KATHMANDU, 27 January 2022: Himalaya Airlines, a
Nepal-China-Joint Venture, has become the first airline in Nepal to
successfully achieve ISO 9001-2015 QMS certification.
The airline received the certificate last month in
recognition of the organisation’s Quality Management System (QMS), which
complies with ISO 9001-2015.
The airlines earned the ISO certificate for “Providing Air
Transport for Traveling Passengers and Freight, including Aviation Related
Training Services”.
Himalaya Airlines president Zhou Enyong said: “It is a
proud moment for Himalaya to receive ISO 9001-2015 certification and a
noteworthy achievement of the team effort. It is a continuing process for the
company, and we shall continue to optimise the standardisation of work with due
compliance at all levels.”
SAMUI, Thailand, 27 January 2022: A new benchmark in destination dining launches recentlywith the opening of Centara Reserve Samui, the latest addition to Centara’s curated collection of refined, experiential hotels.
Situated at the tranquil end of Koh Samui’s idyllic
Chaweng Beach, this stylish tropical sanctuary caters to those seeking a
meaningful escape. In addition to luxury rooms, pool suites, and beachfront
pool villas, Centara Reserve Samui also offers six distinctive dining venues
and bars, each with its own unique style and ambience.
“From ultra-fresh,
sustainable seafood to the artisanal salts we make in-house, our emphasis is on
utilising all the extraordinary local produce Thailand has to offer, as well as
the highest quality imported ingredients,” said Christopher
John Patzold, Executive Chef.
A native of Australia, Chris’s own globe-spanning career includes time spent at
illustrious properties such as Amanyara Turks & Caicos, Four Seasons Resort
Koh Samui, Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali, and KU DE TA Bali. Now, he brings his
vast wealth of culinary knowledge and expertise to oversee the creation of some
truly out-of-the-ordinary dining experiences.
“I see the Centara Reserve
Samui as a whole new dining destination,” said Patrick Moukarzel, General Manager. “There is a unique concept for each venue,
and it will always be evolving, so no two visits will be the same. Whether our
guests wish to indulge in high-end contemporary cuisine at Act 5 or prefer
savouring creative elixirs at The Gin Run, there is definitely something for
everyone.”
ACT 5
Contemporary, high-end seasonal cuisine, served with
theatrical flair, takes centre stage at Act 5, Centara Reserve Samui’s
sophisticated yet unpretentious showpiece dining venue. Here, Executive Chef
Christopher John Patzold creates multilayered culinary masterpieces crafted
with precision and passion, using only top-quality local and imported products
as well as fresh herbs handpicked straight from the resort’s own organic
garden. Signature dishes include beef short ribs slow-cooked for 12 hours; foie
gras with balsamic and berry; truffle risotto served with a fiery paper
flourish; and ‘Crunch’, a complex and colourful dessert finale.
The captivating design and decor of this 116-seat
restaurant draws inspiration from traditional Thai musical instruments, complementing
the overall sense of theatrics. Ceilings and overhead fans give a welcoming
sense of space, while the green and white tiled floor, and the seats
upholstered in orange leather, provide bold accents of colour. Each dish is
carefully prepared by talented chefs who add a final touch with theatrical
flair. In addition to the restaurant’s main dining area, groups of friends and
families can also reserve the exclusive 12-seat Private Dining Room, which
boasts a sleek, built-in wine cellar containing over 100 wine and champagne
labels, and a dedicated sommelier on hand to suggest the best curated wine
parings.
Wednesday to Sunday Dinner: 6.00 pm – 10.30 pm
SA-NGA
The word Sa-Nga translates as “elegant” in Thai
translating into the look and feel this contemporary Thai tapas restaurant
exudes. With seating for 18 guests, this intimate, dinner-only venue takes the
concept of Spanish tapas and fuses it with age-old Thai recipes. This
juxtaposition of Eastern and Western cultures can also be seen in the imaginative
design and décor, where a wall mosaic of classic Thai Benjarong patterns blends
seamlessly with the fluid architectural shapes of Catalan modernism.
