Meliá Hotels grows Thai footprint with Chiang Mai property
Meliá Chiang Mai, a 260-key hotel in the heart of Chiang Mai city in Thailand’s mountainous north, is slated to open its doors in 4Q2021.
Owned by Thai real estate group Asset World Corporation and launched by Meliá Hotels International, the five-star hotel will be situated 6km from the Chiang Mai International Airport on the Charoen Prathet Road.
The hotel will comprise a 22-storey tower fronted by an adjoining seven-floor podium building. Two restaurants, two bars, two lounges including an executive lounge, a spa, fitness centre, swimming pool, 358m² ballroom and four other meeting spaces will be among the hotel’s host of facilities.
Of the property’s room portfolio, 38 rooms and six suites will belong to The Level, an upgraded level of service and benefits that affords exclusive access to the executive lounge. Notably, the Level Presidential Suite will command 113m² of the tower’s top floor with city vistas.
Camp at one of the world’s largest caverns in Vietnam
Luxury travel specialist Unforgettable Travel is offering adventurous campers the chance to experience a unique overnight stay at the entrance of one of the world’s largest caverns.
Located in Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Hang Sơn Đoòng and Hang Én are the world’s largest and third-largest caves, respectively. At almost 6km long, Hang Sơn Đoòng has sections reaching up to 200m tall and 150m wide.
Tourists can now experience the wonder of these breathtaking natural formations and enjoy a night camping experience in the entrance chamber of Hang Én with any Vietnam tour booking under Unforgettable Travel.
Located 20km away from Vietnam’s border with Laos, the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is surrounded by the dense jungle found close to the central northern coast of the country.
Discovered only in 2009, Hang Sơn Đoòng and Hang Én are estimated to be between two and five million years old. The naturally formed stone caverns first opened to the public in 2013 after several years of extensive exploration, and only permit a limited number of visitors every year.
The caves are only accessible by a helicopter or four-hour jungle trek from the nearest road.
Quest breaks ground on second Geelong hotel
Quest and development partner Pellicano have broken ground on a new A$70 million (US$53.6 million) mixed-use development encompassing an 87-key apartment hotel in Geelong.
Upon completion in 1Q2023, Quest Geelong Central will offer a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, alongside ground floor dining and retail spaces, a rooftop gym and conferencing facilities.
General manager of growth & capital strategy at Quest, James Shields, said the site on Gheringhap Street was chosen to capture the growing extended stay corporate travel market within Geelong.
Shields elaborated: “The Geelong economy is undergoing a structural transition from a manufacturing dominated economy to one driven by tourism and related services. We’re forecasting strong growth over the medium- to long-term, given Geelong’s close proximity to Melbourne, growing events schedule and the ongoing gentrification of old industrial spaces.
“With the terminal for the Spirit of Tasmania opening in late 2022 and Geelong Fast Rail set to commence in 2023, Quest has invested to capture the significant local leisure and corporate travel market.”
Japan hotels, agencies hamstrung by prevailing Covid restrictions
Japan’s tourism industry has reported a bleak first few months of 2021 as residents stay home amid emergency or quasi-emergency measures in place to curb Covid-19 infections.
The ongoing downturn is a further blow to the sector, which has seen unprecedented numbers of business default since the onset of the pandemic. In fiscal 2020, 125 lodging businesses went bankrupt, up 66 per cent year-on-year, according to the Teikoku Data Bank.
In an online survey of almost 5,500 hotel operators by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), almost half said reservations had fallen by more than 70 per cent between January and May this year compared with the same period in 2019.
The normally peak period of consecutive national holidays from late April to early May, known as Golden Week, was also quiet; most hotels and inns reported only 50 per cent occupancy.
Travel agencies have been similarly affected. Around 80 per cent of the some 3,000 surveyed said reservations have fallen by more than 70 per cent so far this calendar year, compared with the same period in 2019.
The data shows a strong correlation between bookings and the rate of Covid-19 infections in the country.
