Royal Caribbean’s new mega-ship to set sail in 2022
Royal Caribbean’s new and fifth Oasis Class ship, Wonder of the Seas, is set to make its debut in March 2022, sailing from Shanghai and Hong Kong on four- to nine-day voyages through the Far East to Japan.
Currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France, Wonder will be the world’s largest cruise ship and the first-of-its-kind to call China home when it arrives in March 2022.
The ship’s inaugural season cruises are now open for bookings. From March through November, guests can sail roundtrip from Shanghai to Japan. The combination of ports of call to choose from include Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Ishigaki and Miyazaki.
Wonder will homeport in Hong Kong, from November 2022 through January 2023, to offer Christmas and New Year’s holiday sailings to several ports of call. Part of the destination line-up are Chan May, Vietnam; Busan and Jeju, South Korea; Kochi and Okinawa, Japan; and Taipei, China.
With a gross tonnage of 236,857, Wonder is 362m long and 64m wide, and it features a total of 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms to accommodate up to 6,988 guests.
Wonder will feature the first living park at sea, home to more than 20,000 plants; specialty restaurants; high-end boutiques; twin rock-climbing walls; a classic carousel and deck-defying AquaTheater shows. There will also be a pool and sports zone which will include the tallest slide at sea, a 25m zip line, basketball and volleyball courts, a miniature golf course; as well as a youth zone which will include a nursery for infants and toddlers.
The spa and fitness centre will offer a lineup of exercise classes within the gym and indulgent spa treatments. It will also be home to a café, which will serve up a menu of light and tasty fare like smoothies and sandwiches.
Liz Ortiguera takes helm at PATA
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has appointed Liz Ortiguera as its next CEO, effective May 17, 2021.
She succeeds Mario Hardy who will finish his term at the end of May.
Liz Ortiguera is a senior executive with over 25 years of global experience and expertise in general management, marketing, business development, and partner network management.
Her career spans several industries – travel/lifestyle, technology, financial services, and pharmaceuticals. She has also cut her teeth at both multinational corporations including American Express and Merck, and start-up environments in software as a service (SaaS), e-commerce, and ed-tech.
For 10 years, she was the general manager for Amex’s Travel Partner Network in Asia-Pacific, managing partnerships with top travel management companies, MICE-related organisations, and leisure agencies in the region.
The new frontier of air travel safety
The HealthCert arrangement is applicable to travellers from Indonesia flying to Singapore. What significant changes will this mean for both companies and travellers along this route?
(HealthCert is) recognised by Singapore Airlines, Scoot and Changi Airport. Upon arrival, (travellers) can show their unique HealthCert QR code to be scanned by a universal verifier at any immigration counter, thereby, saving time for airlines and immigration authorities on health status verification and providing travellers exclusive access to the fast lane facility at the airport.
The major challenge being addressed is that without the HealthCert tamper-proof swab result, airline staff and immigration authorities will have to manually verify the document which otherwise would have made it a time-consuming process.
There has been much concern about the veracity of travel certifications in the market. What are your thoughts about authenticity and enforcement?
There have been multiple incidents of Covid-positive travellers doctoring fake Covid-negative swab results to travel overseas. Accredify is a government-authorised service provider, and HealthCert was developed by Accredify to resolve the issue of fraudulent Covid-19 swab results that is prevalent across the world and in black markets. Considering the major challenge of fake medical and test reports being used across the world, travellers can be assured that Covid-19 swab results issued will be recognised by immigration authorities upon their arrival in Singapore.
Which other countries will this arrangement be extended to?
Effective March 23, we have started issuing HealthCerts for Singapore-bound travellers (from) Indonesia. Through this partnership with Accredify, we plan to extend this service to other locations like Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand in the coming months.
In the realm of travel bubbles and green lanes, how significant is adopting certification programmes and applications like HealthCert?
Travel bubbles will become an important (element of) safe travel, at least in the initial phases of resumption. They come with the reassurance that the governments collaborating on these corridors have achieved a certain amount of success in battling and lowering the Covid-19 outbreak in their country.
As an added layer of security to the bubbles, testing pre-departure remains key and only negative-tested travellers can board a plane. A verified test as a security blanket will be key in bolstering the travel spirit and be an effective advocate for both regional and international travel.
If there is a silver lining in this crisis, governments and companies can think much more boldly and expansively about the future, and perhaps act on a once-in-a-generation idea that can be extended across the world to ensure a safe resumption of travel.
