SINGAPORE, 21 June 2024: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts unveils Ion Majestic Hotel, Genting Highlands that stands on a mountain ridge 1,828 metres above sea level.
The hotel group named David Lean as the general manager of the property.
Photo credit: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The Vertical Sky Glass Pyramid over a sea of clouds.
Nestled amidst the Banjaran Titiwangsa rainforest, a one-hour commute from Kuala Lumpur, the hotel is a gateway to Genting Highlands’ spectacular entertainment venues and offers easy access to Genting Skyway, Genting Highlands Premium Outlets, Genting Skyworlds Theme Park, and the SkyAvenue shopping haven.
The property sits in a prime location that offers visitors breathtaking beauty, ethereal cloudscapes, and cool weather that stands out remarkably in Malaysia’s typically hot tropical climate.
Wyndham Ion Majestic Hotel, Genting Highlands, is mentioned in four citations by the “Malaysia Book of Records”.
Highest Altitude Glass Bottom Link Bridge as of 29 September 2019
Highest Altitude Clear Glass Sky Lift as of 20 September 2019
Highest Altitude Largest Banquet Hall as of 29 September 2018
Highest Altitude Glass House as of 29 September 2018
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2024: Emirates celebrates a year since the debut of its Premium Economy product in Singapore, having carried 26,000 passengers in the Premium Economy class on nearly 730 four-class A380 flights between Singapore and Dubai from June 2023 to May 2024.
The airline’s latest product is popular with families and solo travellers from Singapore. Top outbound destinations include London, Dubai, Paris, Barcelona, and New York.
Emirates’ latest product can be experienced on flights EK 354 and EK 355 between Singapore and Dubai, as well as beyond Dubai to 15 other destinations where Emirates’ four-class A380 operates.
The Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck with 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. In the cabin, every inch of space anticipates customer needs with a generous seat pitch and width for working and relaxing, as well as customised features that offer function and convenience, like in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table. The experience is rounded off with expertly curated in-flight amenities, an inventive menu, and extensive beverage options, including the Chandon Vintage Brut 2016, a global exclusive to Emirates Premium Economy passengers.
https://youtu.be/wBdGOnr_OzA?si=sCDWeS5G6OqGm9PS
Emirates’ Country Manager for Singapore & Brunei Rashed Alfajeer
said: “We are delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of Emirates’ Premium Economy in Singapore. Our latest product has won multiple accolades and serves as the ideal middle ground between Economy Class and Business Class, offering travellers a more comfortable and luxurious product choice but at a lower fare than Business Class. Since the launch, we’ve noticed a positive and steady demand for the Emirates’ Premium Economy product, leading to a favourable seat load factor. We are committed to offering our passengers the distinctive Emirates experience whenever they fly with us and will continue innovating to provide elevated customer-centric and future-forward services.”
See here for the latest Emirates Premium Economy factsheet.
For flight information and to make a booking, visit www.emirates.com.
JAKARTA, 20 June 2024: Resorts World Cruises deploys its Resorts World One cruise ship to Jakarta for the first-ever seasonal homeporting in the Indonesian capital’s Tanjung Priok port.
It marks a new milestone for Resorts World Cruises to homeport in Indonesia, offering four round-trip, six-day/five-night cruises scheduled to depart 16, 21, 26 June and 1 July 2024.
Close to 3,500 guests joined the ship for the first sailing on 16 June with Resort World One cruise ship visiting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang).
“On behalf of Resorts World Cruises, we are deeply excited to charter a new history here in Indonesia and be part of this milestone event as the first international cruise line to homeport in Indonesia. The responses have been very positive, and we look forward to a successful deployment from Jakarta,” said Resorts World Cruises President Michael Goh. “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Indonesian government and authorities, our travel partners and customers for their ongoing support.”
BANGKOK, 20 June 2024: Centara Hotels & Resorts has taken another significant stride forward in its journey towards becoming a top 100 global hotel company by adding two new highly experienced, talented and creative hospitality professionals to its executive team.
Ron Cusiter has been named Centara’s new Executive Vice President of commercial, and Percy P. Muncherji has been appointed vice president of Design and Technical Services. These two key appointments will play a pivotal role in driving the success of Centara’s commercial objectives and creating truly exceptional guest experiences.
Ron Cusiter, Executive Vice President – Commercial of Centara Hotels & Resorts.Percy P. Muncherji, Vice President – Design & Technical Services of Centara Hotels & Resorts.
