There She Goes

VIEW FROM THE TOP It had to entertain but also beneﬁt Singapore. Meet Tan Wee Kiat, the man who PPS 619/02/2013(022926) envisioned Gardens by the Bay and coined its ‘city in the garden’ catchphrase

No. 1707/May 23, 2014

SRI LANKA’S WELL KEPT SECRETS Where once tourism was restricted, the country’s north and east are proving to be new playgrounds for visitors MYANMAR: INVESTORS BEWARE While businesses are eager for the ﬁrst bite of South-east Asia’s destination du jour, barriers to entry are high THERE SHE GOES With the female travel market on the rise, tour operators are sitting up and taking notice CRUISING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA With latest port developments, there are more reasons for cruise lines to include ASEAN destinations in their itineraries

23May ttgAsia p01 covergc.indd 2 20/5/14 5:37 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 2 Contents & editorial

Analysis 03

View from the top 06

Agency 08

Intelligence 09 Social 23 10 12 16 20 Report: Guide: Destination: Destination: Connect 24 Business travel Ports of call China Sri Lanka SHORING UP EXCURSIONS ver since the world cruise industry started the pagoda, never mind the sweltering heat, made the Escanning the horizons for new markets, Asian passengers stay put at the market. Little, if any, was spent destinations have been urged to build better ports. The on F&B or shopping as they eagerly waited for the next more developed cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong coach to take them back to the ship. and Shanghai rose to the occasion, building ports that To sum up, overall, the shore experience was a huge could handle behemoths, like airports could handle Air- disconnect with the high standards on board the ship. bus A380s. But often, the lament is it is quite pointless Much needs to be done to narrow this imbalance. for, say, Singapore, to build a fancy terminal if the neigh- As ships usually dock just for a day or two, a cruise af- bouring ports are in shambles, since cruising is regional. fords only a window to a destination. If impressions are From the perspective of a cruise passenger, as I was poor, a destination would likely lose customers who recently, ports – as in terminals and piers – are mere would write it off and tell friends it’s not worth visiting. infrastructure. As with airports, speedy and hassle-free Chances are, ships that are making an effort to call on passenger-handling capability is what counts – if it hap- South-east Asia would avoid those ports that they realise pens to be a beautiful facility, that’s great, but no one do not pass muster. lands at a port or an airport because of it. Many ASEAN destinations are now eager to increase From the viewpoint of cruise lines angling for sales, the cruise pie. To them, I’d say no need to build swanky ports of call are another word for destinations, and they cruise terminals, efficient ones will do and site them are fond of describing every port as exotic and romantic. in the best locations as, say, Penang has done with the Alas, South-east Asia by cruise is not too exotic or ro- Swettenham Pier being steps away from the town’s her- There is no need to build swanky mantic, as I found on my recent voyage. itage streets. What’s more important is for destinations For example, because their ports were located in the to manage the supply chain on which their chance of cruise terminals. What’s more boondocks, it took more than an hour to get to Phuket turning the transient cruise visitor into a returning important is for destinations to town, and nearly two to Yangon city centre. At the for- tourist depends. In this, the travel agencies which handle mer, the mafia seems to be controlling which taxis could shore excursions are key. For instance, couldn’t NTOs manage the supply chain on which enter the port, while at the latter, luxury passengers were and cruise lines encourage them to create tours that are cramped into a coach in a manner that was unsafe. tailored to give cruise passengers the best possible im- their chance of turning the transient Hours were spent in a car or coach passing through pressions in the short time they are in port? cruise passenger into a returning the drabbest areas of the destinations. In Yangon, the coach operator dropped off passengers at the market- Raini Hamdi tourist depends. place, when the Shwedagon Pagoda would have been Senior Editor a better spot for these mostly Western visitors. The [email protected] thought of taking a cab in a crazy traffic jam to get to twitter.com/rainihamdi

COMING UP WE LIKE

THAILAND Bangkok’s few-and-far-between green areas Avelino Zapanta, president of SEAir, has recently published BRUNEI An Islamic experience even for non-Muslims the ﬁrst volume of comprehensive history on Philippine aviation spanning the years 1909-2012. Zapanta, an airline NEXT ISSUE: DESIGN HOTELS Luxury trends and innovative ideas that don’t bust the budget are discussed in our Roundtable pilot who served 38 years at Philippine Airlines, including as JUNE 13, 2014 president from 1999-2004, now also teaches air transport AIRLINES Asian airlines invest in high-tech cabins that management at the Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT), Univer- deliver greater comfort sity of the Philippines. In the book’s introduction he notes VIEW FROM THE TOP Starchitect Bill Bensley, known for how the different eras of Philippine aviation history “provide his stunning resort designs a palpable evidence of how this industry could contribute to the soaring economy of the country.

23May ttgAsia P02-Content-v2FINALgcred.indd 2 20/5/14 3:27 pm 25.04.2014 TTG Asia 5

23.05.2014 TTG Asia 3 While businesses are eager for the ﬁrst bite Analysis of South-east Asia’s destination du jour, barriers to entry are high, says Greg Lowe

ing up in Myanmar now,” he said. “As everyone knows by now, the destination needs more capac- MYANMAR: ity in terms of rooms and find- ing well-educated manpower is a challenge.” Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Mi- INVESTORS nor Hotel Group Thailand, too, felt it wasn’t the right time to enter. “The country is seeing such swift development the infrastructure is not yet in place to be BEWARE able to properly support it, and yanmar has be- “Another major problem is with that comes challenges in- come one of the everyone focuses on the main cluding the supply chain, staffing region’s most cov- destinations such as Yangon, and ultimately meeting guests’ eted destinations Bagan, Inle, Mandalay and Nga- expectations.” overM the past few years since in- pali, but to develop and bring However, Patrick Basset, COO ternational sanctions against the more guests into the country we for Accor Thailand, Vietnam, country were lifted in response need to open up new destina- South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, to political reforms. tions. And we need infrastruc- Myanmar and the Philippines, International air arrivals ture – roads, airports, telecom- said the group felt that “if we through Yangon International munications – to reach these don’t start now, it will probably Airport reached a historic high destinations.” be too late”. of 550,654 in 2012, only for the Businesses wanting to enter “We have to anticipate the figure to be topped within the the market need a clear strategy market and plan ahead five to 10 first five months of last year, ac- given there are already more than years into the future,” he added. cording to research by C9 Hotel- 1,300 DMCs operating in the Accor now leads the interna- works, which has also seen rock- country. tionally branded sector with six eting hotel occupancy. “We see a lot of foreigners properties in development. The number of airlines serv- coming here dreaming to make Progress on room supply is ing the country is also steadily business, in reality it is not that failing to live up to the previ- increasing, while the destination easy,” said Romon. “Don’t forget ously heady expectations, said has made it back onto the itiner- that the (rents in Yangon) are Bill Barnett, managing director aries of several cruise lines. Fur- more expensive than Singapore.” of C9 Hotelworks. “The reality thermore, four border crossings For Edwin Briels, general is things are going to take a lot with Thailand were opened for manager of Khiri Travel Myan- longer then first envisaged…The overland travel last August. mar, the massive swings between pipeline is growing but the time- These positive trends have high and low season arrivals pose line is stretching out.” been a boon for inbound op- a much greater problem than in- “The Hilton project is a year erators such as Exotissimo Travel frastructure. behind schedule, Peninsula is and Phoenix Voyages who now “The biggest problem travel even further behind. Smaller report Myanmar as their second (agencies) are facing is the low midscale hotels from local de- market after Vietnam, where number of tourists visiting be- velopers will likely come into the they both started from. tween April and September,” he market faster, with international Nevertheless, the trade still said. “Bagan, for example, gets projects taking longer,” he said, faces a number of key challeng- about 200,000 tourists per year. though remaining upbeat about es: international standard hotel The majority visit between mid- opportunities. rooms are in short supply, infra- October and mid-March, leaving All eyes are now on the po- structure is shoddy and human a lot of young professionals in litical situation, most notably capital is lacking. Perhaps more the industry – guides, restaurant the general election tabled for significantly, political and regu- staff, hotel staff – without a job the end of next year. Passing this latory risks weigh heavily on the for the rest of the year. key milestone could remove one decisions made by investors, said “I strongly believe that we of the greatest entry barriers and Jean Michel Romon, managing need more tourists visiting in spur more travel companies to director of Phoenix Voyages, the green season in order to grow make their foray into Myanmar. which has been operating in the tourism in a sustainable way.” “If the election takes place country for 17 years. The many obstacles are cur- without trouble, trust builds “People need to have a clear rently deterring some foreign within the international market legal framework to invest,” he firms, as Arjen de Haan, CEO of and infrastructure is developed, said. “They need to be sure that Asialink Holidays Thailand, ex- then Myanmar (as a market) will Myanmar is on the way to a be- plained. be close to Thailand within 10 coming a real democracy.” “We have no interest in open- years,” said Romon.

23May ttgAsia p03 Analysisgckn.indd 5 20/5/14 3:37 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 4 With more women travelling independently than ever Analysis before, tour operators and hotels are sitting up and taking notice of their requirements. By David Andrews IN HER OWN WAY new generation of women is Hotels of the World (SLH) saw growth in increasingly calling the shots single-occupancy travel across the board in the travel industry, which is in terms of both revenue and number of starting to recognise the poten- room nights, with the number of sole oc- Atial of an emerging market segment that is cupancy room nights jumping from 4,115 travelling more frequently for both busi- to 5,841 while revenue from global solo ness and leisure. bookings increased by nearly US$400,000 Statistics from PATA show that be- year on year. tween 2011 and 2012 there was a two per In its core markets of Australia, Brazil cent rise in female travellers to Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong 4.9 per cent increase to Thailand and 6.9 Kong, Russia, the UK and the US, the per cent to Laos. Among the Asia-Pacific surge of female bookings was particular- countries where statistics are available, ly notable, with a 53 per cent increase in Mongolia is the only country to see a de- room nights booked by single-occupancy cline in female travellers – and just a mere females between 2011 and 2012 (from 973 0.6 per cent drop. room nights in 2011 to 1,489 room nights Industry players attribute the exponen- in 2012). tial growth of female travellers to rising Around Asia, hotels have also jumped affluence and maturing travel preferences on the bandwagon by rolling out services in the region’s advanced economics. Lindy with feminine touches. Andrews, CEO of Luxperience, comment- Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok has since ed in a media release: “The majority of mid-2013 introduced a Women’s Experi- these affluent Asian women travelling are based company will provide private group safe,” she added. ence programme, which entails assign- from the wealthier areas of Asia, such as service as an alternative if a group of fe- Sharing similar observations, Bose ing rooms along the corridor for female Tokyo, Singapore, Taiwan, Beijing, Shang- males request to travel together, according added: “Women are more likely to explore guests for safety and security reasons and hai, Hong Kong or Seoul. (For) example, to spokesperson Casey Mead, who added off-the-beaten-path locations including placing a card in their rooms to inform of in Singapore 32 per cent of all business that around 30 per cent of the firm’s trav- the Antarctica and Sahara when accom- amenities such as curling iron, yoga mat, travellers are female and Hong Kong has ellers are solo females. panied by other females. Many of our makeup remover wipes and razor, shared the largest percentage of female business Adele Mitchell, director of Australia- clients have limited (social) circles or find Patty Lerdwittayaskul, the hotel’s director travellers at 36 per cent.” based Inspired Travel, originally started themselves constrained whether at work of marketing communications. In particular, a growing number of la- her agency to cater to both male and fe- or home. Providing the platform to make “We experienced an increase of seven dies are embracing independent travel, male travellers, but eight years later some new friends and share a common travel per cent in female travellers in 2013 com- based on TripAdvisor’s inaugural Women 95 per cent of her clients are female. “We interest has been key to our success.” pared with 2012 after introducing the and the World Travel Survey of over 600 deal with the 35-plus market as females of Lyn Taylor’s Adventure Travel goes Women’s Experience programme,” she female respondents from Singapore, Ma- this age tend to be more curious, and en- a step further by having female guides. said. “However, in 2014 due to the current laysia, Thailand and Indonesia; two in five joy learning and discovering. Our female Founder Lyn Taylor said: “If women are political issue we have seen a downturn as women (41 per cent) go on leisure trips clients enjoy travelling alone from their looking for an all-women holiday, then the female market has been more sensitive with other women, while one in three country of origin but joining small groups they want a woman to expertly guide than male market over safety fears.” women (36 per cent) travel alone for lei- as part of the tour. This provides security them through their holiday, not just or- Within the region, Singapore’s Naumi sure, with 43 per cent planning at least two and allows them to meet new people.” ganise the trip and send them off on their Hotel has gone one step further to dedi- solo trips this year. “The security of small group travel own. Our business relating to women-on- cate an entire floor to female travellers for And despite the recent spate of inci- with like-minded people” is especially ap- ly tours has increased by 10 per cent in the complete privacy; this floor is accessed via dents pinpointing safety concerns for pealing to solo female travellers, pointed past two years and we expect a further two a glass door that can only be opened with women in India, solo travel is picking up out Suzanne Hart, director of She Trav- per cent rise in 2014.” a keycard. among the country’s female travellers. els, which offers specially tailored pro- At the same time, the steady increase of Donny Yip, director of sales at Naumi An online survey conducted by Indian grammes targeted at financially inde- women travelling alone has also led to a Hotel, said: “We became aware of an in- OTA MakeMyTrip revealed that 44 per pendent women aged between 30 and 60. corresponding hike in demand for single- creasing trend for women to travel alone cent of Indian female travellers have trav- “We offer female-friendly accommoda- occupancy rooms. and wanted to ensure female travellers a elled alone for leisure; 70 per cent of solo tion options in locations that are deemed Between 2011 and 2012, Small Luxury comfortable environment. In the past 12 women travellers have so far travelled only months alone, our female only floor has within the country, while 10 per cent had experienced an increase in bookings of 20 only travelled overseas and 20 per cent per cent. The majority of bookings come had covered both. from Australia, Hong Kong, Europe and The growth of independent female South Korea.” travellers has led to many tour operators To cater to the female travel market in specialising or rolling out exclusive pro- Asia-Pacific even more effectively, Luxpe- grammes targeting this niche segment. We offer female-friendly rience’s Andrews urged travel suppliers to Girls on the Go, an India-based exclu- consider strategies such as introducing a sive travel club for women, recorded 110 accommodation options, along with no-single supplement during shoulder bookings in 2013, a 20 per cent increase months, including an experiential aspect from 2012, said founder Piya Bose. Some the security of small group travel to products and stepping up engagement 90 per cent of the firm’s business derived with like-minded people, which on social media channels for a market seg- from India and the remainder predomi- ment that strongly relies on peer-to-peer nantly from Singapore and Malaysia. appeals to the solo female traveller. recommendation for travel decisions. While G Adventures does not offer Suzanne Hart – Additional reporting by Xinyi Liang- female-only programmes, the Canada- Director, She Travels Pholsena

The percentage of women The expected increase in The number of room The percentage of Indian 36%in South-east Asia travelling 400%business trips under- 1,489nights booked by sin- 44%female travellers who have alone for leisure, based on TripAdvisor’s taken by women in Australia, China, gle-occupancy females in 2012 among travelled alone for leisure, based on the Women and the World Travel Survey of India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s core ﬁndings of an online survey conducted over 600 female respondents in Singa- Singapore by 2030, according to estimates markets, marking a 53 per cent surge among women travellers by Indian OTA pore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia from Amadeus from 2011 MakeMyTrip

23May ttgAsia p04 Analysis-v4-xygc.indd 4 20/5/14 3:28 pm 260 mm 380 mm

Best Western Expands Across Afﬂuent Indonesia

With one of the world's largest populations spread across 17,000 islands, Indonesia holds almost limitless opportunities for travel. And with rising disposable incomes enabling a greater number of Indonesians to explore more parts of their country, demand for quality hotel accommodation in the country has never been higher.

