Leaving rouble trouble behind - TTG Asia
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PPS 619/02/2013(022926)
Leaving rouble
trouble behind
The Russians are coming... back! As the rouble stabilises,
No. 1739/October 2016 Russian holidaymakers are starting to visit Asia again,
reigniting industry hopes for a major market comeback.
TTG Asia assesses the trade sentiments
View from the top
Sonia Irvine, founder of Amber
Lounge, takes Raini Hamdi
backstage into a testosterone-
charged world and gives insights
into what it takes to throw the
original F1 party
+
A walk on the wild
side in Singapore
Solving ASEAN’s
tourism skill gaps
Eventful times
for Penang
Eugene Sergeev/shutterstock
October 2016 TTG Asia 2
Contents & editorial Want to read us on the go?
Analysis 04
Intelligence 08
View from
the top 10
Social 11
Shop 12
On the radar 14
Connect 38 Report: Serviced
16 22
Report: Hotel
24
Destination:
29
Destination:
33
Destination:
residences solutions Malaysia Cambodia/ Singapore
Vietnam
Grab the opportunity now
S ince the mid-’90s, the clarion call to travel agents has
been – and still is – for them to embrace technology.
So I could not contain my gasp when I hear Grab, one of
like people, except they are computers, to make travel
planning become more seamless, connected, convenient
and personalised.
South-east Asia’s most successful startups, say it is em- Who will win? In this, I fully agree with a pointer I read
bracing travel agents. in an Accenture brochure (the company provides con-
This was during a recent panel session at a new fo- sultancy to hospitality and travel industry) on Connected
rum called Millennial 20/20 in Singapore when Cheryl Travel.
Goh, group vice president marketing of the taxi app, The savviest players, it said, focus on the essence of
said the company had for the first time consolidated hospitality – the guest experience rather than the latest
its travel programme with an agency. The impetus was cool gadget. Nothing matters more than the guest experi-
Can white- safety, as employees are travelling to places where there
are bombings and terror attacks. But the experience in
ence.
“Think of it as the evolution of white-glove service for
glove service in using a travel agent made her realise how wide the gap the digital age. Innovating with digital is not an end itself.
the digital age still is between travel technology today and the level of It is a means to transform the guest experience and work
personalisation and convenience that a good agency of- more efficiently.”
be provided fers. Can white-glove service in the digital age be provided
only by a real “Someone intelligent enough to figure out your habits only by a real human? Or can travel technology be so hu-
human? Or and what kind of places you stay, give you the best recom- man and provide white-glove service in the digital age?
mendations and make payment seamless – that still does Perhaps in the end there could be room for both play-
can travel not exist in the way the travel agent works. ers. Given their current upperhand in providing custom-
technology be “Right now, lower pricing is the impetus for people ers with added value and an experience, travel agents
booking travel online, not the experience.” should work to solidify their position and race forward
so human and To me, this sounds like both an opportunity and a in giving white-glove service rather than be left behind
provide white- threat to agents. On the one hand, it shows what agents in the race.
glove service must do to earn a place for themselves in the future, i.e.
push the envelope of personalised, intelligent and con-
in the digital venient service. On the other hand, it is without a doubt Raini Hamdi
age? that existing and new startups will be trying to do just Senior Editor
that, and are probably more adept at using new digital raini.hamdi@ttgasia.com
technologies such as AI-fuelled bots, which are actually twitter.com/rainihamdi
Kokotel Surawong
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Analysis
A
fter Russia’s outbound tourism bestselling destinations are in Asia, with a
industry took a tumble follow- majority in Thailand and Indonesia – es-
ing the economic and political pecially beach destinations like Phuket
crises in recent years, the trade and Bali. He is also looking to discover
is finally seeing the first shoots of recovery new beach spots in the region to raise
from the bruised market. greater interest among Russian travellers.
Pointing to the stabilising Russian rou- A more favourable outlook of the Rus-
ble, Artem Alekseev, CEO of Ros Business sian travel market is also spurring opti-
Travel in Russia, said he saw at least a 10 mism among Asian tour operators and
per cent recovery in his business this year hoteliers on the ground.
compared with 2015. Diethelm Travel Thailand general man-
He explained: “There are still a lot of ager Victor Mogilev is hopeful of closing
people who want to spend time and mon- the year with 12 to 15 per cent growth in
ey travelling out of the country, and we see the high-end Russian market which the
that the economic situation is becoming company had traditionally focused on.
more stable now, which gives Russians “We believe it is mainly due to the Rus-
confidence to travel again.” sians accepting and adjusting to a new
Likewise, Viacheslav Akaevich, director economy back in Russia,” Mogliev said,
of Russia-based Samolet, who observed adding that the rouble has risen to about
outbound business picking up in the past 65-70 to the US dollar compared with 35
six months, said: “There are signs that our two years ago.
people want to travel again and of course “And of course another factor is the
we hope the situation will get better. It is continuous growth and promotion of
Ranglen/shutterstock
already a good sign to see the currency be- Asia as a region in light of (Russia’s) ongo-
coming stable.” ing tension with Europe and the US,” he
Akaevich shared that 30 per cent of his added.
Leaving rouble troub
Half Page (Horizonal)
5column (520mm) x 192mm
October 2016 TTG Asia 5
As the rouble stabilises, Russian holidaymakers are starting to return to
Asian shores again, reigniting industry expectations for the comeback of a
significant source market. TTG Asia assesses the market sentiment
However, he expects the number of ment in Luxe Travel Russia, said cost re-
We have noticed a rise in returning Russians. However, charter flights into the country to rise
through the peak season starting from
mains the top priority for her clients, and
exotic experiences in Asia like Bali and
this is different to recent years and more in line with the November. And with Russian charter Lombok are products she is keen to pro-
flight passengers spending an average mote again.
‘original’ Russian guests 10 years or more ago – those of 12 nights in Thailand, they are much As well, rising from the Russian eco-
who are willing to spend more and who are demanding more valuable than Chinese tourists who nomic turmoil is a new travel class, one
stay for an average of just over two, Bar- that is showing signs of maturing sophis-
luxury, quality and service. nett opined. tication.
