Luxury resort brand Aman has signed a long-term partnership with Nai Lert Park Development, a subsidiary of Nai Lert Group, to manage Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, which will comprise of branded residences as well as a luxury hotel slated for completion in 2023.
Aman Nai Lert Residences Bangkok is slated to break ground in 4Q2020, and will hold its formal sales launch on September 10. A preview gallery of the residences has also been newly completed in time for the launch.
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok will feature residences and a hotel, with an infinity pool among its many facilities
Nestled in the century-old tropical gardens of Nai Lert Park, Aman Nai Lert Bangkok will offer 42 residences and a 52-suite hotel.
Set to occupy floors 11 to 28 within a 36-storey edifice in Nai Lert Park, Aman Nai Lert Residences Bangkok will offer one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and penthouses with a private entrance, most also featuring private terraces.
Exclusive residents-only facilities include a dining room and lounge, a garden lounge with a library and business centre, an infinity swimming pool, a fitness centre and yoga/pilates studio, a kids’ club and a children’s swimming pool, as well as a private garden within Nai Lert Park.
Additional offerings at the pet-friendly property are the Nai Lert Butlers, in-residence spa and salon, sommelier, chef and dining services, and “away from home” maintenance.
Meanwhile, floors 9 to 19 will house 52 Aman Nai Lert Bangkok hotel suites along with Arva, Aman’s Italian all-day dining concept; Nama, a Japanese restaurant; the Aman Cigar Club; and a 1,500m2 Holistic Wellness Centre, which will include a medical clinic, a wellness lounge, and a spa house.
Qatar Airways has rolled out its Super Wi-Fi service across 100 aircraft, making it the airline with the largest number of aircraft in Asia to be equipped with high-speed broadband.
Airbus A350-900 aircraft A7-ALC became the 100th member of the Qatar Airways fleet to be fitted with the service using the GX Aviation technology from global mobile satellite communications provider, Inmarsat.
Qatar Airways has launched its 100th aircraft equipped with high-speed broadband
Set to be installed across the airline’s fleet, the feature which was launched in 2018 enables passengers to browse the internet, check social media, stream videos, and more.
Qatar Airways passengers on flights fitted with GX Aviation can receive up to one-hour free access to the Super Wi-Fi service, with the option to purchase full-flight access if needed.
Meliá Hotels International has named Christian Lueke as the cluster director of sales and marketing (DOSM) for its first two properties in Thailand.
In his new role, Lueke will oversee sales and marketing at Meliá Koh Samui, which opened in January this year; as well as Meliá Chiang Mai, slated to open early next year in the kingdom’s mountainous north.
A hospitality veteran with three decades of industry experience across Europe, Asia and Africa, the German has worked in Thailand for 14 years, most recently as Minor Hotels & Resorts’ regional director of sales for Southeast Asia.
Before that, he was the Bangkok-based cluster DOSM for Hyatt Hotels, overseeing Park Hyatt Siem Reap, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and Hyatt Regency Phuket.
His previous roles also include stints as the DOSM for Destination Properties; the cluster DOSM at Courtyard By Marriott responsible for resorts in Surin, Patong, Kamala and Hua Hin; as well as the group DOSM for the Onyx Hospitality Group, formerly Amari Hotels and Resorts.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group will cut around 4,300 positions across its three airlines – SIA, SilkAir and Scoot – as coronavirus continues to batter the global aviation industry.
However, the potential number of job cuts may be reduced to about 2,400 in Singapore and across overseas stations, due to a number of measures that the airline has taken since March, including a recruitment freeze, natural attrition, and a voluntary release scheme for cabin crew.
Singapore Airlines to slash 4,300 jobs as the pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on global aviation
“This decision was taken in light of the long road to recovery for the global airline industry due to the debilitating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the urgent need for the group’s airlines to adapt to an uncertain future,” it said.
The group reiterated that it expects to operate at less than 50 per cent of its capacity at the end of the financial year as compared to pre-Covid levels. Industry groups have also forecast that passenger traffic will not return to previous levels until around 2024, it added.
