Accor to reflag 8 on Claymore Serviced Residences in Singapore
Accor is set to operate the group’s first serviced apartment property in Singapore with the signing of 8 on Claymore Serviced Residences located in the city-state’s famous Orchard Road area.
Scheduled to commence operations around the end of this year, the property will operate under the name of 8 on Claymore Singapore managed by Accor, and will undergo a soft refurbishment for all rooms and public areas by mid-2022.
The 85-room property will feature a range of accommodation, from executive studios to two- and three-bedroom apartments, each with living areas, fully equipped kitchens, in-room laundry facilities and bedrooms. Guests will have access to the Club Lounge, which also includes a pool and a 24-hour gym.
Accor’s signing of this conversion project following its rebranding of another two properties in Singapore – Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel the Stamford. This property will join the group’s network of 28 properties in Singapore including the Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Swissôtel, Novotel, Mercure and ibis brands.
Singapore eases border measures for some countries; expands VTL scheme to Finland and Sweden
Singapore will relax border restrictions for more travellers including those arriving from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, from November 11.
The government announced on Monday (November 8) that 23 countries previously deemed by Singapore to be of the highest risk of Covid-19 infections, including Laos and India, will have more border restrictions relaxed, reported The Straits Times.
Travellers from these countries will be allowed to present a negative antigen rapid test (ART) result taken within two days prior to departure for Singapore – an alternative to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests currently required, said the report.
Travellers from these countries will be allowed to serve a 10-day stay-home notice (SHN) at home or at a hotel of their choice, instead of at an SHN dedicated facility like they are currently required to do so.
In addition, Singapore has added three more countries – Malaysia, Sweden and Finland – to its vaccinated travel lane (VTL) scheme. Along with the VTL expansion, the daily quota for VTL arrivals will be increased to 6,000 travellers from November 29, up from the 4,000 currently.
Travellers under the VTLs need not be subject to SHN. Instead, they will be required to produce a negative pre-departure test taken within two days prior to departure and undergo an on-arrival PCR test.
Singapore, Malaysia to start vaccinated travel lane from November 29
Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to launch a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport from November 29.
This was announced by Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a joint statement on Monday (November 8).
The reopening covers only air travel, and does not include land travel via the Causeway or Second Link.
“The prime ministers also look forward to restoring travel across the land links between both countries in the near future,” said the statement.
In a Facebook post, Lee wrote: “Singapore and Malaysia have made good progress vaccinating our populations and managing the pandemic. So we agreed that it is timely to progressively resume cross-border travel between both countries. This will help revive our economies, restore people-to-people ties, and strengthen our bilateral partnership.”
Under the VTL, fully vaccinated travellers will be able to travel between Singapore and Malaysia without having to serve quarantine or stay-home notice, and will only need to take a Covid-19 PCR test prior to departure and upon arrival.
Singapore had earlier announced VTLs with 13 other countries, including Australia, Switzerland, Britain and the US.
Hilton predicts travel trends for 2022
Post-pandemic travellers are predicted to embrace pet travel, reunion trips, contactless experiences, culinary adventures and sustainable travel, according to Hilton’s new global trends report which examined how travellers’ needs and interests have shifted in the wake of the pandemic.
The 2022 Traveler: Emerging Trends and the Redefined Traveler, a Report from Hilton showcases how the hotel group is evolving alongside the changing traveller, in areas such as fitness, spa, F&B, design, amenities and loyalty programmes.
The report looks at how app workouts and new fitness routines have changed people’s approach to where, when and how they exercise on-the-road; how the increased focus on wellness is evolving the spa and hotel experience; and how the home baking trend is translating into more demand for culinary adventures.
It also examines how 18 months in lockdown is driving a renewed passion for a healthy planet, from sustainable food sourcing to waste reduction; how DIY improvements, plant-crazed hobbies and working from patios is changing people’s perspective of hotel design; how the rise in pet ownership during the pandemic is leading to increased interest in pet travel and the development of hotel pet amenities, perks and more; as well as how the rise of loyalty programmes – across all sectors – is leading to better personalisation and benefits to customers.