Travel agencies saw a 81 per cent decline in reservations in January followed by a 84 per cent decline in February, thought to be the result of a state of emergency announced in January for Tokyo, Osaka and nine other prefectures. Hotels operators said reservations slid by more than 70 per cent in January and February.
Respondents enjoyed some respite in March, when bookings fell by 31 per cent for lodging businesses and 76 per cent for travel agencies, before the situation declined again in April and May.
The suspension of the national government’s domestic tourism financial subsidy campaign, Go To Travel, at the end of 2020 is partly responsible for the decline in reservations, according to the JTA report.
Asia’s vegan boom
The slow but sure rise of veganism in recent years as consumers awake to the health and environmental benefits of going meat-free has resultantly set vegan tourism on the path of steady growth.
Veganism has been vaunted as the more sustainable food option that is good for both the people and the planet, as a plant-based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet.
While the pandemic brought travel to a standstill, the global appetite for veganism has grown since 2020, driven in part by a groundswell for sustainability and climate action.
A GlobalData survey conducted in December 2020 showed that post-Covid, more global consumers are influenced by how ethical, environmentally-friendly and socially responsible a product or service is.
The report indicated that changing traveller perceptions amid the pandemic may prompt many more to switch to veganism, as reduction of meat consumption has a positive environmental impact.
Vegan vacations: the next big tourism trend?
As the popularity of veganism grows, tour operators across the world like Intrepid Travel are answering the eco-conscious call for more vegan-friendly travel options.
Since launching a series of vegan tours in mid-2018, the global tour operator based in Australia has seen a rise in interest for such tours held in India, Thailand and Italy. The company recorded an 80 per cent increase in bookings for its vegan tours between 2018 and 2019, shared Erica Kritikides, senior brand and product manager, Intrepid Travel.
Of these, more than 70 per cent of bookings were for its India vegan tour – which enjoys a popularity that Kritikides attributes to “the centrality of veganism within many regional Indian cuisines”.
Led by vegans or vegetarians, these vegan food tours run by Intrepid Travel comprise vegan-friendly cooking classes and all-vegan street food crawls, alongside culturally immersive activities.
Majority of guests (72 per cent) on such tours were female, mainly hailing from Australia, the UK and the US, with millennials making up over 50 per cent of all customers.
While the pandemic forced the company to pause its vegan tours, it is looking forward to how these tours could evolve when travel resumes.
According to Statista, nine per cent of the Asia-Pacific population identified as vegan in 2016. As a further sign of growing appetites for veganism, between 2017 and the start of 2020, searches for “vegan tours” on Google grew by 76 per cent, noted Kritikides.
“Increased interest in vegan tourism is undoubtedly linked to more mainstream acceptance of the vegan diet and a general trend towards a more plant-focused way of eating – both for its recognised health benefits, as well as for sustainability reasons, with awareness around meat production being a carbon-intensive agricultural process,” she explained.
“More people – especially millennials and Gen Y – are also recognising that vegan food can be delicious – and that there are some fascinating vegan culinary subcultures well worth exploring – and tasting – many of those found in Asia. Examples might be shojin ryori (Japanese monastic cuisine) or Jain cuisine in India – both of which are completely vegan.”
Eiktha Khemlani, founder of Singapore’s first and only plant-based food tour company VegThisCity, said that vegan tourism “ticks all the right boxes” for a growing segment of travellers looking to travel responsibly and sustainably.
“They want products and experiences that are animal-friendly, better for the planet and allow them to leave a positive impact on the local community,” she said.
Started in 2018, VegThisCity offers themed vegan and vegetarian food crawls around neighbourhoods like Joo Chiat and Chinatown.
The company also runs collaborative dining events, virtual experiences and corporate tours, and works with global travel and event companies as the local operator for vegan walking tours in Singapore.
VegThisCity’s tours attract a wide range of both local and foreign vegans and curious foodies, including business owners exploring cruelty-free options.