Andrew Carroll, global head of sales and marketing, Exotic Voyages Although not in the clear yet, industry Andrew Carroll, global head of sales
players are positive that Russia will re- and marketing, Exotic Voyages, remarked:
bound and thrive again as a major source “We have noticed a rise in returning Rus-
Also witnessing a “slight bounce back Six Senses Ninh Van Bay & Six Senses market for the region, and are seeing signs sians. However, this is different to recent
of the Russian market” is Catherine Rac- Con Dao, stated: “Russia has rebounded of a silver lining emerging from the crisis years and more in line with the ‘original’
sko, general manager of Sheraton Nha strongly to reclaim its place as (Vietnam’s) – particularly in the form of well-heeled Russian guests 10 years or more ago –
Trang Hotel & Spa. biggest source of European visitors. Nha Russian holidaymakers choosing Asian those who are willing to spend more and
“Compared with Russian arrivals in Trang shows an increase of Russians year destinations again. who are demanding luxury, quality and
2015, which were down, this year we re- on year, however, the majority are on Julia Lukyanova, director of sales in Co- service.”
ceived an increase in the figures for the charters with package accommodation, rona Travel Russia, said: “It was the mid- Providing further reminder of the
same period (in 1Q2016),” she said. “The which normally use bigger branded hotels dle-class travel segment that was killed the importance of Russian tourists, Corona
increase in charter flights to Vietnam also and resorts.” most (by currency slide). The upper pre- Travel’s Lukyanova said: “Russians are
saw Russian guests rise 13.5 per cent in C9 Hotelworks’ managing director Bill mium class are still travelling and in fact good clients because they spend a lot of
1Q2016 (according to the Association of Barnett said Thailand has seen a “modu- this market even grew by five per cent, money and they are still travelling – they
Tour Operators of Russia).” lated recovery” after the Russian market while the middle class one dipped by 35 should not be forgotten.”
Likewise, Do Thu, director of sales bottomed out in 2013, but the numbers are per cent in 2014. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is
and marketing for Evason Ana Mandara, still “nowhere close” to what they once were. “Of course there have been some cost projecting a turnaround in the Russian
ble behind
considerations so these luxury clients visitor market in 2016. Following a record
have reduced their accommodation from 1.7 million arrivals in 2013, the number
five- to four-star hotels, and reduced their of Russian visitors to Thailand plunged
length of stay from 14 to 10 days,” she con- to 884,000 last year. This year, Thailand
tinued, noting the changes in travel pref- is expecting one million tourist arrivals
erences within the high-end segment. from Russia, a 13 per cent rise from 2015.
Svetlana Kamenkova, leading specialist – Reporting by Paige Lee Pei Qi, Marissa
of corporate and business travel depart- Carruthers and Michael Sanderson
Half Page (Horizonal)
5column (520mm) x 192mm
Analysis
Dawn of a
new standard
O
ver a decade in the making, tion of) MRA-TP started in 2012 (but) industry stakeholders in ASEAN. The
the Mutual Recognition Ar- what we did not have then was the regis- platform also seeks to register and dis-
rangement of Tourism Profes- tration platform. With the launch of ASE- seminate details of certified tourism pro-
sionals (MRA-TP) is finally AN Tourism Professional Registration fessionals, provide and facilitate training
up and running, achieved through a sup- System (ATPRS) we now have a complete programmes, develop a regional pool of
porting infrastructure that is touted to infrastructure to support the running of trainers and assessors, and market and
step up the game for the standardisation MRA-TP, although this is still a work in promote the MRA-TP, in addition to be-
of skills in the region’s tourism industry. progress.” ing a revenue source for the regional sec-
Under the MRA-TP, ASEAN has de- Launched during the recent interna- retariat stationed in Jakarta.
veloped benchmarking standards for 32 tional conference on MRA-TP in Jakarta
job types in six labour divisions – namely in August, the ATPRS was first conceived A recognised criterion?
front office, housekeeping and F&B ser- to support the MRA-TP’s goals to increase Despite its ratification by ASEAN mem-
vices in hotels, as well as tour operations, certification among tourism professionals ber states, the actual adoption of MRA-TP
food production and travel agencies – ini- and facilitate their free movement and on the ground is much more complicated,
tiated 52 qualifications and 242 training employment among ASEAN member compounded by issues such as a paucity
toolboxes. countries. of tourism schools in some countries, a
Eddy Soemawilaga, senior officer for One key component of the web-based lack of awareness among employers and
tourism and transportation, ASEAN Sec- facility is to serve as a job-matching tourism professionals on the importance
retariat, commented: “(The implementa- platform for tourism professionals and and benefits of certification, as well as cer-
tification costs which are prohibitive for
some industry players.
For example, Cambodia’s burgeoning
tourism sector accounted for 620,000 jobs
in 2015 but only 20 per cent of the tour-
ism workforce graduated from tourism
universities and schools. It is estimated
that 63 per cent and 45 per cent of em- We are still working
ployees in the country’s hotels and travel
services respectively are in need of train- very hard to convince
ing to meet the ASEAN standards. employers to recognise
Try Chivv, deputy director general
of tourism and director of the National the competency
Committee for Tourism Professionals
under the Ministry of Tourism Cambo-
certification in
dia, said: “By 2020 we target to receive their recruitment
more than seven million arrivals (up from
4.7 million in 2015), and we will have 850 (procedures).
jobs (to fill). Having qualified tourism Sumarna Abdurahman
professionals is very important for us.” Head, Indonesian Professional
Indonesia, on the other hand, sees the Certification Authority
reluctance of stakeholders to participate
We’re
in the certification despite the govern-
ment’s mandatory ruling. counterparts, he shared.
redefining
Sumarna Abdurahman, head of the And while the ATRPS is lauded as a
Indonesian Professional Certification Au- critical tool in aiding the regional quest
thority (BNSP), said: “We are still working for common tourism skills standards, its
very hard to convince employers to recog- by-registration operating model means
the art of winning nise the competency certification in their
recruitment (procedures).
that companies need to advertise their job
openings through the platform while pro-
“They are still questioning the effec- fessionals need to indicate their interest in
We’re delighted that Travelport has just been named tiveness and quality of the certification seeking jobs.
