Monday, May 19, 2025
Home Blog Page 469

Jayakarta Hotels partners with Netral Port

SINGAPORE, 25 October 2022: Jayakarta Hotels and Resorts (JKHR) has signed a partnership agreement with Netral Port (NTP) for its online direct booking services for agents, wholesalers and corporates within the Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network) ecosystem.

Powered by TA Network, which links Asia Pacific’s leading travel wholesalers, operators and destination management companies on a single platform, NTP provides digitalisation solutions for the Indonesian hospitality market to improve their direct connectivity and automate inventory management processes with their traditional offline contractors.

Services would otherwise require both parties to update their booking inventory and retrieve booking confirmations manually. This also eliminates overbooking and under-booking issues associated with room allotments and potential human errors in manually maintaining hotel contracts.

In addition, TA Network’s digital payment solutions will enable hotel clients with virtual cards or virtual bank account services to process payments from their global contractors, designed to minimise cross-border and FX fees.

Based in Indonesia with over four decades of operations,  Jayakarta Hotels and Resorts is a well-respected four-star hospitality establishment, managing nine hotels, two boutiques suites and one residential condominium representing over 1300 daily room nights in operation.

Jayakarta Hotels & Resorts marketing director – revenue and digital distribution Cecep Supriatna added: “TA Network/NTP solutions has enabled JKHR to manage the conservative wholesale contract digitally with the full functionality of lead time, booking windows or stay pattern promotion, making our B2B faster. We can manage dynamic rates with great efficiency to work with dynamic wholesalers. Additionally, we are excited to be working with Asia’s first true open travel ecosystem with TA Network providing instant access to all the major channels integrated within the TA Network.”

SiteMinder tracks travel appetite

SINGAPORE, 25 October 2022: A survey of more than 8,000 travellers globally, including 2,461 travellers in China, Indonesia and Thailand, reveals a growing appetite for overseas travel as countries reopen while rising living costs haven’t dampened that.

Across the three countries polled in the Asia Pacific, 71% of travellers in China and 56% in Indonesia and Thailand said that inflation had “no impact” to “moderate impact” on their decision when planning and evaluating the cost of travel. Respondents who cite a “moderate impact” also stated that cheap accommodation rates are not the most important factor when booking their travel.

The annual Changing Traveller Report 2022 by SiteMinder (ASX:SDR), the world’s leading hotel commerce platform, also found that about half of respondents – 48% of travellers in China and Thailand and 52% of travellers in Indonesia – intend to travel “internationally or domestically” over the next 12 months. Millennials (aged 26 to 41) form the largest segment who plan to travel, accounting for 58% of travellers in Indonesia, followed by 56% in China and 52% in Thailand.

As the largest accommodation-specific traveller survey globally, insights from SiteMinder’s 2022 Changing Traveller Report showed that:

  • Gen Z (age 18-25) are also the most likely to be influenced by the social media presence of the property they book, compared to other age groups. Thai travellers are the most influenced by social media, with 78% of respondents saying they are “very influenced” or “influenced” by the property’s social media presence in their booking decision, followed by 75% in China and 74% in Indonesia. Respondents in every age group agree they are all influenced by the social media accounts of the accommodation they book.
  • Bleisure continues to be a growing trend, with 49% of Gen Z global travellers most likely to take a working holiday, followed by 46% of Millennials. 65% of Thai travellers, almost two in every three, are the leaders in bleisure travel, followed by 62% of Indonesian and 47% of Chinese travellers. A quarter or more of travellers from every country surveyed in the report will be bleisure travellers on their next trip.
  • Travellers are likely to change their perception of the accommodation provider if they have a negative customer experience when accessing and using the accommodation provider’s website, for example, if the website is slow or the payment process is not secure. A high proportion of travellers – 89% in China, 72% in Indonesia and 75% in Thailand – said they are “very likely” or “likely” to change their perception when the accommodation provider is not using technology effectively.
  • The use of AI and robots by accommodation providers to replace hospitality professionals is also well accepted, with 86% of travellers in China, 85% of travellers in Thailand and 76% of travellers in Indonesia saying they are “very supportive” or “supportive” of accommodation providers using AI and robots to automate previous human work processes.

