When the global pandemic forced Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) to close its popular parks to visitors last year, virtual interactions with its animal residents became the cornerstone of its guest experience.
Residents in Singapore who were homebound during the circuit breaker could stay in touch with the assorted wildlife of Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, River Safari and Night Safari through engaging online sessions.
These include Hello from the Wild Side – a customised virtual group session in which keepers bring guests into intimate feeding and enrichment activities with various animals – as well as My Animal Buddy, where guests may “adopt” an animal in one of the parks and follow it through live broadcasts and keeper Q&As.
These innovative initiatives grabbed eyeballs from across the globe, spanning the regions of China and Europe, and their success has persisted even after park doors reopened. While group sessions for Hello from the Wild Side are now exclusive to corporate bookings, regular guests can still receive personalised messages from animals.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat, WRS’ deputy CEO and chief life sciences officer, Dr Cheng Wen Haur, dives into the efforts made to draw domestic crowds back to the wild side.
Trade specialists are an integral part of the Swiss Travel System AG (STS ). To promote Switzerland’s comprehensive public transport network worldwide, STS AG has launched the new Swiss Travel System Excellence Program – a platform which imparts up-to-date knowledge on Swiss public transport to equip agents with greater confidence and competencies to put together varied travel programmes.
The programme in brief
Currently, the Swiss Travel System Excellence Program is the only e-learning programme in the world which familiarises travel professionals with an entire national public transport system.
Participants can capitalise on the modular structure of the platform to learn about the characteristics of the Swiss Travel System – from tickets and passes, to premium panoramic train rides; and boat trips on majestic Swiss lakes, to even luggage transport – at their own time and pace.
On average, each module takes only about six minutes to complete. Accompanying participants on this learning journey are transport mascots Heidi and Peter, two animated characters embodying two important Swiss qualities: reliability and enthusiasm.
Quality learning translates to more incentives
To drive engagement, participants will be able to take souvenir photos of Swiss sights and attractions at the end of each module.
At the completion of all modules, agents will be awarded a diploma, which recognises them as a Swiss Travel System Excellence Expert.
However, the icing on the cake will be an incentive trip to Switzerland – travel, hotel and Swiss Travel Pass included – awarded to those with the highest scores from points earned during each learning progress.
The web-based platform is freely accessible from anywhere in the world. Step on board and register now.
The northern Thai city of Chiang Mai is drafting plans to reopen its borders to travellers from India and South-east Asia beginning April 1.
Tourism stakeholders in the province have their sights set on India as a sizeable part of the population have been vaccinated against Covid-19. According to a BBC News report, more than 30 million people in India have received at least one vaccine dose in what is the world’s biggest inoculation drive. To appeal to the India market, the province will promote weddings, wellness, adventure activities and halal foods.
ASEANTA recently hosted a fam trip for agents in Chiang Mai ahead of the city’s planned reopening
Meanwhile, the focus on wooing travellers from South-east Asian markets comes as short-haul travel is expected to recover ahead of longhaul travel.
The Thai government is planning to reopen five cities to international visitors soon – however, four are beach destinations. Only Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand, stands apart with its offerings of both urban and rural life, presenting an opportunity to appeal to Indian and South-east Asian tourists who are not seeking beach getaways.
In addition, most Thai beach towns are eyeing mainly tourists from mainland China, Europe and Japan – countries where outbound travel may pose a challenge in the near-term. While China’s ban on outbound tour groups remain in place, Europe and Japan are still battling virus surges.
ASEAN Tourism Association president, Mingkwan Metmowlee, which recently led 60 DMCs on a fam trip to visit Chiang Mai, revealed that operators in the city are ready to welcome foreigners from April 1, ahead of the government’s targeted October reopening.
“Chiang Mai has suffered from the pandemic, and (operators) need tourists to return in April, so they can survive,” Mingkwan said.
