Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong rolls out fun with Moxy Madness promo
Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong is offering a unique stay experience packed with special privileges for travellers who crave longer stays and city tours.
The Moxy Madness promotion promises a memorable time with city tours, shopping sprees, and culinary delights around Bangkok, all while enjoying a special meal in Moxy style.
Guests can enjoy a 24-hour stay in the hotel’s guestrooms, and with a BTS 1 Day Pass included, they can explore the city, and enjoy F&B credits worth 500 baht (US$13) per stay.
Priced from 3,600 baht, this offer is available for a minimum of two consecutive nights from now to September 30, 2024. Guests can also earn Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points for up to 5,000 points per night.
In addition, enjoy a specially curated set menu experience with Moxy’s Eat Out by Marriott Bonvoy promotion, exclusive to Marriott Bonvoy members.
For more information, visit Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong.
New CEO takes reins of The Lux Collective
The Lux Collective has named Olivier Chavy as its next chief executive officer.
Hailing from France, he will be responsible for the overall strategic direction and performance of The Lux Collective while pursuing its expansion in high potential markets. He will work alongside the board of directors, key executives, general managers and staff of the resorts, to innovate and craft distinctive experiences that will further set the iconic hotel group apart.
During his career, Chavy has held leadership positions with groups such as Travel+Leisure, Mövenpick, and Hilton.
Herman Kemp joins Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur as GM
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur has appointed Herman Kemp as its general manager.
Having served the industry for more than 20 years, Kemp’s tenure with Hyatt Hotels Corporation began almost a decade ago.
He has held key positions in some of the group’s most prestigious properties during his tenure.
Palace Hotel Tokyo debuts new gastronomic stay package
Palace Hotel Tokyo has curated a selection of eating and drinking experiences designed for guests to experience Japan’s vast culinary landscape.
The Best of Japan: The Art of Gastronomy package offers tailored glimpses of Tokyo’s multi-faceted dining scene include a scouring of the city for the best street-eats, ‘ramen hunting’ with an expert, bento-making, and an introduction to Japanese wines with one of the hotel’s seasoned sommeliers.
The package includes two nights of accommodation, daily breakfast in-room or moat-side at Grand Kitchen, and a choice of a kaiseki lunch or dinner accompanied by a matcha tasting at the hotel’s restaurant.
Guests can opt to enhance their stay with more experiences at additional charges, such as the two-hour, two-store A Hunt For Epic Ramen tour; and the Tokyo’s Ultimate Street Eats which offers an introduction to the everyday comfort foods enjoyed by the locals, like Japanese curry tasting, yakitori, gyoza, sake tasting, and more. The Tokyo’s Ultimate Street Eats tour is customisable based on interests and preferences, and can be a half-day or full-day outing.
Aside from tea, sake and wine tasting, guests can also try making their own bento in a three-and-a-half-hour experience comprising a trip to the grocery store, an immersion into the history of bento, hands-on preparation of several bento items, before packing them into handcrafted bento boxes to be enjoyed together once completed.
There is also an insider’s glimpse into Japanese food culture which includes an ingredients tour, a visit to Tokyo’s ‘kitchen town’ Kappabashi, a private cooking lesson, and more.
Rates for The Best of Japan: The Art of Gastronomy stay package start from 400,000 yen (US$2,505).
For more information, visit Palace Hotel Tokyo.
The Sanchaya names Ricky Yu as DOSM
The Sanchaya in Bintan has appointed Ricky Yu as its director of sales and marketing.
He brings with him 15 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, and will helm sales and marketing initiatives at The Sanchaya in his new role.
He joins The Sanchaya from his previous tenure as director of sales – Asia at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in Bangkok.
Diversifying Uttarakhand’s tourism potential
The northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, mainly popular for being home of religious destinations like Haridwar and Rishikesh – known as the yoga capital of the World – is now stepping up to promote its lesser-known tourism experiences, with development of infrastructure and community participation as an integral part of the state’s strategy.
The government of Uttarakhand introduced its new tourism policy last year which aims to position the state as a diversified tourist destination, offering a mix of products like heritage, religion, nature, wildlife, wellness tourism, and more. The focus of the policy, which will be effective for seven years, is to create new tourism circuits and destinations.
Sachin Kurve, secretary of tourism and CEO of Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB), said: “Our government has made it a priority to promote lesser-known hidden treasures within the state as we are looking to reduce congestion in heavily visited tourist destinations. We want to promote tourism in remote locations and introduce new tourism experiences throughout the state. We are actively developing new destinations such as Uttarkashi, Champawat, New Tehri and Pithoragarh to offer diverse tourism activities.”
As per the targets of the Uttarakhand Tourism Policy, the sector is expected to contribute US$10 billion to the state’s economy annually by 2030. Manish Goyal, founder, Stotrak Hospitality, said: “The boom that domestic tourism has witnessed has helped to grow tourist arrivals in Uttarakhand too. This year has started on a positive note for us with demand being generated from segments like FITs, group travel and MICE. Under the policy made for tourism investment, subsidies are being offered by the government to private players investing in unexplored places and segments like heli-tourism, caravan tourism, adventure tourism and operators of electric vehicles for transportation. This push will help in promoting tourism activities, and subsequently create new employment opportunities.”
