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Hong Kong lifts flight ban, adds third-day PCR test for travellers
China’s quarantine cuts a boon for corporate travel
China’s move to cut quarantine requirements, which kicked in last week (June 28), is sparking optimism for outbound corporate travel, but is less likely to spur inbound leisure demand.
Alexander Glos, CEO, China i2i Group, which provides B2B and B2C tourism-related services to international and domestic clients, said it was a move in the right direction as many companies depend on global trade, and doing business with and in China.
Glos continued: “These companies need to be at trade fairs, and staff have to travel to meet clients and do it more efficiently. It is a big change from 21 days quarantine.”
According to the National Health Commission, travellers entering China will be quarantined at centralised facilities for seven days, down from 14, followed by three days of self-monitoring, down from seven.
Glos noted Thailand reported receiving 25,000 business travellers from China in May and quoted a travel agent saying clients were taking trips to Thailand lasting a week or two in July.
“If quarantine requirements were to be cut to two or three days, we might see FIT travel take off,” he opined.
A travel agent catering to English-speaking markets told TTG Asia: “For visiting family members and existing residents trying to return from abroad, this (new quarantine requirement) is definitely an improvement.
“However, no tourist would subject himself to this for the sake of a holiday in a country that could get locked down at any time. China needs to drop its zero-Covid policy entirely for inbound business to recover.”
China Star founder Liu Ping agreed the new quarantine requirement is “not for tourists” and would not appeal to international incentives or meeting planners organising short China programmes.
Meanwhile, industry insiders report the Civil Aviation Authority of China is talking to airlines, granting extensions of services in July and August, and negotiating bubbles and corridors likely to focus on Hong Kong, South-east Asia, Korea and Japan.
The source shared: “Cathay Pacific is said to be hiring 4,000 staff to increase its frequency to the mainland in July and August following the appointment of Hong Kong’s new leader.
“It is a step-by-step process of China opening up,” he observed.
What’s new in Sydney?
So much has changed in Sydney over the past two years. The city is now reinvigorated with new neighbourhoods, attractions, hotels and restaurants. The fun ‘Experience Sydney’ game is an easy way to rediscover and be re-inspired by Sydney’s icons as well as some of the newer offerings available for incentives and business events.
Here is a list of must-dos for your next event:
- Experience Sydney Harbour from a different point of view atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb Sydney. The latest tour Burrawa is led by an Indigenous guide who tells stories of Sydney’s First Nations history.
- Taronga Zoo is a must-visit when in Sydney, but you can now stay overnight in sustainable luxury at the boutique retreat built around a native wildlife habitat complete with koalas, echidnas and other Australian animals.
- If it’s surfing you’re after, Lets Go Surfing on Sydney’s Bondi Beach makes a fantastic team bonding experience
- Staying with a water theme, Sydney by Sail can customise sailing regattas for your team on Sydney Harbour and get up close to Sydney’s icons – Luna Park, the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge.
- Crown Sydney is home to Sydney’s highest hotel room, in Sydney’s newest waterside precinct, Barangaroo. The hotel has 349 rooms, suites and villas. You’ll also find several fine dining restaurants, including Nobu and Oncore by Clare Smyth.
- The WINX Stand at Royal Randwick is an incredible new venue at Sydney’s inner-city racecourse with capacity for 3,000 people standing for canapes and cocktails.
- Watersedge at Campbell’s Stores has undergone a multi-million-dollar restoration and provides stunning views of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House and can be hired for up to 5,000 delegates.
- No trip to Sydney would be complete without a visit to Luna Park. Set on the water’s edge, the venue provides incredible views over the city, the Bridge and Opera House. It can cater to all sizes of events in big top circus tents or a crystal palace – for up to 8,000 guests.
If you’re looking for a change of pace, head out of the city for more of a ‘tree-change’. Highlights include:
- The Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region is just over three hours from Sydney. Take your team touring at the many cellar doors in the Hunter, try grape stomping or blend your own wines. Or for a wellness activity, enjoy day spas, hot air balloons or serene country accommodation.
- The Blue Mountains Area, featured on the World Heritage List, and the famous ‘Three Sisters’ rock formation, is not to be missed. The area is made up of historic towns, spas, and Scenic World’s Skyway cable car which carries you from one side of the valley to the other for expansive natural vistas.
- The Central Coast boasts a coastline of beautiful beaches and rich greenery offering a stunning natural backdrop for incentive events and experiences. Ride horses, herd cattle and go glamping in the Glenworth Valley, take a flying fox through the towering trees of the Curimbah State Forest with Treetops Adventure or sample the local produce at markets, farm gates and wineries across the region.
BESydney rolls out educational online game for corporates and event organisers
Business Events Sydney (BESydney), in partnership with Business Events Australia (BEA), launched a new online Experience Sydney game to showcase the destination appeal of the city for incentive organisers from India, Malaysia and Singapore.