To cater to the young ones, the company arranges child-friendly dishes and swap out cocktails and non-dairy lattes for fresh fruit smoothies and superfood popsicles.
“These experiences inspire conversations on food and the environment, and provide a platform for businesses and individuals to rethink traditional options and innovate in a more eco-friendly and sustainable way, no matter the industry,” said Khemlani.
With the plant-based movement taking root across the globe, interest in VegThisCity’s tours has been on the rise. From hosting once or twice monthly tours to weekly outings within the first 18 months of starting operations, it is a growth Khemlani attributes to the company’s varied and customisable offerings.
“(Vegan tourism) has been a growing segment for the past two years, especially now more than ever as people approach food with a greater emphasis on their personal health and want to know more about where and how food comes to their plate,” explained Khemlani.
“With organisations making greater investment on alternative food products, new advocacy documentaries on mainstream media and vegan food becoming more experimental – this is naturally fueling the foodie’s curiosity.”
“As a lifestyle, veganism adapts to the most pressing ethical, environment and health needs… Travellers also realise that they can travel responsibly and eat better without missing out on the best experiences each country has to offer.”
While the company was on track for steady growth, with advance bookings for the first half of 2020, travel curbs imposed due to the pandemic saw its tour bookings dip. Khemlani, however, saw an opportunity to reinvent the company’s guest engagement and experiences.
“Guests who cancelled their existing bookings with us were not only offered full refunds, but also, a complimentary virtual Singapore experience with our professional guides to entice them to rebook their food tour with VegThisCity once travel resumes,” she said.
“The feedback we received from this was very positive, with some international guests booking our virtual teasers as surprise gifts for friends, and our tour experiences as travel incentives for their work teams.”
Fairkonnect, India’s first vegan travel company which operates vegan tours in India and Sri Lanka, had also seen swelling demand for its tours before the pandemic.
“We had a nearly 150 per cent increase in our bookings in 2019 compared to years prior,” shared Shilpa Jujjavarapu, digital marketing manager, Fairkonnect.
In light of the pandemic, the company has lined up only one vegan tour in South India this December. The 11-day digital detox getaway in Bangalore and Pondicherry will bring guests to explore night markets and wildlife rehabilitation centres, as well as learn about sustainable fashion and the vegan food movement in South India.
The tour has garnered “quite a lot of interest”, said Jujjavarapu, adding that the agency hopes to be able to expand its trips again in 2022.
Pre-pandemic, interest in Fairkonnect’s vegan tours came from all across the globe, with solo travellers from North America and Europe generating the bulk of its business. Its tours see a wide age range, dominated by those in their late 30s.
Veganism as a lifestyle
Many vegan tour operators go beyond serving up an itinerary filled with plant-based menu options, to also include sustainable initiatives such as local community involvement.
For Fairkonnect, its sustainable vegan tours are as much about the food, as they are about connecting with various animal conservation initiatives and visiting environmental projects.
Currently, the company works with various organisations and holds workshops on its trips to educate travellers on conscious travel, animal conservation, environmental efforts and veganism.
“Our trips are curated to teach travellers about global issues and movements around sustainable fashion, veganism, climate change, zero-waste, animal conservation and how to travel while making a low environmental impact,” explained Jujjavarapu, adding that the company is also mindful about keeping its trips as zero-waste as possible.
With the growing tide towards environmentalism, Jujjavarapu hopes for the company to work with bigger outfitters and organisations to help them veganise their trips.
Further, Fairkonnect prides itself on supporting local communities with its vegan tours by working with local organisations, visiting local restaurants and patronising small businesses.
That sustainability ethos also guides VegThisCity’s tours. A shared meal in a private farm, a botanical art session with a social enterprise and a lavish vegan feast in a 100-year-old establishment are among some of the tour experiences designed to not only celebrate local multicultural cuisine in a fresh way and showcase local culture, but also empower local communities.
