TTG Asia breaks for Hari Raya
TTG Asia will be taking a break on Thursday, May 13, for the Hari Raya Puasa public holiday. News will resume on Friday, May 14.
Here’s wishing all our Muslim readers a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
Frasers Hospitality lines up trio of hotel openings this year
Frasers Hospitality has announced three property openings planned for 2021 – one in Malaysia and two in Vietnam – signalling long-term confidence in the region’s hospitality market.
Catering for both overnight and long-staying guests, The Capri by Fraser Bukit Bintang is targeted to open in September with 321 rooms, studios and one-bedroom units, revealed a Frasers Hospitality spokesperson during the inaugural Great ASEAN Travel Fest 2021 organised by TTG Asia Media.
The Capri by Fraser Bukit Bintang will be the hotel group’s second property in Kuala Lumpur, and will be equipped with meeting rooms, rooftop pools, gym, restaurant, laundry and play room.
Also targeted for a September debut is the 216-key Fraser Residence Hanoi which will comprise of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. It will be the group’s second property in the city, and will be located opposite Hoa Binh Park, 25 minutes from the airport via expressway and 10km from French Quarters and Business District.
Apart from this new residence, the group’s first Hanoi property, Fraser Suites Hanoi, will be adding a new tower slated to open in June.
The spokesperson shared that since its opening in 2008, Fraser Suites Hanoi has done well. The new tower extension will comprise 98 studio and one-bedroom units equipped with kitchenettes. Facilities will include a rooftop bar and a Japanese restaurant.
Malaysia to impose MCO 3.0 nationwide from May 12
Malaysia will on Wednesday (May 12) enter another nationwide movement control order (MCO) as the country grapples with a third wave of Covid-19 infections.
Prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday (May 10) that the decision to impose a nationwide lockdown until June 7 was necessary as Malaysia is facing a third wave that could break into a national crisis.
The country has seen Covid-19 cases spiral out of control, with daily new infections exceeding 4,000 in the first week of May, bringing the total tally to 37,396 active cases and 1,700 deaths as at May 10.
“The chain of infection can only be broken with the public staying home by enforcing strict movement control,” Muhyiddin said in a statement.
Restrictions during this period include prohibitions on mass gatherings including weddings, dinners, government and private events; face-to-face seminars and meetings; as well as interstate and inter-district travel except for work, hospital and vaccination appointments, and emergencies.
Educational institutions are to close with the exception of students sitting for international examinations. However, childcare centres, nurseries and kindergartens are allowed to operate.
Employers are also to enforce a work-from-home order with no more than 30 per cent of its staff in the office at any one time.
This nationwide MCO comes in the wake of recent announcements of selective MCOs on states and districts recording high daily number of cases.
The government has also increased the quarantine period for travellers from Singapore to 14 days, instead of 10, effective this Thursday.
Health director-general, Noor Hisham Abdullah, said the decision was made based on reports by Singapore’s Health Ministry that three variants of concern as well as a variant of interest from India were found in the republic.
Also effective May 13, the Malaysia-Singapore Reciprocal Green Lane for business travellers has been suspended. Travellers from Singapore who wish to enter Malaysia for business purposes will have to go through the One Stop Centre under the Malaysian Investment Development Agency.
Marriott prepares Moxy brand for Sydney Airport landing
Marriott International has signed an agreement with RF Corval and KS Hotels and Resorts to debut the Moxy brand in Sydney.
Slated to open early 2023, the new-build Moxy Sydney Airport will feature 301 guestrooms and the lively Moxy Bar which will double as the front desk. The hotel will offer a café and all-day access to a food menu, in addition to meeting and event spaces, fitness centre and laundry facilities.
All guestrooms will be designed to maximise space and allow guests the option to adapt the room to their needs, while a series of flexible spaces will also make up the brand’s signature social hub in the hotel.
Situated 8km from the Sydney CBD, the hotel’s site on Baxter Road is strategically located on a major thoroughfare into both the Sydney domestic and international terminals.
Dusit taps into wellness to drive growth
Thailand’s Dusit International has introduced a new group-wide wellness concept, Devarana Wellness, which aims to weave well-being elements into the entire stay experience at Dusit properties worldwide.
