New certification programme aims to equip M’sia tourism players to navigate new norms
Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), an agency under the Ministry of International Trade & Industry, plans to work with all tourism associations nationwide to get their members to undergo its tourism certification programme designed to ensure compliance to SOPs and hygiene practices in the new normal.
The certification programme covers seven areas, namely, compliance to standard operating procedures, restarting operations, ensuring staff readiness, managing operational readiness, promoting safety and cleanliness, building trust and confidence, and integrating technology such as e-payments into the business.
To date, 88 companies have been certified under the A+A Covid-19 Tourism Certification Programme. The “A+A” stands for Adopt and Adhere, with regards to post-Covid guidelines for tourism companies. The scheme was soft launched last October, ahead of a full rollout later this month.
Speaking to TTG Asia, Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN) chairman, Uzaidi Udanis, stressed on the importance of the A+A Covid-19 Tourism Certification Programme in getting the industry ready for the reopening of the country’s border. TPN is an industry-led establishment under the purview of MPC, as part of the Malaysia Productivity Blueprint.
Uzaidi said: “My concern is not so much the big tourism players like the five-star hotels who are complying with the SOPs set by the government, but the micro, small and medium-sized companies such as the souvenir shops, restaurants, as well as boat, jetty and ferry operators.
“They think as long as customers wear face masks and record their details when entering the premises, all is fine. But much more than that should be done. The programme will assist tourism businesses in Malaysia to safely operate their business while rebuilding consumer confidence and trust.”
Correction: Our initial report stated that 65 companies have been certified under the A+A Covid-19 Tourism Certification Programme. The correct number should be 88.
Hilton targets 600 Hampton hotels in China by 2034
Hilton and Jin Jiang International has extended the Hampton by Hilton management license agreement, with the goal of operating more than 600 hotels under the brand in China by 2034.
The exclusive license agreement between Hilton and Plateno, which has since been acquired by Jin Jiang, was first signed in 2014 to tap into the potential of China’s mid-scale hotel market.
Building on the original 10-year partnership, the extension is expected to help Hampton by Hilton maintain its edge in the highly competitive mid-scale hotel sector in Hilton’s top priority market, China.
Currently, in China, there are 155 Hampton hotels in operation, with over 350 in the development pipeline.
Emirates unveils A380 premium economy cabin
Emirates has unveiled details of its new premium economy cabin fitted onboard its latest A380 aircraft, which the airline took delivery of last month.
Emirates’ premium economy cabin offers 56 seats in a 2-4-2 cabin layout. With a pitch of up to 101cm, each seat is 49cm wide, and reclines 20cm into a cradle position. Additionally, each seat is fitted with 6-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and footrests, alongside a 33cm screen, in-seat charging points, dining table and side cocktail table.
Emirates’ premium economy cabins will be offered as a complimentary upgrade to select passengers, until the airline has a viable number of seats in its inventory to bring to market, according to its president, Tim Clark. The carrier will also deploy its newest A380 aircraft on various routes, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Emirates’ remaining order of five A380s will also be delivered with premium economy cabins over 2021 and 2022. The new seats will also be installed on some of the airline’s Boeing 777X aircraft, due to join the fleet in 2023. As well, there are plans to retrofit the carrier’s existing A380 fleet.
Additionally, the airline also unveiled a series of enhancements on its newest A380 plane, including refreshed cabin interiors, wider and taller doors for its first class private suites, new luxury finishes for its business class seats, and ergonomically designed seats for economy class.
Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast gets new GM
Hard Rock International has appointed Murray L. Aitken as the general manager of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, situated in the Malaysian state of Johor.
Boasting 30 years of hospitality experience, Aitken will lead the team in driving strategies for continued growth and implementing programmes that prioritise guests’ health and safety during their stay.
In his previous stint with Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Aitken played an integral role in opening the company’s first-ever luxury urban properties in Singapore’s Chinatown.
Aitken’s portfolio also includes running his own hospitality consulting and advisory company, as well as helming leadership roles with various luxury hotel groups around the world, including Raffles in South-east Asia, Rosewood in Indonesia, and several properties across South Africa.
GHM welcomes new VP for operations
General Hotel Management (GHM) has moved Ilkin Ilyaszade into place as vice president of operations and pre-opening services.
He will oversee the development of up-and-coming properties such as The Chedi Aquarius Koh Chang, Thailand and The Chedi Khorfakkan, UAE.
An Azerbaijani national, Ilyaszade is a seasoned Asia hand, having opened 10 hotels and resorts across Asia and the Middle East for Banyan Tree and Pan Pacific over the past 15 years.
