ITB Berlin, Germany March 9, 2016 Accor Supplement AccorHotels #1 in Singapore

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa and Spa, Singapore

Following the announcement the nest luxury accommoda- city’s rst lifestyle boutique ho- of several new-build hotels in tions complete with outdoor tel with custom furnishings, an the city, AccorHotels is the fast- pool, plus executive lounge with outdoor pool and an all-inclusive est-growing international opera- stunning city views, a 620sqm oer of bed, breakfast and wi- tor in Singapore. ballroom and world-class restau- for every guest. Nearby the Mer- is year the group will launch rants and bars, as well as access cure Middle Road will open right the new So tel Singapore City for guests to a state-of-the-art Centre, a 222-room that Virgin Active Gym. in the centre of town opposite will be part of the multi-billion Also opening this year will Bugis Junction Shopping Centre dollar Tanjong Pagar Centre, lo- be the ibis Styles Singapore and will oer an in nity pool, cated between Chinatown and Macpherson, built around a rooop entertainment deck and the CBD. e hotel will feature shopping mall and oering the an executive lounge. VIP guests join the Les Miserable cast on stage ITB’s Finest Event Takes Centre Stage Last year guests at AccorHotels Asia Paci c ITB VIP Dinner en- joyed a spectacular performance from Les Misérables featuring 18 former cast members drawn from around the world. e intimate rendition of the show’s most beloved musical numbers was a high- light of the ITB calendar for those who attended. Graham Wilson, Chief Marketing and Distribution Ocer, AccorHotels Asia Paci c ibis Styles Macpherson, Singapore Sofitel So Singapore, Singapore promises another magical evening tonight for all those attending but has refused to reveal who the star act will be.

1

ITBCIA16025_3894_AH_ITBwrap_4pp260x380pt_FA.indd Berlin day1 p01 news.indd 1 2 7/03/20167/3/16 10:34 1:13 amPM NEWS – ACCOR HOTELS Supplement SOFITEL UNVEILS LATEST LUXURY ADDRESSES

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa, Singapore Sofitel So Singapore, Singapore

e luxury Sotel brand has en- Asavaprapha has given his fash- joyed a record year of expansion ionable touches throughout the in Asia Pacic, unveiling several hotel including in the uniforms landmark addresses. and artworks. Set on 27 acres of lush tropical emed around the Grand woodlands and landscaped water Gallerie de ‘Evolution natural gardens, Sotel Singapore Sentosa history museum in Paris, the re- Resort & Spa oers 215 spacious sort features a bold design with rooms with direct access to beau- playful animal statues interwoven tiful Tanjong Beach. Leisure facil- through the gardens, rooms that ities include two swimming pools, are either ‘So Arty’ or ‘So Nature’ tennis, volleyball and badminton and captivating public spaces in- courts. ere are several dining cluding the Hi So roof bar, White options including Kwee Zeen, and Oven ai and Beach Il Lido at e Cli, both boasting Society, a playful party venue with South China Sea views. stunning sea views. ere is also a A key feature of the resort is the So SPA and So Fit lounge as well world’s largest So SPA by Sotel, as two pools – one for families and Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort, Indonesia oering 20 treatment rooms, six one for adults only. outdoor spa pavilions and a gor- Continuing the Adults Only geous spa garden complete with theme, the Sotel Fiji Resort & oat pool and Singapore’s only mudpool, where guests can purify Spa last year launched the Wai- and renew their skin with min- tui Beach Club, an exclusive eral-rich New Zealand volcanic adults-only area with its own pool, mud. Champagne Bar, poolside cabanas In nearby ailand, So Sotel and restaurant. One of the rst Hua Hin just opened its doors adults-only beach clubs in Fiji, the with 77 design-led rooms in a club provides a range of health picturesque setting on Cha-am and wellness options including Beach, just over two hours’ drive well-balanced menus, tness from Bangkok. Long favoured by classes and boot camps. the ai aristocracy for its beauti- AccorHotels also just signed ful beaches and air of renement, two new-build Sotels and will Hua Hin now has its rst vibrant open the Sotel Kuala Lumpur lifestyle luxury hotel which will Damansara and Sotel Singa- appeal to trendsetters looking pore City Centre in 2016, adding for something truly dierent. a combined 534 rooms to the Sofitel So Bangkok, Thailand Renowned ai designer Polpat group’s luxury brand portfolio. Europe Drives Strong Growth for Asia e World Monitor is pre- Bali and AccorHotels has contin- in Bali, from the luxurious So- dicting European outbound travel ued to see strong growth at its re- tel to the MGallery Royal Beach to increase by 2.8% this year, with sort properties including the Sotel Seminyak, Pullman Bali Legian, Asia remaining high on the list of Bali Nusa Dua Resort & Spa. e Novotel Bali Benoa and several destinations for European travelers. resort features 415 rooms includ- playful ibis Styles hotels that oer Germans have once again cement- ing private pool villas, three restau- fun, modern accommodations at ed their place as the world’s ‘travel rants and bars, and a lagoon-style the best value on the island. is champions’ having been named the pool overlooking the beach. ere year they will open a new Novo- number one outbound market by is also a private beachfront wed- tel at Ngurah Rai Airport, as well trips for 2015, followed by the USA, ding chapel, Nikki Beach lifestyle as an Ibis on Legian Street and an UK and China and number three club, kids club, executive lounge ibis Styles in the popular Petitenget in terms of spending, beaten only with its own private pool, a So Spa area. by the USA and China. ailand for traditional treatments, plus e group is seeing growth of and Indonesia are rm favourites the Vietura medi-spa for more in- more than 2% into Asia, with top with Europeans thanks to their val- tensive anti-ageing treatments, all destinations being Bali and Bang- ue-for-money beach destinations, located on stunning beachfront in kok, while interest in emerging Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort, Indonesia rich culture and natural attractions. Bali’s most exclusive resort enclave. destinations like Myanmar and Europeans have always loved AccorHotels has almost 20 hotels Laos is strengthening.

2

CIA16025_3894_AH_ITBwrap_4pp260x380pt_FA.indd 3 7/03/2016 1:13 PM NEWS – ACCOR HOTELS Supplement

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa, New Zealand Hotel St Moritz Queenstown – MGallery, New Zealand

NEWSotel Wellington is set to ZEALANDvery striking décor with French ers Space Studio, to introduce EXPANSION Sotel Queenstown has also dition to a discovery bar, where open late this year in the New touches. With Sotel’s strong as- stylish Parisian accents, while undergone a make-over with guests can unwind over a freshly Zealand capital. Located on Bol- sociation with the arts and gas- reecting the hotel’s stunning the addition of the luxurious brewed tea and healthy snack. ton Street, in the centre of the tronomy the hotel is set to play waterfront location. With relax- new So SPA, with beauty treat- city, the Sotel will be within an important part in the social ing shades of silver, pastel blue ments under the prestigious Meticulously craed by talented walking distance of Parliament life of the capital. It will also and taupe hues, complemented THÉMAÉ, Sothy and Pure Fiji Kiwi sculptors, local artworks House, Te Papa Museum and feature a tness centre, indoor by so lighting and exquisite brands. All ve treatment rooms with inuences of traditional a great selection of boutique pool and function and meeting furnishings, the new renova- boast individual showers and Maori greenstone have been in- shops, and bars. rooms. tions reect the cool-calm ma- steam rooms, with a couples’ corporated into the spa décor to e interior design will fea- Meanwhile Sotel Auckland rina setting. e lobby has also suite complete with cedarwood ture a sophisticated monochro- Viaduct has just completed a been revamped including a new jacuzzi. Notably, the So SPA fea- reect the hotel’s unique loca- matic colour scheme that will be $2 million refurbishment under intimate French-inspired wine tures an infra-red room as well tion near the pristine shores of accented with yellows to create a the command of local design- venue, e Cellar. as serene relaxation rooms in ad- Lake Wakatipu. Pullman Becomes Asia’s Most Dynamic Upscale Brand Since its launch in 2008, Pull- out the day. e hotel’s lobby also man has become one of the most breaks away from the tradition- dynamic upscale hotel brands in al hotel norms, with a seamless the world, with a network that space designed as a spontaneous reached 100 at the end of 2015 social hub. With contrasting tex- with the opening of Pullman tures from stone, marble, copper New Delhi Aerocity in India. and timber and soaring ceilings, Pullman hotels are aimed at to- artworks and digital installations, day’s busy and demanding global the lobby has an energy that cap- nomad, and promise contempo- tures the essence of vibrant Hong rary architecture and design, a Kong. warm welcome and excellent Pullman Bangkok Grande connectivity. Sukhumvit is the third Pullman With 270 rooms set around a in the ‘City of Angels’ and adds central garden and heated out- 325 beautifully designed rooms door pool, Pullman New Delhi to the network. e hotel fea- Aerocity oers easy acess to In- tures a highly visible sail-shaped dira Gandhi International Air- glass façade, a range of room port and the business hubs of styles and two restaurants, a deli Gurgaon and New Delhi. e lounge, cocktail bar, outdoor Pullman’s guestrooms are stylish pool, well-equipped gym and ex- with oor-to-ceiling windows tensive spa. ere are great facili- and the uniquely comfortable ties for functions or celebrations, Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach, Thailand Pullman bed, which promises a with ten meeting rooms includ- blissful slumber. ing a pillarless grand ballroom Pullman has celebrated sever- for up to 500 guests. al other agship openings across In neighbouring Malaysia, the Asia Pacic recently including group also opened the Pullman e Park Lane Hong Kong, a Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel Pullman Hotel; Pullman Bang- & Residences, further consoli- kok Grande Sukhumvit; and dating the Pullman brand as the Pullman Kuala Lumpur City fastest-growing upscale brand Centre. in Asia Pacic. Perfectly located e Park Lane has been a land- in the heart of the trendy Bukit mark hotel in Hong Kong for 40 Bintang district, the hotel oers years and has undergone a $200m 445 spacious hotel rooms and HKD refurbishment including a 157 serviced apartments, boast- Park Lane Hong Kong – a Pullman Hotel, Hong Kong Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay, China new lobby, new rooop terrace, ing spectacular views of the city business centre and new execu- skyline. tive rooms. In a prime Causeway e Pullman Kuala Lumpur tel has six dining outlets from a popular just 1.5 In Asia Pacic alone, Pullman Bay location, just opposite Victo- City Centre Hotel & Residenc- casual coee lounge and pool- hours’ drive from Ho Chi Minh. has a strong pipeline of over 40 ria Park, the hotel boasts several es is a perfect t for the brand, side terrace grill to Japanese and Featuring the largest meeting fa- hotels in the next few years and restaurants and bars including thanks to its superb location Chinese ne dining and boasts cilities in Southern Vietnam and will continue to expand aggres- rooop dining with stunning and excellent facilities, modern world-class meeting facilities in- beautiful beach views, the Pull- sively. Pullman is now the largest harbour and city views. Ebb & rooms, panoramic views, tness cluding a 580 sqm metre grand man Vung Tau has 356 rooms Flow on the lobby level boasts centre, kids club and outdoor ballroom and 11 meeting rooms. and suites, an executive lounge, upscale hotel brand in Australia Hong Kong’s rst Steampunk pool. With Pullman having a AccorHotels also launched several restaurants and bars, a and the fastest-growing Accor- cra-brewing coee machine strong focus on balanced food its fourth Pullman in Vietnam 24/7 Fit Lounge and outdoor Hotels brand in China, reecting and changing menus through- and beverage oerings, the ho- with an opening in Vung Tau, a pool. its popularity in the region.

