Conrad Hong Kong announces the appointment of Jan Jansen as General Manager effective 29 March 2021.
Conrad Hong Kong has hired Jan Jansen as its general manager.
Previously in 2016, Jansen first joined the hotel as the hotel manager, before being recruited as opening general manager of Conrad Hangzhou two years later.
His return this year will play an instrumental role in leading the hotel in adapting to the new normal and creating business opportunities.
Prior to joining Hilton in 2012, Jansen cut his teeth in management at the Rezidor Hotel Group (presently known as the Radisson Hotel Group), particularly in the business development and commercial sectors.
Skydiving has been introduced in the Maldives and can now be experienced by guests at Niyama Private Islands in the country’s southern Dhaalu Atoll.
Launched this month, the new tandem skydiving experience takes place from Dhaalu Airport just a short speedboat ride from the resort.
Niyama Private Islands in the Maldives now offers tandem skydiving experience
Tandem skydiving is the best way for first-timers to experience this thrilling, adrenaline-fuelled sport in the safest of environments, with the opportunity to descend over the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean. Guests play an active part in the jump, descending by freefall and parachute, with the seasoned instructor connected from the leap to the landing.
The experience begins with a seven-minute speedboat ride to Dhaalu Airport on a neighbouring island, followed by a short briefing before boarding the plane for a 20-minute ascent to 12,000 feet. The jump involves a one-minute freefall at the extreme speed of 200km/hour before the parachute opens for a five-minute ‘flight’ down to the white sand beaches, where guests can enjoy spectacular birds-eye views of the resort and the wider atoll.
The tandem sky-dive costs from US$639 per person (based on two people skydiving) including the roundtrip transfers to Dhaalu Airport. The dive can be captured by a hand camera for a small additional charge. For those wishing to document their full dare-devil experience, an outside camera can also be arranged with a separate skydiver.
Malaysia Airlines has entered into a partnership with ReveMax to implement the Airline Revenue Maximization Solution (ARMS) to enhance and strengthen the airline’s commercial decision-making and business processes.
Powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, the platform provides predictive and prescriptive intelligence, connecting different airline departments and guiding them in making smarter strategic decisions with the aim of profitability and sustained financial good health of the organisation.
Malaysia Airlines’ partnership with ReveMax is in line with the carrier’s digital transformation strategy
The partnership allows ReveMAX to leverage its innovative ARMS Solution, a strategic decision support platform (SDSP), to provide a complete and comprehensive picture of the airline’s revenue and cost ecosystem. The system also enables airline personnel to see a transparent and comprehensive view of their airline’s day-to-day health and make an immediate revenue decision based on fact-based data.
Group CEO of Malaysia Airlines, Izham Ismail, said in a press release: “One year into the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen the importance of having a business that is robust and sustainable, built upon a foundation of digitalisation which has allowed the business to operate as efficiently as possible given the circumstances.”
He added that the airline’s partnership with ReveMax will “create agility in maximising revenue and optimising cost with standardisation and transparency across all related departments”.
Hyatt will develop a 188-room Alila hotel in the Jing’an District of Shanghai, which is expected to debut in 2023.
A high-profile conversion project, Alila Shanghai will be the first Alila branded urban hotel in China, and located in a mixed-use development that will also feature premium offices and retail space. The property is the result of a management agreement between the affiliates of Hyatt and Fungseng Prosperity Holdings.
Alila Shanghai will offer an urban retreat concept when it opens in 2023
Designed as an “urban utopia,” Alila Shanghai will feature natural materials, earth tones and charming city views, with spacious studios and suites. F&B venues will include a rooftop Chinese restaurant, an organic restaurant, Tea Bar and a rooftop bar overlooking the Old Shanghai Zhang Garden. Other facilities will include a spa, an indoor pool, gym, meeting space and a private garden for events and functions.
The hotel’s central location is adjacent to Nanjing West Road, one of Shanghai’s most established high-end shopping thoroughfares, offering premium retail, dining and lifestyle destination.
The Gold Coast is being promoted in a new marketing blitz rolled out in cities across Australia, aimed at boosting visitor numbers in the lead up to winter.
Launched on Sunday (May 16), the campaign sees the Gold Coast call on Aussies to flee the cooler Southern temperatures for sunshine, beautiful beaches, untouched hinterland and a playground of experiences and attractions.
Gold Coast’s new US$1.35 million campaign calls on Aussies to ditch the chills for warmth and thrills
Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the campaign springboards recovery for Gold Coast’s tourism sector as the marketing body remains focused on stimulating visitor demand and expenditure for its 4,600 tourism operators.
“This A$1.75 million (US$1.35 million) campaign will support Gold Coast’s visitor economy in the lead up to and during winter, which we know is traditionally a softer travel period, to safeguard our status as a preferred holiday destination,” O’Callaghan said.
“We know through our insights that there is more than just a pent-up desire to travel – there is pent-up demand to play, and reconnecting with family and friends is so important for our well-being.”
Targeting families and over-50s, the campaign is supported by more than 100 accommodation, tour and attraction deals, she added.
“Most-loved experiences from these key traveller segments feature throughout the campaign including going to the beach, relaxing by the pool, eating local produce and exploring natural scenery,” she said.
