Tag: Tourism

Bali, Indonesia – As the Indonesian province of Bali gears up for reopening to tourists this year, Marriott International’s loyalty program Marriott Bonvoy and tourism gateway Bali.com have teamed up for a one-stop platform where travellers can book a travel arrangement to Bali under one platform.

Through the partnership, selected Marriott Bonvoy resorts in Bali and Bali.com will be offering a one-stop booking journey that includes a vacation accommodation and express travel visa on Marriott.com, or the destination platform. The express travel visa application process will be facilitated by Bali.com.

In addition, Marriott Bonvoy Members will enjoy 10% off the express travel visa application fee should they wish to make their own visa arrangements with Bali.com.

Ramesh Jackson, area vice president for Indonesia at Marriott International, said that they have always been a firm believer in the advancement of travel recovery, and with the re-opening of Bali to international guests, they are excited to work with Bali.com.

“We can identify that travel in this day and age is no longer what it used to be. With so many options on information channels and sources, it can be confusing and time consuming for travellers to navigate through reliable information. That is why we felt it was important to provide guests with a one click travel solution. This alliance is designed to provide guests with a worry-free seamless booking journey for their mandated quarantine stay with the option of a travel visa packaged together under Marriott’s integrated platform,” Jackson said.

Meanwhile, Michael Strobel, founder at Bali.com, commented that travellers are craving well-researched and reliable information and travel partners, hence they are extremely happy to be part of this campaign and to cooperate with Marriott Bonvoy resorts in Indonesia, in providing travellers with a transparent quarantine package and a booking experience that includes the e-visa.

“Bali.com is determined to play a supporting role in facilitating the return of tourists to Bali and Indonesia overall. We had a few million visitors on Bali.com during the pandemic who were looking for information about travel and visa regulations since Indonesia closed its borders in March 2020,” Strobel said.

He added, “The interest in Bali is still strong and people want to come back. We understand the importance during these uncertain times, to provide absolutely reliable information and guide and assist our visitors to take informed choices so they can enjoy a great holiday the moment the opportunity arises to visit Bali again.”

Maldives – Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the national tourism office responsible for carrying out promotional activities for the Maldives, has partnered with British mass media firm News UK, to launch a new campaign that aims to drive brand awareness for the country as a holiday destination.

News UK distributes news of all beats via newspapers, websites, and radio broadcasting. It is the current publishers of The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Sun newspapers. The partnership seeks to promote Maldives as a safe haven, prepared to welcome tourists from all over the world. It will focus on promoting the resorts, hotels, guesthouses, and liveaboards, as well as the unique experiences available in the country, and the geography of the scattered islands which provide the ultimate natural social distance for tourists.

Through the partnership, News UK will be releasing articles with the latest information on the Maldives and the most up-to-date travel guidelines across its different news distribution platforms, which would reach the travel trade and potential travellers from the United Kingdom.

According to MMPRC, a total of 1,312,706 tourists arrived in the Maldives in 2021, and the top five markets during this period were India, Russia, Germany, and the UK, as well as the USA. During this period, a total of 62,188 arrived from the UK to the Maldives, about 4.7% of the total arrivals.

“MMPRC has conducted several marketing activities in the UK market during last year. This includes webinars, joint marketing campaigns, media interviews, familiarisation trips, roadshows, and participation in major travel trade fairs and exhibitions. Ongoing activities for this market include joint marketing campaign with British Airways and digital campaigns with tour operators and travel agents,” said MMPRC.

The campaign will be conducted for one month, starting January to February.

Manila, Philippines – As part of the country’s move for the eventual resumption of the tourism industry, the Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines has launched its Halal Culinary Heritage Series, a campaign that encourages dining discoveries for our Muslim counterparts, as well as highlights the country’s food traditions.

Launched in July 2021, the initiative showcases unique food finds in Mindanao through a video series posted on the Department’s social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

“Food is an important part of a tourism experience. It gives us a glimpse of a place’s culture and heritage. Through the development of our Halal Culinary Tourism, we are encouraging the discovery and familiarity with the culinary traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines,” says Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat.

Said campaign is part of the Mindanao Halal Culinary Tourism, a project of the DOT with the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Aside from promoting the heritage of Mindanao and familiarity with its culture, the project also aims to document culinary practices of the area through food mapping. 

