Spain Tourism Board names new head of SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand

October 21, 2020

Spain Tourism Board has appointed Monica Sanchez to head its office in Singapore as the new director in charge of South-east Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Taking the reins in this time of pandemic, Sanchez shares that her focus at the moment is to maintain Spain’s positioning as one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide, in addition to highlighting the measures taken by the Spanish tourism sector to adapt to the new normal.

She also aims to support and work closely with operators, agents and airlines within the market – all of whom play a key role in the gradual recovery of the tourism industry from the Covid-19 crisis.

With more than 25 years of experience in tourism, branding, market research and public management, Sanchez has held various leadership and cabinet level positions within the tourism board of Spain – both in America as well as in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism’s headquarters in Madrid.

She has also served as chief of staff for successive directors general of the Spanish government’s official tourism organisation, Turespaña, as well as for the secretary general for tourism.

Singapore Airlines resumes New York service

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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Singapore Airlines will return to New York, the US, on November 9 with thrice-weekly non-stop flights between Singapore Changi Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The service will be supported by the growing number of transfer passengers who can now transit via Singapore Changi Airport.

The non-stop flights between Singapore and New York will support passengers transiting at Singapore Changi Airport

An Airbus A350-900 long-range aircraft will be utilised, configured with 42 Business Class, 24 Premium Economy Class and 187 Economy Class seats.

Singapore Airlines said it would continue to review its operations to the US, and assess demand for air travel amid the ongoing pandemic, before deciding whether to reinstate services to other points in the country.

Destination Capital, KTB Securities launch equity trust for hotel investment

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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Destination Capital and Thailand’s KTB Securities (KTBST SEC) have launched DESCAP 1 Private Equity Trust, which will aim to raise 2.5 billion baht (US$79.9 million) and offer an alternative asset class for investor portfolios.

The trust will acquire freehold four-star hotels of 150 to 250 rooms in prime destinations of Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket, which are viewed as destinations expected to rebound the quickest after Covid-19.

DESCAP 1 Private Equity Trust aims to acquire freehold four-star hotels of 150 to 250 rooms across Thailand

The investment strategy is to acquire urban and resort hotels, and then renovate, reposition, and rebrand them to increase their value in order to generate meaningful returns to investors.

Utilising the experience of Destination Group with its 24-year track record in Thailand of buying, managing, and selling hotels, particularly during times of distress, DESCAP1 targets a 15 per cent per annum returns with a five- to seven-year holding period.

James A Kaplan, CEO of Destination Capital, said in a statement: “We are pleased to play such an important role to support the rejuvenation of the Thai travel and tourism industry with the announcement of DESCAP 1 Private Equity Trust. This trust will invest in strategic hospitality assets to facilitate re-employment and hotel re-openings to re-launch Thailand as a preferred global travel destination. This could not have been done without the support of our Trustee (MFC Asset Management) and Trust Manager (KTBST SEC).”

RIU steps up CSR investments

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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RIU Hotels’ Sustainability Report has identified 1.2 million euros (US$1.4 million) in social and environmental investments in 2019, up 41.2 per cent on 2018.

The projects abided by a social innovation model, focusing on child protection, and the well-being of the local community. The hotel group has also taken a pathway towards a more environmentally responsible hospitality model.

RIU Hotels’ social and environmental investments include supporting children’s education and well-being

Some of the outcomes of RIU’s work include the establishment of two playrooms in Quintana Roos, Mexico where children can acquire cognitive skills; reforestation of 450 trees and plants with Plant-for-the-Planet on the Canary Islands; and significant reduction in single-use plastics, consumption per guest per night and CO2 emissions across its properties.

CEO Carmen Riu noted that the company “has left behind charity to achieve a mature identity that is bound up with corporate social responsibility”.

The company expressed that “this experience has been vital in tackling the new social situation caused by Covid-19 in relation to CSR, because many projects running this year have been affected by the crisis, and the actions they involve have had to adapt to a new social reality”.

Some of the changes that had to be made this year included conversion of RIU’s face-to-face therapy for minors at risk of social exclusion and their families in Madrid to virtual retreats.

As a result of pandemic disruptions, RIU Hotels expects social and environmental investments to be lower this year compared with previous years. For 2020, it intends to focus on actions aimed at relieving the impact of Covid-19 on the destinations where its hotels are located.

