Accor, Salter Brothers expand Australia hotel portfolio

July 5, 2022

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.

Derry: 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

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 sails off with tasty new experiences to Swan Valley

By Karen Yue

July 5, 2022

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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.

Captain Cook Cruises takes guests on a cruise from Perth’s Elizabeth Quay to the Swan Valley

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.

Japan tourism sector set for return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023: WTTC

By TTG Asia

July 5, 2022

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Forecast from the WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) is expecting Japan’s travel and tourism sector to contribute nearly 40 trillion yen (US$293.5 billion) to the country’s GDP by the end of 2023 – just 2.2 per cent below 2019 levels.

The report marked 2021 as the beginning of the sector’s recovery for Japan.

WTTC’s report reveals employment will surpass pre-pandemic levels by end-2022

Pre-pandemic, the sector’s contribution to GDP was 40.8 trillion yen in 2019, falling to 18.4 trillion yen in 2020 – a 54.8 per cent loss. In 2021, its contribution to GDP climbed 22.9 per cent year-on-year to reach 22.7 trillion yen.

In 2019, the sector supported 5.8 million jobs, falling to just below 5.3 million in 2020, and saw a recovery of more than 210,000 travel and tourism jobs reaching 5.5 million.

Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “Following two years of restrictions to mobility, which damaged the sector, there are reasons for optimism as the sector is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

“But there is still work to be done. Removing testing and facilitating international travel will further boost the sector’s growth and fast-track the recovery.”

WTTC’s data also reveals employment will surpass pre-pandemic levels, recovering more than 23,000 jobs, to reach more than 5.8 million by the end of the year.

Over the next decade, travel and tourism’s GDP is expected to grow at an average of 2.6 per cent annually to reach more than 46.7 trillion yen. This will create nearly 683,000 jobs over the next 10 years, averaging more than 68,000 new jobs every year, to reach more than 6.2 million employed by the end of 2032.

By the end of 2022, the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 60 per cent to more than 36.2 trillion yen, amounting to 6.5 per cent of the total economic GDP.

Employment levels in the travel and tourism sector are expected to grow at a slower rate, with more than 5.6 million to work in the sector by the end of this year.

Four Seasons to open new luxury hotel in Xi’an

By TTG Asia

July 5, 2022

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Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will be opening a Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an in collaboration with Chinese development firm Spring Garden Company come 2026.

The hotel will feature 250 guestrooms and suites as part of a mixed-use development project, and F&B options include two restaurants, lobby bar, and rooftop bar overlooking Muta Temple Relics Park.

Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an is slated to open in 2026

Recreational facilities include a spa, salon, indoor and outdoor pools. There are also two ballrooms, several private dining rooms, as well as flexible meeting and event spaces.

Nearby attractions include the city’s imperial museums, the majestic ancient city wall and renowned Terracotta Warriors Museum, the Muta Temple Relics Park, as well as the Tang Dynasty Wall Relics Park.

Located approximately 45 minutes by car from Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an will also be accessible via high-speed rail and train for those travelling from destinations within China.

AirAsia Thailand relaunches HK flights; trials Guangzhou route

By TTG Asia

July 5, 2022

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AirAsia Thailand will fly direct to Hong Kong next month, and will do a pilot roundtrip flight next week between Guangzhou and Bangkok.

The Bangkok Don Mueang-Hong Kong will begin with a weekly flight starting August 7, 2022, before increasing to twice- and thrice-weekly in September and October 2022 respectively.

AirAsia hopes to attract tourists from China and Hong Kong to Thailand

A pilot roundtrip flight between Bangkok Don Mueang and Guangzhou will also be launched on July 13 to demonstrate the carrier’s readiness to serve routes to and from China once the country officially reopens.

AirAsia’s goal is to bring tourists from China and Hong Kong to Thailand to help spur economic growth post-pandemic.

AirAsia Thailand’s CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya stated: “China is Thailand’s number one market for tourists and is home to a large population with high spending power. While the government of China has yet to fully allow foreign tourists, the relaxation of some measures has allowed the airline to restart its service and signals recovery for the country’s economy and tourism sector. AirAsia reaffirms its adherence to established stringent health and safety protocols.

“With restrictions further relaxed in Thailand, we have been marketing heavily in China and Hong Kong to tap into these tourism markets to sustain strong recovery post-pandemic,” Santisuk added.

Cebu Pacific resumes international operations

By TTG Asia

July 5, 2022

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Cebu Pacific (CEB) restarted its direct flights to Sydney, Australia and Seoul, Korea on July 1 and July 3, 2022, respectively.

Following the easing of travel restrictions both in the Philippines and Australia, CEB will operate the Manila-Sydney service thrice-weekly on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Cebu Pacific has restarted its direct flights to Sydney and Seoul

The flight will depart Manila at 23.20 and arrive at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 09.50 the following day. Its return flight flies from Sydney at 11.20 and arrives in Manila at 17.50 every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Cebu-Seoul service will operate twice-weekly on every Thursday and Sunday.

