Hyatt has signed a deal to double the number of hotels it manages in Cambodia, with a new hotel in the capital city of Phnom Penh.
Slated to open in 1Q2021, the Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will complement the Park Hyatt Siem Reap, which is expected to start welcoming guests again on November 5, after a forced closure due to Covid-19.
Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh is slated for a 1Q2021 opening
With 247 guestrooms including 43 suites, the Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will be located in the heart of Doun Penh, Phnom Penh’s cultural and business district, within walking distance to the Royal Palace, National Museum and the riverside.
Conceived by Singapore-based SCDA Architects, Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh will feature five dining venues, including The Attic, a speakeasy-style bar; and an open-plan dining concept called FiveFive Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, where guests can enjoy refreshing cocktails and DJ performances.
In addition, the hotel will feature 1,400m2 of meeting space as well as a slew of recreational facilities including a 24-hour fitness centre, tropical infinity pool, spa and the Regency Club Lounge.
Hotels, attractions and tour agencies in Malaysia have been hit by a wave of cancellations, as the country’s major cities enter a partial lockdown once again following a recent spike in coronavirus cases.
The conditional movement control order (CMCO), which kicked off on October 14 in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Selangor, will be in place over the next two weeks until October 27. The CMCO in Sabah, which started a day earlier on October 13, will end on October 26.
Cancellations hit Malaysia’s already struggling tourism businesses as major cities enter partial lockdown again
The move has had a spillover effect on domestic tourism in neighbouring states, according to tourism players whom TTG Asia spoke to. With the majority of bookings made up of travellers residing in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area, sector players have been deluged with a wave of cancellations, while new bookings have dried up.
Terengganu-based Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours CEO, Alex Lee, said that he has received more than 60 per cent cancellations following the CMCO announcement, mainly from the Klang Valley, which is affected by the CMCO.
The company also received booking cancellations from other states that were not under the CMCO, due to the current uncertainty of travel coupled with safety fears amid rising virus cases in recent weeks, he shared.
He added: “It would take months for domestic tourism to recover after the CMCO is lifted. The momentum will be slow initially and it is now vital for the government to continue supporting the tourism industry with fresh financial aid.”
Lee, who also runs the 22-villa Terrapuri Heritage Village in Terengganu, shared that current occupancy at Terrapuri stood less than 20 per cent, and the resort staff have been doing their best to persuade guests to postpone rather than cancel their holidays.
He predicted future losses in the coming months will be huge as the resort will still have to bear operating costs. Adding to its woes were unlicensed accommodation providers that were competing for domestic business by undercutting rates.
Likewise, Langkawi-based Megawater Sports & Holidays have also been hit with cancellations for jet ski tours, accommodation and ground tours in Langkawi, with the majority from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, shared its director of sales and marketing, Sharmini Violet.
She said: “We tried to persuade guests to postpone their bookings, but they wanted to cancel. No one knows when the government will allow inter-state travel to resume from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
“Our marketing efforts are now focused on Kuching as AirAsia will resume its Kuching-Langkawi service from November 13. We are also looking at building our customer base from Johor and Penang.”
While the pandemic has slowed business at Megawater Sports & Holidays, Sharmini said the staff are using the downtime to upskill themselves with courses offered by the Human Resource Development Fund.
Also staring at a bleak outlook is Mutiara Taman Negara Resort in Pahang, who lost 90 per cent of its customer base, as they were from Kuala Lumpur, said its director of sales and marketing Kingston Khoo.
While the remaining 10 per cent of guests were from Penang, Johor and from within the state of Pahang, the current uncertainty made it very difficult to convince guests to postpone their bookings, Khoo added.
With recovery remaining deeply unpredictable, he said the resort’s priority now is to find ways and means to further reduce operational costs.
Under the CMCO, all tourism activities to and from the affected areas are banned. Those travelling by air through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, klia2 and Subang Airport are required to get police approval beforehand.