The impressive menu takes inspiration from
Thailand’s most iconic flavours, with the master chefs in the interactive, open
kitchen adding their own modern twists. These personalised, gourmet selections
are served up as light bites that are ideal for sharing. Menu highlights
include prawn salad with watermelon, pineapple, green apple, and cucumber; lamb
loin with burrata cheese, yellow curry spice, crispy yellow noodles, and
pickled cabbage; Wagyu beef salad with nam jim jeaw, cucumber, and spring
onion; mango sticky rice served with a custard mousse; and banana poached in
coconut milk with white chocolate.
Culinary connoisseurs with a passion for Thai
cuisine, whether local, expatriates or travellers, will appreciate the
imaginative approach that has turned these familiar restaurant staples into
delightfully unique small plate delicacies.
Friday to Tuesday Dinner: 6.00 pm – 10.30 pm
SALT SOCIETY
Salt Society Beach Bar & Kitchen is a design-led
blend of sea, socialising, and sophistication, tailor-made for sharing good
times with friends and loved ones. The stunning open plan layout offers beachfront
luxury dining for up to 118 persons, including four private dining rooms, or
‘cubes’, each with its own unique character – perfect for intimate gatherings
and events.
The colour palette embraces a seaside theme, with
shades of blue and sandy brown representing the waters and the beaches, and
hues of white and pale blue inspired by crystallised sea salt. Even the
movement of the waves is artistically represented, with over 1,750 bamboo rods
hanging from the low roof in an undulating Art Deco-style pattern. The tropical
alfresco vibes, inviting day beds, and curated playlists all combine to set the
mood and tempo for relaxing afternoons, fun-filled starry nights, special DJ
events, and what is sure to become the island’s most talked-about Sunday Brunch
– Vitamin Sea.
Signature menu items include burrata salad with
balsamic, pistachio, kalamata olives, and peppers; raw zucchini with confit
cherry tomatoes, grilled halloumi, and olive paste; tuna compote in a chilled
cucumber ginger soup; whole baked red snapper with house-made pickled cucumber
and chimichurri; and carbonara-filled tortellini with smoked parmesan gelato.
Each dish is served with a matching house flavoured salt including beetroot
salt, parsley salt, pink salt. To keep things lively, the drinks menu features
more than 50 concoctions created by the mixology served with or without
alcohol, many served in one-of-a-kind glassware inspired by aquatic animals.
Open daily Lunch and Dinner: 12.00 pm – 10.30 pm
THE GIN RUN
Featuring over 35 housemade gin-based concoctions,
The Gin Run is the place to go for a distinctive drink in a sophisticated
setting. This gorgeously designed lobby level lounge is where all the treasures
and best-kept secrets of gin are waiting to be discovered, including the
pleasures of Magic Reserve Gin, a clear spirit specially created by the bar’s
innovative mixology team.
Enjoy soothing tropical breezes, with views looking
out over the pool and the ocean, and choose from a list of intricately
handcrafted, botanical-infused gin cocktails with names like Gin Fizz Rose, and
the Carrotini – a mix of gin, triple sec, orange, and carrot. A wide selection
of other premium spirits is available as well, in addition to beer, fine wines,
champagnes, mocktails, and more. For light bites and nibbles, the menu offers
specialities like tempura soft shell crab and housemade Mexican chorizo, as
well as sweet treats from the dessert menu.
Open daily Elixirs and Nibbles: 12.00 pm – 11.00 pm
THE TERRACE
The relaxed, piazza-style ambience at The Terrace
perfectly encapsulates Samui’s laidback island feel. Here guests can treat
themselves to fresh homemade bread, yoghurt, and other organic items, as well
as a diverse all-day dining menu showcasing comfort food from around the world.
