Marriott brings wildlife into staycation programme
Marriott International and Wildlife Reserves Singapore have developed new wildlife staycation packages for the hotel company’s Vacay With A Staycay campaign targeting Singapore residents.
The immersive wildlife packages are designed to cater to animal lovers or guests looking for authentic and meaningful wildlife experiences where they can discover the thrill of the great outdoors and connect with nature.
Available across seven Marriott International properties in Singapore from now until January 31, 2021, the packages include Singapore Zoo Family Experience: Swinging with Orangutans; River Safari Family Experience: Panda Forest Escapades; and Private Buggy Tour at Singapore Zoo or Jurong Bird Park.
The Singapore Zoo Family Experience: Swinging with Orangutans package includes a meet-and-greet experience with orangutans and interaction with the expert animal care team to learn more about these precious apes, and a journey behind the scenes for up-close encounters with other animal residents.
The River Safari Family Experience: Panda Forest Escapades is a curated programme that takes visitors into the famed Giant Panda Forest and two other river habitats to meet Amazonian animal residents.
The Private Buggy Tour at Singapore Zoo or Jurong Bird Park package provides a free-and-easy tour with a personal guide on a private buggy.
Towards a greener hospitality experience
Brought to you by Pan Pacific Hotels Group
Taking sustainable hospitality up a notch, Parkroyal Collection is the latest brainchild of UOL Group Limited and hotel subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group Limited (PPHG).
The brand targets those with a sense of purpose and responsibility at heart, by demonstrating that sustainability and modern lifestyles can integrate through conscious design and efforts.
Singapore’s first hotel-in-a-garden
A landmark in the heart of Singapore’s vibrant Chinatown, Parkroyal Collection Pickering (previously Parkroyal on Pickering) pioneers a unique ‘hotel-in-a-garden’ design concept, setting more than 15,000m2 of lush greenery against a stunning aquamarine facade in reflecting a modern interpretation of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
The cantilevered skygardens lining the facade and vertical green walls are irrigated with a gravity-driven rainwater harvesting system, which switches to recycled water when there is insufficient rainwater.
Other eco-friendly operation practices include light and motion sensors in managing energy consumption; using resusable bottles for in-house filtered drinking water; ceasing single-use plastics across the hotel since 2019; and natural ventilation in two-thirds of the hotel, thereby relying lesser on air-conditioning.
Committed to provide a holistic experience for guests, the hotel has dedicated an entire floor to wellness – from an infinity pool to a 300m garden walk – to locally-sourced and organic plant-based dining options from its own herb garden, to green meetings and weddings.
Diners craving for a guilt-free indulgence can look forward to Lime Restaurant’s vegan a la carte menu featuring interesting takes on plant-based dishes, or feast on the sumptuous buffet spread of international and local delights. Don’t miss the opportunity to try out their creatively themed buffets – the ever-changing menus are only available for a selected period of time – blink and you’ll miss it!
The hotel’s green credentials have bagged many awards, including being named as one of the 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years by The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat; Asia’s Leading Green Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2020 for the sixth consecutive year; as well as picking up a nomination for World’s Leading Green Hotel, an award which the hotel has claimed for the last two consecutive years.
Sparking that joie de vivre
Following a complete makeover to the former Marina Mandarin, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay will join PPHG’s global portfolio of nearly 50 hotels, resorts, and serviced residences on December 1, 2020. The 583-room hotel will also bear the brand’s iconic design, eco-friendly practices, and focus on well-being.
While Parkroyal Collection Pickering highlights external landscaping, the greenery is brought inside Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, birthing the first garden-in-hotel concept in Singapore.
Prepare to be wowed by a 13m high vertical wall flanked by raised planters to create a panoramic view of a forest, if you haven’t already been taken in by the warm welcome at the entrance.
Retaining its cinematic 21-storey indoor atrium designed by the neo-futuristic American architect John Portman – one of the largest in South-east Asia – guests are set for an immersive treetop experience as they cross the sky bridge on level four to a lush garden with sculptural pavilions inspired by bird nests, setting the scene for a noctural rainforest ambience.
