Delivering Group rolls out strategic recovery suite for hospitality organisations

July 15, 2020

Delivering Group, which provides strategic consulting services to the hospitality and tourism industries around the world, has launched a suite of customised services that will help organisations in Asia-Pacific plan and manage their recovery from the ongoing impacts of the pandemic.

Aptly named Good to Go, the initiative offers a wide range of services, including planning, marketing, Artificial Intelligence and chatbot solutions, sales, and resourcing.

From left: Mark Simmons and Michael Yates

Delivering Group’s co-founder Mark Simmons said Good to Go was developed in response to sector requests for assistance with recovery plans.

“We can help identify emerging market opportunities and segments. Then, when the timing is right, develop and execute specific actionable, deliverable plans to leverage those opportunities. This will include a mix of integrated online and offline campaigns, traditional and social media engagement and resourcing, and senior account sales management in the leisure and corporate sectors with the clients. Plans are customised to suit the needs of clients with tiered levels of investment,” Simmons detailed.

He noted that business opportunities are starting to emerge in Asia-Pacific, where there has been “a gradual reopening of domestic travel in Asia-Pacific markets such as China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and New Zealand, as well as limited intra-regional travel which will increase”.

As the same time, Europe had opened its borders to 14 countries, including several in Asia-Pacific, and that governments in the region were engaging in bilateral discussions about safely resuming two-way travel.

“Singapore has established a green lane with China and is looking to do the same with others in the region. South Korea and China initiated a fast-track plan for business travel between designated cities and Australia and New Zealand are considering options for a Trans-Tasman bubble,” Simmons said.

Although the pandemic is likely to continue in the short to medium term, Simmons believes that it is important for destinations, airlines, hotels, cruise operators, attractions and other industry players to have recovery strategies in place so they can pivot quickly as opportunities emerge across the region.

“They need to be ready to act, as and when it is safe to do so. We have the knowledge and connections to help,” he stated.

Fellow co-founder Michael Yates, a central player in the successful Project Phoenix campaign with PATA which revitalised travel to the region following the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003, said China would be a crucial part of any recovery strategy for organisations in Asia-Pacific, in addition to other key source markets in the region.

“We are fortunate to have a very strong team based in Beijing, which is already working on recovery plans for travel clients, such as Celebrity Cruises, and has the expertise and connections to design and execute campaigns that deliver results,” Yates said.

Delivering Group is represented in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Beijing and New York, with other founders being Ming Yue who leads in China and Joe Cauchi in North America.

Consortium launched to push coordination for cross-border travel in APAC

By TTG Asia

July 15, 2020

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A host of online travel companies, including Agoda, Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia Group, have come together to form the Asia Travel Technology Industry Association (ATTIA), which aims to encourage closer cooperation between governments and the industry to create consistent cross-border travel protocols for Asia-Pacific’s tourism recovery.

ATTIA chair, Ang Choo Pin, said in a statement: “Movement of people is important to kick-start tourism and regional economies. The Asia region is prepared to lead the way globally in rejuvenating the travel economy post-Covid-19 pandemic.

“Currently, there is uncertainty and inconsistency around pre-travel and arrival protocols, as well as health and hygiene expectations across borders. This makes it hard for the industry to plan forward and ramp up quickly. A framework that articulates agreed criteria for cross border travel-flow in the region could help simplify a complex challenge for governments, industry and travellers.”

Prior to Covid-19, Asia-Pacific was the fastest growing region for travel, according to 2019 data. Travel and tourism is a key pillar of Asia’s economic recovery. Travel and tourism generated US$2,971 billion towards Asia-Pacific’s collective GDP, representing 10 per cent of the region’s economy, and growing by more than five per cent year-on-year.

As such, ATTIA believed that governments should work multilaterally and in close collaboration with each other and industry players to agree on a framework to facilitate tourism recovery in the region.

This could include a set of internationally recommended health and hygiene guidelines for the accommodation sector to set expectations for governments, bring clarity to industry and allow for implementation at scale, in order to build consumer trust and confidence in travel.

ATTIA also called for agreed and transparent criteria between governments and the industry when considering or planning for open borders and intra-regional ‘travel bubbles’, including a set of simple steps offering clear information, and which endorse rigorous pre-travel Covid-19 testing, and over time, agree on traveller vaccination evidence requirements.

While applauding early steps towards ‘travel bubble’ and ‘green/clean route’ creation by some nations and states, ATTIA championed further collaboration and transparency of health and hygiene requirements to enable governments and industry to plan forward with greater confidence.