Whatever demand looks like, it’s important to carefully monitor the evolution of the pandemic, especially its impact, and align ourselves to cater to any new demands across regions or countries, which will make the paradigm shift in travel a comfortable experience for travellers.
Where do we stand now in terms of standardising Covid testing certifications? How many programmes are being developed, and in your opinion, are there too many or too few?
As Covid-testing certifications are a relatively new segment that is very dynamic, it will be interesting to see who takes the lead, and the interoperability between the governments, technology companies and various organisations will ensure which can become a standard.
While some governments have already made Covid-19 tests mandatory before entering their respective countries, it is important to make these tests hassle-free, easily accessible and (able to deliver) fast results. This could be done either at airports or at certified medical laboratories, in association with a visa services provider like us. Technology like the blockchain based-health passport app CovidPass – developed by WEF Young Global Leaders – will also go a long way in reassuring travellers of their safety.
How is VFS Global responding to ever-changing travel regulations, especially the emerging trend towards digital health passports?
Now that digital solutions such as health passports and certificates are becoming more prevalent, we are helping to digitise authentic test results. We have already partnered with Accredify for a smart and hassle-free travel solution to Singapore to help travellers save time on arrival. We want to support any solution that helps travellers and are actively looking into integrating with several other platforms, IATA’s Travel Pass included.
As vaccination picks up around the world, does VFS Global have plans to develop a vaccination certification programme for inoculated travellers?
The next solutions developed will be around vaccine certification programmes to ensure travel resumption continues for the already vaccinated. Most programmes under development are geared towards facilitating travel and come in the form of smartphone apps with varying criteria for a clean bill of health. Vaccine passports, for example, are a popular way to approach proof of immunity with jab rollouts underway across the globe. Some apps accept positive antibody tests as proof of immunity for those who have had the virus and recovered.
One of the top challenges we see is the authenticity and the verification of these documents – be it vaccination certificates or test certificates – through the interoperability between two governments or the airline community in the near-term.
However, a lot of work is going on in the background with discussions between airlines, governments and technology-enabled companies. One classic case in point is the air bubble concept as it shows how a government can verify the credentials of the traveller, keeping well in mind concerns on data privacy and legal legislations in the respective countries.
How do you envision vaccination certifications will influence the formation of travel bubbles?
From vaccination certificates to digital or health passports, government, airlines and technology-driven companies across the globe are taking steps to relaunch travel by letting people prove their Covid-free status. But vaccine access around the world and mounting concerns over data privacy are some of the key concerns with how the measures will work in the formation of travel bubbles.
Making health passports stricter or requiring them for travel could invite legal challenges. A major worry is that banning unvaccinated people from travelling would exacerbate inequality and discrimination since access to jabs is far from universal. There are also concerns over how applications would access personal data of users.
Singapore hotels, tour operators rev up for return of Hong Kong travellers after travel bubble announcement
Tourism and hospitality players in Singapore are raring to go with new inbound and outbound campaigns, as the country’s travel bubble with Hong Kong is set to take off on May 26.
Launching packages targeted at incoming travellers, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Fullerton Bay Hotel will offer perks such as arrival champagne, limousine transfers and private dinners exclusively for Hong Kong guests.
They will also be treated to curated experiences including sustainable Fullerton Farm tours, immersive heritage walks, heritage cooking workshops and vintage sidecar tours of Singapore’s Civic District.
“We are delighted that we’ll finally be able to welcome guests from Hong Kong back to Singapore in style,” said Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, general manager of The Fullerton Hotels & Resorts.
Preparations over the past year have also kept Singapore’s attractions well-positioned for the return of international tourists. Gardens by the Bay will this week open world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s first major garden exhibition in Asia, Dale Chihuly: Glass in Bloom, available from May 1 to August 1. Come August, Singapore will also welcome the first Museum of Ice Cream outside of the US.
In total, 46 attractions in Singapore have been approved to reopen with robust safe management measures in place, with capacity limits increased to 65 per cent. Also green-lit to resume operations are 277 hotels and more than 2,100 tour itineraries here. Local walking, kayaking and cycling tours can now take groups of up to 50 people, with no limit on duration.
Some travel agents are also casting a keen eye on the starved outbound market and its hunger for customised tour programmes. For instance, Dynasty Travel has conceptualised small group tour packages exploring “new and old Hong Kong” areas such as Hollywood Road and Canton Road, Ladder and Duddell Street, Lamma Island as well as hiking trails in nature parks.
