Minor Hotels will launch its luxury Anantara brand in India with Anantara Jaipur Hotel, scheduled to open 4Q2023.
The new-build hotel will feature 150 guestrooms and suites, including four Terrace Suites with private plunge pools and a 160m2 Royal Suite with a large terrace and private pool.
Opening 4Q2023, Anantara Jaipur Hotel will be the first Anantara hotel in India
For dining, there will be a specialty Indian fine dining restaurant and terrace, a rooftop bar and restaurant, all-day dining with a show kitchen, as well as a hotel bar lounge and terrace. Other facilities will comprise a spa, beauty salon, gym, semi-outdoor pool, kids’ club, and event spaces.
The hotel has also been designed to meet the demands of the rapidly growing demand for destination weddings, and will be able to cater to weddings of up to 2,500 guests with its collection of indoor and outdoor venues.
Dillip Rajakarier, group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels, commented: “We are really excited to expand our footprint in India with this important new project that will marry Anantara’s trademark take on authentic, indigenous luxury with outstanding wedding and event facilities.
“Jaipur is one of India’s most vibrant destinations, with a huge destination wedding potential, and I look forward to working with (owner) Ajay Gangwal and his team to launch our first Anantara in India, which is a significant strategic step for Minor Hotels.”
The Maldives is persisting in its journey to present itself as a diverse destination for different segments of travellers, not just the affluent.
According to the Maldives deputy tourism minister Naushad Mohamed, the authorities are promoting the destination for business travel, sports tourism and culture tourism.
The Maldives is courting families, sports enthusiasts, festival-goers, culture vultures, corporate groups and more
“We also want to include inclusive travel for the differently-abled,” said Thoyyib Mohamed, managing director of Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), adding that family travel is part of the strategy too.
Besides an altered destination marketing narrative, changes to infrastructure across the destination has helped to reposition the Maldives.
Dilip Rajakariar, CEO of Minor Hotels Group, observes that the Maldives has become very family-friendly, with an entire infrastructure built around families and their needs.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas offers a kids club that comes with a trampoline park, a splash park and slides as well as a full line-up of activities from 10.00 to 18.00 daily, giving children little reason to stay indoors.
Guests looking to bond can sign up for a story-telling date with grandpa, with cookies and milk thrown in. Families can also stargaze at the resort’s over-water observatory and interact with a Maldivian astrologist.
Andy Nightingale, cluster director of sales and marketing for Anantara Dhigu, Veli & Naladhu Private Island, Maldives, said properties offer a mix of programmes unique to children and for everyone in the family because “while families are eager to go on a holiday together post-lockdown, parents are also going crazy after 24 hours with their kids”.
“They need a break, and we are happy to help,” he said. Properties under his care offer complimentary kids programmes, like movie nights, so that the grown-ups can enjoy a tranquil drink or meal for a couple of hours.
Sunny Umar, founder of Halal Travel and co-founder of Get me to Maldives Travels, said resorts are offering different experiences, from museums and craft activities to local island visits, so as to attract a wider range of travellers.
For example, Crossroads Maldives, said to be the Maldives’ first multi-island integrated resort, offers two resorts, 12 dining destinations, two spas, a shopping avenue, and a wide range of recreational activities including watersports, chartered cruises and more.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has programmes for little ones
Festivals are heating up too. Soneva Fushi hosted in May 2022 what it called “the greatest literary show on Earth”. The Jaipur Literature Festival, which is hosted at various places around the world, arrived for the first time in the Maldives in 2022, bringing together a line-up of the world’s finest authors and most acclaimed thinkers. The event will return to Soneva Fushi this year from May 12 to 21.
The expansion of destination experiences helps the Maldives to engage with younger travellers, opined the general manager of a global DMC, who declined to be named. He said younger travellers want more than just a fun holiday. They desire interaction with local people, and opportunities to appreciate local food, culture, heritage, and history.
“They want to understand more of the culture, not only luxuriate on the beaches,” he remarked.
The younger generation is observed to also want to leave a positive impact on the local economy wherever they travel, and are more carbon conscious. These travellers will discover that many resorts in the Maldives are certified with responsible tourism-driven organisations like Travelife, added the general manager.
The clearest shift away from the Maldives’ traditional affluent market is seen in the tourism marketers’ courtship of three-star travellers. There are hundreds of guesthouses that appeal to budget-conscious explorers, while homestays are newer options that are being marketed aggressively these days.
The anonymous general manager also noted that the Maldives is appealing now to “Instagrammers who are looking for something different”.