As resort manager, he led the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay in Bali – the brand’s flagship and largest operation. Prior to that, he spent 11 years with Banyan Tree, in the Maldives, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
Agoda offers greater payment flexibility with Atome tie-up
Agoda has partnered with Singapore-headquartered “buy now, pay later” technology company Atome to offer flexible instalment payment options for accommodation bookings across the region.
The scheme has initially been made available in Singapore and Malaysia since December 21, and will be expanded to include eight additional markets in South-east Asia and Asia-Pacific this year.
Under the partnership, travellers can pay for their accommodation bookings on the Agoda website or mobile app in three interest-free instalments by selecting Atome at checkout.
Agoda vice president of commercial finance, Darren Makarem, said the new tie-up allows travellers “who might have previously found it inconvenient to pay for their booking in one lump sum to spread the costs over multiple payments”.
Launched in December 2019, Atome now partners over 2,000 online and offline retailers across verticals such as fashion, beauty, lifestyle, homeware and travel.
Indonesia’s entry ban on foreign travellers stokes demand recovery fears
The Indonesian government’s decision to ban all international arrivals for two weeks starting January 1 amid concerns over the new Covid-19 strain has triggered fears among trade players on the ensuring hit to demand recovery for the country’s tourism.
Foreign affairs minister Retno Marsudi, who announced the temporary ban on December 28, said foreign officials at ministerial level and above were exempted from the ban, but they had to go through strict health protocols.
Businesses like Pegasus Indonesia Travel have taken a hit from the entry ban. Its CEO, Jimmy Saputra, said December to February was traditionally the peak season for travellers from Russia and other CIS countries to visit Bali. He said the ban had prompted 10 Russians who had planned to visit Indonesia in January to cancel their business trip, and another 15 to reschedule.
Daniel Nugraha, director of Exotic Java Trails, was concerned that the temporary ban would be extended. Covid-19 had forced his inbound clients to push their 2020 travel plans to 2021, and he feared a second postponement could spark a wave of cancellations.
With the entry ban in place, travel companies are pinning their hopes on domestic tourism to revive business, according to Wisnu Arimbawa, managing director of GD Tour Bali.
He, therefore, expects the government to create conducive policies to support the recovery of businesses. He cited the case of the government’s last-minute announcement made just before the Christmas holiday requiring domestic tourists to present a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antigen test result, instead of rapid test, when entering Bali. The additional costs incurred, especially significant for family travellers, had led to some guests cancelling their holidays.
Bali was at risk of losing up to 967 billion rupiah (US$68 million) due to airfare refund demands from domestic tourists following the sudden announcement of the test result requirement, according to Hariyadi Sukamdani, chairman of Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association.
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Shangri-La offers free Covid-19 coverage in Singapore
The Shangri-La Group is now offering free Covid-19 insurance coverage to international guests staying in any of the brand’s four hotels in Singapore from now through June 30, 2021.
Underwritten by AIG, the insurance will cover up to S$250,000 (US$189,860) in emergency medical expenses, should the guest test positive for Covid-19 during their stay. The policy also covers additional accommodation (room only) and travel expenses, should the guest need to extend their stay for medical reasons.
Guests can also contact a dedicated AIG customer service team for assistance if they are diagnosed with Covid-19 during their stay in Singapore. They will also have access to round-the-clock emergency travel assistance during their trip.
Currently, the Covid-19 medical coverage is only available to international guests entering Singapore under the reciprocal green lane or on the air travel pass scheme.
Chan Kong Leong, regional CEO for the Shangri-La Group in Southeast Asia & Australasia, said: “We have chosen to start with the Singapore market as the Singapore government has been proactively relaxing travel restrictions in a gradual and calibrated manner and has highlighted Covid-19 insurance coverage as a key enabler to rebuilding traveller confidence.”
To qualify for the Covid-19 coverage, guests have to book their stays through the hotel’s official website or mobile app. They can also do so via the reservations hotline and email directly to the hotel group.
Tourism Malaysia has launched a new campaign to promote the country’s zoos by offering more than 70,000 discounted entrance fees from now until March 31, as part of efforts to revitalise the country’s economy.
The Cuti-Cuti Malaysia “Relax at the Zoo” Stimulus Campaign is a collaboration between the agency and three zoos: Zoo Negara, Zoo Melaka, and Taiping Zoo and Night Safari (ZTNS).
Under the campaign, Zoo Negara is offering a 40 per cent discount off its entrance fees for both adults and children, with more than 16,000 tickets up for sale via e-commerce platform Shopee.
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 visitors to Zoo Melaka can now enjoy a 30 per cent discount when purchasing entrance fees for both adults and children via its website www.zoomelaka.gov.my.
As well, over 30,000 entrance tickets to ZTNS at a 30 per cent discount for both adults and children has been made available. Purchases can be made through the ticket counter at ZTNS and are valid for use only on weekdays.