Uttarakhand is looking to take up minimum 100 public private partnership (PPP) projects before 2030. In fact, the state government has already signed several memoranda of understanding with a number of hospitality players in the country.
In 2023, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts (MHRIL) signed an MoU with the government of Uttarakhand to invest 10 billion rupees (US$119.69 million) and build four to five large marquee resorts over the next few years in the state. This is the biggest investment by MHRIL announced in any state in India. Efcee Hotels, the hotel investment arm of the Leela Group of Companies, is also developing four hotels in the state.
In order to promote the state for wellness tourism, Uttarakhand has also signed an MoU with Atmantan Wellness Centre to set up a 100-150-room property. Nikhil Kapur, co-founder and director, Atmantan Wellness Centre, said that considering the incredible landscape and cultural richness of Uttarakhand, the state is positioned perfectly for travellers seeking wellness experiences.
The state aims to encourage private sector involvement in developing adventure tourism activities too. These activities include water sports, white water rafting, aero sports, paragliding, parasailing, hot air ballooning, mountain biking, trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, bungee jumping, skiing, snowboarding, and so on. Uttarakhand Tourism organised a five-day long paragliding acrobatic event – one-of-its-kind event in India – at Tehri Lake in November last year. The event attracted 178 paragliders from 27 countries.
The Uttarakhand government is in pursuit of developing skiing resorts in three places including Auli, Munsiyari and Dayara Bugyal at an expected investment of around US$100 million.
“Uttarakhand can increase the average length of stay of tourists in the state to four to five days by creating new tourism circuits and promoting new tourist experiences. Presently, the average length of stay of tourists in the state is about two to three days. Also, considering the fragile ecosystem of the state, sustainable development of tourism needs to be prioritised,” said Arun Anand, managing director, Midtown Travels.
In order to build host capacity in untapped destinations, UTDB joined hands with Airbnb earlier this year. The partnership will focus on onboarding local home stays onto the Airbnb platform. Airbnb will conduct workshops in the identified pilot destinations to train ‘model hosts’ on setting up their profiles, optimising listing content, and capturing attractive photographs to entice travellers. Through the focus on home stays, the state government is looking to offer employment opportunities to local communities and unveil new tourist spots for travellers.
On the other hand, the state government is working towards connecting the two popular tourist destinations – Dehradun and Mussoorie – by India’s longest passenger aerial ropeway measuring 5,500m in the coming years. This ropeway will cut travel time between the two cities from 1.5 hours to just 15 minutes. Featuring 10-seater diamond cabins, it will accommodate 1,300 passengers per hour in each direction.
As per the latest statistics available with UTDB, the state welcomed 20 million domestic tourists in 2021 while a meagre 15,410 international tourists visited the state in the same year.
Ascott enters long-term partnership to set new standards for accessible accommodation
Singapore-based hospitality firm, Ascott, has signed an MoU with SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion in the country, that will see both forging a long-term partnership to elevate disability inclusion and set new standards for accessible accommodation in the hospitality industry.
This partnership is the first of its scale in Singapore’s hospitality industry, spearheading a range of initiatives that will deliver inclusive stay experiences through design and programming across Ascott’s properties in the country. It will also serve to foster workforce diversity and contribute to capability-building, not only within Ascott but also throughout the hospitality sector.
Ascott and SG Enable will jointly develop and deliver essential resources and disability inclusion training tailored for the hospitality industry at the Ascott Centre for Excellence (ACE) training facility. Insights gained from the joint initiatives will be used to develop a comprehensive playbook in 2025 to steer the disability inclusion efforts of Ascott’s properties around the world.
Key initiatives will centre around five pillars: Inclusive Spaces, Inclusive Programmes, Inclusive Digital Interfaces, Inclusive Hiring, and Inclusive Training.
Eric Chua, senior parliamentary secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, said at the signing ceremony: “Partnerships such as this are crucial for driving positive change in our community.”
The partnership coincides with Ascott’s ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations.
Beh Siew Kim, chief financial & sustainability officer, lodging, CapitaLand Investment and managing director, Japan and Korea, Ascott, said: “Marking 40 remarkable years in hospitality service, Ascott has embarked on a transformative journey to go ‘unlimited’ for our guests and associates. To create ‘unlimited good’ as a positive changemaker, we are deepening our commitment to championing inclusivity under our Ascott CARES sustainability framework.
“As a leading global hospitality company headquartered in Singapore, our vision is to strengthen Ascott’s culture of care and respect by cultivating a more inclusive operating environment for both guests and associates. We are thus delighted to find a like-minded partner in SG Enable to jointly establish new standards for accessibility in the hospitality sector and positively impact the future of travel. This MOU will mark an integral step towards our goal of scaling up Ascott’s disability inclusion efforts globally.”
Ku Geok Boon, CEO of SG Enable, acknowledged the partnership as “a significant milestone in our journey of championing disability inclusion and accessibility”.
