Princess Cruises’ 2023-24 Australia and New Zealand season will feature four ships – Royal-Class ships Majestic Princess and Royal Princess as well as Coral Princess and Grand Princess – offering 76 itineraries to 68 destinations in total.
The ships will sail from Australia and New Zealand’s homeports, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Auckland.
Majestic Princess is one of the ships sailing for the 2023-24 Australia and New Zealand season
In 2023, the season starts from January to April, followed by October to December. In 2024, the season starts from January to April, followed by August to September. There is also a 110-night world cruise onboard Coral Princess, which will depart from Sydney on April 30, 2024 and from Brisbane on May 2, 2024.
“Australia and New Zealand are among the top destinations for our guests in South-east Asia, and we see increased interest for cruises Down Under and Across the Ditch since the border openings. We are blending immersive onboard experiences with epic landscapes, colourful cultures, and laid-back charm to provide memorable cruise vacations,” said Farriek Tawfik, country director for South-east Asia, Princess Cruises.
Highlights include Fiordland National Park, Māori culture immersion, glow-worms in underground caves outside Auckland, and a peek into movie-making magic with The Lord of the Rings tour in Wellington. There are also excursions and tours like bush-walking in the Blue Mountains or visiting the Australian Outback.
Booking.com and CHOOOSE have partnered as part of their shared vision to increase traveller awareness about the carbon implications of their trips and enable them to make informed and responsible choices.
The partnership will start by exploring how best to provide transparent information about the carbon emissions associated with a booking on the platform, beginning with accommodation and moving on to other travel products and services, including flights.
The partnership aims to increase traveller awareness about the carbon implications of their trips and to make informed and responsible choices
This will expand to the introduction of carbon offsetting options within the customer journey, and eventually provide travellers with the option to address the CO2 emissions associated with their trip directly on Booking.com, by supporting a portfolio of certified nature-based solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Danielle D’Silva, head of sustainability, Booking.com said: “With half of travellers citing that recent news about climate change has influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices, supporting travellers to make more informed decisions related to the carbon footprint of their trips is a top priority for us.
“Together with CHOOOSE, we can provide information in a more transparent manner, and through trusted climate projects, can offer another way for travellers to make more mindful travel decisions.”
Andreas Slettvoll, CEO, CHOOOSE added: “The challenging bit is that many still don’t know exactly where or how to start. That’s why we are proud to team up with Booking.com making information about carbon emissions more accessible and ultimately actionable for people worldwide. Through the partnership, we can turn sustainable intentions into more concrete sustainable actions.”
Avani Palm View and Avani Ibn Battuta in Dubai have unveiled activities and stay packages as the countdown begins for FIFA World Cup in Qatar on November 20.
Avani Palm View will start the celebrations early with screenings of the Premier League matches throughout October at dedicated sports viewing venue Seven Seeds. The hotel has also partnered with Budweiser and African & Eastern to raffle off a trip to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup final among guests who purchase a bucket or four pints of Budweiser. There will be other prizes up for grabs too.
Guests can enjoy FIFA World Cup action on the giant outdoor screen at Avani Ibn Battuta’s Pele Pool Bar
During the daily screenings at Seven Seeds, there will a Football Kit menu offering pub favourites like beer-battered Cajun chicken strips, German beef bratwurst, Guinness beef and mushroom pie, fish and chips, and more.
Avani Ibn Battuta will kick off the Festival of Football with The Match Is On stay package, which includes accommodation, welcome gift, daily breakfast for two, restaurant and bar credits, complimentary airport transfer and shuttle to Expo City Fanbase.
The package is priced from AED$999 (US$271) per room per night, and available from November 21 to December 18.
Guests can also enjoy every minute of the action on the giant outdoor screen at Pele Pool Bar with the Festival of Football family package. Priced at AED$399 for two (children under 12 eat for free), the package comprises unlimited poolside appetiser buffet, three-hour unlimited house pouring beverages, and access to a supervised kids’ play area with PlayStation 5 and EA Sports FIFA games.
There is also a Match at the Pool package, priced at AED$100 per person, which includes match viewing at Pele Pool Bar and an AED$100 F&B credit. Advanced booking is required.
As Penang Global Tourism scales up destination marketing to spur travellers into action, it has chosen to spotlight lesser-known but accessible areas that are big on nature and exude laidback charms.
The Opposite Side of the Island campaign highlights Seberang Perai while The Other Side of the Island showcases Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang. These were presented to the travel trade and media in Singapore on Tuesday, ahead of ITB Asia 2022.
These destinations promise experiences that are different from what Penang is typically known for.
Senior leadership from Penang’s tourism community discuss new destination marketing approaches; (from left) Malaysian Association of Hotels’ Khoo Boo Lim, Penang State Exco Office for Tourism and Creative Economy’s Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang Global Tourism’s Ooi Chok Yan, and Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association’s Albert Tan (photo by Karen Yue)
Yeoh Soon Hin, head of Penang State Exco Office for Tourism and Creative Economy, said: “Most travellers to Penang tend to focus on George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawn to the area’s historical architecture, artistic graffiti and street food. We initiated The Opposite Side of the Island and The Other Side of the Island to give urban visitors different discoveries.”
