospitality Corporation, this $1 billion investment will feature a world-class hotel with 240 rooms, as well as integrated spaces and communal areas.
The Grafik Hotel is slated for completion in Q4 of 2024
With the support and strong partnership with the local government, Bases Conversion and Development Authority and John Hay Management Corporation, this project aims to contribute to Baguio’s already steadfast tourism industry and provide more job prospects to the locals.
This important investment fortifies Chroma’s and Filinvest’s presence in the Northern Luzon market and signifies their continued confidence in the country’s tourism and hospitality market.
Slated for completion in 4Q2024, the new hotel will offer a unique stay and set a standard in the hospitality industry as a sustainable and environmentally-aware space. Integrated spaces merge style with practicality, offering communal areas to eat, play, and work.
A core element in building the hotel is sustainability, with the building footprint at 64 per cent. The remaining 36 per cent is dedicated to vegetated open space which will have natural landscaping and views of Camp John Hay. Designed to have minimal impact on its existing environment, the project makes the effort to be energy- and water-efficient.
Chroma Hospitality’s country manager, James Montenegro, said: “We are excited to finally open our newest hotel brand Grafik, which will offer a unique style of driven hospitality and will challenge traditional hotel offerings by pioneering in leading edge technologies while providing a service approach that is spontaneous and casual.
“It will be a living, breathing community where everyone belongs.”
Cruise lines looking to grow their Muslim customer segment should look into satisfying faith based needs and curating shore excursions that have a special cultural or historical appeal.
These suggestions came from industry experts speaking on a cruise-focused panel at the Halal in Travel Global Summit on May 31.
Cruises around Croatia feature experiences that capture the destination’s strong Islamic history
Travel industry veteran, Johnny Judianto, who is also the president director of Best Tour based in Indonesia, said that Muslim cruisers pay close attention to the availability of Halal or Muslim-friendly food. As such, cruise operators that dedicate a section of the buffet to such options are likely to have an advantage over the rest.
He added that Indonesian Muslim cruisers are also comfortable with vegetarian, seafood and vegan options.
Judianto noted a growing market for post-lockdown cruise holidays in Indonesia, and added that demand for cruises out of the Middle East looks strong for this year-end and early 2023.
To elevate the cruise experience for Muslim guests, Judianto suggested that cruise operators offer itineraries that delve into the history and culture of the destination – such experiences would appeal to everyone, not just Muslims.
Agreeing, Ivana Karanikic, owner, Croatia-based Prolingua Travel DMC, shared that Croatia has a strong Islamic history as it was once under the Ottoman Empire for 500 years and thus, has many interesting places to show the Muslim traveller.
However, Karanikic pointed out that Muslim travellers are not that different from other travellers, and they are just as keen on nature, gastronomy and the way of locals in destinations they visit.
Prolingua Travel DMC sells cruise packages that feature sailing on small ships with around 18 cabins for not more than 50 passengers, including crew.
Fellow panellist, Kenneth Yeo, regional director (sales) Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean Group, said his ships are flexible and can address specific dietary needs with advance notice. Currently, Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer F&B that caters to the wider audience.
Yeo opined that a time may come when growing Muslim consumer demand would prompt the cruise liner to create a Halal menu.
Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a special package featuring six exclusive benefits.
The package includes a complimentary room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, early check-in and late check-out, complimentary private 45-minute boxing or yoga class, 666 baht (US$19) of resort credit per night, plus a choice of a head and shoulder massage for two persons or daily cocktail/beer.
Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach celebrates its sixth year with an exclusive package
The resort offers a choice of rooms, suites and villas, plus beachside dining venues, sparkling swimming pools, a soothing spa and fitness centre – all surrounded by tropical gardens and overlooking the Andaman Sea.
Book the package here from now to June 14, 2022 for stays between June 1 and July 31, 2022.
AirAsia Thailand commences its first international route from Suvarnabhumi Airport today, becoming the only low-cost carrier to fly between Suvarnabhumi and Kuala Lumpur.
The route is available twice daily.
AirAsia’s Suvarnabhumi-Kuala Lumpur service is available twice daily
AirAsia Thailand’s CEO, Santisuk Klongchaiya, pointed out that AirAsia’s flight base at Suvarnabhumi Airport has been very well received. At present, the carrier operates three domestic routes from Suvarnabhumi, flying to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi.
