SINGAPORE, 11 October 2022: The Hotel Investment Conference the Asia Pacific will return for an ‘in-person’ event from 19 to 21 October 2022 at the Fairmont Singapore and Swissotel The Stanford.
C9 Hotelworks founder and managing director Bill Barnett will lead a mixed-Use Development – Maximizing Resort Development and Investment session during the three-day event that attracts global hotel investors.
According to C9 Hotelworks’ latest update, panellists for the session are Chris Anklin, regional VP of development, Hyatt, Guy Cooke, director of Strategy, WATG, Matt Holmes, vice president of development – SEAPR, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, James Mabbutt, development director, Mandarin Oriental, Lee Lin, group head of product strategy and development, Asset World Corporation.
HICAP was originally scheduled for 20 to 22 October 2021 at the Fairmont Singapore & Swissotel The Stamford and was rescheduled to October 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
SINGAPORE, 11 October 2022: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) players.
The signing ceremony held last week alongside the launch of the Asia CEO Summit comes on the back of a strong MICE recovery following the reopening of Singapore’s borders last April.
Image by lifeforstock on Freepik.
The three partners are the Global MICE Sustainability Alliance, the Italian Exhibition Group and Comexposium, all key players in driving tradeshows and events in Singapore.
“The strategic alliance with Informa Markets and tradeshow ecosystem players supports our vision of becoming one of the most sustainable MICE destinations in the Asia-Pacific by 2030 or earlier,” said STB chief executive Keith Tan.
“As Singapore’s MICE industry recovers strongly, our partnerships with IEG and Comexposium will boost the vibrancy of Singapore’s business events calendar and create new opportunities for our MICE industry.”
Global MICE Sustainability Alliance
This seven-party MoU aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable business travel by reducing waste and the carbon footprint of exhibitions involving key players in the tradeshow space such as Informa Markets, Constellar Venues, PICO World (Singapore), Cityneon Holdings, Kingsmen Exhibits and the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS).
The alliance aims to set clear sustainability targets over the next six months for the identified pilot event – Food & Hotel Asia (FHA)-Food & Beverage 2024 and trial green initiatives there.
These efforts build on Singapore’s sustainability efforts under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and are part of STB’s ambition for Singapore to be a top sustainable urban destination.
Italian Exhibition Group
IEG, one of the world’s leading exhibition organisers, and STB have signed a three-year MoU to expand the Italy-based company’s business in Southeast Asia. This includes establishing IEG’s Southeast Asia regional headquarters in Singapore by the end of 2023.
The new headquarters will be IEG’s first in Asia, leveraging Singapore’s position as a Global-Asia Node to strengthen its regional presence. Under the partnership, IEG and STB will also explore ways to develop and anchor events in Singapore.
As a start, IEG is acquiring two trade shows in the jewellery and food & beverage sectors from Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS) – The Singapore International Jewelry Expo (SIJE); and Café Asia, Sweets & Bakes Asia and Restaurant Asia. The aim is to expand IEG and the trade shows’ presence in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Comexposium
Under this three-year MoU, leading global event organiser Comexposium will invest in Singapore by growing existing shows such as Milipol Asia-Pacific, Asia-Pacific’s largest homeland security event, and launching two anchor events – SILMO Singapore, a leading eyewear and lifestyle tradeshow held from 12 to 14 April 2023; and Vinexpo Asia, a major wine and spirits exhibition held from 23 to 25 May 2023. Both events are linked to established brands in Paris.
BANGKOK, 10 October 2022: The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is promoting a social media campaign #MekongPostcard challenge! to inspire travellers to visit Mekong Region and encourage locals in GMS destinations to highlight their favourite hangouts and attractions.
MTCO represents the tourism interests of six countries that make up the Greater Mekong Sub-region. They are Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
All entries must feature their experience in the Mekong region with an English caption explaining what it is, hashtag #MekongPostCard, and tag @TourismMekong. Five winners will win a USD250 Visa Gift Card in a random draw. The campaign is open now until the end of October.