“We are working closely with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to provide new travel experiences for our customers in the upcoming months. We are also providing seamless travel arrangements for our travellers as we collaborate with Raffles Medical and our overseas partners to provide pre- and post-departure PCR tests,” shared Alicia Seah, director, public relations & communications, Dynasty Travel.
While the trade is rife with preparations for inbound visitors, there still lies a cautious sentiment that this may not be a panacea for local tour operators in the short-term.
Seah explained: “The first wave of visitors to Hong Kong are travellers visiting friends, relatives and loved ones whom they have not seen for more than a year. There are also enquiries from travellers who are already vaccinated and keen to travel to anywhere once the borders are open; however, price and availability of air tickets are of concern since there are limited flights currently.”
Some also believe that the first waves of visitors from Hong Kong are not likely to make tour bookings. “Most of them have been here before, and will come here for food or to visit places on their own. They would not pay for tours, but for food,” said Jane Goh, director of Xperience Singapore DMC, which has a sister office in Hong Kong.
Along with Xperience Singapore DMC, local tour companies are currently kept busy with brimming domestic demand boosted by SingapoRediscover Vouchers, which expire in June.
New GM for Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel has named Khan Sung as its new general manager.
A seasoned hotelier, Khan Sung joined Marriott International Corporate Headquarters in 2002, and had his first on-property assignment at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong serving as director of revenue strategy in 2005. Transitioning to operations in 2010, his first assignment as general manager came in 2013 at the JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing.
Since then, Khan has led his teams of associates through both operations and openings of hotels in China, including the opening of his most recent property, Sheraton Beijing Lize Hotel.
Travel bubble with Singapore a positive step, say Hong Kong agents
Hopes are rising within Hong Kong’s embattled tourism industry that the long-awaited travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore signals a baby step towards tourism recovery and may pave the way forward for similar arrangements with other countries to restore travel and trade links.
First slated to launch last November, the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble (ATB) arrangement was suspended due to a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong. Both cities have set May 26 as the ATB’s new targeted start date.
Initially, both parties will start the ATB arrangement with one flight a day in each direction, capped at 200 passengers per flight for the first two weeks. The ATB flights will be operated by Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, with both airlines having released their ATB flight schedules.
Gordon Lam, assistant director of Travel Expert, an outbound travel agency, told TTG Asia that in the near-term, he expects his business to reap little benefits of the bubble, as the initial outbound departing from Hong Kong on ATB flights are likely to be VFR and business segments, and less for leisure travel. Air tickets are also limited, and quickly sell out, he noted.
Lam also highlighted the additional costs incurred by travellers due to Covid-19 safety concerns. “Apart from air tickets, our clients also look for additional and new services like arrangement for Covid-19 testing; and door-to-door car transfer services, with clean and disinfected vehicles guaranteed,” he shared.
In anticipation of the return of leisure travel, the agency has started working with hotels and tour suppliers to craft Singapore tour packages for Hong Kong travellers, Lam said.
Paul Leung, managing director of Holiday World Tours, an inbound tour operator, opined that travel agencies may reap some benefits, though minimal. “The volume of traffic between the two destinations has not been huge in the past,” he said. “Hotels would definitely benefit (from the bubble), though (travel agencies like us) may be able to tap some business arising from ground transportation.“
Still, Leung welcomed the ATB arrangement as a positive start that could pave the way for travel bubbles with more countries and regions.
This view was echoed by Ronald Wu, the executive director of Gray Line Tours of Hong Kong, another inbound tour agency. Wu expressed hopes that the ATB could signal to the world that the safe resumption of international travel is possible with proper Covid-19 precautions in place.
He said: “Once flight frequency increases, we agents could benefit from the ATB. Right now, we are eyeing tapping summer holiday bookings, if everything goes smoothly after the (Singapore-Hong Kong ATB) launch.”
Wanderlust, The Unlimited Collection by Oakwood
Location
Perched at the doorstep of Jalan Besar MRT, Wanderlust offers three categories of rooms across its three shophouse levels, along with facilities such as a dipping pool and laundry room.
The hotel is part of The Unlimited Collection by Oakwood, which allows independent properties such as Wanderlust to retain their unique positioning, while tapping into Oakwood’s hospitality management expertise and distribution network.