3

CIA16025_3894_AH_ITBwrap_4pp260x380pt_FA.indd 4 7/03/2016 1:13 PM NEWS – ACCOR HOTELS Supplement

The spectacular new Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is the Briefs impressive tower next to the Novotel in this artist impression AccorHotels Opens Two New in Phu Quoc Vietnam AccorHotels has opened two new hotels in Phu Quoc, one of the hottest beachside destina- tions in Vietnam. e Novotel Phu Quoc Resort has 366 spa- cious rooms including private pool villas, two restaurants and three bars, a state-of-the-art t- ness centre, two tennis courts, spa, an outdoor pool, separate kids pool and kids club and a beautiful stretch of private beach. e Mercure Phu Quoc Resort & Villas features 72 vil- las with private terraces set on Truong Beach, some with their own private pools. e Mercu- re features three bars and res- taurants, an outdoor pool with Jacuzzi, 24-hour tness centre, Pure Spa and complimentary activities as well as function fa- cilities for up to 80. ACCORHOTELS CELEBRATES SILVER Two New Hotels in Laos Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage listed town that is the cultural and spiritual heart ANNIVERSARY IN AUSTRALIA of Laos and is a rare chance for is year marks a signicant als and forms used to invoke a renaissance projects and will gym. e hotel will oer an Ex- travellers to experience the In- milestone for AccorHotels in strong connection to the earth. help to make Darling Harbour ecutive Lounge - a hallmark of dochine of old. AccorHotels has Australia, with the group cele- Further north, the 368-room a rst-choice destination for every Pullman hotel - adding a launched two boutique hotels brating its 25th year in the coun- ibis Styles Brisbane Elizabeth business, and leisure quiet and convenient space for in the town: the 25-room Sotel try. With more than 200 hotels Street is set to open by the end travellers. guests to do business or relax. Luang Prabang where each suite across every state and territory, of the year. Located in the heart Also in Sydney, the group’s is year AccorHotels’ Ayers has its own garden with private the group is the clear leader in of the CBD, adjoining Queen St rst hotel in Australia, the Novo- Rock Resort will host the mon- pool or oversized bathtub and hospitality and continues to ex- Mall, the hotel is perfect for the tel Sydney on Darling Harbour umental art installation Field of the 15-room 3 Nagas MGallery pand its network. millennial traveler seeking de- has just celebrated the 1st anni- Light, by renowned artist Bruce hotel, which provides the per- Recent openings include El- sign-led, aordable quality ac- versary of its new Ternary res- Munro, bringing the red cen- fect setting to relax and immerse ements of Byron under the commodation with fun, colour- taurant with a win as Best F&B tre of Australia to life. Opening yourself in the Laoation culture. MGallery by Sotel brand, a ful interiors and sociable public outlet in NSW from AccorHo- on 1 April and running until 31 Rapid Expansion in China $100 million dollar eco-resort spaces. tels. e nearby Harbour Rocks March 2017, Field of Light will designed along two kilometres In Sydney what will become Hotel MGallery in the centre illuminate a remote desert area for 2016 of beach frontage in Byron Bay, the landmark Sotel Sydney of the historic Rocks district of within sight of majestic Uluru. While China’s economy may one of Australia’s most beautiful Darling Harbour continues to Sydney was also recognised for Munro has previously installed be slowing, the country’s sheer seaside destinations. Set around take shape as part of the $2.5 its superb Scarlett Restaurant. artworks at London’s Victoria & size means that hotel growth con- endangered rainforest and nat- billion redevelopment of the In- Boasting Harbour Bridge and Albert Museum and in the USA tinues to rise, with AccorHotels’ ural lakes, the resort features ternational Convention Centre Sydney Opera House views from and Mexico. For the Australian pipeline for China at around 100 several bars and restaurants, a and Darling Harbour precinct. many rooms, the Harbour Rocks desert he will install more than hotels. Recent openings include re pit, convention centre for up e new Sotel will be 35 storeys is set in a heritage-listed build- 50,000 coloured spheres which the Sotel Kunming at the gate- to 450 delegates, a private beach high and will boast 600 luxuri- ing made of convict sandstone. will bloom as darkness falls to way to Yunnan province’s most club, large lagoon style pool and ously appointed rooms, a roof- Another landmark opening create a magic setting for vis- picturesque destinations includ- day spa, all designed in sympa- top ininity pool and helipad, for the group will be the Pullman itors. is once-in-a-lifetime ing Lijiang, Dali and Shangri-La. thy with the natural surround- and several food and beverage Sydney Airport, set to launch in event will be complemented by a Located within walking distance ings. e villas are scattered outlets with spectacular city sky- 2016. Pullman Sydney Airport range of activities including spe- of Nanping Walking Street, East throughout the landscape, with line and harbour views. e ho- will include 229 accommodation cial Field of Light dinners under and West Pagodas, Green Lake water and re elements included tel will play a major role in one rooms and suites, a restaurant the stars with the option to ar- and the shopping district, the throughout and organic materi- of the world’s most exiting urban and bar, conference facilities and rive by camel or helicopter. Sotel features rooms inspired by a peacock which symbolises the local Dai minority, with leather wall coverings that conjure a chic Parisian apartment. Leisure fa- cilities include three restaurants and two bars, So Spa, So Fit and an indoor heated pool beneath a glass ceiling panel. Sotel Sanya Leeman Resort has also just opened, with 477 rooms in what is described as the ‘Hawaii of China’. e luxury re- sort, featuring 477 rooms, suites and villas, brings to Sanya an oasis of sophistication and glam- our reminiscent of the French Riviera, infused with timeless French hospitality and authentic Hainanese culture. e Sotel Sanya Leeman Resort has three restaurants and bars including a poolside bar, a So Spa, So Fit studio, two outdoor pools, a kids Ayers Rock Resort, Australia Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, Australia club and outstanding meeting fa- cilities.

4

CIA16025_3894_AH_ITBwrap_4pp260x380pt_FA.indd 1 7/03/2016 1:13 PM ITB Berlin, Germany March 9, 2016

the baht to the euro, which gave them a competitive edge when the baht dropped. While the Hopes amid sad summer slump in the euro has dampened market sentiment, Asia still rep- resents great value for German Asian sellers maintain Germany is strong despite fall in bookings at travel agencies and European travellers.” “There is a lot of change in By Raini Hamdi tour operating booking system. dinavia, where the majority of offi cer Graham Wilson said ter- Germany at the moment which ASIAN players are hopeful of Centara Hotels & Resorts’ customers are now booking on- ror attacks in Bangkok and Paris may be impacting travel senti- a strong German market this COO, Chris Bailey, said: “Ger- line through one channel or an- last year might have dampened ment but we believe confi dence year despite summer bookings many is a mature market to a other.” bookings during De- will return through the at travel agencies in Germany destination like Thailand, so it Centara is seeing a fi ve per cent cember and January. year.” in January – traditionally the is quite feasible that with the rise in German bookings YTD. “Our key Ger- Judy Lum, senior vice strongest month for summer right communications and in- Authority of Thailand man market hotels president sales & market- bookings – showing a sea of red. ducements, customers are book- also shows of a 7.14 per cent rise in Thailand, Australia ing of Tour East Group, GfK, which analyses some ing online, thus the de- in German arrivals in and Bali actually saw did see a slowdown in 340,000 bookings made at 1,200 cline. January, over January some increase in De- Germany/Swiss markets travel agencies, shows a 12 per “As I view various 2015, to 86,428. cember and January,” by 3Q and 4Q2015 after a cent YOY fall in sales in January, data, all suggest that “That communi- said Wilson. “This slight improvement at the wiping out 260 million euros of German outbound is cates that business is is backed by fi gures Wilson: confi dence start of last year, which for revenue for tour operators and actually set to grow, al- still out there but cer- from the Indonesian will return Tour East was offsetted by travel agents. The drop followed though small, from 1.5 tainly the market has Ministry of Tourism showing a spike in UK arrivals. an eight per cent fall in De- to four per cent. The become much more German arrivals into Bali were “While Germans are known cember. Summer 2016 sales are point here is it’s grow- late-booking as cus- up 14.11 per cent last year, in- to value their holidays, issues of around 8.6 per cent behind last ing, so the question is: Bailey: shift to tomers are prepared to cluding a stronger December, an unstable euro, several unsta- year’s cumulative total. does the traditional online? wait for the best deal. and Tourism Australia fi gures ble European economies still, the Asian sellers interviewed travel sector in Germany The introduction of low-cost showing German arrivals into threat of terror attacks and then however suggest that the region still deliver what the customer longhaul Eurowings and aggres- Australia were up 1.7 per cent in the Zika pandemic are just too is holding up as a destination. wants to buy, in terms of prod- sive online air deals, also fuel a 2015. much to ignore. Nevertheless, we For some, GfK’s data also points uct, fl exibility, price and speed to different booking mechanism,” “Last year was an extraordi- are optimistic of the European to a shift – or the start of one market? added Bailey. nary year for travel to Thailand market overall and are confi dent – by German travellers to book “Many European markets AccorHotels Asia Pacifi c’s because most of the main opera- of a slight improvement at the online than using the traditional have changed, just look at Scan- chief marketing & distribution tors had hedged a good rate on close of the 2015/16 season.”

ASEAN@50 Khiri group rebrands as Yaana pre-launches By Raini Hamdi expand GROUND and develop A GROUND study tour THAILAND-based Khiri Group more lodges and tents. tomorrow is rebranding itself as Yaana Said Neimeijer: “At the core Ventures as it moves to expand we are passionate about deliver- ASEAN tour- its other businesses while Khiri ing authentic travel experiences. ism ministers Travel retains its name and re- As DMC, Khiri Travel has spe- and leaders will mains a vital DMC division. cialised in delivering this to tour pre-launch Visit Having roped in former operators but increasingly we ASEAN@50: Diethelm Travel CEO Rich- fi nd that we need to go further in Golden Celebration ard Brouwer as CEO of Khiri the pursuit of this passion. tomorrow at the Malaysian pa- Travel, founder of Khiri Group, “For example, we co-founded vilion number 121 in Hall 26A. Willem Neimeijer, has stepped and manage the Anurak Com- Next year marks the 50th an- up as chairman of Yaana Ven- munity Lodge simply because niversary of ASEAN’s formation tures and will be focusing on there was no property in the re- and tour operators can expect growing travel products gion that respects na- both the public and private sec- that develop commu- ture, the local commu- ond, it frees Khiri Travel, with 22 marketplace that demands ex- tor of ASEAN to step up market- nities and the environ- nity and delivers a good years of experience, to focus on periential travel. “We prefer to ing. ment. product at a reasonable destination management. Third, commit the next fi ve years to Visit ASEAN@50: Golden While the company price that we could use. Yaana gives space for each of strengthening the foundation Celebration itself will highlight is synonymous with the “We look for syner- its brands to take the lead and that has made Khiri Travel what ASEAN’s best 50 festivals and DMC-side of the busi- gies in all our ventures, grow.” it stands for today. 50 most unforgettable travel ness since Neimeijer but are aware that each Yaana in Sangsrit embodies “Enabling growth for the tour experiences. Targeting major needs a separate, dedi- founded it 22 years ago, Niemeijer: “We ‘journey of discovery’ and ‘entre- operator today means that the regional and longhaul source less is known that it also have ambitions...” cated focus. In short, preneurial explorers and experi- ground partner must ensure that markets including China, Japan, operates GROUND, as entrepreneurs in the enced partners’. travellers who are leaving their South Korea, India, Australia, the which arranges educational travel and hospitality sector, we “There is a pattern among destination have expe- UK, Germany, Russia, the UAE, trips that develop communities, have ambitions that required a our ventures: they are all in the rienced that destination to the the US and Canada, it aims to and the Anurak Community new brand.” tourism and hospitality sphere, fullest. Those experiences are achieve 121 million international Lodge in Khao Sok, Thailand, On why the rebranding, which all focused on Asia and all with different for each client, there- arrivals to the region by the end the Banteay Chhmar Tented is done by QUO, is necessary, a distinctive company culture,” fore a rich variety in product is of 2017; increase tourism re- Camp in Cambodia. As demand Neimeijer said: “First, it clarifi es said Neimeijer. absolutely essential. ceipts to US$83 billion; and ex- for authentic and meaningful our aspirations in the travel and Meanwhile, new CEO of Khiri “In plain economic terms, that tend the average length of stay travel products continue to rise, in Asia above Travel Brouwer aims for qual- should bring us a 100 percent to six to seven days, and to more Neimeijer believes it’s time to and beyond the Khiri brand. Sec- ity growth in light of a changed gain over the next fi ve years.” than two ASEAN countries.

