Bold ambitions
As part of its Vision 2030 plan which aims to diversify the economy to ready for a post-oil future, the Saudi government is plowing billions of dollars into tourism projects. Spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the plan targets 100 million annual tourist arrivals by 2030, and a 10 per cent contribution to the Kingdom’s GDP, up from around three per cent.
In late June, the Crown Prince who is also chairman of the Higher Committee for Transport and Logistics announced plans to establish a second national airline as part of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics centre as well as position Saudi Arabia in fifth place in terms of global air passenger traffic, and boost its air network to 250 destinations. While Saudia, the current national airline, mainly caters to the domestic passenger flow, the new airline is expected to attract international travellers entering or transiting through the country. Plans are also underway for a new airport to be built in the capital, Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, has always been strong in religious tourism. In 2019, the Kingdom hosted 9.5 million pilgrims.
However, tourism for leisure purposes is new to the Kingdom which opened its doors to international holidaymakers for the first time in September 2019. That year, it introduced fast and easy means for travellers from 49 countries to obtain an e-visa. It also relaxed strict rules for women tourists, including exempting them from wearing an abaya in public, and allowing those above the age of 25 to travel unaccompanied.
Also in line with its plan to develop the tourism sector and open it to foreign investment, Saudi is building several mega projects backed by its Public Investment Fund (PIF).
This includes the US$500 billion futuristic mega-city Neom, which is being billed as a vision for a future smart city. Neom, a region in north-west Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, is being built from the ground up that will include hyperconnected, cognitive towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centres, sports and entertainment venues, and world-class tourist destinations.
For the more active traveller, Neom will entice with sports such as skydiving, hiking and water skiing, alongside wellness programmes for the health-conscious.
There are plans to make Neom part of its own economic zone with its own set of policies including offering visas-on-arrival and improved business regulations.
Another mega project backed by PIF is The Red Sea Project. Extending over 28,000km² on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, the destination will offer a diverse range of tourist experiences, from island getaways and resort holidays to mountain retreats and desert adventures.
According to the masterplan created by The Red Sea Development Company, upon completion in 2030, the Red Sea Project will offer around 8,000 hotel rooms, alongside more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 island resorts, mountain retreats and desert hideaways. The Red Sea Project is being positioned as a high-end tourism destination with luxury marinas and accommodation, golf courses, posh restaurants and entertainment facilities.
Yet another mega project that has PIF’s backing is the Qiddiya entertainment city, which will be located on the doorstep of Riyadh and is set to become Saudi Arabia’s capital of entertainment, sports and the arts.
Spanning 366km², the city will host a Formula 1 racing track, a Six Flags theme park, a water park, and sports facilities such as football stadiums, among others.
Ally Bhoonee, executive director of World Avenues Travel & Tours, a Malaysia-based outbound tour operator, shared: “Saudi Arabia has a lot of marketing to do in terms of changing overseas travellers’ general mindset that the Kingdom is a very conservative country. It has to carry out overseas roadshows and invite international media to experience the Kingdom’s current tourism offerings and to be aware of the new tourism developments in the pipeline.”
Alicia Seah, director of public relations & communications at Dynasty Travel in Singapore, concurred. She said: “It is important to orientate travel agents and showcase to us what the destination has to offer and its safety and hygiene protocols in place. (This can be done through) familiarisation trips or even webinars hosted by the tourism board.”
Pauline Suharno, director of Elok Tour in Indonesia and president of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association, shared: “With Saudi Arabia government’s initiatives to attract leisure travellers, it gives our tour operators more opportunities to sell Umrah packages to Indonesian pilgrims. So far, local agents are selling Umrah packages to Turkey and Europe.”
Krabi returns, and is more beautiful than ever
Brought to you by the Tourism Authority of Thailand
The tropical paradise of Krabi is once again open to the world. Nestled on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Thailand, it is easily accessible from Phuket in under an hour by boat.
With the launch of the Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension on August 16, 2021, Krabi’s popular hotspots of Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai and Railay are now welcoming fully vaccinated foreign tourists who can visit without the need to quarantine. The extension programme is designed to allow visiting holidaymakers to take in more destinations on their trip to Thailand, and reduces the mandatory stay in Phuket from 14 to 7 days after which they can then explore the natural wonders of beautiful Krabi, Phang-Nga (Khao Lak and Ko Yao), or Surat Thani (Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao).
The designated locations open to visitors in Krabi – the world-famous island of Ko Phi Phi; the less-discovered yet no less enchanting island of Ko Ngai; and the ever popular Railay – make for an amazing and addictive tropical holiday to cherish.
