Sustainable weddings at The Apurva Kempinski Bali
The Apurva Kempinski Bali has teamed up with like-minded partners to present the Sustainable Wedding Package, each bringing its own expertise to help plan the perfect wedding with the earth in mind.
Designmill makes the decorations from recycled paper, while using wooden chairs, potted plants, hanging natural fabric and printed customised motifs. Ethical fashion SukkhaCitta creates the wedding dress, with Puri Ata and Taga Woodcraft providing its locally handmade crafts as a sustainable wedding gift.
For food and beverage, Tanamera Coffee, Plaga Farm and Balian Water will work alongside to plan the menu, while remaining committed to respecting the ecosystem and communities that they work with.
Vincent Guironnet, general manager, The Apurva Kempinski Bali, shared: “By introducing new initiatives, we strongly believe that we can inspire people to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of their daily lives. This becomes even greater when partners come together, generating new ways of thinking, and making a difference.”
Other efforts by the resort include replacing single-use plastic with biodegradable products, and using the rooftop space to grow greens for a more sustainable kitchen. Other projects include the ‘Linens for Life’ programme, which provides free face masks made from clean and hygienic discarded hotel linen to people in the local community who are in need; and the ‘Soap for Hope’ programme that provides at-risk people with access to soap, by cutting and disinfecting the resort’s soap to form new soap bars.
For more information on the Sustainable Wedding Package, email: weddings.bali@kempinski.com.
Matt Goldberg to succeed Stephen Kaufer as Tripadvisor’s CEO
Tripadvisor has named Matt Goldberg its chief executive officer.
Goldberg will succeed co-founder and long-time CEO, Stephen Kaufer.
With over 20 years of leadership and experience in strategy and operations across a number of leading media, advertising, and consumer-facing companies under his belt, Goldberg will return to the travel sector to innovate within the industry and leverage the platform’s reach and community trust. He foresees many opportunities to create value for travellers and partners alike.
Previously, Goldberg was executive vice president for North America and global operations for The Trade Desk. He will take on his new position at Tripadvisor from July 1, 2022 and will be based at the company’s Needham, Massachusetts headquarters.
voco Melbourne Central makes several new hires
Newly-opened voco Melbourne Central has appointed Erik Stuebe as general manager, and Christine Bridge as director of sales & marketing.
Prior to this move, Stuebe was general manager of InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, a position he held for the past six years. In addition to being voco Melbourne Central’s general manager, he is also the area general manager for Victoria and Tasmania.
Meanwhile, Bridge brings with her a depth of experience and knowledge having held various leadership positions during her eight years with IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Accor debuts virtual job fair in Thailand
Accor is launching its first-ever virtual job fair in Thailand from May 9 to 13, 2022. Over 450 jobs will be available during the event, where candidates can access the platform to organise virtual interviews, share their CVs and learn more about the group’s opportunities across over 30 hotels and resorts in Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin and Pattaya.
The group’s collection of brands in Thailand includes Sofitel, SO/, MGallery, Pullman, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, ibis, and ibis Styles.
They offer plentiful opportunities for interested candidates – from the economical ibis hotels, suitable for those looking for a vibrant, and playful working environment; the premium Pullman Hotels & Resorts, perfect for those seeking a dynamic workplace with strong attention to detail; to luxury brands like Sofitel for those passionate about extraordinary service moments.
Working in hospitality covers a range of departments such as the front office, F&B, finance, marketing, sales, and more. Referring to its team members as Heartists – a contraction of ‘heart’ and ‘artist’, the Heartist ethos represents the way in which team members do everything from the heart with passion, whilst mastering the art of welcoming and serving others.
Additionally, Accor is committed to allowing people from all social origins to learn new skills, empowering them to grow and develop their talents, and enhance their professional opportunities.
Despite the recent challenges faced by hotels, tourism has long been a thriving industry and Accor anticipates record growth in the years ahead.
The Thailand Accor Job Fair website is now live in both English and Thai.
Liberating the visually-challenged through travel
In July 2019, Amit Jain, founder of Rising Star Tours and Travels (RSTT), had met a few visually-challenged individuals and learnt that their most unfulfilled desire is to travel.
Being part of the tourism industry, he took it on himself to create a platform that helps visually-challenged people to travel. He wanted to give this community an experience that they would never have dreamt of.
Jain shared that travel for visually-challenged persons usually involves a day trip where they were taken someplace and brought home by the evening. If it was an overnight stay, the quality of the accommodation was compromised and there were limited volunteers on the trip to ensure the comfort of the travellers.