In addition, ATTIA also urged a re-visit to visa facilitation and visa-waiver progress lost during the Covid-19 pandemic, noting prior to the crisis, the combination of visa facilitation and improved online connectivity helped spur travel demand in the region.

ATTIA also encouraged governments to leverage the ability of its members to coordinate conversations and as a resource for accessing consumer insights in the region and from global learnings, to inform and guide forward planning, and ultimately champion agreements to industry and a world of travellers.

Ang concluded: “If we work together, we can present a unified post-pandemic position on rigorous travel criteria for Asian nations on the global stage, unlock access to much-needed revenue and employment in the region, and ensure Asia’s digital tourism economy continues to grow and thrive for the benefit and well-being of its citizens.”

PATA’s revamped Crisis Resource Center goes live

By TTG Asia

July 15, 2020

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PATA, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, has launched the expanded PATA Crisis Resource Center (CRC) to aid in the recovery of Asia-Pacific’s travel and tourism industry.

PATA chief of staff Trevor Weltman said: “The tools, expertise and resources kits now available on the CRC will assist all tourism actors in the Asia-Pacific region to better understand where they currently are in their recovery journey from Covid-19, and ultimately help them prepare the important next steps they will need to advance their recovery efforts.”
The CRC is a digital resource that was launched by PATA earlier this year in response to its members’ urgent need for crisis leadership and trusted information during the initial stages of the Covid-19 outbreak.

PATA said in a statement that the long-term vision of the CRC “is to lead, coordinate and sustain a comprehensive world-class digital resource for crisis response, management, and recovery for the Asia-Pacific travel industry”.

The CRC provides action-oriented interactive multimedia content that is focused on crisis preparedness, management, and recovery for destinations and other tourism enterprises across the Asia-Pacific. While the site was designed for DMCs in mind, the content is directly applicable to businesses of all types and sizes across the tourism supply chain.

Among the resource’s features is the PATA Recovery Planner, a guidance tool that allows tourism organisations to create a personalised Covid-19 recovery plan. Using information fed by users about their destination’s current Covid-19 situation, the tool will create a destination specific recovery plan and highlight the available resources that can assist the organisation and its stakeholders at this time.

Flight Centre, Livn partner to automate tour and activity bookings

By Adelaine Ng

July 15, 2020

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Flight Centre Travel Group has teamed up with Sydney-based technology firm Livn to introduce a world-first booking process for the tours and activities sector.

The move to connect Flight Centre to its supplier base using a single application programming interface (API) will bring the sector in line with the real-time booking capabilities that have been available in the aviation and hotel industry for many years.

Flight Centre partners technology platform Livn to streamline the booking process for tours and activities

Breaking the news first to TTG Asia, Livn CEO Mark Rizzuto said the development is expected to significantly change operations for one of the world’s largest travel agency groups and its partners to provide automated efficiencies and increase sales.

“Up till now, the industry has struggled to gain access to live inventory,” said Rizzuto. “Travel agents still have had to make phone calls or go on their suppliers’ websites to make the booking.”

“(With the API), Flight Centre is able to book the Sydney Bridge Climb within a few hours of departure. This functionality is not always apparent on other platforms like Viator, where the product can disappear in the last 48 hours before consumption,” he added, pointing out that 53 per cent of day activities were booked 72 hours before usage by the consumer.

Automation to give Flight Centre “a massive shot in the arm” against rivals: Rizutto

Rizzuto envisions a ripple effect that would see cheaper experiences increase their bookings.

He elaborated: “Generally speaking, in the past, when consultants were approached with a budget, they would have probably gone for a high-ticket item like a cruise down the Nile for US$2,500 rather than a camel ride around the pyramids costing US$150 because the lower ticket item was too hard to book. But now, I’m going to argue the consultants will be able to offer and book these experiences as easy as the high-ticket items.”

“Also, we believe that while tourism recovery will be led by aviation with some brilliant fares, the tours and activities sector will be next, as cruises and extended (group) touring will experience a slower return. This automation will give Flight Centre a massive shot in the arm against its competitors and Flight Centre can expect a significant increase in volume of sales.”

He further stressed that unlike its competitors, Livn is an open connectivity hub that does not interfere with the existing commercial equation between agencies and their suppliers, making it an industry solution.