“With this initiative, there will be more knowledge and a better understanding of Filipino Halal cuisines and cooking traditions. The Philippines is creating new experiences and attractions in its different regions, so there is always more to explore,” the tourism department said in a press statement.

Through the campaign, tourists visiting Manila will be able to find restaurants and eateries that offer Halal-certified food, ranging from the stalls located at the area known as Muslim Town near the Golden Mosque in Quiapo that offer culinary delights such as ‘bakas’ or Bamboo-smoked tuna and a glutinous rice cake called ‘dodol’. 

The campaign also showcases El Prado dining outlet of the Berjaya Hotel Makati which offers dishes such as tinolang Manok (chicken in ginger broth with vegetables), a halal ‘nilagang baka’ (boiled beef with vegetables) and ‘sinigang na baka’ (beef simmered in a clear sour soup with vegetables).

The region of Mindanao offers a rich trove of halal Filipino items, ranging from dry curry ‘beef rendang’ or its fusion version as a ‘beef rendang penne’ at a restaurant called Torogan Kape in the city of Cagayan de Oro, ‘sinina kambing’ or goat meat stewed in spices and served with crab rice from Hashy’s Cuisine in Cotabato, ‘buntot (tail) ng tuna’ in curry sauce and ‘palapa’ (sweet and spicy Filipino condiment) by Tambilawan Kamayan Restaurant in General Santos City, to name a few.

The tourism department adds, “There are even more food discoveries to be found in the Philippines, with a culinary heritage that has been passed down from generations. While there are new dishes that have evolved from the basic recipes through the years, the flavors are just as rich and exciting.”

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched ‘SingapoReimagine Global Conversations’, a new forum series that puts industry game-changers on the global stage. Featuring speakers across different sectors, disciplines, and locations, the series outlines new travel experiences and business models that demonstrate how the travel industry has innovated and adapted for the future. 

STB Chief Executive Keith Tan said that the needs and expectations of travelers are changing significantly. He commented that as borders gradually reopen around the world, the tourism industry must work together to innovate, develop solutions and reimagine what the new travel experience can and should be. 

“With SingapoReimagine Global Conversations, we hope to provide a platform for such innovation, and a voice for leaders in the tourism sector and beyond,” said Tan.

SingapoReimagine Global Conversations is a key part of STB’s SingapoReimagine initiative, which was launched last year to affirm the destination’s commitment to shaping a new standard for travel, through safety, technology, experiences, and sustainability.

The series comprises three key forums, with overseas adaptations. The first forum titled ‘Reimagine Experiences’ is available on-demand in four video episodes released weekly on STB’s website and YouTube channel. The first episode under the first forum dropped on 8 September. 

The episodes will tap into the top minds in tourism and lifestyle, through a rich blend of interviews, rapid-fire questions, and data insights, to inspire new collaborations and ideas. 

The other two forums, ‘Reimagine Travel Journeys’ and ‘Reimagine Sustainability and Wellness’ will focus on the themes of travel journeys as well as sustainability and wellness, and will be introduced later this year and in the first half of 2022.

The new SingapoReimagine Global Conversations will spotlight different topics with speakers from across various industries, which include Felix Loh, CEO of Gardens by the Bay; Michael Lee, CEO of Hustle & Bustle; and Charu Kokate, principal & director of Safdie Architects; and Chong Siak Ching, CEO of National Gallery Singapore, among others. 

In the first episode, global trend forecaster and data partner WGSN unveils deeper insights into three future traveler profiles that will influence the future of the travel industry, as well as actionable steps for industry stakeholders. The three profiles are ‘The Wander Must’, ‘The Mindful Explorer’, and ‘The Slow Pacer’.

‘The Wander Must’ are the early adopters of technology and digital experiences, while ‘The Mindful Explorer’ are the nature and outdoor lovers who are likely to make sustainable choices. Meanwhile, ‘The Slow Pacer’ are travelers who place great importance on recharging and in seeking wellness destinations. 

The next episode, which will be released on 15 September is titled ‘A Whole New (Phygital) World’, which will discuss the convergence of digitalization and experiences to address the business needs of today and tomorrow. 