In addition to the ceremony on June 20, three persons with disabilities and their family members were invited to share their stay experiences at Ascott Orchard Singapore. They affirmed that Ascott Orchard Singapore was wheelchair friendly and easy to navigate, and the experience was complemented by the warm hospitality of the service team who had gone through disability management training by SG Enable.
Ascott Orchard Singapore is the country’s first serviced residence to be certified Universal Design Mark Platinum by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority for its user-friendliness. It features sheltered walkways seamlessly linked to the adjacent mosque and shopping mall, complemented with clear and informative signs that are accompanied by braille and tactile maps. Accommodation options include accessible guestrooms catering to wheelchair users as well as dual-key units that facilitate multi-generational living. All public toilets are equipped with accessibility features; the swimming pool deck is accessible via a ramp; a Kipsu messaging platform facilitates communication with guests with hearing loss or visual impairment.
Part of the serviced residence’s service crew has completed SG Enable’s disability management course, and more will undergo training by end-2024.
Aviation roundup: Finnair, Korean Air and more
Finnair completes longhaul cabin renewal
Finnair has successfully completed the rollout of its longhaul cabin renewal, with all aircraft in the airline’s longhaul fleet of A350s and A330s now refurbished.
The project includes the launch of an entirely new Business Class seat, a brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and a refreshed Economy Class.
Designed to maximise space, the unique fixed shell lounge seat enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions, allowing customers to make the space their own during a longhaul flight.
The cabin has been inspired by Finnair’s Nordic design language and warm, dark, comforting colour scheme – following the palette and design of the airline’s non-Schengen lounges, unveiled at Helsinki Airport pre-pandemic.
Offered progressively since 2022, “customer feedback on our revolutionary Business Class seat and brand-new Premium Economy cabin has been excellent”, shared Ole Orvér, chief commercial officer of Finnair.
“We also know our customers value consistency and reliability, so to offer a uniform cabin concept across our whole fleet is a huge step on our customer experience journey. Customer satisfaction with our longhaul cabins has increased significantly with the cabin renewal,” he added.
In the coming months, Finnair will update the cabins of its regional E190 aircraft and open a new and larger lounge at the Schengen area of its home hub Helsinki Airport for its Business Class customers and Finnair Plus tier members.
Korean Air expands Asian network
Korean Air will resume and boost services to China, and increase frequencies on select routes to Japan to meet rising demand.
The airline will resume its Busan-Shanghai Pudong and Jeju-Beijing routes with daily flights starting July 1. Additionally, the Seoul Incheon-Hefei service will resume with five weekly flights from August 19, the Busan-Beijing route with six weekly flights starting September 16, and the Seoul Incheon-Kunming service with four weekly flights from October 14.
Select routes will also see an increase in flight frequencies. The Seoul Incheon-Yanji route will increase to daily flights from four weekly flights starting June 1. The Seoul Incheon-Dalian route will temporarily see an increase by four flights to 11 weekly flights from July 1 to September 15. The daily Seoul Incheon-Tianjin route will increase to two daily flights from August 5 to October 20.
Additionally, the Seoul Incheon-Ulaanbaatar route will be increased by two flights, to operate eight weekly flights from June 1 to September 30.
To accommodate growing travel demand for Japan, the airline will resume thrice weekly Jeju-Tokyo Narita services from July 19 to October 25 while Seoul Incheon-Okayama route will increase from three to five weekly flights starting August 3. The Seoul Incheon-Kagoshima route will also increase from three to five weekly flights starting September 2.
Vietjet connects Taiwanese cities to Phu Quoc
Vietjet’s first flights between resort island Phu Quoc and the Taiwanese cities of Taichung and Kaohsiung have taken off.
The Phu Quoc-Taichung route operates with three return flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while Phu Quoc-Kaohsiung service comes on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Vietjet currently operates nine direct routes connecting Vietnam to Taiwan’s major cities, and is the only airline offering flights between Phu Quoc and all three of the largest cities of Taiwan, namely Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Taichung.
Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) is introducing a new five-star property to Cagayan de Oro, located in the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines.
The 717-key Radisson Blu Hotel & Residences, Cagayan de Oro will become the first internationally-branded mixed-use development, and will feature a choice of accommodation styles, two restaurants, a rooftop pool, pool bar, spa, fitness centre, and event venues. In addition, residence owners will be offered exclusive access to a private clubhouse.
Cagayan de Oro is a major commercial hub and tourism destination, with many natural attractions including pure seas, lush forests and mountains, and activities such as trekking, white-water rafting, sailing and kayaking. Just offshore, Camiguin Island is an ASEAN Heritage Park with volcanoes and beaches. For business travelers, a new economic zone is being planned just outside Cagayan de Oro, and construction work recently commenced on the expansion of Laguindingan Airport, Northern Mindanao’s main aviation gateway, to cater for an expected rise in visitation.
Ray Go Manigsaca, president and CEO, AppleOne Group, commented: “We are excited to partner with Radisson Hotel Group to introduce the first internationally-branded hotel and residences to Cagayan de Oro, and the entire Northern Mindanao region. This will also be the city’s first 5-star hotel.”
Ramzy Fenianos, chief development officer – Asia Pacific, RHG, added that the company is “in discussion with AppleOne Group regarding another branded project in the pipeline”.