Menu highlights include beetroot salad with goat cheese, and raw baby kale;
truffle French onion soup; slow-cooked Wagyu beef cheek served with sticky jus,
sweet chilli, caramelised pineapple, and mashed potato; and a tiramisu dessert
made with espresso, vanilla vodka, and milk. As with every restaurant at the
resort there is also a kids’ menu available here, consisting of healthy,
freshly made-to-order dishes with no sugar or salt added.
The contemporary, colonial estate design style of
this 96-seat restaurant offers diners the choice of comfortable indoor seating
or breezy outdoor terrace seating overlooking the ocean waves. The playful
colour scheme incorporates the bright, welcoming hues of sunny orange and light
pandan green, with glazed tiles, rattan weaves, Thai silks, and earthenware and
terracotta pottery by local artist Doi Din Daeng adding accents to the
interior.
Open daily All day: 6.00 am – 6.00 pm
POOL BAR
The Pool Bar is adjacent to the main pool and
provides the perfect place to kick back, relax, and soak up the island vibes.
The sleek, contemporary design scheme and panoramic ocean views create an
atmosphere of undisturbed calm, whether you are basking in the sun’s rays or
enjoying a mellow moment after sunset when the space is illuminated by outdoor
lanterns.
The dining area can accommodate 24 persons seated,
but there are also 7 barstools in the pool for “swim-up” dining and
drinking. The menu offers a refined mix of delicious light bites, made with
fresh ingredients and handpicked herbs straight from the on-site organic
garden. Highlights include crêpe Croque Monsieur with gruyère and smoked ham;
snapper ceviche with raw papaya, cashew nut, avocado and cherry tomato; and
delicious ice cream desserts like the ‘coconut bowl’. Refreshing fruit shakes,
juices, and other beverages are also available, including jugs of Sangria and
cool mixtures served in blue-hued glassware. Guests at the swim-up bar are even
provided with their own floating ring should they wish to rest their cocktails
in the water.
Open daily All day: 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
PERSONALISED DINING EXPERIENCES
The Centara Reserve Samui’s “dine anywhere, anytime” philosophy offers valued guests a number of personally tailored, one-of-a-kind moments to indulge – ranging from family-friendly barbecues under a gazebo, to gourmet castaway beach picnics, to a glamping-style romantic candlelit dinner in the gardens.
Bespoke dining experiences also include interactive
meals at the Kitchen Table, where expert chefs prepare artfully plated
degustation menus. Watch as these talented culinary experts share their skills
and secrets, right in the heart of the resort’s main kitchen.
All these Special Dining Experiences are an integral
part of the resort’s unique ‘Reserve Gastronome’ concept, which celebrates the
sheer enjoyment of expertly prepared food and beverages. Guests can also enjoy
their in-room cocktail station stocked with destination-inspired recipes and
ingredients for intimate drinks in their suite or private cocktail reception on
the villa terrace. The resort also caters to different dietary requirements
with gluten-free and lactose-free menu options available in all dining venues.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 27 January 2022: Remote and hybrid work
have untethered many people from the need to be in an office every day, driving
the biggest change to travel since the advent of commercial flying Airbnb reports
in its recent market observations.
For the first time, millions of people can now live
anywhere, and the Airbnb’s platform’s data points to one out of every five
gross nights booked in Q3 2021 were for stays of 28 days or longer.
Airbnb CEO and Co-Founder Brian Chesky.
Nearly half of the nights booked in Q3 were for stays of at
least seven days, up from 44% n 2019.
In the 12 months through September, more than 100,000 guests
booked stays of 90 days or longer.
More than 300,000 people applied for 12 openings to live
anywhere on Airbnb for a year and are providing insights to help inform the
company’s product development and upgrades.
Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky announced recently that he too will live on Airbnb. Starting this week in Atlanta, Chesky will stay in people’s homes in new towns or cities every few weeks and return to San Francisco in the same way that many remote workers are returning regularly to the cities where they work in order to collaborate with colleagues.