Best GDS in APAC for an incredible eighth year in a row and whether the certified applicants can As such, the success of ATRPS is very
at the TTG Travel Awards. perform according to their certification,” much reliant on the regional secretariat’s
he said, adding that higher salary demand ability to step up awareness among the
This is our third major award this year – following our from prospective certified employees also ASEAN travel trade in order to maximise
Best Travel Technology Supplier Award in New Zealand weighs on employers’ concerns. its potential, which according to Eddy will
and a coveted APAC Stevie Award for business innovation. Alexander Nayoan, managing director be automatically promoted to tourism
of The Dharmawangsa Jakarta and chair- professionals applying for accreditation to
The awards recognise our continuing commitment to man of the Jakarta Hotels Association, register themselves into the system.
redefining travel commerce and delivering technology said the resistance also stems from a lack “A (greater) challenge is getting tour-
that keeps you ahead of the game. of understanding on the importance of ism providers to join in. The conference
certification. He said: “There are questions was actually an invitation to the industry
To discover more about our award-winning
of ‘What is it for me?’ and ‘Why should I to buy in,” he said.
solutions and how they can help your business, Eddy also acknowledges that the MRA-
visit Travelport.com today.
spend more?’ among tourism employers
and professionals alike.” TP is still a work in progress. “ASEAN is
Also showing disinterest are interna- the only region in the world with this prac-
tional branded hotels, which deem them- tice, so we have no reference (for bench-
selves to be having higher qualification marking). However, there are indicators
standards than their national and regional that MRA-TP is gaining recognition even
October 2016 TTG Asia 7
ASEAN has been long been plagued by non-conformity of standards in
many areas, so will the MRA-TP set a new benchmark for standardisation
of skills in the regional tourism sector? Mimi Hudoyo investigates
outside the ASEAN region. We have seen “MRA-TP provides opportunity for
interest from other (non-ASEAN) coun- all hospitality professionals regardless
tries to participate in this (initiative).” of their economic or educational back-
Maria Susan Dela Rama, executive di- ground. This is a game-changer in Cam-
rector of the Technical Education and bodia as well as in many other countries,”
Skills Development Authority, the certifi- he posited.
cation office of the Philippines, confirmed To overcome challenges hindering the There are indicators
that she has indeed received queries from implementation of the MRA-TP, Naga- that MRA-TP is gaining
several Middle Eastern countries on join- World and several other industry players
ing the MRA-TP. in Cambodia have come together to lever- recognition even
Building up momentum
age the online video and audio resources
on NagaWorld’s website for national
outside the ASEAN
Individual ASEAN countries have devised training efforts. region. We have seen
their own strategies to overcome the chal-
lenges in the tourism sector.
Indonesia, meanwhile, is considering
the possibility of offering tax incentives or
interest from other
Cambodia has defined 10 directives reducing cost to attract more participants (non-ASEAN) countries
including launching apprenticeship pro- to using MRA-TP, said Sumarna.
grammes, promoting in-house training, And with the millennials making up a to participate in this
setting up mobile tourism trainers and significant portion of ASEAN’s tourism (initiative).
encouraging tourism study loans, among talent pool, the promotion of MRA-TP
others. should adapt to the way they consume Eddy Soemawilaga
Senior officer for tourism and
Rising up to the challenge of grooming information, industry members pointed
transportation, ASEAN Secretariat
future hospitality talent is NagaWorld in out.
Phnom Penh, which has established an Moving forward, trade members also
intern programme to hire 1,000 interns in called on expanding the categories of agers to be certified if owners themselves
2014 and more in the following years. MRA-TP to cover other job areas such as do not understand the importance and
“It does not matter whether or not they MICE and spa & wellness. won’t spend money on it?” he questioned.
will work for NagaWorld,” said Naga- Nayoan believes that the benchmark- “What we need is (information and
World’s managing director for corporate ing standards should apply to all levels promotion) that will convince the indus-
affairs Robert Choo, who shared that the of the tourism industry instead of being try how the MRA-TP can be truly benefi-
company works with more than 35 indus- confined to the front-end staff. “I think cial,” Nayoan elaborated. “If implemented
erwinova/shutterstock
try partners to ensure jobs for all its intern even owners should seek certification,” he properly, it will actually increase profits
graduates. “It is our CSR (contribution) to remarked. for the industry and tax revenue for the
the country. “Otherwise, how can you get the man- government.”
20160906_TTGAd_HalfPage_180x236_RoadToProsperity_v5FA.pdf 1 9/6/2016 10:33:23 AM
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October 2016 TTG Asia 8
Cruise Lines International Association charts the astounding
Intelligence growth in the Asian cruise industry while Tourism Solutions
International polls Singapore hoteliers on their 2017 outlook
Asia’s cruise sector sails at record pace
As the world’s fastest-growing source of cruise passengers, Asia experienced an un- • Asian exploration – Asian cruisers are primarily exploring Asian destinations
precedented 24 per cent increase to 2.1 million passenger numbers last year, accord- (84 per cent), while the remaining 16 per cent flew to cruise destinations outside
ing to Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) Asia Cruise Trends study. the region, primarily in Europe with 74 per cent of the international volume, fol-
China accounted for almost half the region’s cruise passengers, with 986,000 pas- lowed by Caribbean/Western US/Hawaii (12 per cent) and Alaska/Canada/New
sengers from mainland China taking a cruise in 2015, up 40 per cent from 703,000 in England (8 per cent).
2014. This figure makes China the world’s fastest-growing source country for cruise • Under-40 cruisers – 38 per cent of all cruisers in the region are aged below 40 years.
passengers in 2015, with other leading source markets like Hong Kong (126,800),
India (125,900), Japan (179,900), Singapore (182,700) and Taiwan (228,700).
Japan is again the biggest destination country with 1,526 port calls in 2016, fol-
lowed by China (850), South Korea (745), Vietnam (466) Malaysia (422) and Sin-
gapore (391). The most visited port in 2016 will be Jeju Island, South Korea (460
calls), closely followed by Shanghai (437), Singapore (391) and Fukuoka (258).
Other key findings from the report include: The 2016 picture
• Cruise ship increase - This year, 60 ocean cruise ships will sail in Asia versus 43
ships in 2013, 15 per cent more than the 52 operating in 2015.
60
• More cruises offered - There has been a significant increase in the number of
days cruise ships are in operation, from 4,307 operating days in 2013 to 7,918 in Number of ships
2016. deployed, up from
• Capacity boost - The overall passenger capacity on ocean cruise ships continues 52 in 2015
to grow, surging 54 per cent to reach 3.2 million in 2016.
• Shorter cruises preferred - Shorter sailings were by far the most popular in
1,560
2015, with the greatest share of passengers sailing four to six nights (50 per cent) Number of scheduled
followed by two to three nights (30 per cent) and seven to 13 nights (19 per cent).
sailings, up 43 per cent
from 1,095 in 2015
3.1 million Estimated passenger capacity, up from just
over two million in 2015
5,570
Number of cruise calls, an
increase of 43 per cent in
absolute volume from 3,896
calls in 2015 and almost double that of 2013.
Mixed forecast for Singapore hotel market
will be modestly less than in 2016.
