IATA defines layered approach and principles for industry re-start

May 20, 2020

IATA has outlined a temporary layered approach to biosecurity for restarting passenger flights amid the pandemic, and along with that a commitment by airline CEOs to adhere to five restarting principles.

In a press statement issued this morning, IATA said its Biosecurity for Air Transport: A Roadmap for Restarting Aviation aims to provide the confidence that governments will need to enable the reopening of borders to passenger travel; and the confidence that travellers will need to return to flying.

IATA is faced with a short time frame for governments to agree to a layered approach to biosecurity for restarting passenger flights

At the departure airport, IATA foresees several layers of protective measures, including restricted access to the terminal building; temperature screening by trained government staff at entry points; physical distancing through all passenger processes, including queue management; use of face coverings for passengers and masks for staff in line with local regulations; self-service options for check-in used by passengers as much as possible; efficient boarding and hand luggage limitations; and cleaning and sanitisation of high touch areas in line with local regulations.

In-flight, layers of protective measures include face coverings for all passengers and non-surgical masks for crew; simplified cabin service and pre-packaged catering; reduced congregation of passengers in the cabin; and enhanced and more frequent deep cleaning of the cabin.

At the arrival airport, IATA expects accelerated processing and baggage reclaim to reduce congestion and queuing as well as health declarations and robust contact tracing to be undertaken by governments, and more.

IATA stressed that these measures should be temporary, regularly reviewed, replaced when more efficient options are identified or removed should they become unnecessary.

IATA hopes two areas could be game-changers in facilitating efficient travel until a vaccine is found. Firstly, it supports testing when scalable, accurate and fast results are available. Secondly, it supports the development of immunity passports to segregate no-risk travellers, at a time when these are backed by medical science and recognised by governments.

As the mutual recognition of globally agreed measures is critical for the resumption of international travel, IATA is reaching out to governments with the Roadmap.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said: “(Many governments) are planning a phased re-opening of borders in the coming months. We have a short time to reach agreement on the initial standards to support safely reconnecting the world and to firmly establish that global standards are essential to success. The vital element is coordination. If we don’t take these first steps in a harmonised way, we will spend many painful years recovering ground that should not have been lost.”

At the same time, airline CEOs on IATA’s Board of Governors have committed to five restarting principles:

Putting safety and security first by implementing a science-based biosecurity regime and ensuring that aviation is not a meaningful source for the spread of communicable diseases
Responding flexibly as the crisis and science evolve, by utilising new science and technology as it becomes available, developing a predictable and effective approach to managing any future border closures or mobility restrictions, and ensuring that measures are scientifically supported, economically sustainable, operationally viable, continuously reviewed, and removed/replaced when no longer necessary
Recognising that aviation will be a key driver of the economic recovery, and to re-establish capacity that can meet the demands of the economic recovery as quickly as possible, and ensure that affordable air transport will be available in the post-pandemic period
Meeting environment targets, such as achieving IATA’s long-term goal of cutting net carbon emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050, and successfully implementing the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
Operating to global standards which are harmonised and mutually recognised by governments

Indonesian travel agents shut out of air ticket sales

By Kurniawan Ulung

May 19, 2020

0

As Indonesian airlines restart domestic flights, local travel companies are shut out from reaping the benefits of resumed flights as a circular from the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) dictates that only airlines are allowed to issue flight tickets.

Airlines which have resumed domestic flights are Sriwijaya Air, Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, and Lion Air Group’s members Lion Air, Wings Air, and Batik Air.

A circular issued by Indonesian authorities stating that only airlines are allowed to issue flight tickets has travel agencies feeling left out in the cold

Last week, the Covid-19 task force, which represents the central government, rolled out a circular allowing certain passengers to travel, on the basis that they provide relevant health and travel documents.

Passengers allowed to travel include state officials and business people from the health and essential service sectors, repatriated Indonesian nationals, as well as individuals with emergency needs, such as seeking medical care and performing pilgrimages for the sake of deceased family members.