SEMARANG BALI TANGERANG

Currently, Best Western operates 12 hotels in Indonesia, under all three of its products midscale BEST WESTERN | upscale BEST WESTERN PLUS | luxury BEST WESTERN PREMIER. From the golden shores of Bali to the bustling city streets of Jakarta, and up-and-coming secondary cities like Semarang, Malang and Makassar, Best Western has a range of modern hotels in popular business and leisure destinations across Indonesia.

And matching the rapid pace of Indonesia's economic growth, Best Western is accelerating its development across the country. Over the next two years, Best Western has ﬁrm plans to open more than 20 new hotels in Indonesia. This will include the addition of multiple new hotels in Bali and Jakarta, plus a series new properties in fast-growing cities like Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Balikpapan, Pontianak, Solo and Samarinda.

As the world looks east and Indonesia emerges as a major force on the global stage, Best Western will be able to provide a collection of quality international hotels across this exciting archipelago.

For reservations, visit www.bestwesternasia.com For GDS connectivity, please contact [email protected]

Facebook.com/BestWesternAsia

TTG ASIA_FP_Indonesia

issue date 23 MAY 14 size 380 x 260 mm deadline content proofread 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 6 It’s about nation-building, country branding and an View from the top entertaining tourism attraction. Raini Hamdi talks to Tan Wee Kiat, the man who envisioned Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay and coined its ‘city in the garden’ catchphrase TALL AS SUPER TREE What does the job of CEO of Gardens by much like Wisley (south of Surrey, Lon- and, unless you can convince it of the fi- the Bay entail? don). We already have a botanical garden, nancial and economic harvest from such a Well, Gardens by the Bay is a child of my so why not create a counterpoint in prod- project, it would not have taken off. 10 NEED TO KNOWS vision, so it is to see through its develop- uct distinction. Gardens are also a borrowed concept ABOUT TAN WEE KIAT ment, operation and realise its potential. Botanical gardens are a living museum for our region. It’s not in our culture, in Who is in your family? One mother; of plant family for education and research. fact, we clear forests in order to survive. three sisters; four brothers; 10 nephews Let’s go back to the roots: what did you Here, we cater primarily to the entertain- and nieces; four dogs; countless fishes envision for this garden and why? ment aspects – the visual, the aesthetic How did you convince the government? What do you do for fun? Work I envisioned a horticulture display garden, senses. We are the first tropical nation We engaged Edmund Tie (real estate con- Your ideal vacation? Sleeping in that has developed a garden of this scale, sultant) and PricewaterhouseCoopers to How do you book your own leisure uniquely designed for Singapore and to do a study on what value would you in- trips? Leisure trips? showcase the plants of the tropics. crease to a piece of real estate if you were What are you reading right now? So it’s a horticulture theme park but to plant a garden right in the heart of it? iPad for iDiots underlying it is some ambitious proposi- We already have a precedent with the Sin- How do you stay healthy? By being tion. It has to do with the branding of Sin- gapore Botanical Gardens where the value happy gapore and giving Singaporeans an own- of the land around it increased (with the Whatever is bad ership of Singapore. It’s our park, here in gardens) but I needed professionals to Favourite food? a prime downtown spot, open everyday crunch the concept. A bad habit you cannot kick? from 05.00 to 02.00. Only about four per Although we don’t have to make a prof- Favourite food cent is charged (the Flower Dome). it, we must not be a white elephant and Your pet peeve, something that Why would I want to sacrifice for my we must impart value far beyond what is never fails to annoy you? In the words nation if I don’t own a part of it? Every invested. As you can see, we’re not a white of the late David Marshall, “sanctimonious Singaporean should be able to say ‘the best elephant. We passed the eight millionth posturers” part of Singapore also belongs to me’. visitor mark in one year and eight months. Most people don’t know that you can... And they will continue in their How does it help with the branding of Are they all elderly, and British? ignorance Singapore? (Laughs) Ten per cent of school children The concept was mooted to the govern- in Singapore come here as part of their ment in 2004. At the time, Singapore was curriculum. It pleases me too that our lo- You still have people who have never positioning itself as a global city, compet- cals are coming in with their family after stepped foot into the gardens and say, oh, ing with other cities for investment and work and during the weekends. what a waste of money, it’s all architec- talent. We needed to make sure the Singa- In general, 60 per cent of visitors to ture. Why do you need to make fake super pore brand was strong. the external areas are locals, 40 per cent trees? Hey, they are also super chimneys! are tourists from many countries. For the And architecture is the form and shape Was it easy to get the buy-in? Flower Dome, the ratio is the reverse. We that attract you, but once you come in, it’s The timing was perfect. URA (Urban Re- did one promotion to travel agencies in the content. Being on the equator, we have development Authority) was developing India and suddenly, we had an influx of access to the broadest range of plants in the downtown to be a mini Manhattan; in India visitors to this garden. China too. the world and we are able to grow them future people would need breathing space outdoors as we have perpetual summer. from the tall buildings that cluster around How compelling are gardens as a tour- The icing is the cool dome, where we can it. What does Manhattan have that makes ist attraction? bring in the elements of spring and fall. it a wonderful? A central park. Gardens by From our surveys and how we see visitors This garden, more than any other, com- the Bay is one-fifth the size of Cen- do the publicity job for us on social media, bines architecture engineering and nature tral Park. gardens are a compelling attraction. in its creation. Take the super trees, for But Singapore govern- Suddenly photographers are also here instance. We are on reclaimed land where ment as you know is a as the bird population has increased with it is almost impossible to achieve the kind tough nut to crack. the flourishing plants. of trees you would find in a natural forest, It is very prag- We haven’t finished the work here. where forest giants after a century obtain matic We’re still trying to train and get the right 60m, 70m height. In creating the super people to keep the attraction alive and trees, we impart the same functions to competitive. Our competition is not lo- these man-made trees – they trap energy, cal but global and we don’t compete with for example. They are a necessary compo- gardens but theme parks and other at- nent of our chilling system. tractions. People asked, but wouldn’t you What man destroys, man can take re- be taking away numbers from the zoo medial action. We’ve proven you can rec- or the botanical gardens? No, in fact, reate nature on reclaimed land. there’s one more attraction for visitors to visit and it helps increase the Can you recreate even in cities such as, length of stay by half a day. say, Bangkok or Beijing? That’s why part of my role Why not? Look at Seoul. It developed as CEO is to ensure the prod- a central park next to a river which was uct, the programming, the buried under a highway. It completely service we offer keeps us eradicated all the structures on top, un- ahead of the competi- earthed the river through the central part tion globally. of Seoul and brought nature to the heart of the city. Expensive, but it created value. Do you still have Part of a slum became an elegant centre. What man destroys, man can take remedial naysayers? It can be done as long as you have young people who work in a dense environment action. We’ve proven you can recreate nature and hunger for a bit of nature. It is in us to want to be back in the forest be- on reclaimed land...It is in us to want to be back cause we are animals. in the forest because we are animals.

23May ttgAsia p06 VFTT-v2.FINALgc.indd 6 19/5/14 5:49 pm

23.05.2014 TTG Asia 8

Take heed of tech-savvy agencies that have Agency transformed their businesses and pick up new ideas on how to do better

ASK THE EXPERT

GET SOCIAL TO UNLEASH Many businesses have not considered EMPLOYEES’ POTENTIAL using social media ocial media platforms have become Wouldn’t that help make decision making wanted to use social tools so badly that 41 such a pervasive part of our lives that much faster, or enable your organisation per cent shared that they would even be to enhance staff Sthe lines are blurring between work to respond quicker to constantly changing willing to spend their own money on social and play. EMarketer estimates that one in customer demands? tools to drive company efficiencies. productivity and four people worldwide use social media Unlike Facebook, social technologies like tools today, with Asia-Pacific contributing Microsoft’s Yammer, which are designed Case study collaboration to nearly half of total social media users for businesses, are now breaking through While British Airways’ (BA) approximately by end-2013. In Singapore and Hong traditional organisational structures, 41,000 staff in more than 75 countries (other than using Kong, more than half of their population unlocking knowledge and uniting people connects through email and collaborates are on Facebook. This presents a major across the company, from the most senior on the intranet, the vast majority who it for sales and opportunity for businesses to connect with to the most junior in the safety of an internal aren’t always behind PCs don’t necessarily its customers and employees. environment. Just as email transformed have this option. To help employees work marketing). However, based on the American Society business in the 90s, enterprise social tools better together to serve customers, BA of Travel Agents’ 2013 Technology and Web are now driving valuable market intelligence invested in Yammer, a private social network Usage Report, while 80 per cent of travel and best practices more quickly within and that helps employees collaborate across agencies have social media presence, only across organisations and geographies. departments, locations and business apps. 17 per cent describe it as ‘essential’. This Crew members can use Yammer on their disconnect has become a major business Syncing with Gen Ys mobile devices to connect with pilots, hurdle in the new world of work and travel. While businesses often worry that social engineers, executives – anyone in the tools will drain productivity, it is exactly business – and get instant feedback. This Enhancing productivity these types of technologies which younger enabled spontaneous engagement among While it is easier to figure out how to use employees are demanding in order to work colleagues, sparking innovative new ideas social media as a sales and marketing productively, and more importantly, which for BA to improve customer service. channel – for example, set up a Facebook embrace what Gen Ys share and most Social media has driven drastic changes page to provide the latest updates desire to do. in how we communicate personally and in to customers and prospects – many In May 2013, Microsoft commissioned the workplace. By harnessing social media businesses have not considered using an Ipsos study in which 58 per cent of for business, the travel industry can respond social media to enhance staff productivity 1,825 employees in Asia-Pacific reported more quickly to ideas, customer feedback, and collaboration. Imagine a scenario that enterprise social tools at work helped market changes and day-to-day problems where your employees from any of your increase their productivity. About 86 per in a way that younger staff are familiar with offices can discuss new product offerings, cent felt that enterprise social tools resulted and that more experienced staff can easily what customers like, what pricing is in better information sharing, while 76 per learn from. Done right, enterprise social David Boden making sense and share ideas or customer cent felt the tools helped in connecting a tools will unleash employee potential to a Industry lead, hospitality & airlines feedback to those who need to know. disparate workforce. In fact, employees whole new business level. Microsoft Asia

WHO GETS THE BOOKING?

Shekhar Niyogi makes enquiries on Carnation Travel Services (New Delhi) Gainwell Travel & Leisure (Kolkata) WINNER a 4D3N tour for two in Greece, with APPEARANCE Two floors of travel desks with executives focussed APPEARANCE Three levels of customer service desks, domestic the option for a cruise to Turkey for a on specific destinations, flight booking, cruises, holiday packages and travel, international travel, holidays and packages, flight booking a library with catalogues and information brochures. Clearly defined and cruises. Very attractive office appearance. Posters of various three-night stay. This would also in- space. destinations, catalogues and other promotional materials are clude a one-day guided tour in each available. destination inclusive of lunch and PRODUCT Core expertise is limited to a few destinations, like PRODUCT Wide variety of destinations offered, like the US, Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, South Africa, West Europe, South Europe, the Mediterranean, East Africa, South entrance fees, plus flight tickets and Dubai and a couple of cruise options. Africa, Mauritius, Far East, South-east Asia, Australia and New visas. He picks the marginally more Zealand, as well as a large range of worldwide cruises. expensive one over the other for its EASE OF BOOKING Very user-friendly. Responded to queries EASE OF BOOKING Very user-friendly. All responses were relevant promptly and adequately, but did not go beyond defined responses and informative. Suggestions were added that went beyond the brief. all-round experience. to specific queries. Was ready to confirm booking instantly and issue Provided a warm ambience, comfortable seating and alcoves for one- invoice for payment. Exhibited good network of suppliers in offered on-one interface. destinations. PRICE Competitive with the market, as its retail sales are high and PRICE Competitive but able to add true value additions for a based upon a large number of walk-in responses to daily newspaper marginally extra cost. The difference is negligible as the suggested advertising. Was able to fit in price estimate comfortably within the add-ons enhance the itinerary in a very definitive way. Upselling is budget of US$4,000. Not much attempt at add-ons or upselling. apparent, but not to an objectionable extent. VERDICT I would go with Gainwell as I felt that it had more all-round experience of the itinerary I wanted. Moreover, more than a few frontline staff had travelled on similar itineraries themselves and were able to offer insights. Although marginally more expensive, I would go with it for its confidence in its offering. As for Carnation, I would be keen to buy from them if I were doing a common itinerary like South- east Asia or Dubai. However, since my chosen destination was Greece with a cruise option to Turkey, I did not feel that they were totally comfortable in making their offer, although all confirmations were offered readily.