ITB Berlin day1 p01_newrhred.indd 1 24/2/16 5:10 pm 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 2 Special report Asian outbound Nouveau appeal Driven by a penchant for discovery, more Asian travellers are choosing to experience Europe beyond the postcard- perfect classics. The Daily reporters suss out the trend in the first of a three-part series

Turkey is expected to do well with Hongkongers this year; Duden Waterfalls pictured here

made travel ideas like wine, gastronomy places like Bordeaux and its chateaux. HONG KONG and lifestyle, last year was their best year He added: “I should also mention that INDONESIA for Europe. London, the Black Forest in Germany, Founder and CEO, Julien Yung Ma- as well as Switzerland have been popular As travel becomes part of peoples’ daily meaux said: “The favourable exchange this year, and that we have seen increasing Europe has for a long time been a favour- lives, outbound traffic from Hong Kong rates for the Euro currency have helped demand for Portugal, the Czech Republic ite longhaul destination for Indonesian has been on an upward trend. In 2014, in the decision-making process of corpo- and Eastern Europe (in general).” travellers, with its best-selling product there were 9.2 million Hongkong residents rate and MICE clients in choosing Europe Highlighting other destinations likely being the multi-country tour of five or departing from Hong Kong International over other continents, and some coun- to attract more travellers, he said that more countries like France, the UK, Swit- Airport and the figure for January-No- tries with special investment schemes Scotland, Croatia and Turkey might be the zerland, The Netherlands, Belgium and vember 2015 has already hit 9.4 million. have grown their appeal to high net worth draw cards in 2016. Italy, according to Indonesian outbound Contributing to this upward trend is a individuals.” “For instance, a number of Hong- travel consultants. growing demand for lesser-known Euro- Mameaux added that clients are opting kongers and Asians have been to the UK, Edhi Sutadharma, of pean destinations, especially among more for more unique experiences in lesser- but the charm of Scottish castles, the Golden Rama Tours & Travel, pointed affluent travellers. known European destinations. fame of golf and the taste of whisky will out the popularity of Paris as an almost Premium Holidays specialises in tai- He said: “Hongkongers have been draw a more important group of tour- mandatory stop in this multi-country lor-made tour experiences to Europe. avid about discovering new destinations ists to Scotland. In addition, I can also tour, saying: “Travellers always want the According to general manager, Simon within Europe or having a special type of see increasing interest in other Eastern package that includes Paris.” Wo, Northern Europe stole the limelight holiday, at least until the sad events (that European countries such as Hungary He said that even after the Paris attacks in 2015 due to the appeal of the North- hit Paris) in November which (Paris) will or Slovenia, and Southern Europe like in November last year, groups were still ern Lights. Wo said:“We had a very busy recover from. Many of our VIP clients Portugal, Spain and the lesser-known is- opting for the French capital. winter from November till March. The came to us to enjoy a different ‘European lands of Greece. “There was no diversion of destina- demand is there because sophisticated Experience’, more personalised and off- Outside of individual tastes and pref- tion then, even when the Eiffel Tower Hongkongers opt for new places with the-beaten-track.” erences, industry observers believe that was closed. novelty. As a rising star, the region has Mameaux said that France, Italy and macroeconomic and supply-side factors “Travellers could still visit the area and room to grow and our company will Spain could be the leading trio among like international security, currency fluc- see the tower from the outside. Going up continue to woo clients in 2016. European destinations in 2015. Remark- tuation and even destination competi- the tower is optional in the packages,” For upmarket player, The Experi- ably, the real winners were not the capitals tion are also likely to affect the appetite of he said. ence Company, which focuses on tailor- or the usual landmarks but less famous Hong Kong outbound. – Prudence Lui While many are sticking to long-time

ITB Berlin day1 p02-04 Asian Outbound_yn +editorialBOX.indd 2 24/2/16 11:47 am

9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 4 Special report Asian outbound

tion, thanks to aggressive promotions by favourites, there appears to be grow- Switzerland Tourism, the country’s NTO. ing interest in new destinations like “We have seen other European NTOs Croatia, Czech Republic and Switzer- promoting their destinations here in In- land, according to Smailing Tours and donesia, but Switzerland Tourism is the Travel Service. most serious in developing the market,” Lucky Albertinus, Group COO for lei- he commented. sure, Smailing Tours and Travel Service, On top of Switzerland Tourism’s ef- told the Daily: “Travellers who have vis- forts to provide promotional support to ited Europe several times are looking for agents, suppliers have also been coming new destinations.” up with creative packages and are flexible He also noted the growth of families about the minimum number of travellers and FITs that are looking for more expe- allowed in a single tour group. The travel riential holidays. companies could send as small a group as “They want to take their time enjoying two or four on a mono Switzerland trip, cultural and culinary experiences with- according to Rudiana. out having to rush,” he said, adding that “This way, they have managed to in- this year Smailing Tour will have a dedi- crease the interest of more Indonesians cated team to develop to visit (Switzerland),” he said. programmes for such travellers. He expressed expectations for other Meanwhile, Rudiana, director of sales Despite terror scares, Paris remains a European countries to follow suit and to of WITA Tour, has seen the growing de- firm favourite; Eiffel Tower at sunset entice travellers. – Mimi Hudoyo mand for Switzerland as a mono-destina-

els, “In 2015 the demand for European searches for various European destina- ence for single-destination holidays. INDIA Holidays was very high. Travel packages to tions by Indian travellers. Travel agents like Thomas Cook India the region have become cheaper as many While traditional popular destinations witnessed a good movement of Indian travel agents who handle large volumes remain favourites among Indian travel- tourists to Europe in winter. “What is far Travel consultants in India observed a offered competitive tour packages. The lers, newer and less-travelled European more noteworthy is that this trend is being surge in demand for European holidays depreciation of the euro against the In- destinations are gaining popularity. witnessed in our volume group tour seg- in 2015, noting the demand for lesser- dian rupee also made the European tour “Europe has always been a favourite ment with an impressive surge of over 35 known European destinations, competi- packages about 15 per cent cheaper.” for Indian travellers and while the UK, per cent in our sales for winter holidays to tively-priced travel packages and currency Hotels.com likewise noted the im- Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany Europe for experiences like alpinee trek- movements over the year. pact of currency movements on Indian continue to top the list, Spain, Scandi- king, snow mobiling, sking, tobogganing According to Guldeep Singh Sahni, outbound to Europe. In 1Q2015, navia, Turkey, Czech Republic, Hungary, and sleigh riding in Switzerland,” said managing director, Weldon Tours & Trav- Hotels.com saw a double-digit growth on Vienna are fast emerging as strong con- Kale. tenders,” said Rajeev D. Kale, president & According to Karan Anand, head, rela- COO - MICE, domestic & , tionships, Cox & Kings, Indian travellers Czech Republic is emerging as a choice-destination; Old Town Thomas Cook India. today tend to opt for single-destination Square with the Church of Our Lady before Tyn in Prague Amit Agarwal, senior marketing man- European holidays. He said: “There is a ager, Hotels.com, added to the list of tendency for Indian travellers to visit just emerging choice-destinations: Croatia, one country within Europe such as the Portugal, Budapest, Berlin, Prague, Vi- vineyards of France or the castles in Ireland enna, Lisbon, Bratislava, Ljubljana, and or Scotland.” Dubrovnik and Poland. On whether demand for European hol- The preference for lesser-known Euro- idays will continue growing in the coming pean destinations is gaining among two year, opinion is split. segments of travellers: the affluent and the “Our booking trends indicate that there value-for-money hunters. is a huge demand for outbound travel to Affluent Indian travellers, for one, Europe and this year will not be any differ- are inspired to explore new destinations ent from previous years. With fuel prices like the medieval champagne cellars of coming down we feel that airfares will also Pannier to satisfy their sophisticated remain stable,” said Anand. travel palates, according Thomas Cook Others believe that this year may see a India’s Kale. number of Indian longhaul leisure tourists Weldon Tours & Travels’ Sahni shared opting for nearby destinations due to eco- that the demand for Eastern European nomic considerations. “This year I have countries like Czech Republic went up in my doubts about the demand for travel to the last year because a number of Indian Europe as I feel that Indian travellers this travellers were looking for cheaper op- year will look for holidays in shorthaul tions within Europe. destinations because the economy in In- Other noteworthy aspects of Indian dia is not looking very buoyant. Dispos- outbound to Europe include demand able income will be reduced,” concluded during the slow winter season and prefer- Sahni. – Rohit Kaul

CONTRIBUTORS Prudence Lui, Rosa Ocampo, Michael Mackey, Julian Ryall, Rohit Kaul, Feizal Samath TTG Travel Trade Publishing is a business group SALES & MARKETING of TTG Asia Media Michael Chow Group Publisher Pierre Quek Publisher, Online Section EDITORIAL Shirley Tan Senior Business Manager Karen Yue Group Editor Ingrid Chung Business Manager Xinyi Liang-Pholsena Deputy Editor, Cheryl Lim Advertisement Administration Manager TTG Asia & TTG India Cheryl Tan Corporate Marketing Manager Dannon Har Assistant Editor, TTG Asia Online Stephanie Toh Senior Marketing Executive Paige Lee Pei Qi Assistant Editor PUBLISHING SERVICES Rachel AJ Lee, Yixin Ng Sub Editors Tony Yeo Division Manager S Puvaneswary Editor, Malaysia/Brunei Kristy Lim Publishing Services Executive Mimi Hudoyo Editor, Indonesia Lynn Lim Web Executive Eugene Tang Photographer Katherine Leong Circulation Executive Redmond Sia, Goh Meng Yong Creative Designers TTG ASIA MEDIA Nadra Iwani Editorial Intern Darren Ng Managing Director Lina Tan Editorial Assistant Raini Hamdi Senior Editor

ITB Berlin day1 p02-04 Asian Outbound_yn +editorialBOX.indd 4 24/2/16 11:47 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 5 Intelligence

Top 10 Destinations in Asia for German Longhaul Outbound 2015 (%Var. of Total German Arrivals in 2015 vs 2014; %Share of Total German Arrivals in Asia in 2015; Out of Germany %Share of Pax Profi le in 2015) and into Asia The Asian region retains its allure for German leisure travellers, outperforming other continents in this report by ForwardKeys, a traveller data intelligence company

With a strong demand for leisure travel, German arrivals into Asia-Pacifi c grew by 3.8% in 2015, outperforming that in Africa and the Middle East, which went up by 2.2%, while German arrivals in the Americas declined slightly at -0.2%. Together, Thailand, China and India were the top three Asian destinations in 2015, and this accounted for 49% of the total German arrivals in Asia. This is followed by Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Hong Kong. Taking 23.2% of the total share of German arrivals into Asia, Thailand has shown re- covery from 2014’s political unrest. German arrivals into Thailand were up 9.2% in 2015, of which two-thirds were leisure travellers. China also had obtained a large share of the German market. However, two-thirds of German arrivals into China were for business purposes. In fact, China and Hong Kong are both facing challenges when it comes to attracting leisure travellers from Germany. As for Japan, it emerged as a new leisure destination for the German market, where leisure arrivals increased by nearly 20% as compared to 2014. Meanwhile, traditional sun, sand, and sea destinations still maintained their appeal, with Sri Lanka and Maldives attracting 12.6% and 8.6% more German arrivals in 2015 respectively.

