Maël Vastine is the new director of operations in Hong Kong for Ovolo Hotels.
He brings with him over 16 years of experience in hospitality, and will take on the responsibility for Hong Kong operations and provide strategic direction for shared services in Hong Kong.
Advisories against travel to Sri Lanka and media coverage of the country’s food and resource shortage and political unrest have frightened scores of travellers into cancelling their holidays to the destination.
M Shanthikumar, president of the Tourists Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, said there have been 80 per cent of booking cancellations even though members “have tried to persuade visitors that it is safe to holiday in Sri Lanka”.
The surge in cancellations was triggered by countries such as Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand urging against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka due to widespread fuel and food shortages and possible violence.
The latest government to issue such a travel advisory is the UK. It resulted in tour operator TUI UK cancelling all its programmes to Sri Lanka earlier this week.
Tourism stakeholders said the Sri Lankan government has provided special facilities for fuel and cooking gas to hotels and resorts since tourism is a key foreign exchange earner. Hence, the industry has been spared the brunt of the resource shortages.
“We won’t allow any inconveniences to tourists, so they can come and spend their holidays here and go home peacefully,” assured Shanthikumar.
Despite assurances, the damage by travel advisories is done. Mahen Kariyawasam, past president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Travel Agents said advisories against non-essential travel have a direct impact on holiday travel.
Furthermore, travel advisories lead to a sharp hike in travel insurance, stated Chandra Wickremasinghe, an industry veteran and chairman/managing director at Connaissance De Ceylan. “That is a deterrent to travel,” he said.
Trevor Rajaratnam, vice president of the Universal Federation of Travel Agents, also blamed the negative publicity abroad about the situation in the country for anxious cancellations.
Amid the current crisis, Sri Lanka is ever more dependent on travel and tourism’s recovery. The industry is the country’s key foreign exchange revenue generator. In 2018, tourism generated US$4 billion but that plunged during the pandemic and airport closures.
Expectations for tourism to raise US$2 billion this year have been stymied by the ongoing crisis. From January to April 2022, tourism generated US$626 million while arrivals in April have dropped to just 62,980 from 106,500 in March.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia is working with the local government and relevant ministries to develop motor homes as a new tourism product.
This new venture came about after getting feedback at the recent Arabian Travel Market that the availability of self-drive motorhomes will attract young families from West Asia to go beyond traditional destinations of Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Genting.
Its minister, Nancy Shukri, shared that her ministry will work closely with the Transport Ministry and local councils of every state to develop the required infrastructure before promoting motor homes as a new tourism product.
A pilot project will be initiated in Johor before it is rolled out to other states in the country.
Tourism Malaysia had also received positive feedback from overseas travel trade at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market. Nancy said the country continues to be a preferred destination as the government has made entry requirements simple by removing Covid-19 testing and quarantine requirements.
Agents from the Middle East had also highlighted the need for additional direct flights and frequencies from West Asia to Kuala Lumpur, she added.
Towards this end, Tourism Malaysia had signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Airline to increase air connectivity to Malaysia, and to promote Malaysia as a unique travel destination. There will also be joint activities to drive tourism recovery.
Nancy was speaking at a press conference after launching the Domestic Tourism Recovery Plan 2022 and the revamped version of the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (Holiday in Malaysia) song in an effort to boost domestic tourism, which local industry players are banking on this year while waiting for international tourism to return to normalcy.
To date, more than 500,000 foreign tourists have visited Malaysia since the borders reopened on April 1 and Nancy was confident that the target of 2 million foreign tourists set by the government and RM8.6 billion (US$1.9 billion) in tourism receipts would be achieved by end of this year.
The launch of the Andamanda Phuket mega entertainment project is an exciting addition to the destination. How do you see it contributing to the island’s economy?
Phuket is a unique destination but I think the island is pretty much focused on natural attractions. There haven’t been many man-made attractions or water parks of this kind in Phuket yet, and I think such facilities are an important part of the tourism infrastructure for all countries. Andamanda Phuket will help the island to compete with international destinations.
If you look at other destinations, you will see that they all have great water parks. In Bali there’s Waterbom; in Dubai there’s Aquaventure. You’ll see great examples of how water parks can attract more tourists.
Can the existing infrastructure in Phuket’s Kathu district support Andamanda Phuket? Or would you expect Kathu to develop further as a result of your project?
If terms of transportation, Phuket already has all the right ingredients. The airport recently expanded with a new terminal for international arrivals. There is also a tunnel coming from Patong to Kathu that will help a lot with accessibility.
I think what’s more interesting is perhaps the development of the new district. Kathu has always been a district that is overlooked in Phuket, but now there is our opening as well as Central Phuket 700m away and King Power (duty-free mall). There are plans to open a Tiffany (cabaret show) next to our park.