Incoming travellers from South-east Asia will be required to have with them either the IATA Travel Pass or ASEAN Health Passport. Those who meet the requirements will be allowed to visit limited areas such as Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.
If the plan is successful, it may be rolled out to other destinations such at Hat Yai in the South, Mae Hong Son in the North, Udon Thani and Nongkhai in the North-east.
Next month, 5,000 to 10,000 delegates are expected to attend World Cannabis Day, scheduled to take place in Chiang Mai from April 16-18. More locals will be flocking there too to celebrate Songkran festival.
According to data by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chiang Mai received six million tourists in 2020, a decrease of 46.6 per cent from 2019. Of that figure, domestic travellers accounted for 90.6 per cent – a drop of 26.23 per cent from 2019. The remaining 9.4 per cent were foreigners, but that number plunged 83.75 per cent from 2019.
As a result, hotel operators in Chiang Mai saw an average occupancy rate of 41.8 per cent in 2020, a decrease of 32.4 per cent from 2019, due to over-supply and rooms on online sharing platform.
Currently, most four- to five-star hotels in Chiang Mai are running F&B operations, but most rooms remain empty. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of one- to three-star hotels have resumed operations. To fill rooms, luxury properties and small and independent hotels have slashed room rates by 60-70 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.
Asiana Airlines and Collinson have forged a partnership to significantly enhance and expand how people earn points with the airline’s rewards programme.
The partnership will expand the South Korean airline’s existing loyalty programme from a domestic-only focus to one with regional and international reach.
Asiana Airlines, Collinson partner to provide travellers an enhanced online rewards platform in five new markets
It will allow customers in five new markets – China, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US – to earn rewards with over 5,000 retail brands when using Collinson’s proprietary technology to shop online.
The partnership comes as earn and redeem rewards programmes are recognised as an increasingly critical component of travel and retail brand strategy in light of the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
Todd Handcock, president of Collinson’s Asia Pacific region, said: “Earn platforms, such as the one we’ve created for Asiana Airlines, enable airlines to stay in touch with customers at a time when travel is limited, while providing an additional way to build points and air miles with a range of retailers; which they can put towards a dream holiday once lockdowns lift.”
He added that “rewards programmes will continue to be critical to how travel and retail businesses survive this turbulent time and thrive in the future”.
Singapore and New Zealand are in talks to reach an agreement on mutual recognition of both countries’ digital health and Covid-19 vaccination certificates.
The announcement was made by Singapore minister for foreign affairs Vivian Balakrishnan in a Facebook post on Thursday (March 18), following a virtual meeting with his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta.
Singapore seeks mutual recognition of vaccines with New Zealand; Wellington Cable Car pictured
Balakrishnan said that the plan comes as both countries embark on their respective Covid-19 vaccination programmes, and that such certificates will be “an important enabler for the resumption of international travel”.
He added that he and Mahuta reaffirmed the close ties between Singapore and New Zealand, noting that both countries enjoy “close cooperation in many areas”. Additionally, both ministers also agreed to work towards strengthening the Enhanced Partnership established in 2019, and to explore new and emerging areas of cooperation such as the digital economy, climate change and post-Covid-19 recovery.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is set to expand its China footprint with a new luxury hotel in Hangzhou, scheduled to open in 2025.
Mandarin Oriental, Hangzhou will be part of the Westlake 66 mixed-use commercial and luxury retail complex owned and being developed by Hong Kong-based Hang Lung Properties.
Mandarin Oriental to plant flag in luxury Westlake 66 development in Hangzhou
The development will be located close to the West Lake, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China’s primary leisure destinations, with easy access to the city’s principal business hubs, Binjiang and Qianjiang.
The hotel will comprise 194 guestrooms and suites, four restaurants and bars, a fitness centre and indoor swimming pool, spa and wellness facilities, in addition to meeting and event space.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Thai real estate group Asset World Corporation (AWC) have signed a framework agreement for the development and management of multiple Hyatt-branded hotels across Thailand.
