The online China Tourism Training (CTT) Edition 2022, an update of the programme launched in 2019, has incorporated many changes to reflect Chinese traveller demand and behaviour that developed over the last two years.
According to Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO, China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), which developed CTT, interest has shifted to nature, smaller destinations, family travel, health, camping and caravan trips.
The online CTT Edition 2022 has incorporated changes to reflect new interests of Chinese travellers
He added: “There is less interest in packaged tours, shopping and sightseeing, and more interest in half-organised customised or individual trips, more experiences and closer contact with local culture.”
COTRI is expecting some 500 CTT sign-ups in 2H2022 and “a boom for 2023 with several thousand participants when the Chinese borders open and a big wave of Chinese travellers with new needs and demands” are expected.
“Surprisingly, most participants are from Asia, followed by Europe and growing demand from South America,” Arlt noted.
“Successful participants are entitled to lifelong free membership in the CTT Alumni Network, which will start in the second half of 2022, and offer regular online webinars and online and offline meetings to develop into the main meeting point for those working in Chinese outbound tourism.”
COTRI, he commented, had seen growing CTT interest in recent weeks even though the current Covid-19 situation in China is still uncertain and there is no clear signal for when China will open.
CTT Edition 2022 comprises basic and advanced industry-specific training and is available in English, German and Spanish. Round-the-clock online access on any device is valid for three months.
Best practice examples, the cornerstone of the CTT programme, is drawn from a wide range of high-level leading global tourism service providers and Chinese industry experts.
Arlt said COTRI was “planning to offer a more academic and less practice-orientated version for 2023” for institutes of higher learning.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will host the main event in the countdown to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 on October 22 – an activity that will boost inbound tourism and major events recovery for the destination.
The Official Draw, set to take place at Aotea Centre, is expected to attract an international television audience of more than a billion viewers, said Phil Goff, mayor of Auckland.
The Official Draw is set to take place at Aotea Centre, Auckland
He added: “Those attending in person will boost visitor nights in Auckland by about 130,000, and the event will contribute about NZ$60 million (US$38.2 million) to regional GDP in Auckland.
“The draw will be eagerly followed by countries around the world keen to find out who their teams will compete against, and when and where they will play. Auckland will be in the international spotlight during the Official Draw, just as it will be for the opening match in July 2023 and the semi-final, both to be held at Eden Park.”
The Official Draw will see 32 participating teams being allocated into eight groups to determine who they will face in next year’s event, as well as which country they will be based in for group stage matches.
FIFA estimates that around 800 attendees, including senior FIFA officials and international media will attend the event, which will also be broadcast live to a captive global audience – providing a platform to showcase what makes Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa unique with viewers around the world.
Approximately 120 team representatives will then visit shortlisted training sites and accommodation across New Zealand and Australia.
Hosting the Official Draw brings Auckland one step closer to hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – the largest women’s sporting tournament ever staged in Auckland or New Zealand. The event will help to underpin the region’s ongoing Covid-19 recovery, said Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill.
“A truly international event, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be a cornerstone in Auckland’s major event calendar and our gradual re-opening to the world,” Hill added.
Building on the success of the Rixos luxury all-inclusive brand, Accor is accelerating its expansion in the all-inclusive market with the launch of its multi-branded All-Inclusive Collection.
The All-Inclusive Collection will include Accor’s luxury and premium brands Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Swissôtel and Mövenpick. The objective is to leverage the strength and visibility of these brands in key markets identified for the All-Inclusive Collection.
Accor’s All-Inclusive Collection will span Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean
Curated entertainment programmes, for both day and evening activities, will play a central role in the All-Inclusive Collection, and will build on Rixos’ expertise in children’s clubs, fitness, water sports, outdoor activities and business events.
Guests can expect spectacular shows, multiple sporting activities per resort, as well as world-class spa and wellness facilities.
There will also be extensive F&B, beach club and nightlife concepts.