The silky soft sandy beaches, enchanting tropical landscapes and glistening sea vistas of Krabi are more pristine and breathtaking than ever. All necessary health and safety measures are in place, giving visitors peace of mind to indulge in blissful days spent sunbathing, snorkelling, rock-climbing, and savouring delicious cuisine prepared with the freshest seafood and tropical produce.
Despite her popularity, Railay boasts a tranquil atmosphere, as she is accessible only by boat. This small peninsula is cut off from the mainland by high limestone cliffs, the same cliffs that draw rock-climbers from abroad to scale their impressive heights.
Stretching out below the cliffs are soft sands and a horizon that shimmers in the distance, along with the rhythm of the sea gently stroking the shore.
Ko Phi Phi welcomes one and all with a laidback and enchanting vibe, with long beaches to stroll along, creating the perfect escape from the modern day hustle and bustle.
Ko Ngai boasts her own set of charms, thanks to her long beaches, idyllic setting and jungle-clad hills. Few would disagree that days spent on Ko Ngai are simply sublime.
The months of November to February make the best season to visit Thailand’s Andaman Coast destinations, when the temperature is warm, the skies are clear and there’s little rain.
To begin your journey to Thailand, visit www.tatnews.org/.
Marriott, Rakuten form strategic alliance to benefit Japanese travellers
Marriott International and Rakuten Group, Inc. has established an industry-first strategic collaboration to elevate the experience of Japanese travellers.
The agreement will leverage the strength of Rakuten’s digital expertise and capitalise on the current growth of Japan’s digital economy, alongside the global scale and the rapid growth of the Marriott Bonvoy footprint.
The collaboration will allow Marriott Bonvoy to connect directly with millions of Rakuten members to offer them access to Marriott Bonvoy’s 30 international hotel brands, and market directly to Rakuten’s customer base with content and promotions that are customised for the Japanese consumer.
Kazunori Takeda, group executive vice president and president of commerce company, Rakuten Group, said: “Rakuten customers have come to expect the highest standards of service and convenience, and Marriott is an ideal partner. This groundbreaking alliance will add incredible value for our members, enabling them to tap into the advantages of a global travel programme.”
Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific excluding Greater China, Marriott International, said the move “underscores our optimism for travel recovery”.
“With a significant number of Japan’s population a Rakuten member, we anticipate this collaboration will allow us to strategically capture a greater share of a strong Japanese travel market and connect these travellers to our expansive portfolio of global brands. We’re delighted to be working with Rakuten to advance the recovery of travel,” he added.
Eligible Rakuten members can enroll in Marriott Bonvoy from late-November 2021 and begin to enjoy a host of benefits including a seamless and integrated digital travel experience using just their Rakuten member information; exclusive access to member rates, points and perks on the Marriott Bonvoy programme; and VIP experiences such as private concerts and family focused events.
Philippine tourism organisations combat pandemic anxiety with mental well-being safeguards
Safeguarding mental health has become a priority for Philippine travel and tourism stakeholders who are more susceptible to depression, stress, and anxiety brought about by the consequences of the prolonged lockdown that is now entering its 19th month.
The extent of their suffering is gleaned from the recent Nikkei Asia’s Covid-19 Recovery Index (as of September 30), which ranks the Philippines as the worst among 121 countries in responding to the pandemic. Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Resilience Ranking classifies the Philippines as the worst place to be among 53 countries in containing the pandemic.
Addressing mental health concerns, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and stakeholders’ online meeting every Wednesday has evolved “into a period for retooling and relearning,” pep talks and motivational talks, said chief operating officer Anthonette Velasco-Allones.
The simple act of guesting clinical psychologist Joanna Herrera, who discussed mental health and mindfulness last Wednesday, inspires and “keeps hope alive in the hearts of our stakeholders, including tour operators and travel agents”.
In the predominantly Catholic country where people find solace in spirituality, TPB’s wellness and work-life integration programme for its staff has online fellowship “to keep the team connected” that includes a virtual holy Mass every first Friday of the month and bible studies, Velasco-Allones said.
Many staff find therapeutic the Think Talk (a variant of Tik Tok) that refreshes skills on writing, productivity, powerpoint presentation, Zoom set up, and work from home set up. The most recent was a mindfulness session led by a yogi.
It is understood that the Department of Tourism will be adopting most of the mental health safeguards being practised by TPB.
