New hotels: Andaz Bali, Niccolo Suzhou, and more
Andaz Bali, Indonesia
The opening of Andaz Bali marks the entry of the Andaz brand into Indonesia, as well as the brand’s first resort in Asia. Offering a modern take on the traditional Balinese village, Andaz Bali is located in the heart of Sanur, a quaint seaside village.
Set in low-rise clusters, the guest accommodations and facilities are spread across a lush tropical landscape. Andaz Bali features 149 guestrooms including 18 Garden Villas and four Beach Villas arranged in a series of courtyards. Starting at 66m2, the rooms, suites and villas are designed in contemporary Balinese style, using locally sourced materials. Each room boasts a private balcony overlooking the garden, ocean or lagoon. Steps from the beach, each of the 578m2 two-bedroom Beach Villas offers a verdant outdoor terrace for intimate gatherings and barbecues, a living room, a swimming pool and in-villa check-in.
The resort’s signature restaurant, Fisherman’s Club, is a modern take on a Jimbaran seafood dining experience with a beach club ambience. Taking inspiration from the shophouses in Denpasar’s Chinatown, Village Square features four intertwining restaurants on the ground floor with a private dining room and guestrooms on the upper floor. Dining options include Asian fare and Indonesian favourites from Wok Wok, meat fresh from the grill at Fire Fox, roasts from the eponymous Blue Oven, as well as coffee and desserts from Deli & Bakery.
Connected via a herb and flower garden, Shankha Spa in the adjacent Hyatt Regency Bali offers treatments inspired by Balinese healing traditions. It also houses a fitness centre, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, yoga space, an adults-only pool and a small boutique and lounge. A trio of swimming pools await guests at Andaz Bali: an infinity beachfront pool, a children’s pool, and a pool that sits beneath a majestic tree. For gatherings and events, the resort offers four interconnected Studios that span a total of 236m2. Also available are a variety of outdoor venues including the beach, garden, Beach Villas and private courtyards.
Niccolo Suzhou, China
As the fifth member of Wharf Hotels’ growing portfolio of Niccolo Hotels, Niccolo Suzhou has opened at the top of the majestic new super-skyscraper, the 450m-tall Suzhou International Finance Square. With panoramic views over neighbouring Jinji Lake and the Suzhou skyline, the hotel is home to 233 rooms and suites. F&B venues include Niccolo Kitchen for authentic western and oriental cuisine, a tea lounge, and a bar. The Niccolo Room, the hotel’s event space, along with The Conservatory, offers flexible meeting space for events. There is also the Sky Pool & Jacuzzi on the 117th floor, alongside a fitness studio and gym.
Ovolo South Yarra, Australia
Located next to the intersection of Toorak Road and Chapel Street in Melbourne’s cultural hub of South Yarra, Ovolo South Yarra boasts 123 rooms ranging from micro-hotel rooms to Rockstar Suites named after the era’s most iconic. Led by Melbourne chefs Shannon Martinez (Smith & Daughters, Smith & Daughters Deli) and Ian Curley (French Saloon, Kirk’s Wine Bar), Lona Misa is a vegan bar and kitchen located in the hotel. When booking direct, guests can savour sundowner drinks at social hour, midnight treats from the minibar, and complimentary breakfast. Other perks include fast Wi-Fi, 24-hour gym access and self-service laundry.
SLS Dubai, UAE
Accor has expanded its SLS Hotels & Residences brand to the Middle East with the opening of SLS Dubai. Developed in partnership with World of Wonders Real Estate, the new 75-storey property is one of Dubai’s tallest buildings. Located in the Downtown district, SLS Dubai features 254 rooms, 371 residential units, and 321 hotel apartments. F&B venues include Fi’lia, the entirely female-run restaurant; and Carna by Italian butcher Dario Cecchini’s contemporary steakhouse. The opulent Sky Lobby on the 71st floor offers panoramic views of the city’s skyline, while lounge area S Bar showcases both healthy and sinful menu options. On the 75th floor sits Privilege, a lounge and nightlife venue, featuring a pair of infinity pools. Café EllaMia serves a modern coffee experience, while 12 Chairs is a caviar bar exclusively reserved for select guests. Other amenities include a spa, plunge pools, a hair and nail salon, a gym and two outdoor terraces.
Singapore rolls back restrictions for local tours
Walking, cycling and kayaking tours in Singapore are now allowed to take groups of up to 50 people, up from the previous limit of 20.