23May ttgAsia p08 Agencykngc-finalmy.indd 8 20/5/14 4:53 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 9 In this tie-up with Travel Business Analyst (TBA), we Intelligence crunch numbers that matter and make them meaningful. Plus, look out for our new Hotel Barometer every month

over the past 12 months and down 16% The biggest loser is Malaysia Airlines ‘big winner’ with at least a 20-point dif- Trailing travel stocks over this decade! (MAS), whose March incident caused a ference – that is AirAsia (+37), although Biggest gain this year is seen at Air further downward lurch to its already- Mandarin Oriental (+16) and Regal Ho- If confidence is returning to the region’s New Zealand, which is 55% higher than dipping stock price – its end-2013 price tels (+18) were close. travel business, it has not yet to be re- at the decade’s start, but that result is had fallen 80% since end-2010 and 95% But there are a few big-time losers ex- flected in the prices of travel stocks, spoiled by its longer-term result – down since its mid-2007 peak. ceeding 100 points – MAS and Thai Air- which are down about 6% so far this 99% on its price in the TBA-100 Index, An important factor is the differ- ways International. A 20-point differ- year on their end-2013 prices, down 7% based on the last trading day of 2000. ence between stock growth and market ence would include most stocks shown,

FAIR growth; a 10% growth in stock price is but even around 50 points there are Air less impressive if the stock market grew China, ANA, Jet Airways, Qantas and

G 15%. Doing best by that measure are even Singapore Airlines.

R O

O O

D O P HOTEL BAROMETER AirAsia, Air New Zealand and All Nip- The other crucial market factor is that pon Airways (ANA). hotel groups performed much better than Another viewpoint is growth this dec- airline groups, which begets the questions: The year did not start off well for key cit- lentless upward march. Singapore, while ade (since March 2010), again in com- Why do airlines sell their hotel interests ies in Asia-Pacific. Occupancy rates in steady in occupancy, was down in rate parison with the stock’s local equity when times are tough? Shouldn’t they be Bangkok hotels in January were hit hard, and thus in RevPAR – an exchange rate market. Nearly all are losers, except one buying them? presumably due to the end-2013 negative factor due to growth in the Singapore dol- publicity on the political unrest. lar. Likewise for Sydney’s rate – there was Growth in travel company stock prices, % To run occupancies in the 60s in Janu- growth in the Australian dollar. ary – one of Bangkok’s peak months – is The overall hotel TBA-100 Index** in Mar 2014 over Mar 2014 over therefore a shock, although hoteliers may the latest available month in 2014 (Janu- Dec 2013 Mar 2010 have become impervious to the shocks ary) stood at 94 – a worrying 6% fall Airlines Stock Market Stock Market that have affected business in the capital compared with the same month in 2013. AirAsia 13.6 -1.1 76.1 38.8 over the past five years. Rates held up well Of the three parts making up the Index, – falling only 2% – but that still meant the occupancy and ARR fell 5%, primarily Air China -20.9 -3.7 -43.1 4.2 resulting RevPAR* was down 22%. caused by exchange rate changes; there Air New Zealand 24.1 8.1 55.3 56.4 The changing value of the US dollar were increases in most local currency re- was seen particularly in Bali, where US$1 turns, and the resulting RevPAR fell 8%. All Nippon Airways 7.6 -9.2 -16.0 31.1 bought Rp9,600 in 2013, but this Janu- Cathay Pacific Airways -11.8 -3.7 -12.2 4.2 ary it bought Rp11,595. With many rates *Although rates are quoted in US dollars, quoted in US dollars, the change is allevi- the data is supplied by hotels to TBA in China Airlines -8.2 3.0 -15.0 10.7 ated, but there is nonetheless distortion in local currencies, and thus changes in ex- China Eastern Airlines Corp -11.6 -3.7 -35.8 4.2 the short term. In rupiah terms there was change rates can affect figures. Different China Southern Airlines -16.6 -3.7 -27.6 4.2 actually an increase in ARR* in January. categorisation of hotels across countries January and February, typically the may also distort the rate comparison. For Japan Airlines -0.6 -9.2 N.A. 31.1 weakest months for Beijing, are when the this reason, percentage changes of ARR Jet Airways India -16.2 6.2 -48.3 26.9 percentage of business and official travel within a city may be a surer comparison of takes a higher share of occupancy, so a market progress . Malaysia Airline System -32.3 -1.1 -90.4 38.8 fall in the capital’s rates may indicate how Qantas Airways 0.9 0.7 -61.1 9.8 much the official crackdown on luxury **The TBA-100 Index is a measure to spend is hitting hotels. Also, China’s eco- standardise hotel results over numerous Singapore Airlines 0.4 0.9 -32.7 8.6 nomic growth is slowing. cities. The comparison is with results for Thai Airways International 2.2 6.8 -48.3 73.1 Hong Kong continues its seemingly re- the same month a year earlier. Hotels Stock Market Stock Market Hotel operating results in selected cities, January 2014 Banyan Tree Holdings -1.5 0.9 -13.3 8.6 Location Occupancy, Growth, Average Room Growth, RevPAR, Growth, The Hongkong & Shanghai -1.9 -3.7 -14.4 4.2 % % Rate, US$* % US$* % Hotels Bali 67.6 6.0 182 -11.8 123 -6.5 Shanghai Jinjiang International -25.4 -3.7 N.A. 4.2 Hotels Development Bangkok 62.4 -19.7 125 -2.4 78 -21.7 Mandarin Oriental International 4.8 0.9 25.0 8.6 Beijing 54.8 -17.3 93 -1.8 51 -18.8 Regal Hotels International -20.8 -3.7 22.7 4.2 Hong Kong 84.7 3.8 232 2.5 197 6.4 Holdings Singapore 85.3 0.0 189 -2.5 161 -2.4 Shangri-La Asia -16.0 -3.7 -17.9 4.2 Sydney 89.1 4.4 209 -9.8 186 -5.8 Notes: Prices at end of last trading day of month shown. Market is location of company’s Notes: Compared with same month a year earlier. *Calculated at contemporary exchange operating base except Hong Kong for Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and rates. Source: Hotels to TBA 236 mmShanghai Jinjiang, and Singapore for Mandarin Oriental. Source: TBA

Contemporary Luxury in the Heart of Bustling Bangkok

90 mm BEST WESTERN PREMIER Sukhumvit offers an oasis of upscale accommodation, nestled in the centre of one of Asia's most exciting cities Sukhumvit

For reservations, visit www.bestwesternasia.com

Facebook.com/BestWesternAsia

23May ttgAsia p09 Intelligence-xymy2xygcREVISED.indd 9 20/5/14 5:59 pm

TTG Asia BWP sukumvit_Strip

issue date 23 May 14 size W236xH90 mm deadline content proofread Report Business travel

lat or just modest growth is expected this year of the corporate meetings and events market in Senior managers Customers are The meeting planner Asia-Pacific, and senior man- recognise that demanding better value will still have a role. agement is more eagle-eyed thanF ever in watching compliance, cost complacency in the for their meetings...It The majority of the and reduced time from the office. But this M&E (meetings and will force all providers to time they own the is good news for firms that provide solutions to help companies manage their events) planning improve their offering relationship between meetings spend, which in the region, is process can have and it will force the the venue and their still a fairly new idea. TTG Asia’s Roundta- ble asks: Is the industry maturing in Asia? serious financial, legal inefficient companies company. and reputational out of the market What are you seeing in the meetings & events (M&E) industry in Asia this year? consequences. entirely. PUCETA Overall, we are seeing a greater focus from senior management with re- gards to policies, and management of fi- nances and suppliers. They are also seeking greater transparency into company-wide meeting activity.

KUHN Overall the APAC economy is still growing at an impressive rate, and we expect overall growth in meeting volumes of two to ﬁve per cent, mostly driven by increased spending in China, India and Indonesia, but with other markets showing strong buying patterns, including Sin- gapore. The nature of events is evolving, as are the objectives and measurement of corporate meeting programmes, but there is a lot of pent-up demand for meetings in the region.

HANLIN Meeting bookings in Asia has increased by about four per cent from this time last year with China gaining real momentum. Having seen hotel rates drop by 30 per cent in 2011, Tokyo rose by 11 per cent in 2012 with a continual rise in 2013 as meeting activity increases follow- ing new reconstruction after the natural disasters. Singapore is also seeing rising venue rates due to the mega conferences and exhibitions taking place in the city. Danielle Puceta Kelly Kuhn Amanda Hanlin The need to have visibility of meetings Director President, Asia-Paciﬁc Director of global sales around the what, why, who and how was AMEX Meetings & Events, Asia-Paciﬁc Carlson Wagonlit Travel HRG Meetings, Groups and Events heightened recently, and has been a contributing factor to companies turning their attention to meeting consolidation.

So there’s still some growth but senior management wants more accountability and transparency from meetings. THE MATURING Why? PUCETA This is partly due to overall business sentiment in this region which has been a little more cautious in the past six months than it had been in the previ- OF MEETINGS ous few years, leading to a greater focus on spending control. It is also partly due KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and grammes. What is particularly important it to the nearest dollar, but ask them the to the current environment of increas- a more focused approach on process for is to have a policy that includes explicit same question about their meetings spend ing regulatory scrutiny and heightened areas such as risk management, escalation language regarding meetings-related pay- and they may not have the full picture. awareness around security and safety is- and 24-hour support. A consistent pric- ment methods and processes. Similarly, When we implement SMM solutions sues. Senior managers recognise that ing model across multi markets, where language pertaining to the procurement for our clients, we start off by giving them complacency in the meetings and events feasible, is also a growing requirement. of meetings-related goods and services is clarity and visibility over their overall planning process can have serious finan- The scope is increasing and we are see- absent in most of the existing policies. spend, and then build a programme from cial, legal and reputational consequences. ing bids include requests for venue sourc- there. Without that level of visibility and ing, meeting registration, small events and KUHN With the increasing role of cor- understanding, it is impossible for com- Any examples of how control and trans- payment solutions. In some cases we’re porate procurement departments in the panies to make smart decisions about the parency were lacking before and what seeing RFPs for both transient and M&E, decision-making process, the onus is be- future of their meetings programmes. senior management is insisting now? as companies look to get full leverage ing placed more firmly than before on HANLIN Yes, for starters we are moving from their supplier programmes. agencies that can offer a higher standard Would you say this is part and parcel from operating without contracts, which of accountability, responsibility and trans- of the maturing of the meetings and has been typical in the area of meetings, PUCETA In this region we are seeing a parency over meeting programmes. events industry in Asia? groups and events, to working within a greater focus on formalised M&E policies With the rapid emergence of strate- KUHN The bottomline is that companies contractual agreement just as we would and adherence to policy in order to achieve gic meetings management (SMM) pro- are now paying serious attention to their on the transient (corporate travel) side. greater visibility into where spending and grammes in the region, we can see a real meeting programmes. As M&E remains We now have clients signed up to work activity is actually occuring. desire on the part of our clients for a new the biggest area of unmanaged spend for with us for three to five years on a contrac- A comprehensive and explicit meetings degree of rigour around meetings. If you most companies, that can only be a good tual basis. This has resulted in stricter and policy is at the core of the most success- ask a travel manager about their compa- thing. Customers are demanding better clearer SLAs (Service Level Agreements), ful and strategically focused M&E pro- ny’s annual travel spend, they will know value for their meetings – which means

23May ttgAsia P10 Round tableBizTravelFINAL-my2.indd 10 19/5/14 5:47 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 11 The meetings market in Asia is maturing. Raini Hamdi ﬁnds out in this Roundtable why companies want more accountability and transparency from their meetings & events, and what it means for industry players

better outcomes as well as a lower price – PUCETA In Asia, according to our 2014 adoption rates of virtual meetings remain 2013 Forecast, 56 per cent of the audience and this is a good sign for the industry. It Meetings and Events Forecast, meeting quite low. In fact, the results in our 2014 projected that virtual or hybrid meetings will force all providers to improve their of- planners cite ‘cost savings’ and ‘reducing Forecast point to only a modest increase would represent more than 10 per cent of fering and it will force the inefﬁcient com- time out of the ofﬁce’ as the most com- in adoption of these solutions, perhaps their meetings activity, however, this year panies out of the market entirely. pelling reasons when it comes to using due to the fact that the virtual/digital only 26 per cent of the planners surveyed This is a normal and positive feature of virtual meetings. However, what we have toolkit has gotten more sophisticated and reported more than 10 per cent of their any maturing industry, and we welcome it. seen over the past year is that the actual associated costs are moderating. In our meetings were virtual or hybrid meetings. As has happened elsewhere in the world, we would expect the consolidation of agencies to continue in the coming years and for large agencies such as CWT to come to the fore. These bigger agencies will need to retain their creativity and nimbleness to compete with niche players, but the greater buying power and wider networks will be a boon for clients.

What’s the role of meeting planners then if companies such as yours are managing the spend? KUHN Meeting planners remain, and will always be, the key people in the meeting industry. The role of a good agency should be to support and enhance the work of the meeting planner and to enable him to deliver outstanding events. The end client Join us at PTM – Asia Pacific’s premier travel trade show - for unparalleled networking still wants that personal touch and to see a familiar face throughout the meeting and contracting opportunities with more than 1,000 delegates from over 60 countries process, and the meeting planner is the around the world person in that space. Reasons to Join PTM HANLIN The meeting planner will still have a role. The majority of the time they • PATA’s state of the art business matching technology will pre arrange your appointments own the relationship between the venue • Control and manage appointment requests; or request more appointments and their company. Where we can help is • The event is packed with hundreds of sellers marketing their products or services by taking away the admin function of the venue sourcing – the T&Cs (Terms and • Exclusive access to qualified international buyers Conditions), the negotiation of the ven- • Networking opportunities at social events ue. This means that the client/company is • Education sessions and forums during the event better protected as the risk of an employee agreeing to T&Cs that maybe they don’t • Gold Awards ceremony recognising outstanding achievements within the industry understand is minimised and the planner still keeps the relationship with the venue.