Nightclubs, pubs, recreational places, theme parks, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, cinemas and daycare centres are not allowed to operate during this period.
Physical seminars and conferences, workshops, courses, trainings and exhibitions are prohibited. Official and unofficial government and private events, gatherings, weddings, engagement ceremonies, birthday celebrations and similar social activities are also now allowed.
Meanwhile, dine-in at eateries are limited to two people per table; while food delivery, takeaway and drive-through are encouraged. Taxis, e-hailing and food delivery services are allowed to operate from 06.00 to midnight; with only two individuals allowed at a time in a taxi or e-hailing vehicle.
A new destination video along with a series of public relations activities are part of a new tourism recovery initiative led by Skål Samui to win over domestic and international tourists.
Debuting under the banners #RediscoverSamui and ‘prepare to fall in love’, the new promotional video contains never-before-seen footage of the best experiences the island has to offer, from white sandy beaches to ethical nature experiences.
A new Samui promotional video will showcase unique aspects of the destination
The campaign targets mainstream media, bloggers and influencers who will be invited to experience the destination for themselves.
Some of the key messages conveyed by the campaign includes Samui’s clean and safe attractions and environment, improved state of wildlife during the tourism freeze, unrivalled choice of hotels and private villas, huge variety of restaurants and entertainment, and excellent access.
Lutz Mueller, president of Skål Samui, said: “Samui is lucky to have a fantastic collection of world-class hotels, resorts and spas, and now is the time to make sure Thailand’s travellers take advantage of what’s right on their doorstep.”
The campaign, which is being driven by members of Skål Samui, a chapter of the global hospitality and travel organisation SKAL International, underscores the organisation’s overall mission, Connecting Global Tourism.
The new video is available to all Skål Samui members and partners for their own promotional use and can be customised on demand at an extra charge.
Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas and Zulal Wellness Resort are the latest additions to Qatar’s tourism landscape, as the country continues its tourism development strategy to expand its leisure offerings ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The high-profile sporting event, which will take place from November 21 to December 18, 2022, is unique in that Qatar is the first west Asian nation and also the smallest country to ever play host.
Extensive hotel and resort development is key to Qatar’s ongoing tourism development strategy
The two new openings will each bring something different to the broad range of amenities and experiences already available to domestic and international tourists.
Akbar Al Baker, secretary general of Qatar National Tourism Council and CEO of Qatar Airways, said in a press statement: “Throughout this year and in the run up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we are expanding our tourism offering to ensure guests can enjoy the very best in Qatari hospitality. Extensive hotel and resort development is key to our strategy, and we are pleased to have two outstanding developments underway, including our partnership with Hilton Hotels and Resorts with the Salwa Beach project.”
Located 84km from capital city Doha, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas is set across 3.5km of private beaches and features beach villas, each with private pools and gardens. Thirty villas are now available for bookings, with a further 246 deluxe hotel rooms and suites due to open in early 2021.
Hotel guests can enjoy a selection of F&B outlets, an elaborate Eforea Spa which takes in eight luxurious treatment rooms and a fully equipped VIP room with a Rasul mud chamber, and various activities at the Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park.
Meanwhile, Zulal Wellness Resort is set to be the first well-being resort in the region and the largest in Qatar. Partially opening in late 2020 before its complete opening in early 2021, the resort will offer treatments and facilities for sun-seeking families or couples looking to escape to the Arabian dunes.
The populous regions of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor and Sabah will be placed under conditional movement control order (CMCO) again until October 27, said Malaysian senior minister for security, Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Monday.
With the exception of Sabah state, which will enter lockdown at midnight today, the other three regions will begin CMCO at midnight on October 14.
Conditional movement control order has been reimposed on Kuala Lumpur (pictured), Putrajaya, Selangor and Sabah
The move was deemed necessary to “prevent further spreading of the infection”, said the minister.