Meanwhile, with internal travel demand rising, local domestic airline Manta Air said in December 2022 that it would expand its fleet with 12 additional DHC6 Twin Otter aircraft for its seaplane service.
Efforts are paying off. The Maldives was named the World’s Leading Destination for the third consecutive year at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2022, while MMPRC claimed the title of World’s Leading Tourism Board at the awards presented on November 11, 2022, at the WTA Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Muscat, Oman.
The destination welcomed 1.67 million tourists in 2022, up by 26.7 per cent against 2021 figures. This year’s target is set at around two million. The main source markets were India, Russia, the UK, Germany and Italy, with the US in sixth place as a growing market.
Although the Maldives is succeeding in expanding its markets, industry players expressed concerns about the country’s implementation of a higher Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST). Since January 2023, the T-GST has gone up from 12 per cent to 16 per cent.
“This is not a wise move. It would severely affect businesses as Maldives is already a pricey destination and airfares are also rising,” remarked Abdulla Ghiyas, president, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators. – Additional reporting by Karen Yue
Hilton continues to advance towards meeting key sustainability targets by reinforcing Travel with Purpose efforts in Asia-Pacific.
Published in 2022, the Travel with Purpose report details its latest progress as the company works to meet its global 2030 environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
Hilton has partnered with Diversey Inc. to reduce waste by repurposing items such as plastics and linens
To date, the company has managed to cut carbon emission intensity by 44 per cent, water intensity by 38 per cent, and landfill waste by 58 per cent among hotels globally.
Hilton has created more than 677,359 learning and career growth opportunities against its five million commitments and positively impacted 2.8 million community members through local support, disaster relief efforts and economic opportunities; as well as invested in two Fifth Wall’s climate technology funds that aim to decarbonise the global real estate sector, according to the report.
Through its Meet with Purpose programme, customers have the ability to offset their event’s carbon emissions and invest in a portfolio of carbon reduction projects through its partner ClimeCo. With the Meeting Impact Calculator, customers can now choose to make their meetings carbon neutral.
In response to the global trends which showed 86 per cent of travellers want to travel more sustainably, Hilton now offers on-site EV chargers for guests in over 110 hotels across Asia-Pacific as of December 2022. As a result, Hilton Zhoushan, China’s newly-installed charging stations, for example, have already reduced vehicle emissions by 60 tonnes.
Food waste reduction is also a significant part of Hilton’s effort – Conrad Centennial Singapore, for instance, reduces food waste by procuring often-discarded “ugly vegetables”, as well as plant-based eggs and meats for their menus.
Hilton has also partnered with Winnow to leverage AI technology to help chefs accurately pinpoint food waste streams to cut costs and tailor purchasing decisions in select hotels across Asia-Pacific. To date, seven properties in Japan have implemented such technology.
Through partnership with international cleaning and sanitation company, Diversey Inc., Hilton gives discarded linen from hotels a new life. Curtains, uniforms, bed sheets and tablecloths are turned into products that are sewn, designed and sold by local communities across the region. Plastic is also recycled into gravel, and charcoal is replaced by discarded coffee grounds as a cleaner alternative.
The release of the 2022 Travel with Purpose report corresponds with the release of the inaugural Hilton Global Foundation Impact Report, which highlights the positive global impact of US$2.3 million donated in 2022 to organisations working to build a healthy, sustainable planet and resilient communities for future generations.
Some examples of regional projects include the Punlaan School in the Philippines, which sponsors scholarships and programmes for underprivileged young women, focusing on hospitality and culinary arts while equipping them with job and life skills; and the ROLE Foundation in Indonesia that provides young, marginalised women with a six-month residential programme consisting of hospitality skills training, crucial life skills and confidence building activities.
In Malaysia, Hilton supports the Kechara Soup Kitchen which supplies food aid distributions to homeless, marginalised and poverty-stricken families; the China Foundation for Rural Development in China works to alleviate poverty in China through hospitality education, cultural exchanges, social media skills and other trainings; and the Ocean Conservancy in Australia, together with its partners, create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean.
To date, the Hilton Global Foundation has awarded over US$8 million in grants, donated over 8.1 million kilograms of food to communities in need, meaningfully impacted over 6.7 million people, and restored over 91,054 hectares of land.
Apart from counting on existing supporters in Asia to spread the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) campaign message, UFI – the Global Association of the Exhibitions is taking a “unique collective approach” to the value-chain of events.
Christian Duart, UFI research manager responsible for all sustainability research and initiatives, said: “UFI has been highly active (in NZCE) since COP26, supported by a substantial worldwide PR and social media programme.”