KOTA KINABALU, 10 October 2022: The 6th World Tourism Conference (WTC), jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), will take place in Kota Kinabalu Sabah from 28 to 30 November 2022 at Sabah International Convention Centre.
Sabah last hosted this event in 2010, and the selection of Sabah again recognises the state government leadership in developing sustainable tourism.
The WTC theme, “Tourism Futures Reimagined”, aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform to champion tourism’s future and strategies while driving recovery and resilience in a post-pandemic world.
WTC will feature a line-up of world-renowned speakers in four sessions themed – Decoding Tourism Futures, Discovering Niche Opportunities, Redefining Tourism Success and Rebuilding Tourism Resilience and Readiness.
Around 700 international and local participants will convene in Sabah for the three-day event. Applications are currently open through the official UNWTO website and will be vetted by MOTAC.
“Sabah is expecting foreign dignitaries, tourism industry experts and WTC participants from all over the world to visit Sabah for this exclusive event.
Sabah Tourism Board as the strategic partner is working closely with MOTAC, Tourism Malaysia, and industry stakeholders to prepare and welcome these delegations,” Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman.
“Sabah is proud to host another big-scale international event as we are committed to being a key business events destination in this region. I am confident with our facilities, skills, talents and experience. The Sabah business events industry will flourish,” she added.
Over 1200 participants convened in Sabah for the 2nd Asia Park Congress last May, followed by The Malaysia Borneo Football Cup, Borneo Bird Festival, Borneo Safari and the WWF – Malaysia 50th Anniversary Conference.
KUCHING, 10 October 2022: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) officially launched the Kuching Umrah* Gateway (KUG) initiative last week.
The initiative will provide direct flights to Saudi Arabia aviation gateways Jeddah and Medina from neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.
The KUG initiative is a collaborative effort between Sarawak Tourism Board and ATS Global Travel & Charter Sdn Bhd that will establish flights between the Middle East and Sarawak.
It will boost Sarawak’s tourism industry by opening up to new markets and positioning Kuching as a stopover point for Umrah travellers from nearby countries such as Kalimantan, Brunei and Southern Philippines, where more than 30 million Muslims live.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between Sarawak Tourism Board and ATS Global Travel & Charter and witnessed by YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Hii Chang Kee, Permanent Secretary of MTCP and Dato’ A. Aziz Bin Ahmad, Chairman of ATS Global Travel & Charter Sdn Bhd.
“We are confident that Kuching being an Umrah Hub, will further enhance Sarawak’s tourism economy by creating more job opportunities and increasing tourist spending while benefitting the eatery outlets and retail sectors. Other sectors that would also benefit from this initiative include hotels, homestays, travel agents, airlines and other passenger transport services,” said Abdul Karim.
“With a projection of over 230,000 visitor arrivals within six years through KUG, I strongly believe that this is an urgent call for Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB) to look into expanding KIA (Kuching International Airport) to meet the growing demand of visitors’ traffic,” he added.
ATS Global Travel & Charter Chairman Dato A. Aziz Ahmad said: “ATS is happy to support in bringing the vision of the Sarawak government to turn Kuching into an Umrah gateway hub that will attract more visitor arrivals to Sarawak. It offers the potential to showcase new tourism products.”
The special charter flight is expected to commence sometime in December, and ATS will arrange the feeder flights from Pontianak, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Ujung Padang (Makassar), Jakarta and Mindanao to support the main line operations of the Umrah flight carriers.
Visitors under the KUG initiative will also enjoy a variety of pre-and post-Umrah tour packages specially curated to cater to the interests and needs of the new passengers. The pre or post-tours will be together with the Umrah flights and will be made available via a dedicated platform on www.kug.travel.
GENEVA, 10 October 2022: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says August data showed continued momentum in the air travel recovery as international traffic soared 115.6% compared with August 2021.