He said: “Our first international route being served from Suvarnabhumi Airport is a positive and exciting development, especially as it’s the popular Suvarnabhumi-Kuala Lumpur route. On top of Suvarnabhumi Airport being a major transit hub with a variety of further options for flights, arrivals from Kuala Lumpur will also have AirAsia’s extensive network of low fare domestic routes to continue on with. Thailand is welcoming fully vaccinated visitors and no longer requires Covid-19 testing or quarantine, so we are confident this new route will be very well received.”
AirAsia also operates daily return flights between Bangkok Don Mueang and Kuala Lumpur.
Seven Seas Mariner will set off on a 15-day cruise around the world on January 7, 2025, establishing a milestone for the longest-ever World Cruise offered by Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The 2025 World Cruise – Away in Wonder departs from Miami, Florida and goes on to call at 97 ports in 25 countries on five continents.
Seven Seas Mariner will set off on a 15-day cruise around the world
There is an option to add an additional 18 nights sailing to the programme. This add-on sails the Mexican Riviera from San Francisco to Miami, visiting ports in Costa Rica, Colombia and more, along with a full transit of the Panama Canal.
“We know that our guests are looking for extended travel in exotic destinations, which is why we are incredibly excited to unveil the longest World Cruise in our 30-year history,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“Over 150 nights, travellers will not only experience the highest standards of service, cuisine and enrichment, plus enjoy a delightful array of luxury amenities, but they will also journey as far south as Antarctica, and as far north as Alaska – all in one single, epic voyage as they sail Away in Wonder.”
The 2025 World Cruise – Away in Wonder will come with 395 included shore excursions as well as 16 in-port overnight stays at destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The itinerary also provides access to 48 UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Rapa Nui National Park in Hanga Roa on Easter Island and the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
The cruise visits two new ports of call for Regent – the remote Robinson Crusoe Island off the coast of Chile, and Muroran on the Japanese island of Hokkaido – and will also undertake a once-in-a-lifetime, three-day scenic cruise of the Antarctic.
The cruise is open on June 1 for customers to pre-register their interest, with prices starting from US$86,999 per guest for a Deluxe Veranda Suite. The voyage will go on sale on June 15, 2022.
Casting calls, auditions and virtual job fairs are deployed by manpower-hungry hotels in Asia-Pacific
Poor public perception of hospitality career and labour shortage plague hotel hirers
Improved internal processes and external partnerships will improve recruitment outcomes for the industry
The hiring manager at InterContinental Singapore landed an unusual task recently when a talent was needed to helm the hotel’s upcoming Italian restaurant. Ditching the traditional hiring route, a casting call was held instead.
Named Culinary Superstar Hunt, the campaign was designed as a talent show and invited interested individuals to put themselves in front of the camera to sell themselves as the best candidate for the role. The prize was an opportunity of a lifetime – a contract to become chef de cuisine at InterContinental Singapore, and have his or her name to the launch of a new concept in Italian dining in 2022.
The creative hiring route generated intense interest from more than 200,000 hopefuls.
“We have never launched a campaign quite like Culinary Superstar Hunt. The viral nature of the video content and genuine excitement generated by the opportunity to have their name in lights, and a complete blank canvas to really make their mark on, (led) 120 incredible chefs from around the world to send in their applications,” general manager Andreas Kraemer told TTG Asia.
A gastronomic superstar was soon found – Davide Giacomelli, an Italian native with over 13 years of culinary experience, including at several Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe. As promised, he now lends his name to InterContinental Singapore’s new flagship restaurant, LUCE by Davide Giacomelli Italian, which opened in May.
Casting calls for hospitality hiring is rare, but it is precisely the uniqueness of this approach that helps employers stand out in a sea of companies hungry for exceptional manpower.
Earlier in 2021, Vietnamese hospitality brand Wink Hotels made headlines for its Casting Day recruitment exercise to snag passionate service associates for Wink Hotel Saigon Centre @ 75 Nguyen Binh Khiem. Through video submissions and an audition, the process singled out applicants with a natural flair for social interaction.
The recruitment approach reflects Wink Hotels’ service promise, which is to have frontline talents who “mirror the upwardly mobile entrepreneurs and dynamic young-at-heart Vietnamese population”, explained CEO Micheal Piro.
Wink Hotels hosted a casting call to identify Vietnam’s new generation of service rock stars
“We are not looking to fill job titles but individuals with natural ability to deliver engaging experiences. Hospitality background may be useful but being passionate is essential for a Wink Guide. We want Vietnam’s new generation of service rock stars. Traditional interviews would defeat our purpose,” he said in a press statement.