All in all, I think Kathu has the right ingredients to become the new entertainment centre or the new downtown Phuket.
There has been much criticism from stakeholders about the reopening of Thailand to international tourism, with many believing the government has been too cautious in its efforts. What more do you think could be done?
There is a need to balance… business and public safety. Thailand at the beginning did so well in controlling Covid-19, so much so a lot of us were used to the concept of zero cases. Honestly, that is not going to be sustainable in the long run and business needs to resume.
I think we did very well at the beginning with Phuket Sandbox and we were one of the first countries to open up for tourism. Since then, we’ve been a little slow in opening up the country completely.
As Thailand opens up, operators in Phuket must not overlook the Thai market. The domestic market has been our bread and butter for the past two years. It has been holding up the travel industry. In the first year (of reopening), the domestic market will remain a priority, contributing about 70 per cent of our visitors.
As for other markets, we are seeing increasing returns. India is fast-growing, and Australia is a very big market. In April alone, there were 10,000 Australian arrivals. If you look at the figures for 1Q2022, year-on-year growth is about 200 per cent.
I believe recovery will be rapid, but it will take another year for us to return to 2019 levels.
What should the private or public sectors do to get Thailand tourism back on track and achieve pre-pandemic levels of arrivals?
Tourism Authority of Thailand has plans but what’s more important is that we used the past two years to pivot to a more sustainable tourism approach, instead of focusing on numbers.
We are talking about 40 million visitors coming to Thailand, but let’s focus more on the value each tourist brings and what they will spend in the country.
Phuket and Phi Phi island have never been more beautiful over the last two years. Underwater life is coming back. So, how do we keep that going while generating enough value? I think it’s going to be important to find that balance.
Tripadvisor has launched Tripadvisor Ad Express, rebranding and adding new features to its popular self-service tool, previously named Tripadvisor Media Manager.
Tripadvisor Ad Express was developed as an intuitive and automated tool that gives businesses of any size total control over their cross-platform advertising on Tripadvisor, enabling them to attract and engage with users looking for exciting new places to eat and stay.
Available to travel, hospitality and non-endemic advertisers around the globe, it allows them to define the audience, budget and advertising formats that best suit their business and upload their own creative assets, helping them create, manage and optimise campaigns with ease. It supports more than 20 currencies.
Tripadvisor Ad Express now comes with new features and product enhancements, some of which include a simplified interface; tailored user experiences for specific advertiser categories; improved real time dashboards; an easy-to-understand overview of the campaign’s performance; a creative library for archiving previously accepted creatives; and multi-user enabled accounts for better collaboration.
Christine Maguire, vice president and general manager, media, Tripadvisor, said: “The improvements we’ve introduced with the launch of Tripadvisor Ad Express will enable businesses – many of whom became self-service customers for the first time during Covid – to develop and upload campaigns on Tripadvisor more quickly and easily than ever before.”
Destination Gold Coast, in partnership with Tourism Australia, Tourism and Events Queensland and the City of Gold Coast, announced that Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) will be held on the Gold Coast from April 30 to May 4, 2023.
Some 2,000 delegates from all corners of the globe are set to meet at the event, which is said to be the biggest-ever in ATE’s history.
The first full programme event held since the pandemic, ATE 2023 will attract a host of leading travel decision makers and agents, airline executives, and over 70 international media representatives.
Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said: “Securing Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event is an enormous coup for the city that will showcase the breadth and depth of Gold Coast’s venues, products and experiences.
“A key learning from Covid-19 is that it has radically disrupted the travel conversation and diversified the experiences people are looking to have.”
The five-day event is expected to inject A$9 million (US$6.3 million) into the local economy.
O’Callaghan added: “Hosting an event of this scale is not only important to supercharging Gold Coast’s international recovery, but the flow-on benefit through to our 10,000 tourism operators and small businesses from hoteliers to restaurants and cafés, and right through to retailers, experiences and transit providers.”
Minister for tourism, innovation and sport Stirling Hinchliffe stated that ATE is an important event for international tourism in Australia, and that the Gold Coast was the ideal destination to remind international buyers about Queensland’s world-class tourism experiences.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said that for the city to once again host ATE is “a shot in the arm for our tourism industry and local economy”.
The Gold Coast last hosted ATE in 2016.
Location
Just a 75-minute drive from Chiang Rai International Airport, the resort is situated in a jungle in northernmost Thailand. Brimming with nature, wildlife and culture, it is in the district Chiang Sean, previously capital of Thailand’s ancient Lanna kingdom.
Room
The suite was an expansive space of 64m² with high ceilings, where relaxing on the ultra-long balcony is an experience in itself. The greenery of the pool area, the grassland beyond it, and the meandering Ruak and Mekong rivers are calming. Across the rivers are Myanmar and Laos.