This Live Anywhere trend is like decentralization of living,
and it’s changing the identity of travel. Among the trends Airbnb expects to
see grow:
People will continue to spread out to thousands of towns and cities, and they will stay for weeks, months, or even longer.
Over 100,000 towns and cities around the world have had an Airbnb booking during the pandemic. long-term stays on Airbnb make up at least 50% of recent bookings.
More people will start living abroad, others will travel for the entire summer, and some will even give up their leases and become digital nomads.
People want to explore new countries: Before the pandemic, international arrivals exploded from 25 million in 1950 to more than 1.4 billion in 2019, according to UNWTO.
On Airbnb, long-term stay nights booked by families grew 75% from summer 2019 to summer 2021. The share of Airbnb long-term stay bookers who used their stays to lead a nomadic lifestyle grew from 2020 to 2021 — from 9% to 12%.
Cities and countries will compete to attract these remote
workers, leading to a redistribution of where people travel and live.
More countries are changing their visa and tax rules, and
more than three dozen countries currently offer some digital nomad visa
schemes.
KOTA KINABALU, 26 January 2022: Sabah tourist guides have taken a step forward in promoting Sabah globally through curated virtual tours.
In collaboration with the Sabah Tourist Guides
Association (STGA), Sabah Tourism Board is hosting 20 Online Guided Tours on
its Facebook Page until 28 February 2022.
STGA president Grace Leong said the online tours
were developed in response to the inability to travel in 2021.
“It was indeed a challenge for our guides
to learn the system and bring forth an experience virtually. However, we
managed to create several tours, and they are now ready to go live.
“We are pleased that Sabah Tourism Board
had approached us to debut these tours, and subsequently, we hope that from
this first round of sessions, there will be more aware of these online guided
tour offerings,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism Board chief executive
officer Noredah Othman applauded the efforts of Sabah tourist guides in
upskilling themselves to conduct virtual tours.
“This is yet another avenue for us to
showcase Sabah to the world. We too, understand the challenges during the
no-travel period in Sabah and having to utilize the resources at hand.
“The idea of combining pre-recorded tours and
being present to interact is equally a good method of presentation.
Furthermore, Sabah Tourism is glad to be able to support the industry in
whatever means.
“The first two sessions have already garnered
more than 6,000 views accumulatively,” she said.
Noredah added in anticipation of Sabah reopening
to international tourists, the Sabah Tourism Board will continue to provide
destination awareness and continue to feed the public with information and
messages about Sabah tourism.
The scheduled online guided tours are available on Facebook at @sabahmalaysianborneo and will be free to view. Subsequently, the tours will be chargeable at USD10 through www.sabahtouristguide.com.
MANILA, 26 January 2022: The Philippines Department of Tourism will host the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 21st Global Summit in Manila, Philippines, from 20 to 22 April 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the event for a year.
The Philippines Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette
Romulo-Puyat said: “The WTTC Global Summit will be a significant opportunity
for us to showcase the preparations that we have put in place for our eventual
reopening to international visitors.
“Tourism has always provided us with endless opportunities.
The reopening of our destinations and borders amid the pandemic is crucial to
sustaining the livelihood of the millions who depend on travel and tourism. We
are looking forward to being your gracious host in Manila as we navigate the
next normal in the travel industry.”
WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said: “As
countries around the world begin to unlock the door to travel, we have taken
the decision to reschedule our Global Summit by just a few short weeks. This
will enable more international participants to join us in Manila and help guide
and lead the sector towards economic recovery.
“Our Global Summit is the most influential Travel &
Tourism event on the calendar. We are looking forward to seeing our members,
industry leaders, and key government representatives gather in Manila in April
to continue our efforts in safely restoring international travel.”
The summit will be hosted in Metro Manila in person, with a
global audience joining virtually.