Indeed, it was the same desire to “push boundaries” and attract a different school of talents that drove InterContinental Singapore to host the Global Chef Hunt.
The change in recruitment approach also reflects current realities.
As the pandemic catalysed remote work adoption along with online interaction, Accor adjusted its hiring process for its South-east Asian properties. It held its first-ever virtual job fair in Thailand from May 9 to 13, 2022, putting up more than 450 jobs for candidates to consider and apply for. Applicants uploaded their CVs and scheduled virtual interviews.
The virtual job fair not only answered people’s growing preference for online interaction, it was also necessitated by social distancing, explained Sonya Brown, senior vice president, talent & culture, Accor Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.
“Virtual recruitment helps eliminate barriers for candidates to access job opportunities and for hotels to extend a wider reach for potential talent. It helps attract more applicants as the process is efficient, time and cost-saving, and flexible,” Brown added.
Vacancies abound, but obstacles too
With travel and tourism recovery gaining pace, hotel operators are facing intense pressure to rebuild their teams that were scattered during more than two years of business disruption and at the same time, staff new properties that are coming into the marketplace.
At press time in late-May, Accor has over 1,200 vacancies across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and the Maldives. Positions span a range of departments such as front office, operations, F&B, finance, sales and marketing, and human resources.
Accor has over 1,200 vacancies across South-east Asia, Japan, South Korea, and the Maldives
Brown revealed that Indonesia (390 available positions), Vietnam (286) and Thailand (267) are the top three countries that are most hungry for talents.
While Hilton and IHG Hotels & Resorts did not quantify available positions, one can expect substantial staffing requirements as both continue to expand their portfolio across Asia-Pacific.
Rajit Sukumaran, managing director, South East Asia & Korea, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said the company has almost 850 hotels in operation, and a pipeline of nearly 650 hotels across the region.
Hilton put up a record year of growth in 2021, opening one hotel every four days, stated Patsy Ng, vice president for human resources – Asia Pacific. The company will press on with its growth strategy in 2022, with Hilton’s Asia-Pacific estate set to grow by nearly 150 per cent when 774 hotels in its pipeline are delivered.
She admitted to a “real and urgent need for talent” across all regional markets, with vacancies “at all levels, especially frontline roles in operations, housekeeping, kitchen, and F&B” as well as for commercial services and brand marketing positions at the corporate level.
Emphasising the scale of human resource needs by hotels alone, Sukumaran said: “STR data shows that 1.4 million rooms will be added to this region by 2026, which means 750,000 more outstanding people will be joining the hospitality industry.”
“Hospitality is such a fast-growing, exciting and diverse industry, and as travel recovers, this is the perfect time to join the industry. We are seeing so much growth opportunities, with 133,946 rooms in our Asia-Pacific development pipeline in 1Q2022 alone. People working in hospitality now have huge opportunities to grow their careers as business comes back and new hotels open,” he added.
However, conveying the many benefits of a hospitality career has been a familiar challenge due to public perception of such jobs being low paying and demanding long hours. This difficulty is amplified by the travel disruption, which resulted in massive job displacements and emphasised the vulnerability of a hospitality career.
Brown said: “We value our employees hugely, but the severity of the situation and the length of its duration meant we needed to downsize and cut costs. Many talents have looked to alternative industries or careers since then. Existing vacancies are left unfilled. This has led to a change of quotas and also pushed wages up in countries such as Singapore, which in turn makes recruitment more challenging.”
Echoing similar concerns, Ng said the exit of talent over the last two years has evolved into labour shortage in markets such as Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, where access to foreign labour remains constrained due to work visa regulations.
Brown: many talents have looked to alternative industries or careers since the travel disruption
Attraction, retention investment
To alleviate the manpower crunch and correct the image of a hospitality career, hotel companies are improving internal and external processes.
Accor is investing in training; improving salary for local talents in roles such as front office, housekeeping and F&B; redesigning jobs to combine roles, which helps to grow personal capabilities; sparking interest of the younger generation in the industry through internships and part-time jobs; and applying technology to lessen dependency on manpower.
It is also prioritising employees’ well-being and work/life balance, as “employees nowadays seek employers who care for them as individuals and respect their physical and mental health,” Brown told TTG Asia.
Over at IHG, personal growth and development opportunities are ensured. Sukumaran cited the Journey to GM programme as an example, where high performing individuals are supported in their career development.