The room is well-maintained, ultra-comfortable and authentic to Lanna design and decor. With lots of teakwood used in the hotel, it is strong as an elephant and very much loved.
F&B
At the time of visit in late April, only the main restaurant, Sala Mae Nam, and the Elephant Bar and Opium Terrace were open for business. The thin-crust quattro formaggi pizza and a Thai dish called ngob talay (mussels, prawns and seabass grilled in banana leaf) were the most delicious, having had them for dinner two nights in a row. The third dinner was butler service at the five-star Jungle Bubble.
That’s the beauty of an all-inclusive plan – the food, and each signature experience that is included for every night’s stay, has to be exemplary.
Facilities
Land is not a problem here. The fitness centre has a Muay Thai boxing ring of its own. With a huge garden blossoming with herbs, plants and fruits, and even a mushroom hut, these are all part of the resort’s sustainability drive.
The experiences had their own facilities. The Jungle Bubble was a sight to behold – the transparent domes were finely equipped like any plush bedroom and living room, on a raised wooden platform in the jungle. On deck were a jacuzzi, outdoor dining table and a lounge area. Talk about glamping reaching new heights!
It was sheer luxury to watch two elephants grazing on grass a stone’s throw from the living room or bedroom of the bubble.
But the most exciting part for me was the Walk with Giants experience that brought me close to the elephants. Camp manager, Ooh, gave interesting insights on elephant biology and behaviour during the one-hour walk. Swimming in the river, one of the two jumbos was playful, while the younger elephant climbed on the back of her older best friend – what a photo opportunity.
My third experience was the Royal Enfield Sidecars, an amusing twist to elephant riding. Riding in a Royal Enfield, the oldest motorcycle brand in the world, I was taken to tour the village and paddy fields.
Service
When I arrived, a staff beat the Lanna gong at the entrance, which was a rousing welcome but also a neat way to alert the house about an arrival – within minutes the general manager came to greet me and the staff were ready for my check-in.
While all the staff I met made me feel very welcomed, I must say that Fon was the most cheerful, helpful receptionist I had ever met.
Verdict
Rare that a hotel is not just an accommodation, but the attraction.
Number of rooms 55
Contact details
Tel: +66 053 784 084
Email: goldentriangle@anantara.com
Website: https://www.anantara.com/en/golden-triangle-chiang-rai
Head to The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko for an unforgettable summer retreat in tranquillity.
Overlooking the scenic Lake Chuzenji and Mount Nantai, the hotel features traditional Japanese elements such as engawas (porches), Zen rock gardens, and a private onsen exclusive to this Ritz-Carlton location in Asia.
Family activities are available from cultural to natural, including a traditional Fire Ceremony, Kagura Shrine Dance, temple walks, and guided nature hikes. Kids also get to enjoy special Ritz Kids amenities and playful offerings such as the Monkey Treasure Hunt and Ritz Kids Safari mini tents and toys.
Visit The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko for more information.
Anantara has appointed experienced hotelier, Pitak Norathepkitti as general manager of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort.
Pitak joins Anantara Chiang Mai from Siem Reap in Cambodia where he oversaw Anantara Angkor Resort for the last two years.
His extensive knowledge and experience of the local and international market equips him with a holistic approach to hotel-keeping as he oversees the upcoming resort refurbishment and implementation of new dining and spa concepts.
Global DMC Kuoni Tumlare has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Switzerland Tourism (ST) to introduce the world’s first directly bookable tourism portfolio on the Swisstainable theme.
The Swisstainable movement was launched in 2021 when ST joined forces with the tourism industry to promote sustainable tourism in Switzerland, and encompasses all aspects of sustainability: the environment, business and society, with emphasis on proximity to nature, engaging authentically with local culture and lengthening the duration of stays in Switzerland.
The partnership is aimed at the development and worldwide distribution of sustainable Swiss tourism products over the next three years. This will be the first time sustainable Swiss tourism can be booked worldwide.
ST CEO Martin Nydegger said: “I am proud to put pen to paper today on this global first, in the name of sustainable Swiss tourism. We will reap the benefits of Kuoni Tumlare’s global reach, which will provide a great showcase for our products. The cooperation with Kuoni Tumlare will greatly increase the visibility of the Swisstainable offering and above all, on a very tangible level, will make it bookable.”
Shinji Kamio, CEO of Kuoni Tumlare, said: “Our partnership with ST embodies our commitment to CSR and sustainability – reinforcing our promise to bring people closer and make lasting change across the communities we operate in.”
This collaboration will first roll out in the US, Canada and South-east Asia, where sustainable travel is trending, making these markets relevant and significant for Swiss tourism. It will also focus on four packages themed around rail and cycling holidays for small groups, incentive travel and educational trips.