“Relative to most major airlines in the world, the SIA Group is in an even more vulnerable position as it does not have a domestic market that will be the first to see a recovery,” it said. “In order to remain viable in this uncertain landscape, the group’s airlines will operate a smaller fleet for a reduced network compared to their pre-Covid operations in the coming years.”
SIA said that it is working with Singapore-based unions to finalise the arrangements for those affected, and will try to minimise their stress and anxiety.
In a memo to staff, SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said that no one could have predicted the pandemic’s devastating impact on the global aviation industry at its onset early this year.
“Having to let go of our valuable and dedicated people is the hardest and most agonising decision that I have had to make in my 30 years with SIA,” he wrote.
“For our impacted colleagues, please know that this is not a reflection of your individual strengths and capabilities. It is the result of an unprecedented travel paralysis brought about by a global pandemic.
“Please also be assured that we will conduct the process in a fair and respectful manner, and do our best to ensure that you receive all the necessary support during this very trying time.”
One&Only Desaru Coast Rainforest Grand Pool Suite Bedroom Plunge Pool
One&Only Desaru Coast, Malaysia
Located in Johor, this is the first One&Only resort in Asia. Accommodation is spread across 42 Junior Suites, two two-bedroom Grand Suites, and a four-bedroom Villa One. For larger groups who prefer to maintain privacy, One&Only also offers the 1,500m2 Villa One, secluded from the main resort. The two-storey, four-bedroom villa boasts a private spa treatment room, a home office, and a central courtyard garden with ocean-facing lawns surrounding a 27m swimming pool. Facilities on the 52ha property include the Ember Beach Club, four F&B choices, two infinity pools, KidsOnly club, gym, pilates studio, yoga pavilion, and Chenot Spa.
Sheraton Belitung Resort, Indonesia
Sheraton Belitung Resort is the first five-star property to open on Belitung Island, part of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, located off the eastern coast of Sumatra. Located within a wildlife reserve, the 164-key property offers 695m2 of event space, ideal for intimate business events. Recreational facilities include a 24-hour fitness centre, kids’ club, outdoor infinity pool, and Shine Spa. There are also three F&B venues on-site – the all-day dining Island Restaurant, a Seafood Market Restaurant, and the Blue Lagoon lounge and bar.
Moxy Osaka Shin Umeda, Japan
The third Moxy-branded property in Japan has risen in Osaka’s Umeda district, a five-minute walk from Fukushima Station. There are 288 guestrooms within, each equipped with the latest technology such as a 55-inch flatscreen TV, USB ports, motion-activated guidelight, and fast and free Wi-Fi. The signature Bar Moxy doubles as the hotel’s check-in counter, where guests are greeted upon arrival with a complimentary Got Moxy cocktail. Other watering holes include outdoor area The Terrace and The Lounge, alongside a Grab and Go section. There is also a Library, as well as a 24-hour fitness centre complete with a pink punching bag.
JW Marriott Hotel Yinchuan and Courtyard by Marriott Yinchuan, China
Marriott has opened a dual-branded 513-key hotel in the cultural centre of Yinchuan adjacent to the Yinchuan International Convention and Exhibition Center. JW Marriott Hotel Yinchuan offers 247 guestrooms and 32 suites featuring floor-to-ceiling windows. Amenities include signature Cantonese restaurant Ning Xin Ge, all-day diner JW Kitchen, an executive lounge, lobby bar, indoor swimming pool, and 24-hour fitness centre. Event spaces comprise the 1,400m2 JW Grand Ballroom that can accommodate 1,300 guests, 500m2 JW Ballroom, and 10 multifunction rooms. Meanwhile, the 234-key Courtyard by Marriott Yinchuan features a lobby lounge and an all-day dining restaurant.
A group of tourism associations in Malaysia have come together to urge the government to extend the loan moratorium for the travel and tour industry ending September 30 by another six months.
The call comes from the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) together with the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, Bumiputera Travel and Tour Agents Association of Malaysia, Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association, Malaysian Indian Tour & Travel Association (MITTA), Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association and Tour Bus Operators Association of Peninsular Malaysia.