Stepping up with its sustainability commitment, a giant skylight made with UV-treated glass bathes the entire hotel in natural lighting; guestrooms will be fitted with water filters to discourage the use of disposable plastic water bottles; premium bath amenities that are paraben-and-cruelty-free will be offered; as well as deriving guest amenities (e.g. toothbrushes and eating utensils) from environmental-friendly materials such as corn-starch.
And what is a transformation without ramping up its gastronomic offerings? From Cantonese to Halal concepts, open kitchens to greenhouse-inspired private dining areas, refreshing takes on signature dishes and sustainably sourced ingredients will certainly capture diners’ imagination.
The brand new halal concept restaurant, Peppermint, welcomes all-day diners with an all-you-can-eat concept. Curated farm-to-table cuisine featuring distinct flavours from around the world will be served from its theatrical open kitchens to your table, or greenhouse-inspired private dining areas. Menus include plant-based options and the use of sustainably-and-local ingredients, noting the uptick on conscious eating.
Nestled in a garden oasis on level four, the Atrium Lounge replicates a rainforest canopy setting offering a nature-inspired afternoon tea, transforming into a whisky bar by night, serving over 90 variations to tantalise the tastebuds.
Let award-winning chef Edward Chong invoke your senses as he pairs traditional Cantonese cuisine with modern culinary techniques; heightening the experiential journey at the rejuvenated Peach Blossoms amid natural lighting, light woods, and a touch of oriental.
For a worthy backdrop in the next social media post, jump right into the 25m outdoor mineral water swimming pool fitted with fibre optic lights at the base, which gives one an illusion of swimming amongst a galaxy of twinkling stars.
To depart from the humdrum of everyday life and elevate your sense of well-being, visit Parkroyal Collection Hotels & Resorts.
ASITA’s internal rift deepens as new chairman appointed
Following the lawsuit by the Jakarta and Bali chapters of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) against their national board for making a new registration certificate for the association on the sly, the ASITA Saviour Assembly recently held an extraordinary national congress to form a national board for the ASITA 1971 version (ASITA 71).
With around 300 participants from 23 regional chapters, the extraordinary national congress has elected Artha Hanif, the president director of Thayiba Tora Tours & Travel, as the national chairman of ASITA 71.
Following the move, Indonesia’s biggest travel association now faces a split in leadership: the ASITA 71 and ASITA (2016 version) led by Nunung Rusmiati, dragging the association into a deeper internal rift.
During the inauguration, Artha said that his new position is “an extraordinary test for him amid the internal brawl”.
Three pressing issues that he will undertake from now through 2024 are restoring the organisation’s internal management, synergising members’ potentials and products across the country, and introducing ASITA 71 Central Board and its new programmes to the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy as well as domestic and foreign business partners.
He said that ASITA 71 had closed the door of reconciliation to members from ASITA, and would not lure Nunung’s followers to join the newly-formed association.
“There will be no reconciliation ever. If there was a reconciliation, it was supposed to take place before the extraordinary national congress. ASITA 71 and ASITA have different rules and internal bylaws… We will walk separately and compete fairly,” he told TTG Asia.
Budijanto Ardijansyah, vice chairman of ASITA, said he does not expect any reconciliation between the two parties, and that the association would follow the ongoing legal process for the registration certificate case.
However, the fact that the court had yet to make a final and binding ruling over the registration certificate case made him question the legality of ASITA 71 and its congress.
Calling the extraordinary national congress a “joke”, Budijanto said the board has instructed its “thousands” of members not to join the “illegal” gathering. “As we later could see, the participation was low,” he added.
Commenting on this, Artha said due to the urgency, existing members had decided to organise the event immediately to avoid a leadership vacuum.
In response, leaders of ASITA have reported two ASITA 71 members, including Ben Sukma, head of manner supervisory board, to the police, alleging trademark infringement for forging ASITA’s letterhead in the invites they sent out to members for the extraordinary national congress.