Khemlani also recognises that veganism is a lifestyle that goes beyond food, and that philosophy is reflected in the company’s line-up for the coming months – from showcasing locally-made vegan lifestyle products on its tours and collaborating on wellness programmes such as the upcoming Recharge Retreat with Grand Hyatt to organising multi-day vegan adventures and pop-ups within homes of local hosts.
While still currently a niche market, vegan tourism is ripe for growth. No longer just appealing to vegans and vegetarians, vegan vacations are gaining traction among a broader segment of health and environmentally conscious travellers.
Tour operator Responsible Travel, which offers a range of vegan and vegetarian holidays across the world including many parts of Asia, has seen a spike in demand generally for healthier and more sustainable holiday options, including food choices, shared its co-founder and CEO, Justin Francis.
“(Vegan holidays) are no longer only the preserve of yoga and wellness retreats. Any holiday can be a vegan holiday, or at least, inclusively so,” he said.
Post-pandemic, Francis predicts that demand for vegan tourism will continue on its upward trajectory, and that travel businesses will become much more inclusive of veganism and actively raise their game to offer the choicest vegan experiences.
Indonesia’s ailing national carrier Garuda pins hopes on domestic market to stay afloat
Garuda Indonesia plans to sharpen its focus on domestic services in a bid to save the ailing national carrier amid continued Covid-19 headwinds, said state-owned enterprises minister Erick Thohir.
Speaking at a press conference in his office yesterday (June 2), Erick said: “One of our focuses ahead is for Garuda and (its subsidiary) Citilink to focus on the domestic market, and not the international market.”
He said this business focus had been discussed with Garuda’s management pre-Covid, but has now become crucial as the pandemic continues to curtail international air travel demand.
Garuda’s recent report showed the company’s debt has snowballed to 70 trillion rupiah (US$4.9 billion) and continued to increase by a trillion rupiah per month.
Upping the focus on Indonesia’s large domestic market will help ease Garuda’s financial burden, as the carrier earns the bulk of its revenue from operating domestic routes.
Erick noted that the national tourism data prior to the pandemic showed that 78 per cent of traffic was domestic travel with an economic value of 1,400 trillion rupiah, while international traffic contributed 22 per cent and yielded 300 million rupiah in economic value.
He also said that as Indonesia is an archipelagic country, local residents had few choices but to travel by air or sea, providing huge opportunities for Garuda and Citilink to tap into this potentially lucrative segment.
Tourism players whom TTG Asia spoke to said that while Garuda’s plans to focus on the domestic market in the near-term makes sound business sense, it may not be financially viable in the long run.
Budi Tirtawisata, CEO of Panorama Group, said: “Looking at the commercial aspects and the (state) of the airline, it is a very reasonable option, at least for a certain period, until the (travel) market recovers.”
Adjie Wahjono, operations manager of Aneka Kartika Tours, said: “I don’t think this business plan is the (government’s) grand design for the airline (in the long run). For a vast, archipelagic country like Indonesia, where the tourism pockets are scattered on many islands, it will be too naïve for Indonesia not to have a flag carrier serving international routes.”
However, the minister’s strategy “makes perfect sense to survive the pandemic”, he added, noting IATA’s projection that global passenger numbers are expected to recover to only 52 per cent of pre-Covid levels by the end of this year, and that full recovery will only take place by 2023.
On the other hand, Adjie questioned the effectiveness of the plan to cover the whole country as Garuda’s fleet has been designed to serve major cities and not the ones with smaller airports.
Peltana Danson, director of Borneo Eco Tour, opined that Garuda should have focused on the domestic market since the start of the pandemic and maximise its LCC sister to stimulate traffic around the country.
On the other hand, Udhi Sudiyanto, owner of Antar Anda Tour and Travel, said that if the plan entails Garuda suspending all international services, the minister should reconsider the plan as it meant barring or hampering inbound tourism flows.
“It is probably fine to cut the longhaul flights, but Garuda should keep the profitable short (and medium) hauls,” he added.
He also said that what the airline needed to do was to operate more efficiently, particularly when it comes to managing operational costs.