As well, Hilton’s report highlights travel and behavioural trends among post-pandemic travellers, including a greater focus on convenience in their travels, like contactless check-in and check-out and digital keys. With a reimagined workplace and new routines and habits in place, travellers will also be looking to integrate wellness experiences into their travel plans.
People are anticipated to pack their passions, driving demand for new trends in fitness, culinary options and unique travel experiences. There is also a prioritisation of reunion and reconnection travel in 2022, with the pandemic having separated families and friends.
Beyond their inner circles, travellers are also expected to care more about sustainability and community efforts – and are looking to remain loyal to brands and companies that align with their values.
Read the full report here.
Cooking up change
It was while training as a resource person for the World Wildlife Fund in 2017 that Mitali G Dutta awakened to the potential of culinary and community-based tourism.
That led the Guwahati-based entrepreneur to set up FSM Food Trails, a food tour agency that runs culinary tours with training and dining concept in the national parks of Kaziranga and Manas, creating sustainable livelihoods for rural communities in Assam state while promoting North-east India’s rich food cultural histories.
During these tours, rural women share different traditional recipes of local cuisines with tourists and host them for a meal.
“These tours are not merely focused on tantalising only the taste buds of food tourists or preserving the food-based customs and traditions of the rural communities but more about bringing a social change in the livelihoods of the communities,” explained Dutta, who also runs culinary venture Food Sutra by Mitali, which provides online and offline baking workshops and Assamese cooking classes in urban areas.
“One such successful social change that we could bring was to the wives of the former poachers near Manas National Park, who are getting empowered through their household skill of cooking and have converted it into a culinary tourism enterprise.”
Dutta added that the biggest challenge in the initial stage was to change these locals’ mindsets to accept their business concept, as culinary tours are a novel product in the state of Assam.
But continuous capacity-building activities conducted over a few years eventually built up their trust in the company’s vision and instilled an entrepreneurial mindset in them to execute these culinary tours.
To prepare these locals for hosting such tours, Dutta trains them in capacity building, digital promotions and market linkages, as well as hospitality and code of conduct to equip them to handle all types of tourists. About 60 women have benefitted from her training to date.
While survival used to be a struggle for these locals, this sustainable culinary tourism business model has imbued them with a newfound financial independence, and has created positive ripple effects for the whole community, shared Dutta.
“The entire village reaps benefits in different ways, like in our tours, visitors are taken for handloom experiences, farm and fishing experiences, rice-beer making experiences and other allied rural tourism experiences which are generating revenue incomes for everyone,” she said.
Dutta was one of several women entrepreneurs from across India who were selected by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, for Women’s Day Recognition on March 8, 2021. Her concept of empowering rural communities in a sustainable fashion through culinary tourism has been lauded by celebrity chefs, renowned food bloggers and travel writers from India and abroad.
Since its inception in 2017, FSM Food Trails has hosted around 500 domestic and international tourists – with majority of the foreign guests hailing from European countries – during the peak seasons of October to March every year (due to heavy rainfall, the Manas and Kaziranga national parks remain closed from June to September for safety reasons).
These tours “religiously follow sustainable and responsible tourism principles”, said Dutta, adding that with the increasing adverse impacts of mass tourism, it is crucial for destinations like India to sharpen their focus on sustainability and community-based tourism.
Oakwood Premier checks into Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka 118
Oakwood Premier is set to occupy one of the residential towers within the Merdeka 118 development in the capital city of Malaysia.
In partnership with PNB Merdeka Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional, Oakwood Premier Kuala Lumpur will feature 348 serviced residences with one-, two- and three-bedroom categories, each showcasing living spaces of up to 120m² in size. Proposed facilities include an all-day dining restaurant/bar, executive club lounge, residents’ lounge, meeting facilities, fitness centre, swimming pool and children’s playroom.
Scheduled to open in December 2024, Oakwood Premier Kuala Lumpur will be the group’s second property in the city, following Oakwood Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur.