Malaysia’s tourism businesses in dire need of a moratorium extension due to headwinds posed by the pandemic
Speaking on behalf of the associations, MATTA president, Tan Kok Liang, said: “To date, travel agents and tour operators have hardly had any business. Hence, without any income, how are they expected to service the loans of their vehicles and businesses?”
He added that travel agents and tour operators have not been able to benefit from the flourishing domestic tourism market, as domestic travellers opt to book directly with hotels to save on third-party fees. Also, travellers are choosing to do self-drive instead of hiring vehicles owned by travel agencies or tour operators.
“Due to the fact that everyone in the tourism industry is hungry for business, not only the hotels have gone directly to the consumers; airlines and attraction operators too have joined the fray. They, too, have offered packages and ignored the fact that license imposed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is required,” he said.
“Likewise, outbound tour operators and travel agencies are equally hard hit with hundreds of millions tied up in airline and hotel bookings that they have made on behalf of their clients.”
Tan highlighted that several tourism companies have appealed for the extension on the loan moratorium with the banks, but to no avail as the loan moratorium extension is only accessible to individuals, not companies.
Banks are only providing a rescheduling procedure to support businesses and impose a certain interest rate, depending on the situation, he said.
Rescheduling of the loan repayment is not a viable option for many tourism companies, he added, as their businesses have been running at zero income over the past six months, with the situation likely to persist in the next several months.
He also noted the recent travel advisory on entry restrictions where citizens from 23 countries have been barred from entering the country, including those from major inbound markets to Malaysia such as India, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia and the UK.
In light of this, the hope for travel bubbles with some of these countries to boost the restart of tourism has now been dashed, Tan said, adding that “the industry can expect a further prolongation of the situation and will not be surprised that recovery can only happen in the second quarter of 2021”.
He said: “The government needs to assist us urgently by extending the loan moratorium for at least another six months due to the dire situation as mentioned above. Failing which, (it) will lead to a situation where most of us will be forced to shut down our businesses or may end up in bankruptcy. This situation will add on to the unemployment and retrenchment of the tourism workforce.”
Stressing that the tourism industry is now “in a grievous state” and “in dire need of all the help we can get”, Tan urged the government “to exercise its moral responsibility and reassess the situation in assisting and providing further extension on the loan moratorium for the tourism industry, particularly the travel and tour sector”.
In hopes of jumpstarting domestic tourism, Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) will hold a two-week sale offering up to 70 per cent discount and flexible terms on hotels and resorts across the Philippines.
Slated to take place from September 15-30, the September Online Sale (SOS) will be held virtually on HSMA’s website. Customers can also book directly each of the 89 participating hotels and resorts. Half of them are in metro Manila, while the rest are in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Boracay, Visayas, and Palawan/Mindanao.
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, one of the 89 properties participating in HSMA’s September Online Sale
Some promotions are valid for up to a year, while others have no expiration on their validity, said HSMA spokesperson Pearl Maclang during a recent Zoom press conference.
HSMA chair Margie Munsayac said the e-vouchers have very flexible terms, and though not refundable, are rebookable. Up for grabs during the sale are high-value packages inclusive of meals and airfares, with at least three hotels also offering packages that include Covid-19 tests.
The sale bodes well for Philippine tourism, which screeched to a halt since mid-March, but is gradually reopening with most destinations including Boracay, El Nido, Tagaytay, and Cebu easing to modified general community quarantine (MGCC), the lowest quarantine category that allows limited tourism.
Places like metro Manila remain on general community quarantine (GCC), the second lowest quarantine category, subject to review month-end.
Munsayac assured potential buyers that all the properties to be featured during the SOS have passed stringent safety and sanitation protocols as prescribed by the government.
“We have no illusions that life will be the same, after restrictions are lifted. But the public’s patronage and advanced bookings from the sale give us hope that things will get better. It will also enable us to plan ahead in terms of manpower and other operational requirements so that we will be able to hit the ground running when the pandemic scare is over,” said HSMA president Christine Ibarreta.