The new concept goes beyond Dusit’s traditional spa offering to deliver meaningful experiences focused on holistic well-being, and serves as a vehicle for the brand to tap into growing global demand for wellness experiences.
Taking its name from the Thai-Sanskrit word for “a garden in heaven,” and blending ancient Thai healing practices with innovative wellness concepts, Devarana Wellness has been specially created to deliver holistic wellness experiences based on three key principles.
These include ‘Pause’ (comprising yoga, meditation, breathwork, Thai herbal medicine, and activities that enhance emotional resilience); ‘Focus’ (comprising personalised food menus and fitness and movement activities for physical vitality); and ‘Growth’ (comprising workshops focused on sustainability, community outreach programmes, and special retreats for families, couples, and business and leisure travellers).
Other wellness initiatives being rolled out at Dusit properties worldwide include the offer of essential oils on arrival, the provision of premium beauty/grooming kits in guest bathrooms, and the screening of in-room video clips showing meditative sleep rituals.
Each property will focus on guests’ most shared concerns, including destressing, detoxifying, and enjoying a deep restorative sleep.
Thailand plans to waive quarantine for vaccinated visitors from October
Thailand is considering scrapping its mandatory quarantine for vaccinated visitors to its capital Bangkok and other top tourist destinations from October, as it looks to rebuild its coronavirus-battered tourism industry.
Among the 10 provinces planned to welcome vaccinated tourists from October 1 are Pattaya, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Krabi, and Bangkok, deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said on Friday (May 7), according to a Channel NewsAsia report.
The report also quoted Traisulee as saying in a statement that the new plan is expected to attract 3.5 million tourists this year, and generate 298 billion baht (US$9.5 billion) in revenue. However, she added, at least 70 per cent of residents in each of the 10 provinces must first be vaccinated for the plan to proceed.
Under current regulations, all foreign visitors to Thailand are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine in government-approved facilities.
Two government members join PATA Executive Board
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has welcomed the election of two new government members to the PATA Executive Board.
Abdulla Mausoom, minister of tourism, Republic of Maldives, and Noredah Othman, general manager, Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia were both elected for a two-year term beginning April 29, 2021.
Before assuming minister on August 6, 2020, Mausoom served in the diplomatic corps of Maldives from February 2019 to August 2020. He was the High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to the Republic of Singapore and Non-Resident High Commissioner to New Zealand and Designated Non-Resident High Commissioner to Australia.
In his political affiliations, Mausoom previously served as Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation and Minister of Environment, Energy and Water. Before joining the Cabinet in 2008, he was the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
He previously also sat on several boards such as the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, and at one point in his career, was also general manager of the Sun Island Resort and Spa for four years from 2013.
Meanwhile, Othman wields over 30 years worth of tourism experience and is the longest-serving officer with Sabah Tourism Board. She is responsible for the marketing and promotion of the destination.
Othman has held various positions since October 1990 and served as deputy general manager (support services) from 2016. Prior to that, she was the senior marketing manager for the UK, Europe, Australia and the US markets from 2011 to 2015. She was the marketing manager for the UK, Europe and Australia from 2005-2010.
She started her career as a tourist assistant with the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation (STPC), the forerunner of STB, in 1990. Between 1991 and 2005, she held the position of assistant public affairs officer and later as communications manager. In 2015, Othman was awarded the PATA Foundation’s scholarship for Executive Development for Tourism (EDIT) Programme.
Tourism players despair as Malaysia tightens Covid curbs
Hopes for a domestic tourism recovery in Malaysia look dimmer by the day, as authorities impose stricter travel and mobility restrictions in response to an alarming spike in Covid-19 cases.
In the latest development, the government has placed the states of Kuantan and Pahang as well as several districts in Penang and Perak under a new movement control order (MCO) from today (May 10) until May 23.
They join several states and districts in Malaysia which are currently under MCO with varying timelines, including Kelantan (from April 29 to May 17), six districts in Selangor (from May 6 to 17), as well as Kuala Lumpur and parts of Johor, Perak and Terengganu (from May 7 to May 20).