Visitors to Seberang Perai, Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang can experience homestays with local residents, explore fruit farms particularly those specialising in prized durians, and take in a slower pace of life amid sounds and sights of nature.
He believes that these lesser-known destinations will “expand tourism options” in the state and lead to longer stays and higher spends.
Spotlighting these “hidden gems” will also raise interest in Penang, a destination already familiar to many regional travel trade partners and travellers.
Seberang Perai, Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang can satisfy the strong desire among travellers to “escape from stressful daily city routine”, opined Yeoh.
Echoing Yeoh’s observations, Ooi Chok Yan, CEO of Penang Global Tourism, said: “We see travellers preferring more outdoor attractions post-lockdown, perhaps due to the belief that air flow is better and fresher. That is one of the reasons why we created the two new campaigns to promote Penang’s natural sceneries.”
Equally important, Penang’s latest move will drive tourism income deeper into the local community.
“(The new campaigns have) increased the exposure of community tourism in these areas. Local businesses like food stalls, restaurants and handicraft (shops) have received significant visits from tourists, and (traffic) will gradually and definitely increase earnings for these residents,” Ooi told TTG Asia.
The tourism authorities have been guiding residents in Seberang Perai, Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang on homestay operations and tourist reception. All homestays are certified by the tourism ministry, “so they meet international standards for hygiene and comfort”, shared Yeoh.
Expressing confidence in the tourism potential of the three destinations, Khoo Boo Lim, vice president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, said “there are many interesting and creative developments” that would interest travellers.
“For example, in Balik Pulau, there are durian estates with cafes and that offer visitors a peek into the life of a durian farmer. If you were to visit during the durian season, you can even see ripe durians falling from the trees!” Khoo said.
Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts has appointed Rajeev Paul as general manager of The Residence Bintan.
Paul has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, and his career has spanned all of Asia from Bhutan to Bintan including the Middle East across some of the world’s leading hotel brands with Oberoi, Six Senses, Alila and Aman.
A part of the pre-opening team, Paul joined Cenizaro Hotels and Resorts in 2017 as The Residence Bintan’s hotel operations manager. He was soon appointed acting general manager in 2021.
Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach in Thailand has announced the executive management team ahead of its grand opening in 4Q2022.
Back row from left: Thanate Likhittumrongkawin, Alexis Movio, Ranjeet Rajebhosale, Vincenzo Gatti, Kriengkrai Chongkhanpond; front row from left: Anna Rhee, Dollarpapat Sookmuang, Sunny Yu
Leading the team is Ranjeet Rajebhosale as general manager, who has amassed 28 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He was previously general manager of Hyatt Regency Liberation Square Chongqing, China.
Anna Rhee is executive assistant manager – rooms, and has been with Hyatt for more than 23 years. Her most recent position was with Hyatt Regency Nha Trang in Vietnam where she served on the pre-opening team.
New director of sales & marketing Sunny Yu joins the team after over a decade with IHG where she held roles in loyalty marketing, global sales effectiveness and commercial marketing. In addition, she is in her fifth year serving as president of the Thailand Chapter of Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International.
Overseeing the hotel’s restaurants, bars and lounges is director of food & beverage Alexis Movio. A dynamic F&B professional, he has worked in some of Asia’s most luxurious hotels and resorts.
Vincenzo Gatti is the resort’s executive chef. Gatti has worked in the top kitchens of Europe and Asia for two decades, as well as in Asia. He has extensive experience of Hyatt and its brands, having worked at Park Hyatt Guangzhou, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in the past six years.
Thanate Likhittumrongkawin joins the team as director of finance. He has worked with brands including JW Marriott and W Hotels before joining Hyatt Regency Phuket.
Dollarpapat Sookmuang is the director of human resources, and joins Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach from Park Hyatt Maldives, while Kriengkrai Chongkhanpond, director of engineering, most recently worked on the launch of Hyatt Regency Koh Samui.
As one of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) 10 MICE Cities, Chiang Mai already has the goods for all types of events, but continuously adds and improves on its business events infrastructure of hotels and conference centres.
The situation has become even better with the arrival of two new properties, according to Vorapong Muchaotai, deputy managing director of DMC Event Thailand.
There are more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai; a temple guardian pictured
“Meliá Chiang Mai, which opened in June 2022, (offers several meeting options) while The InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping, on target for its launch in 1Q2023, will provide expansive meeting areas suitable for events,” he said.
Vipasiri Napawongdee, cluster director of marketing communications at Meliá Koh Samui & Chiang Mai, revealed that Meliá Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng Grand Ballroom can seat up to 300 guests, which helped in its selection as an official hotel for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference (APEC) 2022.
To help event planners improve their sustainability ethos, EcoTouch Meetings by Meliá is a programme that raises awareness about the responsible use of resources. All materials are from recycled sources, such as notebooks, pens, markers, flipcharts and coasters. Glass jars instead of plastic bottles are also used, as well as energy-saving lighting, and the use of computers and audiovisual equipment with low energy ratings, among other initiatives.