Malaysia recorded 691 new Covid-19 infections on October 6, in what was said to be a new high for the country, according to The Straits Times. On October 12, there were 16,220 cumulative cases, with 5,039 active cases.
The country is currently in recovery MCO, which allows the reopening of most businesses and resumption of social activities. This stage follows the conclusion of the country’s CMCO on June 10.
The Selangor state government has called the decision “shocking” and has asked the National Security Council to reconsider its decision.
The latest movement restrictions will impact some 7.6 million residents in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor, and 3.5 million in Sabah.
Ismail Sabri said that with the latest CMCO, social activities and cross-district travels will be prohibited, although economic activities will be allowed. As well, only two individuals are allowed to leave a house at a time.
After years of working relentlessly to emphasise its critical contribution to the national and global economy, the business events industry has finally been presented with the perfect opportunity to drive home its point through the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting disruption of business activities.
At least 260 billion euros worth of contracts were not generated this year as a result of cancelled and postponed exhibitions, according to an UFI study
The Future of Business Events is the second article by TTG Asia Media’s editorial team for the PATA Crisis Resource Center. Drawing observations and insights from leading industry organisations such as UFI, International Congress and Convention Association, and Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia, TTGmice reporters look at what governments and industry stakeholders are doing to sustain the industry as recovery begins slowly but surely, in an online/offline form for the time being.
Although business events are largely disabled today, industry leaders say that the legacy of pre-pandemic gatherings is still working its magic to spin off continued knowledge acquisition, trade possibilities, and wider community support.
Hotel management contract specialist, Absolute Hotel Services (AHS), has signed on Asian hospitality and tourism marketing development company, The Delivering Group (DG), to expand its hotel and resort management business in Asia-Pacific, Greater China and North America.
Jonathan Wigley, AHS founder & CEO, said DG would bring its strong market insights and connections to the global partnership and enable both companies to benefit from the “strong growth in the mid to upper mid-scale hotel and resorts range through a combination of new builds, especially in mixed-use developments, and residential projects looking to move to managed accommodation”.
From left: AHS’s Jonathan Wigley and DG’s Mark Simmons and Michael Yates
AHS currently has more than 100 hotels in its portfolio, including leading brands, Eastin Grand Hotels and Resorts and U Hotels and Resorts. Headquartered in Bangkok, with regional offices in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India and Europe, AHS has achieved robust growth in markets with strong domestic tourism, reducing its exposure to short-term international market shocks such as Covid-19.
Co-founder Mark Simmons said in a press release that the alliance with AHS “bring sanother important offering to our portfolio of services to owners and operators, and immediate synergies between our respective strategies and business plans”.
The Delivering Group was founded by travel and hospitality industry leadersMark Simmons, Michael Yates and Joe Cauchi to partner withhotels/resorts, airlines, destinations, cruise operators, TMCs and other travel and tourism players in Asia Pacific to develop post-pandemic recovery strategies and re-energise their business.
The AHS and DG alliance is the third for the latter this year, which had in August announced a partnership with HiJiffy, a specialist in AI-powered hotel chatbots, and in September linked up with hotel marketing consultancy Cube, which focuses on hotel revenue management and distribution.
Fellow co-founder Michael Yates said DG would continue to look for opportunities with like-minded partners to enable precise customisation of recovery plans and business development strategies using the company’s proprietary platform Good to Go.
The Covid-19 pandemic has fast-tracked border control evolution, moving the world closer to a safe and contactless security and health clearance.
In this new episode of TTG Conversations: Five questions video series, Jeremy Springall, vice-president border management, SITA, explains how a safe, controlled and practical border control looks and why it takes time for airports of the world to deploy biometric technology. He also talks about Beijing Capital International Airport’s recent biometric deployment, and why it matters to the world’s current fight against Covid-19.
The Jakarta and Bali chapters of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) have filed a lawsuit against their national board, including its chairperson Nunung Rusmiati, for making a new registration certificate for the association on the sly.
