Northstar

TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA O F F I C I A L D A I L I E S www.travelweekly-asia.com 12 26 October 2017 W ith three brands – Radisson Blu, Radisson and Park Plaza – and five hotels in Thailand spanning four in Bangkok, the country is a key Asian destination for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin, which opened in late 2016, highlights a beachfront location, 118 contemporary rooms and suites and a 200sqm ballroom. "Asia Pacific is the most promising and energetic growth region of the world and a driving force of global economic activity," said Sandy Russell, vice president, Commercial Operations, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, in support of the brand's focus in the region. The first to open in Vietnam in Q4 2017 will be the new-build, integrated resort of 522 rooms, the Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc. The 290-key beachfront Radisson Blu Cam Ranh Bay, slated to launch Q4 2018, will take advantage of the nearby Cam Ranh International Airport, anticipating eight million passengers by 2030. In Bali, the brand's debut late this year will be the Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu, while in Batam the Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam will answer demand from business travellers weekdays and leisure guests weekends. CARLSON REZIDOR GETS BUSY ACROSS ASIA PACIFIC Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc Sandy Russell, vice president, commercial operations, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Swissôtel taps into Osaka tourism boom Newly designed Swiss Select rooms at Swissôtel Nankai Osaka strike a chord with visitors to Osaka, which has experienced a recent tourism boom. The majority of new travellers to the city are currently driven by the China market, with new markets anticipated as Osaka and Kansai International Airports secure new air routes. "We enjoy a solid demand especially from Asia. Osaka continues to be a top destination for travellers looking for a city break, shopping tours or in search of new culinary experiences," said Jordi Pedro, director of Sales & Marketing. To facilitate the convenient arrival of guests direct from Kansai International Airport, the hotel has built new entrances on the first and third levels of the building, with elevators that will take them directly to the sixth-level lobby. The new Select rooms blend traditional Japanese elements with modern design for a sophisticated look. Technology such as Handy smartphones with unlimited wifi access come standard to ensure guests maximise their time in the city. Newly-appointed chief sales and marketing officer of Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) Cinn Tan believes that now is a 'golden opportunity' for the Group to establish itself in the China market. Outside of Singapore, its corporate headquarters, China is one of PPHG's largest operating regions with one-fifth of the portfolio including Pan Pacific Suzhou, Pan Pacific Tianjin, Pan Pacific Xiamen, Pan Pacific Ningbo, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Ningbo, and the latest to open, Pan Pacific Beijing. To capture travellers from the market, the Group will pay attention to the customer's experience with a focus on online channels, according to Tan, who was based out of Shanghai in her previous role. "Technology enhancements will drive the customisation of guest experience at the digital storefront. Our guests can look forward to greater personalisation and recognition, which will sync up with our loyalty programme so we can Cinn Tan, chief sales and marketing officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group PAN PACIFIC GOES FOR CHINA better engage with and reward our customers," she said. "Our idea is to provide value at every step of the customer journey and ensuring that it is efficient, intuitive, and seamless throughout." The Group will be opening Pan Pacific Yangon in November, and a revamped PARKROYAL Penang Resort in December. Next year, the Pan Pacific brand will be launched in Johor, Malaysia with Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Puteri Harbour. Banyan Tree Holdings will be operating an eco-friendly resort within Mandai's new integrated nature and wildlife destination come 2023. Owned by Mandai Park Holdings (MPH), this will be the first property for the hospitality operator in Singapore. At present, it has 43 resorts in 25 countries. Sited on a 4.6 ha plot of land at the eastern end of the precinct, the eco- friendly resort will offer full-service accommodation within Singapore's wildlife park across standard room types and elevated cabins or treehouses. Guided nature works, recycling workshops and educational movie screenings will be offered to guests. "This stayover experience forms an integral part of our overall vision for the Mandai nature and wildlife precinct - to inspire guests to value and conserve biodiversity through memorable experiences," said Mike Barclay, group CEO of MPH. The collaboration with MPH comes on the back of two noteworthy strategic partnerships with Chinese real estate developer Vanke and AccorHotels in January and December respectively. BANYAN TREE PLANTS FIRST FLAG IN SINGAPORE Meliá wants to double Asia Pacific growth Having recently celebrated 60 years in the hotel industry, Meliá Hotels International maintains a robust momentum in Asia Pacific, launching six hotels per year in the region. With 18 hotels currently in operation, the group expects to double that figure to over 40 hotels by 2022. The group has rapidly expanded in China, having debuted its INNSIDE by Meliá brand in China with the opening of the 335-room flagship INNSIDE by Meliá Zhengzhou in September. It follows the launch of the 389-room Gran Meliá Xian, 239-room Meliá Jinan and 187-room Meliá Shanghai Hongqiao. The group has plans to launch five more properties in China including Meliá Shanghai Parkside, which will open in early 2018 with 88 rooms in the first phase. The property will be located within the core area of Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone. Meliá has also announced a fourth hotel in Malaysia. The 250-room Meliá Melaka is scheduled to open in 2020. NEWS BY ESTHER FAITH LEW, LEE XIN HUI, NAOMI NEOH AND CATHARINE NICOL

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