The All-Inclusive Collection will span Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean – selected for their promising growth potential in the all-inclusive segment and the strength of these brands in the target markets.
The All-Inclusive Collection will initially focus on the further expansion of Rixos’ footprint of 50 properties in the network and pipeline, and will quickly scale and diversify as part of a longer term multi-branded strategy of having over 100 all-inclusive resorts in the next five years.
New openings set for this year include Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, Rixos Qetaifan Doha, and Swissôtel Sharm el Sheikh. The latter is the first non-Rixos branded property in the All-Inclusive Collection.
In South-east Asia, Rixos Nha Trang Beach Resort will be Accor’s first all-inclusive luxury resort. It will open in 2025.
Fettah Tamince, chairman of the Board of Rixos Hotels, said: “I am incredibly proud of the success Rixos has achieved in the five years as part of the Accor portfolio. Together, Accor and Rixos complement each other’s market-leading expertise, and the All-Inclusive Collection is the next step in accelerating their positions in the sector. This new initiative comes at a time when the demand for all-inclusive stays could not be stronger and now is the right time to leverage this positive trajectory.”
Gaurav Bhushan, CEO Accor Lifestyle & Entertainment and co-CEO Ennismore, added: “The post-Covid travel market is witnessing a renewed desire for leisure stays. Accor’s strategic decision to double down on the all-inclusive segment, the fastest growing sector in this market and build upon its success with Rixos, capitalises on this opportunity. The new luxury and premium All-Inclusive Collection, reinforces our business model while increasing our exposure and value proposition for hotel owners.”
Oceania Cruises’ opening day for its 2024 Collection of voyages on May 5, 2022 ranks among the best single-day booking periods in the company’s history.
More than 350 voyages, ranging from seven to 82 days in length and spanning from October 2023 to December 2024, went on sale.
Sales for itineraries on Marina performed exceptionally well
Howard Sherman, president & CEO of Oceania Cruises, said: “The 2024 Collection launch illustrates tremendous and continued strong demand for cruising in addition to highlighting the increased trend in planning travel further out, both for past guests and new-to-brand guests.”
Oceania Cruises continues to see strong demand from new-to-brand guests, with one-third of the bookings coming from first-time guests.
All of the bookings for 2023 and 2024 are new cash bookings with no dilution from Future Cruise Credits issued during the pandemic, and one-third of the total transactions included reservations for at least two voyages.
The cruise line’s 35-day circumnavigation of Australia departing December 21, 2023 proved to be the most in-demand voyage, with more than 60 per cent of capacity filled in one day.
All destinations saw strong bookings with Asia as the most popular, followed by the South America sailings and Northern Europe itineraries on the 1,238-guest Marina performing exceptionally well. Africa, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand also showed strong demand.
To help the travel industry get back on its feet at a time when many airports are burdened with lost income and limited resources, SITA is offering two approaches to passenger processing technology development that will ease the financial burden on airport operators.
First, for airports whose documentation procedures and systems do not inter-operate with that of other countries, SITA is offering an off-the-shelf solution that is free of cost for one year.
Patel: the only answer (to the congestion problem) is technology
Second, for airports with a system in place, SITA offers a phased technology refresh. For instance, an airport with available check-in desks could begin with two improved touch points to reduce passenger processing time, and move on to improvements at the immigration section, duty free retail and lounge facilities in the next phase.
SITA president Asia Pacific, Sumesh Patel, told TTG Asia that governments will have to eventually adopt new technology to address airport congestion and answer to a growing need for passengers to be in control of their trip while being exposed to minimal contact. New processes needed now include inter-operating passenger documentation and health detailing with that of other countries, touchless apps, and biometrics.
Patel noted that airports infrastructures were already strained by high passenger growth rate pre-pandemic, and the pressure is mounting as travel returns post-lockdown.
Pre-pandemic, the global average duration for passenger processing, from the time the traveller reaches the airport until boarding, was 1.5 hours. Now, with additional documentation scrutiny, the process has stretched to 5.5 hours.