PUCETA Meeting planners need to be focused on collecting information for reporting purposes at an enterprise level. They need to get a holistic view of where meetings and events activity is occuring for internal and external reporting purposes, and in order to ensure the safety of their meeting attendees in times of dis- ruption or crisis, for example. In order to get a sufﬁcient view of where meetings and activity is occurring, there will also be a greater focus on more sophisticated data collection.

Do you think in this climate of greater control on spending, companies will resort to other ways to meet, such as video-conferencing? KUHN With the increasing sophistication and ease of video-conference and telepresence solutions, our global clients are already substituting video conference for face-to-face meetings. It tends to ap- ply to small meetings or those occasions where it just doesn’t make sense to jump on a plane due to time, cost and discus- sion content. It remains a small portion of SpecialSpecial airfareairfare andand accommodationaccommodation ratesrates areare availableavailable toto allall participatingparticipating delegates.delegates. a client’s overall meeting portfolio but we are suspecting to see small and consistent ForFor furtherfurther detailsdetails emailemail [email protected]@PATA.org. growth in this area. VisitVisit www.PATA.org/martwww.PATA.org/mart forfor detailsdetails In the more mature Asian locations, we Official Publication PATA Premier Partners are also seeing clients use laptop technol- Hosted by Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia ogy more, such as the document-sharing www.tourismcambodia.org facility through Microsoft Outlook. For example, contract discussions or presen- PTM 2014 Supporting Media Partners tations which would typically have been held face-to-face are now performed through document-sharing technology, Webinars and conference calls.

23May ttgAsia P10 Round tableBizTravelFINAL-my2.indd 11 19/5/14 5:47 pm Guide Ports of call CRUISE SOUTHEAST ASIA sales, Panorama Tours Malaysia, said upcoming meeting venues in Penang such as the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition scheduled for completion in late 2015 and the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre in 2017 would allow for more opportunities to combine onshore and off-shore activities for MICE delegates.

Melaka Gateway The much-awaited Melaka Gateway is expected to drive home Malacca’s maritime importance when it is completed in 2025. It will comprise a new International Cruise Terminal and Ferry Terminal which can accommodate up to three cruise ships, a world-class mainte- nance and repair facility for mega-yachts and the region’s largest marina with up to 1,000 berths. Malacca does not have a dedicated cruise terminal at present. Cruise ships anchor offshore and tender boats are used to shuttle passengers to Malacca Marina. Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore with the Mariner of the Seas calling Kota Kinabalu Port Plans are afoot for a dedicated international cruise terminal at Jesselton Point, north of Kota Kinabalu The port is also being developed as a construction from Medan to Parapat, the city, scheduled for completion in 2017. CAMBODIA turnaround port. town by Lake Toba, the major attraction The current Kota Kinabalu Port is a The Port of Phnom Penh Authorities for cruises to Belawan. When completed, two-hour drive from Mt Kinabalu World are clearing an area to the northern end Jakarta The Ministry of Tourism and in 2019, travel between Medan and Para- Heritage site and while basic port in- of the port to accommodate more boats. Creative Economy has suggested that pat will be reduced to 2.5 hours, from four frastructure is in place, it is essentially a An extension of the quayside area will cruise ships call on Jakarta during week- hours now. The Medan-Tebing Tinggi leg cargo port and does not have specialised also attract more restaurants and bars ends in order to avoid the city’s main is expected to be ready this year. passenger-handling facilities. along the riverfront. Shinta Mani will clear problem: snarling traffic. The new dedicated terminal is part of a a site on the quayside in 2015 for a new Among ships calling on Jakarta this mixed development undertaken by a joint hotel. year are Sea Dream II, Rotterdam and venture between Suria Capital Holdings Crystal Serenity. MALAYSIA and SBC Corporation. Swettenham Pier, Penang The When operational it will become the Lembar, Lombok The West Nusa opening of the Swettenham Pier interna- second entry point for tourists visiting Sa- INDONESIA Tenggara provincial government is pro- tional cruise terminal in Pengkalan Weld bah. It will have marina facilities, a duty- Benoa, Bali The opening of the moting Lombok’s sister island, Sumbawa, in 2009 has helped attract more cruise free complex and an entertainment centre. 12.7km Bali Mandara Toll Road connect- for tourism and is creating a Tambora ships to Penang. Its strength is it is close ing Benoa-Ngurah Rai Airport and Nusa Greets the World 2015 campaign, mark- to city attractions. Passengers disembark Dua has not only reduced traffic from ing 200 years of Mt Tambora’s eruption. right at the old historic quarters of the city Benoa Harbour to Denpasar, South Kuta It eyes two million domestic and interna- and can meander about the tiny lanes on MYANMAR and the airport significantly, but also of- tional tourists to the province by 2015. foot to discover the Little India enclave, Yangon Port Yangon Port is being up- fers a panoramic view of Benoa Bay and quirky cafes and temples. graded and redeveloped into a modern the mangrove forest. Belawan, Medan A toll road is under Saini Vermeulen, head of international harbour to be completed in 2015. Feasi- RCI MARKS YEARROUND HUBBING IN S’PORE Royal Caribbean International (RCI) will talised features.” Vacationers also can choose between to its new homeport of Brisbane on an mark a year-round deployment in Singa- The ship homeported in Singapore two consecutive 14-night itineraries in 18-night itinerary, departing in late No- pore for the first time from 2015, basing from 2008 to 2013. It underwent a US$50 September, a southbound sailing from vember 2015. This will be the cruise line’s the Legend of the Seas in the summer sea- million revitalisation last year, a highlight Singapore to Perth (Fremantle), Australia, first season sailing from the Australian son, followed by the Mariner of the Seas in of which is the addition of the Centrum followed by a northbound return, both to city and a highlight includes a range of the winter season of 2015/16. aerial-acrobatic extravaganza, making the Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and West- eight- to 11-night roundtrip itineraries to “This year-round deployment is a ship’s central five-deck atrium a spectacu- ern Australia. Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands milestone for RCI which underscores our lar entertainment venue. Legend of the Seas will then transition and Fiji in the South Pacific. stronger presence and commitment in Every stateroom has been renewed, and Singapore and South-east Asia,” said Jen- new technology enhancements shipwide nifer Yap, managing director, Singapore include an oversized LED poolside movie and South-east Asia of Royal Caribbean screen, digital signages, flat-panel TV in Cruises. “We are especially pleased to have staterooms and Wi-Fi service. Legend of the Seas, one of Asia’s most fa- The ship will return to Singapore next vourite ships back in this region next year, year via the north coast of Australia and and I am sure that all Royal Caribbean will sail a variety of three- to 10-night fans will want to take the opportunity to roundtrip itineraries to destinations rediscover what they love so much about throughout Malaysia, Thailand, Cambo- Legend of the Seas this ship, with all her signature and revi- dia and Vietnam through mid-November.

23May ttgAsia P12-15 CruisesFINAL-v2redgc.indd 12 19/5/14 5:43 pm 25.04.2014 TTG Asia 13 More reasons for ships to call on South-east Asia. Raini Hamdi, Xinyi Liang-Pholsena, Mimi Hudoyo, S Puvaneswary, Paige Lee Pei Qi, Greg Lowe, Rosa Ocampo, David Andrews and Sid Dhartha report on the latest developments at ASEAN ports

CRUISE SOUTHEASTTTG May 23 173x280_HIres1.pdf 1 25/4/14 6:03 PM ASIA bility studies are also underway to assess how to further improve the Yangon river channel to improve accessibility and reduce logistics costs. Alila Villas Bintan The port has been handling Myanmar’s shipping cargo since colonial times. 240 INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS. Most cruise ships dock at Yangon’s second port, Myanmar International Termi- EXPERIENCE WOW ON OUR WORLDWIDE CRUISES. nal Thilawa Port, located 16km south of Yangon Port and about an hour’s drive from Yangon city centre. According to Myanmar Port Authority, 2014 will be the best year for cruise arrivals in Myanmar as about 22 international cruiseships have been conﬁrmed calling on Yangon. Last year, eight international cruise ships made calls. Thet Lwin Toe, managing director of Myanmar Voyages Travels and Tours, a cruise groundhandler, said there is signiﬁ- cant potential for further growth in My- anmar’s cruise industry.

THE PHILIPPINES Leyte, Kalanggaman Island This

virgin island in Palompon, Leyte is the Best Cruise Operator, Asia newest cruise destination in the Philip- TTG award winner 2008 – 2013 pines, discovered in April 2012 by Hapag Lloyd’s MV Europa. The postcard perfect isle with beautiful white beach, clear wa- WORLDWIDE CRUISE ESCAPADES ters and long sandbars stretching on both 3/4/5/7-NIGHT BEST OF ASIA CRUISE 7-NIGHT ALASKA NORTHBOUND/ sides of the island was a big hit that MS SOUTHBOUND CRUISE Bremen visited a month later in May 2012, Singapore Departures: followed by MS Europa II last January. 2014 Nov 12 to 2015 Mar 4 Northbound/Southbound Departures: Ports-of-call: Penang, Phuket, Langkawi, Every Friday (2014 Jun 6 to Aug 29) Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Ports-of-call: Vancouver, Inside Passage (Cruising), Bohol, Tagbilaran Port Bohol’s tour- Laem Chabang (Pattaya/ Bangkok), Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, ism is back on track although at least 10 Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Kuantan Hubbard Glacier (Cruising), Seward of its antique churches lay in ruins, no 7-NIGHT GREEK ISLES/GREEK ISLES thanks to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake 4-NIGHT BEST OF MALAYSIA CRUISE & TURKEY CRUISE that rocked this charming bucolic retreat Singapore Departure: 2014 Nov 21 late last year. Roads and other public in- Venice Departures: frastructure have been repaired, and ho- Ports-of-call: Langkawi, Every Saturday (2014 Jun 7 to Nov 8) Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) tels and resorts have opened for business. Ports-of-call: Kotor/Dubrovnik, Corfu/ There are many reasons to visit Bo- Ephesus (Kusadasi), Athens (Piraeus)/ hol: the perfect mounds of Chocolate 5-NIGHT OKINAWA & TAIPEI CRUISE Santorini, Mykonos/Katakolon, Argostoli Hills; tarsier, a primate so small it fits in Hong Kong Departure: 2014 Sep 17 7-NIGHT WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE the palm of one’s hand; sun, sea, pristine Ports-of-call: Okinawa, Taipei (Keelung), beaches; unspoiled countryside; friendly Hong Kong Barcelona Departures: and peace loving locals; unhurried life- Every Sunday (2014 Jun 1 to Oct 19) style; sadly, even the ruins of the heritage 8-NIGHT SHANGHAI TO SINGAPORE CRUISE Ports-of-call: Provence (Marseille), Nice (Villefranche), Le Spezia, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples/Capri churches. Shanghai Departure: 2014 Nov 4 12-NIGHT SCANDINAVIA & RUSSIA CRUISE Cebu International Port Cebu City is Ports-of-call: Xiamen, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Singapore lucky to have been minimally affected by Harwich Departures: 2014 Jun 7, 19, Jul 1, 13, Aug 7, 19 the earthquake and super typhoon Haiyan Ports-of-call: Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, that hit Visayas in succession late last year. 9-NIGHT HONGKONG-SINGAPORE CRUISE St. Petersburg (overnight), Tallin, Visby A mix of urban vibe and provincial air, Hong Kong Departure: 2014 Oct 8 12-NIGHT VENICE & ADRIATIC CRUISE the city offers a tour of the first Spanish Ports-of-call: Kaohsiung, Phu My (Ho Chi Minh City), settlement in the Philippines, island-hop- Laem Chabang (Pattaya/ Bangkok), Singapore Rome (Civitavecchia) Departures: 2014 Sep 5, 17, 29 ping escapades and a preview of arts and Ports-of-call: Amalfi Coast (Salerno), crafts including world-famous furniture Sicily (Messina), Valletta, Kotor, Montenegro, and artisan wares. Ports-of-call dier by departure dates. St. Petersburg (overnight), Helsinki, Corfu

Zambales, Subic Bay Freeport The former United States Navy Facility vacated For more information or reservations, please contact Royal Caribbean International and representatives at in 1992 is now a rich offering for cruisers. Attractions include Subic’s many beaches; • Hong Kong (852) 2316 1382 • Malaysia (603) 7727 4835 wrecks of pre- and post-war sunken ships; • India (9111) 4906 1000 (New Delhi)/ • Philippines (632) 894 3957/892 2701 to 03 and watersports like parasailing, jetski- (9122) 4311 2000 (Mumbai) • Singapore (65) 6305 0033 • Indonesia (6221) 3199 1312/38/39 • Thailand (662) 634 2882 / 634 8080 ing, canoeing and snorkeling. Cruise pas- • Japan (813) 5404 8813 • Vietnam (848) 3929 3589 www.royalcaribbean.com sengers can trek tropical rainforest with • Sri Lanka (94) 114 704542 • Brunei (673) 223 4874 native guides; go to Zoobic Safari, the sole tiger safari in the Philippines, or the

23May ttgAsia P12-15 CruisesFINAL-v2redgc.indd 13 19/5/14 5:43 pm Present

2.4km Fun Run Come dressed in theme and journey through the gardens, alive with the surprises of wonderland Networking with your sporting industry peers. Spread of invigorating refreshments included.

Fringe Activities Including Face Painting, Photo Booth & More!!

Lucky Draw Goodie Win awesome travel & mystery prizes Bags For All Registered Runners!

5 July 2014, Friday 2 pm to 8.30pm $15 PER RUNNER 6 Registration Closes Register In Groups of 5 at $50 By The Bay, Sing (Save $5 Per Runner) dens apor 27 JUNE 2014 Gar vel Industry e To All Tra Profession Open als

Proudly Organised By: Our Valued Sponsors:

35M 60Y60M 100Y 10M 25Y 50K

GBTB TTGA.indd 1 2/5/14 3:36 pm 25.04.2014 TTG Asia 15 Guide Ports of call

less favoured by cruise lines due to the lack of tourist attractions in the area and the silting of the harbour. More ships are docking at Halong Bay, where tenders will take passengers to shore.