AWC, Hyatt ink deal to develop hotels with more than 1,000 keys under various Hyatt brands in Thailand
The framework agreement, which was signed by both companies’ respective affiliates, will see the addition of more than 1,000 new rooms to Hyatt’s Thailand portfolio.
The agreement will also position AWC as a major owner of Hyatt-branded hotels across Thailand. AWC will develop the new properties that will be placed in Hyatt’s upper upscale, luxury and lifestyle brand portfolios. The hotels are expected to be built in key tourist destinations throughout Thailand, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pattaya.
Taiwan’s health minister said the island is exploring a travel bubble with Singapore, a day after announcing its first travel bubble with Palau.
Last December, Singapore unilaterally lifted border restrictions on travellers from Taiwan, allowing them to be exempted from the 14-day mandatory quarantine if they test negative for Covid-19 upon arrival.
Taiwan, Singapore in talks for travel bubble; people strolling along Ximending in Taipei pictured
According to a report in The Straits Times, Taiwanese health minister Chen Shih-chung said on Thursday (March 18) that Taiwan and Singapore have been in talks for the former to match Singapore’s unilateral move.
The report also quoted transportation minister Lin Chia-lung as having said that while Japan, South Korea and Vietnam are all exploring a travel bubble with Taiwan, “Singapore is by far the most proactive”.
Over a year after closing its borders to tourists to guard against Covid-19, Taiwan announced on Wednesday that it will launch its first travel bubble with Palau from April 1.
The plan will kick off with two weekly flights, capped at 110 passengers per flight. Tourists from both sides must travel within a tour group, following a pre-approved itinerary and staying at designated hotels.
Since the outbreak, Palau has reported zero Covid-19 cases, while Taiwan has recorded 990 cases and 10 deaths.
Cebu is taking steps towards reviving domestic tourism with the rollout of a marketing campaign, confident that it is ready to welcome back travellers exactly a year after the Philippines first entered a nationwide lockdown.
As part of the campaign, the I Love Cebu online platform (traveloco.ph/ilovecebu) is offering up to 70 per cent discount on airfares, tours and accommodations until April 30.
Pre-pandemic, Cebu topped the Philippines’ foreign arrivals, followed by Boracay; Temple of Leah pictured
Lara Constantino Scarrow, director of sales and marketing at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, said the campaign offers great deals “while stimulating interest and reminding people that Cebu is still the ideal destination”.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Promotions Board has allocated funds for a number of milestone projects this year in Region 7, including Cebu.
Pre-pandemic, Cebu topped the country’s foreign arrivals, followed by Boracay. It is also popular among domestic tourists twinned with Bohol and as the jump off point to other island destinations in the Visayas.
Alfred Reyes, president of the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu, said the “sustained campaign” came as Covid-19 is under control, vaccines have arrived, and the destinations strictly practice health and safety protocols for responsible travel.
Cebu is also the country’s second international gateway after Manila, making the city more accessible to travellers; while Visayas islands can also be easily accessed via Cebu, said Margie Munsayac, Bluewater Resorts vice president sales and marketing.
Munsayac said Cebu is a “complete destination” with beaches north and south, mountain resorts and urban cities, as well as quiet and retreat spaces. The city is also a hub of culinary delights, heritage and culture, wellness and faith-based tourism, she added.
Aines Librodo, head for airline marketing and tourism development, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., said Cebu’s international airport is ready for both domestic and international tourists, pointing out that the safety protocols for both domestic and international travellers are the same.
However, she suggested that plans have to be laid out to prepare for the return of travellers, particularly in issues pertaining to travel clearance requirements, such as whether vaccinated foreign tourists will still be required to undergo RT-PCR test and/or be subjected to mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
These issues have to be made clear as “we don’t want travellers to be confused,” Librodo emphasised.
She added that changes in travel curbs and opening up of travel bubbles should be announced very early on to allow tourists time to plan and prepare their trips, and take advantage of travel deals. She cited the example of the UK’s announcement made on February 27 on the easing of lockdown in May, resulting in “a surge in bookings for holiday packages”.