To further the discussion on reinventing the travel experience, SingapoReimagine Global Conversations will be rolled out in overseas markets in localized formats. The forum series will roll out in the USA and China in 2021, while in UK & Dubai, the series will be released in 2021-2022. 

Shanghai, China – ITB China, one of this year’s business-to-business (B2B) exclusive show catered to the business of the Chinese travel market and bringing together buyers and industry professional from all over the world, has appointed global travel service provider Trip.com as its official service partner for the event, which will be held from 24 to 26 November 2021 in Shanghai, with a virtual extension from 8 November to 31 December.

Through the appointment, Trip.com Group’s engagement at ITB China 2021 will include numerous on-site activities, sharing its latest market knowledge and forecasts at the ITB China Conference sessions, and added networking opportunities by co-hosting the ITB China Cruise Night for the fourth consecutive time, this year set to take place on the evening of 24 November.

Furthermore, Trip.com Group’s flagship events, the 2021 Asia-Pacific Corporate Travel Summit will be held concurrently to ITB China on 24 November in Shanghai to discuss the future development of the business travel eco-chain together with high-value corporate customers, airlines, hotels, MICE companies, travel payment and expense management companies. 

Said event is also the ‘Corporate Travel Event Partner’ of ITB China 2021 this year. Senior executives from Trip.com Group Corporate Travel will in turn be joining the discussion of the ITB China 2021 MICE and Business Travel Conference sessions, to take place on the second day of ITB China, 25 November.

“I am very excited to attend ITB China in person this year. It has been a while, but it is wonderful to be able to meet up with industry partners again. While the pandemic has brought global travel to a standstill, we are working together at full speed toward travel recovery. ITB China 2021 will provide the travel industry with a trusted platform for personal encounters and successful business again. I can’t wait to see you all in Shanghai again soon,” said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group.

Singapore – Indeed, the gravity of the pandemic has prompted everyone to rethink the climate of everything we’ve come to identify as normal pre-covid, and even without a direct link, at the start of the spread of the virus, the conversation, specifically on sustainability and the health of the environment, has become even louder. 

The most prominent being is how people are theorizing that the halted operations of businesses are what will lead to a drastic reduction in carbon footprint. Interestingly, a new study by booking platform Booking.com is showing that the pandemic has become an influence for people to travel more sustainably in the future. 

According to the latest study, 70% of Singaporeans stated that the pandemic has encouraged them to be even more environment-conscious when traveling. The study finds that in general, people are expressing pressing concern over the environment with 74% of Singaporean travelers believing that people have to act now to save the planet for future generations

Based on the study, Singaporean travelers are determined to extend their daily sustainable commitments, such as reducing general waste and energy consumption, when making their travels. When traveling, about 83% eyes minimizing general waste, with 81% wanting to lessen their energy consumption such as turning off air conditioning and lights when they are not in a room. Meanwhile, a good percentage – 77% – are also willing to look to more environment-friendly modes of transport such as walking, cycling or public transport over taxis or rental cars when traveling. 

The study found that Singaporeans’ desire to take part in the sustainability movement is not only as good as a pledge, with data showing that people are starting to get on the act, and are staying true to their word. 

About 47% of Singaporean travelers revealed that while on vacation in the past 12 months, they have made the conscious decision of turning off their air conditioning or heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there. Meanwhile, 43% of travelers within the same period took their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water while on vacation, while 30% stated that they did activities to support the local community. 

Truly, sustainable living is becoming a lifestyle commitment, with people bringing their conscious habits outside their homes. This behavior has also become apparent with how people are viewing accommodations. 

The study reported that over half, or 55%, have admitted that they get annoyed if somewhere they are staying stops them from being sustainable, for example, by not offering recycling facilities. A vast majority – 90% – of Singaporean travelers have also expressed desire in staying in sustainable accommodation in the upcoming year, with 59% still believing that in 2021, there simply aren’t enough sustainable travel options available. 

In fact, 77% of Singaporean travelers would be more likely to choose an accommodation if it has implemented sustainability practices, with a similar amount, 75%, thinking travel companies should offer more sustainable choices. 

This comes as a valuable insight for hospitality companies, tourist spots, and travel accommodations as travelers, specifically the Singapore market, are using sustainability as a metric of whether a certain place is worth staying in. Such finding is proving its importance even more as nations are prepping up to ease travel restrictions. 