ITB Berlin day1 p05 Forward keys RL.indd 5 24/2/16 9:50 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 6 Special report Business outlook Travel business outlook for 2016

Travel companies in Asia-Pacifi c are generally optimistic about their business prospects in 2016, with the outbound market expected to remain a bright spot

SINGAPORE year-on-year increase in travel demand multiple challenges in 2015 and posted tract travellers by allowing agents like By Paige Lee Pei Qi for 2016. While (evergreen) destinations another excellent year in terms of profi t, us to send two or three pax to join a sit- such as China, Europe, Japan, Taiwan 2016 presents exciting and rich opportu- in-coach tour together with guests from Inbound and regional cruises will remain popular, nities. With the strong demand for groups other travel companies, etc. (The diverse Jaclyn Yeoh we also see a growing appetite for more that not only cover 2016 but extends all tour options) make it easier for us to sell Managing director, exotic to the Arctic Circle and the way to 2017, we feel we stand on solid packages. Siam Express South America. ground. I have recently We are implementing strategies to lev- Various challenges are affl icting our in- THAILAND engaged a new erage technology to improve service, in- dustry, yet we are able to keep expanding By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena Europe and China crease effi ciency, broaden market reach in new markets to maintain both profi t- representative, hence and change our business model. Besides ability and a balanced market share. Our Inbound I am looking forward to having more sales mainstream offerings, we are positioning next stop is South America! Pornthip Hirunkate from these two regions. I will be happy if the company as one reputed for alternative Deputy CEO we can maintain the sales revenue as in and exotic travels, a growing segment in Outbound and managing 2015. We also need to bundle Singapore the travel market. On the web, we are mov- Willy Sihombing director, Thailand, with our regional countries to sell them as ing towards increasing our online presence Managing director, Sedona Holidays Tour Destination Asia one package in order to improve market to see growth regionally and worldwide. and Travel Medan 2016 will be a chal- share and hopefully this new marketing My outbound business prospect for 2016 lenging year for Des- strategy will improve the sales perfor- INDONESIA is positive. While the early part of 2015 tination Asia due to various f a c t o r s mance in 2016. By Mimi Hudoyo saw slower business than in 2014, demand including economics and political matters for incentives and FITs started to pick up that compound on our business. Outbound Inbound towards the end of 2015. I am expecting We still continue to see positive signs Anthony Chan Umberto this to continue into 2016. from our clients from the UK, Northern Managing director, Cadamuro The aggressive promotions by NTOs Europe, the US and Latin America mar- Chan Brothers COO inbound, like Japan, Thailand and Malaysia have kets. To stay on top we have to be more Group PACTO helped enticed (Indonesians) to travel. creative with our products and activities. We are projecting Having success- Overseas tour operators have come up A positive sign is that there are also fi ve to 10 per cent fully weathered the with new ideas and programmes to at- more cruise lines calling at Phuket, Laem

ITB Berlin day1 p06-08 Business outlook 2016.indd 6 24/2/16 9:51 am Surfing at Mentawai Island, West Sumatra

Explore Further

Visit Indonesia Booth at 9 -13 March 2016, Messe Berlin HALL 26A, Stand 122, 123 HALL 26C, Stand 303

www.indonesia.travel indonesia.travel @indtravel indonesiatravel 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 8 Special report Business outlook

Chabang and Koh Samui in 2016, and we travel becomes even more affordable, CHINA AUSTRALIA have seen positive growth within MICE with good rates for airfares, accommo- By Caroline Boey By Rebecca Elliott groups from the US since last year which dations and tours abroad. shows confi dence is returning to the des- Japan will be the top draw as it has Inbound Inbound tination. eased its visa requirements and its gov- Sarah Keenlyside Sujata Raman ernment is more active in promoting the Founder and CEO of The Bespoke Travel Managing director, Outbound destination. Company Abercrombie & Vorapong Filipinos will troop around Asia espe- China is poised to become the world’s Kent Muchaothai cially to the emerging destinations of Bali, largest destination in In a word, ex- Director of sales Borobudur and Vietnam, apart from old 2016, an increase we already saw last year. cellent. The low and marketing, favourites of Hong Kong, Bangkok and Many of our business travel clients are Australian dollar Standard Tour Singapore. either adding sightseeing or integrating undoubtedly had an We are seeing (Demand for) France will ease a bit some form of cultural immersion/partner impact, but so has the perceived safety growth for the out- due to recent terrorist attack but Italy will programme into their trip. We hope this of the destination as well as its clean and bound market due to more direct fl ights pull religious trips as the Pope opened the uptick will continue, especially given the green image. Forward bookings are dou- coming in and out of Chiang Mai, where Holy Door of the Vatican for the Year of drop in inbound leisure and FIT travellers ble the value that we had at the same time we are based. According to Thai im- the Poor. in 2015. last year. All markets are strong into Aus- migration fi gures, the number of Thai Continued improvement in the num- tralia including Asia, and in particular outbound travellers from Chiang Mai is HONG KONG ber and quality of hotels on offer in Chi- China. around 80,000 in 2015, and is likely to By Prudence Lui na’s less-visited cities such as Kunming exceed 100,000 in 2016, and we are also and Chengdu is also likely to encourage Outbound recording a stronger interest from north- Inbound travellers to be a little braver with their Tom Walley ern Thais to travel overseas as Chiang Mai Hazen Tang trip planning. Head of leisure grows in fl ight connectivity. Executive director, HS Travel travel, Flight Centre We are promoting destinations farther Given the current global economy and Outbound Asia continues to afi eld such as Japan as well as Bali, Austral- falling arrivals, I am worried about busi- Lu Hao Shuo be a big focus for us ia and New Zealand by partnering SilkAir ness (this year). Provided that there are Deputy general in 2016. We are gear- on chartered services via Singapore. no major disasters or accidents this year, manager, inbound ing up for the return the city may experience around 10 per travel division, of our big Asia campaign that spotlights MALAYSIA cent drop of arrivals. It’s vital for Hong Kunming CITS the diversity of experiences on offer with By S Puvaneswary Kong to develop more new products for According to my some of the hottest market deals, while tourism. outbound colleagues, travel packages to popular destinations Inbound demand from Yunnan will continue to in- will feature throughout the year. River Francis Cheong Outbound crease in 2016. Travellers are still confi dent cruising in Asia has emerged as a trend Managing director, Simon Wo of China’s economy and there is interest in in 2015 and we expect this to continue, Apxara Travel & General manager, visiting other parts of the world after hav- alongside the rise of youth specifi c tours, Events Premium Holidays ing enjoyed domestic tours. Compared small group journeys and family-friendly 2016 is an ex- Foreseeable eco- to the rising cost of domestic travel, out- packages. tremely promising nomic downturn bound tour prices are also more stable. year for us. As of end- may dampen the South-east Asia, the Middle East and INDIA November 2015, our forward quotations middle class’s appetite to Europe are popular destinations during By Rohit Kaul are already up to December 2016. With travel but not high-spending profession- the peak holiday periods, and beach holi- Malaysia being the most affordable ASE- als who will continue to seek novel des- days are very attractive. But unrest and Inbound AN destination due to a weak ringgit, Ma- tinations. Indeed, we remain cautiously terrorist attacks are raising security con- Arun Anand laysian destinations are of great value for optimistic because travel has become a cerns and have resulted in cancellations to Managing director, many incoming markets. lifestyle for Hong Kongers and airlines the Middle East and Europe. Meanwhile, Midtown Travels may come up with discounts to drive South Asia started picking up in 2014 at I expect 2016 will Outbound traffi c. a rapid pace. be a positive year Adam Kamal We will channel more resources to for the Indian in- CEO, Olympik high-end products with emphasis on JAPAN bound industry. The Holidays South America, the North Pole and South By Julian Ryall e-visa scheme has now Outbound busi- Pole in 2016. been extended to 113 countries, simplify- ness will be slow Inbound ing travel to India for majority of markets. unless the ringgit MACAU Megumi Ueda The new year will see the e-visa facility strengthens. We are By Prudence Lui General manager, gaining momentum and playing an in- placing emphasis on outbound packages Ayabex strumental role in the growth of inbound to Thailand, Indonesia and the Philip- Inbound We have seen a tre- markets like the UK and the US. pines as there are many LCCs fl ying to Cooper Zhang mendous increase The Indian prime minister travelled to these destinations with affordable airfares, Manager, in foreign tourists many countries in 2015 and created a pos- which is good for us. international visiting Japan in 2015 itive image of the country globally. This, department, CITS and we expect that trend to continue into coupled with the efforts of the Ministry PHILIPPINES Macau 2016 as well. We are anticipating more re- of Tourism and private players, will help By Rosa Ocampo I hope it will be peat customers – including FITs, groups the inbound industry to make inroads in better than 2015 and MICE clients – returning to Japan. many traditional and new markets. Inbound with the opening of new hotels and That means that we need to identify new Bernadette De Leon integrated resorts in 2016. These new sightseeing spots and activities for them; Outbound General manager, Amiable Intertours offers may attract more tourists to it is up to us to provide them with inter- Anil Kalsi I used to have lots of inbound groups Macau, especially from China. If the esting and exciting new destinations that Joint managing and families but they are hurt by (the Chinese Central Government relaxes meet their needs. director, Ambe World bullet-planting scam at Ninoy Aqui- the travel permits for Chinese Travels no International Airport) and peace holders visiting Macau, it would defi- Outbound 2016 looks very and order concerns. And with a lot of nitely help. Daisuke Watanabe promising for the ASEAN destinations offering cheaper Senior manager, travel industry. I fares, accommodations and tours, plus Outbound Micronesia feel that many more guaranteed security, (travellers) would Sabrina Iong division, JTB World countries will reciprocate the visa-on- rather visit Vietnam, Bali, Thailand and General manager, EGL Tour (Macau) Vacations arrival facility for Indian nationals, Malaysia and fl y direct to those (desti- The outbound traffi c will be more or We think (busi- making impulsive outbound travel a nations). less the same as 2015 but this depends ness) this year will reality. on the business environment and local be about the same level We are a nation on the move and with Outbound gaming performance which affect the as 2015 for outbound tourists from Japan today’s work pressure, everyone needs Rowena Baltazar desire of travel. Moreover, Macanese are to our destinations. That is in part be- more breaks to unwind. I see a huge up- Sales manager, concerned about security when choos- cause the number of fl ights to Guam from surge in the segment for Adam’s Express ing a destination, so areas with terrorist Japan, except for Tokyo, will be reduced which we now have a dedicated website. Travel Group attacks would be avoided. Overall speak- from April 2. Like other agents focused The luxury segment has also matured and Outbound busi- ing, we would be happy if we can main- on the islands of the Pacifi c, we plan to Indians now want to experience the exclu- ness will continue tain the same level of business achieved draw up package tours that utilise charter sivities of the world, so this segment too to boom in 2016 as in 2015. fl ights to boost our numbers. will see good demand.

ITB Berlin day1 p06-08 Business outlook 2016.indd 8 24/2/16 9:51 am “RETURN TO NATURE WONDERS” ROYAL BELUM. Perak, Malaysia Preserved and conserved as a State Park, this Belum-Temengor forest complex is estimated to be 130 million years of age. Thus, making it older than the Amazon or Congo. Wildlife surveys also show that Royal Belum is an important habitat and home to large mammals. Like the Bos Gaurus, Asian Elephant and Malayan Tiger. It is also known as the Hornbill Capital as it most 10 species of hornbills including the large flocks of plain pauched hornbill.

Untitled-1 1 12/2/16 11:03 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 10 Destination Cambodia Clamour for undivided attention To entice travellers to stay longer, destination development beyond the three main hubs is essential. By Michael Mackey leungchopan/123RF.com he German-speaking market part of a group on a South-east Asia itin- dia. However, we hope to keep travellers into Cambodia saw significant erary. This can include Thailand, Vietnam longer in Cambodia and let them experi- growth in 2015. and Laos and Myanmar. Standalone visits ence our coastal areas.” German arrivals rose 6.2 per tend to be older tourists,” Sahaidak-Bea- As for the luxury market, Pierre Car- centT from 63,555 in 2014 to 67,471 in ver added. ron, general manager of Angkor Village just the January to October 2015 period, The length of stay of these tourists are Resort, feels that it will not be affected too Moreover, the smaller markets of Austria usually five to six days, and is limited to much by the euro depreciation against the and Switzerland also rose by 14.3 per cent three centres – Siem Reap, Phnom Penh US dollar. to 7,732 and 10 per cent to 16,444 respec- and Sihanoukville. He explained: “In 2015, Germans con- tively, according to statistics from Cambo- Sahaidak-Beaver lamented: “Sadly, tinued to travel a lot, but this is not the dia’s Ministry of Tourism. there are so many other destination op- case for other European countries (such For the first ten months of 2015, sta- portunities in Cambodia that are outside as) the French market which suffered a lot tistics from the ministry showed tourists of these main locations.” However, chang- more.” from German-speaking countries – Ger- ing this mindset will take time. On top of this, there is also the addi- many, Austria and Switzerland – were 1.8 Jef Moons, CEO of Knai Bang Chatt, tional tourist numbers provided by Swit- per cent of total arrivals, which stands at a barefoot luxury property at Kep on the zerland to consider. 3.75 million. There are other interesting locations in the coun- Cambodian coast, said: “Most people still “The Swiss are less price sensitive,” It is overwhelmingly a tourist market, try worth visiting; Skull Pagoda at The Killing travel (within one trip) to multiple coun- Daniel de Gruiter, managing director of as the ministry’s statistics record only Fields pictured above tries such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambo- Lolei Travel, a Swiss-founded company, 1,800 business travellers and “others”. told the Daily. “They are still willing to “There has been a notable increase in pay a certain amount for nice holidays.” German travellers,” Carrol Sahaidak-Bea- Destination in numbers There are some concerns about long- ver, executive director of the Cambodia er-term development of the Cambodian Hotel Association told the Daily. at Cambodia’s three international travel sector, and moreover, its economy is Hoteliers also report that most Ger- US$2.73 billion airports – Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and US dollars which makes it harder to mar- man travellers are FITs or micro groups Tourism receipts were US$100 million Sihanoukville for 1H2015 ket to EU countries. who make up about 60 per cen to 80 per in 1995 but this amount has risen “Cambodia is still not as popular as cent of the German-speaking market. But exponentially to US$2.73 billion in 2014 Thailand and Vietnam. But it is getting nearly all are going to more places than 8 days more popular every year. We do see a huge just Cambodia. The average length of stay for travellers potential in the German-speaking market. “Though the information varies from 14.8% to Cambodia in 1995 but this slipped to Cambodia is still one of the few authentic hotel to hotel and location, generally most The percentage of growth in arrivals 6.5 in 2014 Asian countries, where value for money is German, Swiss and Austrian travellers are relatively high,” said de Gruiter.