But things are set to look up beyond
2017. The hotel supply is expected to re-
main relatively stable for a period due to
Singapore hoteliers are generally looking A separate TSI forecast, however, re- rivals. Market-wide ADR through June the lack of available land parcels released
forward to a better performance next year, sulted in conflicting expectations of flat to has decreased three per cent to S$235.30 by the government in recent years. In ad-
with a majority (64.7%) of hotel general minor dips for all three measures in 2017. (US$173). dition, upcoming projects such as Termi-
managers (GMs) polled by hospitality In comparison to 2015, average occu- In 2017, with an expected slower nal 4, Changi Jewel and the Mandai for-
investment firm Tourism Solutions Inter- pancy in Singapore has increased through growth rate of arrivals, coupled with ex- est redevelopment will keep tourism in
national (TSI) in August optimistic that June 2016, but only by a minimal 0.5% pected supply growth (3,961 rooms) leads Singapore relevant and poised for future
2017 occupancy will increase over expect- despite the 12.5% increase in visitor ar- the TSI to forecast that occupancy in 2017 growth.
ed 2016-year end results.
Most GMs feel that this increase in oc-
cupancy will be modest, with 52.9% of re-
spondents expecting occupancy increases
to be less than five per cent. The survey
indicates a split in opinion as 23.5% of the
GMs expect occupancy to drop modestly
during the same period.
The GMs were also optimistic when it
comes to average daily room rate (ADR)
and profitability. Nearly 60% indicated
that they believe ADR and profitability (as
measured by gross operating profit) will
increase modestly in 2017 against 2016 64.7% 0.5% 3,961
figures. However, opinions are split with The percentage of GMs expecting The minimal increase in average occupancy The number of rooms expected to
nearly 35% of the GMs expecting a de- occupancy growth in 2017 from 2016 in 1H2016 despite the 12.5% growth in visi- come online in 2017
crease in ADR and just over 20% expect- tor arrivals during the same period
ing profitability to suffer.
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October 2016 TTG Asia 10
Sonia Irvine, founder of Amber Lounge, takes Raini Hamdi
View from the top backstage into a testosterone-charged world and gives
insights into what it takes to throw the original F1 party
The F1 party queen
What to you is Amber Lounge’s biggest everybody came together. F1 people hate
contribution to F1 and the four F1 des- queues, hate to be told they can’t get into
tinations each year where you throw places, so I thought, wouldn’t it be lovely 10 NEED TO KNOW’S ABOUT SONIA IRVINE
the party? to bring everybody together at the end of
F1 is the most amazing brand and sport the season? I never thought how am I go- Who’s in your family? My parents, who place and I spend most of my summers
which Bernie Ecclestone built. Amber ing to bring 22 drivers from 12 different taught me so much, and my lovely and amaz- there.
Lounge adds to the experience after the teams to party in one place, and all their ing daughters Katie (6) and Megan (14). I What are you reading right now?
track and the two go together. competing brands and affiliations under spend as much time as I can with them. Then Raising girls by Steve Biddulph.
In Monaco, people never used to stay one catwalk? I just thought, let’s do it. there’s my brother, who is my best support. I How do you stay healthy? When I
the Sunday night. Amber Lounge plays I never in my life think I can’t do some- also have someone in my life, and his name have time, I wake up early and exercise be-
a small role in encouraging them to stay. thing, otherwise I will never do anything. is Calvin. fore going to work, eat healthy and spend
Here (in Singapore last month, where the What do you do for fun? I go out with as much time as I can with my daughters.
interview was done a day before F1 start- How were you able to get competing my girlfriends. Monaco is the best place to Shopping is also something I like to do.
ed) definitely people change their meet- people to come together – did your enjoy nice dinners and dancing. This summer, Favourite food? Truffle edamame!
ings on Monday morning (after the party brother play a part? we spent most of our free time at Amber Japanese and Asian in general.
on Sunday) and I know driver commit- No, Eddie never got involved that way. Summer, the new place I opened in June. A bad habit you cannot kick? Choco-
ments are changed from Monday morn- When I started Amber Lounge, I was in- Your ideal vacation? Discovering Asia late and Dom Perignon!
ing to Monday afternoon or to Tuesday. dependent of him. He supports me, but he is something I have always wanted to do, Your pet peeve, something that
And there are some people who fly in for does not get involved. especially the islands. I am sure it will hap- never fails to annoy you? When people
Amber Lounge, then fly out. In the end, people just want to have pen soon. have not prepared their money at the toll
It’s the PR we create. We give a lifestyle fun and it’s about having the right people, How do you book your own leisure and that you have to wait forever.
element to F1. That then hopefully facili- right atmosphere, high-end sponsors, etc. trips? Surprisingly for a party planner, I am Most people don’t know that you…
tates people wanting to come and partici- more of a home person. I like to spend time are actually very soft in the inside and a
pate in the whole F1 experience. But I’m So you’re a good listener and are obser- at home with my daughters and my family. very good listener. I hate seeing people suf-
just a small part. vant. Are those skills useful for this? My second house in Mougins is my peaceful fer and I would do anything to help them.
Yes, and those were the skills I brought
Was it what you dreamt to do as a kid? into Amber. It’s all about the little details,
I never felt I had a path in my life. I was so you need to listen and you need to ob-
not one of these kids who knew what they serve. For example, when I walk into a cater to clients of all age groups. That’s have to go together.
wanted to be when they grew up. venue, I would notice right away if a plat- why we give clients a choice of tables. Are
One day, a friend said, I want to be a form was not high enough, if the branding you coming for business or party? If busi- How has the party evolved over the
physiotherapist, and I said, what’s that? I boards were not where they should be, if ness, we put you in a quieter part. I’ve a years?
looked it up and thought it was exciting. the lighting was dead. We also listen and client who comes regularly and said, So- A lot of the elements when I first did it re-
At 15, I ended up in one of those talks with main. There’s no queuing, our system al-
a career teacher and told him I wanted to lows you to go straight to your table where
be a physio. He said I was not intelligent all drinks are waiting and you drink as
enough! I thought, how dare he said that much you want. The white sofas remain,
and so I went home to my mom and dad because there’s something naughty about
and said, right, I’m going to be a physio. standing and dancing on a white sofa and
I went to Newcastle, England, to study making it dirty, even if that costs me a lot,
physio and as it turned out, I had a dis- as many are ruined and we have to clean
tinction in it, so obviously I was intel- I never in my life think or redo.
ligent enough! People also said I had the There’s always the outdoor terrace, so
right personality for it. A good physio is I can’t do something, people can go out and network or talk
someone who listens, observes and analy-
ses problems. It’s a fantastic career. There’s otherwise I will never business there instead of in the lounge.
There’s a lot of business that goes on in
something really satisfying about being
able to make someone walk again. Money
do anything. Amber because there are a lot of decision-
makers who can make decisions. A lot of
or nothing can do that. production companies don’t understand
why I push so hard to have an outside
So why and how did you end up launch- nia, can you put me away from the dance space. It’s because we want business to
ing the F1 party, the first in Monaco in floor this year because my wife is preg- happen as well.