Located near to Meliá Chiang Mai and in the heart of the city are more options for event planners, such as the Le Meridien Chiang Mai with 1,741m2 of event space, and the Shangri-La Chiang Mai which boasts an auditorium which can accommodate up to 2,000 guests.
There is also the upcoming 306-key InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping. The property is a complete makeover of the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, which IHG took over in 2019, and will feature over 3,600m2 of outdoor and indoor convention, event and meeting spaces.
Aside from meeting capabilities, attractions delegates can explore pre- or post-meetings include the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Tha Pae Gate and Warorot Market.
These MICE-ready properties, as well as the destination’s ease of air connectivity, help Chiang Mai to capitalise on being a leading destination for international business events.
Vorapong pointed out: “In addition to daily flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by Scoot and Air Asia, there are also charter flights from Incheon by Jeju Air bringing large groups of golfers to Chiang Mai which began in June 2022, on top of the other services.”
Already known as the gateway to northern Thailand, Chiang Mai International Airport is also the fourth busiest in the country.
“However, despite recovering nearly 50 per cent of passenger levels in July 2022 compared to the same time in 2019, the airport is not back to full capacity. Pre-pandemic the majority of arrivals were from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei, whose borders have still not fully opened for travel,” he noted.
The historical iron bridge in Chiang Mai
Despite the current shortfall in arrivals, there is growing excitement around the proposed construction of a second airport for the region. The new airport is expected to be developed in Lamphun Ban Thi, approximately 25km from the existing Chiang Mai International Airport.
Chiang Mai is no stranger to large-scale events as well. The most auspicious headliner would no doubt be the APEC 2022 sessions. At the end of August 2022, more than 1,000 delegates got together at the Chiang Mai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (CMICE) for the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry, and Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum.
CMICE was also the host of FTI Expo 2022 (Federation of Thailand Industry), welcoming thousands of delegates from June 29 to July 3, July 2022. The conference was graced by Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who presided over the opening ceremony with a keynote speech.
This year, for the first time, Chiang Mai also hosted the Spartan Race organisation over a weekend in August, which saw more than 3,000 runners from 30 countries compete on a five-kilometre trail strewn with 20 obstacles. It generated over 300 million baht (US$8.3 million) for the city over four days.
Chuta Tharachai, TCEB’s director of the Northern Region Office, is capitalising on the smooth handling of the large-scale event to obtain the rights to organise the Spartan Race World Series, which has a fan base of two million people from 40 countries.
Commenting on the city’s recovery, Vipasiri said: “Chiang Mai is a busy city with a thriving tourism scene and is well-prepared with up-to-date infrastructure for events and conferences. Once Asia and the rest of the world embrace large-group travel and international meetings again, we are more than ready (to welcome them).”
Centara Hotels & Resorts has named Siriwan Wangthamrong as executive vice president of human resources.
She brings 30 years of experience to Centara, where she will oversee the company’s entire human resources efforts to support more than 6,000 staff members across Asia and the Middle East.
She was most recently director – human resources and administration for G4S Security Services (Thailand), overseeing a total headcount of 20,000 employees.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing both organisations to closer collaborative working, focusing on improving the environmental and social impact of the global hospitality industry.
Through the partnership, WTTC and SHA have pledged to promote a united voice for a more sustainable future for the hospitality industry, cooperating on new research projects to foster understanding of the latest in sustainability innovation.
Representatives of WTTC and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance set a milestone for sustainable tourism development
Both will also work together to raise awareness of new initiatives and success stories, launch new commissions and advisory bodies, further advance understanding of innovation and key sustainability indicators and partner on critical issues such as youth employability, human trafficking, and climate action.
Julia Simpson, president & CEO, WTTC said: “The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance has been a valuable supporter of our Hotel Sustainability Basics which are the first step in the ladder to advance sustainability in the industry. Although the hospitality industry has transformed dramatically in recent years, we recognise that there is still more that we can do together.
“Our collective efforts will enable the hospitality industry to continue moving towards a greater positive impact through this new partnership.”
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, SHA said: “We are proud to be partnering with WTTC on promoting sustainable growth. This partnership combines the Alliance’s sector-specific expertise with WTTC’s scale and reach to enable both our organisations to enhance collective impact across the industry and drive progress further towards net positive hospitality.
Mandziuk is positive about the future potential of both organisations working together having previously partnered with WTTC on the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative.
Destination Gold Coast’s CEO Patricia O’Callaghan has resigned after two years of service and will join Tourism and Events Queensland as CEO in 2023.
O’Callaghan will continue in her current role until November 30.
As an advocate and strong supporter of Gold Coast’s tourism industry, O’Callaghan will continue to promote the destination and the wider Queensland tourism economy in her new role.
A part of the pre-opening team, Paul joined Cenizaro Hotels and Resorts in 2017 as The Residence Bintan’s hotel operations manager. He was soon appointed acting general manager in 2021.
She was most recently director – human resources and administration for G4S Security Services (Thailand), overseeing a total headcount of 20,000 employees.
As an advocate and strong supporter of Gold Coast’s tourism industry, O’Callaghan will continue to promote the destination and the wider Queensland tourism economy in her new role.