In response to the resumption of flight services, Novie Riyanto, air transportation director general at MOT, issued a new circular about its operational guidance, regulating that only airlines are allowed to issue flight tickets, leaving travel agents out in the cold.

Expressing disappointment, Budijanto Ardijansyah, vice chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), pointed out that travel companies are the strategic partners of airlines, and that the government should not overlook the former when drafting policies.

ASITA has voiced its concern to the ministry, he shared, and added that it planned to hold a web meeting with MOT officials to discuss the issue.

Pauline Suharno, secretary-general of Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO), said she had sent protest letters to the ministry, the airlines, and the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA).

She questioned why the MOT had scrapped travel companies’ rights to issue flight tickets, especially since travel companies were willing to adhere to the requirements set out by the Covid-19 task force.

Like airlines, experienced travel agents have the ability to run background checks on passengers and ensure they meet the criteria before issuing tickets to them, as required by the Covid-19 task force, Pauline claimed. Moreover, travel firms would not allow junior staff to handle that task, so the government should not doubt their capability, she added.

She said that if travel companies were allowed to issue tickets, it would help them to build and maintain customer relationship amid the pandemic.

Pauline added that although the clients of travel agencies could still book air tickets via the agency’s portal that provide links to airlines, the problem was that the travel agent would then have to make a trip to the airline’s office to get the ticket issued and they would have to pay in cash.

This would greatly inconvenience travel agents, and was a difficult task to do during this period, since most staff are furloughed amid the government’s call to stay at home due to the outbreak.

Minor International to raise 25 billion baht through funding strategy

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Minor International, which operates hotel brands such as Marriott, Four Seasons, Anantara and Avani, will raise 25 billion baht (US$782.5 million) in capital through perpetual bonds, a rights issue and three-year warrants.

In a statement issue on Monday, the company said the comprehensive funding strategy is a “proactive approach to ensure its ability to service its obligations and to maintain its commitment to the quality of he balance sheet”.

Minor International will raise 25 billion baht in capital between 2020 and 2023

The share capital increases, to be completed between 2020 and 2023, are subject to shareholders’ approval at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 19.

The announcement came after company reported a loss of 1.77 billion baht in 1Q2020, versus a profit of 583.1 million baht a year earlier, as a result of the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its three businesses across the globe.

Minor International comprises Minor Hotels, Minor Food and Minor Lifestyle.

Rollercoaster on Global Dream takes form

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Construction of the world’s longest rollercoaster at sea, the star attraction of Dream Cruises’ new ship Global Dream, is in full swing.

The coaster, which was announced by Dream Cruises and Maurer Rides last October, has been dubbed Space Cruiser and will be the highlight of the Dream Park at the Pier, the first-ever theme park at sea.

Pre-assembly for the world’s longest rollercoaster at sea is well underway in Germany

Currently, the rollercoaster is being built for testing on land in the immediate vicinity of the MV Werften shipyards in Germany.

The first photos of the construction process show the scope and scale of the world’s longest offshore rollercoaster.

After leaving the station, the ride starts with an acceleration section followed by two closely spaced inclined 90-degree curves.

The following two “camelbacks” provide a spectacular and breathtaking launch above the railing and the heads of the passengers, with a maximum speed of up to 60km/h.

A 360-degree downward and upward helix form the end of the 303m-long track before the vehicles reach the station again.

Expedia hops on the virtual craze

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Expedia has launched the Travel from Home virtual tour series featuring a catalogue of virtual activities and experiences to satiate Singaporeans’ wanderlust during this stay-home period.

Curated with Expedia Local Expert partners around the world, the Travel from Home series, now available on Expedia.com.sg, offers nature, cultural, educational and entertainment virtual tour experiences.