2003? nant? So when I did the tables, I looked Along the way, we brought in more DJs,
As a physio (initially to her brother after them a bit more. A lot of thought acts, a fashion show at first with just fe-
former F1 driver Eddie Irvine, goes into our setup. male models then the F1 drivers in sup-
then the whole Ferrari team), port of charity. And now, the Extravagan-
there was a lot of hanging What’s your budget in organising za concept where the party just does not
around and I was getting Amber Lounge? stop – dancers, saxaphone players, seven
bored. I ended up doing A lot – most people won’t sleep at DJs, etc – all happening at the same time.
not just physio, but his night (when pressed, she said well Often, places have acts but it’s one act,
PR and looking after over half a million euros, i.e. over then the party stops, then another it stops
sponsors’ commit- US$558,570). My Singapore budget again. Here it’s all happening and it should
ments for the team. is virtually my Monaco budget and never deflect from the party but add to it.
There are just things I run only two nights here, whereas
you learn working in it’s three in Monaco. In Singapore, Do you feel travel planners understand
F1, the do’s and don’ts. the tent takes three weeks to build, Amber Lounge is open to all, not just
For example, just un- as there’s water where we build. The for F1 goers, and that they can package
derstanding that they water has to be drained. The tiles have it as part of a, say, party trip?
have a watch sponsor or to be lifted. Then the tent structure It is an event and experience people can
a clothing brand and you starts. It’s a big, big operation. have. Our objective is to have people walk
need to respect their com- away saying that was just incredible, the
mitments. All these ele- Is it hugely profitable? best party they ever had and they want to
ments came together when If you don’t bring in the sponsorships come back again next year. We do have
I went into Amber. and sell the tables, it does not work. people using it for special occasions, such
In those days, there Definitely you need to do a minimum as anniversaries and for charities, outside
wasn’t any one place where of two nights. Sales and sponsorship of our own charity efforts.October 2016 TTG Asia 11
Social From the newest executive movements to recent trade
celebrations and major upcoming events, we round up
the latest happenings to keep you plugged in
GALLERY
NORTH PATTAYA PLAYS FOR BIGGER WIN
Tourism stakeholders belonging to the North Pattaya Alliance recently met
together to plan the January 2017 launch of the new North Pattaya –
Simply Playful campaign, which aims to step up the area’s reputation as a
premier beach destination for leisure, business events and Indian weddings.
TTG ASIA LUXURY WINS PATA
GOLD AWARD
TTG Asia Luxury has clinched its first award
through a feature-length article in the
December 2015 issue, The New Glamorous,
written by senior editors Mimi Hudoyo
(pictured) and Raini Hamdi. The story wins
a PATA Gold Award for Travel Journalism –
Industry Business Article, which was presented
during PATA Travel Mart 2016 in Jakarta last
month.
APPOINTMENTS
Marc Dardenne Bob Binder
MARC DARDENNE
NOW Group chief operating officer,
Jumeirah Group
THEN CEO, Patina Hotels and Resorts
ERKAN TUNCAAKAR
NOW General manager, Go Vacation
Vietnam
THEN General manager, Go Vacation Sri
Lanka
RON CUSITER
NOW Vice president of sales and marketing,
Como Hotels and Resorts
THEN Vice president of sales operations,
Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South-
west Asia, Hyatt International
BOB BINDER
NOW President and CEO, Oceania Cruises;
vice chairman, Oceania Cruises and Regent
Seven Seas Cruises
THEN Vice chairman, Oceania Cruises and
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
EUGENE CHAN
NOW Chief commercial officer –
distribution, Asia-Pacific, Amadeus
THEN Managing director, Singapore, BCD
Travel
PER KREDNER
NOW General manager, Hyatt Regency Hong
Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
THEN Hotel manager, Grand Hyatt ShenzhenOctober 2016 TTG Asia 12
Need ideas on what to buy? Check
Shop out the array of new products
showcased on this page
HOTELS
THE ANAM, VIETNAM PREMIER INN SINGAPORE COMPASS SKYVIEW HOTEL, HILTON JINAN SOUTH HOTEL &
An independently operated luxury resort, BEACH ROAD THAILAND RESIDENCES, CHINA
The Anam, was soft-launched last month The UK’s Premier Inn hotel chain has opened Standing in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit 24 is the This newly-launched property in Jinan, the
in Nha Trang. The property has 105 villas the 300-room Premier Inn Singapore Beach 285-room Compass Skyview Hotel, which capital of Shandong province in eastern
(some of which come with private pools), Road, located within the city’s cultural soft-opened last month with an official China, features 420 rooms, of which 316
each featuring fine Vietnamese hardwood, Kampong Glam district. A 15-minute drive opening tabled for January 2017. Amenities are hotel guestrooms, while the remaining
decorative stone and antique tiling. Facilities from Changi International Airport, the hotel is include an infinity salt-water swimming 104 are one-, two- and three-bedroom
include the Sri Mara Spa, a fitness centre, also near the Singapore Sports Hub, Suntec pool and Jacuzzi on the rooftop, a pool bar, residences. Recreational facilities include a
water sports centre, three swimming pools, Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre and gym, meeting rooms and a Sky Ballroom. swimming pool on level 33, along with a 24-
a kids club, a satay bar, and the signature Marina Bay. Amenities include complimentary The property also has a nightclub, plus F&B hour fitness centre, sauna and steam rooms.
Indochine Café serving contemporary Asian Wi-Fi, a rooftop swimming pool and bar as options such as the steakhouse Prime+ and The property also has four restaurants and
and European cuisines. well as a multi-cuisine restaurant. the Mojjo Cuban Restaurant & Cigar Lounge. more than 2,600m2 of meeting spaces.
ACTIVITIES TRANSPORTATION
MAKAN BUS TAKES TOURISTS AIRASIA FIRST TO LINK PHUKET AND SIEM REAP
AROUND SINGAPORE FOR AirAsia will start a daily service between Phuket and Siem Reap from November 7,
LOCAL EATS becoming the first airline to link these two popular destinations in South-east Asia together.
Created by operator MeGuideU, this The flight will depart Phuket at 06.20, landing in Siem Reap at 07.45. The return flight will
new gastro tour based on Singapore’s take off from Siem Reap at 08.40 and arrive in Phuket at 10.05.
local delicacies was launched at
the end of August. It is a hop-on, Phuket Siem Reap
hop-off concept using 13-seater
vans, bringing visitors to 10 local neighbourhoods such as Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh. These
districts are known for their popular hawkers that cook up local dishes such as fried kway
teow, mee siam and roti prata.