Danang Having seen an influx of high-end resorts in recent years, Central Vietnam’s attraction is set to grow further when Asia Park Danang opens by year- end. Designed by Bill Bensley, the 88ha theme park will feature replicas of iconic land- marks and landscapes of Port Klang, with the Voyager of the Seas dropping anchor. Right, Swettenham Pier, Penang nine Asian countries – Cambodia, China, In- donesia, India, Japan, Jungle and Environmental Survival Train- closures to the major tourism sights. destination from Nepal, South Korea, ing Camp where indigenous Aetas dem- “Bangkok is a huge metropolis. None Bangkok or Pat- Thailand and Vietnam onstrate wilderness survival and warfare of our shore excursions were cancelled taya. – in addition to an tactics. during this period. In case there were, our The opening amusement park with a operations team had a back-up plan to of- of CentralFestival 125m-high roller-coast- fer alternative shore excursions to Pattaya Samui in March cre- er and a multi-functional and Chonburi.” ated a new market for centre. Estimated to cost SINGAPORE high-end retail and dining around VND4 trillion (US$190 Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singa- Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port Laem options. million), the park is located at Hoa pore The new Marina South Pier MRT Chabang Deep Sea Port in Chonburi But while there is much positive talk Cuong Bac Ward in Danang’s Hai Chau Station is slated to open later this year. province, just outside Pattaya, is the coun- about the destination, its cruise facili- District and is expected to attract around “Cruise passengers will be able to take try’s major commercial port and cruise ties leave a lot to be desired, according to 2.5 million visitors per year. a scenic and convenient stroll to the new destination. Fisher. “At Nathon, cruise ships can only train station under a sheltered walkway,” Groundhandlers faced similar prob- stop offshore and bring their passengers Nha Trang The Vietnamese govern- said a spokesman for SATS-Creuers lems as those dealing with vessels docking in with tender boats. If there is a second ment has approved a VND95 billion Cruise Services, which operates the cruise at Klong Toey Port during the recent po- cruise ship arriving at the same time and plan to develop Hon Ba nature reserve, centre. “The new MRT station will en- litical impasse. considering the many taxi drivers waiting a 19,000ha area rich in biodiversity and hance the overall accessibility to the Ma- “Out of Laem Chabang, we send people for passengers without arrangements it located 30km from Nha Trang. Last year, rina Bay Cruise Centre and provide an al- to Pattaya and Bangkok hotels for day use, gets busy, if not messy, at times,” he said. Khanh Hoa province welcomed 711,000 ternative mode of transport for our cruise beach or city,” said Tobias Fisher, business foreign visitors, a rise of 34 per cent from passengers to get into the city centre for development manager at Go Vacation 2012. The province aims to attract 840,000 sightseeing and shopping.” Thailand. “We offer all excursions in and international tourists this year. around Pattaya and Bangkok and even VIETNAM send buses all the way up to Ayutthaya.” Hai Phong/Halong Bay A new Ho Chi Minh City/Vung Tau The July The main problem with the port is 105km highway is being built between 2013 opening of The Grand Ho Tram THAILAND its lack of surrounding infrastructure. Hanoi and Hai Phong, located along the Strip, Vietnam’s first luxury integrated re- Klong Toey Port Despite its location “While you only have to drive a few kilo- Gulf of Tonkin in northern Vietnam. Set sort home to a 541-room hotel, a casino, in Bangkok, groundhandlers managed to metres to reach the next town, you are still to be completed in June 2015, the six-lane a spa, 13 F&B outlets and a variety of re- avoid cancelling too many excursions dur- nowhere,” said Fisher. “As for the excur- expressway will reduce the time taken for tail stores, has made the laid-back beach ing the recent political crisis. sion programmes there are no limits.” cruise passengers to travel from the port destination of Ho Tram – located just an Addie Pornthip Hirunkate, managing city of Hai Phong to Halong Bay or Hanoi hour away from Vung Tau, the port town director, Thailand Destination Asia, said: Nathon, Koh Samui Koh Samui has for day trips. The current four-lane Hai where most cruise ships of bigger sizes to “As a cruise ground operator, we man- been seemingly impervious to Thailand’s Phong-Hanoi highway is reaching its ca- Southern Vietnam anchor – a day trip al- aged to operate the majority of the tours political crisis if not directly benefit- pacity and suffers from frequent conges- ternative to Ho Chi Minh City, which is a offered within Bangkok, as there were no ing from tourists switching their holiday tion. However, Hai Phong is increasingly further 2.5-hour drive away.

F&B was so excellent throughout it would TRIED & TESTED be hard to resist, particularly when everything is all-inclusive, even at the two signature restaurants Prego and Nobu-inspired CRYSTAL SYMPHONY Silk Road. Dining at those two designer- looking restaurants, in particular, was like Raini Hamdi boards the Crystal Sym- ler Greg, bearing chocolates, mixed ber- going out to a Michelin-star in town. phony in Singapore for a South-east Asian ries and cheers – “Let the party begin!”, cruise said the Polish man with flourish. Many of FACILITIES This was so comprehensive the staff on board were from Europe and that I would need more than a page to ROOM I stayed in a room category whether they were headwaiters, som- list it all. Suffice to say, your clients could called Penthouse with Verandah, meliers or servers, they worked stay onboard for weeks and not be bored a 34m area fitted with a queen- like they were hungry for their as there was just plenty to do. I saw more spoke non-stop, offering inappropriate size bed, sofa, writing table, jobs. A string of them quickly movies than I did in a whole year and they opinions on politics, NGOs, etc, while the TV cabinet, walk-in ward- became my favourites be- were the latest blockbusters screened in content of the tour did not match its title. robe, bathroom with show- cause of their friendly and a plush theatre. I worked out in a super er, bathtub and double sink, caring ways. I had thought a gym, attended lectures, watched the ship’s VERDICT Outstanding hardware and balcony with loungers and 922-guest ship would be an- in-house show productions – there was software – a ship that runs circles around dining furniture too – just ything but personal and in- no time even for the spa, pool or casino! many luxury hotels in service, F&B and amazing how much could go timate. I was wrong. The ship operational excellence into a room in a ship! In hotels, I was 75-80 per cent full, yet ser- PORTS OF CALL The weakest aspect of don’t even think about it. vice was still highly individual while this cruise were the ports and shore ex- My room, with its clean lines and cream everywhere I went, there was not a crowd. cursions. For example, it took nearly two Name Crystal Symphony hues, felt sleek, luminous and luxurious. A 50,000-tonne ship, Crystal Symphony is hours just to get to Yangon city centre No. of rooms 459 The furniture, furnishings and amenities one of the most spacious at sea. from the port because of distance and traf- Rates Depends on cruise and season (Aveda) were screaming ‘top quality’. fic, and a fast-progressing Yangon wasn’t a Contact details Email: internationalsales@ F&B Warning: This cruise is not recom- pretty sight. An ‘Ancient Bago’ tour con- crystalcruises.com Website: www.crystal SERVICE Knock knock, in came our but- mended for dieters and alcoholics. The ducted by a local DMC had a guide who cruises.com

23May ttgAsia P12-15 CruisesFINAL-v2redgc.indd 15 19/5/14 5:43 pm Destination China

Guangzhou’s ﬁnancial district Destination in numbers 152 million The total number of visitors to Guangzhou in 2013, a year-on-year increase of 6.8% 65.4% The average occupancy rate in Guangzhou in 2013, a year-on-year drop of 1.2% 411.6 The amount in RMB (or US$66) for the average room rate in Guangzhou in 2013, a year-on-year increase of 1%

GUANGZHOU GUNS FOR LEISURE

lready well established as a key capital will also have better direct access from Hong erty providing an additional 700 rooms, a luxury spa, an business city, Guangzhou is en- Kong when the express railway, which connects Guang- auto exhibition centre, a 1,000-seat Orange Sky Golden hancing its appeal among well- zhou and Kowloon in Hong Kong in just under two Harvest cinema, a Brunswick bowling centre, an ice-skat- heeled visitors travelling to the hours, is fully opened. (Editor’s note: A delay was re- ing rink, a simulation racing centre. Pearl River Delta who are look- cently announced, with train services expected to launch Back in the city, Guangzhou’s accommodation land- ing to enjoy culture, entertain- in 2017.) scape is becoming more varied, with top international ment and shopping. Meanwhile, Li revealed that high-end and theme park hotels such as Ritz-Carlton, W, Grand Hyatt, Four Sea- To woo more visitors, Guang- tours of between one and three days are being developed sons, Mandarin Oriental, Sheraton and Marriott planting zhou introduced last August a to cater to transit visitors. flags in Tian He, the commercial and shopping hub. The 72-hour visa-free facility at Baiyun International Airport, More than 10 rural tourism tours and cruises are also hotel buildings dotting the CBD are impressive, as are the Awhile the Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Munic- being developed. “Leisure tourism is improving. Many Guangzhou Opera House and Guangzhou Library, two ipality (TAGM) is stepping up its publicity drive. visitors come to enjoy the good weather in Guangzhou must-visit places as part of a city tour. TAGM’s executive director, Li Zhi Xin, said the num- with its four seasons, and the Guangzhou Flower Fair, Also in Tian He is Taikoo Hui, which features more ber of countries under the visa-free scheme has increased which takes place during the Spring Festival for exam- than 180 international retail and restaurant brands from from 45 to 51 countries since its implementation. The ple, is becoming increasingly popular,” he noted. around the world, while the nearby Onelink Plaza is a new countries are Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Additionally, travellers looking for golfing action are popular wholesale and retail centre selling toys, gifts, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania. spoilt for choice. According to Li, Guangzhou has 18 golf beauty products and just about everything else. TAGM hopes this would encourage international trav- courses. The level of sophistication in Tian He and areas such ellers visiting Hong Kong and Macau in the Pearl River Less than an hour away from Guangzhou are Mission as the Zhujiang Party Pier Beer Culture & Art Zone is as Delta to include Guangzhou in their itineraries. Hills Dongguan and Mission Hills Shenzhen, which to- buzzing as Singapore’s Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. “The availability of this 72-hour visa-free facility is still gether have 24, 18-hole championship golf courses. However, general manager, Ronnie Cheng, of the not well known, so we need to promote it more strongly,” A 500,000m2 leisure and commercial development newly opened Langham Place, Guangzhou, said the city’s Li added. will open later this year at the entrance of Mission Hills year-round average length of stay is less than two nights, Brochures in several languages have been made avail- Shenzhen, adding a new dimension to the appeal of and that it is “still 90 per cent business driven”. able containing detailed information on the scheme, both complexes, said Brian Cheng, hotel manager, Mis- He suggested: “To tap more leisure and VFR traffic flights, tours, attractions, hotels, dining, golf, shopping sion Hills Golf Club and Mission Hills Resort. in the Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou can position itself and transportation. Attractions in Mission Hills Centreville include a to provide the heritage (elements in an itinerary), while Apart from relaxed visa requirements, Guangdong’s Hard Rock Hotel and a second yet-to-be named prop- Hong Kong has shopping, and Macau, entertainment.”

23May ttgAsia p16-18 destination chinaKNgcmygc.indd 16 19/5/14 4:38 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 17 China’s third-largest city is making waves with its growing sophistication alongside Beijing and Shanghai, as it sheds its business-only image. Caroline Boey reports

How to sell Viewpoint

Enjoy a leisurely Pearl River Night Cruise What will make Guangzhou a more and admire the beautiful scenery on both banks. DOGuangzhou Star Cruises Company offers luxury attractive destination? cruises from Tianzi Wharf, while Blue Dolphin’s ﬂeet of Chinese-decorated ships at Dashatou Wharf is popular among Richard Willis, vice chairman, Hong foreign visitors wishing to enjoy a night out. Kong Association of Travel Agents “To further enhance Guangzhou as a The 600m Canton Tower is an impressive tourist and business destination, it icon, and even more stunning when night will be essential to work on further SEEfalls as its rainbow-coloured lights illuminate easing entry/exit formalities with the Haizhu district. Get the best day and night view of the neighbouring Hong Kong and Macau surroundings from the Cloud and Star Observation Decks. to facilitate travel within the Pearl Adrenaline junkies can get their kicks on the Sky Drop or River Delta.” ride the Bubble Tram at 455m, while the less active can check out the outdoor adventure zone on the 112nd ﬂoor. F&B outlets are also aplenty. Seow Kok Boon, business development – China division, Holiday Villa Hotels & Resorts In under an hour, get away to Mission “Guangzhou has to identify its target market segments, their Hills Dongguan or Mission Hills needs and develop an appropriate promotional strategy for STAY Shenzhen for a game of golf or to enjoy each segment. a tranquil evening in a nature resort, accompanied by some It has destination attributes such as history, spa pampering. Regular shuttles operate between the two physical attractions, different dialect resorts, which are 20 minutes away from each other. groups (each with its own colourful Canton Tower traditions and cuisines), accessibility A Cantonese feast awaits at Ming Court via Guangzhou Baiyun International at Langham Place, Guangzhou, which creamy mashed potatoes, while meat lovers can have the Airport, China’s southern hub, and EAT seats 186 people. Award-winning dishes wok-fried beef with mushrooms and black garlic. Even a business facilities. created by the chefs at its Michelin-starred namesake at simple dish like braised choy sum (cabbage) in superior broth These attributes need to be Langham Place, Hong Kong, can be found on the menu. For is superbly executed. For a sweet ending, try the double-layer organised to match the researched seafood lovers,屏幕快照 there 2014-05-15 is lobster 上午10.32.01.pdf and garoupa 1 14-5-16 served 下午3:23 with milk custard and egg tart with bird’s nest. segment needs.”