Maclang said targeted markets are leisure travellers like couples and families, corporate clients, tourism workers, travel agents and tour operators. She said that most hoteliers are positive they will start getting bookings during the sale, with some already receiving advanced reservations for stays this Christmas through the New Year, traditionally peak season in the Philippines.
Family-oriented Filipinos would want a change in scenery during their reunions after being cooped up for six months, she said, adding that since overseas travel is still off the cards, they will opt for staycations instead.
Changi Airport Jewel. Infrared thermal temperature screening and safe entry security checks at entrance. Travel concept. Reopening; coronavirus covid-19.
The availability of a Covid vaccine, virus containment success in destination markets, and quarantine exemptions are the top three influencing factors for Singaporeans to travel confidently, according to a new survey by Agoda.
While many are still dreaming of travelling overseas again, Singaporeans’ travel confidence remains cautious, found the survey. More than a third cited that the most important thing to boost their travel confidence is the availability of a vaccine to the masses, rising to 44 per cent for Gen Zs.
While Singaporeans remain cautious about overseas travel, more are opting for staycations to satisfy their wanderlust; infrared thermal temperature screening at entrance of Changi Airport Jewel pictured
One fifth of Singaporeans claim that the key to unlocking their travel confidence is when the destination market has successfully contained Covid-19, or when there are no quarantine requirements in their home market or at their destination.
Singaporeans over 55 are most likely to consider no quarantine as important (23 per cent), as compared to only 13 per cent among 18- to 24-year-olds. These are deemed more important compared to other factors such as setting up of travel bubbles and governments lifting blanket travel restrictions.
Against the backdrop of economic uncertainty brought on by Covid, nearly half of Singaporeans (48 per cent) are concerned about job security and financial security so they are likely to spend less on travel. Some 47 per cent stated they would now reconsider how and where to travel.
In light of this, staycations are on the up, with one in ten Singaporeans planning to take more staycations than they normally would. Once things improve, a quarter said they will stick to regional destinations. Singaporeans aged 25 to 44 are most likely to take extra staycations over this period.
Leveraging deals and discounts available for local stays (34 per cent) tops the reasons for booking staycations, followed by factors that bring about positive mental health benefits – such as decompressing from daily life stressors (21 per cent), as well as the opportunities of indulging in the luxury of hotels with amenities and to have private time away (both 16 per cent).
Interestingly, males are slightly more likely to book a staycation for private time and take advantage of discounts available for local stays, while females are more likely to book a staycation to indulge in the luxury of hotels’ amenities, as well as decompress from the daily stressors in life.
An increased focus on domestic tourism is expected to drive the growth of the midscale segment in India’s lodging industry, as the country further eases domestic travel restrictions, according to a HVS report.
As India enters the fourth stage of the government’s phased reopening, dubbed Unlock 4.0, it is expected that domestic leisure and business travel across the country will gradually recover.
India’s mid-market hotels to flourish on back of domestic tourism: HVS; Agra city in India with Taj Mahal in the background pictured
With safety being the key concern among post-pandemic travellers, Indian domestic tourists will pivot to “branded products” as they are perceived to be “safe”, said the report.
At the same time, it added, the ongoing economic headwinds are likely to drive the already value-driven customer seeking a full-service hotel more towards the midscale hotels.
Akash Datta, HVS senior vice president – consulting and valuation, and Dipti Mohan, senior manager – research with HVS South Asia, expect that a growing number of experiential travel-seekers will flock to fledgling leisure destinations in the country, where developing and managing a midscale hotel offers better value proposition.
The growth of this segment will also be fuelled by the rising demand from business travellers, driven by companies’ need to cut costs. Development of industrial corridors in the country has also resulted in increased captive demand for quality midscale hotels around highways, said the report.
Though supply growth is expected to be slower across segments in the current scenario, mid-market hotels will still be a more viable proposition as they require lower investments and can be developed on smaller land parcels, which has often been the limitation in the country for development of large format hotels.
Additionally, midscale hotels, unlike their upscale and luxury counterparts, have a higher ability to offer flexi-pricing and still be profitable due to lower operational costs.