Effective since Wednesday (April 14), the move is part of the further easing of Covid-19 measures announced last month, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in an update on Monday.
However, tours must still adhere to existing gathering size limits, with participants to be spilt into groups of no more than eight individuals, with at least 1m safe distancing and no intermingling between groups.
In addition, tour operators are no longer required to obtain approval for each tour itinerary, but can apply to STB to resume operations under a single application.
Tour operators and tourist guides who have previously received approval to resume tours from the Ministry of Trade and Industry do not need to seek approval again.
Even as restrictions are rolled back for tours, tour agencies must still comply with prevailing safe management measures, including mask-wearing for tour guides and participants. Operators are also required to rigorously clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces like tour equipment and vehicles used for transportation.
Tourist arrivals in the Maldives rebound to near pre-Covid levels
The Maldives has emerged as one of the tourism industry’s biggest success stories amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with the island nation seeing visitor arrivals rebound close to last year’s figures over the same period.
According to official data, some 339,962 tourists have visited the Maldives to date this year up till April 12, compared to the 382,762 arrivals from January 2020 through March 27, 2020, when borders were closed owing to the pandemic. The country reopened its borders to tourists on July 1, 2020 after a near four-month pandemic shutdown.
The ministry said that tourist arrivals have been increasing each month, with 92,103 tourist arrivals in January, 96,882 arrivals in February, and 109,585 arrivals in March. A total of 41,392 tourists visited the country during the first 12 days of April.
The uptick in arrivals puts the Maldives on track to reaching its target of 1.5 million arrivals for this year. The country recorded a total of 555,399 arrivals in 2020, lower than the 1.7 million in 2019, but much higher than the targeted 500,000 for the year.
There is no quarantine requirement for arriving tourists, who are only required to show a valid negative PCR test result upon arrival. Visitors are whisked away from the international airport by seaplane or luxury speedboat to their island resort many kilometres away from the capital city.
Amid the pandemic, India has emerged as the Maldives’ top source market, accounting for 23 per cent of the total tourist arrivals, followed by Russia, Ukraine and Germany. China, traditionally the country’s largest tourist source, has shown fewer arrivals due to restrictions placed on outbound travel.
Meanwhile, according to official sources, 57 per cent of the Maldives population of over 530,000 people have received the first Covid-19 jab. As of April 12, the country recorded 25,701 Covid-19 infections and 66 deaths.
Bespoke reboots digital focus with new online experiences
China’s specialist ground operator Bespoke Travel Company is recalibrating its live online strategy for international clients, who are only likely to return in 2022 when the Covid-19 pandemic is no longer considered a serious threat and borders reopen.
CEO Sarah Keenlyside said that while its online products were a “lifeline during the pandemic, some lost interest when lockdown restrictions were eased last summer and people were no longer confined at home”.
Keenlyside added: “We were pleased with the good response but we were stunned by the online fatigue. Now, we are ready to test the waters again. With people more used to online experiences, reviving our online push will keep interest going until international travellers can buy in-person tours.”
The Bespoke founder noted that the profit margin for its online products was better because of the higher volume and lower costs. “Revenue-wise, we had to keep the pricing reasonable and it was encouraging for our team to see money coming in, instead of having to make refunds to international clients,” she shared.
Apart from its key US market, Bespoke’s online products were popular in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Africa and Brazil.
Keenlyside said the in-depth talks would attract around 75 people and 50 for the activities, and took place very early or very late in China to cater to the overseas markets.
The online experiences included tai chi classes; a WeChat live-stream hutong tour in Beijing; a virtual cocktail-making event; subject matter expert talks; and a course on how to make and eat hand-pulled noodles, which were recorded and sent to participants.
Even though Bespoke decided to wind down its online product promotions following the online fatigue, there were requests from overseas educational institutes and corporates for customised programmes.
Bespoke is now looking at launching online products that combine a dining experience in a unique space in China with a subject matter specialist as guest speaker, and overseas clients can listen to the talk.
Macau set for Chinese tourist influx over May Day holiday
Mainland Chinese demand for travel to Macau has surged ahead of the upcoming May Day holiday, according to data by Trip.com Group.
Searches and bookings of Macau travel products by mainland China users of Trip.com Group’s platform Ctrip have risen significantly in recent weeks, following the strong recovery of domestic travel as evidenced over the Qingming Festival holiday earlier this month.
