Tourism Malaysia ropes in GoPro for video contest to spur domestic travel

March 16, 2021

Tourism Malaysia has partnered with GoPro to bring forth a new social media challenge inviting all residents in Malaysia to create and share videos of their past travels capturing diverse attractions within the country.

Dubbed Dream Malaysia Challenge, the campaign aims to promote Malaysia as the preferred destination and to boost domestic tourism.

Tourism Malaysia partners with GoPro on video contest to highlight the country’s myriad attractions

Video submissions can be captured from any device, but must have been polished up through the GoPro App. Participants can send in their 30-45 second videos via the GoPro Awards Portal under the challenge Malaysia|Living Local.

In addition, participants are also required to post their videos on their personal Facebook and Instagram profiles, detailing their travel experience in the caption using both the #DreamMalaysia and #GoProxTourismMalaysia hashtags. They must also tag both GoPro and Tourism Malaysia on their respective Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Participants who wish to add background sound to their videos must use only music taken from the GoPro app.

The Dream Malaysia Challenge, which kick-started on March 13, will end on March 28 at 23.00. Participants stand a chance to win the latest GoPro HERO9 Black, GoPro MAX, GoPro HERO8 and full board stays at Taman Negara, Gopeng Glamping Park and Tadom Hill.

TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat with Monster Day Tours and Lion Heartlanders

By Pamela Chow

March 16, 2021

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The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of collaboration over competition – and for two tour operators in Singapore, closing ranks have saved their skins amid these testing times.

TY Suen and Byron Koh, founders of Woopa Travels and Lion Heartlanders, respectively, began talks of collaboration shortly before Covid-19 struck.

When Singapore entered the circuit breaker period last year, Woopa Travels launched a new series of virtual tours under its Monster Day Tours brand. The Virtual Bingo Tours dangle the lure of prizes and spur active participation by gamifying live broadcasts of local exploration. They have since evolved to include different locations in Singapore, as well as a Kyoto itinerary, accompanied by a new breed of physical and hybrid learning tours.

In this episode of TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat, Suen and Koh reveal how these innovations and risks proved critical for survival.

Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office chief makes an exit

By Karen Yue

March 16, 2021

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Jens Thraenhart, the longest serving executive director at the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), has put in his resignation and will serve out his notice in 90 days.

Thraenhart joined the organisation – a secretariat of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Working Group and which is owned and funded by the six governments of the GMS – in June 2014, after serving as strategic advisor to the previous MTCO executive director.

MTCO’s longest serving executive director, Jens Thraenhart, will leave the organisation in three months’ time

Thraenhart told TTG Asia that he is exiting for personal reasons, adding that “external factors make it increasingly difficult to do my job and carry out the mandate of the MTCO”.

He paid tribute to the six governments of the GMS who had put their “trust and confidence” in him to head the MTCO.

“I am proud of what we have achieved. I am deeply honoured to have served the tourism stakeholders of the Greater Mekong Subregion,” he said.

Thraenhart is widely recognised for his work in promoting the GMS and enhancing the MTCO’s digital offerings, specifically the MTCO website (MekongTourism.org) and Mekong Tourism’s social media presence which have won several awards, such as the PATA Gold Award and the HSMAI Adrian Gold Award.

MTCO’s annual flagship event, the Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF), was also recognised by the UNWTO as a global best practice in inclusive and responsible tourism. Since its launch in 2017, MTF has enabled hundreds of small tourism businesses in emerging destinations to be showcased to the world.

He is also behind the creation of the private sector framework, Destination Mekong, which aims to develop, execute and operate various pro-tourism initiatives, such as Mekong Moments and Mekong Mini Movie Festival campaigns, the Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Heroes, Mekong Trends, and the Mekong Innovations in Sustainable Tourism programme.

Other powerful public-private sector partnerships in regional tourism development formed during his leadership includes the Mekong Tourism Marketing Plan and the Mekong Tourism Sector Strategy.

Information on Thraenhart’s replacement and interim leadership arrangement is not available at press time.

Bali plays host to live event for ITB Berlin NOW 2021

By Mimi Hudoyo

March 15, 2021

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Indonesian sellers who took part in the recently-concluded virtual ITB Berlin NOW 2021 convened in a live meeting held in Bali, which was hosted by the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MOTCE).

The event, which took place from March 9-12, saw the ballroom at The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali transform into the ‘Indonesian Pavilion’ complete with a coffee corner, a photo booth plus handicraft booths in the foyer.

