Japan plans for reopening but holds breath on tourist entry
The Japanese government is expected to reopen international borders to transient business travellers and visitors arriving for education and technical training as soon as this month, according to a report by Nikkei.
Tourists will be excluded in the initial immigration policy change, which has been in place since January 2021 to curb the spread of more-contagious coronavirus variants.
The quarantine requirement for short-term business travellers will be reduced from 10 days to just three, although companies and organisations will be required to monitor the activities of their foreign guests.
The shorter quarantine requirement will also apply to Japanese nationals returning from business trips abroad.
According to Nikkei, Tokyo is prepared to reimpose tighter controls quickly if new variants emerge overseas.
Garuda Indonesia teeters close to bankruptcy
The Indonesian government has prepared contingency plans to rescue the embattled national carrier Garuda Indonesia, including an option to liquidise the airline should restructuring programmes fail.
According to various news reports, Pelita Air Service, a subsidiary of state-owned oil company Pertamina, could take over Garuda’s domestic routes should liquidation be inevitable.
Kartiko Wirjoatmodjo, deputy minister of State-Owned Enterprises, said that the debt negotiations and restructuring was underway with all lenders, aircraft lessors, and global sukuk (syariah bond) holders.
“Should the restructuring fail, we have no other option but to close it and find a new (national flag carrier) as it is impossible for (the government) to inject capital with such debt value,” he added.
Facing its worst crisis since its inception in 1947, Garuda’s debts have hit 70 trillion rupiah (US$4.9 billion) and may continue to increase by one trillion rupiah each month due to continued delays in payments to suppliers.
Garuda’s May 2021 financial report showed that the airline only earned about US$56 million, while the aircraft rental was US$56 million, aircraft maintenance, US$20 million; fuel, US$20 million; and salaries, US$20 million.
The airline is negotiating terms with aircraft lessors and is talking with banks and business partners to restructure its loans, as part of a suspension of debt payment obligation process, where the entire stock of debt will be subject to negotiation.
Apart from piling up debts, Garuda is facing a number of civil lawsuits from lessors due to its failure to pay rent. Meanwhile, its inability to pay sukuk totalling US$500 million also resulted in its trading suspension from the Indonesia Stock Exchange since June.
The financial pressure on the airline will intensify amid mounting losses, especially given the pandemic’s enduring impact on the aviation industry.
Besides renegotiation, Garuda has also restructured its management to improve its business performance. The airline has laid off 2,300 employees, streamlined its management team, and implemented pay cuts. It has also returned 20 planes and is negotiating to return 101 more aircraft, which will leave the carrier with a fleet size of 42.
Irfan Setiaputra, president of Garuda, said: “We have to go through a total restructuring, (otherwise) the company could face sudden termination.”
Artotel to rebrand Vue Palace Hotel in Bandung
An Artotel property is set to open in the city centre of Bandung city, West Java next year, following the rebranding of Vue Palace Hotel.
Artotel Group has signed a MoU with a public company on behalf of PT Planet Properindo Jaya Tbk to transform the four-star Vue Palace Hotel into an Artotel branded mid-scale boutique hotel.
In operation since 2008, Vue Palace Hotel features 102 guestrooms, alongside a restaurant and bar, swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, and a 350-pax capacity meeting room.
In 2022, Vue Palace Hotel will undergo a name change to Artotel Vue Palace – Bandung, and its guestrooms and public spaces will showcase various artworks curated by the group’s art and creative division.
Artotel Group will also transform the restaurant and bar into a destination for meetings, gatherings, and hangouts. During the transition period to renovate the hotel with a new concept, Vue Palace will be running as usual but under the name Vue Palace, Artotel Curated.
Erastus Radjimin, founder & CEO of Artotel Group, said that the rebranding of Vue Palace Hotel into a lifestyle boutique hotel is to appeal to the younger segment, which he calls “a huge potential market in Indonesia”.
Vue Palace, Artotel Curated is the second hotel operated by Artotel Group in Bandung, after De Braga by Artotel.
Royal Caribbean plots course to net zero
Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) has unveiled its Destination Net Zero decarbonisation strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“Decades ago, we set out on a course to advance sustainability; our vision now is to realise carbon-free cruising over the next two decades,” said Richard Fain, RCL chairman and CEO.
He added that Destination Net Zero is “an ambitious strategy to cut emissions, protect our oceans, and ensure the viability of the hundreds of destinations that our guests and crew members care deeply about”.