A results-driven leader with a wealth of international expertise in the luxury hospitality sector, Ron Cusiter joins Centara following his most recent role as Vice President of Global Sales & The Americas with Kempinski Hotels. He has also held senior roles with COMO, Hyatt, and Rosewood hotel groups. He will now use this wealth of industry experience to bring fresh impetus and innovation to Centara’s global commercial efforts.
“I am delighted to join Centara at this exciting time. As travel and tourism soar, the need for an innovative and effective commercial strategy to underpin brand growth objectives is more critical than ever. I look forward to enabling the world’s travellers to discover Centara’s timeless style of family-centric Thai hospitality while maximising the benefits to the business and driving the company’s success,” said Cusiter.
Percy P Muncherji will spearhead the innovation and implementation of Centara’s hotel and brand concepts. A qualified architect, he has 30+ years of top-level experience leading many key projects across hotels, luxury condominiums, serviced apartments and more, including as Vice President — Technical Services for Oakwood Asia Pacific. His talent and vision will be instrumental in developing Centara’s existing brands and dynamic new concepts.
“High-quality architecture and design are at the heart of good hospitality, so I am thrilled to work closely with the entire team at Centara to create new ways to deliver the group’s Thai-inspired guest experiences across every market sector. I look forward to driving the evolution of Centara’s popular brand concepts and the creation of new designs that will position the company at the cutting edge of the hospitality industry,” said Muncherji.
Centara Hotels & Resorts Chief Executive Officer Thirayuth Chirathivat said: “We are delighted to welcome Ron and Percy to Centara as we continue to attract the industry’s most exciting talent and raise the bar for professional expertise. As we embark on an era-defining phase of expansion that will introduce our unique style of family-centric hospitality to multiple new markets around the world, I have the utmost confidence that the appointment of these industry experts, who bring with them a wealth of knowledge, will contribute significantly to our success as we strengthen our position in the global hotel industry.” To learn more about Centara, visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2024: Disney Cruise Line released two seasons of itineraries on Wednesday, spanning fall 2025 to spring 2026 sailings.
Four ships, the Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Dream, will regularly sail to one or both of Disney Cruise Line’s signature island destinations, Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, offering voyages filled with even more Disney magic.
Photo credit: Disney Vacation Club.
Tropical itineraries await with sailings from the Pacific Coast and Gulf of Mexico in late 2025 and early 2026, and a third season of voyages will embark across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific on the Disney Wonder from October 2025 to February 2026.
Bookings for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 seasons open to the public on 28 June 28.
As part of a strategic partnership signed between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Disney Cruise Line, earlier this year, one of its vessels will homeport in Singapore for a series of annual cruises of Southeast Asia starting in 2025.
Disney Cruise Line acquired an unfinished ship owned by Genting Hong Kong’s Dream Cruises last November. The new ship will have an estimated passenger capacity of about 6,000 and 2,300 crew and will be used to introduce the cruise line to Asia.
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2024: Of the 50% of APAC travellers who have already booked their summer holidays this year, about one in three (31%) have hit the book button on their car hire (in contrast to the 78% who have already booked their flights)*.
Skyscanner’s latest research, in association with OnePoll, reveals that the flexible approach to car hire is reflected in Skyscanner’s booking behaviour. It shows:
58% of travellers in Australia book their car hire less than four weeks before departure, and one in 10 (13%) booked on the day before or the day of travel;
51% of travellers in Singapore book their car hire less than four weeks before departure;
68% of travellers in South Korea book their car hire less than four weeks before departure, and one in 10 (11%) booked on the day before or the day of travel.
Budget saving is still a top priority for travellers, according to the OnePoll research. It indicated that 33% of travellers from Australia, Singapore and South Korea have yet to book their summer holiday as they’re still trying to find the best deal. Below are more car hire insights from Skyscanner’s data:
Best value** car hire countries this year
These destinations are seeing some of the biggest price drops for car hire year on year.
Best time to book*** (last-minute) car hire
The best time to book car hire is within a four-week window to a selection of APAC traveller’s most popular car hire countries.
Skyscanner destination and travel trends expert Cyndi Hui, shares: “Renting a car on holiday provides unparalleled freedom to travel on your own terms. Skyscanner empowers travellers with indispensable insights and tools, such as our car-hire pick-up filters, ensuring savings with every rental. Leveraging our vast data reservoir and suite of resources, we aspire to be the most trusted ally for travellers, guiding them towards the most beneficial resources and partners to take charge of their travel journeys.”
For more information, view Skyscanner’s car hire guide, or find the cheapest car hire destinations in this interactive infographic. Alternatively, travellers can use Skyscanner’s car hire pick-up filters to compare options and find the best deals.