MANILA, Philippines, 26 January 2022:
AirAsia introduces huge discounts during February on flights, hotels and
ancillary products through its Chinese New Year Deals Never Stop Promo and 2.2
Save Now, Fly Later Sale.
AirAsia joins the rest of the tourism sector
of the Philippines in championing safe domestic travels this year in a bid to
jumpstart the recovery of travel businesses. The airline’s optimism is backed
by a survey that has shown more Filipinos are confident to travel in the next
nine months.
AirAsia Philippines spokesperson and head of communications and public affairs Steve Dailisan shares: “As we continue to learn how to better live safely in a pandemic, we see the rise in the confidence for travel among Filipinos… This is why the coverage of flight bookings for our CNY and 2.2 deals goes as far as Q3.”
Guests travelling up until 30 September
2022 can book their flights and avail of the CNY Deals Never Stop Promo until
30 January to base fares available at as low as PHP188. 10% may also be slashed
off of staycations and hotel stays with the use of the 2.2 Sale promo code
‘AAHOTEL10’.
But those with a top-tier waiting game may
snag a PHP22 base fare flight during the actual 2.2 Save Now, Fly Later sale
from 2 to 4 February that has a travel period from 1 June to 30 September.
SINGAPORE, 26 January 2022: CapitaLand Investment Limited’s lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited, has launched lyf one-north Singapore, its first co-living property in the one-north, Singapore’s research and innovation hub.
The 324-unit lyf one-north Singapore comprises two towers
connected via a link bridge located a two-minute walk from the one-north MRT station,
connecting guests islandwide via Singapore’s comprehensive public transport
system. The central business district is also a 15-minute drive away.
The lyf one-north Singapore is the second lyf-branded co-living property in Singapore, following the opening of lyf Funan Singapore in 2019. It is also the first of two lyf-branded co-living properties to open in Singapore this year; with lyf Farrer Park Singapore slated to receive guests in February 2022.
Globally, Ascott has 18 lyf properties with over 3,300 units
in 14 cities across nine countries. This includes six lyf properties that are
scheduled to open in Bangkok, Cebu, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Shanghai and Xi’an
in 2022.
The lyf one-north Singapore marks its opening with up to 20% off Best Flexible Rates. ASR members can receive up to 20% off Best Flexible Rates valid for stays from now until 31 March 2022.
SINGAPORE, 26 January 2022: CWT, a global travel management
company, announces the appointment of Belinda Hindmarsh as SVP, chief operating
officer of RoomIt and China, effective immediately.
In this newly created role, she will spearhead the commercial development of RoomIt, CWT’s global hotel distribution division, and CWT’s operations in China.
After joining CWT in early 2018 to head Global Sales
Effectiveness before becoming senior vice president of the Global Market
Management & Market Development in 2020, Hindmarsh is now joining CWT’s
Commercial & RoomIt leadership team, reporting to the president & chief
commercial officer, Patrick Andersen.
SINGAPORE, 26 January 2022: Drawing upon more than 232 million verified reviews from travellers, Booking.com announced Tuesday the winners of its 10th Annual Traveller Review Awards.
The awards worldwide recognise 1,261,273 accommodation
providers, car rental locations and pre-booked taxi providers in 220 countries
and territories around the world.
In terms of places to stay in the Asia Pacific, Australia leads the pack with the most accommodations being recognised with a 2022 award (18,663), followed by Japan (13,979), Thailand (12,969), Indonesia (10,416), India (9,063) to round out the top five.
Awarded accommodations in Singapore
Singapore has 263 accommodations this year that are being recognised with a 2022 award. The winning local properties were reviewed by a total of 200,000 reviewers and the average award recipient in Singapore received a score of 8.6.
Some of the top-reviewed
awarded accommodations in Singapore include:
For the fifth year in a row, apartments take the top spot in
the Traveller Review Awards 2022 as the most-awarded property type globally,
with 561,843 partners being recognised for their efforts.