Cleofe Albiso, group general manager of Megaworld Hotels, shared that they have a Circle of Happiness programme with several projects and activities including webinars for all associates “that allows us to love ourselves, our families, our community and God is at the centre of it”.
Albiso cited the importance of mental health and well-being as most of their properties are fully operational. Ten hotel general managers will attend the MICECON conference in Boracay late this month, for work and leisure for their general well-being.
PATA Philippines Chapter, one of the first that addressed mental health issues for its members and stakeholders, once invited a priest to talk about keeping the faith, as well as celebrities who survived arduous life challenges.
On the trail of tulip’s origins
Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay brings back its popular annual Tulipmania display today, with a focus on Central Asia where the very first appearance of wild tulips was said to have emerged.
While appreciating this year’s display, Tulipmania – Its Wild Origins, visitors can imagine themselves following in the footsteps of Kazakh nomadic tribes, who once traipsed across the foothills of Tien Shan, the great mountain system of Central Asia. The vibrant displays take in a depiction of a bazaar that represents Kazakhstan’s role as a trading hub and cultural melting-pot along the Silk Route, as well as towers and gates inspired by Timurid dynasty architecture.
Tulipmania – Its Wild Origins also features an online component where videos of the floral display will be posted on Gardens by the Bay’s Facebook and website progressively from October 7.
Phu Quoc’s reopening prompts new source market focus
Vietnam is eyeing up new markets as the island of Phu Quoc prepares to welcome again tourists in November.
At a webinar hosted by Delivering Asia Communications, industry players said plans are well underway to welcome double-vaccinated visitors in a similar scheme to Phuket’s sandbox.
This includes the current island-wide vaccination programme. Guidelines also state only hotels that meet certain criteria, such as size, can register to reopen.
Linh Le, principal and co-founder of Luxperia, said traditional markets for Phu Quoc were Russia, China and South Korea. However, Covid-19 has changed the game.
“As a result of the pandemic, the whole world is reassessing when and where to travel,” he said. “You have to consider the bilateral agreements countries have in place with regard to what vaccinations are accepted and quarantine restrictions on return.”
Le added that due to this, charter flights from Europe will play a key role in Phu Quoc’s recovery.
India will also be a key driver in countrywide recovery. Ken Atkinson, founder of Grant Thornton Vietnam, said this has been fuelled by recent diplomatic discussions.
He remarked: “The main target when Vietnam reopens is charter flights from India and trying to capture some of the Indian wedding market.”
Linh Bui, managing director of Sens Asia Travel, predicts the US, UK, Switzerland and Germany will show a fast rebound.
“These operators are requesting new products and updated pricing,” she said. “They’ve been really active working with us to come up with new ideas even though they know they can’t travel here right now.”
Jai Kishan, general manager of New World Phu Quoc Resort which opened in May, believes once regional borders relax, the island will see a shift towards short- and medium-haul travel. He said Hong Kong and Singapore will lead the pack.
However, recovery will be slow with global economies shattered and expendable income at an all-time low. “It will be two to three years before we’re back to 2019 levels,” said Kishan. “People’s income has dried up and purse strings have been tightened across the world.”
While visa-free travel will remain in place on Phu Quoc, Atkinson suggested this be rolled out nationwide. “The big question is if visa exemptions will continue. This will make Vietnam more competitive without the regulations of other countries.”
New hotels: DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside, Novotel Shanghai Qingpu Excellence Hotel, and more
DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside, Malaysia
The 290-room hotel sits in the heart of Malaysia’s third Federal Territory, a 20-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and surrounded by several scenic attractions, making it a convenient stopover for leisure and business travellers.
Ten room types are offered, along with complimentary Wi-Fi for Hilton Honors members, a flat-screen TV with HD channels, 24-hour room service as well as a work-desk for business travellers to work in comfort.
For recreation, guests have the option of a child-friendly Splash Pool, a Lakeside Pool that overlooks the scenic Putrajaya lake, and a well-equipped fitness centre.
The resort features two restaurants: all-day dining Makan Kitchen, which serves authentic Malaysian fare and specialty dishes across Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban and Peranakan cuisines; and KOFFEE deli.
Built for business events, the property has has 22 meeting rooms that are all outfitted with an LCD projector, Wi-Fi and wired Internet, video and teleconferencing facilities, digital sound system as well as a dedicated event manager to provide technical support. The largest room setup is at 926m2.
There is also a hybrid virtual studio to support new-generation meetings and events.
Novotel Shanghai Qingpu Excellence Hotel, China
The new 240-key hotel charms families with two floors dedicated to family rooms – 25 in all – including four whimsically decorated family suites which can be connected with neighbouring family rooms.