He said: “So, I ensured that on all of our trips, the stay is in a good four-star or five-star hotel. For every three visually-challenged participants in the trip, we have one assigned volunteer who looks after their needs.”
The first trip that Jain organised was a trip to a small picturesque hamlet called Pangot located in the state of Uttarakhand. Following that, RSTT has organised 10 similar trips to domestic, as well as international destinations like Jaipur, Goa, Jim Corbett, Thailand and Dubai, where the group size for each trip ranges from 50 to 70 people.
RSTT is now preparing for its 12th trip to Shimla on May 12.
Jain reaches out to various bodies working for the welfare of the visually-challenged to create awareness about such tours, such as the National Association for the Blind, All India Confederation of the Blind (AICB) as well as newspapers and online groups dedicated to the visually-challenged.
Response has been overwhelming and they are unable to accommodate all who are interested to join their trips, Jain added. Unlike at the beginning, where many were sceptical and he had to convince people that such tours were possible for the visually-challenged community.
His efforts paid off as over time, RSTT received very positive feedback from those who had travelled on their trips.
A recce of the destination is done before planning the trip, and the RSTT team discusses with hotels and other stakeholders involved, like transport providers, to sensitise them about the needs of visually-challenged individuals. Even the volunteers are educated on how to deal with the group.
“Frankly, visually-challenged tourists are the same as a ‘normal’ tourist. They like to dance, sing, listen to music or take a dip in the pool. They experience the same rush, when say someone with sight would feel while on a jungle safari,” explained Jain.
Presently, the finances of these trips are managed in a three-way arrangement: RSTT contributes the first part, the second part by sponsors, and the third part is managed by the visually-challenged participants themselves.
Jain said: “A very nominal contribution is taken from the traveller to maintain their dignity and keep their commitment level high; in the past, what had happened was that many individuals didn’t turn up even after confirmation.”
He shared his future plans of organising more of such trips but with financial constraints, many requests will be turned down. He also hopes to organise similar trips for people with other disabilities.
He also spoke of creating a mobile application where people who want to volunteer on such trips can submit their details and be involved.
Jain explained: “For example, if a visually-challenged person is travelling to Mumbai on his own and wants the service of a volunteer who can help him to explore a certain part of the city, an interested person can offer his or her service. However, there will be no money involved in such an arrangement.”
Qantas’ new platform enhances distribution capabilities worldwide
Qantas’ next-generation distribution platform unlocks capabilities for agents globally to offer more personalised customer service and access new revenue opportunities.
Built using IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, the Qantas Distribution Platform will be available in the UK, the US and South Africa – it will be progressively rolled out to other markets in the coming months.
Currently available in Australia and New Zealand, the platform was designed to enhance the service that agents provide to customers with a wider range of products, including special offers for Qantas Frequent Flyers, ancillary products and dynamic commission opportunities. The same benefits will apply to international agents once available in their country.
Travel agents around the world will also have access to more automated processes and improved functionality across Qantas bookings, including automated refunds and ticket revalidation.
The content and features of the platform can be accessed via Qantas’ growing network of technology partners, and agents who have registered in the Qantas Channel can connect to the Qantas Distribution Platform via an approved technology partner, or by developing a direct connection to Qantas’ NDC XML Application Programme Interface (API).
Igor Kwiatkowski, Qantas’ executive manager, global sales and distribution, stated that the international rollout of the platform would help agents around the world to better service customers with Qantas bookings, as the airline’s international network ramps up.
He said: “Despite the significant impact of Covid over the past two years, we have continued to invest in our new distribution capabilities and are pleased to be able to offer these to our international trade partners.
“The Qantas Distribution Platform is a key part of our strategy to support agency partners with richer content, new features and revenue opportunities that help them deliver a better and more bespoke experience for customers.”
As customers expect an increasingly personalised, flexible and seamless experience, Qantas is committed to providing travel agents around the world with the right tools.
“We will continue to roll out new capabilities and features for our agency partners as the industry continues to evolve the service it offers travellers,” he added.
IHG and Pelligra Group sign new Holiday Inn & Suites in Adelaide
IHG Hotels & Resorts and the Pelligra Group have announced their new partnership, Holiday Inn & Suites Mawson Lakes, slated to open in 2024. It will be IHG’s fifth hotel in Adelaide, Australia.
Located in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, just 20 minutes from the central business district, the 130-room hotel will feature all the Holiday Inn brand hallmarks, including an open lobby, as well as an all-day dining restaurant and lobby bar, conferencing facilities and gymnasium.