Flight Centre will complete transferring its tours and activities inventory online by 1Q2021, making the API operational in the group’s operations with more than 2,000 leisure, corporate and wholesale businesses in 11 countries including several in Asia.

Correction: This interview has been edited for clarity. In the original post, we wrote that Flight Centre is able to book the Sydney Bridge Climb at an hour’s notice. This is incorrect, and Flight Centre can instead make the booking within a few hours of departure. We also incorrectly stated that this can’t be done via other platforms like Viator; it can, but this functionality isn’t always apparent on other platforms.

Melvyn Yap starts sales and marketing representation agency

By TTG Asia

July 15, 2020

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Silversea-Melvin-Yap — Sources say Yap resigned last year

Melvyn Yap is now the director of Thread Asia, a new boutique sales and marketing representation agency for DMCs, bespoke hotels and resorts, and destinations in the region.

He is a co-founder of the company, along with industry veterans Connie Lai and Emileen Yeo. Lai holds the role of director while Yeo is advisor.

Yap boasts more than two decades of experience in the luxury end of the tourism industry, and is regarded as one of the pioneers in building up the cruise industry in Asia. He spearheaded Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and Costa Cruises’ entry into Asia.

Malaysia tour operators strive to capture domestic market

By S Puvaneswary

July 14, 2020

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With borders still shut to international travellers, tourism players in Malaysia have had to shift their focus to the domestic market – and that switch has come with its own set of challenges.

Travel agents whom TTG Asia interviewed said that demand from the domestic market has picked up slightly earlier this month as compared to June, but still remains low.

Tourists wearing face masks while visiting the Batu Caves in Malaysia amid the pandemic

Suka Travel and Tours general manager, Adam Kamal, explained that demand in June was slow as the priority of travellers then was to travel back to their hometowns to visit family, relatives and friends, with the lifting of interstate travel on June 10.

And with local students returning to schools from July 15, he expected demand for travel in the coming weeks to remain low and to pick up only during the short mid-semester school holidays in August.

Adam shared that Suka Travel & Tours, originally an outbound travel agency, has expanded into the domestic travel segment to stay afloat. He quipped: “We have tapped into our existing client base of travellers who used to go on outbound tours, but are now opting for domestic tours, with the closure of the border.

“Our target are high-end family travellers, who are cash-rich but time-poor, and depend on us to sell them all-inclusive travel packages. We sell destinations that are not reachable by land from the Klang Valley, such as Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Semporna, and Kuching.”

Sunflower Holidays managing director, Mint Leong, who is big in the China and South-east Asia inbound markets, said that FIT domestic travellers tend to bypass agents and make their own travel arrangements directly with product owners, as compared to inbound travellers.

As such, Leong said that to capture the domestic business, “we sell off-the-beaten-track destinations or places that are not well promoted locally, and which are also not easily accessible, such as Sirip Biru Mangrove Trail in Sepang and homestay products in Selangor which appeals to young people living in big cities”.

He added: “We are also giving suggestions to the local council in Sepang on what needs to be done to make the mangrove trail (more accessible) to foreign inbound markets such as developing… basic infrastructure.”

Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners secretary, Anthony Wong, shared that in general, hotels in destinations that used to depend on international tourists such as Langkawi, Penang and Kota Kinabalu were not faring as well as hotels in Kuantan, Melaka and Cameron Highlands, which were easily reachable by road from the Klang Valley, as domestic travellers tend to choose to drive to get to their holiday destinations.

He said: “Due to low occupancies, many hotels have brought down their rates to make it more affordable to the domestic market. Some five-star hotel brands that used to sell for RM800 (US$187) to RM1,500 are now selling for very low rates of RM300 to RM500.”

Wong urged the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to strategise ways of boosting domestic travel nationwide, especially on weekdays where occupancies are lower.

He elaborated: “What the government can do is to introduce a tax incentive to corporate companies in Malaysia for employees to stay in locally registered accommodations.

“Corporate companies can also do their part to boost domestic tourism by giving greater flexibility to their staff to take leave to go on holidays away from the peak travel periods, such as school holidays and long weekend breaks.”

Sri Lanka suspends international airport’s reopening

By Feizal Samath

July 14, 2020

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Colombo-airport — Big light hall in Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport with passengers in hurry. Modern style interior with shining metal constructions and lot of light.

The reopening of Sri Lanka’s Colombo International Airport has been delayed indefinitely, after repatriation flights were suspended due to a spike in Covid-19 infections last week.