Other facilities include InBalance fitness centre, and a range of F&B outlets.
With the new hotel joining sister property Pullman Shanghai Qingpu Excellence, which opened in 2019, both hotels make a strong product for business events. Event organisers have access to 524 combined guestrooms and suites as well as function spaces totalling 2300m2, comprising a high-ceilinged, 800m2 pillarless grand ballroom, 200m2 of outdoor terrace space connected to the ballroom and 15 breakout rooms with varied configurations and sizes.
Groups will appreciate expanded dining options at Pullman Shanghai Qingpu Excellence, which includes Azur Chinese Restaurant, Q Seafood & Grill and Yue Café all-day restaurant.
Swiss-Belhotel Cendrawasih, Biak, Papua, Indonesia
Swiss-Belhotel International made its entry into Indonesia’s Biak island with the opening of Swiss-Belhotel Cendrawasih, a four-star property aimed at both business and leisure visitors.
It features 102 guestrooms that take local heritage into their design. Guests can access all-day dining Swiss-Café restaurant, a swimming pool, gym, massage service as well as seven meeting rooms for up to 200 guests and a ballroom for up to 800 guests.
The hotel is conveniently located adjacent to Hadi supermarket and department store – the largest shopping centre on the island. Frans Kaisipo International Airport sits 4km away.
Navigating the next frontier of hospitality with smart video
Like me, most Singaporeans will be looking forward to the reopening of borders. As a tourist or traveller, the question on most of our minds would be, “am I going to be safe from Covid-19 while traveling?”
On the business end, will the ability to juggle absolute safety and maintain a seamless customer experience mean big investments for the already suffering hospitality sector?
An unlikely hero that can support the industry’s transformation is video and video technologies. An open platform Video Management System (VMS) is the software for video, that enables users to capture, record, view and analyse video from their network of cameras as well as integrate a range of various smart software capabilities on a single unified platform. This intelligent software is cost-effective and not only improves safety and security standards, but also enhances service quality for guests.
Major players like Marriott and Hyatt hotel groups have already incorporated the VMS into operations, enabling increased visibility across the premises, reassuring guests of a higher standard of security.
What many do not realise is that the VMS provides a flexible infrastructure for these businesses to do more in their decision making, beyond just security applications. Video analytics enables hotels to gather insights based on key demographics or preferences to enhance their personalised services, resulting in improved client satisfaction and eventually, loyalty.
Assuring security as part of the customer experience
Security has outgrown legacy closed-circuit television (CCTV) technologies. Smart video capabilities such as facial recognition and video analytics, provide hoteliers with active assets to prepare for the safe reopening of the industry.
With the pandemic still ongoing, many hotels in Singapore have been requisitioned as government quarantine facilities to combat the spread of Covid-19. These facilities must abide by strict infection prevention and security protocols to ensure the safety and security of quarantined individuals.
To aid with increasing security requirements, video assets can be enhanced with motion detection and video analytics capabilities. The system enables security teams to monitor crowd capacity in common areas, and ensure guests under quarantine do not risk their safety, and the safety of others, by leaving designated quarantine zones.
Solutions to safeguard privacy
There are of course no-go areas for cameras, such as guestrooms, but for common areas, there are innovative solutions that safeguard guests’ privacy on camera. Privacy masking software replaces moving objects captured on live or recorded videos with silhouettes ensuring privacy-sensitive monitoring and absolute personal data protection. Privacy masking is applied to the video and can be integrated with other analytics so that viewers only see a blurred silhouette.
The system extracts only metadata from video footage that is critical for necessities, such as crowd control. However, this can also be adjusted for high-risk zones (i.e., quarantine zones or restricted areas).
Adding value to customer service
While video technology’s most direct use is to ensure the safety and security of guests, staff and critical assets, there is tremendous potential for video in customer service.
Guests would expect to be greeted by friendly staff at the lobby and guided to their rooms. Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it impossible to return to the same standards of service in pre-Covid times. These days, guests are more likely to encounter a crowded lobby filled with masked strangers, while hotel staff would struggle to manage and provide quality service.
Swissotel the Stamford and Grand Park City Hall have both successfully implemented self-check-in kiosks. Placed at their lobbies and equipped with facial recognition software, guest’s waiting time was reduced by up to 70 per cent, allowing guests more time to enjoy their stay. This implementation also safeguards hotel staff by reducing physical contact at the reception desk.