Buses run daily from 11.00 at 20-minute frequencies. Onboard, there are customised
maps and tour guides to answer queries. The tour features 10 stops, beginning and ending at
Orchard Gateway.
Currently, Makan Bus operates in the north-central part of Singapore but there are plans to
expand to the east in the coming months.
JETSTAR TARGETS CORPORATE CLIENTELE WITH NEW BUNDLE
Jetstar has unveiled FlexiBiz, an add-on which provides business travellers greater flexibility
with their flight plans.
The upgrade allows business travellers to move their flight earlier or later on the same day
of travel, take extra carry-on baggage (7kg) and select an upfront seat at no extra charge.
Those who cancel their flights will also be entitled to a credit voucher refund that is valid
towards a new booking within six months of issue.
Corporates who are signed up on Jetstar’s Business Hub can choose to include FlexBiz
with their ticket purchases at an introductory price of S$32 (US$25). The ancillary product is
currently only available directly through Jetstar’s website.
LUFTHANSA SIGNS ROUTE-SHARING DEAL WITH AIR CHINA
Air China and Lufthansa have entered into a commercial joint venture that will enable the two
aviation groups to jointly operate all connections between Europe and China, building upon a
MoU signed by the two entities in 2014.
As part of the new partnership, the two airlines will expand codesharing routes as well as
implement flight timetable coordination and common fares at the start of the 2017 summer
schedule.
For Air China customers, the expanded codesharing connections will avail more routes to
and from various destinations in Europe via the Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Vienna hubs. In
turn, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines – its two subsidiaries – will
gain access via the Chinese national carrier to additional routes in China.
JTB FORMS ANIME TOURISM ASSOCIATION WITH JAL, KADOKAWA
JTB is teaming up with Japan Airlines and Kadokawa, one of the nation’s leading publishers, to
tap into international interest in Japan’s famed anime and manga scene.
The three companies in September launched the Japan Anime Tourism Association, and
the association’s very first initiative is the creation of 88 “animation spots” around the country
where fans are able to explore the locations used in their favourite tales.
The destinations combined form a pilgrimage route for dedicated manga and anime fans,
inspired by the famous 88-temple route walked by religious pilgrims on the island of Shikoku.
The association will initially focus its marketing efforts on other nations in Asia, where
anime and manga already have a firm and widespread following, said Tachikawa.
JTB also intends to promote tours that feature pop culture sites, while the association will
utilise social media to disseminate information on the project.TTG Asia Advertorial
Congratulations Mr & Ms Costa!
Winners of Costa’s 10-year cruise pass
Costa Asia is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Asia-Pacific this year. In appreciation of travel agent partners
who have played a key role in the company’s extraordinarily successful first decade, it recently organised the
Mr./Ms. Costa Free Voyage Contest where the prize was a 10-year cruise pass. The results are in and here
are the six winners who will be exploring Asia and the world with Costa Cruises — for free — all the way to 2025!
Ms Sophia Sin Mr Frankie Lie Ms Chin Huey Yau Mr Anthony Lester Ms Tina Lee Chuan Chuan Mr Meth Metayanurak
Assistant Supervisor Branch Manager Cruise Advisor Lizardo Manager (Wholesale) Outbound Sales Manager
(Cruise Center) Avia Tour & Travel Netquas Holiday Sdn Bhd Cruise Sales Officer Commonwealth Travel N S Travel & Tours Co.,
China Travel Service TravelPeople Ltd. Inc Service Corp Pte Ltd Ltd.
(HK) Ltd
“Since my first “Costa Diadema is “Oh My God — What “I love Costa Victoria “Costa Classica is “Costa Victoria is
cruise, I have been one of my favourite an unbelievable because it feels my favourite ship. going to sail among
impressed. The ships, with a and good news like home. Good Elegant decoration, Andaman Sea,
spaces onboard capacity for 4,947 which has never food, exceptional delicious Gulf of Thailand
Costa’s ships are guests and a great happened in my people and relaxing. meals, excellent and the Pacific
spacious and collection of more life! My appreciation A dream vacation entertainment Ocean. I believe
comfortable. The than 7,000 art to Costa and to all that lets you enjoy and lovely towel this is a fabulous
services are warm works. Guests enjoy honorable judges, the wonders of Asia animals on the bed opportunity
and the cuisines the multi-cultural event staffs and in comfort. Turning at night. I had a for travellers
from around the atmosphere and candidates! Very your dreams into most memorable from Thailand
world are delicious. foods from all over happy and excited reality! Cruising experience on this and neighboring
The guest activities the world. Parents to be the first Italian Style.” ship in 2011.” countries to
are fun and eye- can relax because Ms. Costa in discover the great
opening to me too.” there are lots of Malaysia. My value of a holiday
programmes for the beloved Costa with Costa Cruises. I
little ones too.” Cruises, here am glad to be one of
I come!” them, of course!”
Costa neoClassica: Bringing “Italy at Sea” to India
With a global reputation as a pioneer and innovator in the cruise industry, Costa
Cruises achieved a new milestone with the launch of Costa neoClassica in Mumbai,
India in 2016. The company is the first international cruise line homeported in
Mumbai to offer cruises to destinations such as Cochin, Maldives and Colombo.
Weekly sailings have been scheduled from December 16, 2016 to March 18, 2017.
Onboard are 654 cabins, a casino, theatre, disco, ballroom, Grand Bar, wellness
centre, outdoor jogging track, four jacuzzis, two swimming pools and a large duty-
The Grand Bar, Costa neoClassica
free shopping centre. Guests will enjoy both classic Italian gastronomy as well as
tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes. As its latest investment in India shows, Costa is committed to developing the full
potential of Asia’s cruise markets and popularise its unique brand of “Italy at Sea” cruise holidays.
Costa Cruises (www.costacruisesasia.com) is the Italy-based subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest cruise company in the world and the first international cruise company to enter
Asia-Pacific and China in 2006. Since its debut in the region, Costa Cruises has upheld the principle of customer-first and continues to focus on innovation and excellence so that its Asia-Pacific and
Chinese customers are able to enjoy the most creative and high quality cruise products with a unique “Italy at Sea” flavour.October 2016 TTG Asia 14
Learn from the experts, take heed of technology
On the radar currently shaping the travel landscape and pick
up new ideas on how to do business better
service a system or a manual labourer part of
ASK THE EXPERT a group building a road through a jungle.
When employees feel unwell or unsafe
when travelling away from home, they feel
Taming chaos with calm extremely vulnerable and organisations need
to ensure that adequate measures and sup-
port are in place for their employees.