Enthuse the kids with immersive storytelling from the heart of Paris with Expedia’s new Travel from Home series

History junkies can take a virtual trip to look at ancient Rome’s gladiatorial glory, relive the tragedy of Pompeii or marvel at the Palace of Versailles, while culture vultures can virtually visit some of the world’s national museums and architectural marvels. Those who prefer a guided experience can also participate in art-historian led tours to many of the world-acclaimed international galleries.

Elsewhere, aspiring master chefs can take cooking lessons from seasoned chefs or local home cooks from around the world, with recipes ranging from homemade pasta, authentic Italian tiramisu, and Spanish tapas.

Also available are fun options for the whole family, such as immersive storytelling from Paris, a virtual drive through the streets of Berlin, a live concert and music quiz, and interactive dance lessons from Greece.

Hotels revise touchpoints, service delivery to reflect new health, safety measures

By Rachel AJ Lee

May 19, 2020

0

Buffets giving way to served and in-room dining options
Guest activities being monitored to avoid crowding
Increased digital touchpoints to minimise cross-contamination

Guest experiences at hotels in Asia are set to change in the wake of Covid-19, as hotels tweak guest-facing services and activities to accommodate heightened hygiene and sanitising standards.

Among the changes, according to hoteliers who spoke to TTG Asia, are reduced sharing opportunities at F&B outlets, increased availability of digital touchpoints and new forms of greetings to welcome guests.

Hotel buffets may have to give way to a la carte and set meal options, as safety and hygiene measures are enforced

New ways of dining
With cross-contamination being of great concern, some hotels have done away with buffets while others have chosen to modify them to reduce contact between guests.

Javier Pardo, vice president of operations for Avani Hotels & Resorts, said doing away with buffet at his properties will “reduce the risk of guests touching shared utensils at the buffet (line)”.

Onyx Hospitality Group, on the other hand, has chosen to serve breakfast from a menu, which Charles Yap, vice president, marketing communications, believes will be a suitable move operationally as guest volume will be lower than usual in the first few months of travel and tourism recovery.

Over at Ovolo Group, the breakfast service could be served “to the guest in-room, or (as) a pre-packaged grab-and-go offering”, said Tim Alpe, the group’s chief operating officer, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Ovolo has also recently launched a Restaurant-in-Room concept, offering catered meals from a local restaurant in the comfort of a serviced apartment.

While Yap believes that the much-loved generous morning spreads will return along with travel confidence, health and hygiene measures will remain for a longer time.

He said: “As buffets make their come back, we can expect to see the deployment of more acrylic or glass protection panels on counters, the introduction of individualised portions such as salad greens and sauces in personal-sized jars, and of course, more rigorous and frequent disinfection and replacement of serving utensils.”

Other changes in the hotel dining service include presenting personal serving spoons when delivering a shared dish, designing menus in single portions rather than a sharing size and paring down buffet spreads, suggested Kerry Healy, vice president sales Asia-Pacific at Accor.

Eating well
With the pandemic pushing health concerns to the forefront, some hoteliers are also predicting a greater demand for wellness cuisine as guests return.

Healy said: “Menus (at Accor properties) are likely to focus more on fresh, local ingredients… and we will look at introducing healthier options as we believe people are going to seek dishes that promote their well-being.”

Mark Thomson, spokesperson with Minor Hotels, agreed. He revealed that Anantara, one of the hospitality group’s brands, will roll out wellness cuisine that includes immune booster programmes, with specialist wellness chefs preparing fortifying meals and juices to help guests naturally boost their immune system.

Healy: Accor is looking into providing in-room exercise equipment for guests

Controlled interaction
Elsewhere in the hotels, shared facilities and group activities will see various operational changes to ensure health and safety measures are enforced.

At Anantara hotels, fitness classes will be modified. Guests will now be able to book personal training sessions or activities such as yoga and pilates as individuals, couples, or in small groups, with safe distancing measures adhered to.

At Onyx properties, guests are invited to reserve a gym session or sunbed space in advance to facilitate better crowd control.