VIEWPOINTS How do you plan to grow business from German-speaking markets this year?

Veronique Ducassy, managing director, Asian Trails Nataly Wanhoff, key account director, Diethelm Travel Group We are offering tours that include more remote areas such as Kratie along For the German-speaking market, we aim to attract travellers interested the Mekong banks, the mountain Temple of Preah Vihear at the border of to visit Cambodia for the second (or even third) time by developing new Thailand and of course, the beaches in Kep, Sihanoukville or Koh Rong programmes and routes which lead into the rather unknown and rela- island. The beaches are developing fast in terms of new hotels and are tively undeveloped corners of Cambodia. We will also organise tours with always successful with the market looking for sunny days. a bit more rustic touch to experience more of the “real” Cambodia, as the country has many more fascinating places in addition to Angkor.

WHAT’S NEW HOW TO SELL

1 Anantara Angkor Resort’s Cambodia Cycling offers served in a house beautifully decorated in photography tours a 13-day/12-night Tour de traditional Khmer style. The house features Anantara Angkor Resort in Siem Reap is DOCambodia which covers an attractive leaf roof sourced from the offering exclusive photography tours of all Cambodian sites for US$1,457 plus Kulen Mountain. the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex US$300 for bike hire. led by the renowned photographer, John Easier on the knees and wallet are the The 523-room Sokha one-day trekking tours, some as low as Phnom Penh is built McDermott, priced at US$350 per couple Made in Cambodia market for half-day programmes and full-day at US$38, that run near the iconic Angkor STAY on the Chroy Changvar US$600 per couple. resort will open two more courses soon. Wat temple complex. peninsula and is one the larger hotels in the capital, making it a quiet property to escape 2 Cuisine Wat Damnak 4 Heritage Adventure’s Nobody leaves Cambodia from the hustle and bustle of the city. Named one of the Top 50 Restaurants in Luxury Camp without first visiting the It offers great views of the Royal Palace, Asia in March 2015, Cuisine Wat Dam- The Luxury Camp at Banteay Ampeul SEEAngkor Wat temple the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac, nak in Siem Reap is run by chef Joannès Temple by Heritage Adventures puts complex, a huge architectural wonder and Tonle Sap rivers, and the nearby Rivière. The restaurant uses local ingredi- travellers up for a night under the stars built in the 12th century and now a UNESCO countryside. ents such as ambarella, feroniella and kuy in private and spacious tents. Verandas World Heritage site that receives two million fruits, as well as seafood harvested from overlooking the jungle canopy are lit by visitors a year. the Mekong and Tonlé Sap lake. Dishes oil lamps and candles. The temple complex is spread over 162 are served in an elegant converted colonial hectares and while it can be explored in villa ensuring a unique experience. 5 Made in Cambodia market a day, a two-day programme is a more The Made in Cambodia market springs sensible option as it allows the sheer 3 Dara Sakor Seashore Resort up in front of the Shinta Mani Resort in majesty of the place to sink in. Dara Sakor Seashore Resort on the is- Siem Reap every Saturday, Sunday and land of Koh Kong has an 18-hole Ocean Tuesday, bringing together the best exam- Mahob Khmer Cuisine Course golf course that is designed to fit ples of local craftsmanship from interna- restaurant in Siem Reap the Koh Kong coastline. With the forest tionally-recognised artisans and designers EAT is a culinary hotspot that on one side and the Gulf of Thailand on such as Angkor Artwork, Cambolac, Eric takes traditional Khmer cuisine seriously. the other, golfers are treated to spectacu- Stocker Laque & Textures, Saomao and It uses only fresh and local ingredients lar views in addition to a good play. The Grace Gecko Creations. to produce a range of local favourites Sokha Phnom Penh Club Suite

ITB Berlin day1 p10 CambodiaRLred.indd 10 24/2/16 9:51 am TTGDailies_260x380mm_ITBberlin_Advertorial.indd 1 18/2/16 4:22 pm 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 12 Destination Hong Kong A questionable market outlook New direct routes from Europe are not boosting arrivals as hoped due to the sluggish global economy. By Prudence Lui

nbound traffic into Hong Kong platforms. We will also cooperate with key leungchopan/123RF.com Inbound operators dare not pin too high slowed further in 2015 with the travel agents and airlines to drive multi- hopes on German-speaking markets German-speaking market remaining destination travel to Hong Kong and the lethargic. Pan Pearl River Delta.” IOut of 54 million total arrivals from In light of Cathay Pacific Airways’ Eu- January to November 2015, there were ropean network expansion, it was hoped only 195,773 from Germany. According to that this would strengthen the connec- the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), tivity between Hong Kong and German- the number of visitors from German- speaking markets. The airline resumed a speaking markets – Switzerland, Austria daily direct flight to Zurich in March 2015 and Germany – dipped slightly to around and launched a new route to Dusseldorf 260,000 from January to October 2015. in September 2015. HKTB’s central Europe manager, An- Cathay Pacific’s business in Germany ette Wendel-Menke, said: “The impact of was strong throughout 2015. Its manager global economic factors, exchange rates for Germany and Eastern Europe, Tony and social issues have imposed constraints Sham, said: “Our new Dusseldorf service on Hong Kong tourism. Looking forward, has been well received, providing a much- the Internet playing a key role in book- tion, weak currencies, new and upcoming we expect the situation to continue.” needed capacity boost for both business ings, our bigger challenge is the rise in destinations, and the social and political But in order to stay competitive amid and leisure travellers. We are forecasting direct online bookings by consumers who tension with China have put a damper on challenges and to cater for the changing another good year for our German busi- choose to bypass agents.” the city’s outlook. needs of travellers, she said: “HKTB will ness in 2016, with high load factors that InterContinental Grand Stanford “Only five per cent of our total room focus on its brand presence in overseas will be mainly driven by an increase in Hong Kong, general manager, Alexander nights come from German corporate and markets to maintain Hong Kong as a top- business travel.” O. Wassermann, said: “In 2015, Germany leisure guests, but it declined by one per of-mind destination. We will strengthen Sham added: “The German economy represented approximately 0.6 per cent cent in 2015. With the recent focus and ef- awareness by building and maintaining remains strong and we expect to see the of total overnight visitors in Hong Kong. forts of Hong Kong to increase cruise ship Hong Kong’s presence through PR ef- demand for travel to Asia continuing to The number of visitors from Germany last calls at the country, we expect to see an forts, digital marketing and social media grow. The additional capacity provided by year declined by 4.3 per cent compared to increase in German leisure travellers stop- our four weekly flights out of Dusseldorf 2014. The overall global economic situa- ping over in Hong Kong and at our hotel.” will enable us to offer more seats to leisure Destination in numbers travellers heading to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. As the only airline in Ger- VIEWPOINTS many operating a non-stop service from 146,659 Dusseldorf to Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific How do you plan to grow business from German-speaking markets this year? The total number of arrivals will continue to offer optimal onward from Germany from January to connections through its Hong Kong hub.” Michael Ziemer, general manager, The Excelsior, Hong Kong September, down 5.5 per cent However, inbound operators like PC In 2016, we foresee that the strong currency will continue to impact Tours and Travel’s general manager Cary Hong Kong negatively as a destination. We will continue to drive busi- Chiu is cautious as the industry is worried ness from Germany by strengthening our close relationship with local about the depreciation of the euro, which inbound operators by providing special ad hoc rates and packages HK$5,582 may dampen the desire to travel. tailor-made for German travellers. A German tourist’s average Chiu said: “We will stay proactive by spending in 2014, equivalent to repackaging our offers such as combining US$716, down 6.1 per cent walking tours with a local transfer. This is Richard Woss, managing director, ATI Travel (Hong Kong) not a brand-new product but we hope to The recent reduced demand of Chinese tourists, combined with the present it in a more interesting way. completion and continued opening of many new four-star hotels 3.6 days “We handle FITs from Germany and it throughout Hong Kong, resulted in more realistic hotel rates. By tak- A German tourist’s length of stay in was very quiet last year. Frankly, I don’t see ing advantage of the greatly reduced hotel rates, we can attract new 2014. Number remains unchanged any upsurge in business even after Cathay market segments for which Hong Kong was initially “out of reach” due Pacific’s new services were added. With to the expensive pricing.

WHAT’S NEW HOW TO SELL

The four-hour Taipo Market Lane of Shek Tong Tsui in Western District, the 1 Peninsula Boutique Foodie tour takes tourists to choice of beans changes every week to ensure Peninsula Boutique recently opened a the New Territories to explore freshness. Each cup of java is made with a flagship store at Hong Kong International DO lesser-known facets of the local dining scene. Dutch-style slow-drip cold brewer, Gothicism, Airport. The store stocks chocolates by The itinerary covers local eateries such as the only one in Hong Kong. Maître Chocolatier, Marijn Coertjens; as- sorted Peninsula Blend Western and Chi- streetside dai pai dongs and traditional dishes Bed down at the Kow- nese teas; Hong Kong snacks like egg rolls; like snake soup. Additionally, participants have a chance to visit local historical sites like the loon Harbourfront and the iconic Peninsula Bear. Almas Caviar Bar Tai Po Railway Station. STAYHotel situated in Hung Hom Bay of Harbourfront opened its door last 2 Mercedes-Benz me Store 4 Hong Kong International Airport July 2015. Guests can take in a magnificent Mercedes-Benz opened its first Mercedes Midfield Concourse The 60m-high Hong Kong 180-degree view of the city skyline from the me Store in Central last September. With a Hong Kong International Airport of- Observation Wheel erected gross area of 408m2, this unique venue of- ficially opened its HK$10-billion Mid- SEEin Central waterfront has be- all-suite hotel with 480 two-bedroom units. fers visitors a combination of vehicle pres- field Concourse in December 2015. This come a new landmark for the city. It features entations, culinary experiences, events as 105,000m2 five-storey new concourse 42 luxury gondolas and each ride lasts about well as digital interaction. provides 20 parking stands and space for 15-20 minutes. Visitors can admire the city’s restaurants and retail outlets. hustle and bustle from a height. The govern- 3 The Starry Gallery and ment has extended the wheel’s tenancy for The Garden of Stars 5 Almas Caviar Bar another year until June 2017. The Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui is The Almas Caviar Bar opened at The Ritz- currently closed for improvement works Carlton Hong Kong last September and The newly-open Artisan until late 2018. Some of the exhibits how- only has seating for seven guests. Perched Room is the only café in town ever, are displayed at The Starry Gallery on Level 102, it takes its name from its EAT serving Costadoro coffee, an and The Garden of Stars. premium caviar Almas Persicus. Italian brand. Located in rejuvenated South Hong Kong Observation Wheel

ITB Berlin day1 p12 Hong KongRLKY.indd 12 24/2/16 9:52 am

Destination Indonesia High expectations, good outlook

Most major European markets into Indonesia Destination in numbers registered a healthy growth; Mount Bromo pictured 230,000 The target arrivals from Germany to Indonesia in 2016 180,865 The number of arrivals from Germany to Indonesia between January and November 2015. This is 7.2 per cent higher than that of the same period in 2014 157 billion rupiah The Ministry of Tourism’s budget for “selling” activities (trade shows, sales missions, etc.) this year, equivalent to US$11.3 million

put in one destination. They like culture, which Indonesia has a lot to offer, and their spending is high.” Noviendi Makalam, director of mar- keting and communications, Ministry of Tourism, told the Daily that the ministry will be investing in advertising, produc- tion of promotional catalogues and web- sites, and participation in promotional activities in Europe. German arrivals to Indonesia be- motions across Europe, which it sees as a He noted: “European travellers are still Despite a turbulent Euro- tween January and November 2015 was single market. dependent on travel consultants in decid- pean economy, outbound up by 7.2 per cent to 180,865, the third I Gde Pitana, deputy minister for ing on their holiday destinations.” traffic from the continent biggest market out of Europe after the international marketing development, Indonesian tour operators handling UK which grew by 15.3 per cent to Ministry of Tourism, explained: “We Europe, including German-speaking looks to be stable, writes 244,764. The Netherlands also grew 0.5 consider Europe as one market because source markets, also express confidence Mimi Hudoyo per cent to 154,241. Only arrivals from when we go to a trade show in Berlin or in 2016. France dropped by two per cent – be- London, for example, we are not only Adjie Wahjono, operations manager of tween January and November 2015 when targeting (travellers from) these coun- Aneka Kartika Tours and Travel Services, ndonesia is expecting to see growth compared to the same period in 2014. tries.” said forward bookings for the months in European markets this year, fol- The Ministry of Tourism is targeting Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, chairman of from April onwards had started surfacing lowing increases in footfalls from arrivals from Europe to reach 1,090,000 Bali Tourism Board, agrees that Europe in October 2015. major European sources like Ger- this year, of which Germany is expected be considered as a single market since “This is a significant difference com- Imany, the UK and the Netherlands in to contribute 230,000 arrivals. travellers from the region “share similar pared to last year when we did not get any 2015. The travel trade has indicated that To achieve this, the Ministry of Tour- characteristics”. bookings until after ITB in Berlin. Busi- forward bookings for the summer period ism will be dedicating around 300 million He elaborated: “They spend their time ness was slow in 2015, down 30 per cent is up, as compared to last year. rupiah (US$21,583) to destination pro- visiting many places instead of staying from 2014,” he revealed.