“The campaign invites our southern neighbours to ‘come and play’ in the sunshine state and swap a cold commute to work for a memorable holiday in Australia’s favourite playground.”
The seven-week campaign will be promoted across outdoor placements, television, tactical aviation and online booking platform partnerships, as well as digital and social media in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Newcastle, Hobart, Perth and Adelaide.
By extension, a two-day activation at Sydney’s Westfield Paramatta Centre Court later this month will see 10 Gold Coast tourism operators showcase their products, holiday deals and the destination to capitalise on high foot traffic in the key interstate market.
O’Callaghan said a multi-pronged approach to recovery is critical for the Gold Coast’s tourism sector to bounce back after A$3.2 billion was wiped from the pre-Covid A$5.9 billion visitor economy in 2020.
“The Gold Coast continues to top the list as a preferred holiday destination on booking engines and this is backed up by consumers voting with their feet, seeing us as the leading beneficiary of the federal government’s half-price flights scheme,” she said.
“With some 200,000 flights to-date sold to the Gold Coast, it is initiatives like this that will drive visitors into the region, coupled with increased aviation connectivity and cut-through destination marketing.”
Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders entering Singapore with recent travel history to Taiwan will have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice (SHN), effective since May 16, 11.59.
The tightened border measures are in response to the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in Taiwan, said MOH in a statement on Saturday.
Travellers from Taiwan will now have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice
Travellers from Taiwan will have to serve a 14-day SHN at dedicated facilities, followed by an additional seven-day SHN at their place of residence. They will undergo Covid-19 PCR tests on arrival, on Day 14 of their SHN, and before the end of their 21-day SHN period.
This overrides the previous regulation which allowed travellers from Taiwan to go about their activities in Singapore without the need to serve a SHN, if their on-arrival PCR test results were negative.
In addition, short-term travellers holding an air travel pass with recent travel history to Taiwan will not be allowed to enter Singapore.
Travellers who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents, and who have recent travel history to Taiwan will be required to take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure. They will also need to present a valid negative Covid-19 test result for entry into Singapore.
All travellers with travel history to Taiwan who entered Singapore between May 15 and May 16 will be subject to government-funded PCR tests on Day 3 and Day 7 of their arrival in Singapore.
MOH said that affected travellers will be contacted with additional details on how they can take their PCR tests.
As domestic and digital tourism turn into a lifeline for travel providers, the need for technological transformation has never been more urgent. Yet, many traditional operators continue to struggle with the costs and usability of e-commerce systems, restricting the distribution of their products at this critical time.
Enter KKday. Not only has the booking platform helped its partners develop new unique offerings for their domestic markets – including glamping with manatees and virtual prayers at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine – it has also made the platform more accessible and seamless.
Creating a legacy system for tourism providers is an important step in helping the industry recover and thrive, expressed KKday’s co-founder and executive vice-president, Liu Wei Chun. Hear more from Liu in this episode of TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat.
The once-delayed Singapore-Hong Kong bilateral travel bubble may risk another disruption due to Singapore’s rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Singapore’s transport minister Ong Ye Kung said at a Covid-19 multi-ministry task force press conference on May 14 that a critical review of the travel bubble’s start date will be carried out.
The fate of the once-delayed Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble is being deliberated
“The assessment is: Given the rising cases in Singapore, it is very likely that Singapore will not be able to meet the resumption criteria,” said Ong.
A decision will be made early next week on the commencement of the travel bubble, which is scheduled for May 26.
According to a CNA report, Ong had given Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development Edward Yau an update on Singapore’s situation on Friday morning. Ong shared that both parties have agreed that the travel bubble must be done safely and in accordance with the resumption mechanism that both sides have agreed on.
Under the terms of the agreement, the travel bubble will be suspended for at least 14 days if the seven-day moving average of unlinked local Covid-19 cases a day, excluding dormitory resident cases in Singapore, is more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong.
As of noon on May 14, Singapore has 52 new infections, including 24 community cases, said the Ministry of Health.
The fifth floor of the hotel is dedicated to wellness pursuits and health offerings
Hotels in Singapore are still maintaining their staycation offers even as the city state prepares to enter a stricter enforcement of movement restrictions from this Sunday till June 13 to contain a growing number of local infections
Announced in the afternoon of May 14, the latest restrictions include a ban on dining in at eateries and no more than two people in a group when heading out.
Hotels, such as Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Singapore (pictured), will continue to welcome staycation guests but with restrictions on facility usage
According to Kwee Wei-Lin, president of Singapore Hotels Association (SHA), while staycations are still permitted under latest conditions, some hotels have received cancellation requests. She expects the heightened Covid-19 containment measures to impact hotels, especially those with restaurant and banquet operations.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), which operates five hotels and three serviced suites in Singapore, will continue to welcome staycation guests. However, only two people will be allowed in each guestroom, and guests will only be able to enjoy in-room dining and guestroom comforts – with no access to facilities such as the gym and spa – as a result of latest restrictions, according to Cinn Tan, the company’s chief sales & marketing officer.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts is also keeping the doors open at all its properties here – Orchard Hotel, M Social Singapore, Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Copthorne King’s Hotel, M Hotel and Studio M. However, the company is tweaking its business focus for now towards the more resilient couple staycations and longstay corporate business. A spokesperson told TTG Asia that couples are going ahead with their staycation bookings while most family bookings have been postponed to later in the year. Those with bookings for mid-June are adopting a wait-and-see approach and will decide on their plans closer to date.