Nuno Guerreiro, regional director of Booking.com for South Asia, Oceania & Chains, said that the time is ripe for the industry to rebuild with a renewed focus on sustainability, as seen with recent efforts by Singapore to boost its transformation into a sustainable destination.

Singapore is a country that has been doubling down on its efforts on sustainable tourism, announcing in April its allocation of S$68.5m into its Tourism Development Fund for travel businesses looking to test-bed sustainable tourism offerings. 

“Despite travel being on a pause across most Asia-Pacific countries, it’s been inspiring to see awareness of the importance of sustainable travel consistently grow,“ Guerreiro said. 

Tasmania, Australia – Winter is already peeping in the land down under, and the island state of Tasmania has come to remind everyone of the great things they can enjoy in the place during the off season. 

Tourism Tasmania, the dedicated organization for fostering tourism in the state, has released with creative agency BMF a new two-part spot that is as chilly and sensual as the approaching winter.

The campaign is called ‘The Call of the Off Season’ and the ad exploits the virtue of ‘subtlety’ by simply showcasing a montage of Australians living their lives through different winter recreational activities. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QrLc3IoK8A

Tourism Tasmania wanted Australians to embrace, rather than escape winter and BMF romanticizes the season by creating an intimate 15-minute spot that is able to transport the different feelings of wanderlust, gastronomy, and relaxation through a chilly exhale, the waves of the sea, and the chirping of birds. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws263YttIRk

BMF describes it as, “Whether it’s the almighty roar of a pagan bonfire, the hiss of a lakeside sauna, the beautiful mess of a seafood feast or the throb of a festival stage, Tasmania in winter is anything but chill. The off season celebrates the colder, darker months, and everything weird and wonderful that comes with it.

Thomasine Burnap, group planning director of BMF, said that the campaign aims to culturally redefine how the rest of Australia sees winter because in ‘Tassie’, it’s “when the locals feast harder, dance longer, and embrace the very wilderness that defines them.”

BMF Chief Creative Officer Alex Derwin adds, “The Off Season is a way of encapsulating not just the change of temperature but the change in attitude that happens in Tasmania during winter. It’s exciting to add a new dimension to the Come Down For Air platform and we’re looking forward to seeing ‘offness’ embraced, not just this winter, but in the winters to come.”

Tourism Tasmania
The official launch posters of the campaign

The Come Down For Air (CDFA) is a branding campaign by Tourism Tasmania which was launched in 2019. The organization also has a separate CDFA campaign for New Zealand and overall, the campaign aims to invite travelers to take a break from the stress and routine of everyday life, and explores what the island has in store to help one feel more ‘human’ and rejuvenated. The new ad with BMF is part of the said platform. 

Tourism Tasmania CEO John Fitzgerald said, “Some people see winter as a time to hibernate and wait for the cooler season to end. This campaign invites Australians to get off the couch and embrace a wintery holiday in Tasmania. Because Tasmanians embrace the season like nowhere else – winter is when we thrive, get out and about seeking to be enriched, feel alive and connected.”

‘The Call of the Off Season’ is an integrated campaign and includes TV, outdoor, radio, and press and is brought to life digitally by Clemenger BBDO Sydney with media buying by Initiative.

New Zealand – Tourism New Zealand, the organization tasked to promote the country’s tourism around the world, has recently launched a new campaign targeted at its regional neighbor – Australia – to encourage the country’s locals who happen to be the country’s largest former international visitor market, to come explore and renew their wanderlust towards New Zealand. 

Done in partnership with creative agency Special Group Australia, the campaign titled ‘Stop Dreaming about New Zealand and Go’ takes a quirky turn with a depiction of an Australian dreaming about New Zealand from his sleep, and is then is then taken through a range of the country’s popular attractions including National Parks and even stargazing with a surreal giant Kiwi.

According to research by Tourism New Zealand, about 77% of Australians are actively considering traveling to the country on holiday, followed by 27% who want to visit their family, with 15% to visit friends.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy shared that despite record numbers of Kiwis ‘doing something new’ and traveling domestically, there is an estimated $12.9B annual gap from the loss of international visitors, and the return of Australian visitors is projected to help reduce this gap with both domestic tourists and international visits making up 70% the pre-COVID visitor market.