Hotels take the second spot with 172,530 properties being
honoured, followed by holiday homes (148,962), guesthouses (98,466) and
B&Bs (79,859).
Singaporean travellers, however, remain divided on what they
consider the most-awarded accommodation types, with hotels (150) taking the top
spot followed by aparthotels (43), apartments (28), hotels (16), and capsule
hotels (14).
Welcoming staff make the difference
When diving into the individual aspects of their stays that
guests valued most at the 1,259,594 properties receiving a Traveller Review
Award 2022, staff (9) cleanliness (8.9) and location (8.9) received the highest
average marks globally. This is well above other aspects evaluated, such as
facilities (8.6) or value for money (8.5), demonstrating the importance of
those welcoming, friendly interactions during the stay, as well as health and
hygiene in light of the evolving status of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
So what did reviewers from Singapore in particular like
about their stays at this year’s awarded properties? On average, Singaporean
travellers similarly gave their highest marks jointly to the staff (8.8) and
location (8.8), followed by the comfort (8.7) and cleanliness (8.7) of the
accommodation.
KUCHING, 26 January 2022: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and its team unveiled its Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) and Corruption Risk Management (CRM) plan, reaffirming its commitment towards creating an agile and transparent organisation practising a high level of corporate governance.
The OACP and CRM plans were launched
in conjunction with the pledge ceremony, where STB signed the Declaration of
Corruption-Free Pledge with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The pledge ceremony was formalised
by Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak
Tourism Board and witnessed by representatives from MACC.
The Declaration of Corruption-Free
Pledge is a promise made voluntarily by the STB team to be more responsible in
conducting their duties and carrying out ethical activities during their
holding of office. It also sends a clear signal that the organisation and its
employees will not commit corrupt acts and will work towards creating an
operating environment that is corruption-free, including in its interactions
with business partners and the Government.
Speaking at the event, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman
Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak
and Minister of Youth, Sport & Entrepreneur Development Sarawak said, “A
clean business environment in our industry will help develop our country’s
economy and paint a better future. The tourism industry is important to
Sarawak’s economy as it is one of the main contributors to the state’s economic
growth.”
“This is crucial for our state to be able to entice
investors to have joint ventures and form strategic partnerships in developing
the Sarawak tourism industry,” he added.
Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Chief Executive
Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board said, “The launch of our OACP and CRM plans, and the
signing of the pledge today, marks a very important milestone as it reaffirms
our steadfast resolve in reinventing STB into a high-performance entity, free
from corrupt practices and abuse of power. It sets the tone in promoting
integrity and good governance at all levels, ensuring that we stay on course
towards realising our goals for the state of Sarawak and its people, leading to
shared prosperity for all.
“STB is committed to the highest level of integrity,
transparency and good governance in the conduct of its operations. The event
today reiterates our fight against all forms of corruption at all levels, as we
believe it is the collective duty and responsibility of all members of society,
particularly those serving in government agencies, to achieve a nation free
from all forms of corruption and abuse of power.”
The OACP is a five-year plan aimed at strengthening governance, integrity and
anti-corruption controls. It reflects the stance and the spirit of STB’s top
management in improving the integrity and effectiveness of the organisation’s
governance in line with the Government’s call to make it mandatory for
statutory bodies to develop their respective OACP.
This plan will ensure the work culture at STB is based on
integrity and makes corruption one of the main enemies to maintain the
well-being of the country and the organisation in particular. The plan will be an effective
management tool that could be used as a guide in managing corruption issues
systematically. The plan will be implemented over a five-year period from 2021
to 2025.
The CRM is a management process that helps in corruption
prevention initiatives. CRM works to identify structural weaknesses in an
organisation that may facilitate corruption, provides a risk-based framework
for all employees to participate in identifying the risk factors and
treatments, and embeds corruption prevention within a well-established
governance framework. The STB CRM plan focuses on analysing root causes,
identifying corruption schemes, determining the impact to the organisation and
its risk treatment plans.