WHAT’S NEW

1 Padma Resort Ubud contemporary Balinese architecture and Padma Hotels’ second property in Bali artworks. Facilities include an infinity has opened in Payangan, Ubud. The swimming pool, a spa, fitness centres, a 149-room Padma Resort Ubud features 3.4km jogging track, a restaurant and lounge, a library and a children’s play- ground.

2 Seminyak Village The new Seminyak Village shopping mall opened last October. The two-storey mall houses 48 shops and restaurants, and of- fers shoppers a landscaped rooftop terrace for a moment’s rest. From left: The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Bali; Padma Resort Ubud

3 Le Bon Vivant 4 Alila Seminyak 5 The Ritz-Carlton Spa Bali’s Sanur welcomed the new Le Bon Alila Seminyak opened last October on The Ritz-Carlton, Bali now welcomes Vivant restaurant in November, a dining Bali’s south-western coast, and the prop- guests to its new spa, The Ritz-Carlton destination that takes pride in using fresh erty boasts 240 contemporary rooms Spa. There are 14 treatment rooms and ingredients sourced from local fishermen and suites. Facilities include an all-day patrons are invited to utilise the spa’s and farmers and artisan producers. They dining restaurant, a beach bar, a 24-hour Wet Lounge which comes with a warm also import speciality food from Europe, coffee bar, Alila Spa, five swimming pools, whirlpool, cold plunge pool, sauna, steam Seminyak Village the US and Australia. a gym, an events centre and a kids’ club. room and shower prior to their treatment.

ITB Berlin day1 p14-15 IndonesiaRLKY.indd 14 24/2/16 9:53 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 15

VIEWPOINTS HOW TO SELL

How do you plan to grow business from The Mekarsari Taman German-speaking markets this year? Buah claims to be the DOlargest indigenous tropi- cal fruit conservation centre in the Herdy Sayoga, board member world. It is located in Cileungsi, about of Bandung Tourism Promo- an hour’s drive from Jakarta. tion Board, Bali Here, visitors will find the best fruits from around Indonesia as German is a resilient mar- well as a laboratory for agronomic ket. It still has big potential research, breeding and cultivating of to grow, especially now that top quality fruit plants. Indonesia has given German passport holders visa-free travel. As the country is a mature market, the most effective Macaroni Pang- on way to promote our destination is through an interactive gang Bogor Jalan Salak is popular table top. Therefore, Bandung Tourism Promotion Board EAT with Jakarta folks who escape to will organise a meeting in Frankfurt and Koln prior to Bogor on weekends. It is a one-stop ITB Berlin, on March 3 and 7 respectively, inviting 200 restaurant and bakery that reminisces medium and boutique (agencies). This will be the first the Dutch colonial era. The building time the board is doing it. Twelve suppliers from Bali will itself is an old house with gardens Karnaval Mekarsari participate. and diners can sit indoors or on the patio and veranda. The menu features Leonardus Nyoman, owner of Western dishes, local Bogor delights and favourites from West Java. Flores Exotic Tours We will be targeting niche Drive east to Bogor, about 60km away from Jakarta city centre and visit Kebun Raya Bogor. The markets like photography botanic gardens have more than 400 species of palm trees, 5,000 tropical trees and 3,000 varieties of and cycling enthusiasts. We SEEorchids. will be introducing a cycling Kebun Raya Bogor is said to have been initiated by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, when he was governor general of tour of Komodo, Flores, Timor the East Indies between 1811 and 1816. and Alor and wildlife photography tour of Tanjung Puting with its orangutans and komodo The 1O1 Bogor Suryakencana is good for leisure and business travellers. The 156-room hotel dragons. is located in the China Town of Bogor Heritage area, on the famous Jalan Suryakencana food street. This is in response to the recent growth in demand STAY It is also close to Kebun Raya Bogor and Bogor Presidential Palace. For meeting groups, the hotel for special interest tours. can host events for up to 300 people.

HOSPITALITY FROM THE HEART EXCLUSIVE LIVING DISCERNING GUESTS

Experience the art of Indonesian hospitality, the hallmark Business and leisure travelers seeking the many up-market The Royal Collection is a unique brand of villa living, featuring three world-class properties: The Kayana, The Samaya of every Hotel Santika, our three-star hotel and discover comforts of a top-quality hotel will find all these and more Seminyak and The Samaya Ubud. Set within beautiful tropical just what makes every at Hotel Santika Premiere, as our four star hotel where gardens on Seminyak Beach and the Ayung River, each one of our hotels a “home world-class standards of service are seamlessly combined property combines a unique ambience with a touch of luxury away from home”. with a uniquely Indonesian touch. in products and services. With a private plunge pool, spa and full butler service, these private boutique villas offer a secluded sanctuary for our most discerning guests.

BALI (KUTA, SILIGITA NUSA DUA, SEMINYAK) | BANDUNG | BANGKA | BANYUWANGI | BOGOR JAKARTA (SLIPI - HAYAM WURUK) | JOGJA | MALANG | SEMARANG

BSD CITY - SERPONG | BENGKULU | CIREBON | CIKARANG | DEPOK | JAKARTA (TMII, KELAPA MEDAN | SURABAYA | BINTARO - TANGSEL | KOTA HARAPAN INDAH - BEKASI SAMAYA SEMINYAK - BALI KAYANA SEMINYAK - BALI GADING) | MAKASSAR | MATARAM - LOMBOK | PONTIANAK | SURABAYA (PANDEGILING, JEMURSARI) ICE - BSD CITY Jl. Laksmana, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Bali-Indonesia Jl. Raya Petitenget, Kerobokan Kelod, Ph: (62-361) 731149, Fax: (62-361) 731203 Kuta Utara, Bali-Indonesia TASIKMALAYA | PALU | PURWOKERTO | PEKALONGAN E-mail: [email protected] Ph: (62-361) 8476628, Fax: (62-361) 8476633 E-mail: [email protected] www.thekayana.com SAMAYA UBUD - BALI Banjar Baung, Desa Sayan, Ubud 80571, Bali-Indonesia Ph: (62-361) 973 606, Fax: (62-361) 973 610 E-mail: [email protected] www.thesamayabali.com RESERVATION CENTER RESERVATION CENTER Ph: (62-21) 270 0027 | Fax: (62-21) 270 0350 Ph: (62-21) 270 0027 | Fax: (62-21) 270 0350 E-mail: [email protected] | Online Booking: www.santika.com E-mail: [email protected] | Online Booking: www.santika.com

ITB Berlin day1 p14-15 IndonesiaRLKY.indd 15 24/2/16 9:53 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 16 Destination Macau

Destination in numbers Perks of neighbourly ties 2.6 The average number of days spent Macau is hoping to draw European visitors through neighbouring destinations. By Prudence Lui by German travellers in Macau he number of German and Swiss jovannig/123RF.com Macau as a standalone destination is not a visitors to Macau had fallen in strong enough lure for longhaul travellers 2015, registering 25,149 and 16.8 6,696 footfalls as of November The year-on-year percentage 2015T respectively. decline in German visitors who According to official data, German ar- arrive in Macau on package tours, rivals are fairly stable, ranging between amounting to 1,570 pax in the 28,100 and 29,700 from 2008 to 2014. first 11 months of 2015. German Swiss arrivals, on the other hand, had shot package travellers account for 6.2 up from 6,200 in 2008 to an all-time high per cent of total German arrivals of 7,700 in 2013. Patrick Lo, lecturer and member of the IFT Tourism Research Centre in the Insti- 58.6 tute for Tourism Studies, brushed off the The percentage of German visitors dip in numbers last year, saying: “Macau is that take day trips in Macau a consistent attraction for Europeans who are drawn to the destination’s milder and warmer climate. Macau’s story of prosper- of the German-speaking market perfor- ity, how it is today a mega gaming city, has mance for 2016. a magnetic effect on people who like to Ng said: “Given the uncertain global explore places that they don’t usually have economy, we don’t think (arrivals) will be a chance to visit.” “(With these efforts) we believe visitor nese arrivals – Macau’s biggest tourism good in 1H2016 and we remain cautious Lo is confident that the full-year arrivals arrivals from Germany will be positive,” source market. This had allowed Hotel (in our business outlook) for the second from the two markets will stand at around she remarked. Royal Macau to create some attractive ho- half of this year. The new integrated re- 27,700 and 7,400 footfalls respectively. Recognising how German travellers tel deals. sorts and tourism facilities in Macau will Meanwhile, the Macau Government liked to “get to know the destination and Chiu added that Macau has “more than not be enough to attract these travellers, Tourist Office (MGTO) is continuing its its people”, a German audio guide service just gaming” to lure European visitors. as they don’t just come for Macau. They courtship of the German market. is now made available for tours around Top Holidays-P&E International usually take multi-destination itineraries. Director, Maria Helena de Senna Fer- the Historic Centre of Macau. Travel, director and deputy general man- Therefore, it is the infrastructure of sur- nandes, told the Daily that initial results “This will give German-speaking trav- ager, Eliza Ng, begged to differ and gave rounding areas like the Pearl River Delta of MGTO’s “strong consumer campaigns” ellers a richer and more meaningful expe- the Daily a more conservative projection that is more influential.” were good. rience in (Macau),” she said. “Our campaigns included a partnerhip MGTO is not letting the lack of direct with the Festival of Lights in Berlin and flights between Germany and Macau promotions at high-traffic locations such dampen its spirits, and remains confident VIEWPOINTS as train stations in the Greater Dusseldorf that local tourism stakeholders will ex- area, which highlighted the new daily plore ways to draw German travellers. One How do you plan to grow business from German-speaking markets this year? Cathay Pacific flight from Dusseldorf to solution is to encourage inbound traffic Hong Kong. The TV premiere of ZDF via other destinations, such as long-time Alcuin Li, director - commercial division, Shun Tak, Traumschiff Macao, which aired at the end partners Hong Kong and China’s Guang- China Travel Ship Management of 2015, is expected to create another great dong province. We will offer direct ferry services and Turbojet’s Premier Plus point-to- publicity momentum,” said de Senna Fer- Sam Chiu, sales manager of Hotel point services for a seamless land and sea connection between Hong nandes. Royal Macau, noted that this was a good Kong and Macau. Effective from January 28 this year, this new service This year, MGTO will engage in online time for longhaul markets to visit, as ho- between Hong Kong and Macau via Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal shortens the marketing and social media as well as offer tel room rates had fallen some 20 to 30 sea voyage by 20 minutes. attractive travel packages to capture the per cent along with the tumbling Chi- German market. Noella Tsui, general manager, Estoril Tours The German-speaking market is still a small market for us. (To attract these travellers) we will provide tailor-made tours that come with a twist. WHAT’S NEW

