Brought to you by Royal Cliff Hotels Group
Sunway splashes out US$60m on major facelift
Sunway City Kuala Lumpur has earmarked US$60 million to transform its flagship property, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, in what will mark the resort’s most extensive initiative in its 24-year history.
The revamp is part of the group’s drive to establish Malaysia’s first fully integrated township as Asia’s leading integrated resort complex and a regional tourism hub.
Scheduled to reopen in phases from March 2021, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa will feature 478 rooms, alongside a restaurant, six cascading waterfalls among two landscaped pools, and extensive family and health facilities.
Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa’s transformation takes its place alongside the family-focused Sunway Lagoon theme park which stretches over 35ha and six entertainment zones. For business visitors, the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre features 7,157m2 of hi-tech space, flexible configurations and capacity to host some 4,000 delegates theatre-style or 6,000 for a cocktail reception for corporate events.
With design led by Nelson Yong, principal of Sunway Design, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa has rebuilt swathes of the resort and reimagined spaces. New family facilities, specialist suites, pool villas, technology with smartphone key entry and motion sensors, live online fitness coaching, chromotherapy showers and wellness lighting to assist sleeping which is powered by Sunway Medical Centre, are all integrated into the holistic experience.
As part of Sunway’s sustainability commitment, a vertical farm by FutureX will be a key source of ingredients for all restaurants, offering healthy and farm-fresh produce for guests. The FutureX Farm, led by Sunway Innovation Labs, is an urban farm located in the heart of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur where farming professionals, tech companies, researchers and young talent create solutions focused on food and agritech.
In minimising the hotel’s carbon footprint, a host of environmental measures will be introduced. Contactless check-in/out and digital hotel directories will eliminate the need for paper, while energy-saving air-conditioning systems and smart curtains will help to regulate room temperatures. Solar panels, motion-sensor LED lighting and advanced water technologies will further enhance efficiency. Plastic laundry bags have been abolished.
G20 tourism leaders vow to put sustainability at the heart of recovery
Tourism ministers of the G20 nations have committed to ramping up efforts to prioritise sustainable and inclusive growth in the rebuilding of the tourism sector.
The implementation of the World Tourism Organization AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, presented on the occasion of the ministerial meeting, was welcomed by the G20 tourism ministers as a tool for achieving a fairer and more inclusive sector.
Under the leadership of the 2020 G20 Saudi Presidency, UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group developed the AlUla Framework – which was named after Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO world heritage site – to further advance the contribution of the sector as an effective means towards fairer growth and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Framework provides specific recommendations and tools to support both governments as well as all other key stakeholders in the tourism sector in fostering a truly holistic and integrated approach to inclusive community development through tourism.
Calling for a model of tourism development based on public-private-community partnerships, the Framework includes a set of concrete programmes and initiatives based around four pillars of action – empowerment, safeguarding, prosperity and collaboration.
Among the G20 Guidelines for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism endorsed at the meeting is the importance of placing tourism at the heart of development policies at international, national and local level.
The Guidelines further stress the importance of human capital development, inclusive labour markets, adequate social protection, and innovation and entrepreneurship as key contributors to travel and tourism as a human-centred sector, as well as to advancing women’s empowerment and to create decent jobs for all.
UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As we join forces to restart tourism, we must live up to our responsibility to ensure that tourism’s benefits are shared by all. I congratulate the Saudi Presidency for placing inclusive community development through tourism at the heart of the G20 Agenda and I invite G20 countries to follow this vision and embrace tourism as an effective means for inclusion and sustainability.”
Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister and chair of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting said the AlUla Framework “demonstrates how the tourism sector can promote inclusive community development by highlighting practical examples and case studies that governments can emulate to protect local culture and the environment, while empowering local communities, especially women and young people”.
“The Framework is a vital tool to be used as we work together to rebuild the tourism sector to be more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.”
Switzerland Tourism ramps up Hong Kong promotions ahead of winter season
Switzerland Tourism has officially kicked off its Buy Now Travel Later tourism recovery campaign in Hong Kong, as it seeks to court more inbound travellers ahead of the peak winter season.
Targeting premium FITs, the campaign is aimed at encouraging travellers to stay longer through various, unprecedented perks.
In a first-ever initiative, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is offering complimentary rebooking for all bookings made between August 25 to December 31, 2020. Passengers are also allowed to change their origin and destination free of charge. All tickets also come with a one-year validity.
SWISS will also be adding one more flight from Hong Kong to Zurich, making it a daily service during the winter season from October 26, 2020 to March 28, 2021.
In addition, travellers who book the Swiss Travel Pass (Flexi) through the NTO’s website from now until November 14, 2020 will enjoy extra perks, like one extra free travel day for the four-day flexi pass and two extra free travel days for the eight-day flexi pass.