Wyndham adds luxury hotel brand to portfolio
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new luxury brand, Registry Collection Hotels, marking the 21st brand in its portfolio.
The brand’s launch comes at a time when a growing number of independent luxury hotel owners are seeking out established partners to help them bounce back from the pandemic, said the company in a statement.
Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “As the hospitality industry continues to rebound, independent luxury hotel owners around the world have approached our development teams seeking sales, marketing and reservations support under a proven and established luxury brand.
“The creation of Registry Collection Hotels was a natural fit, given Registry’s growing global recognition as the world’s largest luxury exchange programme with over 200 high-end luxury fractional resorts and the continued successful management of that programme by our partner Travel + Leisure Co. (formerly Wyndham Destinations).
“Registry Collection Hotels now fill an important space at the upper end of the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts portfolio, allowing us to very selectively provide support to independent hoteliers around the globe who meet the highest standards of luxury service and accommodations.”
The first property to join the collection is the 144-room, all-suite Grand Residences Riviera Cancun in Mexico. Nestled on a white sand beach close to the fishing village of Puerto Morelos, the resort features Hacienda-style accommodations, Bvlgari bath products and amenities such as an oceanfront infinity pool, spa, gym, kids club and three gourmet restaurants. The resort is owned and managed by affiliates of the Royal Resorts group of companies.
International tourist arrivals down 83% in 1Q but confidence rising: UNWTO
International tourist arrivals plunged by 83 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2021 amid ongoing widespread travel restrictions, according to the latest data released by the UNWTO. However, the UNWTO Confidence Index shows signs of a slow uptick in confidence.
Between January and March 2021, destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94 per cent drop in international arrivals over the three-month period. Europe recorded the second largest decline with -83 per cent, followed by Africa (-81 per cent), the Middle East (-78 per cent) and the Americas (-71 per cent).
This all follows on from the 73 per cent fall in worldwide international tourist arrivals recorded in 2020, making it the worst year on record for the sector.
UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili commented: “There is significant pent-up demand and we see confidence slowly returning. Vaccinations will be key for recovery, but we must improve coordination and communication, while making testing easier and more affordable if we want to see a rebound for the summer season in the northern hemisphere.”
The latest survey of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts shows prospects for the May-August period improving slightly. Alongside this, the pace of the vaccination rollout in some key source markets as well as policies to restart tourism safely, most notably, the EU Digital Green Certificate, have boosted hopes for a rebound in some of these markets.
Overall, 60 per cent expect a rebound in international tourism only in 2022, up from 50 per cent in the January 2021 survey. The remaining 40 per cent see a potential rebound in 2021, though this is down slightly from the percentage in January.
Nearly half of the experts do not see a return to 2019 international tourism levels before 2024 or later, while the percentage of respondents indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 has somewhat decreased (37 per cent), when compared to the January survey.
Tourism experts point to the continued imposition of travel restrictions and the lack of coordination in travel and health protocols as the main obstacle to the sector’s rebound.
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer also shows the economic toll of the pandemic. International tourism receipts in 2020 declined by 64 per cent in real terms (local currencies, constant prices), equivalent to a drop of over US$900 billion, cutting the overall worldwide exports value by over four per cent in 2020. The total loss in export revenues from international tourism (including passenger transport) amounts to nearly US$1.1 trillion. Asia and the Pacific (-70 per cent in real terms) and the Middle East (-69 per cent) saw the largest drops in receipts.
voco plants first SE Asia flag in Singapore
IHG Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with Hotel Properties Limited, is set to open the first voco hotel in South-east Asia on Singapore’s Orchard Road.
Slated to launch in 2022, voco Orchard Singapore will be rebranded from the 423-key Hilton Singapore. Facilities will include four F&B venues, alongside 12 meeting rooms spanning more than 1,750m².
voco Orchard Singapore will be IHG’s 12th hotel in Singapore and its seventh brand in the country where it joins Regent, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
Easy identification of sustainable eco-friendly travel options, limited use of single-use plastics and financial incentives for accommodation providers who maximise energy efficiencies are the top three measures needed to make travel more sustainable, according to Agoda’s Sustainable Travel Trends Survey.