Healy is exploring the feasibility of providing in-room exercise equipment for guests at Accor properties, while every public space will have “new cleaning and physical distancing measures” such as spaced out deck chairs.

Taking a step further, Avani properties will seal off every guestroom for 24 hours after cleaning and before the next guest can enter, shared Pardo. His team is also looking into a UVC light device that can disinfect a room in 30 minutes and the installation of air purifiers.

Digital shifts
More digital touchpoints will be introduced to minimise cross-contamination risks, and hoteliers stress that guests can have a technologically-enabled, contactless hotel stay and still find it personalised.

Pardo said: “We are introducing contactless service – digital check-in and check-out, bill payments via payment gateways, and a digital concierge app that is work-in-progress now.”

To bring warmth into these contactless changes, Pardo said “handshake-less greetings such as the traditional Thai wai greeting, Korean jeol bowing, and even the Vulcan salute popularised by Star Trek” will be used to demonstrate welcome.

For Alpe, instead of a typical face-to-face greeting, guests can be welcomed by personalised messages in their rooms – on the TV and iPad.

The Vietage luxury rail to launch this July

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

A new luxury train, The Vietage, will launch this July to take guests on a journey through the Vietnamese countryside.

The Vietage offers an opulent train ride through the Vietnamese countryside

On track for departure on July 1, 2020, The Vietage is a custom-designed 12-seater carriage that will be on the daily return railway route between Danang and Quy Nhon in South Central Vietnam. Amenities on board include a fully-serviced bar and massage area.

The Vietage will depart from Danang station every morning for the six-hour journey to Quy Nhon, and will return in the evening.

Tourism players going extra mile to lift virus-hit communities

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Employers from across global tourism are going beyond the call of duty in supporting their workers and communities, research carried out into the sector’s response to Covid-19 has found.

The study, conducted by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics – a subsidiary of the WTO – analysed the steps taken by businesses and trade associations to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

Employers in tourism industries are playing their part to support workers and communities amid crisis

Studying the actions taken by the private sector commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) in 25 countries, the research revealed that, in spite of staff furloughs, employers across the sector are stepping up their support for workers and communities.

Committee chairman Pascal Lamy, who touched base with the GCET signatories to learn about the mitigation actions being championed by tourism companies and trade associations, said: “It is evident that the sector’s engagement goes beyond symbolic CSR actions. The GCET signatories, although hit terribly hard by the crisis like their colleagues across the tourism sector, have shown that they indeed care for the societies they operate in while striving to keep their businesses afloat.”

UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed the initiative of the tourism sector while at the same time calling on governments to work with private employers to safeguard jobs and livelihoods.

He said: “Governments should not abolish the resources already allocated to tourism in their budgets for 2020. Tourism administrations also need to communicate to the general public what the sector is doing for the society in these troublesome times.”

The survey found that many companies are providing 24-hour psychological help for their employees, while also maintaining medical insurance and facilitating platforms with motivational videos, medical updates and training. Many are also offering free lodging and food for stranded international staff and their families.

As well, UNWTO noted in a press release that monetary donations have been given to city councils, underprivileged families and rural communities, and food and supplies have been sent to frontline workers and vulnerable groups.

Some businesses chambers are working with public, real estate, financial and legal entities to provide SMEs with funding and identify guarantors for those unable to receive a loan. Associations have engaged in local pandemic committees to flag up the most pressing issues and better articulate their support.

In addition, hotels have donated thousands of gift nights to medical staff for their holidays and remained open for them and Covid-19 patients whenever necessary. Elsewhere, guides offered virtual tours for voluntary contributions donated to hospitals, and transportation companies offered their channels to bring critical emergency equipment to save lives.

Furthermore, volunteer platforms have also been set up to create youth loans. Virtual solidarity groups gathered hundreds of travel agents with multiple jobs to exchange goods and support their livelihoods.

Planet Happiness, CED unite to bolster tourism destination well-being

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Planet Happiness has partnered the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED) to strengthen excellence in destination management and the necessity of the sector to deliver destination well-being.