Rooms
I stayed in a Studio Loft room, on the top floor of the shophouse. My dwelling felt cosy, thanks to the wooden furnishings and earthy palette. In a corner was a working space with a Bluetooth speaker, a contemporary grey sofa, and a small kitchenette for light cooking. A flight of stairs led up to the loft bed, but there wasn’t much walking room on that level.
Due to the configuration of the original site, room sizes in the same category may vary, but all boast similar fixtures and features.
Strangely, my favourite part of the room was the bathroom, strategically hidden behind a wooden door. The white tiles juxtaposed against the black countertop made the space aesthetically pleasing, and made me think about wanting such a design for my future home bathroom. The shower pressure was great, and the bathroom came well stocked with my favourite brand of body wash and shampoo, Ashley & Co.
Aside from providing large bottles of bathroom amenities, the property’s sustainable efforts extend further into the room. For example, two glass bottles could be found in the kitchenette, and these could be filled with warm, cold or sparkling water at the Nordaq filter on Level 2. Guests staying in the studio lofts can also drink directly from the Hyflux filters.
F&B
While I didn’t dine at the Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa – the sole F&B venue on-site – on the Friday night I stayed over, the restaurant was abuzz with lively chatter, with patrons abiding by social distancing rules in place.
The myriad food options in the vicinity left me spoilt for choice, with diverse cuisine options available within a 15-minute walking radius, such as Jaggi’s Northern Indian Cuisine and Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant.
Facilities
Soak in the Jacuzzi on the second floor to unwind, or knock back a tipple at the rooftop bar overlooking the charming shophouses in the vicinity.
There is also a laundry room with two dryers and two washers on-site. I was delighted to find out that washing powder comes complimentary, which would be an added perk for long-stay guests.
No meeting facilities are available on-site, as this property is geared towards business travellers who are on short-term assignments for around two weeks to a month. Due to ongoing border closures, Wanderlust is currently targeting locals seeking a comfortable and quiet space to live and work in for a short or extended period of time.
Service
The ever-smiling staff, who always addressed me by name, put me at ease and feeling welcomed from the moment I set foot into the property.
To showcase Singapore’s multiracial and multicultural identity, Wanderlust has partnered with several local companies to offer exclusive activities for guests. Options range from a Little India walking tour with Singabites to a leathercraft workshop by Crafune and a Kombucha masterclass using ingredients sourced in the Lion City.
Being a foodie, I chose the Little India tour, which comprises five delicious food stops and visits to several cultural attractions in the historical district. Shabnam, my guide for the two-hour jaunt, was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastically shared more of Singapore’s backstory with me.
During the tour, we got to admire several wall murals, and made a few stops for authentic South Indian cuisine such as chicken biryani and appams. All of the eating spots were first-time visits for me – rather embarrassing for a local who has lived here for more than three decades.
Verdict
I loved how quiet the property’s surroundings were, and returning to my hotel room felt like coming home. The hotel mattress was comfortably firm and offered a restful night’s sleep, with the bedroom tucked away in a lovely lofty spot that was partitioned off from the rest of the room.
The only downside to staying in a loft room was the hassle of having to clamber down the stairs for a nighttime bathroom trip – not the most pleasant experience when one is half-asleep. For added convenience, it would also be great if USB points and master switches were installed near the bedside.
Number of rooms 29
Rate From S$99 (US$75)
Contact details
Tel: +65 6396 3322
Email: sales-wanderlust.singapore@oakwood.com
Website: theunlimitedcollectionbyoakwood.com/wanderlust
Trans-Tasman travel bubble triggers bookings surge
In a sign of pent-up demand for travel, holiday bookings for travel between Australia and New Zealand have spiked since the announcement of the recently-launched travel bubble between the two neighbours.
According to the latest analysis by ForwardKeys, just one day following the New Zealand prime minister’s announcement on April 6 of the quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand, issued tickets reached 101 per cent of 2019 volumes.
Olivier Ponti, vice president insights, ForwardKeys, commented: “We are observing the reactivation of travel and the release of pent-up demand. The shape of the revival is very much in line with what we have been expecting. Leisure travel is leading the charge, as many people have been longing to take a holiday; and they have seized the opportunity immediately.”
Analysis of the major routes between the two countries revealed that the bulk of bookings (46 per cent) are between the three major cities on Australia’s east coast – Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne – and New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland. Bookings between those cities and New Zealand’s second city Christchurch represent 15 per cent.
Analysis of traveller profile showed leisure travel leading the way and business travel lagging, with 91 per cent of bookings for leisure travel and nine per cent for business.