SiteMinder, managing director and CEO Sankar Narayan said: “We can see that optimism is returning from travellers to the tourism sector, and there is demand for travel as travel restrictions and health concerns abate worldwide. Despite inflation and rising costs, travellers report they are undeterred and do not intend to cancel their travel plans, which is a positive sign for the accommodation industry’s resilience and global travel, particularly in Asia.

“The long-awaited recovery of travel has also emerged with a new type of traveller, who has higher expectations from hotels and their travel experiences than ever. We can see that, more than ever, travellers now have ambitions to book, travel, work, connect, and experience the world with the greatest flexibility and security possible.”

The extensive report also extensively uncovers five key travel trends set to inform and inspire the accommodation and tourism industry:

  1. The Macro-Travel Trend: The urge to travel is stronger than rising inflation
  2. The Digital Influence Trend: Right now, travellers are the most winnable consumers on earth
  3. The Bleisure Trend: Working travellers want the future hotel, today
  4. The Trust Trend: Every digital touchpoint matters for the new trust-critical traveller
  5. The Human Connection Trend: Tech-enabled travellers are unwilling to compromise on human connection

Explore SiteMinder’s interactive hotel experience to gain more insights and to read the full report.

(Source: MediaOutReach Newswire https://www.media-outreach.com/)

FTE returns to Singapore

SINGAPORE, 25 October 2022: Future Travel Experience (FTE) free-to-attend show returns to Singapore next month from 9 to 10 November to drive face-to-face engagement and inspiration in the APAC region

After a three-year hiatus, FTE APEX Asia Expo returns to Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands supported by its headline partners Changi Airport Group, Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance and Onboard Hospitality.

Under the theme of “Transforming Tomorrow’s Journey”, the show will feature a significant exhibition of solutions, products and services from technology giants and the most innovative startups across Asia and beyond.

A two-day Premium Conference where the CEOs of SAUDIA, AirAsia Malaysia, Fiji Airways, Jetstar Asia and Star Alliance and heads of airports will address topics including digital transformation, future airports, inflight advancements and advanced air mobility. The event will also host tours of the renovated T2 at Changi, Innovation & Tech Briefings, FTE & APEX award ceremonies, and a social and networking programme for the 2,000+ attendees.

“It’s the comeback show for the region to share learnings and ideas and for those from further afield to better understand the APAC market, which will see the fastest growth in the coming years, said FTE founder & CEO Daniel Coleman.

“There is continued momentum in the air travel recovery, but it has been a bumpy return for reasons we all understand. Passengers have suffered from disruption, hours-long queues, mishandled baggage and, in some cases, chaos. While they might forgive us all once for that, they won’t forgive us again and again. So, we must address these issues as we plan for 2023 and beyond,” he concluded.

(Source: FTE APEX Asia Expo)

Princess lifts Covid protocols

SINGAPORE, 24 October 2022: Beginning 21 October, Princess Cruises lifted its Covid-19 protocols, meaning there are no longer vaccination or testing requirements on most voyages.

Guests sailing with Princess Cruises will no longer have to provide a negative test result, regardless of their vaccination status.

The cruise line already changed its protocols on 6 September, when it removed the need for test results for vaccinated guests. This has now been updated to include unvaccinated guests. Children under five do not require pre-travel testing. Based on the cruise itinerary, the minimum age to sail is six months or 12 months.

The change applies to all itineraries sailing from US and European homeports except destinations where government regulations, such as Australia and New Zealand, may still have their own requirements.

A few sailings the cruise line calls “enhanced guidelines voyages” also continue to have their own vaccination and testing requirements. Guests are advised to continue checking their cruise requirements before booking and again before it’s time to sail.