A practical framework for duty of care
International SOS Singapore managing concerns about safety abroad, less than four should include the elements of policy devel-
director Juliana Gim talks corporate travel in 10 research about crime at the destination, opment and implementation; dynamic threat
managers through identifying and preparing neighbourhoods to avoid, safety standards of and hazard identification and risk assess-
for unwelcome surprises that come up when public transport or security features of their ment; organising, planning and implementa-
employees travel accommodation before they travel. tion; evaluation and action for improvement.
The study also reported that while 71 per Organisations should ensure that
What is International SOS advising com- cent of senior executive travellers have expe- adequate health, safety, security and legal
panies about countries or areas to avoid? rienced a medical problem abroad, only 15 protection measures are in place for the fol-
There are always risks that travellers need to per cent assess adequacy of local healthcare lowing reasons:
be aware of regardless of their destination. It before travelling. In addition, nearly one in While employers should • Prevention, timely intervention and mitiga-
is important for travellers and organisations three trips abroad are to countries with higher tion of incidents reduce costly disruption
to understand these travel risks and have risk ratings than the traveller’s home country.
consider terror attacks as to business activities, improve morale and
processes and systems in place to mitigate Travel risks can cover a range of issues in a potential risk...travellers strengthen productivity.
them. Preparation and mitigation of travel addition to ‘traditional’ occupational safety, • Adequate identification of threats and haz-
risks is paramount to ensure a safer travel. health and security considerations. Examples are far more likely to be ards, and the management of risks during
include latent health issues, location-specific involved in an accident or an incident may allow for the continuation
What are the key risks companies should infection risks, lost travel documents, the qual- of activities or the development of new
consider before sending employees? ity of state security and emergency services, suffer from medical emer- opportunities, who could have otherwise
While employers should consider terror at- political unrest, major accidents, natural disas- gencies. been lost.
tacks as a potential risk, they should also be ters, as well as cultural and legal complexities. • Meeting these responsibilities can mean a
aware of medical and travel security risks as positive return on investment.
travellers are far more likely to be involved in What other duty of care should compa- bility to employees, organisations need to • This protection is an important part of
an accident or suffer from medical emergen- nies observe? consider the different needs of the many corporate social responsibility.
cies that require specialised care. For companies, duty of care to employees is types of working travellers. They can be a It is important to ensure that all relevant
A recent Ipsos Global Advisor study found the expectation – not the exception. senior executive travelling to close an impor- legal obligations are met to reduce risks that
that although 80 per cent of travellers had In order to fulfil its duty of care responsi- tant deal, a consulting technician travelling to an organisation could face with litigation.October 2016 TTG Asia 16
Report Serviced residences consolidation
Serviced residence chiefs tell Paige Lee Pei Qi
and Xinyi Liang-Pholsena how hospitality
and competition from home rentals
are shaping their expansion and distribution plans
Charting new paths to growth
Clockwise from left: Oriental Residence Bangkok; Pan Pacific Beijing; Oasia Residence,
in Singapore; Capri by Fraser, Changi City, in Singapore; One Sunland Serviced Suites
managed by Lanson Place, in Shanghai; and Tujia Somerset West Coast Haikou
Lee Chee Koon out to over 100 million Chinese travellers. agement contracts, investments, strategic Hotel du Vin group, two best-in-class ho-
CEO, The Ascott Ascott is also accepting contactless pay- alliances and franchises. tel brands, doubling our offerings in Eu-
ment modes to enhance customer experi- rope and further strengthening our global
Ascott has been studying industry trends ence. For instance, stays booked through Choe Peng Sum expansion plans to achieve our goal of
to stay ahead of the curve. With the rise of Alitrip can be paid via Alibaba’s Post Post CEO, Frasers Hospitality 30,000 units by 2019.
the sharing economy and the consolida- Pay service at our properties in China, al- Global expansion is very much on the
tion of hospitality companies, we have es- lowing qualified guests to reserve apart- We can certainly expect more mergers agenda of Frasers Hospitality, and we are
tablished strategic alliances to leverage our ments without paying a deposit and enjoy and acquisitions (in the hospitality sec- always on the lookout for growth op-
capabilities and create a seamless O2O express check-out. tor) to take place. The merger between portunities, be it organically or through
(offline-to-online and online-to-offline) We are also expanding our global net- Marriott and Starwood is a real game acquisition. The goal is to strengthen our
experience. work with the support of strong capital changer as they force other chains to re- position in cities where we already have
We are embracing technology, tailoring partners like Qatar Investment Authority evaluate their offerings and assess the an established presence and explore new
the customer experience and transform- (QIA). Through Ascott’s fund with QIA, need to join arms with other players, be opportunities in emerging markets with
ing our business model to include the we have acquired four prime properties it large or small chains, to better equip steady FDI inflows. Frasers Hospitality is
sharing economy. Last year, Ascott took a in less than a year in London, Paris, Mel- themselves for this increasingly competi- open to acquiring established brands that
stake in Tujia.com International, China’s bourne and Tokyo for US$270 million. tive landscape. may be small or even small brands that
largest and fastest-growing online apart- We are on track to achieve our global tar- This is exactly what Frasers Hospitality need to be rebranded and not limiting to
ment sharing platform. On top of listing get of 80,000 units by 2020 through man- has done with the purchase of Malmaison just Europe.
our properties, we also operate serviced Airbnb is here to stay and it would be
residences in China under the new Tujia foolish to ignore the impacts they have
Somerset brand to cater to the booming made on the hospitality industry. It has
middle-class travel segment. The joint caused companies to rethink their entire
venture will integrate Ascott’s strengths distribution strategy and hotels are now
in managing properties as well as Tujia’s looking to merge with distribution chan-
online capabilities.
Ascott’s partnership with Tujia is on On top of listing our properties nels to improve their online distribution.
The entire consumer landscape of
the right track as Tujia’s annual transac- (on Tujia.com), we also operate instant gratification and technology ad-
tions are growing at a phenomenal 300
per cent year-on-year and a record was set serviced residences in China under vancements, as reflected in the emergence
of brands like Uber and Airbnb, has kept
with single-day orders exceeding 56,000
roomnights. The growth of the sharing
the new Tujia Somerset brand to us on our toes. It has pushed us to en-
hance guests’ experience, be more efficient
economy is set to continue and Ascott is cater to the booming middle-class in responding to guests’ feedback and is a
ready to harness this opportunity.
Early this year, we partnered Chinese
travel segment. good reminder that our customers are at
the centre of everything we do. This is vi-
e-commerce giant Alibaba Group’s online Lee Chee Koon
CEO, The Ascott
tal as customers will vote with their feet as
travel service platform, Alitrip, to reach choices abound.Report Serviced residences
ket segments but also provides our guests
Richard Tan,
with an experience beyond the expected.