Thailand welcomes first batch of foreign tourists

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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A group of 41 tourists from Shanghai will be the first foreign visitors to set foot in Thailand this evening since travel and border restrictions were imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bearing a special tourist visa issued by the Thai government to individuals from countries deemed to be of low Covid-19 risks, these tourists will arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport at about 17.00 today, according to Yutthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Two groups of Chinese tourists will explore Thailand this month

Their visa will grant them entry to Thailand for up to 90 days.

Thai PBS World also reported that a second group of 100 visitors are due to arrive from China’s Guangdong province on Oct 26.

This evening’s arrival has been delayed for a month due to concerns by public health officials over a potential second wave of Covid-19 infections.

The Chinese tourists will undergo a Covid-19 screening upon arrival and remain in quarantine for 14 days, before they are allowed to proceed on their travel itinerary. They will be tracked by a tracing app on their smartphones.

While in quarantine, they will be given their first swab test on the third to fifth day after arrival, while the second test will be conducted on the 11th to 14th day.

Rally Investco to manage Bedsonline in Indonesia

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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Bedsonline has signed Rally Investco up as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Indonesia, allowing the latter to establish a rewards programme for travel agents as well as a dedicated help desk for the locals.

The strategic partnership will see Indonesian travel agencies continuing to book their accommodation, activities, transfers and car-hire via bedsonline.com, while taking advantage of Galileo Club, a collaboration between Rally Investco and Galileo Indonesia, to earn points from their bookings – including flight bookings on the Galileo GDS.

Bedsonline and Rally Investco enter strategic partnership to support Indonesian marketplace

Rally Investco will also set up a help desk in the country, operated in Bahasa Indonesia. This will include local phone lines which will help reduce costs for Bedsonline’s customers.

Hui-Wan Chua, regional sales director, APAC, Bedsonline, said the Indonesian market “is a top priority for us”.

“To excel in the ever-changing travel landscape, our Indonesian customers deserve a partner that is much more than just a booking engine. Therefore, we have chosen Rally Investco – who are collaborating with Galileo Indonesia – to operate our local Bedsonline business going forward, given their extensive local market knowledge, presence and relationships,” Chua added.

Raymond Setokusumo, president director, Galileo Indonesia, said: “We believe this partnership will bring a new extended variety of services and programs for all Bedsonline’s clients in Indonesia.”

Phuket establishes Green Day to inspire island clean-up

By TTG Asia

October 20, 2020

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Phuket Hotels Association’s Environmental & Sustainability Working Group is encouraging locals and tourists to value the beauty of Phuket’s well-loved beaches and surrounding seas through Phuket Green Day, a clean-up event on October 21, 2020.

Phuket Green Day will see thousands of volunteers across the island unite to fight ocean and land pollution

The Phuket Green Day initiative, which is backed by Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST) and endorsed by the local government, Tourism Authority of Thailand, US Embassy Bangkok, Australia Consulate in Phuket and member hotels, will see thousands of volunteers across the island unite to fight ocean and land pollution.

Supporting organisers have sponsored equipment and supplies for volunteers.

Boon Yongsakul, chairman of Boat Pattana Co., said the clean-up focuses on three main areas: Phuket’s branding, local education and environmental protection.

“By cleaning up our beaches and land, we are promoting Phuket as a global beach destination brand. We are also educating local communities, tourists and island businesses on the need to take care of the island’s natural assets, and we are preserving the environmental health of the ocean,” added Boon.

Phuket Green Day will officially open at Karon Beach, and there will be various cleaning zone meeting points.

TTG Conversation: Five questions with Eric Ricaurte, Greenview

By Pamela Chow

October 19, 2020

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As businesses restart their planning for tourism in the new normal, the recovery process presents a prime opportunity to embed sustainability and responsible practices into the supply chain for good. It is also a crucial moment as consumers will have an increasingly heightened awareness of socio-environmental issues and solutions in the year to come.

In this new episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions, we speak to Eric Ricaurte, founder & CEO of Greenview, a boutique consulting firm that advises organisations and companies in the tourism and hospitality sector. Here, Ricaurte shares his thoughts on how businesses can truly integrate sustainability standards in the new normal.