23May ttgAsia p16-18 destination chinaKNgcmygc.indd 17 19/5/14 4:39 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 18

Poll on ttgasia.com New 72-hour visa-free facility 97% Destination China Choice of international upscale hotels 0% Which has been most helpful in selling Guangzhou? Mix of cultural, modern and natural attractions 3% Total number of responses: 321 TRIED & TESTED great place to start the day with its many Langham Place, Guangzhou Asian and Western breakfast choices. Its double-shot espresso cappuccino was just LOCATION The hotel soft-opened in mid- have preferred a cooler room, but the how I like it, while the classic caesar salad October 2013 in the new CBD on Pazhou temperature on the thermostat refused to with grilled chicken was a satisfying lunch. Island and is near China Import and Ex- budge even after housekeeping sent staff I enjoyed the in-room dining club port Fair Complex and next to Xingang- to try to sort it out. sandwich better than the wiener schnitzel, dong Metro Station. By car, the shop- The glass partition between the bed- and the rocket and pear salad with pine ping and commercial hub of room and bathroom made the nuts and vinaigrette dressing was a great Tian He, Guangzhou South room seem bigger, but I pre- side order. F&B calling to check on each High Speed Railway Station ferred to keep the two areas meal ordered was also a nice touch. and Guangzhou Baiyun In- separate and rolled the blind Other F&B outlets include the open- ternational Airport are 10, down. I did not have time air Sky Bar offering views of the Huang- 30 and 40 minutes away re- to soak in the deep bath- pu Stream and the Pearl River; Alfresco, and genuinely happy to serve. It made me spectively. It is part of Nan tub, but thoroughly enjoyed which opens at night and serves flamed feel welcome and at home throughout. Fung International Conven- the shower. The gently raised grilled seafood and steaks; and Portal, tion & Exhibition Center. built-in strips on the shower a cross between a lounge and a business VERDICT An excellent product in a great floor made me feel safe. The wa- centre, which is good for a quick bite. location for work and play, complement- ROOMS The lobby of the 22-storey ter pressure from the overhead and wall ed by tip-top service. I look forward to my hotel is on the fourth floor and my earth- showers was just right; the water tempera- FACILITIES When I stayed there end-Feb- next stay. toned Superior Place room on the 15th ture, once adjusted, remained constant ruary, the gym was open, while the signa- floor provided a sweeping view of the fair throughout. A few hooks in the bathroom ture Chuan Spa was just about to open, as grounds. I appreciated the complimen- would score brownie points though. was the indoor swimming pool and two Name Langham Place, Guangzhou tary Wi-Fi in the room and around the mini golf courses. No. of rooms 500 hotel, ample lighting, comfortable chair F&B It is worth checking out Ming Court, Fans of OPI nail lacquer can also pick Rates From RMB1,220 (US$199) per room and smart desk with multiple multi-adap- the hotel’s fine-dining Cantonese restau- up a bottle of the specially created Lang- night tor power points. There was also a large, rant, which features the Michelin-starred ham Pink at The Shop in the lobby. Contact details Tel: (86-20) 8916-3388 waist-level safe in the wardrobe. creations of its sister restaurant in Lang- Toll-free reservations: 400-1338-338 The soft Dream Bed mattress and pil- ham Place, Hong Kong. SERVICE Each staff member I encoun- Email: [email protected] low provided enough support. I would The all-day dining Open Kitchen is a tered was attentive, warm and friendly, Website: guangzhou.langhamplacehotels.com

Franco Lo General manager MY WAY The Garden Hotel, Guangzhou What do you do on your day off to relax? What is your favourite food and where do you go for an authen- I love to spend quality time with my family. I take tic meal? my daughter for outdoor activities such as kite fly- I love my wife’s Malaysian cooking. Other than that, I go to Bing ing on Ersha Island or cycling on Binjiang Dong Lu. Sheng Restaurant or The Garden Hotel’s Chinese restaurants – Lai Both areas are easy to get to by bus or taxi from The Wan Market and The Peach Blossom – for authentic Cantonese cui- Garden Hotel. sine. Lai Wan Market, which serves street food, is popular among On a rainy day, we watch movies at home. We also the locals. Make sure you have a reservation in case there is a long enjoy visiting the Guangdong Museum of Art and queue. Xinghai Concert Hall. It’s a very family-oriented area. Where do you go for nightlife? Where do you go to pursue your hobbies? Guangzhou is one of the most exciting cities in China with choices I recently started watching Guangzhou Evergrande from local bars to foreign clubs. The Zhujiang Party Pier is a fabu- Football Club matches as the 2014 AFC Champions lous area full of restaurants, lounges and clubs. It’s definitely one League just started. They played brilliantly last year attraction every visitor should not miss. and I hope they will keep the champion’s spirit up If you would like to see the night view of the city, join a Pearl River this year as well. Night Cruise in Binjiang Dong Lu, which is a lot of fun as well. I usually watch the live games in the Tavern Bar in the hotel, but visitors can watch them in any bar in Where can you find the best tailor? the city as it’s a city-wide event every time. The home Hai Yin Fabric Market. There are more than 100 tailor shops and game is normally played in the Tianhe Stadium, and fabric stores. For the convenience of our guests, there is a high-end we would love to arrange a live football event for our tailor shop in The Garden Hotel, De Bon Tailor, which does a fine guests in the hotel’s bar. job too! Zhujiang Party Pier

23May ttgAsia p16-18 destination chinaKNgcmygc.indd 18 19/5/14 4:39 pm 14-16 April 2015 | 2015年4月14-16日 Shanghai • China | 上海 • 中国

The Leading International MICE Event in China 中国首屈一指的专业会议、奖励旅游、会议和展览的商业和交流平台

www.itcmchina.com

Promotion Early Bird Special Ends 提早报名优惠优惠截止至 30 June 2014 Book Your 2015 Booth at 2014 Rates! 以2014年的价格来预订2015年的展位！ 2014年6月30日

Shell Scheme [Minimum 9sqm) USD590 per sqm (2015 Rates: USD608 per sqm) 标准展台 (最小9平方米):

Raw Space [Minimum 18sqm) USD554 per sqm 空地展台 (最小18平方米): (2015 Rates: USD570 per sqm)

Contact For International Delegates 国际展商 Scan this 联络方式: Email: [email protected] QR Code Tel: (65) 6395 7575 to register your interest for the 2015 event For Chinese Delegates 国内展商 Email: [email protected] 有意申请者请在此 Tel: (86-10) 8522 7997 扫描二维码

Supported By 支持单位: Ofﬁcial Media 官方媒体:

IT&CM China 2015 is proud to be part of the Shanghai Business Events Week. 2015中国(上海)国际奖励旅游及大会博览会很荣幸的能作为上海商务活动周的一部分举行 Where The MICE Industry Comes Together In Shanghai. An Exciting Week of Business, Education And Networking Events. 国际奖励旅游和大会博览会行业的各个成员企业齐聚上海，在令人兴奋的一周时间里，共同参与这次教育以及商业交流的活动。

Concept1C_EarlyBird_260x380.indd 1 5/5/14 4:12 pm Destination Sri Lanka

Destination in numbers 1.3 million VIRGIN Sri Lanka attracted 1.3 million tourists last year, up 26.7 per cent from one million in 2012 279 DESTINATIONS There were 279 registered hotels with 16,223 rooms at end-December 2013, up 3.7 per cent (269 hotels) and 4.6 per cent (15,510 rooms) year-on-year AWAIT respectively 71.7% The average hotel occupancy in registered Sri Lankan hotels last year, just marginally higher from 71.2 per cent in 2012 Fabio Lamanna Fabio

View of the hill country from Ella Rock

ith peace re- Beach Air Force Resort, a stunning loca- waterfalls, caves and Adam’s Peak, a sacred as Sheraton, Shangri-La, Anantara, Hyatt turning in re- tion where the jungle virtually touches the mountain said to have Buddha’s footprint. Regency and Marriott are planting flags, cent years and shore and waters are shallow. With links to Even in the well-trodden west and although many are concentrating efforts investments SLAF, the property channels proceeds to south, many other new spots have come in the capital or in the south. being made in the rehabilitation of personnel. onto the radar, offering even the experi- Meanwhile, source markets are also infrastructure, For water sports enthusiasts, the sea enced traveller a never-before experience. changing. While India is Sri Lanka’s larg- Sri Lanka is around Trincomalee is littered with ship- These include dolphin watching off Miris- est source market followed by the UK, the speedily unveiling unexplored areas in the wrecks and remains of Japanese Zero sa and Kalpitiya. new kid on the block is China. northW and east. fighters from World War II, while nearby Across the island, inventory is being “The single largest market will be “The difference I see between a few Pigeon Island National Park off Nilaveli ramped up as the country prepares to China,” said Shafraz Fazley, managing di- years ago and now in marketing strategy is has beautiful snorkelling spots. welcome 2.5 million tourists in 2016 from rector of Viluxur Holidays, which serves not an external one; rather, we are finally While many new upscale hotel devel- less than 500,000 in 2008. Compared to the market in the Maldives but has since backing up that approach in terms of in- opments in the east are local projects, in- having only two international companies opened an office in Sri Lanka to meet the frastructure and development,” observed ternational chains like Centara Hotels & before – Taj and Hilton – big brands such growing demand for holidays here. Hiran Cooray, chairman of Jetwing, one Resorts are also looking to capture a slice of the country’s largest hotel and travel of the action. Opened last year, Centara operators. Passikudah Resort & Spa Sri Lanka sits by Viewpoint “A flight from Katunayake (in Colom- the beach and offers 125 rooms and suites. bo) to Hambantota in the south takes just Meanwhile, Jaffna in the north, which Is adventure tourism becoming a big seller in Sri Lanka? 45 minutes compared to four to five hours had just two ramshackle hotels during by road a few years ago,” he said, adding the war years, has also seen several leisure that arrival numbers have been growing properties launched, such as Taprospa Harith Perera, managing director, Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka/ because of these improvements and the Palm Leaves, which are offering modern Maldives opening up of previous conflict zones. amenities such as flatscreen TVs and Wi- “The adventure tourism segment in Sri Lanka has been improving With military airfields in Trincomalee, Fi. over the last few years and perhaps may not have reached its full Ampara, Batticaloa in the east now avail- Formerly the stronghold of the Tamil potential. However, I do not see Sri Lanka to be positioned with able for commercial traffic, both the Sri Tigers, visitors are now starting to explore Nepal or any other country for that matter as we are more of a Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and private air- Jaffna’s pristine beaches, spicy cuisine as moderate multi-activity, highly diversified destination that can offer line Cinammon Air are launching flights well as ancient Hindu temples and Catho- an assortment of experiences in a shorter period of time than any of to the region using small planes. SLAF, lic churches. our competitors.” too, is operating flights to Jaffna in the “Travellers are more adventurous. They north. are knowledgeable, well read, and want The eastern port city of Trincomalee, new experiences and to explore. We have Shiromal Cooray, managing director, Jetwing Travels in particular, has been grabbing attention to be adaptable to meet these demands,” “Yes, there is huge potential for this segment among a range of for its ability to offer visitors the chance said Vasantha Leelananda, DMC head at options that we offer to travellers. These options were not available to capture a rare sight in a single location John Keells Holdings, pointing out that earlier due to the conflict. Whale and dolphin watching from – the elephant and blue whale. Another Ella, a charming mountain getaway in the boat or air, and riding in a hot air balloon are some of the newest out-of-this-world experience is Marble south, is also gaining popularity with its attractions.”

23May ttgAsia p20-22 destination srilankagckngc2.indd 20 19/5/14 4:39 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 21 Where once tourism was restricted, the country’s north and east are proving to be new playgrounds for visitors. Feizal Samath points them out

How to sell

Will your clients fancy riding in a hot air balloon? Sun DORise Ballooning has two balloons that cater between four and 12 people. Flying up to 750m above the ground, sights include roaming elephants, water buffaloes and monkeys on trees. The ride covers Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, including the towns of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla. The ride is also being offered at Aitken Spence’s Heritance Kandalama hotel in Dambulla.

Gather round me beauties! Described SEE as one of the greatest wildlife spectacles, ‘The Gathering’ at Minneriya National Park in the east is a must-see. During the dry July to August From left: Elephants at Pinnawala, a village often included in Cultural Triangle tours; Sigiriya’s Lion’s Rock season, some 300 elephants assemble near a water tank. dancers and many other performers taking to Or stay in luxurious colonial-era tea which has authentic Sri Lankan rice and The six-hour Kandy to Ella train the streets. planters’ bungalows and learn about tea curries prepared by village cooks. The ride is also considered one of the most making at Ceylon Tea Trails, which come restaurant has a giant nuga (banyan) tree scenic train journeys in the world, taking Sri Lanka offers a wide with a typical British breakfast and private and a small artificial paddy field, while the passengers through misty mountains, range of options like the butler. friendly manager dressed in traditional white tunnels, lakes, tea estates and pine forests. STAY Cinnamon Lodge at sarong and black coat entertains guests If your guests are in Kandy around July/ Habarana, close to the Minneriya National Experience a village-like with poems and songs on village life. Less August, they can also experience Esala Park, and Jetwing’s Vil Uyana eco lodge, setting at the Nuga Gama than a kilometre away is Ministry of Crab, Perahera, a grand Buddhist festival that will which offers easy access to the famous EAT restaurant in the heart of the offering some of the most delectable crab see colourfully decorated elephants, fire Sigiriya rock fortress. capital at Cinammon Grand Colombo, dishes in town.

Is adventure tourism becoming a big seller in Sri Lanka?