Canada

On 26 September, Transport Canada announced that it was removing its COVID-19 requirements for cruise guests to enter the country effective for cruises 1 October and beyond. Visitors are no longer required to upload their information into the ArriveCAN app. Thus, protocols for cruises, including Canada, are now the same as the standard in the United States, United Kingdom & Europe (this excludes any Enhanced Guidelines Voyages).

Australia & New Zealand

If the cruise departs, arrives or visits Australia, guests 12 to 17 years old must be fully vaccinated (no booster). Guests ages 18 or older must have received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, including one booster dose if eligible, received any time before embarkation.

Guests aged 18 years or older who are not up to date require a vaccination exemption to sail. Guests 12 and older not fully vaccinated on cruises departing, arriving or visiting Australia require a medical exemption and have different testing requirements. Under local protocols, prior infection with COVID-19 is not grounds for a medical exemption. Medical exemptions need to be submitted to Princess for validation before a booking can be guaranteed.

For more information, see the  link below:
CruiseHealth™ – Vaccination & Testing Requirements by Region – Princess Cruises

FATF blocklisting will hurt Myanmar’s tourism

SINGAPORE, 25 October 2022: Myanmar’s tourism industry faces a significant setback in regaining the confidence of international travellers following the Financial Action Task Force’s decision to blocklist Myanmar for terrorism financing.

It will join other blocklisted nations such as Iran and North Korea.

According to a Nikkei Asia report on Monday, FATF was initially set up in 1989 by the Group of Seven advanced economies to counter money laundering. It has since expanded its mandate to counter terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

“FATF has recommended that Myanmar be blocklisted immediately and be subject to enhanced due diligence by member states. Officials familiar with its decision in Paris told Nikkei Asia that it stemmed mainly from concerns over Myanmar’s casinos and illicit cross-border trade.”

Since the military ousted an incoming elected civilian government in February 2021, FAFT claims there has been an increase in transnational criminal activities, including exporting synthetic drugs and online gambling.

FATF calls on countries to apply enhanced due diligence to business relations and transactions regarding Myanmar, which will indirectly impact tourism and hospitality enterprises in the country. Transferring payments for tourism and hotel services will come under stricter scrutiny as banks will impose additional due diligence requirements for transactions that involve the crisis-torn country.

According to Nikkei Asia, Myanmar was blocklisted for years until it was delisted in June 2016 — the year President Thein Sein’s quasi-military government handed power to Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government — in acknowledgement of progress made on criminalising terrorism financing.

The blocklisting imposes another hurdle — on top of the junta’s foreign exchange control and other hostile policies — for foreign companies and investors to do business.

(Source: Nikkei Asia)

ITB Asia revives its in-person show

SINGAPORE, 25 October 2022: The 15th edition of ITB Asia closed on a high note last Friday, with the show owner Messe Berlin claiming 27,000 business appointments and meetings unfolded over three days.

It sounds impressive but anecdotal evidence via delegate videos and social media comments suggested footfall was off the pace compared to the last “all in-person” show held in 2019.

Messe Berlin CEO Martin Ecknig left) and Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Keith Tan (right) extend the show contract for three years.

But participants gave the show a big thumbs up. They were back renewing contacts and negotiating business face-to-face after a two-year pause.

“The positive feedback from all attendees showed us how important personal exchange is after two years of holding a purely digital event. As a leading trade fair for Asia’s travel industry, ITB Asia once again provided an opportunity and platform for the industry to rebuild and reconnect”, said Messe Berlin CEO Martin Ecknig, who pointed to the “stellar line up of industry giants headlined ITB Asia Conference sessions under the theme “Go Big & Go Forward: Travel Industry on the Road to Recovery and Growth.”

The closing press statement was light on show performance details other than to acknowledge the three-day event had generated 27,000 business appointments and 3,950 minutes of conference talk curated by 150 speakers in 100 sessions.