Hopes persist even as Maldives tourism sees slow rebound

By Feizal Samath

October 19, 2020

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The Maldives, one of the few countries in Asia open to international tourists amid the ongoing pandemic, is likely to end 2020 with over 500,000 arrivals, marking a far cry from the record 1.7 million arrivals to the island resort in 2019, not to mention the targeted two million this year.

The island nation was the first in the region to lift border restrictions amid Covid-19, welcoming global tourists back on July 15, at first with no entry restrictions until a series of outbreaks across several resort islands had it tightening entry requirements in September. While at least 100 resorts have been in operation, the reopening of guesthouses were delayed until October 15.

Some 26,000 foreign visitors have set foot in the Maldives since its reopening on July 15

According to government statistics, over 400,000 tourists arrived in the Maldives from the beginning of the year until the pandemic forced its border closure on March 27. Since its reopening on July 15 through October 14, the island nation has welcomed about 26,000 foreign visitors, with Russian tourists making up the majority with 4,817 arrivals.

Despite the slow uptick, industry officials retain an optimistic outlook going forward. “The pick-up is slow, but encouraging,” said Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) managing director Thoyyib Mohamed.

Tourism minister Abdulla Mausoom said during a tourism discussion on October 10 that over 100,000 tourist arrivals are expected to be recorded in the remaining months of the year.

In the meantime, the Maldives has launched a thee-tiered loyalty programme, Maldives Border Miles, touted as the first-of-its-kind in the world.

Slated to kick off on December 1, tourists who enroll in this programme will earn points based on the number of visits and duration of stay. Additional points will be awarded for visits to celebrate special occasions. There are three categories in this programme: Aida (bronze tier), Antara (silver tier) and Abaarana (gold tier). Each tier will be defined by a set of rewards, services and benefits, which will increase in value as members progress.

Initiated by Maldives Immigration, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the MMPRC, the scheme will allow eligible guests to enjoy free stays or upgrades in hotels and resorts. A discussion is also underway to bring airlines on board the programme.

Malaysian agency’s outbound tour packages sold out amid Covid

By S Puvaneswary

October 19, 2020

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At a time when most international borders remain sealed, and Malaysians are banned from travelling abroad, outbound tour specialist Apple Vacations recently sold out its group tour packages to 25 destinations, under its seven-day travel recovery campaign run in early October.

Destinations that were on offer span the globe, including Cambodia, China, South Korea, Australia, Japan, UAE, and Europe, among others.

Apple Vacations recently conducted a successful campaign offering outbound tour packages to 25 destinations including Slovenia; Lake Bled in Slovenia pictured

Its group managing director, Koh Yock Heng, shared that the competitive pricing of these full board group tour packages, with discounts up to 50 per cent alongside flexible departure dates in April and May 2021, was the reason why they were snapped up quickly.

For example, a nine-day/six-night package to Western Europe covering Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France, all in costs RM5,399, instead of RM10,799. Elsewhere, a 10-day, seven-night holiday to the Balkans is priced at RM6,999 all in, as opposed to RM13,999.

Koh said the campaign is a collaboration between the agency, airlines, land operators and NTOs, who lent their support through joint marketing efforts.

“The airlines and ground operators also supported (the campaign) by giving big discounts on their end. If not for these partnerships, we would not have been able to come up with (competitively-priced packages for) this campaign,” he added.

Departure dates have been made flexible in the event that travel is not possible due to border restrictions. Koh shared: “The travel dates will then be postponed to new fixed departures. If clients are unable to go on these new dates, they can transfer their seats to someone else. And if that is not possible, we will give them a full refund.”

And should destinations reopen their borders to leisure tourists ahead of the set departure date, and Malaysia has lifted its ban on non-essential outbound travel, the tour will depart earlier. Koh said: “The idea is for us to be one of the first few visitors to visit a destination when it reopens.”

Spain Tourism Board names new head of SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Singapore Airlines resumes New York service

Destination Capital, KTB Securities launch equity trust for hotel investment

RIU steps up CSR investments

Thailand welcomes first batch of foreign tourists

Rally Investco to manage Bedsonline in Indonesia

Phuket establishes Green Day to inspire island clean-up

TTG Conversation: Five questions with Eric Ricaurte, Greenview

Hopes persist even as Maldives tourism sees slow rebound

Malaysian agency’s outbound tour packages sold out amid Covid

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