Nearby the hotel is the University of South Australia Mawson Lakes campus, with Mawson Central Shopping Centre, Parafield Airport, Edinburgh RAAF Base and Lyell McEwin Hospital all within close proximity.
The Pelligra Group is one of IHG’s largest partners in Australasia, with six hotels now open or signed – the brand-new Holiday Inn Werribee in 2021; the 2019 lease to refurbish Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport; and the upcoming Holiday Inn Melbourne Richmond, Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton and Holiday Inn Dandenong to open in 2023.
Ross Pelligra, CEO of Pelligra Group, stated the deal signing was just the start of a string of new hotel developments the Group plans to announce with IHG. “We are so proud to be growing with IHG Hotels & Resorts – in fact in just five years we signed six amazing hotels, with two already open. And I don’t see it stopping there. We would love to add another 20 to 30 hotels across IHG’s brand portfolio in the future, so I can only say: get ready for more to come.”
Leanne Harwood, IHG’s SVP managing director, Japan, Australasia and Pacific, commented: “Holiday Inn & Suites Mawson Lakes will perfectly complement our existing hotels: InterContinental Adelaide, Crowne Plaza Adelaide, Hotel Indigo Adelaide and Holiday Inn Express Adelaide City Centre. We look forward to continuing to work with the local community and see the hotel take shape in the coming months.”
New hotels: OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts, Jumeirah Bali and more
OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts, Japan
OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts is positioned in front of Shin-Imamiya Station, and adjacent to Shinsekai area, making the hotel easily accessible to Osaka’s tourist attractions.
With a total of 436 rooms, guests can choose the perfect room for their journey – there is also a room with a kitchen and walk-in closet for those who want to stay in Osaka as if living like a local. For dining, the OMO Café and Bar serves up food and beverages from morning to night.
Connecting to the hotel tower on the second floor is a gentle hill leading to the entrance of a garden area featuring flat grasslands, hilly sides and terrace areas where guests can lounge around in the open air. There is also a bathhouse here that is open to hotel guests.
The Go-KINJO Map and local guide tours of nearby attractions by OMO Rangers encourage travellers to explore Osaka, including going on food tours and neighbourhood tours.
Jumeirah Bali, Indonesia
Jumeirah Bali welcomes guests to experience a sanctuary of tranquillity and relaxation amid lush greenery and Indian Ocean vistas.
The all-villa luxury resort sits on the beach area of Uluwatu with 123 villas in one- and two-bedroom configurations, as well as a four-bedroom Royal Water Palace – each villa has its own private pool and outdoor living area with an open pavilion. The resort also provides guests with exclusive access to a private beach framed by the natural landscape offering a secluded enclave to relax.
Guests can indulge in three signature restaurants and bars overseen by Master Chef Vincent Leroux, relax with wellness treatments at Talise Spa, or participate in guided meditation and Yoga classes by Jumeirah Bali’s resident Master Yogi.
Committed to sustainable practices, Jumeirah Bali houses the most advanced desalination system in the world, and also supports the local community through the Jumeirah Uluwatu Foundation, dedicated to the well-being of the Balinese people.
Adiwana Jelita Sejuba Natuna, Indonesia
Adiwana Jelita Sejuba Natuna on Natuna Island – Riau is perfect for travellers looking for an island hideaway.
Just a 15-minute drive from Raden Sadjad Airport, the resort has 33 units of rooms and villas, an infinity pool offering spectacular views of the ocean, two dining outlets and a romantic dining spot by the ocean.
Other facilities include a spa, gym, and floating function space. There is also a variety of family and wellness activities available.
The Allure Villas, Indonesia
Sahid Hotels & Resorts’ The Allure Villas is situated on the southern coast of West Java, a three-hours’ drive away from Bandung.
The resort boasts 68 villas comprising of one- to three-bedroom villas. With a 24-hour check-in, The Allure Villas features a bar, restaurant, café, business services and pool bar to chill out by the swimming pool.
Travel well
Eat well
As the saying goes, you are what you eat. At Ovolo Hotels, guests can dine with peace of mind, knowing that a vegetarian-led offering is guaranteed across all dining venues.
Launched on February 14, Ovolo’s Plant’d initiative is the company’s ongoing pledge to ethical eating and conscious cuisine, and is an extension of its Year of the Veg campaign that was launched in October 2020 to transition menus to plant-based dishes for an initial 365 days.
Ovolo’s group creative culinary partner, Ian Curley, worked with restaurants across Ovolo Hotels to take the Plant’d veg pledge and to revamp all their menus.