“The only answer (to the congestion problem) is technology,” he stated.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas presents the Best of Maldives package to bring the best of the island’s experiences to its guests.
The package includes accommodation at a beach pool villa or over water pool villa, and serviced by a personal host 24 hours a day.
Indulge in a gourmet lunch underwater with panoramic views of marine life
For stays between four and seven nights, guests can savour a gourmet four-course lunch while marvelling at the panoramic views of marine life six metres beneath the water at SEA, the resort’s underwater restaurant.
Stays of eight nights or more will include an additional experience of snorkelling with manta rays at Hanifaru Bay or a dolphin watching cruise, depending on the season.
What made you give five decades of loyalty to a single employer?
This is my love story. I was schooled at St Joseph Institution down the road from Raffles Singapore, and I’d walk past the hotel every day. The colonial architecture attracted me and I would always wonder what’s inside.
I had my first beer in this hotel after I completed school. It was then that I finally saw the interior, which was nothing like what I had seen. I decided there and then that I would work here.
Danker’s work at Raffles Singapore is never a job, but a passion that he is able to live out most days a week
On March 15, 1972 I joined the hotel as a maintenance supervisor. It was a good thing, as the job allowed me to explore every corner of the hotel and brought me close to the interior and architecture.
The more time I spent at the hotel, the more I wanted to know about it. I spent a lot of time in the library researching. Did you know that the hotel started off as a 10-room bungalow, and in 1915 it created the Singapore Sling that put the hotel on the world map? Later, during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), Japanese officers stayed here.
There were many happy and sad moments for this hotel, but it persevered through time.
There are many stunning hotels in Singapore now. Have you never felt compelled to leave and explore work elsewhere?
Whatever the other glamorous new hotels have, we have it too at Raffles. But they do not have the rich history that we do. The hotel had so many significant events that were attended by famous personalities like Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Elizabeth Taylor, and the Queen of England. Noel Coward even wrote a song for the hotel.
The Sarkies Brothers (founders of the hotel as well as many other luxury hotels throughout South-east Asia) once said of this hotel: we are not better than the best, but better than the rest.
So, if I have the best, why would I move on to the rest?
Raffles is special, and is now a part of me.
Did you play other roles at the hotel?
I was in F&B, HR and front office (at different stages). At the front office, I often had to answer guests who were curious about the hotel’s history and architecture.
After the hotel has designated a National Monument on March 4, 1987, a new company bought it over and ordered a complete restoration (in 1989) to bring back the hotel’s early grandeur. At that time, many staff were retrenched and it made me very sad to have to leave.
Quite fortunately for me, I was asked to take the new CEO around to show him the history and architecture of the building. At the end of it, he invited me to stay and contribute my knowledge to the new owners and management.
I was hired as site supervisor, and worked closely with engineers, architects and interior designers during the restoration. I learnt even more about the history of the hotel during the restoration because there were media reports about its beginnings and milestones. I bought a black notebook for all those clippings. This book is now on show in the hotel’s museum.
After the restoration, I was appointed information officer, guest relations manager and later, training manager. Eventually, they put me back in front of guests and soon after, the general manager made me the resident historian so I could keep telling my stories.
Since then, I have been conducting history tours for guests, taking on media interviews on the hotel’s heritage, and history training for new staff on orientation.
I’ve not stopped learning, and continue to do a lot of research to uncover facts about the hotel and its surroundings.
Today, it is common for hotel staff to call me throughout the day to ask about things like, how big the hotel is or how high the ceiling is.
My colleagues say I am a walking hotel history archive.
Which of these roles did you love most?
The resident historian, of course! When I interact with our guests on the hotel’s past, my stories make their stay come alive! Many came to stay because of the hotel’s architecture, but did not know much about the wonderful stories.
What is your one favourite story about the hotel to tell?
I am the only staff who has been here before the first restoration (in 1989), and had the privilege of working on the project.