Net Zero Carbon Events initiative has work streams focusing on areas such as Venue Energy and Food
Duart, who is also secretary of the sustainable development committee, added the NZCE message was being delivered in editorials, via social media and UFI managing director/CEO Kai Hattendorf speaking about the pledge and campaign at conferences.
“The specific NZCE initiative that focuses on the impact of environment has also set up work streams to cover Venue Energy, Food, Production and Waste, Logistics, Travel and Accommodation, Measurement and Carbon Offsetting,” he told TTGmice.
The groups are developing guidelines on the best approach to implement the roadmap, and UFI is, on behalf of the NZCE task force, running the “Measurement” work stream that will define the standard methodologies, metrics and industry coefficients.
Duart added: “In the meantime, the NZCE campaign has produced a range of resources to help them to move forward. These are all free to download. They include a Quick Guide To Getting Started, NZCE Roadmap 2022 Executive Summary and NZCE ROADMAP 2022 Full Report.”
UFI, which has been active for a while around sustainability issues, is collecting best practices via an annual award scheme, he noted.
While UFI had not yet targeted exhibiting companies as such, Duart commented that it is being approached by organisers as well as venues and service providers for their respective services, in order to take part in the reduction of emissions.
“We shall see fast progress there in the coming year,” he opined.
Despite pricier airfares to Australia, Indian business event planners say clients are still clamouring for corporate incentive trips to the land Down Under.
Planners told TTGmice that airfares to Australia have gone up 30 to 40 per cent compared to pre-pandemic times.
BEA Asia Mega Famil Showcase kicked off on March 30
Yet, Nirav Desai, head – domestic and international MICE business, WE Events, said “future demand for Australia is looking healthy”, with strongest interest emanating from banking, insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
“At present we have three to four queries of 200 pax each from corporates considering Australia as a destination, said Desai.
He pointed to Australia’s quick visa processing system for giving the destination an edge over European alternatives.
Desai is a one of eight Indian planners who attended the recent Business Events Australia (BEA) Asia Mega Famil Showcase.
“Even though airfares have gone up, this is not a deterrent for insurance, banking and pharmaceutical companies which were not badly affected by the pandemic,” said Sajin Nawshad, director, Akbar Holidays, who added that pent-up travel demand is also helping to grow Indian outbound numbers to Australia.
“Australia has been proactive in its visa processing system for MICE travellers while visa delays in many European countries are creating a challenge (for Indian groups). We expect to close a few MICE groups that will travel to Australia later this year,” shared Bindeshwari Prasad, associate vice president of FCM Travel Solutions India.
Another participant, who requested for anonymity, told TTGmice that his company closed a 900-pax incentive group that would visit Melbourne in July 2023.
He noted a “huge increase in incentive movement to Australia” this year. While his company handled some 15 corporate events to Australia in 2019, he expects the numbers to double this year.
Like his peers, Australia has become both a big hit and easy sell due to the trusty visa processing system for business travellers.
As one of the first Asia-Pacific countries to open its borders in phases in 2021, Singapore has since hosted a fair share of tradeshows and conferences, naturally attracting pent-up demand for face-to-face events when travel was allowed.
This bodes well for the country’s business events industry, which is sporting a strong line-up of business events for 2023. Major events include FHA-Food & Beverage (April 25-28) and Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 (May 19-21), while rights to notable events such as SILMO Singapore (April 12-14) and the World Conference on Lung Cancer (September 9-12) have also been secured for the first time.
Singapore (pictured) is a springboard to access new markets in Asia-Pacific
Poh Chi Chuan, executive director, exhibitions & conferences, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: “The robust line-up of events demonstrates the industry’s confidence in Singapore’s strong fundamentals – our vibrant business culture, excellent infrastructure, stable government, and stellar track record in delivering high-quality events.”
This track record backed by the In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE) Global 2.0 programme and Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) scheme, both initiatives that help event organisers defray the cost of holding an event in Singapore, and assist them in the planning and execution.
Other initiatives include the launch of the MICE Sustainability Roadmap in December 2022, which sets out clear goals and strategies to raise sustainability standards across the industry.
Public-private partnerships are also crucial in Singapore’s sustainability push, which full-service event management agency Unearthed Productions, and Pan Pacific Hotels Group, are part of.
Adam Piperdy, Unearthed Productions, founder and chief experience officer, told TTGmice: “Sustainability efforts are in full swing here and we continue to study more ways we can be sustainable. For example, we started using reusable furniture (for outdoor events), such as pallets transformed into box chairs.”