*OnePoll research was conducted in April 2024 with 2,000 respondents in Australia, 1,000 in Singapore and 1,0000 in South Korea.
**The best value destinations are based on car hire bookings made on Skyscanner between 1 January 2023 and 22 May 2024 for rental periods 1 January 2023 and 22 May 2024. Correct as of 24 May 2024
***The best time to book insight is based on car hire bookings made on Skyscanner between 1 January 2024 and 22 May 2024 for the rental period July/August 2024. Correct as of 23 May 2024
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2024: Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG) has announced the appointment of Philipp Knuepfer as the new Chief Operating Officer of Sunset Hotels & Resorts.
He joins SHG, having accumulated over 20 years of international experience in luxury hospitality. The strategic hire follows SHG’s recent announcement of the new Sunset Hotels & Resorts and an expansion plan to operate 20 new hotels by the end of 2025.
At the start of 2024, SHG accelerated its hotel portfolio expansion by taking over the renowned Gran Hotel La Florida in Barcelona. The hotel will be renovated in time for its 100-year anniversary in 2025. Sunset Hotels & Resorts currently operates a portfolio of five hotels, with a strong pipeline of projects in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Khuepfer joined SHG from Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where, as Area Vice President and General Manager, he managed the Group’s portfolio in Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer, he will be based at the SHG Singapore office, adding value for the Group’s investors and stakeholders in Asia.
SHG has already established a solid presence in South Asia with homegrown brands Attiko, Azure Beach, and Hanu coming soon to Vietnam, and the multi-acclaimed hotspot SUSHISAMBA which is set to open in the Capital Tower building in Singapore in July. Asia is a key market for SHG and promises an exciting pipeline of extraordinary lifestyle hospitality experiences in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Sunset Hotels & Resorts CEO Jaime Buxo Clos welcomes Philipp on board, saying, “Our new COO will play a fundamental role in driving the growth of Sunset Hotels & Resorts, while further elevating the Group’s presence in Asia.”
About Sunset Hospitality Group Founded in 2011, the Group has a presence in 17 countries. SHG’s portfolio includes METT Hotels & Resorts, Azure Beach, Ammos, Drift Beach Club, AURA, SUSHISAMBA, DREAM, L’Amo Bistro del Mare, Mott 32, Black Tap, Lola Taberna Española, Goldfish, Isola and Raise Fitness & Wellness.
2023 saw the opening of Azure Beach Marbella, Isola Marbella, Bar de Lola Marbella, Mott 32 Dubai, Signor Sassi Dubai, METT Hotel & Beach Resort Marbella, Yalikavak Marina Hotel Bodrum, Mood Jordan, Raise Marbella, and Santana Bali.
DENPASAR, Indonesia, 20 June 2024: Ritz-Carlton, Bali, welcomes Go Kondo as the resort’s new General Manager.
With over 25 years of experience in luxury hospitality spanning Asia Pacific, Middle East and Europe, Go Kondo brings a wealth of global experience to lead The Ritz-Carlton, Bali.
Go Kondo moves to Ritz Carlton Bali.
Having previously served as the General Manager of W Osaka, Go has opened the first W brand in Japan and received numerous awards, including the Travel+Leisure Awards 2023 for Best City Hotel.
Built on a sprawling 12.7 hectares beachfront property with an elevated cliff-top setting, Ritz-Carlton, Bali, features 313 oceanfront suites.
SINGAPORE, 20 June 2024: RateHawk, an online system for travel professionals booking hotels, air tickets, and transfers, has established its Asian headquarters in Singapore.
With the ambitious goal of targeting travel agents in Asia, RateHawk delivers an advanced booking tool tailored to the local markets. The launch of this hub and legal entity in Singapore will position RateHawk as a key industry player, actively serving travel agents across Asia.
Emerging Travel Group CEO Felix Shpilman.
Following its successful performance in Europe and the Middle East, RateHawk targets Asia with a localised platform and business operations.
Local travel agents, operators, travel management companies (TMCs), and other industry professionals will have access to RateHawk’s full range of travel services.
It features over 2.5 million accommodations worldwide, flights from over 400 airlines, and transfers in 150 countries. The platform has various language editions, including Thai, Chinese, and Korean. It also offers dedicated language support lines in Thai and Korean during business hours and a 24/7 multi-language support line to ensure high-quality customer care.
Establishing its Singaporean presence as a legal entity will facilitate payment transactions, avoiding additional costs due to exchange rates. Travel professionals will benefit from making payments in several local currencies, including Singapore Dollar (SGD), Thai Baht (THB), and Malaysian Ringgit (MYR).