This marks the second postponement of the reopening of the country’s main international airport, after authorities announced last month that its initial August 1 reopening would be pushed to mid-August to focus on the repatriation of the tens of thousands of Sri Lankans stranded abroad.

Reopening of Colombo International Airport runs into second delay, as the country battles Covid-19

Over 300 Covid-19 cases were detected last Friday at a drug rehabilitation centre in Sri Lanka’s North Central province, prompting authorities to close schools for a week starting Monday (July 13) – just a week after selected classes were allowed to resume – while contact tracing is being conducted since some centre officials had gone home and may have infected others.

Repatriation flights operated by SriLankan Airlines will be suspended from Tuesday (July 14) as quarantine centres are running out of space after the surge in Covid-19 cases, many of whom are Sri Lankan returnees serving a mandatory 14-day quarantine at government-designated facilities.

Tourism and aviation minister Prasanna Ranatunga told reporters: “We cannot give an exact date for the reopening of the airport. The top priority of the government is to contain the spread of Covid-19 and to repatriate Sri Lankans still stranded in various parts of the world.” The repatriation process will resume once the spike in new clusters is controlled, he added.

The government has said that the airport, closed to commercial traffic, will reopen only after all or most of the Sri Lankans stranded abroad have been brought back.

To date, nearly 15,000 stranded Lankans from 65 counties have returned, out of 50,000 citizens awaiting flights home, according to government figures. Sri Lanka has reported 2,617 Covid-19 cases as of July 13, with 1,981 recoveries and 11 deaths.

Expedia offers free training for travel workers

By TTG Asia

July 14, 2020

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Expedia Group has launched a free education programme designed to help displaced or furloughed travel workers expand their skill sets, develop professional networks and find career opportunities as the industry starts the road to recovery from Covid-19.

Dubbed Expedia Group Academy, the e-learning platform offers monthly-themed learning modules, including webinars, online trainings, activity guides and downloadable resources. The sessions are led by industry and subject matter experts as well as Expedia Group executives.

July’s course will focus on professional development, starting with three tracks to develop interpersonal skills, including elevating personal brand, managing online reputation and interview preparation.

For August, participants will get an overall industry overview. Industry experts will join Expedia Group Academy to share insights into the various sectors of the travel industry, ranging from lodging to air and cruise, providing participants with an understanding of each sector.

Come September, participants will learn how to enhance their business expertise and develop skills in high-demand areas such as data and analytics, financial planning, sales training and marketing. All material will be presented with a travel industry lens.

The final module in October focuses on transformational and purpose-led leadership with trainings on effective coaching, inclusive leadership and managing stakeholders.

“Expedia Group Academy is part of our holistic approach to help the entire travel industry, including our displaced workers, stay productive and on a path towards growth and success during this disruption,” said Melissa Maher, chief inclusion officer, Expedia Group.

“Expedia Group Academy will help upskill industry employees as they look to return to full-time employment in a way that strengthens not only their career opportunities but will also make them a valuable addition to any company.”

The core goal of the academy is to provide participants with knowledge, networks and resources to support their return to the travel industry workforce, said Expedia in a statement. Upon completion of each monthly module, participants will unlock exclusive opportunities that better equip them for their next employment opportunity.

Travel industry employees can sign up for Expedia Group Academy here.

IHG scales up presence in Greater China

By Yvonne Chang

July 14, 2020

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Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is pushing ahead with plans to launch new brands and properties in Greater China, in preparation for the rebound.

While acknowledging that it would take time for the industry to recover from Covid-19, Jolyon Bulley, CEO-Greater China, IHG, said he was optimistic about the long-term development of tourism in the Greater China region and growth of China’s economy. As such, the region will remain IHG’s top markets for global expansion.

IHG plans to grow its footprint in China, with several planned properties including multiple under its Even Hotels brand; Even Hotels Nanjing Yangtze River pictured

With the crisis driving home the importance of health and well-being among consumers, IHG is moving ahead with plans to launch more hotels in China under its wellness and lifestyle-centric brand, Even Hotels.

Designed to appeal to wellness-minded guests who want to maintain balance while on the road, Even Hotels emphasises nutritious meals, exercising at one’s leisure, and adequate sleep. All these aspects come together to allow travellers to be in optimum condition during their travels.

Currently, the group has one hotel under the brand operating in China – Even Hotels Nanjing Yangtze River – with Even Hotels Chongli set to open come 4Q2020. The second Even Hotels in the country will sit within one of the competition zones for the 2022 Winter Olympics at Zhangjiakou.