Hasiyanna Ashadi, chairman of ASITA Jakarta chapter told TTG Asia that the move was illegal, not only because it was carried out without the involvement of all association members, but also because the board had changed the association’s rules and internal bylaws through the new certificate issued by the Law and Human Rights Ministry in 2016.
ASITA Jakarta and Bali chapters are taking their national board to court for what they claim to be an unlawful new registration certificate for the association
A statement issued by Sahlan M Saleh SH and Co law firm on behalf of the chapters on October 2 made available to TTG Asia stated that the “validity of the certificate of registration No. 30 Year 2016 and No. 170 Year 1970” will be contested.
The attorney called on people not to use ASITA’s name pending the court’s ruling and asked the central and regional governments not to involve ASITA central and chapters in any activities while in dispute.
The internal tussle within Indonesia’s major association for travel agents has been escalating following the ASITA Savior Assembly (MPA)’s vote of no confidence to ASITA Central Board Chairman Nunung Rusmiati in early July.
The central board of ASITA has retaliated by revoking the memberships of a number of its members who were part of or pro the MPA action. It ousted Jakarta chapter chairman Hasiyanna Ashadi and Bali’s I Ketut Ardana, and has appointed ad-interim boards in replacement.
Both Hasiyanna and Ardana have rejected the central board’s decision, saying that it violates the charter and bylaw of ASITA (1975 version) and declared that the chapters will split from the national ASITA until a general assembly is held.
The two “ousted” chapters will now replace MPA in taking legal action against the central board, said Hasiyanna.
ASITA chairperson Nunung Rusmiati is open to a non-judicial settlement
In a web conference with the media on October 8, Nunung said ASITA is running as per normal despite the lawsuit. She added that the incident did not bother her, as she was still supported by the association’s members from across 28 Indonesian provinces.
“(The protest come from) a sprinkle of people who have yet to move on from (the election of ASITA chairman during the extraordinary national congress in 2019) after (Hasiyanna) failed to win,” Nunung said.
Nunung’s lawyer, Erwin B Haris, explained that the 2016 certificate did not replace the 1975 certificate, instead they complemented each other. The former enhanced the latter because the organisation now has stronger legal certainty after it was registered at the Law and Human Rights Ministry in 2016.
“We gave them (plaintiffs) explanation but they did not want to listen and their responses were instead naïve and tendentious,” he remarked.
Haris shared that his client welcomes a non-judicial mechanism to settle the case but remains ready to file a countersuit against the plaintiffs.
“We expected an out-of-court settlement for this issue. Unfortunately, that did not happen as they launched massive attacks on us. So, we will take legal action to defend. We hope that (the plaintiffs) will forbear from making provocations (to us) and spreading misleading statements (about the case to the public) while waiting for the court ruling. Let the court decide,” said Budijanto Ardijansyah, vice chairman of ASITA.
About Partners-Luxury Brands Collection (APLBC) has entered into a strategic partnership with Oakwood which will see the former playing the role of global sales solutions partner to support the latter’s national and property-based sales teams.
Starting immediately, APLBC will expand Oakwood’s brand’s presence in the US, Asia and Europe.
Oakwood’s global sales efforts will be supported by APLBC; Oakwood Apartments Sanya pictured
“This strategic partnership agreement marks an important milestone in Oakwood’s journey, as our focus on hospitality management has allowed us to broaden our reach into new markets and create new business opportunities,” said Michelle Low, Oakwood’s head of global sales, revenue & distribution.
Commenting on the new partnership, APLBC’s founder and CEO, Linda Bekoe, said: “As a young and ambitious hospitality commercial solutions company, we are delighted to have been selected by a major industry player like Oakwood. We see this partnership as a tremendous opportunity for us to demonstrate our capabilities as we leverage APLBC’s extensive global network of partners and key industry contacts to assist Oakwood with its global expansion objectives.”