Malaysia’s prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, has unveiled a fresh RM20 billion (US$4.8 billion) economic stimulus package – one year after the country imposed its first lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is the sixth package to be rolled out to tackle the pandemic fallout. Dubbed The People and Strategic Empowerment Programme (or ‘Pemerkasa’ for short), the RM20 billion package will include targeted assistance to the tourism sector which has been deeply impacted by lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed to stem the Covid-19 spread.
More financial aid given to Malaysia’s tourism industry in new economic stimulus package announced
To support the recovery of the tourism industry, the government will extend tourism tax and service tax exemptions on accommodation provided by hotel operators until year-end. Tourism companies can also defer their monthly income tax instalment from April 1 to December 31.
Muhyiddin said the tourism sector will also be provided entertainment duty exemption on admission fees to entertainment venues, including theme parks, sporting events and competitions.
The government will also give a one-off special assistance grant of RM3,000 to tourism businesses registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.
Further, the scope of special relief on individual income tax of up to RM1,000 will be expanded to include expenses on travel packages purchased from travel agents registered under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
To assist cash flow and reduce operating costs for hotels and theme park operators, convention centres, shopping malls, local airline offices and travel and tour agencies, a special 10 per cent discount on electricity bills will be further extended by three months until June 30.
The wage subsidy programme for the tourism industry has also been extended for another three months up to end of June.
Muhyiddin also said the government will no longer impose a blanket movement control order (MCO) which restricts travel movements across the country. Instead, the government will implement a more targeted Covid-19 containment strategy backed by science and data to reduce the negative impact on the country’s economy.
The government has also beefed up its budget for the national Covid-19 immunisation programme from RM3 billion to RM5 billion to achieve herd immunity by December, rather than the initial target of 1Q2022.
While some travel trade organisations have welcomed the various stimulus initiatives, especially the easing of travel restrictions, others have bemoaned the inadequate funding for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Lauding the government’s announcement that no more blanket MCO will be imposed, KL Tan, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), said: “MATTA has long been advocating the application of an analytical risk-based approach based on scientific data towards managing people’s movements as opposed to blanket travel restrictions. This is a positive step forward to rejuvenating domestic travel.
“The industry is also looking forward to the managed reopening of international borders now that the vaccine rollout is underway.”
Malaysian Association of Hotels president, N Subramaniam, hoped the government will consider giving higher subsidies to the tourism sector. He said: “The extension of the 10 per cent discount on electricity bills until June is insignificant, especially at times when hotels are operating at low occupancy rates.”
Agreeing, the Malaysian Budget & Business Hotel Association national deputy president, Sri Ganesh Michiel, opined that the initiatives offered little help to the struggling tourism and hospitality industry.
He proposed that efforts undertaken by the federal government should also be followed by all state governments and all government agencies that can provide assistance to the tourism and hospitality industry, as this will help to revitalise the hard-hit sector.
Asiana Airlines and Collinson have forged a partnership to significantly enhance and expand how people earn points with the airline’s rewards programme.
The partnership will expand the South Korean airline’s existing loyalty programme from a domestic-only focus to one with regional and international reach.
It will allow customers in five new markets – China, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US – to earn rewards with over 5,000 retail brands when using Collinson’s proprietary technology to shop online.
The partnership comes as earn and redeem rewards programmes are recognised as an increasingly critical component of travel and retail brand strategy in light of the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
Todd Handcock, president of Collinson’s Asia Pacific region, said: “Earn platforms, such as the one we’ve created for Asiana Airlines, enable airlines to stay in touch with customers at a time when travel is limited, while providing an additional way to build points and air miles with a range of retailers; which they can put towards a dream holiday once lockdowns lift.”
He added that “rewards programmes will continue to be critical to how travel and retail businesses survive this turbulent time and thrive in the future”.