Phone calls to the reservations desk of several staycation-approved hotels in Singapore found that their advertised staycation packages remain valid for booking during the May 16 to June 13 period.
Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel and The Warehouse Hotel, for instance, are maintaining their staycation deals at press time, which include configurations that offer complimentary breakfast and dining credits. To abide by latest restrictions, complimentary breakfast will be served in-room while dining credits may be claimed against in-room dining.
Reservation officers at other properties, however, are uncertain how package inclusions could change as a result of the new restrictions, and have advised against booking for the time being.
While staycations are still permitted under latest conditions, SHA said some hotels have received cancellation requests
Recognising that the hotel experience will be altered under current conditions, Millennium properties are pushing out themed room ideas, such as movie nights, to ensure guests are entertained.
At M Social, guests can receive an in-room Art Jamming box as part of the Art Jamming Staycation package or have an in-room cocktail station with cocktail recipes to follow as part of the Mixologist Staycation package. Guests taking up suite rooms can be entertained with virtual reality games during their staycation.
The group is also ramping up its F&B online order and takeaway operations in anticipation of a spike in takeaway business. Its chefs are now developing customised executive lunch and dinner bento sets for takeaways, and expanding in-room dining options for hotel guests.
The Millennium spokesperson also shared that Orchard Hotel is rolling out the ‘Orchard Cafe at your home’ service, where a mini set-buffet can be delivered to guestrooms or customers’ home. “Apart from increased takeaway orders, our hotels are also preparing for increased bookings (for) Work-From-Hotel (packages),” she said.
PPHG’s Tan acknowledged that these are “challenging times” and the group will support guests who wish to adjust their existing reservations to another time when the full range of activities and facilities at their properties are accessible once more. Guests can also take advantage of flexible cancellation policies, which allow existing bookings to be changed or cancelled for stays up to July 31, 2021 without penalty.
Kwee added too that SHA member hotels are working with affected guests independently for deferment of dining, staycation and wedding bookings. She added that the industry recognises the adverse long-term implications if a decisive move is not taken immediately to control the local community transmission.
“SHA represents the collective voice of 160 member hotels in Singapore. It is our top priority to safeguard the interests and well-being of our members, hotel workforce and our guests. Together with our members, SHA is committed to complying with the public health protocols as recommended by the authorities so that we can keep our community safe,” she said.
Editor’s note: Content has been updated on May 14, 21:46 to take in more trade reactions.
Sri Lanka has imposed islandwide travel restrictions, similar to a curfew, for a 77-hour period, which started from 23.00 on Thursday (May 13), in a bid to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases.
While the government has dubbed it as “travel restrictions”, the move is akin to a curfew and lockdown of the country which will last till Monday (May 17), 04.00. However, all essential services are allowed to continue operations, and international borders remain open, tourism officials said. The decision affected Sri Lanka’s minority Moslem community who celebrated the Ramazan festival on Friday.
Sri Lanka imposes travel restrictions across the country to fight a third wave of the coronavirus
The move is in response to a surge in Covid-19 cases, with the daily tally hitting 2,386 as at 13.00 on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to 132,527 with 869 deaths. This is compared to 969 cases reported on April 23, which was then the second highest daily toll on record.
The spike was triggered by crowds thronging local markets and malls during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period in mid-April, as well as commuters travelling in crowded buses and trains to their hometown during that week.
The government has announced a ban on all state and private events, meetings, and parties to curb the spread of the infection. Public gatherings such as exhibitions, conferences, indoor and outdoor events, carnivals, musical shows and processions are also prohibited.
Skydiving has been introduced in the Maldives and can now be experienced by guests at Niyama Private Islands in the country’s southern Dhaalu Atoll.
Launched this month, the new tandem skydiving experience takes place from Dhaalu Airport just a short speedboat ride from the resort.
Tandem skydiving is the best way for first-timers to experience this thrilling, adrenaline-fuelled sport in the safest of environments, with the opportunity to descend over the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean. Guests play an active part in the jump, descending by freefall and parachute, with the seasoned instructor connected from the leap to the landing.
The experience begins with a seven-minute speedboat ride to Dhaalu Airport on a neighbouring island, followed by a short briefing before boarding the plane for a 20-minute ascent to 12,000 feet. The jump involves a one-minute freefall at the extreme speed of 200km/hour before the parachute opens for a five-minute ‘flight’ down to the white sand beaches, where guests can enjoy spectacular birds-eye views of the resort and the wider atoll.
The tandem sky-dive costs from US$639 per person (based on two people skydiving) including the roundtrip transfers to Dhaalu Airport. The dive can be captured by a hand camera for a small additional charge. For those wishing to document their full dare-devil experience, an outside camera can also be arranged with a separate skydiver.