Pass holders also have greater flexibility, with an extended validity from six months to 11 months. Once activated, users can make use of the pass for three months, as compared to one month previously.
Those who make direct bookings are also entitled to an e-version of the Swiss Coupon Pass, a coupon book offering 100 exclusive 2-for-1 offers covering attractions, guided tours, restaurants, cruise tours, and more. Maximum savings can be up to 4,500 Swiss francs (US$4,900).
Furthermore, Hertz has partnered the tourism board to offer its customers car rental benefits till the end of 2021. For a five-day booking, guests will only need to pay for four days; and for ten days, only eight days will be charged, regardless of season or type of vehicle.
During a media conference held in Hong Kong on Monday (October 5) to promote these initiatives, Casey Liu, Switzerland Tourism’s chief representative for Hong Kong and South China, said these promotions rolled out by the tourism board is unprecedented. She explained: “In the past, there was no ‘free lunch’ given the quality and standards of service and products the country is renowned for. Due to Covid-19, we have had to re-adjust to meet visitors’ changing needs in the post-Covid period.
“We observed that clients look for concrete travel information, especially pertaining to health and safety measures, family bonding times, small group tours, flexible travel planning, value-added discounts, and even special experiences like buying a cheese fondue takeaway during a day tour in the countryside.”
Christoph Meyer, general manager, Hong Kong, South China & Macau at Lufthansa Group Airlines, which includes SWISS, said: “Hong Kongers love to travel and explore the world, and are longing to do so again. FITs are definitely an important component of the long-term recovery of Hong Kong’s leisure travel business. SWISS and Lufthansa strongly believe that leisure traffic will be an increasing business segment in future… (and) we are ready to meet this growing demand.”
Since July 20, Switzerland’s borders have been reopened to visitors from 15 non-EU countries including China/Hong Kong.
AirAsia X plans major overhaul in fight for survival
The debt-ridden longhaul arm of AirAsia has proposed a restructuring plan geared at facilitating an injection of fresh equity in a last-ditch effort to save the Malaysian budget carrier from going belly up.
Leading the restructuring is newly-appointed deputy chairman, Lim Kian Onn, who is a chartered accountant and former investment banker.
AirAsia X said in a statement that it is facing severe liquidity constraints, amid the prolonged Covid-19 crisis, and that “an imminent default of contractual commitments will precipitate a potential liquidation of the airline”.
In order to raise fresh equity which is essential to restart the airline, it needs to undergo a major debt restructuring and a renegotiation of its financial obligations, it added.
If approved, the restructuring plan will secure the airline’s continued ability to fly again, said AirAsia X. The carrier’s current total liabilities of RM10.3 billion (US$2.5 billion) exceeds its total assets of RM9.36 billion.
The group has proposed that the debts amounting to RM63.5 billion to unsecured creditors be reconstituted into an acknowledgement of indebtedness for a principal amount of up to RM200 million. It is also seeking for the balance amount to be waived.
It said that the move is “aimed at enabling the group to address its debt obligations in an orderly manner and to arrive at a debt structure that is sustainable from future operating cash flows”.
As well, the revision of the group’s business plan entails route network rationalisation, aircraft fleet right-sizing, cost base overhaul and workforce optimisation in order to ensure a leaner and more sustainable business.
Citing continued support from business partners as critical to drive the success of the proposed restructuring plan, the carrier said that it hopes to enter into agreements “that are reflective and supportive of the airline’s revised business plan upon successful completion of the restructuring”.
Under the proposed scheme, AirAsia Unlimited Pass holders and guests with valid flight bookings will receive travel credits with extended validity for future travel or purchase of seat inventory.
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said: “We remain committed to our guests, Allstars, business partners and shareholders to ensure we build a viable and sustainable airline for the longhaul, and for the survival of this airline, the proposed restructuring plan is our only option.
“It has been extremely difficult for the airline during this period as we had to ground all scheduled flights, implement salary cuts and retrenchment for the first time in the company’s history as a consequence of the pandemic. Similar exercises are likely to continue during the restructuring process, but our focus is to ensure a successful restructuring to keep as many jobs as possible.
“We have a low cost base, we are in the right part of the market and many of our key markets are in green zones which are likely to reopen first. We have a robust recovery strategy in place, and with the continued support from our stakeholders, we will overcome all challenges and come out stronger.”
According to Ismail, the airline’s immediate focus is to obtain all necessary approvals and execute the proposed restructuring plan over the next few months.
Sabah imposes two-week interstate travel ban
Amid a continued surge in Covid-19 cases, Malaysia’s Sabah state has imposed a border control banning travel between the state and the peninsula, Sarawak and Labuan from October 12-25.