The company also adopts localised recruitment strategies. For example, in Australia, the company launched in October 2021 myflex, a life/work initiative that allows new employees to self-schedule their hours at any IHG-managed hotel or pause their hours and availability at any time.
Also in on the flexible work game, Hilton is determined to “realign and balance flexible work expectations and increase our team member productivity by allowing more flexibility to better integrate work and life”, shared Ng.
Hilton has started to review and amplify its end-to-end hiring processes, leveraging team member stories and recommendations as an organic way to attract new talent and shape the overall employee experience, according to Ng.
Davide Giacomelli defeated 119 other talented chefs from around the world to win InterContinental Singapore’s Culinary Superstar Hunt and a contract for the role of chef de cuisine
Simply getting creative with recruitment can also put the hospitality industry in a more attractive light. InterContinental Singapore’s Kraemer said the “fun and innovative element” of the Culinary Superstar Hunt aimed to re-inspire young blood to join the hospitality industry and show them “the potential and opportunities the industry has for them – in this case, by providing them a platform and opportunity to take the next step in their careers”.
Equally important is industry collaboration to improve the odds of attracting talents.
With the hospitality sector making up about 10 per cent of an economy’s workforce in most market, Ng said hotel companies should work together and partner government agencies to promote the industry as an employer of choice.
“The severe labour crunch driven by the return of travel is also compelling hotel companies to make a seismic shift in the way we operate and be more innovative in the way we redesign jobs to make them more attractive and better compensated,” she said.
IHG works with governments, trade bodies and peers globally to support its people, hotels, owners and the wider industry.
“This includes WTTC’s work to reopen travel and protect industry jobs. Our CEO, Keith Barr, sits on the WTTC’s Executive Committee and regularly attends prominent conferences to encourage governments and the travel industry to work together for the greater good,” said Sukumaran.
IHG’s Singapore team works with the Singapore Hotel Association and Singapore Tourism Board, while Leanne Harwood, managing director for Japan, Australasia and the Pacific and inaugural president of Accommodation Australia, drives advocacy for the industry in her markets and inspires the next generation of talent and people returning to the industry.
IHG fosters strategic partnerships across different industries as well. In 2021, it joined Google in launching #IamRemarkable for colleagues across South-east Asia and South Korea. The ongoing initiative empowers all individuals to speak openly about their accomplishments in the workplace and beyond.
“It was such a great success, an example of how we recognise and celebrate our colleagues and create the strong bonds that builds confidence, trust and allies,” he said.
Ng: non-hospitality trained individuals can bring fresh perspectives to the business
Expanding options
As fishing in the same pond gets tougher, hotel companies are casting their nets farther to improve recruitment outcomes.
Hilton takes its talent search beyond individuals who are hospitality trained, and draws them in with its award-winning culture and leadership development programmes.
Ng said: “We believe that these talents can bring skillsets that are transferable and fresh perspectives to our business. We are also expanding our reach by tapping into the gig economy, which has grown exponentially over the last two years.”
For IHG, this means engaging individuals with mild intellectual disability through a partnership between the Singapore office and the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN). IHG provides support, jobs and training for APSN students and trainees across all its Singapore hotels.
The mature workforce is in Accor’s line of sight, and the company has devised part-time opportunities as well as flexible work arrangements to accommodate these individuals. Brown shared that a Silver Gen Champion is appointed to lead these changes.
Upholding its commitment to be open to all, promote equality and prevent discrimination, Accor hotels in Singapore are also hiring people with special needs and enabling them through redesigned tasks and roles.
“We train, develop and empower them on site with goals to create meaningful jobs,” said Brown, adding that the same learning approach is taken with staff new to the hospitality industry.
“Accor can offer learning and development programmes, career progression opportunities, and workplaces that are fun and collaborative thanks to a focus on teamwork,” she added.
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) welcomes the impending appointment of Christina G Frasco as secretary.
Frasco, who is currently mayor of Liloan, Cebu, will replace Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
In a statement on Monday, Romulo-Puyat said the DOT is ready for a “smooth turnover” to the new leadership, and will be handing the National Tourism Development Plan 2022 to 2028 to Frasco.
Frasco serves as the spokesperson of vice president-elect Sara Duterte since July 2021. She is also the daughter of Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
In a statement on Monday, Romulo-Puyat said the DOT is ready for a “smooth turnover” to the new leadership, and will be handing the National Tourism Development Plan 2022 to 2028 to Frasco.