Indonesian sellers connecting with buyers during an event held at The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali during the virtual ITB Berlin NOW 2021

A total of 65 sellers – majority of whom were Bali-based – attended the event, conducting their business with buyers in the ballroom.

Dance and music performances were staged at the opening ceremony, while Visit Indonesia Tourism Office Germany and the Indonesia Inbound Tour Operators Association organised destination presentations.

Nia Niscaya, deputy for marketing, MOTCE, said that there were several reasons for organising a live event, including wanting to boost the sellers’ spirits amid the pandemic by giving them a working ambiance close to that of a trade show, as well as to ensure that sellers keep to their appointments to show their commitment to buyers.

The event also meant to showcase that business events could be conducted safely with strict implementation of the new protocols. All participants underwent antigen swab tests and stayed at the hotel.

Bali was chosen as the event venue as the volume search by potential international travellers remained high. It was also part of efforts to prepare for the reopening of the destination, with MOTCE “working closely with the related ministries to reopen the border in stages,” said Nia.

Plans underway for Singapore-Australia travel bubble

By TTG Asia

March 15, 2021

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Singapore and Australia are in talks to forge a quarantine-free air travel bubble which will facilitate cross-border travel between both countries.

Additionally, the two nations are also in discussions on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel with priority for students and business travellers, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Sunday (March 14).

Singapore, Australia in travel bubble talks; a party boat sailing at a very quiet Sydney Harbour on Australia Day 2021 pictured

MFA was responding to media queries following a report by The Sydney Morning Herald which said that plans for a two-way bubble between Singapore and Australia was underway. The report also stated that it could be possible for people from third countries to enter Australia via Singapore after completing a 14-day quarantine in the city-state.

“Australia is a key partner of Singapore in the region. We are in discussions on how to cooperate in opening our economies safely, taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in both countries,” MFA said.

The ministry also stated that both countries are not in discussion on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub. It said: “Australian nationals can transit via Singapore without quarantining to return home if they travel on approved transit routes and if they comply with our public health protocols while in transit.”

Koh Samui pushes to reopen to vaccinated tourists by October

By TTG Asia

March 15, 2021

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Thailand’s popular beach destination, Koh Samui, plans to allow quarantine-free entry to vaccinated foreign tourists from October 1.

“The island’s economy and infrastructure were built around foreign tourism, and businesses here have been struggling without foreign visitors over the past year,” Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Koh Samui joins Phuket to push for quarantine-free entry for vaccinated tourists

“We need to reopen as soon as possible to be able to compete for visitors with other countries.”

According to the report, Ratchaporn said vaccinated travellers arriving on Koh Samui will also be able to travel quarantine-free to its neighbouring islands of Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. About 160,000 vaccine doses are needed to cover at least 70 per cent of the current residents on these three islands, he added.

Koh Samui’s reopening plan follows Phuket’s proposal for the popular Thai island to reopen to vaccinated travellers by October 1, exempting them from the 14-day quarantine requirement. In line with that vision, Phuket industry associations are planning to carry out a private vaccination drive to inoculate at least 70 per cent of the island’s population to create herd immunity prior to its targeted reopening date.

Swiss-Belhotel grows Indonesia portfolio

By TTG Asia

March 15, 2021

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Swiss-Belhotel International plans to open seven new properties in Indonesia by 2023, which will bring the group’s property count in the country to 82.

The new properties will comprise of the following brands: Swiss-Belcourt, Swiss-Belhotel, and Swiss-Belresort. They will be located in various cities across the archipelago, including Kupang, Makassar, Nusa Penida, Biak, Central Java and Jakarta.

Swiss-Belhotel continues development in Indonesia

Five of the new properties will open by end of 2021. They are the 102-room Swiss-Belhotel Cendrawasih Biak; the 98-room Swiss-Belcourt Kupang; the 75-room Swiss-Belcourt Makassar; the 62-key The Gamat Bay, Nusa Penida, Bali; and the 163-room Swiss-Belhotel Arjuna, Legian, Bali.

The 316-room Swiss-Belhotel Kelapa Gading, Jakarta is due to open in 2022, while the 271-room Swiss-Belhotel Purwokerto will open in 2023.

Thai AirAsia to restart all domestic routes

By TTG Asia

March 15, 2021

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Thai AirAsia is set to resume operations on all 40 domestic routes in Thailand from April, including 14 regional routes from its hubs across the nation.

The move comes on the back of “pent-up demand for air travel in Thailand”, said AirAsia Thailand CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya. He cited how all 80,000 travel passes put up for sale under the airline’s recent #FlyRuaRuaPass promotion was sold out in 48 hours.