Trip.com Group data shows that, as of April 8, the total number of bookings for Macau travel products during the May Day holidays rose by 20 per cent compared to 2019, and is double the booking volume of the same period in April this year. In addition, the search volume for flights in and out of Macau rose to over 140 per cent higher than the previous month. The cost of air tickets in and out of Macau are rising rapidly too, with the average economy class fare having increased by over 50 per cent from early April.
While there are still three weeks before the May Day holiday, the number of bookings for Macau hotels on the Ctrip platform has doubled compared to the same period in 2019. Room night prices of high-end hotels have increased significantly too, with a price increase of about 30 per cent compared to the Qingming Festival holiday in early April.
Macau is currently the only outbound destination where mainland Chinese residents are not required to serve a 14-day quarantine on arrival and on their return. With no reported cases in Macau for over a year, travellers must present a valid negative Covid-19 test result taken within the last seven days upon arrival.
Wyndham to expand APAC footprint in 2021
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is expected to open about 180 hotels across Asia-Pacific this year, an estimated 40 per cent increase in openings from the previous year.
The pipeline, comprising of directly franchised and managed hotels, will bring Wyndham’s total property count in Asia-Pacific to 2,000 hotels within the next three years.
Over 100 hotels are expected to open in Greater China this year, and the company’s expansion drive starts with the conversion of the 346-room Wyndham Xinyang Downtown, as well as the Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin, the first of seven Microtel hotels expected to open this year.
Other key openings anticipated this year include: Wyndham Beijing Airport, and China’s first La Quinta hotel in Weifang, Shandong province. The Wingate by Wyndham brand will be boosted by the launch of Wingate Beihai Yintan, located in Guangxi province. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, TRYP by Wyndham will launch in Linkou, New Taipei City.
Over in Thailand, Wyndham plans to open seven new properties in 2021 in popular destinations across Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Key openings this year are expected to include Wyndham Bangkok Queen Convention Centre, Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Bangkok Sukhumvit 48, Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Sukhumvit 87, and Wyndham Garden Bangkok Sukhumvit 42 – all of which are located in Bangkok’s CBD.
They will be joined by Wyndham Atlas Wongamat Pattaya, Wyndham LaVita Resort Phuket and Wyndham Garden Platinum Kamala Phuket. Within the next three years, Wyndham intends to open as many as 20 hotels located in popular destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket.
Four new hotels are expected to be unveiled in Vietnam this year, including the recently-opened Wyndham Grand Flamingo Cat Ba, followed by the Wyndham Soleil Danang, as well as Wyndham hotels in Quang Binh and Phu Quoc. In total, Wyndham’s portfolio in Vietnam is forecast to almost triple by 2024, from seven to over 20 properties nationwide.
In South Korea, a string of new Wyndham and Wyndham Grand hotels are due to start operating in the coming years.
As part of its multi-brand strategy in Australasia, the company recently opened its LQ by Wyndham Remarkables Park Queenstown, which marked the debut of La Quinta in Asia-Pacific. In New Zealand, three new hotels are anticipated to open this year under the Ramada by Wyndham and Wyndham Garden brands in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. Other new launches ahead include two new TRYP by Wyndham hotels, which will mark the brand’s debut in New Zealand.
Over 15 hotels are in the development pipeline for Australia, including the arrival of new brands like the Wyndham and Wyndham Garden in South Australia; TRYP by Wyndham in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia; as well as the debut of Wyndham Grand in Adelaide.
Oakwood aims to double China portfolio by 2025
Oakwood is on track to double its portfolio of managed properties in China by 2025, with plans to open four new properties in China by end of this year and more signings expected to be announced in the coming months.
Since debuting in China over 20 years ago, Oakwood now manages eight properties with the imminent opening of Oakwood Premier Tonglu by May 2021 followed by three additional openings in Beijing, Foshan and Chongli, the host city for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
As part of its expansion plan in China, Oakwood has sealed a strategic alliance with Country Garden Commercial and Culture Tourism Group to open 100 Oakwood Beluxs properties across 50 cities by 2030.
This year, Oakwood will double its portfolio in China, bringing the total number of managed properties up to 12 by December 2021. The four openings are: Oakwood Premier Tonglu in Hangzhou (scheduled to open in May 2021), Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Daxing Beijing (September 2021), Oakwood Residence Foshan (soft opening in 4Q2021), and Oakwood Suites Chongli (December 2021).
Narita Airport tests biometric boarding process
Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA) is trialling a new facial recognition technology which will allow passengers to complete check-in and boarding procedures using biometrics.