The flight will depart from Mactan Cebu International Airport at 12.25 and arrive at Incheon International Airport at 18.10; its return flight is scheduled to leave Seoul at 18.55 and arrive in Cebu at 22.50.

Multi-level collaboration key to Philippines’ tourism revival: new chief

By Rosa Ocampo

July 4, 2022

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The Philippines’ new tourism secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco, said collaboration between the national government, local government units (LGUs) and all tourism stakeholders from the private and public sectors is the best way forward to revitalise tourism.

“It is this inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and collaborative tourism governance that I intend to bring to the Department of Tourism,” Frasco, told the media and the Department of Tourism (DoT) officers and employees.

Frasco: practical knowledge of frontlines officers are critical in crafting national policy

Frasco’s perspective is honed by her local government experience as two-term mayor of Liloan in the province of Cebu. Her third term was cut short by her appointment to the DoT.

A lawyer by training and profession, she believes “that national and local government cooperation is imperative for our tourism plans and programmes to succeed”.

“If we uplift the status of one LGU, and translate that to the over 1,400 plus municipalities, 81 provinces, hundreds of cities across the country, uplifting each of their economies will uplift the economy of our nation as a whole,” she said.

“What I intend to bring to the Department of Tourism, is the perspective of valuing the input of LGUs in the crafting of national policy, considering that the policies that are crafted nationally will be implemented by the LGUs on the ground. And so it is imperative that in crafting national policy, we must seek the practical knowledge of those that are in the front lines,” she added.

Frasco also noted the importance of spreading tourism development to the countryside by giving “equal opportunity for promotion and product development” to the countryside and lesser-known tourist destinations, “the idea being that we improve the overall tourist experience, not only to bring back the tourism numbers that have been lost, but also to harness potential markets to further increase the number of tourists that will come into the country.”

She plans to take a “multidimensional approach to tourism”, where the focus is not only on natural resources but also on developing and promoting people and products.

Seeing how domestic tourism was a lifesaver for the industry when international travel was absent, Frasco will develop this sector to drive vast opportunities to small businesses and improve livelihood.

Sabah re-establishes air access

By TTG Asia

July 4, 2022

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Five foreign carriers have returned to Sabah, with the most recent being Jeju Air which restarted operations on June 29 between Incheon and Kota Kinabalu.

Kota Kinabalu is on track to rebuilding international air connectivity

Other international carriers that have resumed their direct flight operations to Kota Kinabalu include Scoot, Royal Brunei Airlines, Jin Air and Air Busan, while local LCC Air Asia now flies direct from Singapore and Manila to Kota Kinabalu.

According to the Sabah Tourism Board, improvements in air connectivity are helping the Malaysian state to “become a well-connected South-east Asian destination”.

In line with re-established accessibility, the Sabah Tourism Board has conducted destination promotional trips to a number of countries, while continuing to maintain engagement with airline and tour operators partners and its presence at tourism exposition events.

Singapore-Malaysia crossing trials automated immigration system

By TTG Asia

July 4, 2022

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A new Automated Passenger In-Car Clearance System (APICS) is being trialled at Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint on the Singapore-Malaysia border, a process that is expected to improve immigration clearance.

Trial of the Automated Passenger In-Car Clearance System at Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint seeks to improve immigration clearance at land checkpoints

Drivers to Singapore via the Woodlands Checkpoint will drive up to a self-help kiosk under a light-controlled canopy, and scan their passport as well as their facial and iris biometrics on scanners located outside each car window. Passengers in the vehicle will no longer need to crane their necks out of the window for immigration clearance.

In the pilot phase, APICS is operational on weekday evenings and limited to cars where there is a single driver. This will be progressively offered to cars with more travellers.

Malaysia Airlines reopens its Platinum Lounge at KLIA

By TTG Asia

July 4, 2022

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Malaysia Airlines’ Platinum Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is back in business to support the flag carrier’s ramped up international services.

The reopening of the airline’s flagship Platinum Lounge also marks the full restoration of its lounges at KLIA, including its domestic, regional and Satellite Golden Lounges, following two years of pandemic-associated restrictions.

Malaysia Airlines reopens its Platinum Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Passengers and frequent flyer members travelling via Business Suite, Enrich Platinum, Enrich CIMB World Elite, First Class on codeshare flights operated by Malaysia Airlines, oneworld First Class, and oneworld Emerald can enjoy end-to-end premium services offered by the airline, including access to the Platinum Lounge.

The Platinum Lounge offers guests exclusive fine dining experiences and spacious facilities to refuel before their flight.

The 24-hour lounge is equipped with private shower suites, nap rooms and serene seating areas.

Accor, Salter Brothers expand Australia hotel portfolio

Captain Cook Cruises sails off with tasty new experiences to Swan Valley

Japan tourism sector set for return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023: WTTC

Four Seasons to open new luxury hotel in Xi’an

AirAsia Thailand relaunches HK flights; trials Guangzhou route

Cebu Pacific resumes international operations

Multi-level collaboration key to Philippines’ tourism revival: new chief

Sabah re-establishes air access

Singapore-Malaysia crossing trials automated immigration system

Malaysia Airlines reopens its Platinum Lounge at KLIA

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