Total traffic in August 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) was up 67.7% compared to August 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 73.7% of pre-crisis levels.
Domestic traffic for August 2022 was up 26.5% compared to the year-ago period. Total August 2022 domestic traffic was 85.4% of the August 2019 level.
International traffic rose 115.6% versus August 2021, with airlines in Asia delivering the strongest year-over-year growth rates. August 2022 international RPKs reached 67.4% of August 2019 levels.
“The Northern Hemisphere peak summer travel season finished on a high note. Travel demand is progressing well, considering the prevailing economic uncertainties. And the removal or easing of travel restrictions at some key Asian destinations, including Japan, will certainly accelerate the recovery in Asia. Mainland China is the last major market retaining severe Covid-19 entry restrictions,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.
International Passenger Markets
Asia-Pacific airlines had a 449.2% rise in August traffic compared to August 2021. Capacity rose 167.0%, and the load factor was up 40.1 percentage points to 78.0%. While the region experienced the strongest year-over-year growth, remaining travel restrictions in China continue to hamper the overall recovery for the region.
European carriers’ August traffic climbed 78.8% versus August 2021. Capacity rose 48.0%, and load factor increased 14.7 percentage points to 85.5%. The region had the second-highest load factor after North America.
Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic rose144.9% in August compared to August 2021. Capacity rose 72.2% versus the year-ago period, and the load factor climbed 23.7 percentage points to 79.8%.
North American carriers saw a 110.4% traffic rise in August versus 2021. Capacity rose 69.7%, and load factor climbed 16.9 percentage points to 87.2%, the highest among the regions.
Latin American airlines’ August traffic rose 102.5% compared to the same month in 2021. August capacity rose 80.8%, and the load factor increased 8.9 percentage points to 83.5%.
African airlines experienced a 69.5% rise in August RPKs versus a year ago. August 2022 capacity was up 45.3%, and the load factor climbed 10.8 percentage points to 75.9%, the lowest among regions. International traffic between Africa and neighbouring regions is close to pre-pandemic levels.
HANOI, 10 October 2022: With tourism activities returning, Vietnam addresses the skilled labour shortage facing the tourism workforce as travel demand outstrips labour supply.
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh told TTRW Vietnam is a rising tourism star in the Asia-Pacific region due to its early start on the path to recovery.
Nguyen Trung Khanh.
He called the favourable growth rates for both international and domestic tourists impressive. However, the pace of recovery is outpacing the supply of skilled and professional tourism workforce. There is a real challenge to speed up tourism training and focus on soft skills – English and other foreign languages, communications, and service skills – because of the limited capacity to deliver in these areas.
“Hard hit by COVID-19, we have witnessed this challenge which cannot be exaggerated. The tourism workforce has been severely impacted, many tourism enterprises have closed permanently, and tourism workers lost their jobs.
“At the early stage, when tourism activities are picking up, we face difficulties meeting demand and reinstating a healthy tourism workforce… many workers left the sector amid-pandemic. To mitigate the negative impacts, the Vietnam government has introduced numerous measures for the tourism sector, including financial and social support to boost tourism employment. At the same time, we cooperate with partners to conduct training programmes for tourism workers during this challenging time.”
According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, the government has drastically implemented many measures to realise the dual goal of protecting people’s health and maintaining socio-economic development.
With solidarity and synergy among the Tourism Managing Authorities, tourism businesses and residential communities in the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic and tourism recovery, the close coordination between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries and agencies in renewing tourist destinations and products, creates favourable conditions for tourists to visit Vietnam.
He added: “We completely reopened tourism from 15 March 2022. Vietnam was the first country in Southeast Asia to open international tourism without any entry restrictions. We are promoting communications to attract international tourists to Vietnam with the campaign “Live fully in Vietnam. We focus on smart and sustainable tourism development followed by green and responsible travel.