23May ttgAsia p20-22 destination srilankagckngc2.indd 21 19/5/14 4:39 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 22 Poll on ttgasia.com Yes 98% Destination Sri Lanka No 2% Is Sri Lanka a value-for- money destination? Total number of responses: 283

NEWS IN A MINUTE

1 Houseboats make their debut (MHG) is building two resorts un- Kong as well. Jetwing Hotels launched last month 1 der the Anantara brand. Both prop- Arrivals from China totalled the country’s first river houseboat erties will have luxury rooms and 54,288 in 2013 and that number is for travellers, which takes inspiration private villas with their own plunge expected to double this year, with from the houseboats of Kerala, India. pools, two swimming pools, three figures in the first four months at Located in the south on the Ded- restaurants and a purpose-built spa. 36,803, a 136 per cent increase from duwa River of Bentota, the house- The first is a 154-room resort in the same period last year. boat is crafted from bamboo, thatch Tangalle in the south. The US$40 and metal, and comes with two de- million project is due to be complet- 5 Locals open their homes luxue rooms, attached bathrooms, ed in February 2015. Sri Lanka is encouraging more fami- balconies and private dining areas. The second – 141 rooms in the lies to open their homes to tourists, Jetwing, which has 21 leisure southern coastal town of Kalutara – aiming to increase room stock in properties in Sri Lanka, plans to add is a US$35 million facility scheduled the homestay category to 10,000 by four more houseboats in the future. to open in mid-2015. 2016. The company also opened last year Local partner Hemas Holdings There are currently some 300 the first budget, no-frills hotel in Ne- also runs two other resorts under homes of below five rooms each gombo, near Colombo on the north- 2 MHG’s Avani brand, namely Avani listed in the Sri Lanka Tourism web- west coast. Bentota Resort & Spa and Avani site as homestays, providing less than Kalutara Resort, both on the south- 1,000 rooms. 2 Cinnamon Air takes off ern coast. Authorities are offering finan- Launched last year, Sri Lanka’s first cial grants to entrepreneurs to set private domestic airline operation is 4 SriLankan Airlines extends up such products, hoping that this a joint venture between MMBL Lei- 3 presence to south-west China would also encourage community sure Holdings, John Keells Holdings From July, SriLankan Airlines will tourism and channel benefits to vil- and Phoenix Ventures. Thursday, Friday and Saturday) have operate a weekly charter flight to lages. The airline operates daily flights also begun to Sigiriya, Batticaloa and Chongqing in Sichuan province in Targeting students, backpackers, from Bandaranaike International Trincomalee, while charters run (on collaboration with Beijing-based seniors and families seeking a differ- Airport in Katunayake to Koggala in request) to Jaffna and Vavuniya. travel operator Chongqing Huapont ent experience, homestay prices are the south, servicing towns like Galle, International Travel Service Co. around US$20 per night inclusive of Koggala, Weligama, Mirissa, Dick- 3 Two Anantara resorts on the The national carrier currently has breakfast compared to upwards of wella and Tangalle. horizon a total of 15 weekly flights to Beijing, US$40 for other types of accommo- Scheduled services (Monday, Thai-based Minor Hotel Group Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong dation in Sri Lanka.

GT Jeyaseelan Chief marketing oﬃcer MY WAY SriLankan Airlines

What do you do on your days off? and staying in a colonial estate bungalow where the world-fa- When I do get free time, I enjoy walking through the woods mous Ceylon tea is grown is the best place to rest. or parks, and a bit of gardening. What is your favourite mode of transport when getting Name three places in Sri Lanka you would take a first- around Sri Lanka? time visitor to. Road transport has improved a lot since the dawn of peace in Sri My hometown Trincomalee never stops fascinating me. Lanka. Driving a four-wheel continues to be my favourite mode Calm crystal clear waters and unspoiled beaches coupled of transport. If a tourist really wants to enjoy the countryside, with fresh seafood are a treat during summer (June/Septem- taking a four-wheel is recommended. ber). During a summer’s full moon night, listening to the gentle waves by the beach is incomparable. What is your favourite local food and where do Sitting in the Heritance Kandalama hotel (Dambulla in you go to get it? central Sri Lanka) overlooking the lake is another peaceful I enjoy a very simple string hopper meal (steamed rice and enchanting experience. Add a little bit of adventure to flour noodles) at home with fish kiri hodhi (coconut the visit by taking a safari in a four-wheel drive to the Min- milk gravy) and pol sambol (spicy coconut chutney). nerriya tank to see a herd of 30-40 elephants. The area sur- Most of the Colombo hotels rounding Sigiriya rock and the ancient ruins would also serve string hoppers for break- make the trip much more valuable to a history lover. Driving fast but my favourite choice during twilight and witnessing wild elephants on the road- (other than my wife’s cooking) side is an experience you would never come across anywhere would be Upali’s by Nawaloka else. at Alexandra Place and Green- The lush green vegetation and the landscape of the hill lands Hotel’s vegetarian res- country is another must-see location. Visiting the tea estates taurant at Shrubbery Gardens.

Nilaveli beach, Trincomalee

23May ttgAsia p20-22 destination srilankagckngc2.indd 22 20/5/14 4:56 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 23 From the newest executive movements to recent trade Social celebrations and major upcoming events, we round up the latest happenings to keep you plugged in

APPOINTMENTS TRADE CALENDAR SEE YOU AT...

Kuala Lumpur Bangsar before this th June 1-3, Doha appointment. 70 IATA AGM Besides marking the 100th year of commercial aviation, this year’s forum will gather leading figures of the global aviation industry, MATTHEW TRIPOLONE with an aim to establish priorities and work programmes to drive Head of development, Aus- NOW higher levels of safety, security, environmental awareness and, tralasia, effective early June particularly, financial viability. Paul Pei Reto K Klauser THEN He joins from Accor where he had been general manager, development Pacific, since 2008. ILTM Asia June 2-5, Shanghai PAUL PEI This invitation-only event is a platform for travel consultants and NOW Executive director, hotel & MAXIMILIAN VON REDEN advisors from across Asia to meet the world’s top luxury travel hospitality, Ocean Park Hong Kong NOW General manager of Manda- experiences. Attendees are invited to choose up to 69 one-to-one THEN He was the park’s executive rin Oriental, Jakarta appointments from a select community of 1,100 buyers and sup- director, marketing & sales, for 14 THEN Hotel manager at Mandarin pliers. years. Oriental, Tokyo th VIVIAN LEE 28 ITE June 12-15, Hong Kong RETO K KLAUSER The travel expo involving over 600 exhibitors from more than 40 NOW Executive director, marketing Vice president and general NOW countries and regions will cater exclusively to the trade for the first & sales, Ocean Park Hong Kong manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Sin- two days, with the second day dedicated for MICE through a series THEN Since joining Ocean Park in gapore, also overseeing Shangri- of related seminars. 1999, Lee had served as market- La Apartments and Shangri-La ing manager and more recently as Residences. director of marketing. THEN He held a similar position at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Run in Wonderland July 25, Singapore KLAUS GOTTSCHALK Put on your running shoes and come network with travel industry NOW General manager, Grand LEE LIK HSIN professionals at this fun run jointly organised by TTG Asia Media Mercure Singapore Roxy NOW CEO, Tiger Airways Holdings and Gardens By The Bay in celebration of TTG’s 40th anniversary. THEN Having joined Accor in THEN Representative of major Highlights include a 2.4km run, exciting fringe activities and a 1994, he was in charge of the pre- shareholder Singapore Airlines on lucky draw. Register at www.ttgasiamedia.com/runinwonderland. opening and opening of Pullman the board TTG Asia May_236x180_v7PATHED.ai 1 5/15/14 11:00 AM

CMY

23May ttgAsia P23 SocialknREDkngc.indd 23 19/5/14 4:41 pm 23.05.2014 TTG Asia 24 ICYMI: Tune in to what’s been going on at Connect ttgasia.com and the social media space

HEADLINES

VIETNAM BRACES FOR IMPACT AS CHINA SIA INVESTS IN CABIN UPGRADES FOR STRIKES BACK 19 PLANES EDITORIAL China has suspended bilateral exchanges with Vietnam Singapore Airlines will invest US$325 million to Karen Yue Group Editor [email protected] and urged its citizens not to travel to Vietnam after violent upgrade the cabins of 19 of its Boeing 777- Gracia Chiang Deputy Group Editor protests against China’s shifting of an oil rig into sensitive 300ERs by September 2016, even as it noted in its [email protected] Hannah Koh Assistant Editor, TTG Asia Online territory killed two Chinese nationals. Major travel agencies financial report yesterday that the aviation market [email protected] in China are also suspending tours to Vietnam. will remain challenging. Paige Lee Pei Qi Assistant Editor, Singapore [email protected] Xinyi Liang-Pholsena Assistant Editor, Thailand/Indochina [email protected] Kathy Neo Copy Editor [email protected] PATA POSTS PROFIT FOR THE FIRST S Puvaneswary Editor, Malaysia/Brunei [email protected] TIME IN 3 YEARS Mimi Hudoyo Editor, Indonesia PATA posts profit for the first time in three years [email protected] PHILIPPINES CAUTIONS INDIAN TRAVELLERS Sim Kok Chwee Correspondent-at-large ahead of annual general meeting in Zhuhai. At AGAINST FAKE VISAS [email protected] US$33,000 for 2013, the amount is small but Greg Lowe Correspondent, Thailand The Philippines has cautioned Indian travellers about acquir- [email protected] “significant” in light of the US$1 million loss ing fake visas from unofficial sources after a recent spate of Marianne Carandang, Rosa Ocampo Correspondents, The Philippines it made in the previous three years, said CEO visitors being apprehended, deported and barred from future [email protected], [email protected] Martin Craigs (left). travel to the country for holding such visas. Prudence Lui Correspondent, Hong Kong [email protected] Shekhar Niyogi Chief Correspondent, India [email protected] Rohit Kaul Correspondent, New Delhi [email protected] Feizal Samath Correspondent, Sri Lanka/Maldives SHBA’S EASTER EVENT SEES EGGCITING VISITOR JUMEIRAH ANNOUNCES [email protected] GROWTH TO SENTOSA AREA EXPANSION PLANS FOR ASIA Redmond Sia, Goh Meng Yong Creative Designers The first Great Egg-Venture by the Sentosa HarbourFront Busi- Jumeirah Group to build 4,300 hotel Lina Tan Editorial Assistant ness Association attracted 1,600 egg hunters, bringing a six rooms spread over 11 countries SALES & MARKETING per cent increase in visitorship for Sentosa Island, Resorts World globally by 2017, with a dedicated Michael Chow Group Publisher [email protected] Sentosa attractions, Mount Faber, VivoCity Shopping Mall and warchest of eight billion Emirati Marisa Chen Senior Business Manager [email protected] HarbourFront Centre from April 18 to May 11. dirhams (US$2.2 billion). Shirley Tan Senior Business Manager [email protected] Karen Cheung Business Manager [email protected] Jonathan Yap Business Manager [email protected] Cheryl Tan Corporate Marketing Manager [email protected] Stephanie Toh Marketing Executive WHO’S SAYING WHAT [email protected] Cheryl Lim Advertisement Administration Manager [email protected] Carol Cheng Assistant Manager Administration and Marketing Tweets Instagram [email protected] PUBLISHING SERVICES Tony Yeo Division Manager [email protected] ATTENDEES AT #TRENZ2014 IN AUCKLAND THIS New York, New York! Opened Nancy Lee Desktop Publishing Executive YEAR SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE HAVING FUN: April 24, @regentsinga- [email protected] Carol Wong Senior Circulation Executive pore’s new destination bar [email protected] @TRENZ2014 @manhattan_sg features a Tell us what your favourite #TRENZ2014 bag is...delegates are TTG ASIA MEDIA plush interior with art deco swapping & trading them. There are 7 different types. Darren Ng Managing Director touches that recall America’s [email protected] Raini Hamdi Senior Editor @grahamhills Prohibition era. Couple that [email protected] Another amazing view in New Zealand: Mission Bay, Auckland. with a funky concept menu, OFFICES Just a short drive from my presentation at #TRENZ2014 pic.twitter. charming bartenders and SINGAPORE 1 Science Park Road #04-07 The Capricorn, exquisite drinks for an excel- Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 com/bpwsI2GKpS Tel: (65) 6395-7575 Fax: (65) 6536-0896 lent evening out on town. [email protected]; www.ttgasia.com HONG KONG Unit 2001-2005, 20/F Harbour Center, 25 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2237-7174 Fax:(852)2237-7227 TTG editors sent reporter Paige Lee Pei Qi to swim

with the fishes at this year’s TTG Asia is a product by TTG Travel Trade Publishing, Australian Tourism Exchange a business group of TTG Asia Media. It is mailed free @hotelashburton on written request to readers who meet predetermined criteria. Paid in #Cairns and she’s having subscriptions are available to those who do not meet the criteria. Awesome morning of appointments at #TRENZ2014 we’ve met Annual airmail subscriptions are US$180 to Asia and US$199 some lovely overseas buyers - can’t wait to show them mid Canter- a blast! Are you at #ATE14 elsewhere. Cover price US$5. MICA (P) 145/10/2012 • PPS 619/02/2013(022926) bury in person! too? Printed by Times Printers Pte Ltd 16 Tuas Avenue 5, Singapore 639340 @wherestrentnow The #Hobbit just behind ‘visiting friends and relatives’ as Travel Hall of Fame Since 2002, TTG Asia driver for NZ travel. Popular right now! Make sure you visit mum too Media has honoured luminaries that have won the prestigious #TRENZ2014 TTG Travel Award for at least 10 consecutive times for the same award title in the Travel Hall of Fame. At present, these exceptional organisations and their years of induction are: • Singapore Airlines (2002) Most commented • Singapore Changi Airport (2002) • Hertz Asia Pacific (2005) • Royal Cliff Hotels Group (2006) MYANMAR, INDONESIA HAMMER OUT VISAFREE members to adopt a more professional approach. I’ve adopted a “Three • Star Cruises (2008) • Abacus International (2009) AGREEMENT for Free” model. Everything happens via email – so the first three • SilkAir (2010) Congratulations to both governments. The policy will help the two interactions are free, after that I politely request the client to put down • Lotte Tour (2011) • Hong Kong International Airport (2013) countries know each other more through tourism. – Nugroho Setiat- a small deposit. It works at least half the time. – Ajay Prakash, India • Raffles Hotel Singapore (2013) madji, Jakarta TTG Asia Media is pleased to announce that it is setting up a virtual TTG Travel Hall of Fame, which will enable us to showcase the TO CHARGE OR NOT TO CHARGE FACEBOOK.COM/TTGASIA accolades, artefacts and memorabilia of the region’s most exceptional travel organisations We’ve all been victims, but we’re all reluctant to bell this cat. But TWITTER.COM/TTG_ASIA INSTAGRAM.COM/TTGASIA in a far more effective way and to a global trade associations could possibly play a role here and encourage their audience.