When I joined in the 70s, there was a ballroom on the current iconic driveway. The Sarkies Brothers added it to gain more revenue. When the ballroom was demolished to allow for the restoration of the grand entrance, we discovered gravel underneath. Horses were the primary transport back then, and gravel was used in driveways (for better grip).
(Throughout the restoration works), we found broken porcelain with SB initials for Sarkies Brothers, original tiles from the past, original ceiling, and even the skeleton of a horse!
I was privileged to witness the transformation of the hotel back to the grand days of 1915.
Transport ministers from seven South-east Asian countries have pledged to rebuild and restore air travel through various measures including mutual recognition of Covid-19 health certificates and the development of a single ASEAN aviation market.
Transport ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei will commit to a range of efforts that will rebuild the region’s aviation sector
The commitment is shared by the ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei.
According to Singapore broadsheet The Straits Times, a joint statement by the ministers also pointed to efforts such as harmonised aviation-related public health and safety measures, aligned sustainable practices, and improved air connectivity between South-east Asia and other regions.
Training and capacity building will also be promoted to support recovery and growth of the civil aviation sector and the well-being of its workers.
Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 project will resume after a two-year hiatus induced by the pandemic, announced transport minister S Iswaran today at the Changi Aviation Summit.
Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 is expected to be ready around mid-2030s
The decision is supported by “current and projected recovery in air travel demand”, he noted, adding that the terminal’s design would be reviewed “to make it more modular and flexible, and enhance its resilience and sustainability”.
Iswaran said construction could commence in two to three years, subject to the pace of travel recovery.
The facility is targetted for operations around mid-2030s.
The Lebaran holiday, Indonesia’s biggest holiday season, has brought a breath of fresh air for the local hotel industry, thanks to heightened traffic.
Although the official holiday period runs from April 29 to May 6, domestic travel has been riding high since a week before.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport recorded 10,899 flights during this year’s Lebaran
Maulana Yusran, secretary-general of the Indonesian Hotels & Restaurants Association (IHRA), who observed an increase in hotel occupancy, said it was due to several things – a long collective leave issued by the government; removal of Covid testing, especially for those who have had the booster vaccine; and a greater enthusiasm in going home for the festive season.
IHRA estimated an average increase of 30 to 40 per cent in occupancy nationwide during the holiday period, as compared to normal days, and 30 to 40 per cent higher than the Lebaran holiday last year.
Popular destinations such as Bali and Yogyakarta saw a notable spike in occupancy rate.
Owner of Santrian Group Bali, Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, said his properties experienced an occupancy increase of 55 to 70 per cent during the Lebaran holiday as compared to the same period last year.
Fransiska Handoko, general manager of Risata Bali Resort and Spa, said business came from a mix of foreign and domestic guests, with local travellers making up 60 per cent of bookings.
This was a 50 per cent increase from the same period last year, when high-level movement restrictions were in place, she added.
Similarly, SenS Hotels & Resorts in Ubud enjoyed 90 per cent occupancy during the same period, as both domestic and international holidaymakers returned to Bali.
IHRA Yogyakarta Chapter chairman, Deddy Pranowo, reported that occupancy in 2020 and 2021 was under 30 per cent but peaked at 90.8 per cent this Lebaran.
Data from toll road operator Jasa Marga showed over 1,700 vehicles leaving Jakarta and the surrounding areas to cities across Java, Sumatra and Bali between April 22 and May 2.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport recorded 1.36 million passenger movements during that period, with 10,899 flights.
Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 project will resume after a two-year hiatus induced by the pandemic, announced transport minister S Iswaran today at the Changi Aviation Summit.
The decision is supported by “current and projected recovery in air travel demand”, he noted, adding that the terminal’s design would be reviewed “to make it more modular and flexible, and enhance its resilience and sustainability”.
Iswaran said construction could commence in two to three years, subject to the pace of travel recovery.
The facility is targetted for operations around mid-2030s.