Besides Even Hotels Chongli, 11 other Even Hotels are currently under construction in tourist spots such as Clear Water Bay, Hainan. Moving forward, IHG plans to expand its Even Hotels brand into first- and second-tier cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Changsha and Xi’an.

In terms of luxury openings by the group, this year marked the debut of the Crowne Plaza Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. Opened in May, the hotel is the first to feature Crowne Plaza’s new “Work-Life” concept in Greater China.

The concept emphasises the use of innovative design to ensure guests can stay connected while transiting smoothly between work and leisure.

The month of May also marked the launch of Regent Shanghai Pudong, the first Regent hotel worldwide after the group acquired the Regent Hotels and Resorts brand in mid-2018 and relaunched the brand in October 2018.

Located within the Lujiazui Financial District, the Regent Shanghai Pudong features the city skyline as its backdrop. The group intends to launch more Regent hotels in Hong Kong and Chengdu over the next few years.

Other properties the group are set to launch this year in Greater China include Intercontinental Chongqing Raffles City, Holiday Inn Express Urumqi Station, HUALUXE Xi’an Tanghua, Holiday Inn Hangzhou Chaoshan, Holiday Inn Resort Maoshan Hot-Spring, Holiday Inn Dalian Hot Spring, and Holiday Inn Express Hangzhou Westlake East.

Bulley attributed the group’s ability to expand swiftly to its operational model of partnering owners through management contracts and franchising. The model offers owners cost-effectiveness, the chance to tap on its established distribution network and strategy, as well as high rates of return.

Another way that IHG demonstrated its commitment towards supporting hotel owners was through the launch of the voco brand about two years ago. Under the brand, the group assists owners of independent hotels or hotels under local brands in reinventing their properties. The group intends to bring the brand to China – specifically to Wuhan – come 2021.

With the crisis, more owners of independent hotels are considering whether to tap on the expertise and network of reputable international chains who offer reinventing services and can transform their individual properties efficiently and quickly, shared Bulley.

This could mean more owners are likely to take on voco’s proposition of hotel reinvention in order to tap on IHG’s expertise in operations, revenue management and technology, as well as reap the benefits of the group’s distribution network and loyalty programme, IHG Rewards Club.

According to Bulley, the crisis also means that hotels between the mid-scale and upper mid-scale range are set to benefit from both the shift towards domestic travel as well as government initiatives to spur economic growth through consumption and enlarging the middle class.

It is therefore pertinent that tourism suppliers work towards meeting travel demands of Chinese travellers with higher disposable income. Luxury hotels in China can also leverage this opportunity to offer personalised experiences, noted Bulley.

– Translated by Angela Teo; this article was first published in TTG BTmice China

Success of China Eastern’s unlimited flight passes prompts copycats

By TTG Asia

July 14, 2020

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China Eastern Airlines’ launch of a discount package which allows ticket holders to enjoy unlimited weekend air travel has taken off, with more than 150,000 people flying under the package over the past two weekends.

Billed as the first-of-its-kind in China, the Fly at Will package allows passengers to take unlimited flights on any weekend in 2020. It was released on June 18, and priced at 3,322 yuan (US$474.85).

Fly at Will ticket holders landing in Chongqing

The promotion saw the average passenger load factor on China Eastern flights from Shanghai to more than ten destinations rise by nearly 20 per cent, with some flights even surpassing 90 per cent. To meet growing demand, the company said that it has dispatched wide-body aircrafts like B777 and A350 to the hot flights.

The success of the Fly at Will package has led other airlines in China to roll out copycat products. China Express launched a similar air ticket package on June 21, while Hainan Airlines announced on July 1 that its 12 airline companies will jointly launch an air ticket package with limited destinations.

China Eastern hopes that its Fly at Will package can help boost businesses in tourism and hospitality, so that relevant industries can tide over these tough times, said an executive of the airline’s service department.

Delivering Group rolls out strategic recovery suite for hospitality organisations

Consortium launched to push coordination for cross-border travel in APAC

PATA’s revamped Crisis Resource Center goes live

Flight Centre, Livn partner to automate tour and activity bookings

Melvyn Yap starts sales and marketing representation agency

Malaysia tour operators strive to capture domestic market

Sri Lanka suspends international airport’s reopening

Expedia offers free training for travel workers

IHG scales up presence in Greater China

Success of China Eastern’s unlimited flight passes prompts copycats

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