Under the partnership, Planet Happiness and CED will work together to promote mutual understanding of each other’s work among their networks and partners. They will engage on a range of topics related to excellence in destination planning, host community well-being and the imperative of the sector to respect and preserve living culture and cultural heritage.

Strengthening host well-being is key to building destination resilience, says CED’s François Bédard

By promoting destination well-being, the partnership aims to deliver solutions for host communities, governments, businesses and tourists.

François Bédard, director of CED, said: “Destination resilience depends on the industry’s ability to promote inclusivity, improve the quality of life of host communities and directly engage local residents in the tourism recovery effort.”

Amid this time of tourism collapse, with job and income losses punctuated by evolving realities in the wake of the pandemic, the partnership recognises the heightened importance of measuring host well-being in tourism destinations, said the companies in a joint press release.

As destinations move towards Covid-19 recovery, among many priorities, attention will inevitably be drawn to profound changes in host well-being and new normal pathways to rebuilding the quality of life, it added.

“Destinations at the forefront of the Covid-19 recovery curve need to be seen to be making clear, inclusive and informed decisions,” said Paul Rogers, co-founder and director of Planet Happiness, a project of the Happiness Alliance, an NPO specialising in happiness and well-being measurements.

He added: “Destinations need to promote their sites, ensure attractions and excursions are safe and responsible, and foster healthy and welcoming communities. This implies listening to the needs and concerns of industry employees and businesses, as well as the voices of the wider destination community. The Planet Happiness approach enables and facilitates dialogues that deliver win-wins and the strengthening of destination well-being.”

The Happiness Index survey, promoted by Planet Happiness, measures individual and destination well-being. Currently available in 24 languages, it includes indicators for health, standard of living, satisfaction with life, community engagement, as well as access to nature, the arts and life-long learning and other important contributors to well-being.

Patina Maldives hires duo to exec roles

By TTG Asia

May 19, 2020

0

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands has appointed Marco Den Ouden as general manager, and Simone Broekhaar as director of sales & marketing.

In his new role, Ouden will prepare for the property’s launch in 1Q2021. He brings over 20 years of global experience in the luxury hospitality industry, four of which were spent with the Alila group, leading teams as general manager across three of their properties in Asia.

From left: Marco Den Ouden and Simone Broekhaar

Prior to joining Patina, he was general manager of Soneva Jani, Maldives. Other previous roles include working as an F&B hospitality consultant for the Les Amis Group, international general manager of Jin Jiang Hotel in Chengdu, and general manager of Huvafen Fushi by Per AQUUM, Maldives.

Similarly, Broekhaar holds over two decades of experience in the luxury hospitality scene.

She joins Patina Maldives from her role as director of sales & marketing of Capella Ubud, Bali, where she led a team of nine.

Prior to this, she was the regional director of sales & marketing for COMO Hotels & Resorts, Bali, where she oversaw the marketing activities for three properties – COMO Uma Ubud, COMO Shambhala Estate, and COMO Canggu.

She has previously held positions at The Datai, Langkawi and The Chedi, Muscat, as well as with international brands such as Swissôtel.

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands will be the first launch under Patina Hotels & Resorts, a new lifestyle brand by Capella Hotel Group.

IATA defines layered approach and principles for industry re-start

Indonesian travel agents shut out of air ticket sales

Minor International to raise 25 billion baht through funding strategy

Rollercoaster on Global Dream takes form

Expedia hops on the virtual craze

Hotels revise touchpoints, service delivery to reflect new health, safety measures

The Vietage luxury rail to launch this July

Tourism players going extra mile to lift virus-hit communities

Planet Happiness, CED unite to bolster tourism destination well-being

Patina Maldives hires duo to exec roles

Tried and Tested

Knai Bang Chatt by Kep West

What to Buy Now

Star Navigator to sail to Okinawa from Kaohsiung in January 2026