Vice-president, serviced suites,
Our strategy is to provide all this at
Pan Pacific Hotels Group
attractive price points with the prime
While the entry of alternative accommo- locations of our serviced residences. In
dation providers may mean more compe- We also recently entered into a Singapore, for example, we have Far East
Hospitality serviced residences in the Or-
tition for the long-stay pie, it has also in-
spired us to rethink our value proposition
strategic alliance with Singapore chard district, Clarke Quay, Robertson
and how we can continue to create and Hospitality Holdings to accel- Quay as well as Hougang, so our guests
deliver value to our customers. can choose the ones closest to their offices
For us, this means focusing on the ba- erate the growth of Ozo and or the hot spots they would like to explore.
sics of good old hospitality and provid- Shama brands across the Asia- We just launched the Oasia Residence,
the first Oasia brand in the serviced resi-
ing consistent, top-notch service to our
guests. As a hotel company that owns, de- Pacific, with the aim of having 46 dence category, in Singapore’s West Coast
near business parks and education insti-
velops and manages 40 properties around
the world, we are relatively smaller than
new hotels open by 2024. tutions to meet the rising demand in an
other hotel chains, but that’s also an ad- Peter Henley area where the current serviced residence
vantage because we can be closer to our President & CEO, Onyx Hospitality Group supply is relatively low. Integrated into the
customers and property owners. Seahill residential development, the 140-
Being in the digital age means we don’t convert hotel guests to long-term resi- tertainment facilities. Pan Pacific London unit Oasia Residence will offer full service
need to have scale to connect directly with dents at our serviced suites, which sup- (opening 2019) will feature both hotel and apartments and facilities such as a swim-
our customers; our online presence gives ports our growth in an organic manner. serviced residences, and is located next to ming pool, gymnasium and a tennis court.
us global access to market to the rest of We believe in pursuing partnerships Liverpool Street station in the CBD. The Oasia Residence will add another
the world. This will become increasingly strategically and seizing the right op- 140 rooms to our service residences port-
important as more people travel and the portunity to venture into a new market. folio by the end of this year, coming at an
Arthur Kiong opportune time as the region continues to
availability of alternatives like Airbnb will Our growth strategy focuses on building
CEO, Far East Hospitality mature and there is more demand for ser-
make travelling even more compelling. a network of hotels in key gateway cities
In developing cities, long-staying guests and destinations, so location is one of the To capture the interest of a new generation viced residences from travellers.
are starting to appreciate the facilities of most important considerations. of travellers, corporate bookers and “blei- We have several offerings under the Oa-
a hotel and recognising this, we converted For example, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites sure” travellers, our service residences are sia brand that includes hotels (Oasia Hotel
a number of hotel rooms (e.g. Pan Pacific Puteri Harbour (opening 2018), which is providing more customised value-added Downtown, Oasia Hotel Novena), hybrid
Tianjin, Pan Pacific Xiamen and Parkroyal located at a premium waterfront lifestyle offerings and differentiate our guest ex- models (Oasia Suites Kuala Lumpur, our
Yangon) to cater to this rising demand. As development in Iskandar, Johor, sits in perience across our locations and serviced first overseas venture for the Oasia brand),
one of the first few adopters of this “hy- close proximity to medical and healthcare residence brands. This diversity not only as well as serviced residences (the upcom-
brid” model, we are in a good niche to also services, educational institutions and en- enables us to address the different mar- ing Oasia Residence).
Advertorial
GTEF: Embracing the powerful tourism consumers
Global tourism leaders from the public and private sectors to meet in Macao to exchange views on how Asia-Pacific’s
growing consumer class is transforming the tourism industry.
T
he Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) – an influential 1 Billion+ Opportunities
high-level event promoting sustainable development in the GTEF’s signature program “Face to Face, Ministers and Private Sector
global tourism industry with a focus on China – will gather CEOs” will take centre stage again, with Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary
the world’s tourism leaders in Studio City Macau from October General of UNWTO, as the lead speaker.
15-16, 2016 under the theme “The Growing Consumer Class, This prestigious panel includes ministerial speakers such
Rethinking and Reshaping the Future Tourism Landscape”. as Thong Khon, (Cambodia), Li Jinzao (China), István Ujhelyi
In celebration of its 5th anniversary, GTEF is offering exciting (European Union), Gusztáv Bienerth (Hungary), Timur Toktabayev
special anniversary programs alongside its signature programs, and (Kazakhstan), U Ohn Maung (Myanmar), and Marleny Josefina
networking and business opportunities. Contreras Hernández (Venezuela).
The panel also includes private sector top executives such The Special Keynote Speaker will be Long
The Forces Shaping China’s Economic Future as Arthur de Haast (UK), Duan Qiang (China), Michael Frenzel Yongtu, Former Vice Minister, Ministry of
Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation, China.
A very special speaker for our special anniversary occasion, Mr Long (Germany), Gerald Lawless (UAE), Liang Xinjun (China), Philippe
Yongtu, Former Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Trade & Economic Schaus (Hong Kong), Caroline Scheufele (Switzerland), Zhang Ling
Cooperation, China, and the chief negotiator for China’s entry into (China), and Zhang Xuewu (Hong Kong).
the WTO, will grace the Forum with his presence and share his Together, these speakers will identify the new challenges and
insights in the forces that are shaping the economic future of China. opportunities associated with consumption growth. They will also
discuss how governments and industry leaders can work towards a
Asia Tourism Trends 2016 level playing field for all businesses while protecting consumers.
Mr Xu Jing, Executive Secretary and Regional Director for Asia
and the Pacific, World Tourism Organization, will present the third Tourism and Technology
annual tourism trends report jointly organized by the United Nations Mario Hardy, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association, will moderate
World Tourism Organization and the Global Tourism Economy a panel of industry leaders including Laure de Boerio (France),
Research Center. Helena Egan (US), Min Fan (China), Lug Giroud (France), Ling Kang
Mr Xu will provide data that demonstrates the influence Asia- (China) and Angeline Tang (Singapore).
Pacific has on world tourism both as a source market and as a top These panelists will discuss online business models, operator-
world destination. He will elaborate on China’s dominant role, the and user-generated contents, marketing, how technology affects brand The UNWTO/GTERC Annual Report 2016 on
trends driven by the consumer class, infrastructure and human capital loyalty, and the next innovation that will transform the Asia Tourism Trends will be presented by
Xu Jing, Executive Secretary and Regional
investments and other key tourism trends. travel experience. Director for Asia and the Pacific, World Tourism
Organization.
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