The second phase will see the game launched in Japan and South Korea.
The aim of the game – with prizes on offer – is to educate BESydney’s corporate clients in South and South-east Asia as well as travel agents, inbound operators and industry. The strategy and purpose of the game is a new concept that has not been done in Australia before.
“The city has undergone many changes since the pandemic. We have brand new facilities, refurbished properties and new and updated attractions along with exciting new precincts and neighbourhood re-vitalisation. There are so many opportunities for visitors to experience the energy and excitement of the city for themselves,” said BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith.
The educational game allows players to drive around Sydney as a koala, visiting venues, learning about products and experiences along the way, and collecting points by answering riddles and questions on Sydney. These points will determine a player’s position on the leader board, and prize vouchers will be awarded for players in top positions on August 22, 2022.
Sydney venues and attractions featured include the Sydney Opera House, Luna Park Sydney, Bondi Beach, Taronga Zoo Sydney, Barangaroo Dining Area, Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf, Crown Sydney, ICC Sydney, Sydney Town Hall, WINX Stand at Royal Randwick and Watersedge at Campbell’s Stores.
By visiting these new attractions and precincts online, corporates and incentive agents can learn more about the variety of venues and what they offer for event organisers.
Nearby regional experiences were also showcased, as BESydney research revealed that 52 per cent of Asian Incentives included regional components. Other regions include the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Port Stephens, Glenworth Valley and Central Coast.
Photo of the day: MyCEB meets with Indonesian MICE counterparts to foster closer relations
The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) recently made an official trip to Jakarta to better develop the business events industry between the two countries.
The gathering included representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesian Exhibition Companies Association (IECA-Asperapi), Indonesia Convention & Exhibition, Jakarta Convention Centre, Professional Conference Organisers, as well as key opinion leaders from both the public and private sectors.
During the meeting, updates on Malaysia’s latest entry formalities were given, and plans for bureau support to bring in more business events were shared. Discussions are also underway to look into potential projects that both countries can collaborate on to benefit stakeholders and create a larger economic impact.
Abdul Khani Daud, CEO of MyCEB, added that even though Malaysia has vast experience in staging international events, there is “so much more” to be learnt from their Indonesian counterparts who are hosting the G20 Summit this November.
Andaz Bali welcomes new DOSM
Andaz Bali has appointed Dwi Kumalasari as its new director of sales and marketing.
She was previously the DOSM at Four Points by Sheraton in Kuta.
Dwi’s experience spans almost two decades in numerous luxury hotel brands, such as The Andaman, Banyan Tree, InterContinental and Alila, in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and UAE.
John Neutze helms Chatrium Residence Sathon Bangkok
Chatrium Hospitality has named John Neutze the new general manager of Chatrium Residence Sathon Bangkok.
Neutze has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and is responsible for the hotel’s overall operations and business strategy.
He possesses extensive experience in sales and marketing, operations and guest technology engagement solutions across hospitality brands like Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Stamford Hotels and Resorts.
TCEB and UFI extend long-standing partnership
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and TCEB, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, have renewed their Diamond Sponsorship Agreement.
The official signing took place during the Global CEO Summit in Hamburg at the end of June. The signed agreement focuses on education and sustainability, and demonstrates TCEB’s commitment to improving corporate visibility in UFI events.
As part of the Diamond Sponsorship Agreement, TCEB will gain year-round promotion and visibility across all UFI events and activities.
Nichapa Yoswee, TCEB’s senior vice president, commented: “This agreement between TCEB and UFI highlights Thailand as a main destination for international exhibitions. TCEB supports the sustainable development of exhibition business, promotes the Net Zero Carbon events which is in line with UFI’s policies, and enhances local exhibition stakeholders’ potential for Thailand’s exhibition industry’s development and readiness to embrace ASEAN and global opportunities.”
The Diamond Sponsorship is the highest tier of UFI sponsorship available, and all Diamond Sponsors directly contribute to expanding the depth and scope of UFI activities, to enable the association to serve the exhibition industry better.
UFI’s other Diamond Partners are Qatar Tourism and Freeman.
CWT beefs up CO2 emission reporting
CWT has launched the next phase in its product evolution with carbon intelligence platform Thrust Carbon to further support sustainable travel programmes.
This follows the launch of carbon footprint indicators in March.
Integrated into CWT’s business intelligence solution, customers now have access to new Carbon Emission Summary dashboards, providing an all-in-one view of a company’s emissions using either DEFRA or Thrust Carbon methodology. Available to all CWT customers globally, the new dashboards help companies understand their CO2 footprint resulting from corporate travel, improve their environmental impact, and reach their responsible travel programme goals.
“We know that when it comes to CO2 data, greater accuracy and clarity supports greater accountability and better choices… Companies pursuing climate initiatives are looking for more comprehensive greenhouse gas emission data and analytics; 79 per cent of our global customers have told us as such, in a recent survey,” said Charlie Sullivan, head of product management, travel management portfolio, CWT.