The eco-friendly Parkroyal Collection Pickering
“More organisers have been moving towards sustainable destinations and venues, especially with heightened awareness from the pandemic. STB has successfully positioned Singapore as a prime hub for green meetings and events, as part of the SG Green Plan 2030,” Cinn Tan, chief sales & marketing officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), added.
“With environmentally-friendly features, biophilic design and sustainable MICE packages like Meet Lite, Feels Right, our Parkroyal Collection hotels in Singapore have received high volumes of requests due to their capabilities to cater for such demand,” she elaborated.
Large-scale event organisers are also working hard to lure more events to the Lion City.
Yip Je Choong, senior vice president commercial – APAC and managing director of Singapore and Indonesia, RX Global, said: “Things are still in development, but RX currently has six marque business events planned for 2023. These include the G2E Asia 2023 Special Edition: Singapore in May, and our newest event Bar Convent Singapore, slated for November.”
To attract more events, RX works closely with STB to “bring in side events previously held in other markets to take place in conjunction with our existing pipeline of shows, or clone events within RX’s global portfolio”.
Janice Lee, event director of hospitality, F&B, Hong Kong & Singapore at Informa Markets, pointed to FHA-Food & Beverage, an annual tradeshow starting from 2023, as a materialisation of the company’s hard work. FHA-Food & Beverage’s sister show FHA-HoReCa will remain biennial.
Lee said: “(Shows like these were established) by collaborating with industry partners and associations to identify potential opportunities. We will continue to develop innovative programmes and activities to boost Singapore’s appeal as an international events destination.”
Although the global landscape is competitive, stakeholders believe that Singapore’s value proposition has not changed – a multicultural metropolis with world-class facilities and infrastructure, accessibility, an empowering business environment, and reputation for safety and security.
Piperdy noted: “Although Singapore is a world-class event destination, it has traditionally not been the most affordable place to hold an event. But being competitive has less to do with cost and more to do with the value we’re able to deliver to international event organisers.”
“To further enhance its competitiveness, Singapore should also look to develop unique experiences that will appeal to MICE customers, and work to ensure that its hotels, venues and services are cost-effective,” Lee added.
Oetker Collection has named Jens Hackebeil as its chief financial officer, welcoming Hackebeil as a member of the company’s executive committee.
He’s been with Oetker Collection since 2011, and was most recently vice president finance.
His new responsibilities will include the continuation of day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activities of the company, in conjunction with directing and overseeing all aspects of Finance, Group Accounting, Purchasing, Legal and Compliance functions of the organisation.
Singapore’s bird park is getting ready to welcome visitors to its new location in Mandai. Called Bird Paradise, it will house a population of 3,500 birds across 400 species when it soft opens on May 8.
After 52 years of operations, Jurong Bird Park closed earlier in January for the big move from Jurong to Mandai where, for the past few months, over 100 staff have been busy making the transition as stress-free as possible for both the birds and their caretakers.
Conditioning the Scarlet Macaws at Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
Luis Neves, vice president of animal care, Mandai Wildlife Group, remarked that the birds are adapting well to the new environment and that the birds’ welfare and adjustment to their new habitat remains the group’s priority.
The new Sky Amphitheatre will feature an LED wall, and is designed for longer flights, with higher platforms to showcase flights from heights that were not previously possible at Jurong Bird Park.
Some new highlights guests can look forward to include eight walk-through aviaries where visitors can experience the different habitats of the world; the multi-level indoor Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove that is home to four penguin species; and close encounters with the birds and interactions with the animal care team.
Visitors to the new Bird Paradise can look forward to spotting several species making their debut, such as the Goldie’s Lorikeet, the European Bee-eater, the Brown-headed parrot, the Pompadour Cotinga, the Epaulette Oriole and the Grey-winged Trumpeter.
Bird Paradise will redouble its focus and take a prominent role in avian care, research and conservation efforts while providing opportunities for visitors to connect with these amazing creatures. It will also participate in over 75 ex-situ managed breeding programmes as part of its commitment to be a globally recognised hub for avian conservation and research.
Aarron Nelson has been appointed as the general manager of INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit.
He joins the Meliá team after five years as general manager of citizenM Kuala Lumpur.
With over 28 years of hospitality experience, Nelson has worked in countries such as Malaysia, the Maldives, Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand.
In his new role, he will oversee the operations of both properties, comprising a total of 512 rooms, seven restaurants and nine meeting rooms.
His new responsibilities will include the continuation of day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activities of the company, in conjunction with directing and overseeing all aspects of Finance, Group Accounting, Purchasing, Legal and Compliance functions of the organisation.
With over 28 years of hospitality experience, Nelson has worked in countries such as Malaysia, the Maldives, Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand.