Exceptions will be granted for special cases such as emergencies, death in the family, and provision of essential services.
Senior minister (security cluster), Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said those who receive permission to travel must undergo Covid-19 screening conducted by the Health Ministry as soon as they arrive at their destination.
Those allowed entry into Sabah include Sabahans who are code “H” MyKad holders, spouses of Sabahans with valid immigration passes or with proof of marriage and birth certificate, those working in essential services and holding valid immigration passes, members of the federal civil service who are posted to the state, as well as non-Sabahan students with student cards or passes issued by the state immigration department.
Anyone entering Sabah must undergo Covid-19 screening upon their arrival.
Yesterday (October 6), Sabah recorded 219 Covid-19 cases out of the 691 new cases reported in the country – the highest single-day spike, which has prompted the federal government to consider limiting large congregations such as weddings and public gatherings to curb its spread.
Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabalu, as well as the districts of Penampang and Putatan, have been placed under a conditional movement control order from midnight today (October 7), in efforts to flatten the curve. This means no one will be allowed to enter or exit the three districts except for those in essential services, including factories.
Restaurants are not allowed to receive dine-in customers and business operating hours for restaurants, food stalls, petrol stations, convenience shops and pharmacies will be shortened from 06.00 to 18.00 during this period.
UNWTO, IATA form alliance to get airlines flying again
Ahead of the G20 summit of the world’s largest economies, which includes a dedicated tourism segment, the UNWTO has signed an MoU with the IATA to restore consumer confidence in air travel, while placing sustainability at the centre of recovery and future growth.
As well as focusing on building and maintaining confidence in international travel, the new agreement will also see UNWTO and IATA work closely together to foster innovation and promote greater public-private collaboration. As tourism restarts, this MoU will help ensure recovery is sustainable and inclusive.
IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said: “The safe opening of international borders to tourism is essential. Tourists want to feel safe, and they want to be confident that their travel plans won’t be affected by last-minute changes to rules and regulations. For this to happen, even greater collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed.”
IATA has been an affiliate member of UNWTO since 1978, providing a strong voice for the international air transport sector. IATA is also an active member of the board of the UNWTO’s affiliate members and contributed to the UNWTO Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, released in May to help guide governments and the private sector in their response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The guidelines included a distinct set of recommendations for the air transport sector, with a focus on the introduction of enhanced hygiene protocols to guarantee the safety of both passengers and airline workers. It also emphasised the need for strong partnership and coordination at every level of the airline sector.
THAI Smile teams up with Sabre to drive domestic tourism
THAI Smile has signed a new distribution agreement with Sabre Corporation that will amplify the airline’s presence in new and existing markets as it looks to lead Thailand’s ramped up domestic tourism drive.
Connecting to Sabre’s GDS platform will provide THAI Smile with access to Sabre’s rich global travel marketplace, which is comprised of more than 425,000 travel agents across the world, supporting the carrier as it plays a key role in Thailand’s domestic tourism recovery and future ramping up of regional operations.
THAI Smile’s CEO Charita Leelayudth said: “We remain focused on domestic and future regional growth opportunities as we navigate through this pandemic. As such, it was vital that we chose the right technology partner to enable us to fulfil an effective business continuity plan, empowering us to expand our geographical reach by ensuring content is distributed widely to our partners across the world.”
TAT appoints two new deputy governors
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has promoted two of its executives to the position of deputy governor, effective since October 1.
Kitsana Kaewthamrong has been named deputy governor for domestic market. In his new role, he oversees the domestic travel promotions, and is in charge of coordinating with relevant sectors and communities to boost domestic tourism in Thailand.
He was most recently the executive director of the Advertising and Public Relations Department, where he served for more than 20 years.
Elsewhere, Apichai Chatchalermkit has now become deputy governor for digitalisation, research and development. In his new position, he is tasked to oversee the Digital and Information Technology Department as well as Research and Development Department.
Prior to his new role, he served as executive director for the central region and has experience in domestic marketing, tourism products, as well as online campaigns.
Go on a beach holiday
A silver lining is on the horizon for those who have pined for an escape to the tropics, or perhaps, a change in office scenary. Through the collaboration with international designers and architects – including Thailand’s architectural legend Duangrit Bunnag – the revamped Royal Cliff Beach Hotel presents a weave of Thai heritage with modern hospitality touches in its design and offerings. We take you through what’s new:
Alternatively, those looking to indulge in greater exclusitivity will find themselves at home with Royal Wing Suites & Spa, which overlooks the mesmerising Gulf of Thailand. Winner of the 2020 Tripadvisor ‘Best of the Best’ Traveller Award, the flagship property with only 83 suites is graced by multiple luminaries and dignitaries in epitomising luxury.