While the initiative is not executed at Ovolo Collective properties, dining menus still carry a variety of vegetarian and plant-based options.
Ovolo said the move was inspired by a growing consumer interest in the many benefits of a plant-based diet. The move not only promotes an ‘eating good to feel good’ mentality, it also supports sustainability goals by sourcing from suppliers who offer nutritious, delicious and sustainable food solutions.
Ovolo Group’s founder and executive chairman, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, told TTG Asia: “Plant-based and vegetarian dining was always in the back of our minds. but it wasn’t until the pandemic that we saw the trends really shift, and there was a real opportunity to be a first-mover in a market that was starting to pick up globally.”
He added: “Ovolo prides itself on being an industry leader. We believe that the world changes, therefore we continue to evolve – we want to ensure we are doing our bit to help preserve our environment, promote healthy eating, and enhance the image of vegetarian and plant-based dining.”
Curley said Ovolo’s move to vegetarian dining “has been even more successful than we anticipated, and we now find ourselves part of a new wave of plant-based pioneers”.
He said: “A key focus for us has been ensuring we are creating something that still appeals to everyone – from vegans to flexitarians, and those who are simply keen on expanding their palette.”
Indeed, Ovolo’s plant-based menu is anything but solemn and bland. Healthy, plant-based ingredients are played up with creativity. Imagine: chargrilled okra seasoned with mushroom XO sauce from the kitchen of Alibi at Ovolo Woolloomooloo, Sydney; an escabeche made of marinated paneer and grilled maitake florets on makhani curry from Veda at Ovolo Central Hong Kong; oyster mushroom ceviche with coconut, fermented poblano and pineapple from Lona Misa at Ovolo South Yarra, Melbourne.
When asked if the initiative would carry on beyond a year, exceeding the lifespan of the Year of the Veg campaign, Jhunjhnuwala said the progamme has a “flexible timeline” but the company is keen to stick to it and evolve the initiative as time passes.
Stay well
Banyan Tree Veya is the latest addition to Banyan Tree Group’s multi-brand ecosystem, and one that is positioned as a resort offering bespoke wellness programmes and knowledge that will continue to benefit guests beyond their stay.
While the group is already known for its well-being offerings through the restful Banyan Tree resorts and Banyan Tree Spa sanctuaries, Lee Woon Hoe, the group’s senior assistant vice president and executive director of well-being, said Veya was a necessary addition.
“With our hyper-stimulated modern life, chronic stress erodes our natural immunity and regenerative capacity. Our nervous systems cannot truly relax and therefore, rest. At Banyan Tree Veya, our ethos #OwnYourPresence guides our mission of inspiring individuals to travel inwards and become conscious of how their daily actions, thoughts and emotions interact with their physical being,” said Lee.
Defining the difference between Banyan Tree Spa, which is an established wellness brand, and the new Banyan Tree Veya, Lee said the Veya experience is led by certified multidisciplinary well-being hosts around a three-step protocol of Awareness, Discovery, and Sustenance.
“During their stay, guests will gain a greater awareness on their state of well-being through Banyan Tree’s proprietary eight pillars of well-being. They can discover new tools and knowledge through mindfulness practices, somatic movements and lifestyle learning workshops, so that they are empowered to continue to improve their own well-being when they return home,” he explained.
The first Banyan Tree Veya is set in Phuket, within the existing Banyan Tree Phuket resort. Luxury accommodation is offered, and guests can pursue well-being practices in the privacy of their room. Amenities including a well-being minibar, yoga mats, sound therapy bowls, exercise stretch bands and more.
Attention is paid to healthy meals, with Veya offering plant-forward cuisine that weaves together Asian and Mediterranean influences in a creative, flexitarian approach that respects ingredient provenance.
Menu signatures include bowls, broths and reinterpreted local dishes around a Fuel-Balance-Repair daily sequence. Resident nutrition sommeliers will help guests curate a menu that fulfils dietary needs and preferences during their stay.
Banyan Tree Veya at Vabbinfaru, Maldives will follow in 4Q2022.
Sleep well
Determined to help guests rest better, Langham Hospitality Group (LHG) has created the Sleep Matters by Chuan, a comprehensive programme developed with the World Sleep Society.
Launched across all properties of The Langham Hotels and Resorts and Cordis Hotels and Resorts in March, the programme is crafted on the basis of sleep medicine and scientific expertise.