As part of the strategy, the cruise company will over 18 to 24 months develop goals to be validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the first such pledge for the cruise industry. The work will begin following the publication of SBTi’s marine transport methodology. Science-based targets show companies how much, and how quickly, they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to help limit global warming.
The plan also includes the delivery of a net zero emissions cruise ship by 2035, through partnerships forged with governments, suppliers and shipyards to develop alternative and accessible fuels and technology.
Destination Net Zero’s four-pronged approach comprises of the modernisation of RCL’s global brands fleet through the introduction of 13 new energy-efficient and alternatively fuelled vessels, including its recently announced Project Evolution – the industry’s first ship to remove all local emissions while at port.
It will also entail continued investment in energy efficiency programmes for the cruise line’s fleet, including energy saving technologies, enhanced data systems and digitalisation; development of alternative fuel and alternative power solutions; and optimised deployment and integration of strategic shore-based supply chains.
SPTO partners with ForwardKeys to enhance tourism recovery
The Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) and ForwardKeys have signed a MoU to develop a marketing partnership that will see both organisations collaborate to better support the SPTO members in data analytics.
A key objective of the partnership is to share how more relevant, timely and actionable data can be leveraged by SPTO’s membership of 20 Pacific Island countries to better monitor, plan and achieve real business outcomes within the shifting travel ecosystem.
“The MoU underlines the role of data analytics and intelligence tools towards tourism recovery, in a time when data-led decisions and strategies are more crucial than ever,” said Jameson Wong, vice president strategic clients & partnerships APAC at ForwardKeys, while delivering an industry update on “Pacific Islands’ Recovery Paths, Trends and Outlook” at SPTO’s tourism webinar.
“The decisions that government and private sector business leaders make today may impact the organisations’ trajectories for years to come. In these unchartered waters, where the tides continue to shift and targets (are) constantly moving, data-driven insights are no longer nice-to-have’s but must-have navigational tools,” he added.
SPTO CEO, Christopher Cocker, emphasised the importance of building partnerships to effectively address common challenges. “Collaborating with like-minded partners will be pivotal for regional tourism organisations, particularly against the backdrop of the pandemic. Innovative collaboration will fast-track tourism rebuilding and strengthen our collective resilience for the long run,” he said.
He added that SPTO’s partnership with ForwardKeys will guide its members on how to “better navigate risks and leverage opportunities through data solutions”.
ACI APAC urges more govts to reopen borders to boost airport business
In order to prevent a repeat of a dismal year for Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports, Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific has urged more governments to reopen borders and relax quarantine requirements, especially in countries which have reached satisfactory vaccination rates.
This follows the release of latest figures forecasting sustained losses this year for airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
Asia-Pacific, already adversely affected by constant lockdowns, stringent travel and quarantine restrictions, is forecasted to close out the year with around 56 per cent passenger losses, despite resumption of some domestic travel in a few markets.
Consistent with forecasts previously reported in 2020, the Middle East will be one of the hardest-hit regions globally with almost 70 per cent passenger losses.
Compared with ACI’s pre-pandemic projections for the same period, the two regions are forecasted to lose over 2.3 billion passengers by the end of this year. Similarly, airport revenues, a direct reflection of passenger traffic, are forecasted to decline by approximately US$34 billion in Asia-Pacific and US$11 billion in the Middle East by the end of this year.
“The latest ACI forecast shows that after a bad 2020 in terms of traffic and revenues, 2021 was even more dismal for Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports,” said Stefano Baronci, director general, ACI Asia-Pacific.
The particularly negative outcome in Asia-Pacific is a direct consequence of travel restrictions and quarantine policies observed in many countries in the region.
“A repeat of the dismal 2021 can be avoided for 2022 if more governments can adopt the risk-based, pragmatic approaches recommended by ICAO and the WHO. In pursuit of boosting international travel and stimulating economic growth, some countries are applying these approaches, such as Singapore, Thailand, Fiji and the Maldives along with several Middle East and European countries and the US,” Baronci added.
“By the end of 2021, more major economies in Asia would have fully vaccinated over 70 per cent of their populations, bringing an additional layer of protection against the coronavirus.
“With continued careful monitoring of public health situations through indicators such as hospitalisation and mortality rates, more governments are urged to expedite the calculated risk of relaxing quarantine policies, and follow the global trend of adopting digital health certificates with a view of supporting the resumption of international air travel.”