Ben, responding to the allegations, said he had the right to use the name ASITA as the head of the association’s Advisory Board, making him of higher ranking than chairman Nunung.
New hotels: Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour; The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, and more
Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour, Australia
Standing an elegant 13-storeys tall, Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour is located on the corner of Bathurst and Sussex Street and features 152 guestrooms, each divided into four distinct zones – a desk space, a sofa area, king-size beds, and bathrooms. Hotel facilities include a rooftop heated infinity pool, a 24-hour fitness centre, and three F&B venues. With a philosophy of building hotels for the future, the new look Crowne Plaza leans on design aspects that move guests seamlessly between work and downtime, including the Plaza Workspace, a new take on the traditional hotel lobby offering a space where guests and locals alike can work, meet and socialise.
The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, Japan
Centrally located near the metro stations of Kamiyacho, Roppongi-Itchome and Toranomon, the hotel is housed within the upper levels of Tokyo World Gate, a new 180m, 38-storey mixed-use skyscraper. All 206 rooms, including 22 suites and several rooms with private terraces, offer unobstructed views of Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Bay. Adding to the urban resort atmosphere is a spa, a 24-hour gym, as well as a lap swimming pool and Jacuzzi. The hotel also has four meeting studios, divided by sliding partition walls which can be combined to create a large ballroom accommodating up to 250 guests.
On-site restaurants are spearheaded by Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens, in what marks his first foray into Japan. The Blue Room offers all-day dining, while The Jade Room serves up a bespoke Japanese menu – both boast private dining rooms. Outside on The Jade Room + Garden Terrace, is a Sky Garden floating over 140m above street level. The outdoor restaurant serves a small menu of sharing dishes, while the bar offers a selection of specially curated cocktails. Gold Bar at Edition transitions from a lounge during the day – with an afternoon traditional Japanese tea ceremony and an all-day food menu – to a cocktail bar in the evenings. Together with the Lobby Bar, both bars serve custom cocktails, as well as a variety of sake.
The Prince Kyoto Takaragaike, Autograph Collection, Japan
Marriott’s Autograph Collection Hotels has planted its third flag in Japan, with the opening of The Prince Kyoto Takaragaike, Autograph Collection in northern Kyoto. Situated in the heart of Kyoto’s Rakuhoku district, the hotel is adjacent to Takaragaike Park, which offers walking trails with scenic views of spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Togo Murano, The Prince Kyoto Takaragaike’s 310 guestrooms come with thoughtful amenities including free Wi-Fi and views of Takaragaike Park and its surroundings.
Dining options are designed to create an immersive experience in local as well as international culinary traditions. For instance, guests of Ito-Zakura French restaurant are invited to visit the century-old Morita Farm in nearby Kamigano to handpick their own vegetables, which they will later enjoy in a French-inspired meal. To explore Kyoto’s dining scene, guests can request a curated list of must-visit places, such as the traditional riverside dining (kawadoko) at the nearby Kibune or Takao restaurants. Special arrangements can also be made for a dinner in a tatami room with a maiko at the hotel.
Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre, Malaysia
Nestled in the heart of the city centre, Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre is the first under the brand in Johor and the third in Malaysia. The 335-room hotel is part of Komtar JBCC mixed-use development comprising retail and commercial office spaces and has direct connection to the Persada Johor International Convention Centre via Persada Link Bridge covered skywalk. Amenities include a sky pool, steam rooms, a 24-hour fitness centre, and four multifunctional meeting rooms. For a social dining experience, the hotel is home to Dine @ Eight, offering all-day-dining with an open kitchen theatre concept serving local cuisines, as well as some of Johor Bahru’s best continental flavours.
Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu welcomes new GM
Raj Jadhav has been appointed general manager of the clifftop resort Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu, the first Radisson Blu property in Indonesia.
Taking the reins in these unprecedented times, his focus is on the wellbeing of the team, while ensuring the resort’s readiness to welcome its guests with new safety protocols.
Jadhav started his hospitality career in India as a young executive, before moving to Dubai to take on the role of a health and safety manager.