A quick look at comparative market shares revealed that bookings to Queenstown, which promotes itself as “the adventure capital of the world”, have performed exceptionally well.
Overall, bookings made from the whole of Australia to New Zealand in the period April 6-14 were 37 per cent behind those made in the equivalent period in 2019, but bookings to Queenstown were 2.5 per cent ahead of pre-Covid levels.
Closer inspection of travel timing suggested strong pent-up demand for winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, because 72 per cent of the bookings to Queenstown are for arrival between June and October 2021 – the popular ski season in New Zealand.
ForwardKeys also noted the post-pandemic trend of longer stays, with a growing number of travellers from Australia choosing to stay over 14 nights – an increase of 32 per cent when compared to 2019 figures. Even the average length of stay has increased from 7.1 nights to 9.7 nights.
“Perhaps this is a sign of ‘cabin fever’; people haven’t had the chance to travel and now that they can, they wish to get away for longer and even splurge on themselves,” said Ponti.
This may be the case as there has also been an eight per cent increase in bookings for business class cabins. Upon closer inspection of the passenger profile regarding the issued tickets between April 6-14, solo travellers and couples lead the pack.
Sri Lanka keeps borders open to foreign tourists amid Covid-19 surge
While a resurgence in Covid-19 cases forced the Sri Lankan authorities on Sunday (April 25) to ban state and private functions in the country for two weeks, current rules on inbound travellers remain unchanged.
Inbound tourism to Sri Lanka has remained in the doldrums, as the emergence of new virus variants and Covid-19 resurgences foil international tourism recovery plans. Since reopening to foreign travellers on January 21, the country has seen 9,629 arrivals to date – a far cry from the 507,311 arrivals recorded during the January-April period in 2020.
On Friday, the country reported 969 new Covid-19 cases, the second highest daily number on record. The virus surge has been attributed to the large numbers flocking to markets, shopping malls and other trading centres ahead of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in mid-April, and the mass exodus of people returning to their hometowns for the holidays.
On Sunday, the government announced a two-week ban on all state and private events, meetings and parties to curb the virus spread. Public gatherings such as exhibitions, conferences, parties, indoor and outdoor events, carnivals, musical shows and processions have been banned.
The new developments also saw the the US, the UK, and Australia issue updated travel advisories on Sri Lanka. Arrival numbers from the UK and Australia, which were significant source markets pre-Covid, are still at a trickle since the country’s reopening.
The US travel advisory said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Sri Lanka due to Covid-19, indicating a moderate level of Covid-19 in the country. Meanwhile, the UK advisory stated that “lockdowns are being imposed in areas affected by Covid-19, and travel restrictions may also be imposed at short notice. Those not adhering to restrictions risk arrest”.
Australia has advised its citizens against travelling to Sri Lanka due to the health risks posed by the pandemic and significant disruptions to global travel.
Tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga told reporters that despite the current Covid-19 situation, airport operations and border rules on tourist arrivals will be maintained as per recommendations of the health authorities.
“If a tourist who comes to Sri Lanka is found to be infected, he or she would be prevented from socialising. However, at present, there is a lull in tourist arrivals. Nevertheless, we continue to follow the advice of the health sector,” he was quoted as saying in one newspaper.
The authorities have closed the arrival and departure lounges at the main Bandaranaike International Airport to visitors from Sunday until further notice.
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will open its first property in Japan on Mikayo Island in the Okinawan archipelago come 2024.
The 55-villa, ultra-luxury resort Rosewood Miyakojima will occupy a secluded peninsula surrounded by white sand beaches, rock formations and ocean vistas. Each of the resort’s villas will feature private pools, landscaped gardens and unobstructed sea views.
Four restaurants and bars will showcase fresh seafood, island-raised beef, locally distilled spirits and craft beer. With a stunning seascape as a backdrop, the resort’s indoor and outdoor event venues will play host to destination weddings and private celebrations.
On-site recreation will include a standalone Rosewood Explorer’s Club, Rosewood’s programme for younger guests designed to inspire creativity and imagination, as well as encourage adventure, discovery and social responsibility through unique experiences attuned to the destination. Asaya, Rosewood’s integrated wellness concept, will offer treatment rooms set amid private gardens, indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy facilities and a menu of programmes and services influenced by local healing traditions.
The property will be situated within a 20-minute drive from Miyako Airport and 30-minute drive from Shimojishima Airport which receives direct flights from Hong Kong and major cities in Japan.