In 2019, the show delivered an identical volume of business appointments as in 2022. ITB Asia 2019 recorded 1,300 exhibitors and 1,250 travel buyers who conducted their business on two floors of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. ITB Asia 2019 claimed around 13,000 participants from 132 countries walked the aisles.

However, in contrast, even the most rudimentary figures for the 2022 event were absent from last week’s closing report other than the 27,000 business sessions logged in the B2B show’s pre-scheduled appointments system. Information on past shows indicated that 65% of the buyers seeking appointments came from Asia.

Information on the two ITB Asia Virtual shows (edition 13 in 2020 and edition 14 in 2021) indicated a much higher level of business appointments and business exchanges – 35,000 for the 2020 event and 42,100 for 2021. The two virtual shows each fielded around 3,200  travel product showcases presented by 400 exhibitors visited by 800 buyers who registered for the shows.

Without a doubt, we prefer an in-person format to a virtual show. We all appreciate the face-to-face encounters, but from the ITB Asia website data, the two virtual shows delivered a much higher turnover of business meetings and exchanges at a much lower cost. As the cost-of-living crisis bites worldwide, travel budgets will face cuts, and travel trade shows could be the losers despite the joys of reconnecting after a two-year pause.

ITB Asia has posted its super early bird discount rates for booth space rentals for the 2023 show this week. The starting rate for super early birds is USD4,994.10 (9SQM). For that, you get the basic booth setup, two badges and one appointment set with 30 slots that go into the pre-matched appointment App.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board extended its strategic partnership with ITB Asia Messe Berlin (Singapore) for three more shows from 2023 to 2025.

Father Christmas was back after a two-year absence at ITB Asia.

Sabah means business at ITB Asia

SINGAPORE, 21 October 2022: Sabah Tourism Board is on a business mission to kick-start tourism recovery through B2B networking and negotiations with international tour operators attending the 15th ITB Asia.

During the three-day show that adopted an in-person format after a two-year gap, STB secured 34 advance appointments with travel-related companies around Asia. Additional business appointments materialised during the trade show sessions.

Sabah Tourism is highlighting Sabah as a “preferred Business Event destination” at this year’s show to encourage more international and national conferences, meetings, expos, and events to meet in Sabah.

“To encourage more business events in Sabah, STB is giving a financial incentive to national and international companies who fit the criteria and successfully hold their events in Sabah,” said Sabah Tourism Board chief marketing officer Tay Shu Lan.

Earlier this year, Sabah hosted the 2nd Asia Park Congress with over 1200 participants worldwide. Next month, Sabah will host the World Tourism Conference welcoming more than 700 participants during the 28 to 30 November event.

During ITB Asia, Sabah Tourism is also introducing Community Based Tourism to visiting prospects and reconnecting with travel trade executives after a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic situation.

For more information visit: www.sabahtourism.com.

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Hotel investment revives in 2022

SINGAPORE, 21 October 2022: A combination of pent-up demand, a resurgence of cross-border transactions, and a buoyant travel industry will lift Asia Pacific hotel investment to over USD10.7 billion in 2022.

According to analysis in JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group’s Hotel Investment Highlights Asia Pacific 2H 2022, investment volumes are projected to increase by 14% year-on-year as normalcy returns to the market with the resumption of leisure and business travel in the region.

In the first nine months of 2022, hotel transactions in the Asia Pacific totalled USD8.4 billion, a 16% increase year-on-year. Volumes were most substantial in Japan, which reclaimed its position as the region’s most active travel market, logging USD2.3 billion in transactions for the first nine months of the year. Significantly, South Korea reached a historic peak, with year-to-date transactions of USD1.8 billion setting a new benchmark. Investment activity also remained strong in China at US$1.2 billion and in Australia at USD696 million. 