1 Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central HOW TO SELL The property has unveiled 80 new luxuri- Asia’s highest outdoor climbing Cinta Senese along with other delicacies like ous and oversized suites on the top floors. wall can be found on the exterior caviar, truffles and Italian cheeses. The dining The mix comprises one Terrace Suite and 79 Executive Deluxe Suites. The Terrace DOof the Macau Tower. Challenge area can seat 60 diners, while two private Suite sits on the Sky Tower’s 41st floor, of- your physical limit by climbing 32m up the dining rooms can seat eight and 10 people fering more than 242m2 of stylish indoor tower’s shaft. Sounds tough, but it is a fun respectively. space and 110m2 of outdoor terrace. The The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central activity for individuals and groups of all ages. Executive Deluxe Suites boast over 121m2 Participants will get guidance from experi- The 208-key Crowne of living space. therapies by Biologique Recherche, Intra- enced staff. Private or group sessions are Plaza Macau in the ceuticals and The Organic Pharmacy. New available on weekdays. STAYcity centre makes a con- 2 Studio City signature treatments are A-Ma Amour, venient base from which to explore Macau. Officially inaugurated on October 27 last Portuguese Journey/Safe Journey, Yin Join the Step Out, Experi- Facialities include restaurants and gym. year, the Hollywood-theme Studio City Meets Yang, and Thai Balancing which is ence Macau’s Commu- nities bus tour to explore is packed with entertainment options in- available in 90- and 120-minute sessions. SEE 1/2 Otto e Mezzo cluding the House of Magic, the Batman Macau’s neighbourhood and heritage sites. Dark Flight 4D flight simulation ride, 4 The St. Regis Macao, Two optimised routes are offered, and the and Golden Reel, said to be Asia’s tallest Cotai Central bus-stops connect points across eight walking figure-eight Ferris wheel. The latter at- The 400-key luxury hotel made its debut tour routes. traction straddles the resort’s two towers in mid-December 2015, boasting gues- and stands some 130m tall. trooms that are from 53m2 to 477m2 in The 1/2 Otto e Mezzo in size. Guests can expect the brand’s sig- Galaxy Macau promises an au- 3 Four Seasons Hotel Macao, nature butler service, a multi-experience EAT thentic Italian gourmet experi- Cotai Strip dining venue, and The St. Regis Bar where ence. Helmed by Michelin star chef Bombana, The hotel spa has in January launched a the legendary Bloody Mary cocktail will the restaurant boasts an ‘ageing’ cellar which refreshed menu which features a series of be served, among other facilities. houses prized hams such as Pata Negra and

ITB Berlin day1 p16 Macau KY Feb3.indd 16 24/2/16 9:53 am Daily_Asia_Flores_260x380mm.pdf 1 1/28/16 1:27 AM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Flores • Indon esia Take a stroll with nature Turn a new leaf for your future During your busy life, sometimes you forget to stop and reflect. In Indonesia, we give you just that. Breathe. Pause. Enjoy the moment. Mountains, beaches, or even nightlife in the cities take your pick. Immerse in our traditions. Forget your responsibilities. It's time to play. When you let it, life will take you to unexpected places. We know you won't want to leave too soon.

www.indonesia.travel indonesia.travel @indtravel indonesia.travel Special report Cruises Wider access on the How will Indonesia’s lifting of cabotage restrictions shape the future development of South-east Asia’s cruise industry? Mimi Hudoyo, S horizon Puvaneswary and Paige Lee Pei Qi speak to cruise lines and agents n a bid to boost arrivals, the Indone- sian government has relaxed its cabo- Itage principles imposed on cruise ships by allowing foreign vessels to anchor at selected ports in the country. International cruise lines can now embark/disembark tourists through the seaports of Benoa (Bali), Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Belawan (Medan) and Soekarno-Hatta (Makassar). Cruise companies interviewed by the Daily are salivating at the prospects of a larger domestic cruise market and more interesting itineraries. Welcoming the development, Michael Goh, senior vice president – sales, Star Cruises, said: “Star Cruises had completed its 46-night Southern Hemisphere cruise onboard SuperStar Virgo, calling at sev- eral ports in Indonesia including Jakarta and Bali (in late-2014). The new ruling will enable Star Cruises to explore new itineraries and most importantly, expand our reach in Indonesia, as the country has the making and potential to be one of the leading cruise hubs in the region.” Buhdy Bok, Costa Group’s Asia presi- dent, is equally positive: “As a key market for Costa, Indonesia’s latest move provides a huge opportunity to develop the cruise market both domestically and around the region. We are always keen to explore new itineraries in the region, and are excited to see the development of more itineraries with the increase in port calls in Indone- sia, enriching our cruise holiday offerings for guests in the Asia region.” Melvyn Yap, regional director-Asia, Sil- versea Cruises, said: “The Indonesian ar- chipelago is a long stretch. This will give us a lot of time to explore all the beautiful islands instead of trying to get to another country just to meet the cabotage require- ments.” Hence is is not surprising that Indone- sia’s outbound operators are viewing the cabotage lift in positive light, especially as Indonesians, who still need to fl y out of the country to embark on a cruise ship, will be able to sail from domestic ports in the future. Nurdin Supena, manager, Bayu Buana Travel, said: “It would be more attractive for Indonesians because it means reduced cost in terms of air tickets to Singapore, and it is also time-effective to be able to hop onto a cruise from Jakarta as the ma- jor outbound market comes from here. “The cruise package prices need to be attractive though,” she added. “The most important thing, however, is the readiness of the ports to berth the big ships which are operating in the region nowadays.” Furthermore, the ability to cruise from homeground will likely appeal to Indo- nesians seeking to enjoy the facilities on board a ship, rather than the destination, opined Rama Tirtawisata, group manag- ing director of Panorama Leisure Group. “For these people, short (South-east Asian) cruise programmes such as Sin- gapore-Port Klang-Phuket are popular,” Rama said, adding that it would be more

ITB Berlin day1 p18-19 Cruise GuideKY Feb3.indd 18 24/2/16 10:05 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 19

convenient for them to start their trips John Chan, business consultant at Ma- from Indonesia. laysia’s Kris International Traveltours, “(The other group of cruise travellers), views the cabotage lift as the nascent those who would travel to places like the development of the Indonesian cruise Mediterranean or Alaska, the new policy industry and as it matures, there will be Wider access on the does not bring any change,” he said. more opportunities for corporate com- At the same time, Rama also sees am- panies to hold their incentive events on- ple opportunities for international cruise board a cruise ship, with embarkation and lines to roll out domestic programmes for disembarkation in Indonesia. Indonesians across the sprawling archi- He commented: “For the Malaysian pegalo. “Indonesia has so many interest- market, Indonesia will be a new destination horizon ing destinations such as Togean and Raja for cruise holidays as compared to South- Ampat which are not easily accessible by ern Thailand and Hong Kong. Malaysia air, and cruising can be a good alternative will also benefit as passengers could tran- for adventurous Indonesians,” he said. sit at the international airports here before Indonesia’s cabotage lift may threaten Singapore’s cruise hub position in the future Likewise, Lim Chee Tong, managing boarding an onward flight to Indonesia.” director of Malaysia’s Jebsen Travel & The biggest loser may be Singapore, Rebecca Chia, commented: “With the lift- Indonesia to compete with Singapore’s Tours Services, foresees cruise lines will which has established itself as the cruise ing of cabotage of the sea, we foresee that cruise hub position yet. offer itineraries to more exotic destina- hub of South-east Asia. passengers from Jakarta may choose to Seah added: “We reckon that there will tions in Indonesia beyond current ports Alicia Seah, director of marketing com- embark and disembark from their home- be challenges in (the Indonesia cruise in- of calls like Komodo Island and Bali. “This munications at Dynasty Travel, deems the ports instead of Singapore for domestic dustry) for at least the next two to three will benefit agents as they will have more cabotage lift a threat as it will “definitely and regional cruising. years in terms of infrastructure building products to sell,” he said. affect and reduce the numbers” boarding “We have seen bookings from the Indo- as well as pricing strategies as they may be On the other hand, Richard Vuilleum- from Singapore. nesia market gaining traction only in the pegged against the US dollar.” ier, managing director, Panorama Tours She said: “With Indonesia’s big popula- last two years, with majority of travellers Star Cruises’ Goh urged: “We hope Malaysia, foresees a lukewarm reception tion base numbers, secondary cities will originating from Batam, Jakarta and Yog- Indonesia will continue to implement for all-Indonesian itineraries, as many benefit to depart from their homeport yakarta. (Nevertheless), they may still find cruise-friendly measures and develop the Malaysians have already been to Indone- country rather than via Singapore where it more convenient to embark and disem- overall cruise tourism network, economy sia for shopping, sightseeing, golfing and accommodation and transfers will defi- bark from Singapore than through their and infrastructure for the selected sea- cultural experiences, and therefore would nitely cost more.” own seaports due to our strategic location ports, which are equally important in or- rather take cruises to novel destinations Echoing similar sentiments, Chan within South-east Asia,” Chia said. der to attract more cruises and tourists to farther afield. Brothers Travel Singapore’s spokesperson, However, the trade is not expecting the country in the near future.” South-east Asian cruise market makes bigger waves Cruise tourism’s economic contribution The calls generated just over three mil- Malaysia welcomed 580 port calls in 775,000 to nearly 1.4 million passengers, a The fast-growing cruise industry has lion passenger visit days and just over 2015, the second largest number in Asia 34 per cent compound annual growth rate made a significant economic contribution 422,000 crew visit days. Cruise ports in after Japan. Singapore with 374 calls is also (CAGR). of nearly US$1.7 billion to South-east Malaysia and Singapore each generated among the top ports with over 200 total China is a main driver of passenger Asia in 2014, according to a Cruise Line more than one million passenger and calls in 2015. growth in Asia, adding 480,000 more International Association’s (CLIA) study cruise visit days. “These are very encouraging results cruise travellers since 2012 – an almost 80 which covered the five countries of Indo- Cruise passengers were the bigger and a positive sign for future success. Such per cent CAGR. Other markets with lead- nesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and spenders, spending a total of US$1.5 bil- dynamic growth confirms that South-east ing double-digit growth include Hong Vietnam. lion while crew spent US$22.9 million. Asia’s great potential as a major interna- Kong (74 per cent), India (36 per cent), There were a total of 1,672 cruise ship Turnaround passengers spent an estimat- tional cruise market is being realised,” said Japan (20 per cent) and Taiwan (14 per calls at the destination ports of the five ed US$1.3 billion (an average of US$842 Ann Sherry, chairperson for CLIA South- cent). countries. A quarter of them were turna- per visit day), with transit and overnight east Asia and CEO of Carnival Australia. China accounted for nearly half of round port calls and the remaining 75 per passengers spending US$198 million Asia’s passenger volume in 2014. An es- cent transit and overnight port calls. Ma- (US$132 per visit day). Cruising boom in Asia timated 679,000 passengers were from laysia had the highest number of transit Cruise tourism in Asia is growing at mainland China, compared with 700,000 and total calls (35 per cent of transit port Rapid increase in port calls double-digit rates – both in cruise liner from the rest of Asia. calls and 30 per cent of total cruise ship The number of port calls in South-east capacity deployed in the region and as a Other leading source markets include calls in the region) while Singapore had Asia has grown 28 per cent from 2013 to passenger source market. The absolute Singapore (163,000 passengers), Taiwan the highest volume of turnaround calls reach a record 1,973 in 2015, according to number of cruise travellers from Asia has (137,000) and Japan (119,000). (63 per cent). the latest CLIA figures. almost doubled since 2012, growing from In response to the increasing demand, the cruise industry is bringing more cruise Cruise ship calls and expenditures in South-east Asia in 2014 visits to Asian destinations. In fact, Asia had the greatest gain in share of global ca- Region total Indonesia Malaysia Singapore Thailand Vietnam pacity deployment (2.4 percentage points) Cruise calls among all regions. There were 980 more port calls in Transit 1,066 139 368 28 237 294 2015, up 34 per cent in absolute volume Turnaround 423 12 132 267 11 1 from 2013. Destinations with the greatest growth in total port calls are Japan and Overnight 183 25 5 40 45 68 Malaysia, with 238 and 197 additional Total 1,672 176 505 335 293 363 calls respectively. Other destinations with Passenger and crew visit days total port call growth include Hong Kong (101), Singapore (84) and South Korea Turnaround passengers 1,512,934 11,763 434,630 1,031,553 34,394 594 (68). Transit/Overnight 1,498,138 139,685 503,841 84,157 379,735 390,720 The CLIA study findings show that passengers Asian cruisers sailed mostly within the region in 2014. Almost half (48 per cent) Crew 422,598 28,668 138,649 100,883 75,918 78,480 of them took short cruises of four to six Total 3,433,670 180,116 1,077,120 1,216,593 490,047 469,794 nights, followed by two to three nights (38 per cent). Direct expenditures (US$ million) The momentum of cruise tourism Turnaround passengers 1,273.77 8.54 315.14 924.72 24.94 0.43 in Asia continued in 2015. Twenty-six Transit/Overnight 198.11 20.48 35.53 12.62 71.52 57.96 brands are serving the market in 2014, passengers with 52 ships deployed and more than 1,000 cruises scheduled. Crew 22.90 1.89 8.47 5.64 4.00 2.90 As in the previous year, cruises within Cruise lines 166.32 5.94 5.05 148.69 3.39 3.25 Asia and short sailings of two to three nights and four to six nights dominate Total 1,661.10 36.85 364.19 1,091.67 103.85 64.54 itineraries in 2015.

