Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 17 OC TOBER 2018 TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA I T B A S I A S H O W D A I L I E S 25 ////// On the Show Floor By Brooke Thio Mijung Im, CEO, Tourpro Travel, Busan, South Korea "It's my first time attending ITB Asia. As an outbound travel agency, I hope to get in touch with more travel agencies and hotels and to find out more about global tourism trends. Singapore is a very attractive destination for Koreans but there is no direct flight between Singapore and Busan. But I hear that this may soon change in the first half of 2019." Leading Singapore-based DMC Tour East is developing more special interest tours and tailor- made programmes for its customers amid growing demand, especially from repeat visitors to the city-state. According to Chris Bailey, senior vice president of sales & marketing, international market, the largest source markets for Singapore are the United Kingdom and Australia. Clients from Australia, in particular, are happy to visit Singapore as a sole destination but demand more creative programmes. North America is also a growing market, which is why Tour East is opening a sales and service centre in Los Angeles. "One of the challenges is obviously the time difference; very rarely do you have the opportunity to talk during office hours. Payment issues, like expensive telegraphic transfers, are also a hindrance to sales," shared Bailey. "With this service centre, our consultants there can work with agents in their own time zone and help them book tours across all of our 15 offices." To further enhance the entire travel experience, Tour East is also in the last stages of testing a new smartphone app that can be used by both partners and customers. Travel agents can create and share itineraries which are then viewed by customers, and customers can also making bookings on the fly via the app. Bailey adds that the new app also creates additional earning opportunities for agents even during a trip. The new app, together with a new online platform, serves to complement the company's brick-and-mortar facilities. Earlier in October, Tour East officially launched Singapore's first premium tour lounge at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, providing its customers with a dedicated service venue in the city centre. TOUR EAST CUSTOMISES PROGRAMMES WITH TECHNOLOGY SIA FLIES TO NEW YORK S ingapore Airlines launched the world's longest commercial flight this month, from Singapore's Changi Airport to New York's Newark Liberty International Airport. New York's official destination marketing organisation NYC & Company is quick to tap into this opportunity with the announcement of a new representative office BY AUDREY NG in Singapore to handle in-market tourism development from the region. "The South-east Asia region is an important emerging target segment for New York City, representing more than 225,000 visitors each year. Through the expansion of our promotional efforts in this region, we look forward to inviting even more travellers to discover the unique beauty and magnetism of the five boroughs," said Fred Dixon, president and CEO, NYC & Company. Set to change New York's landscape next year is the massive Hudson Yards neighbourhood comprising commercial, residential and cultural spaces. Also opening are multi-arts centre The Shed, the Statue of Liberty Museum, TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, Museum of Modern Art expansion and 100-store Empire Outlets. Raymond Zhang, CEO, Hong Thai Travel, Hong Kong "I have been to ITB Berlin and China and want to see what is different here. I'm looking for suppliers to serve the right destinations and needs. I want to develop new destinations and products for detailed segments of customers, for example, those interested in sports, health, food and special sightings." Fred Dixon, president and CEO, NYC & Company MERITUS MAKES IT PERSONAL M eritus Hotels & Resorts has been quick to utilise mobile technology to personalise guest experience. Mandarin Orchard Singapore launched a mobile application that enables pre-arrival registration to facilitate the check-in process, express check-out and in-room dining service. It also acts as a mobile key for guestrooms. "With millennials shaping the landscape of corporate travel, we will continue to up our game in offering curated solutions that combine intuitive in-hotel technology with personalised guest experience," says Tan Kim Seng, chief operating officer of Meritus Hotels & Resorts. Both hotels had improvements done, such as a 950- seat pillarless Grand Mandarin Ballroom in Mandarin Orchard Singapore, complete with intelligent lighting systems. At Marina Mandarin Singapore, the recently launched 100-seat Pool Garden Pavilion, a semi-outdoor event venue for cocktails or team building activities has its booking calendar packed with upcoming events. Tan Kim Seng, COO, Meritus Hotels & Resorts PHOT0 CREDIT: NYC & COMPANY BY AUDREY NG

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