As at 18.00 on Sunday, Malaysia registered 3,733 new cases and 26 deaths, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases to 440,677.
The health director-general, Noor Hisham Abdullah, said Malaysia could hit 5,000 new cases daily in the next two to three weeks based on the current projected Rt value of 1.10.
As part of tighter measures to stem further spread of the virus, the government has prohibited interstate and inter-district travel nationwide without police permit from May 10 to June 6.
During this period, social, education and economic activities that involve gatherings are also not allowed. Other restrictions include a ban on dine-in services at eateries and a limit of up to 30 per cent of staff allowed to work in the office.
Malaysian Association of Hotels president, N Subramaniam, said that while the industry understands the rationale for restrictions, there is a need for authorities to strike a balance between lives and livelihoods.
He elaborated: “Hotels were already badly impacted with the extended interstate travel restrictions, and now, even travel between recovery MCO (RMCO) states has been suspended.”
“Since the beginning of Ramadan, hotels have adjusted their breaking fast buffets to the new norm, with added SOPs in place to ensure hygiene and safety of guests.
“The blanket ban on dine-in has left hotels in a predicament with only days to reorganise what was planned for the entire month. Hotels are not only left with excess supplies of perishables but also committed manpower for the period. The government did not offer any support or assistance, leaving hotels high and dry, with cancellations pouring in for room bookings planned for the Hari Raya holiday (on May 13).”
Subramaniam called on the government to reconsider other options apart from blanket bans to allow the industry to survive, as well as to speed up vaccination plans, especially for economic frontliners such as hoteliers.
Malaysia Tourism Council (MTC) president, Uzaidi Udanis, urged the government to include tourism players in discussions around Covid-related restrictions, and to draw up clear guidelines to effectively curb the virus spread. He cited countries such as Qatar, Taiwan and New Zealand which have successfully managed the virus while protecting the tourism industry.
MTC recently raised RM30,000 (US$7,300) through an online charity concert and donated the money to 100 tourist bus drivers to ease their financial burden. Uzaidi shared that the council plans to organise more online concerts in the near future, with proceeds to go towards tourism players such as travel agents, homestay operators, and budget hotel employees.
TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat with Sarah Mathews, TripAdvisor
The Covid-19 pandemic has upturned the tourism industry, with many businesses scrambling to make sense of new and evolving demands in domestic travel while keeping an eager eye on early signs of recovery.
Recognising the need for clarity and data-driven direction, TripAdvisor launched a slate of live data capabilities and safety search filters to guide the way forward.
Sarah Mathews, its group head of destination marketing APAC, shares that while outdoor and family-friendly adventures are on the rise, the continuously strong demand for urban escapes and dining means that businesses should stay on their toes when providing transparent health and safety information to customers.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat, Mathews talks about the recent changes to TripAdvisor and what destinations have learned from its new Tourism Sentiment Index.
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will be adding a new property to its China portfolio with the slated opening of Rosewood Hangzhou in 2025.
Located in Wangjiang New City, the new build luxury hotel will form part of a 740,000m² mixed-use development project, which will also include a K11 Art Mall, office buildings and workspaces, luxury residences and cultural attractions. The hotel itself will sit in a standalone building totalling 25,000m² over 16 storeys.
Upon opening, Rosewood Hangzhou will offer 140 accommodations, including 17 suites. Suite guests will enjoy exclusive access to Rosewood’s signature Manor Club, an executive lounge which offers F&B experiences, butler service and separate spaces for gathering and entertaining.
Four new dining outlets, including an all-day bistro, a Chinese restaurant and a specialty bar, will welcome guests and locals alike. An all-new culinary and retail hybrid concept that combines the offerings of a flower shop, living room lounge and patisserie will also emerge. Additional amenities will include a fitness centre, indoor pool and hydrotherapy areas. Meeting and event spaces and facilities will span 1,100m² and include an 800m² ballroom.
Rosewood Hangzhou will mark the hospitality brand’s ninth hotel in Greater China and seventeenth in Asia, including eight properties in development in places like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hoi An.