Over the nine months, the average price per key rose to USD445,000 from USD331,000 a year earlier. A total of 123 hotel deals were transacted in 2022 year-to-date versus 139 year-on-year in 2021, indicating that larger assets and hospitality platforms are being transacted more this year.

“Hotel investment transitioned from recovery to growth in 2022, led by the surge of tourism and corporate business demand, prompting investors to deploy capital in a big way. Although external headwinds are brewing and the availability of investment-grade assets will remain a challenge, we remain extremely optimistic that the current growth trajectory will stay the course albeit with a more conservative approach to pricing and a fluid economic situation,” says  JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group senior managing director, head of investment sales, Asia Pacific Nihat Ercan.

JLL analysis shows some pressure on the industry as institutional capital is outstripping the supply of hotels available for acquisition in Asia Pacific’s markets. According to 120 respondents polled by JLL, 73% of investors are interested in deploying capital in the hotel sector in the next 12 months. As a result, investors are also becoming more creative with using their real estate to maximise their income potential. Despite the pandemic, the alternative accommodation sector has proven to be resilient, and the blurring of real estate sectors is accelerating the growth of alternative accommodations across all regions.

Increasingly, with rising interest rates, access to debt will influence purchasing decisions. JLL’s recent poll of investors reported 74% indicating that their access to debt had remained similar to 2021 levels or deteriorated further, and 63% indicated that borrowing costs had increased. The rising cost debt will likely benefit cash-rich buyers, believes JLL, with high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and family offices playing a more active role in the hotels market for the rest of the year and into 2023.

According to JLL analysis, the Asia Pacific hotels market will continue to draw more investment in 2023. Still, the combination of macroeconomic headwinds and other external factors will ensure a slower growth trajectory. For the full year, investment volumes will likely grow by around 6%, says JLL, to finish 2023 at USD11.5 billion.

“The outlook for the region’s hospitality is robust yet realistic, a fact that will be reinforced by more measured transactional growth in 2023. The hotel industry should be better positioned to adapt to inflationary pressures. While the sector will remain a sound investment, we expect activity to grow slower,” says JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group, Asia Pacific CEO Mike Batchelor.

Read more in JLL’s Hotel Investment Highlights Asia Pacific.

Pandaw returns to the Mekong

SINGAPORE, 21 October 2022: After successful sailings on Vietnam’s Red River last month, Pandaw Cruises announced its luxury riverboat  RV Bassac has resumed sailings between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Trips on the Mekong River linking Thailand and Laos are also open for bookings leaving only Myanmar off the radar. Pandaw Cruises’ fleet in the country remains at anchor until the political and security environment improves.

The first batch of travellers since 2020 boarded in Ho Chi Minh City’s port (Saigon) for the first cruise taking in two Mekong River countries, Vietnam and Cambodia. The trip included visiting Siem Reap, the gateway town for travellers exploring the World Heritage Angkor temples.

Pandaw Cruises noted that “not everything went exactly to schedule, with very high waters in Cambodia meaning sailing up the Tonle Sap River was impossible.” The captain improvised. Taking advantage of the high water conditions on the Mekong River, the cruise sailed further upstream towards Kratie, the home of the Mekong dolphin, where excursions to view the endangered mammals were organised.

The seven-night expeditions on the Mekong River have a 10% discovery discount on specific dates as the company brings back its luxury river boats to the Mekong River.

Pandaw has set new dates for its Laos Mekong sailings for its 10-night sailings for Christmas, New Year 2022 and March 2023 on the refurbished RV Sabaidee Pandaw.

The Laos Mekong – 10 nights
24 December 2022 to 3 January 2023
10% discount & no single supplement from USD4,360 per person
18 March 2023 to 28 March 2023
29 March 2023 to 08 April 2023 
Rates from USD3,924 per person

Pandaw is once more deploying its riverboats RV Champa Pandaw and RV Laos Pandaw sailings featuring Thailand and Laos. Sailing dates are confirmed, and bookings are open for the remainder of 2022 and 2023.