The deployment of biometric technology from Amadeus and NEC Corporation since April 13 eliminates the need for passengers at Narita Airport to continually present passports and boarding passes, while reducing the need for physical interactions – a critical move to restore traveller confidence amid the pandemic.
Passengers check-in at one of a number of new biometric kiosks where their facial images are captured and verified against their passports. Following after, they can drop off their luggage at an auto bag drop (ABD) unit, which is embedded with a camera that automatically recognises passengers as they approach it.
When passing through security and boarding, passengers’ faces are recognised when they approach Narita’s security e-gates and boarding e-gates, both equipped with cameras that automatically validate passengers’ identities and their permission to fly.
The new biometric process pioneered at Narita Airport is using the IATA One ID standard. Following successful trials, it will be adopted as the new standard for all international departures.
ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company, supplied the kiosks and ABD units fitted with biometric cameras and application software, that work in conjunction with NEC’s facial recognition system.
Indonesia tourism players take stronger technology approach to customer engagement
Travel trade stakeholders in Indonesia are increasing their online presence and app capabilities to better engage domestic customers and secure new sales in an increasingly challenging travel landscape.
Traveloka recently conducted live hotel tours, during which discounted rooms were sold. The initiative, according to John Safenson, vice president market management, helps to demonstrate the health and safety measures taken by industry players and rid fear of travel in a pandemic era.
Recognising that travellers today are more price-conscious, Traveloka has intensified its marketing work, throwing out special offers and door prizes to entice consumers.
Safenson told TTG Asia that travellers today seek promotions and discounts, and look for assurance in the form of flexible booking and payment terms.
Over at Dafam Hotel Management (DHM), an improved mobile app has been created to facilitate better communications with in-house guests and expand service offerings.
Andhy Irawan, CEO of DHM, said hotels must do more than sell rooms and services on property; they should also have the capability to bring external experiences to in-house guests. With that in mind, DHM worked with Jawara Solusi Nusantara (JAWS), a web and mobile application system provider, to launch the HAI Dafam mobile app.
Rizki Susetiadi, CEO of JAWS, said the new app allows in-house guests to make room and restaurant reservations as well as order room service. In the future, the app will include online shopping features, allowing hotel guests to order local cuisine or souvenirs and have their purchases delivered to their room.
Another industry partnership has surfaced to benefit the travelling community, this time between Indonesia AirAsia and the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA). Both entities have come together to create travel packages for both individual and group travellers through the new Super AirAsia app. Supporting this effort is the SNAP promotion, which dangles affordable travel deals to Medan and Lombok, with prices starting from 699,000 rupiah (US$48.35). These deals include round-trip airfares from Jakarta and two-night stay at IHRA participating member hotels.
While the promotion was initially aimed at boosting traffic to priority Indonesian destinations the airline operates in, Veranita Yosephine Sinaga, CEO of Air Asia Indonesia, soon found opportunities to expand it to other destinations. – Additional reporting by Mimi Hudoyo
Japanese resort operator Hoshino Resorts is eyeing the North American market as part of ambitious overseas expansion plans, with the goal of opening a facility on the US mainland within the next five years.
The move follows the successful reopening of the company’s first US property, Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2020.
Representatives of the 107-year-old company have discussed plans with real estate developers and investors, while looking for a partner with whom to build the facility, according to its CEO Yoshiharu Hoshino. They have also inspected locations. One possibility is Saratoga Springs, a city of about 27,000 people in central New York State. With naturally occurring mineral springs, the site has been popular as a resort for the past 200 years.
In an interview on Bloomberg TV, Hoshino said a new US-based resort would attract Americans who want to experience some aspects of Japanese culture, but might be hesitant or unable to travel abroad.
In recent years, Hoshino Resorts has made clear its intention to expand overseas, with the opening of Hoshinoya Bali, Indonesia, in 2017; and Hoshinoya Guguan, Taiwan, in 2019. The company is also set to open Hoshino Resorts Kasuke Tiantai in China’s Zhejiang province come 2021.
“Hoshino Resorts has a goal of developing hot springs globally,” Asako Sato of the company’s global marking department told TTG Asia. “We believe by opening one in North America, we will be able to have a good start to spread the hotel category around the world.” The company, she added, is “always looking” for opportunities outside Japan.
The medium- to long-term decline of Japan’s population and the resultant shrinking of the country’s domestic tourism market, coupled with the impact of Covid-19, are thought to be among the reasons motivating Hoshino Resorts’ interest in North America. Hoshino predicted that travel and business at Hoshino Resorts would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.