According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, the Vietnam tourism marketing plan for 2022 to 2023 presents its high safety score and friendly hospitality. During the first nine months of 2022, Vietnam welcomed 1.65 million international tourists. Besides the global market, the tourism industry aims to serve 60 million domestic tourists by 2022. However, domestic visitors exceeded the set target, reaching 86.8 million.
“Domestic tourism is now almost recovering, and our goal in 2023 is to keep it at that level while we focus on attracting international visitors.”
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will host the Mekong Tourism Forum 2022 in Quang Nam Province from 12 to 13 October. This year’s forum will focus on the theme of “Rebuild Tourism, Rebound with Resilience.”
“The MTF host province, Quang Nam, is a green tourism destination with well-known UNESCO world heritages of Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary. At the Mekong Tourism Forum 2022, we are pleased to introduce the optional tours that explore the rich cultural values, charming heritages and treasured islands in Quang Nam. It will contribute to the whole experience for delegates during their stay in Quang Nam,” Nguyen Trung Khanh noted.
HANOI, 10 October 2022: The Greater Mekong Subregion’s signature forum returns this year after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global travel activities since 2020.
Taking place in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 12 to 13 October, the forum attracts more than 250 regional tourism leaders and experts.
Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) executive director Suvimol Thanasarakij says registrations for the Mekong Tourism Forum 2022 (MTF 2022) from the public and private sectors show the pent-up demand for travel goes beyond travellers to the people who make travel happen. The long pause in presenting and selling travel content in overseas markets is finally over.
Suvimol Thanasarakij.
“This year’s edition of Mekong Tourism Forum 2022 has received an overwhelming response from tourism stakeholders in the region,” she explained in an interview with TTRW. “Part of the success can be attributed to the forum’s host country, Vietnam, which continues to attract international and regional guests. The host country has also made every effort to encourage travel in the post-Covid-19 era. It intends to use this in-person event as a face-to-face networking opportunity, re-uniting Mekong tourism stakeholders after the pandemic disrupted travel businesses.
Hosted by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in Quang Nam Province from 12 to 13 October, the MTF 2022 focuses on the theme of “Rebuild Tourism, Rebound with Resilience.” This forum focuses on targeted regional efforts and cross-sectoral collaboration to foster real action toward rebuilding a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism industry.
The event highlights are three-panel discussions under the topics: “Social Enterprises: A Purposeful and Powerful Tool for Sustainable Tourism Recovery, Development and Promotion,” “New Ways of Connecting Sustainable Tourism Suppliers and Buyers,” and “Technology: Unlocking Green Tourism Opportunities.”
All of the panel discussions will be joined by representatives from both public and private sectors who will be reflecting their voices and sharing insightful information, including critical trends and outlooks toward driving sustainable tourism growth in the region. Delegates will learn about sustainable tourism models from speakers who are driving social enterprises and community-based tourism, as well as global travel companies and data technology firm who will share their perspectives and tools for business recovery. Meanwhile, the MTF also provides space to exhibit community-based tourism, allowing local communities from different countries to promote their travel-related products and services.
The MTF is recognised as the GMS signature forum. Member countries co-organise this influential event annually on a rotating basis. Suvimol said that among the challenges facing businesses in the post-pandemic era, this year’s MTF provides a platform for public-private sector collaborations to help small and medium-sized enterprises stay resilient.
Last year, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the MTCO released the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Recovery Communications Plan to support a safe and sustainable tourism recovery in the region. The roadmap focuses on disseminating accurate and engaging information from member countries, including updates on travel policies, restrictions, and border re-opening status.
As part of the communication plan, the MTCO also released Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Recovery Communications Toolkit to assist small businesses in learning more about how the online tool might boost their business recovery. The MTCO also participated in seminars organised by intergovernmental organisations such as Mekong Institute and ASEAN Secretariat to promote Mekong tourism and exchange information to help the region become resilient and sustainable.