Accomodation sizes range from 54m2 to 336m2, and it makes for an intimate vacation experience, be in a honeymoon or family holiday. Each suite features a living area with separated bedroom, in-room circular jacuzzi, private balcony, IPTV, Wi-Fi 6 ultra high-speed internet and complimentary daily restock of the mini bar. Slink into luxurious linens and be spoilt by pillow menu choices designed to complement a good night’s sleep.
Presidential Suite guests will relish the access to a 24/7 personal butler and beachfront Sala (Thai-styled pavilion) with open air jacuzzi and sunbeds; including a private area available for small parties.
In addition, sun loungers are also reserved for all Royal Wing Suites & Spa guests throughout their stay at the property, which comes with a private pool on-site. It is also the only resort in Pattaya that maintains two private beaches for the exclusive use of in-house guests.
Need a place to unwind in solitude or hold cozy gatherings? Look no further than the Majestic Lounge, which offers a selection of finger food and hot beverages in a semi-alfresco setting.
Families can bond over activities at The Verge, featuring games, pool and karaoke and Funtasea, an indoor edutainment kids club.
To top off the holiday, visit Cliff Spa, where an array of spa treatments drawing inspiration around the world will spoil even the discerning spa fanatics.
Royal Cliff Hotels Group is also accredited with the “Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA” certification issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Strict health and safety measures that are in line with World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention directives are implemented to prioritise guests’ and staff well-being, and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Two cruise lines have received approval from authorities to resume sailings from Singapore starting November, under a pilot scheme which will be open only to Singapore residents.
Genting Cruise Lines’ (GCL) World Dream will restart cruises from November 6, while Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) Quantum of the Seas will begin sailing in December, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a press release on Thursday (October 8).
The pilot cruises will be round-trips with no ports of call, sailing at a reduced capacity of up to 50 percent, and only open to Singapore residents.
Making her homeport debut from November 6, Dream Cruises’ World Dream cruise ship will offer a series of new two- and three-night Super Seacation experiences for Singapore residents during the school and year-end holidays.
Dream Cruises was the first cruise brand in the world to resume operations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with two key homeports in Asia, starting with the deployment in Taiwan in July, followed by Singapore this November.
Dream Cruises president Michael Goh said the inaugural homeport deployment of World Dream in Singapore “marks another important milestone in the recovery process post-Covid-19 for the local cruise tourism industry”.
He added: “We are delighted to be the first cruise ship to restart operations here in Singapore and to give a much needed boost to the local tourism industry. We are able to provide Singapore residents with more vacation options beyond land-based resorts and we hope to bring back the joy of cruising with safety being paramount.”
Ahead of the December 1 resumption of its sailings from Singapore, Royal Caribbean has opened bookings for three- and four-night Ocean Getaways onboard its Quantum of the Seas cruise ship.
Both cruise lines, which are homeported in Singapore, will implement enhanced safety protocols during the pilot cruises.
In line with the resumption of cruising, the STB is developing a mandatory CruiseSafe certification programme, which sets out stringent hygiene and safety measures throughout the passenger journey – from prior to boarding to after disembarkation. The certification programme is jointly developed by STB and DNV GL, a global classification body and recognised advisor in the maritime industry.
The government will monitor the outcomes of the pilot sailings carefully in the coming months before deciding on the next steps for cruises, said STB.
Prior to sailing, all cruise lines sailing out of Singapore must obtain the CruiseSafe certification, which requires independent assessment by a third-party certification firm.
GCL and RCI are in the process of attaining the certification. They were approved for the pilot as they have demonstrated the ability to put in place stringent protocols and precautionary measures as part of their CruiseSafe certification, according to a press release by STB.
The CruiseSafe standards include a mandatory Covid-19 test prior to boarding, strict and frequent cleaning and sanitisation protocols onboard, safe management measures aligned with prevailing national policy at the time of sailing, ensuring 100 per cent fresh air throughout the ship, reducing ship capacity to enable sufficient safe distancing, setting up onboard measures to discourage close contact and inter-mingling between groups; as well as emergency response plans for incidents relating to Covid-19.
Pilot cruises will have to comply with safe management measures, such as mask-wearing and 1m-safe distancing. To ensure compliance, regular inspections will be conducted on board during the pilots. Cruise lines that are found to be non-compliant will be subjected to penalties including fines, suspension of sailings and revocation of CruiseSafe certification.
The crew on pilot cruises are subjected to stringent measures beyond Singapore’s prevailing requirements for cross-border travel. For example, the crew who need to enter Singapore to serve on board the pilot cruises must first undergo 14 days of isolation in their home country and must test negative for Covid-19 before their departure to Singapore. They will be tested on arrival in Singapore, serve a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) in Singapore, and will undergo another test at the end of their SHN. Once sailings begin, all crew members will also be routinely tested.