Emirates and Maldives reaffirm partnership
Emirates and the Maldives’ Ministry of Tourism have extended the MoU for cooperation on destination promotion and to support the country’s tourism recovery.
The extension of the MoU was signed at the Emirates Pavilion in Expo 2020 by Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates; Abdulla Mausoom, minister of Tourism Maldives; and Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and managing director, Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation.
It was signed in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and CEO, Emirates Airline and Group; and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, president of the Republic of the Maldives.
Emirates has served the Maldives for more than 34 years, and the airline currently operates 28 weekly flights to the island nation.
The agreement outlines key initiatives to be undertaken by the airline to continue supporting the country’s tourism recovery.
Since January 2021, Emirates has operated more than 1,000 passenger flights to the Maldives, connecting 170,000 visitors to the country, from over 100 destinations including the UAE, Russia, Germany, the US, and Czech Republic.
Standard names Amber Asher as new CEO
The Standard has appointed Amber Asher as CEO of Standard International, parent company of Standard Hotels, Bunkhouse and Peri Hotels.
Asher succeeds Amar Lalvani who has been promoted to executive chairman, after serving as CEO for the past eight years.
In her new role, Asher will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business. Her priorities include identifying and cultivating talent, building and mentoring successful teams and innovating in the hospitality sector.
Asher started her work with The Standard approximately 10 years ago as executive vice president and general counsel. In 2013, she led the sale of a majority stake in the brand to Standard International which was formed by Lalvani to make the acquisition and grow The Standard brand.
Following the successful closing of that transaction, she became the executive vice president and general counsel of Standard International and went on to be promoted to president in 2017.
Prior to joining The Standard in 2011, Asher served as the associate general counsel and senior vice president of Morgans Hotel Group where she oversaw all legal matters related to development, operations, intellectual property, employment, food and beverage, and financing.
Singapore travellers can now add vaccine certificates to Google Pay app
Travellers in Singapore can now store and access their HealthCerts securely and conveniently in their Google Pay app, the first digital payments platform that is partnering with the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) on this new feature.
The integration allows Android users to easily access the digitally authenticated and endorsed vaccination certificates wherever applicable – for authorities, airlines, airports, and other places that require it.
Once a user stores the digital version of the vaccination certificates on their Android device, they will be able to add a shortcut on their device’s home screen and easily access it from there as well.
This feature has been designed with privacy and security at its core. Users can choose whom to show their vaccination details to. The information in the user’s HealthCerts is not shared by Google with its various services or third parties and it is not used for targeting ads.
For added security, a lock screen is required to store HealthCerts on an Android device. Once the certificates are saved onto a user’s phone, they can access their vaccine information even when they are offline.
Patrick Teo, director of engineering for Google Pay, said: “With international travel opening up, we believe we can continue to be helpful to Singaporeans travelling abroad with HealthCerts kept securely in Google Pay and accessible in any of the 40 countries where Google Pay is accepted.”
Users can retrieve their Covid-19 vaccination certificates from HealthCerts on Google Pay by logging into the Singapore government’s Notαrise website with their Singpass.
Hospitality company Accor has launched a new talent attraction programme, Work Your Way, to bolster its workforce as Australia and New Zealand gear up for a tourism rebound.
More than 1,200 jobs will be available at most of its 400 hotels across the two countries, as Accor seeks to expand its current workforce of 18,000 team members by up to 15 per cent over the coming months.
The Work Your Way programme is said to have some revolutionary features, such as same-day hire opportunities for frontline roles; personalised benefits, where each hotel will offer additional perks based on their location and team preference, including travel allowances, birthday leave and sabbaticals; open pathways to travel and work around the region; advanced career development through the Accor Academy; and flexible work arrangements for all staff.
Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, said: “The hospitality industry has an exciting future ahead, and our guests are telling us that they cannot wait to start travelling again. As domestic, and soon international tourists, flock back to hotels and restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, the industry needs talented individuals who wish to build a rewarding career.”
Explaining the nature of the Work Your Way programme, Accor Pacific senior vice president talent & culture, Sarah Derry, said: “Lives and dreams don’t always fit neatly around working hours and current roles – that’s why we’ve introduced Work Your Way at Accor.
“We recognise that greater flexibility in the workplace creates a fulfilling and inclusive team member experience where our team can contribute in a healthy, stimulating and productive way, while advancing their career with the largest hotel operator in Australia and New Zealand.”