Meanwhile, the MTCO is now promoting a social media campaign called #MekongPostcard challenge! to inspire travellers to visit the Mekong region and encourage locals in these destinations to highlight their favourite hangouts and attractions. Aligned with the communication plan, MTCO will soon launch a series of interview articles via its media platforms highlighting tourism experts and role models in the sustainable tourism sector to inspire local operators to embrace the sustainable way of doing business.
The GMS comprises six member countries: Cambodia, China (Yunnan and Guangxi provinces), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MTCO received contributions from the member countries and was initially tasked with assisting the GMS Tourism Working Group in implementing the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy (TSS) that envisioned the GMS as a single unified destination.
According to Suvimol, all six member states will continue their commitment and contribution to the MTCO, including Myanmar. The member countries share the same goal to propel the progress of this tourism framework and promote sustainable tourism to benefit the region.
MTCO serves as the secretariat for the GMS TWG to promote public-private partnerships and works with Destination Mekong, the destination marketing organisation led by private sector partners that develop and manage commercial marketing initiatives.
Meanwhile, to expand partnerships and collaboration, Suvimol says the MTCO is currently exploring the possibility of working with ASEAN and other Sub-regional Working Groups such as IMT-GT and BIMP-EAGA.
MANILA, 10 October 2022: The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing and promotions arm of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism, is pulling out all the stops to ensure the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) 2022 drives tourism recovery in the B2B travel market.
The country’s biggest government-organized travel trade event will be held from 18 to 24 October at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, Newport World Resorts, Manila.
PHITEX first adopted an online and onsite formal 2020
First established in 1996, PHITEX hosts qualified buyers worldwide who participate in business appointments with Philippine sellers. They also experience Philippine tourism destinations through pre/post tours.
Since 2020 the show has adopted a hybrid format combining online and onsite sales and business networking.
This year’s edition will open with the PHITEX Educational Programme (PEP) Talk featuring big industry names, such as Sandra Carvao, Chief and Tourism Market Intelligence of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Billie Dumaliang, the co-founder and Managing Trustee of Masungi Georeserve Foundation; and Jacques Christophe Branellec, the Executive Vice President and CEO of Jewelmer. Along with other participants, they will share important information and updates related to this year’s theme: “Embracing Responsible Tourism – Making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit.”
PHITEX 2022’s official opening ceremony will take place on 19 October, led by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Nograles. The business-to-business (B2B) meetings will start immediately after the opening ceremony in a hybrid format – happening simultaneously online and onsite at the Marriott.
Tours to Philippine destinations, including Batangas, Siquijor, and Davao, will also be offered for foreign sellers before and after the event. As of last Sunday, 117 buyers and 133 sellers have registered.
The PHITEX opening ceremony will be broadcasted live on the TPB Facebook Page on 19 October 2022 at 0900. The closing ceremony will also be broadcast on the same social page at 1700 on the following day.
BANGKOK, 7 October 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts has appointed Siriwan Wangthamrong to the position of executive vice president of human resources.
Siriwan brings 30 years of experience to Centara, where she will oversee the company’s human resources efforts to support more than 6,000 staff members across Asia and the Middle East.
Siriwan Wangthamrong
“I am delighted to welcome Siriwan to the Centara family and excited about the wealth of experience with major multinational companies she will bring to the company. Siriwan’s appointment comes at a critical time for Centara as we pursue an ambitious expansion plan. She will play a key role in continuing to develop our Human Resources department as we grow,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts chief executive officer Thirayuth Chirathivat.
Centara plans expansion and intends to double its properties with new hotels and resorts in Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Laos, the Maldives, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Siriwan holds a degree in Business Management from Wright State University in Ohio, USA. She was also a co-founder of the Asian-American Student Association. Siriwan was most recently director of human resources and administration for G4S Security Services (Thailand) Limited, overseeing 20,000 employees and has previously worked for multinational organisations.