He first joined Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) in 2001 at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Galway (now The Galmont Hotel & Spa) in Ireland, where he rose through the ranks to become the overall supervisor for the hotel’s operational departments. He then achieved his general manager title at Park Inn by Radisson in Nevsky, Russia.
In 2014, Jadhav moved to Kenya to lead the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa in Mombasa, before returning to RHG as general manager of Radisson Lampung Kedaton, where he was also responsible for the opening of the hotel.
JW Marriott Singapore, The St. Regis Singapore make trio of sales and marketing appointments
JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and The St. Regis Singapore have announced the clustering of the sales and marketing departments for both properties.
Audrey Seow is now cluster director of sales & marketing, where she oversees and directs all aspects of sales and marketing activities of JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and The St. Regis Singapore.
A hospitality veteran with 18 years of experience, she has a solid track record in hotel sales for various international hotel management companies including Hyatt, Ritz Carlton and Westin.
Seow reports directly to Stephane Fabregoul, managing director of JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and The St. Regis Singapore, as well as Radu Cernia, general manager of The St. Regis Singapore.
Meanwhile, Marisa Ng has transitioned into her new role as cluster director of sales, where she is responsible for managing and leading the sales team across corporate sales, MICE and leisure functions. She reports directly to Seow.
With over 14 years of industry experience, Ng’s previous roles include stints with Accor, Banyan Tree and Conrad.
Lastly, Nicole Ann Chew has assumed the position of cluster director of marketing communications of JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and The St. Regis Singapore, where she is has been tasked with driving the brand presence for both properties.
In her new role, Chew also oversees the full spectrum of the marketing function, including communications, partnerships and brand management for both properties.
She brings extensive experience in the luxury hospitality industry having spent over eight years in progressive marketing roles.
Qantas, Sabre strengthen partnership to offer agents richer content
Qantas has expanded its agreement with Sabre Corporation to offer agents access to richer information about the airline’s fares, products and services.
Sabre’s graphical Sabre Red 360 interface will now showcase Qantas products with rich, relevant and engaging content through the airline’s connection with ATPCO.
Under the agreement, Sabre will integrate Qantas’ UPAs (Universal Product Attributes), or targeted visual content, that bring unique airline fares, products and services to life. This content has recently expanded into Reassurance UPAs which highlight messaging and graphics about the additional health measures airlines like Qantas are taking to ensure a safe travel environment.
Sabre Red 360 will also showcase Qantas Amenities, such as seat pitch and power outlets, and UTAs (Universal Ticket Attributes) which are consumer-friendly benefits such as baggage allowance and seat selection.
The connection to Qantas’ ATPCO Routehappy Rich Content expands on Sabre’s existing partnership with Qantas through its Branded Fares solution to deliver greater value to the industry.
Sabre vice president, regional general manager, Asia Pacific, travel solutions, airline sales, Rakesh Narayanan, said Qantas’ move to enable Routehappy Rich Content through Sabre Red 360 will provide agency partners with “an even richer shopping experience” when booking and servicing the airline’s customers.
“Qantas is one of the world’s most innovative airlines and this latest initiative demonstrates their commitment to the agency distribution channel and the use of Sabre technology to support booking growth and industry recovery,” he added.
Qantas executive manager, global sales and distribution, Igor Kwiatkowski, said the addition of Qantas’ Routehappy Rich Content will enable the airline to provide agents with even more information about its fares and services, including health and safety measures through its Fly Well programme.
Travelport inks six technology partnerships in APAC
Travelport has secured six long-term agreements with travel agencies in Asia-Pacific, including three new wins and three renewals across Greater China, South Korea and Japan.
Of the three new wins, two are in Greater China with EverExpress Travel Service and Kent Holidays Company, and one in South Korea with Lotte Tour.
The company has also renewed its partnerships with Richmond International Travel & Tours and Hong Kong Borabora Trading in Greater China, as well as IACE Travel in Japan.