The mixed-use commercial and residential development, surrounded by 1.6ha of greenery and open spaces, will complement Merdeka 118’s vision for work, retail, living and public spaces.
Merdeka 118 is set to become the world’s second tallest and South-east Asia’s tallest building at the height of 644m upon completion.
Radisson hires finance VP for APAC
Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) has appointed Evelyn Wong Soo Pin as vice president, finance, tax & IT, Asia Pacific, to drive the company’s transformation strategy.
In her new role, Wong will be responsible for all financial and accountancy matters in the region, including overseeing business transactions and strategic investments, developing financial strategies and leading the regional finance team.
She will also spearhead the group’s digital transformation, which is centered around Emma, RHG’s new advanced global technology platform, which integrates property management systems, reservations, distribution, sales, loyalty programmes and more.
A Singaporean with more than 20 years of professional experience, Wong is a registered chartered accountant in Singapore, and joins RHG from SGX-listed Amos Group, where she held the role of CFO.
Wong’s career commenced in 1997 with KPMG, one of the world’s leading financial services companies. Since then, she has held senior positions with companies in various sectors, from oil and gas, freight and logistics to security management, recruitment and more.
Her regional experience encompasses multiple countries, including Australia, Egypt, Greater China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam.
Wong will be based at RHG’s Asia Pacific regional head office in Singapore, and she is a member of the company’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee.
Claude Sauter joins The Slate as GM
The Slate, a beachfront resort on Phuket’s northwest coast, has appointed Claude Sauter as its new general manager.
A Swiss national, Sauter is a consummate hospitality professional, with 24 years of industry-specific managerial experience in Phuket. Most recently, he was general manager of The Surin Phuket for over six years.
Sauter first arrived in Phuket in 1997, where he held the role of resident manager of Impiana Resort Patong. Following five years with Impiana, he achieved his first general manager role with Cape & Kantary Hotels, leading the Cape Panwa Hotel in south-east Phuket.
He has since headed up several major properties in Phuket and neighbouring Phang Nga province for international hotel groups including Wyndham and Marco Polo.
Profitability in APAC hotel markets well below pre-pandemic levels
The hotel industries in seven key Asia-Pacific markets reported profitability levels well below pre-pandemic levels, with only Beijing above 40 per cent of the 2019 comparable, according to STR‘s September 2021 monthly P&L data release.
Beijing’s gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) of US$29.91 was 70 per cent of September 2019 levels. Singapore (US$39.99) came in at 35 per cent using the same time comparison, while Hong Kong (US$6.22) was at just 10 per cent.
Sydney, Bali, Bangkok and Tokyo were all in negative GOPPAR territory; with Tokyo having seen the biggest profitability decline over the past several months.
“Only three of the region’s key markets reported positive profit conversion in September 2021: Singapore, due to quarantine demand; and Beijing and Hong Kong, which have remained resilient despite the Delta variant outbreak,” said Jesper Palmqvist, STR’s area director for the Asia Pacific region.
“Sydney, of course, has been limited due to lockdowns, but with the reopening and allowance of international travellers underway in New South Wales, the market should soon return to positive profitability. Bali and Bangkok, on the other hand, remain further behind in the recovery cycle, with negative profit conversion at -55 per cent and -44 per cent, respectively.”
Spain-based Meliá Hotels International will be opening a new luxury resort in Indonesia on the paradise island of Lombok come 2024.
Gran Meliá Lombok will mark the first Gran Meliá property in Lombok and its second in Indonesia, after Gran Meliá Jakarta.
Situated at the Torok Bay in the south of the island, the hotel will boast 22 luxury beachside villas and another 105 villas on the mountainside, all with private infinity pools and ocean views.
On-site facilities will include a spa, fitness centre, kids’ club, and a lounge with panoramic ocean views. The hotel will also feature F&B options that combine local ingredients and techniques to offer guests authentic Indonesian dining experiences.
Owned by Invest Islands, a property development company based in Lombok, Gran Meliá Lombok will become Meliá Hotels International’s 12th hotel in Indonesia, eight of them currently in operation and another four (including Gran Meliá Lombok) pending opening.