PATA Summit meets in the Middle East

BANGKOK, 21 October  2022: The Pacific Asia Travel Association has announced the programme for its 2022 Annual Summit set to take place from 25 to 27 October in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, the first time the Summit convenes in the Middle East.

Exploring the theme ‘Reconnecting the World Sustainably’, the programme covers critical industry topics such as destination resilience, sustainable travel recovery strategies, supporting women in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), global hotel industry trends, sustainable gastronomic tourism, the voice of the next generation, and the decarbonisation of transport.

Hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) at the Al Hamra International Conference Center and the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, the three-day event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific. 

The PATA association network consists of public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem – government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines, MNCs, SMEs, universities, and other travel-related companies with interests in the Asia Pacific region.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority chief executive officer Raki Phillips commented: “We are delighted to host the Pacific Asia Travel Association for the first time in the Middle East. As a dynamic and forward-looking Emirate, we are placing all aspects of sustainability (environment, culture, conservation and livability) at the centre of our investment and development strategy. We look forward to driving the sustainability agenda with key opinion leaders worldwide to build a stronger and resilient tourism economy for the future.”

Speaker lineup

Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister, Ministry of Tourism Maldives.

Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan Tourism Board.

Mitsuaki Hoshino, Vice Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General UNWTO.

Pansy Ho, Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings Limited.

Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of the European Travel Commission (ETC).

Anita Mendiratta, Founder & President of Anita Mendiratta and Associates.

Chip Rogers, President & CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

Jessie F. McComb, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Tourism at The World Bank.

Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President Advocacy & Communications at the World Travel &Tourism Council (WTTC).

Stefano Baronci, Director General at Airports Council International Asia-Pacific.

Fabrizio Orlando, Global Director of Industry Affairs at Tripadvisor. Audra Morrice, Masterchef Asia and Singapore Host & Judge, Cook, Author.

“After nearly three long years, I am truly excited for this year’s Annual Summit as we have brought together a diverse range of industry thought leaders, senior representations from the public sector and other non-governmental organisations to address the challenges and solutions to our complex and stage-wise recovery,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “It is inspiring to see government representatives from Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Catalonia, Chinese Taipei, Croatia, Guam, India, Japan, Korea (ROK), Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Philippines, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam, to name a few, joining us to be part of this discussion as we work to restart a stronger, more responsible and more sustainable industry. Therefore, I invite all industry stakeholders to join us as we look towards recovery and continue to build a future where tourism remains a positive tool in fuelling sustainable development and economic growth.”

Programme  highlights

Day 1, 25 October

PATA Board and internal meetings (members only), Chapter Congress, a mobile photography workshop by award-winning Nikon Professional Photographer and frequent Apple collaborator and iPhone content creator Scott Woodward, a half-day destination tour and the welcome reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Day 2, 26 October

Destination Sustainability Forum (invite only) and concurrent breakout sessions on the topics of destination resilience, destination marketing and the immediate needs for MSME recovery.

Post lunch hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, the PATA Annual Summit will have its official opening ceremony, followed by an afternoon of keynote presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions.

Dinner reception and the PATA Awards Presentation at the Ritz Carlton Al Wadi Desert.

Day 3, 27 October

Panel discussions on developing responsible destinations, future leaders and the investment in human capital, supporting women in MSMEs, a keynote on global hotel industry trends and an aviation session on the route to recovery, followed by a series of breakout sessions on a range of different topics.

The PATA Annual Summit 2022 is hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, with support from Knowledge Partner (Destination Sustainability Leadership Forum), Mastercard; Platinum Sponsor, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board; Workshop Sponsors, ForwardKeys and Quilt.AI, and Event Tech Partners, Cvent and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

To view the complete programme, visit https://www.pata.org/pas-2022-programme-full. To register for the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pata-annual-summit-2022-tickets-227553537757

For more information, visit www.PATA.org/pas-2022  or email [email protected].