Emerging Travel Group CEO Felix Shpilman commented: “The preliminary market evaluation revealed a strong demand among travel industry players for a user-friendly, comprehensive B2B platform offering a full range of services at competitive terms, powered by advanced technology and high-quality support. Our early operations in the region have demonstrated the product-market fit of RateHawk in Asia. Therefore, we are ready to elevate our operations and establish a robust regional presence. We expect our new legal entity in Singapore will significantly enhance the user experience for Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia partners. For us, launching this hub means laying the foundation for becoming the leading preferred B2B booking platform in Asia. We will continue to localise the product further and ensure full coverage of the entire region”.
RateHawk is entering the region with a dedicated commercial team of over 30 people — business development and sales managers — overseeing Southeast, South, and East Asia. Each registered partner is assigned an account manager to help the partner onboard the system, customise contract settings, and assist with financial matters. Given the potential of the B2B travel sector in Asia, the company plans to expand the team further to ensure support for travel agencies in all parts of the continent.
RateHawk Head of Business Development Southeast Asia Jennifer Chua commented: “RateHawk is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of travel agencies and operators of all sizes, including collaborations through API and tech platforms. Our extensive 2.5 million-strong accommodation supply spans over 220 countries, with particularly strong coverage in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, which are in high demand among local travel professionals.
“Our plan for 2024 is to strengthen the team further and scale the business in Asia by increasing the reach locally. RateHawk will be present at several major regional travel fairs, including ITB Asia, later this year, where we will showcase our advanced solutions tailored for the local market”.
Launched in 2016, RateHawk employs over 500 professionals in commercial roles globally and has offices in London, Berlin, Milan, Lisbon, Warsaw, Dubai, Limassol, and Wilmington. The number of RateHawk partners exceeds 70,000 travel professionals worldwide. RateHawk offers a web platform and a mobile app enabling partners to handle business remotely.
RateHawk is part of the UAE-based Emerging Travel Group. This global travel company operates travel brands for individual travellers (ZenHotels), B2B travel professionals (RateHawk), and corporate customers (Roundtrip) in over 190 source markets. In 2023, Emerging Travel Group achieved a gross transaction value of $2.6 billion.
About RateHawk RateHawk is an innovative B2B booking platform developed by Emerging Travel Group, a Dubai-based company. It offers hotels, flight tickets, transfers, car rentals, and other travel-related services. RateHawk offers its clients 2.5 million hotels and other accommodation types from over 250 wholesalers and 92,000 properties contracted directly, flight tickets from over 400 airlines, and transfers in over 150 countries.
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 JUNE 2024: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents issued a statement this week asking the government to review its recent announcement ending the diesel subsidy policy.
MATTA says the subsequent diesel price increases significantly impact van and tour bus operators and the tourism industry.
MATTA said it appreciated the government’s introduction of diesel subsidies for van and tour bus operators under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC), which protected tour bus operators and the tourism industry during the post-Covid recovery.
“However, our analysis shows that tour vans and buses consume substantial amounts of fuel monthly, with costs now rising by 54% due to the new diesel price of MYR3.35 per litre. This increase has caused a considerable financial burden on our sector, challenging our ability to maintain competitive pricing and deliver high-quality services to our tourists, both international and domestic.
“Recognising the government’s earlier initiative, we are submitting a formal proposal with specific recommendations to ensure a smooth transition that will ensure sustained growth in our industry:
MATTA president Nigel Wong emphasised in the statement the importance of fuel subsidies in light of the upcoming Year of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) aims to attract 35.6 million foreign tourists to Malaysia. Fuel subsidies are crucial to alleviate the financial strain on operators, supporting competitiveness and ensuring the campaign’s success.”
MATTA is proposing an allocation of 3,000 litres quotas per month per unit vehicle diesel subsidy. The allocation would greatly assist in mitigating the financial burden caused by rising diesel prices and ensure the industry remains competitive.
Wong added, “We understand the objectives of the Madani Government and fully support them. However, the industry needs time to adjust. In the context of the contractual obligations facing many tour agents, we recommend a grace period to allow tour operators to meet these existing commitments without immediately bearing the losses from increased fuel costs.
“By implementing these measures, our industry will be better equipped to contribute significantly to Malaysia’s economy while ensuring that tourists receive the great experiences they expect in our beautiful country.
“We trust the Government, especially the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC), will consider our proposals to support the tourism industry during this challenging period.”