ITB Berlin day1 p18-19 Cruise GuideKY Feb3.indd 19 24/2/16 10:05 am 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 20 Special report Longhaul Franc-ly speaking The rising popularity of Switzerland may be put to test this year as Asian currencies weaken, reports Rosa Ocampo. Meanwhile, Raini Hamdi explores new options in Italy to satisfy Asian FITs seeking something new

wo major developments – Asian currency depreciation, which con- Ttinues to slow travel from South- east Asia, and recent terrorist attacks and threats to Europe – will determine how Switzerland inbound will fare this year. In the aftermath of the November at- tacks in Paris which were followed by ter- rorist threats to Belgium and England, travel consultants are looking out for alter- native destinations in Europe – Switzerland and lesser-known cities included – as they expect the general demand for the conti- nent to drop this year. Ian Evasco, retail team leader-travel products of Adventure International Tour, Philippines concurred that tourists could divert to Switzerland as “it is in the heart of Europe and has always been a very safe and secure destination, which is very im- portant”. Indeed, safety and security have always been Switzerland’s selling point, apart from Kempinski Grand Hotel its natural charm as an “all-time, all-season des Bains, St Moritz destination” with clean air, water and envi- ronment and efficient system. But its expensive image – dearer than While Switzerland is not about to cheap- also features attractive discounts for youths Another new market, Vietnam, is still Paris and other more popular European en its prices, it is luring Asian FITs, families, and adults and is free for kids below 16 years small but there is potential including for countries – is a challenge, according to repeats and mini groups with value-added old, among perks. luxury travel, said Dang Tran Thuc Doan, South-east Asia travel consultants who at- products. Foremost of these is the Swiss Feliz Gracielle Axalan, marketing ex- director of strategic planning for Tourist tended the 18th Switzerland Travel Mart in Travel Pass for unlimited travel by rail, road ecutive, Tradewings Tours & Travel, Phil- Service & Trading Corp. Zermatt last September. or waterways across the country. ippines, foresees ample potential for Swit- In Asia, Switzerland Tourism works They noted that the depreciation of a Cynthia Tan, operations director of zerland from the new and small Philippine largely with the travel trade and its director basket of Asian currencies made Switzer- Roystar Travel & Tours, Malaysia, said con- market which still “lacks awareness” of the of South-east Asia, Ivan Breiter, said it “can land even more expensive, while the eco- sidering the expensive public transport in destination. help with pricing” by advising agents to nomic and political situation in specific Europe, the Swiss Travel Pass made Swit- She said that Switzerland’s continued step up sales during the low and shoulder countries kept people hesitant to travel. So zerland affordable, enabling travellers to marketing and promotions would unlock seasons, and during weekdays, when rates much so that towards the end of 2015, busi- stay longer and see more. opportunities in groups, corporates, stu- are lower. ness from Singapore and Malaysia to Swit- There is good demand for the pass, dents travelling on semester breaks and Breiter said 40 per cent of tourists from zerland were reported as “bad”, and from agreed Yen Thing, tours consultant of Bou- young employees going on summer vaca- South-east Asia were generated during the Indonesia “very bad”. stead Travel Services, Malaysia as the pass tions. shoulder season. Discover Selangor Your Preferred Venue for M.I.C.E Meetings. Incentives, Conferences, & Exhibitions Kindly download, ‘Discover Selangor’ Mobile Application With unique destinations, cultural experiences, and world-class business facilities, Available on: Selangor, Malaysia is an inspiring and welcoming destination for your next event. Find out more at www.tourismselangor.my SACC Convention Centre (Left) Setia City Convention Centre (Right)

ITB Berlin day1 p20-22 longhauleNI3.indd 20 24/2/16 10:26 am Group Travel Online Booking API/XML Connectivity MICE Market Multi-country Itinerary Luxury Travel World-class Guides Cruising Responsible Travel

INSPIRING EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES TAILOR MADE ASIA EXPERTS SINCE 1957

VISIT US: HALL 26B, BOOTH 229

WWW.DIETHELMTRAVEL.COM Follow us on:

Kian Gwan II Building, 14/F, 140/1 Wireless Road Lumpini, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 Thailand T +66 2 660 7000 | F +66 2 660 7020 | E [email protected]

Poster for TTG Asia Day 1_Final.indd 1 2/23/2016 10:24:38 AM 9.3.2016 TTG Show Daily ITB Berlin 22 Special report Longhaul

neva, shop in Zurich, whatever takes his fancy, included in the rate of CHF2,480 (US$2,515) per night. The 35 Zumthor Starchitects bring glamour rooms in the main building – larger at 24-30m2 compared with those in the House of Architects (18-20m2) and more to remote valley luxuriously furnished – have also been spruced up, with new bathrooms designed by Kuma. By Raini Hamdi The new meditation park, Valser Path, A quiet village in Switzerland that prides meanwhile, is scheduled for completion in itself on having just “1,000 inhabitants, 2017. Both the park and the new tower are 1,000 sheep, 1,000 guest beds” has been within the hotel complex, which sits above hurled into the limelight as starchitects the town centre and blends quietly into descend upon it to build projects that cap- the natural surroundings. The Valser Path ture the imagination. is open to the whole community, not just Vals, 1,250m above sea level in the can- hotel guests. ton of Graubunden, is famous for a hotel Dietrich said the main difference since and thermal spa designed by award-win- the new ownership came onboard was ning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor; also that, “for the first time since 30 years, we for the bottled mineral water, Valser, and have the vision, plans and money to invest”. its beautiful Valsian quartzite. “It is now difficult for Switzerland to There isn’t much else. get good guests because the Swiss franc is However, a new owning company of strong. You can’t build a three-star hotel, the hotel has given the hotel the kind of you need something unique to compete. attention reserved for celebrities, thanks We have to go this way,” she said. to its bold expansion plan to build an She believed the changes at 7132 Ho- iPhone-slim tower extension designed by tel would draw more top-paying guests American architect Thom Mayne of Mor- who love architecture and design, ther- phosis. Another starchitect, Tadao Ando, is mal springs, a destination that does not designing a meditation park, Valser Path, attract mass tourism, top-notch service within the complex. and F&B (one of the hotel’s restaurants is Formerly known as Therme Hotel & helmed by Sven Wassmer who previously Spa, the resort has been renamed 7132 worked for three-Michelin-star Andreas Hotel (7132 being the postal code of Vals). Caminada). The new owning company, 7132 Ltd, is But even without a brick being laid soft cocoon of a room, while Ando sliced Prospects from Asia are good, she said. led by Remo Stoffel, an entrepreneur who for the new tower, a metamorphosis has off a rectangular space to create a bath- “Even though there aren’t a lot of Asian was born in Vals and who bought the already occured at the existing hotel, room that is triangle in shape. guests at the moment, it might improve in property from the local community three which aims to attract international jet-set- Morphosis’ Mayne is also designing time with the Japanese architects’ involve- years ago. ters, including well-heeled Asians, to Vals. another 20 rooms which will be ready ment. Most of the Asian guests we have are The new tower is a startlingly slender Renovations at the hotel, which com- by summer this year, revealed the hotel’s FITs from South Korea, Japan and China 381m tall building with 107 rooms – vir- prises the main wing and another wing managing director, Sonia Dietrich. and their main reason for coming here is tually one room per floor – with a trans- called Selva House, have been completed. These new rooms join 20 retro-chic the therme, the architecture and a desire parent exterior sheen that will mirror the The latter, renamed House of Architects, rooms designed by Peter Zumthor, com- to enjoy unspoilt areas of Switzerland,” Di- mountains. If all goes well, it will open in now fields 13 new rooms designed by yet pleting the concept to offer designer rooms etrich said. 2019. But first, the company must win the another starchitect, Kengo Kuma, and in the House of Architects. Prices have increased following the votes of the community for the tower. To 18 new rooms by Ando. Both are highly- In the main building, three new 90m2 renovations and rates have been simpli- this end, it has set up a gallery with large- skilled at deflecting a 20m2 space with suites designed by Kuma have also opened. fied: CHF390 for rooms in the House scale models of the extension, so that the their eye-popping minimalist design and Each suite booking comes with a helicop- of Architects, CHF590 for rooms in the locals could view the plan and have their unique effects. Kuma for instance uses ter or a limousine at guest disposal in case main building and CHF2,480 for the concerns addressed. warm, curved wooden panels to create a he spontaneously wants to lunch in Ge- suites.

An Italian yin and yang

By Raini Hamdi Alta Badia. The village has only 750 in- As the segment of sophisticated and free habitants. The Dolomites: A name befit- independent travellers from Asia grows tingly close to ‘dynamite’ and ‘dynamic’ larger, destinations that were once aspira- – every bit of this unique mountain tional have become banal for this lot, put- range in the northern Italian Alps it is. ting pressure on outbound travel agents Venice has feminine, wily charms, while to come up with new ideas to please cli- the Dolomites exudes masculine, single- ents. focus power. A contrast that is so perfect Combine Venice and its lagoons with and compelling – think ‘His’ & ‘Hers’, the Dolomites and agents will in effect Ying & Yang, Snow & Ice. be offering their clients two UNESCO Unlike triangle mounds most moun- World Heritage Sites at one go. tains are, the Dolomites are exquisite pin- Venice and the Dolomites are only a nacles, spires, towers, dramatic vertical 2.5 hours drive away. While the former limestone walls and various sculptural is known to every well-clad Asian tour- forms in a great diversity of colours. Com- ist, the same cannot be said of the Do- prising 18 peaks rising to above 3,000m lomites. Currently, it is fair to say only and covering 141,903ha, the Dolomites is the discerning Asians would have the a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dolomites on their radar, like the cou- Italy had done well last year. Accord- ple from Singapore and Hong Kong who ing to results from the European Cities recently booked out the entire Queen of Marketing-MKG report, the city of Mi- ice, too, was ahead of 2014, experiencing with a five per cent increase in arrivals the Alps hotel, Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa lan experienced the strongest RevPAR in an average daily rate rise of over 19 per compared with four per cent for Asia-Pa- for their wedding. They could have cho- Europe in the first three quarters of 2015, cent, leading to a RevPAR increase of 17.3 cific, the Americas and the Middle East, sen Florence or Rome, but they chose over the same period last year, thanks to per cent. while Africa looks set to decline five per the village of San Cassiano, 1,537m Expo Milan which was held from May 1 Overall, 2015 was the Year of Europe, cent, going by UNWTO’s preliminary above sea level in the tourist district of to October 31. The city of romance, Ven- which was the world’s most visited region figures.

ITB Berlin day1 p20-22 longhauleNI3.indd 22 24/2/16 10:26 am WELCOMEWELCOME TOTO ALAL MEROZMEROZ THETHE LEADINGLEADING HALALHALAL HOTELHOTEL ININ BANGKOKBANGKOK VISIT US AT TABLE NO.30, THAILAND HALL 26b NO.221

The AL Meroz Hotel is conveniently located with easy access to Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown Bangkok. The Hotel’s accommodation, dining and leisure facilities have been specially created to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of our Muslim and non-Muslim guests. All meals in our restaurants are Halal-certified and the Hotel is a non-alcoholic. Our staff are respectfully trained and attired in the Muslim tradition, while retaining the warmth and hospitality for which Thailand is renowned.

4, Ramkhamhaeng Soi 5, Ramkhamhaeng Road, Suan Luang, Bangkok 10250, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 136 8700, Fax: +66 2 136 8799, E-mail: [email protected] www.almerozhotel.com

Day 1