Over the next 18 months, CWT has a number of initiatives underway to further evolve its sustainability capabilities and portfolio, enhancing and expanding existing and new capabilities in myCWT web and mobile.
A valuable travel reward
Event brief
A private school in India sponsored a performance-based incentive trip for 38 of its teachers to visit three countries in South-east Asia – Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand – in late April.
World Tour Bengaluru was appointed as the event organiser, who worked with their travel partners in the three countries to manage the group respectively.
Destination Explore, the appointed partner in Malaysia, was given two weeks to propose and run a 4D/3N itinerary in the country. The itinerary covered Selangor, the nation’s capital Kuala Lumpur, and Resorts World Genting.
Event highlights
For many delegates, this was their first time in Malaysia. Destination Explore ensured they had a memorable time and provided many Instagrammable opportunities by including visits to iconic places such as the Petronas Twin Towers and Genting Highlands, a must visit destination for many Indian tourists.
Delegates went on a guided cycling tour around Chinatown (Petaling Street); climbed 272 steps to reach the Hindu temple in Batu Caves; took a sightseeing cruise on Putrajaya Lake; spent a night at Resorts World Genting and enjoyed the cool mountain air; rode on the glass-floored gondola cable cars which offered jaw-dropping views of the 130-million-year-old rainforest; and went on rides at the new Genting SkyWorld theme park.
Using contacts from their network, Destination Explore also managed to get the delegates entry into the exclusive, members-only Malaysian Petroleum Club, located within the Petronas Twin Towers. There, they enjoyed high tea while taking in city views.
On their last night in Malaysia, delegates were treated to a gala dinner at Atmosphere 360, a revolving restaurant located in KL Tower (South-east Asia’s tallest communication tower). Situated 282m above ground, delegates had another panoramic view of the city, this time at night.
Challenges
The criteria for entry requirements kept changing during the early days of the reopening. For example, there was confusion whether PCR tests were required to enter Malaysia, or not.
Ganneesh Ramaa, vice president, international sales at Destination Explore approached an officer at Tourism Malaysia who in turn, liaised with the Health Ministry to obtain the latest entry requirements.
However, many suppliers were grappling with manpower issues. Hotels had not fully reopened, large restaurants that usually catered to groups could not accept bookings, and private transportation companies had yet to restart their operations.
Ganneesh shared that his company worked closely with Resort World Genting to secure rooms. “In normal circumstances, getting 38 rooms at First World Hotel, which has more than 7,000 keys, would not have been an issue. But they had yet to fully reopen.”
“Many restaurants were also facing manpower shortage, but we managed to convince them to hire and train sufficient freelancers to wait on the tables and ensure our guests were provided with great service,” he added.
Crossing borders to another country also meant that more tests were needed, but a chartered bus was hired for the group to head from Malaysia to Singapore. As land checkpoints into Singapore did not require a PCR test then, this helped to save some costs for the trip.
“We had to negotiate with a vehicle supplier for a good rate that was both fair to our client and could help the supplier sustain their business. We had to persuade them to renew their licenses, restart their operations, and provide us with transportation,” he elaborated.
Event Incentive for private school teachers from Bengaluru
Organiser World Tour Bengaluru
Dates April 27 to May 1, 2022
Attendance 38
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Hong Kong’s authorities will heed science and temporarily lift the city’s flight suspension mechanism from today, choosing to rely on an extra PCR test for arriving travellers to deter the import of Covid-19 infections.
According to a statement from the government, the move is supported by initial statistics and scientific analysis that showed it is more effective to deter Covid-19 transmission through more frequent nucleic acid testing on arriving passengers than flight bans.
Travellers arriving into Hong Kong from July 8 will have to undergo a PCR test on the third day of their quarantine.
The move also takes into consideration the surge in arrivals as students return home for their summer holidays.
Hong Kong’s flight suspension mechanism has been an unpopular one, as it puts both travellers and airlines in a difficult position. The mechanism punishes an airline with a five-day flight route ban when at least five passengers – or five per cent of travellers, whichever is higher – are tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong.
Miramar Travel’s general manager, Alex Lee welcomed the move. He said: “This mechanism not only affected incoming traffic but also appetite of outbound travel as clients are worried about cost and time from having to rebook tickets and secure quarantine hotels if they failed to fly back as scheduled. Therefore, scrapping this mechanism may spur the resumption of flight services and frequency. This is turn will make airfares more affordable.”
Wing Wong, managing director of W Travel, predicts a ramp up in flight capacity following the suspension of the flight ban.
“I expect the first wave of arrivals to comprise students returning from overseas and domestic helpers in next eight weeks, followed by businessmen, travellers here to visit relatives, and holidaymakers. My key concern now is for our supply of quarantine hotels to meet demand,” he added.