Datta and Mohan said that the learnings from Covid will help future midscale hotels align to a more efficiently built product as contactless needs will lead to smaller public spaces, fewer restaurants and enhanced technology – all of which will help in reducing the capital costs, while increasing revenue generating areas like rooms and providing better returns on investment.
The key deterrents for the growth of this segment have been the high land and construction costs combined with high interest and short loan tenures, which make hotel projects unviable in India, said the report.
To help domestic tourism reach its full potential in India, it added, the government should facilitate the development of midscale hotels by allocating well located, fully zoned land parcels at viable prices or long-term leases.
According to the report, the midscale segment has become the largest sub-segment among the branded hotel supply in India, accounting for approximately 43 per cent of the total supply in the country in 2019.
Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) has initiated its 2020 Seoul Global Marketing Campaign on September 4 with a series of seven destination videos fronted by the hugely popular BTS boy band, the city’s Honorary Tourism Ambassador for the past four years.
Korean boy band BTS will front Seoul Tourism Organizations’ latest marketing campaign that seeks to engage the world virtually
The destination videos, released on VisitSeoul’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, will act as a daily countdown to the launch of the campaign’s commercial on September 11 as well as a special YouTube event where members of the public from around the world could stand to win prizes such as a Samsung Galaxy Note 20, souvenirs unique to Seoul, and BTS posters.
The new commercial will be released worldwide via VisitSeoul official website, YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram.
The latest marketing campaign bears the city’s new slogan, See you in Seoul, and will see members of the boy band introducing various sights around the destination.
Hong Jae-sun, director of STO Global Marketing Team, hopes that the star power of BTS will draw a lot of attention, particularly from people “who are longing to go out into the world and travel again”.
Meanwhile, STO is maintaining trade-facing activities despite challenges in international travel. It is presently working on an online fam tour aimed at overseas travel agencies, scheduled for October.
This joins the destination agency’s ongoing Go! Seoul programme, an effort to strengthen cooperation with 40 major travel agencies from 20 countries through jointly curated personalised Seoul experiential tours.
An STO spokesperson told TTG Asia that a microsite is also being created to introduce “new contents on Seoul tourism”.
“Through the online fam tour, we will encourage overseas travel agencies to develop tourism products for next year,” said the spokesperson, adding that STO hopes to resume regular travel trade activities “once the situation improves”.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group will cut around 4,300 positions across its three airlines – SIA, SilkAir and Scoot – as coronavirus continues to batter the global aviation industry.
However, the potential number of job cuts may be reduced to about 2,400 in Singapore and across overseas stations, due to a number of measures that the airline has taken since March, including a recruitment freeze, natural attrition, and a voluntary release scheme for cabin crew.
“This decision was taken in light of the long road to recovery for the global airline industry due to the debilitating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the urgent need for the group’s airlines to adapt to an uncertain future,” it said.
The group reiterated that it expects to operate at less than 50 per cent of its capacity at the end of the financial year as compared to pre-Covid levels. Industry groups have also forecast that passenger traffic will not return to previous levels until around 2024, it added.
“Relative to most major airlines in the world, the SIA Group is in an even more vulnerable position as it does not have a domestic market that will be the first to see a recovery,” it said. “In order to remain viable in this uncertain landscape, the group’s airlines will operate a smaller fleet for a reduced network compared to their pre-Covid operations in the coming years.”
SIA said that it is working with Singapore-based unions to finalise the arrangements for those affected, and will try to minimise their stress and anxiety.
In a memo to staff, SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said that no one could have predicted the pandemic’s devastating impact on the global aviation industry at its onset early this year.
“Having to let go of our valuable and dedicated people is the hardest and most agonising decision that I have had to make in my 30 years with SIA,” he wrote.
“For our impacted colleagues, please know that this is not a reflection of your individual strengths and capabilities. It is the result of an unprecedented travel paralysis brought about by a global pandemic.
“Please also be assured that we will conduct the process in a fair and respectful manner, and do our best to ensure that you receive all the necessary support during this very trying time.”