As part of the multi-year agreements, Travelport will provide the agencies with real-time access to a broad range of content from around 400 airlines, more than 300 global hotel brands, and over 37,000 car rental locations worldwide.
In addition, the companies will benefit from Travelport’s search, automation, shopping and booking technologies, while accessing valuable data, business logic and profiling functionality via a single platform.
Lotte Tour will also be using Travelport’s Branded Fares Data File; while EverExpress Travel Service will be using Travelport’s Branded Fares and Ancillary Services.
These merchandising solutions will allow both agencies to differentiate content from the over 275 airlines globally signed up to Travelport Rich Content and Branding, displaying and selling branded fare families and ancillary products with rich visuals and text.
Richmond International Travel & Tours will also continue to participate in initiatives driven by Travelport involving the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard. NDC is a travel industry-supported programme launched by IATA that will enable the travel industry to transform the way air products are retailed to corporations, leisure and business travellers.
Effecting change in travel purpose
There have been many predictions made at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic about how travel and tourism would return when borders reopen. The most popular vision is that travellers, having had the chance to reflect on life during the lockdown, would approach travel and tourism with greater responsibility, choosing to spend their money with sustainable hospitality suppliers and to give back positively to destinations they visit.
This virtuous rebound expectation has yet to be fulfilled. Travellers in general who have resumed their holidays, albeit locally, are mostly going for convenient resort locations or the best deal in town. On the other extreme end, ultra-lux holiday-makers are favouring ‘safecations’ – worry-free sojourns offered through exclusive resort buyouts to ensure the ultimate in safe distancing.
Perhaps it is still early days in travel and tourism recovery – some Asian governments are still swinging back and forth on movement restrictions as new waves of infections emerge, making it a challenge to plan a decent trip. Perhaps when conditions are more conducive for a stable recovery may we then see a true appetite and intention of travel taking shape.
I maintain a degree of doubt that mankind will emerge from this pandemic with a revolutionary awakening that travel is a privilege and travellers must give back positively to destinations and natives they interact with. Instead, I expect this change to start small – with the luxury travel segment. After all, the wealthy have been ahead of other traveller segments in discovering the joy of transformational and meaningful travel. They have long graduated from the need to grab the most shots at destination landmarks, or to brag about having been there and done that.
An effective agent of change, I believe, is the travel supplier community. A consistent move towards sustainable and responsible travel needs to start with programming, by ensuring that featured activities and contractors support host destinations, communities and local conservation efforts in some form.
There is no need for a quantum leap in travel and tourism habits; small changes today can still be beneficial tomorrow.
Karen Yue is group editor of TTG Asia Media. She sets the editorial direction for the company’s stable of travel trade titles and platforms, and produces content for them as well.
Dusit International has signed a hotel management agreement with Yasuda Real Estate Co, community-focused property developer based in Tokyo, to bring the first Dusit-branded hotel to Japan come September 2023.
Dusit Thani Kyoto, located 850 metres from Kyoto Station in the Honganji Monzen-machi district, will feature approximately 150 guestrooms set over four floors, a Thai-themed all-day dining restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, a lobby lounge and bar, function rooms, a health club and wellness facilities.
While international tourism is currently paused in line with travel restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Dusit’s management expects the city to quickly regain its status as a major tourism hub when people are free to visit Japan once again.
Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International, said: “Continuing our strategy for sustainable expansion, the signing of Dusit Thani Kyoto serves as a major milestone for our company. It also highlights our confidence in the strength and resilience of Japan’s travel market and its ability to bounce back strong after all the current challenges.
“Kyoto is a wonderful destination, rich in history, heritage, and culture, and we look forward to embracing this in our operations while doing our utmost to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders.”
Masahiro Nakagawa, president, Yasuda Real Estate Co. expects Dusit Thani Kyoto “to deliver a truly distinctive stay experience in the heart of the city’ with its “locally inspired design and unique blend of Thai and Japanese hospitality traditions”.
Dusit International currently has a presence in Japan through Elite Havens, which manages a collection of ski chalets in Niseko.