23May ttgAsia P24 CONNECTHHgc.indd 24 20/5/14 3:48 pm Cast Your Vote Now! The Power of Your Choice Decides The Industry’s Best!

The Asia-Paciﬁc travel trade’s most anticipated awards, TTG Travel Awards is back for its 25th installment to celebrate the amazing feats of organisations and individuals who have rocketed the industry to greater heights!

Help your favourite travel suppliers and travel agencies bring home one of these 68 acclaimed titles and the coveted 24K gold plated Hermes Trophy!

www.ttgasia.com/ttg-awards Closing Date: 7 July 2014

An event by: Organised by: Supported by:

TTG Travel Trade Publishing is a business group of TTG Asia Media Award Categories VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDELINES 1. Travel Agency Awards Winners in this category are decided by votes from industry suppliers. • Best Travel Agency – Australia For Travel Agency and Travel Supplier Awards • Best Travel Agency – China • Best Travel Agency – Chinese Taipei 1. Please use the correct voting form. iv. No responsibility will be accepted by the organisers for voting forms • Best Travel Agency – Hong Kong lost, delayed or damaged in the post. • Best Travel Agency – India • Best Travel Agency – Indochina (Cambodia, Laos) Voting Form A: Travel Agency Awards v. There are no pre-nominated contenders for any voting awards. • Best Travel Agency – Indonesia For voting by hoteliers, airline staff, car rental companies, cruise operators, vi. The results for TTG Travel Awards 2014 are final and no correspondence • Best Travel Agency – Japan national tourism organisations, GDS companies and all other travel will be entertained. • Best Travel Agency – Malaysia professionals (except travel consultants, tour operators and destination vii. Voting forms will be tabulated and evaluated by an independent auditor • Best Travel Agency – Singapore management companies). in Singapore. • Best Travel Agency – South Korea viii. The closing date is 7 July 2014. • Best Travel Agency – Thailand • Best Travel Agency – The Philippines Voting Form B: Travel Supplier Awards • Best Travel Agency – Vietnam For voting by travel consultants, tour operators and destination management 4. Voting Form Submission • Best Corporate Travel Agency companies only. Completed voting forms are to be returned to: • Best Online Travel Agency Online Voting Forms SINGAPORE 2. Travel Supplier Awards You can opt to vote using our online form www.ttgasia.com/ttg-awards Ms Lina Tan (TTG Travel Awards 2014) Winners in this category are decided by votes from instead. TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd travel consultants and experts. 1 Science Park Road #04-07 The Capricorn 2. Voting Criteria Singapore Science Park II Airrline Awards Singapore 117528 • Best North American Airline Please refer to the voting criteria for each category and title to ensure that all • Best European Airline judging is done on an equal basis. Tel: (65) 6395-7575 Fax: (65) 6536-0896 • Best Middle Eastern Airline • Best South-east Asian Airline 3. Voting Rules HONG KONG • Best North Asian Airline i. Only one voting entry per person is allowed – using the voting form or Ms Carol Cheng (TTG Travel Awards 2014) • Best China Airline online voting. TTG Asia Media • Best Pacific Airline ii. All votes are confidential. Unit 2011, 20/F Harbour Centre • Best Regional Airline 25 Harbour Road, Wanchai • Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier iii. Voting forms are published in TTG Travel Trade Publishing print titles and are available online at www.ttgasia.com/ttg-awards Tel: (852) 2237-7272 Fax: (852) 2237 7227 Hotels, Resorts, Serviced Residences & Spa Awards HOTEL Chains • Best Global Hotel Chain • Best Regional Hotel Chain • Best Local Hotel Chain • Best Hotel Representation Company • Best Luxury Hotel Brand • Best Mid-range Hotel Brand VOTING FORM A: TRAVEL AGENCY AWARDS • Best Budget Hotel Brand

HOTELS – Individual Property • Best Luxury Hotel • Best Mid-range Hotel For voting by • Hoteliers • Airlines • Car rental companies • Cruise • Best Budget Hotel operators • National Tourism Organisations • GDS companies • All • Best Independent Hotel VOTE ONLINE AT • Best Boutique Hotel other travel professionals (except travel consultants, tour operators • Best City Hotel – Bangkok and destination management companies) www.ttgasia.com/ttg-awards • Best City Hotel – Delhi • Best City Hotel – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City • Best City Hotel – Jakarta Criteria • Best City Hotel – Hong Kong • Best City Hotel – Kuala Lumpur Best Travel Agency in its respective category in terms of: • Best City Hotel – Macau • Professionalism and excellence in staff. • Best City Hotel – Manila • Best value-added services to client. • Best City Hotel – Seoul • Best use of computer technology applications to help improve efficiency and effectiveness in services provided to client. • Best City Hotel – Singapore • Best City Hotel – Taipei • Best City Hotel – Tokyo 1. Best Travel Agency – Australia • Best New City Hotel 2. Best Travel Agency – China • Best Airport Hotel 3. Best Travel Agency – Chinese Taipei RESORTS – Individual Property • Best Beach Resort 4. Best Travel Agency – Hong Kong • Best Resort Hotel (Non-Beach) • Best New Beach Resort 5. Best Travel Agency – India • Best Integrated Resort 6. Best Travel Agency – Indochina (Cambodia, Laos) SERVICED RESIDENCES 7. Best Travel Agency – Indonesia • Best Serviced Residence Operator 8. Best Travel Agency – Japan SPAS • Best Spa Operator 9. Best Travel Agency – Malaysia BT-MICE Awards 10. Best Travel Agency – Singapore • Best Airline – Business Class • Best Business Hotel 11. Best Travel Agency – South Korea • Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel 12. Best Travel Agency – Thailand • Best BT-MICE City • Best Convention & Exhibition Centre 13. Best Travel Agency – The Philippines • Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau 14. Best Travel Agency – Vietnam Travel Services Awards • Best Airport 15. Best Corporate Travel Agency • Best GDS Best travel agency specialising in serving the needs of corporate travellers. • Best Cruise Operator • Best NTO • Best Theme Attraction 16. Best Online Travel Agency 3. Outstanding Achievement Awards Best online-based travel agency offering the most user-friendly and effective interface to meet client needs. This online travel agency must also boast the best The winners in this category are decided by the sales and marketing network in terms of service innovation. TTG Asia team. • Travel Personality of the Year • Destination of the Year • Most Entrepreneurial Travel Company • Best Marketing & Development Effort Name: Passport no.: 4. Travel Hall of Fame The Travel Hall of Fame honours organisations that Job title: Company: have won at least 10 consecutive times at previous editions of the TTG Travel Awards. Address: These special award winners will be recognised at every TTG annual awards presentation ceremony. Country: Votes for them will not be counted. Telephone no.: Fax no.: Inducted Travel Hall of Fame honoraries are: Email: Signature: • Singapore Changi Airport (2002) VOTER INFORMATION • Singapore Airlines (2002) • Hertz Asia-Pacific (2005) • Royal Cliff Hotels Group (2006) • Star Cruises (2008) • Abacus International (2009) • Silkair (2010) • Lotte Tour (2011) Please refer to the next page for • Hong Kong International Airport (2013) VOTING CLOSES • Raffles Hotel Singapore (2013) VOTING FORM B:

TRAVEL SUPPLIER AWARDS 7 JULY 2014

VOTING FORM B: TRAVEL SUPPLIER AWARDS VOTE ONLINE AT www.ttgasia.com/ttg-awards For voting by • Travel Consultants • Tour Operators • Destination Management Companies Airline Awards BT-MICE Awards Criteria HOTELS – Individual Property Criteria Best airline in its respective category in terms of: 33. Best Luxury Hotel • Best services and facilities catering specifically to the BT-MICE • Providing the best service, network and schedules. Best hotel catering to the upmarket traveller. This hotel must also market. • Most agent-friendly in terms of reservations, confirmations and boast the best visual appeal and ambience reflecting upmarket status. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative commission payments. ideas and servicing the BT-MICE market. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative • Most desirable and attractive incentives and value added services to ideas, incentive programmes and servicing. 34. Best Mid-range Hotel business travellers and MICE planners. Best mid-range hotel catering to the traveller who seeks three- to 17. Best North American Airline four-star quality and comfort. 58. Best Airline – Business Class Best airline based in North America operating Asia-Pacific routes. Best business class airline across the board.

Refer to Airline Criteria. 35. Best Budget Hotel 18. Best European Airline Best hotel catering to the budget traveller. Best airline based in Europe operating Asia-Pacific routes.

59. Best Business Hotel 36. Best Independent Hotel Best hotel catering to the business traveller. 19. Best Middle Eastern Airline Best non-chain (ie not part of a network of properties) hotel. Best airline based in Middle East operating Asia-Pacific routes. Refer to Hotel Criteria.

37. Best Boutique Hotel 20. Best South-east Asian Airline Best small, fashionable and unique hotel. Best airline based in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, 60. Best Meetings & Conventions Hotel Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand or Vietnam operating Best hotel catering to meeting and convention needs. Asia-Pacific routes. 38. Best City Hotel – Bangkok Refer to Hotel Criteria.

21. Best North Asian Airline 39. Best City Hotel – Delhi Best airline based in South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Macau or 61. Best BT-MICE City Hong Kong operating Asia-Pacific routes. The city most friendly and desirable to business travellers and for 40. Best City Hotel – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City MICE planners to host their events.

22. Best China Airline Best airline based in China operating Asia-Pacific routes. 41. Best City Hotel – Jakarta 62. Best Convention & Exhibition Centre • Best facilities. 23. Best Pacific Airline 42. Best City Hotel – Hong Kong • Best value for money. Best airline based in the Pacific operating Asia-Pacific routes. • Most flexible in catering to MICE planners. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative 43. Best City Hotel – Kuala Lumpur ideas and servicing. 24. Best Regional Airline

Best airline based regionally operating Asia-Pacific routes. 44. Best City Hotel – Macau

63. Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau 25. Best Asian Low-cost Carrier • Most efficient, flexible and friendly in terms of response to enquiries Best airline based in Asia-Pacific that operates on a low-cost strategy. 45. Best City Hotel – Manila and information. • Most effective in raising awareness of MICE at government and

46. Best City Hotel – Seoul community levels. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative Hotels, Resorts, Serviced Residences & ideas and servicing. 47. Best City Hotel – Singapore Spa Awards Criteria Best Hotel Chain in its respective category in terms of: 48. Best City Hotel – Taipei • Most consistent in products and services. Travel Services Awards

• Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative Criteria ideas, incentive programmes and servicing. 49. Best City Hotel – Tokyo • Best product, services and facilities • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of Best Hotel/Resort/Serviced Residence/Spa in its respective category in innovative ideas and servicing. terms of: 50. Best New City Hotel Best city hotel that opened in 2013/2014. • Best services and facilities. 64. Best Airport • Best range of value-added benefits. • Best facilities. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative • Most user-friendly, efficient and hassle-free immigration. ideas and servicing. 51. Best Airport Hotel Best hotel – located within the vicinity of an airport – that caters to • Most organised baggage claim. • Best planned floor layout, with easy ground access. HOTEL CHAINS travellers in transit. 26. Best Global Hotel Chain Best hotel chain operating a network of properties globally. RESORTS – Individual Property 65. Best GDS (Global Distribution System) 27. Best Regional Hotel Chain 52. Best Beach Resort • Most comprehensive network offering ease of operation and user Best hotel chain operating a network of properties in the region. Best resort located by a beach. This resort must also boast the best friendliness. visual appeal and ambience reflecting local flavour. • Most efficient and reliable system.

28. Best Local Hotel Chain Best hotel chain operating a network of properties within any one 53. Best Resort Hotel (Non-Beach) Asia-Pacific country. Best resort not located by a beach. This resort must also boast the 66. Best Cruise Operator best visual appeal and ambience reflecting local flavour. • Best product in terms of service, routes and schedules. • Best onboard programme and facilities.

29. Best Hotel Representation Company • Most agent-friendly in terms of reservations, confirmations and Best company providing the most agent-friendly products and services 54. Best New Beach Resort commission payments. and showing the best marketing effort in generating sales for member Best beach resort that opened in 2013/2014. • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative ideas, incentive programmes and servicing. hotels via agents. 55. Best Integrated Resort 30. Best Luxury Hotel Brand Best hotel offering comprehensive accommodation, shopping, dining, Best hotel chain operating a network of luxurious properties within any entertainment and sports. 67. Best NTO (National Tourism Organisation) one Asia-Pacific country. • Most efficient, flexible and friendly in terms of response to enquiries and information. • Most effective in raising awareness of tourism at government and 31. Best Mid-range Hotel Brand SERVICED RESIDENCES community levels. Best hotel chain operating a network of mid-range properties within 56. Best Serviced Residence Operator • Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative any one Asia-Pacific country. Best serviced property catering to mid- and long-term staying guests. ideas and servicing.

32. Best Budget Hotel Brand SPAS Best hotel chain operating a network of economical properties within 68. Best Theme Attraction any one Asia-Pacific country. 57. Best Spa Operator Best managed and operated spa or network of spas in the region. • Best ambience. • Best facilities and services.

• Most professional sales and marketing team in terms of innovative ideas and servicing.

Name: Passport no.:

Job title: Company:

Address: Country: VOTING CLOSES Telephone no.: Fax no.:

Email: Signature:

VOTER INFORMATION 7 JULY 2014 | FACEBOOK.COM/FINNAIR | TWITTER.COM/FINNAIR | YOUTUBE.COM/FINNAIR

Being a travel agent

IS LIKE BEING A SPECIAL AGENT

Being a travel agent is like being a special agent – and that can be a tricky job. As a travel professional you know the importance of “just making things happen” so that everything runs smoothly. Providing the best experience for every ﬂ yer is our goal too. On board, we take good care of your customers, so you can take care of your business.

Get to know Finnair – win the full experience! Help us improve our services for travel professionals and win a unique trip to Helsinki ﬁ nnair.com/agent