Facial recognition software is also able to identify guests with their masks on and can attach the assigned room number to each guest, providing a quick and hassle-free experience for everyone involved. It can also be combined with access capabilities to provide a more personalised experience allowing guests to gain access to their rooms by simply standing by the door instead using a key card.
This technology is also adapted for License Plate Recognition (LPR) – guests or VIPs can gain access to parking facilities without lifting a finger. This also ensures suspicious vehicles are not given access and parking spaces are optimised for authorised vehicles.
What’s next for video?
There are many benefits and possibilities that the VMS can provide, with the integration of data analytics, AI, and IoT devices. Decision makers now have the freedom to leverage emerging technologies beyond security.
The hospitality industry needs to accelerate digital transformation for long-term recovery, or risk customer abandonment and falling further behind. As a first step, the VMS empowers these businesses by combining infrastructure and digital applications across the enterprise into a single, customised touchpoint.
Indonesia lifts passenger inbound cap following industry protest
Indonesia’s directorate general of air transportation has reversed its policy to impose a cap on international passenger arrivals in Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The new policy took effect from October 4.
In a letter addressed to national and international airlines operating in the country, seen by TTG Asia, Novie Riyanto, director general of air transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, said: “Following an evaluation, the cap on inbound traffic to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport of 90 passengers per flight, as of October 4, is no longer valid.”
He added that along with the revised policy, the airport has added new health check facilities and improved upon existing ones, and additional international entry points were being prepared. He also said that sufficient quarantine facilities were in place.
However, airline operators are still required to submit data on their flight arrival plans and the number of passengers on each flight.
Last Wednesday (September 29), Novie issued a letter stipulating that international flights arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport will be capped at 90 passengers per flight with effect from September 30.
The now-reversed policy was part of efforts to guard against the entry of new Covid-19 variants into the country, prevent queues for PCR test checks, as well as to ensure the quality of inspection results and that every passenger meets the application provision.
“This needs to be done so that we can carry out stricter supervision to prevent the new variants (from entering) Indonesia,” Novie said.
The policy had sparked reactions from IATA and the Association of the Indonesian Travel Agents, who respectively sent letters to Indonesia’s transport minister to appeal against the decision.
Both associations deemed the last-minute policy notice as extremely disruptive for the airlines to impose.
The travel and tourism sector’s continued sluggish recovery will see its year-on-year contribution to global GDP rise by less than one-third in 2021, according to new research from the WTTC.
The sector’s recovery has been hampered by the lack of international coordination, severe travel restrictions and vaccine inequity, WTTC said in a media release.
In 2019, the travel and tourism sector generated nearly US$9.2 trillion to the global economy, noted WTTC. However in 2020, the pandemic brought travel and tourism to an almost complete standstill which resulted in a 49.1 per cent drop, representing a loss of nearly US$4.5 trillion, it added.
While the global economy is set to receive a modest 30.7 per cent year-on-year increase from travel and tourism in 2021, this will only represent US$1.4 trillion and is mainly driven by domestic spending.
The economic modelling was conducted by Oxford Economics on behalf of WTTC and calculated a baseline scenario based on the current global vaccination rollout, consumer confidence and relaxed travel restrictions in some regions around the world.
The research reveals that at the current rate of recovery, travel and tourism’s contribution to the global economy could see a similar moderate year-on-year rise of 31.7 per cent in 2022.
Last year, WTTC revealed the loss of a staggering 62 million travel and tourism jobs around the world and with the current pace of recovery, jobs are set to rise by only 0.7 per cent this year.
Similarly, research shows a more hopeful potential year-on-year jobs rise across the sector next year, by a positive 18 per cent.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “If governments can start looking internationally and support travel and tourism with simplified rules to enable the safe return of travel, there is the opportunity to save jobs and boost economic wealth.”
According to the research, the sector’s contribution to global GDP and the rise in jobs could be more positive this year and next, if the following measures are met:
The research shows that if these four vital rules are followed before the end of 2021, the sector’s contribution to the global economy could jump by 37.5 per cent, reaching US$6.4 trillion this year (compared to US$4.7 trillion in 2020).
There is also hope that if restrictions continue being lifted and with more international cooperation, governments could bring back nearly 19 million jobs before the year ends (up 6.8 per cent).
The trend continues into next year when the sector’s contribution to the global economy could see a year-on-year rise of 34 per cent, reaching US$8.6 trillion, close to 2019, a record year for travel and tourism. Similarly, jobs could surpass 2019 levels – up 20.1 per cent year-on-year, to more than 349 million.