Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 17 OCTOBER 2019 D AY 2 TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA I T B A S I A S H O W D A I L I E S 17 Want to be an L.A. Insider? Now you can Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board has launched a new agent training app, L.A. Insider. It offers video-based modules, which "make learning easy for time-poor agents," said Craig Gibbons, regional director of Oceania & Southeast Asia. Agents can learn about key neighbourhoods, themes like outdoors, entertainment and shopping, and incentives and promotional updates. Wheels up for Luxury Escapes Australia-based luxury travel platform is expanding its flight booking function to Singapore next week, following its debut in Australia and New Zealand. The new flights capability is a significant step forward for the company, as it seeks to branch out its range of offerings from accommodation to ground tours, cruises and in-destination experiences. The latest news and happenings from the floor. IN BRIEF C arlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit aims to offer a unique experience when it opens its doors in January or February next year. "Bangkok is a competitive market with lots of creative quality hotels across all market levels. While we're an independent hotel, we operate on high international standards and have invested a lot of consideration and money to offer an upper-upscale experience that is not cookie-cutter," said general manager Mark Bulmer who was previously heading Carlton Hotel Singapore. Prominently located on Sukhumvit Road, the 338- key property stands out with its eye-catching "curve and flow" copper-mesh facade. Functionality is a high priority for the hotel. Its rooms are of Following a year of slowing growth, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are confident that tourist arrivals for 2020 will rebound and successfully meet the lofty target of 41.8 million set by the Thai government. Speaking at a media roundtable at ITB Asia at Marina Bay Sands, TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said his organisation is already working on the strategy for next year, and it includes focusing on four segments: Health and wellness; sports tourism; weddings and honeymoons; as well as green tourism. Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit to offer 'non-cookie-cutter experience' Goal 2020: Thailand confident of meeting 41.8 million target a minimum size of 37sqm and come with thoughtful touches including electric curtains and blinds, washlet toilets and an IPTV that allows screen mirroring via apple TV and Google Chromecast – one of the first hotels in Bangkok to do so. With meetings and events "a critical segment" according to Mr Bulmer, the hotel offers two floors of event spaces featuring a 600sqm pillarless Grand Ballroom with large LED panels on the walls and a wave-like chandelier with mood lighting. There are also four 100sqm event rooms and four boardrooms with natural daylight. In addition, the hotel will bring in award-winning Wah Lok Cantonese restaurant from Carlton Hotel Singapore as a bid to attract the local Thai wedding market, said Mr Bulmer. "Next year, we plan to launch a project based on responsible tourism," said Mr Yuthasak, whose organisation is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. "That will be our new movement." The Asian market will continue to be Thailand's largest segment in terms of arrivals and revenue, said TAT deputy governor for international marketing (Asia and South Pacific), Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya. "We will be working on attracting more millennials, more golfers, through consumer engagement efforts online and offline," he said. VISIT: BOOTH R05 VISIT: BOOTH E05 BY LEE XIN HUI BY STANLEY HO "Next year we plan to launch a project based on responsible tourism. That will be our new movement for the new year." - YUTHASAK SUPASORN, GOVERNOR, TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND "Bangkok is a competitive market... we have invested a lot of consideration and money to offer an upper-upscale experience that is not cookie-cutter." – MARK BULMER, GENERAL MANAGER, CARLTON HOTEL BANGKOK SUKHUMVIT Think 'curve-and-flow' facade, award-winning Cantonese cuisine and wave-like chandeliers with mood lighting WHAT THEY SAY: "My focus is sourcing for US-based tour operators, because we have a MICE group that is coming in June. Our clients have come from real estate, insurance, automobile and IT. On the leisure front, New Zealand has been a very sellable destination for Philippine travellers." – Erlinda L. Tan, president, JLT Travel & Tours "We're a DMC in Armenia mainly serving MICE groups from India. This year, we're looking to tap into new Asian markets like Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore as more travellers are visiting from the region." – Vrezh Sargsyan, founder & CEO of Best Travel and Anika Yazichyan, managing director of Best Travel

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