“Sleep is one of the essential connections between our hotels and our guests,” said Bob van den Oord, regional vice president – operations for North America, Europe and the Middle East of Langham Hospitality Group. “There is a direct link to guest sleep quality and their happiness with their hotel. Sleep Matters by Chuan is deliberately designed to enhance the wellness of our guests with new rituals and habits that they can take home and use long after they have stayed with us.”
All Langham and Cordis properties have embraced Sleep Matters by Chuan, and each have curated their own packages to take guests on a more fruitful sleep journey.
The Langham, Shanghai Xintiandi, for example, has designed a sleep package that includes healthy meals, spa baths, yoga classes, consultation with a sleep doctor, and more; while The Langham, Melbourne brings in a Traditional Chinese Medicine consultant as part of its Sleep Matters by Chuan package.
At the same time, a broad selection of sleep programmes is made available across all properties. They include the Sleep Matters Turndown Kit, which comprises sleep-promoting items like herbal tea and cushioned sleep mask; Sleep Matters Menu, which offers wellness-related items, such as a fitness ball for pre-sleep stretching and white noise sleep machines; a curated Spotify playlist of relaxing tunes; and bedtime reading materials.
All Chuan Spa locations offer Ear Auricular Therapy for Sleep.
According to a spokesperson of LHG, Sleep Matters by Chuan has been well received, with guests saying that they are now more aware of their own sleep habits. Sleep tips offered through the programme have continued to benefit them at home.
As an indication of LHG’s long-term commitment to sleep, it is collaborating with StimScience, a start-up team of neuroscientists and inventors, to launch Somnee, an electronic headband that mimics and enhances the brain’s natural sleep patterns for improved sleep. Somnee will be available exclusively to LHG properties.
Pattaya is poised to reclaim its status as one of Thailand’s top tourism destinations as the country progresses toward full reopening, opine industry insiders who draw their confidence from the city’s rebranding as a leisure all-rounder.
“The only way is up for Pattaya now,” said Matthew Fryar, general manager of Avani Pattaya, one of the city’s premier luxury properties.
“Things have been rough during the pandemic – as they have been everywhere in Thailand – due to the lack of international arrivals and restrictions on entertainment. But Pattaya has been refining its brand for a long time to give it broader appeal and that stands it in great stead as we move forward,” he added.
The rambunctious seaside destination – a long-term favourite for tourists due to its proximity to Bangkok and its wide selection of hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and other leisure options – has undoubtedly had a challenging time during the pandemic.
Pattaya was the birthplace of mass tourism in Thailand and was especially popular with Chinese groups before the global health crisis, with some estimates putting monthly arrivals from China at around 800,000 per month at their peak.
International arrivals have been limited for much of the last two years. Thailand’s ongoing nightlife ban and its restrictions on restaurants and other venues, meanwhile, have had a devastating impact on the city’s vital entertainment sector.
However, with restrictions easing within the country and Thailand dropping entry requirements such as PCR tests for international arrivals, Pattaya is set for tourism recovery. The destination is also poised to reassert its appeal as a popular spot for Indian weddings and corporate events.
“Pattaya’s vibrancy and uniqueness put it in a strong position to bounce back from the pandemic,” said Vitanart Vathanakul, CEO of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group and Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH).
Indeed, Pattaya insiders point to several factors working in the destination’s favour moving forward – not least attempts by city authorities led by mayor Sontaya Kunplome to improve infrastructure and spruce up popular areas such as the main beach.
The mayor has invested in a “Neo” or New Pattaya, a business and leisure hub with smart capabilities modelled on destinations such as Miami, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi.
Attention has been drawn to beach renovation projects, ring roads, the Bali Hai pier transformation, and the upcoming high-speed rail link to Bangkok as examples of a Neo Pattaya generously funded by Thai and foreign investors in the three-province Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
Several prominent international businesses are already investing in the EEC, and more are planning to join. The ultimate goal is for the EEC to be an innovation hub that will fuel Thailand’s economy.
“These developments will elevate Pattaya as a MICE-destination and bring in more interesting events and conferences,” Vitanart told TTG Asia.
While the future looks set to bring remarkable changes, the evolution of Pattaya as a destination is already noticeable. On North Pattaya Road, the retail landmark Terminal 21 opened in 2018. Forthcoming highlights, meanwhile, include the world’s first Columbia Pictures Aquaverse, a major waterpark.
“The pace of change is remarkable,” added Fryar, whose own hotel, Avani Pattaya, is located in the nerve centre of Pattaya along the cleaned-up Beach Road. “Traditional businesses have been supplemented by lifestyle cafes, smart beach clubs, and new malls such as Terminal 21. New family attractions are opening all the time. All of this is forcing the destination to evolve.”