“The campaign is designed to tap into people’s renewed desire to explore and showcases New Zealand’s natural environment, experiences, and the warm welcome of our people. We are seeing longer itineraries being booked by Australians which helps support travel to more remote locations within New Zealand,” said Monchy.

According to Ann Lockhart, the interim chief executive of Destination Queenstown, Australia is likewise a hugely important visitor market for Queenstown, particularly over winter when Australian visitors previously made up around 50% of all of our international visits.

“The ability to welcome them here is a huge boost for Queenstown and we are delighted the trans-Tasman bubble is open and our tourism operators are open and ready to welcome our Australian friends back,” said Lockhart.

In line with the campaign, Tourism New Zealand has also released a toolkit for interested partners who want to adopt and integrate with the campaign. The kit provides an overview of the campaign, the creative assets, and details on how partners can get involved through their own channels. The kit is available for download through its website.

Sydney, Australia – Norwegian sustainable cruise operator Hurtigruten has tapped the creative talents of Australia-based publishing agency Grin Creative in launching its first-ever ‘immersive’ digital magazine, initially set to roll out in Australia.

Hurtigruten is known for their cruise routes locally in Norway and through the Arctic region, such as Svalbard, Alaska, Iceland, as well as Antarctica, the Carribean, the British Isles and parts of Europe and North America. Hurtigruten Magazine is its first foray into publishing.

The new ‘immersive’ digital magazine will make full use of immersive videos and sound, the first issue of the magazine allows readers to tour Norway’s coastal kitchen with Danish food and travel blogger Anders Husa, embark on a visual journey to Antarctica with award-winning Australian travel photographer Dan Avila, and follow in the footsteps of Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen.

Hurtigruten’s digital magazine will also feature the cruise line’s mission for sustainability, showcasing stories about the first all-women team to overwinter in the Arctic, and discover how ice samples in Greenland are helping scientists to predict the future.

“Much like our hybrid ships, we’re embracing new technologies to keep our audiences’ travel dreams alive through an interactive and immersive experience that goes beyond brochures,” said Damian Perry, managing director of Hurtigruten Asia Pacific.

The digital magazine will be published quarterly and will be optimized for mobile phones, tablets and desktops.The creation of the digital magazine was spearheaded by Joel Victoria, head of marketing for Hurtigruten Asia Pacific, who believes that the magazine will serve as a ‘temporary escape’ and an inspiration for travel in future, still restricted by the ongoing global pandemic.

“We’re finding that cruises exploring remote destinations are performing exceptionally well at the moment for forward bookings; nearly 80% of bookings in the last quarter of 2020 were for Antarctica, fuelled by an ‘All-Inclusive’ marketing campaign. Svalbard, in the Norwegian Arctic, has also proven popular with Aussies,” Victoria stated.

After its initial release in Australia, the printed edition of the magazine will roll out in the UK with translated editions also available in France, Germany and Norway and soon to roll out in Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark.

Manila, Philippines – Local-based construction conglomerate Megawide GMR has unveiled the new architectural design for Philippines’ primary international airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which takes inspiration from one of the country’s tourist attractions Banaue Rice Terraces.

In a Facebook post, the firm revealed the new project, aptly called “New NAIA Hagdan (Stairs)”, is an architectural design that gets direct inspiration from the terraces’ organized system that has stood the test of time, which was built 2,000 years ago, highlighting local innovation. 

Another concept image of the proposed Banaue Rice Terraces-inspired Terminal 1 of NAIA. (Courtesy of Megawide)

The new architectural design aims to not only promote tourism, but also raise awareness of the culture, continuity, and natural beauty of the actual site, which was built by the Ifugao tribe in the Philippines.

“As the first and last impression visitors will have of the Philippines, NAIA itself should deliver a positive, unforgettable experience that people can equate with their stay, something truly Filipino. We’re not just rehabilitating an airport – we’re creating a new symbol for the country,” said Louie Ferrer, Megawide executive director for infrastructure development.

The design was conceptualized by Hong Kong-based architectural firm Integrated Design Associates, the same architectural firm that conceptualized the local MCIA Terminal 2 and the new Clark International Airport new passenger terminal building in the Philippines.