Establishing more protected areas to limit tourist numbers and removal of single-use bathroom amenities round out the top five global measures.
The findings from the survey which polled 18,327 respondents across 14 markets was launched to mark World Environment Day 2021 on June 5. The survey also revealed that globally, overtourism, as well as pollution of beaches and waterways are the top two concerns of the environmental impact of tourism, with deforestation and energy inefficiencies (including overconsumption of electricity/water) ranking joint third.
Globally, the public considers governments most accountable for making positive environmental changes around travel, followed by tourism authorities and individuals themselves.
When it came to holding governments most accountable, those in Indonesia and the UK were most likely to do so (36 per cent). China followed not too far behind at 33 per cent, with Australia and Malaysia in fourth and fifth spot (28 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively).
The markets most likely to cite themselves or individuals as most responsible for making changes to travelling sustainably were Thailand (30 per cent), Japan (29 per cent) and the US (28 per cent). Meanwhile, China (11 per cent), the UK (13 per cent), and Vietnam (14 per cent) were least likely to attribute responsibility to the individual.
When asked what they would pledge to do better in a post-Covid travel scenario, the top responses globally were #1 manage their waste including using less single-use plastics, #2 switch off the air-con and lights when leaving their accommodation, and #3 always look for eco-friendly accommodation. Interestingly, despite overtourism being the biggest concern, going to lesser-known destinations only ranked seventh out of 10 as a pledge to do better.
The top practices most associated with environmentally-friendly or sustainable travel are #1 renewable energy and resources like solar, wind, hydroelectric and water, #2 no single-use plastics, and joint #3 animal conservation and creating a smaller carbon footprint.
Other energy-saving solutions such as key cards or motion sensors, and using natural cleaning products are the other key practices. Interestingly, buying locally sourced products, reusing bedding or towels during holiday stays and visiting off-the-beaten track destinations are the bottom three practices out of 10 associated with sustainable travel.
John Brown, CEO of Agoda, said: “We can see from the Agoda Sustainable Travel Trends Survey that the messages of taking simple steps such as switching off lights and air-conditioning when leaving the room or reducing waste by minimising use of single-use plastics are being embraced by the public across the globe. What is also clear is that while globally, the message is governments need to take the lead on managing sustainable travel, there is recognition that some responsibility lies with people’s own behaviour.
“While there are different interpretations of what practices are eco-friendly or sustainable, most of the public are keen to be able to do their part, by actively pledging to choose eco-friendly properties or make smarter environmental choices when travelling.
“One of the easiest ways to counter concerns about overtourism is to consider traveling to off-the-beaten track destinations. This past year at Agoda, we have seen a shift in travel patterns as people, limited to domestic travel, explore lesser-known areas. If managed well, not only does this help support independent hoteliers and accommodation providers that rely economically on the tourist dollar, it can help lessen the environmental burden on overcrowded areas.”
“As an industry, we need to continue to find ways to help individuals achieve these goals, be it making it easier to search and find sustainable properties on Agoda or supporting and encouraging more partners to use key cards for power, use renewable energy sources or offering carbon-offsetting options for travel products.”
The increase in desire to travel more sustainably was most prevalent among respondents from South Korea, India and Taiwan (35 per cent, 31 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively).
However, looking at the figures globally, while 25 per cent have an increased desire to travel more sustainably, 35 per cent said their desire to do so has decreased. The markets reporting the biggest proportional decrease were Indonesia (56 per cent), Thailand (51 per cent) and the Philippines (50 per cent).
Brown said: “It’s concerning that many people see sustainable travel as less important today than they did before Covid-19, but I hope that is just a short-term effect, driven by people’s thirst to get back out there and travel any way they can.”