AirAsia set to reinstate all 40 domestic routes in Thailand from April

The domestic flights will be operated both direct to and from Bangkok (Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi). Additionally, the airline will also reboot domestic cross-regional connections from its hubs in Chiang Mai and Phuket.

From April 1, Thai AirAsia will also be increasing frequency on popular routes, such as from Don Mueang to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Surat Thani. It will also operate five daily flights to Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani; as well as reinstate five routes from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Mai, Nan, Phuket, Hat Yai and Nakhon Si Tham.

Vaccination of Malaysian workers in Singapore to start soon

By S Puvaneswary

March 15, 2021

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Causeway — Johor Bahru is one of the biggest city in South Malaysia nearest to Singapore.

Around 100,000 Malaysians living in Johor who commute to Singapore for work will be among vaccine recipients under phase two of the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme scheduled to begin next month.

Johor chief minister, Hasni Mohammad, said at a press conference on Sunday (March 14) that the vaccination will be implemented in stages, and that the registration system for this purpose was currently being developed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Johor government hopes to reopen borders with Singapore by June

“As Malaysia is using the same vaccines as Singapore (Pfizer-BioNTech), it should not be difficult for both countries to recognise the inoculation process via a certificate available on the MySejahtera app,” Hasni was quoted as saying in a report by Sunday Star.

He also hoped that the border with Singapore would reopen by May or June as cross-border traffic would help to spur Johor’s economy.

When contacted, Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president, Uzaidi Udanis, said the association had been in talks with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to prioritise inbound players for phase two of the national vaccine drive so they could travel abroad to meet with overseas partners to promote Malaysia.

He added: “We cannot wait until the border reopens before we start marketing the country. We have to start marketing now.”

Covid-19 tests still required at most Philippine destinations

By Rosa Ocampo

March 12, 2021

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Despite the government lifting the mandate of Covid-19 tests for domestic travel, the majority of tourist destinations across the Philippines continue to make testing a requirement.

As determined by their respective local government units (LGUs), destinations requiring RT-PCR tests include Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, Siquior, Iloilo, Dumaguete, and Pangasinan, said tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat in a press briefing on Wednesday (March 10) announcing the Department of Tourism (DoT)’s commitment to support the reopening of Rizal. She, however, did not cite the reasons for most of the LGUs’ decision to continue making Covid-19 testing mandatory for tourists.

Bohol among tourist destinations in the Philippines that still require Covid-19 testing for domestic travellers; Chocolate Hills in the Bohol province pictured

Meanwhile, infections continue to increase in the country, with daily cases exceeding 2,000 over the past few weeks.

Nine areas including metro Manila, Baguio City, Mountain Province, Apayao, Kalinga, Batangas, Davao City, Tacloban and Iligan remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) – the second lowest of the four quarantine rungs in the Philippines – until the end of March.

Following an eight-month closure, Rizal is now accepting tourists without requiring Covid-19 tests. Congressman Michael John Duavit explained that Rizal is safe and ready to accept tourists as it is under modified GCQ – the lowest of the four quarantine rungs in the Philippines – with a population that adheres to safety and hygiene protocols.

Romulo-Puyat said that being in close proximity to metro Manila, Rizal is expected to attract domestic tourists with its many open-air, nature-based and varied attractions. In 2019, the province posted 7.2 million same-day arrivals and 395,364 overnight arrivals.

She said the DoT commits to promoting Rizal through online marketing campaigns, enhancing capacity building industry training, and sustaining the flagship domestic tourism recovery programme in the area dubbed the Green Corridor Initiative (GCI) which spotlights the faith, food, art, adventure, and nature in the province.

“Through the GCI, the City of Antipolo and the Municipalities of Angono, Taytay, and Cainta are interlinked in the safety of a travel bubble, furthering the DOT’s commitment to promote the province as a fun, sustainable and safe destination,” she added.

Tourism Malaysia ropes in GoPro for video contest to spur domestic travel

TTG Conversations: Innovator Chat with Monster Day Tours and Lion Heartlanders

Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office chief makes an exit

Bali plays host to live event for ITB Berlin NOW 2021

Plans underway for Singapore-Australia travel bubble

Koh Samui pushes to reopen to vaccinated tourists by October

Swiss-Belhotel grows Indonesia portfolio

Thai AirAsia to restart all domestic routes

Vaccination of Malaysian workers in Singapore to start soon

Covid-19 tests still required at most Philippine destinations

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