Anantara has appointed experienced hotelier, Pitak Norathepkitti as general manager of Anantara Chiang Mai Resort.
Pitak joins Anantara Chiang Mai from Siem Reap in Cambodia where he oversaw Anantara Angkor Resort for the last two years.
His extensive knowledge and experience of the local and international market equips him with a holistic approach to hotel-keeping as he oversees the upcoming resort refurbishment and implementation of new dining and spa concepts.
BWH Hotel Group has named Ron Pohl as the company’s president of international operations and president of WorldHotels.
Pohl joined the organisation in 2007 and previously served as senior vice president and chief operations officer.
Pohl will be responsible for further strengthening the organisation’s presence around the world and enhancing the company’s operations on a global level.
Ram Hiralal is the new general manager at Jumeirah Bali in Uluwatu. She brings with her a keen understanding of the luxury hospitality sector having worked as a hospitality leader across Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives and the Caribbean, with eight luxury hotel openings under her belt.
Ram joins Jumeirah Bali from COMO Shambhala Estate Bali resort, where she was the general manager from 2018.
In her new role, Ram is passionate about working alongside her team to create exceptional experiences for the guests and furthering Jumeirah’s legacy in Asia.
As travel resumes, travellers can expect to face a broader set of risks, beyond those associated with the pandemic, according to BCD Travel’s latest Travel Risk Outlook report.
Based on both internal statistics from BCD’s Global Crisis Management (GCM) team, which monitors global risks and incidents around the clock, and external sources such as IATA, IPCC, WHO, Oxford Economics and the World Economic Forum, the Travel Risk Outlook report outlines seven risk categories that may impact business travel.
One, the health of the economy may be the biggest underlying challenge faced by travel programmes, as it influences the pressure companies face to control their costs and therefore their travel budgets.
Two, climate change and extreme weather events will disrupt travel. In fact, BCD statistics show an increase in travel disruptions from natural events. In 2020, the number of incidents per million airline passengers increased by 82 per cent year-over-year, with a further 23 per cent rise recorded in 2021. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the next two decades will herald unavoidable multiple climate hazards.
Three, geopolitical developments will impact travel, as shown by the Ukraine-Russia war. To keep travellers safe, it is key to have a comprehensive travel risk management programme in place and to stay abreast of such events.
Four, personal risk persists. The random nature of kidnappings or terrorism makes locating and communicating with business travellers a vital part of a travel manager’s role.
Five, the sudden shift to remote work during the pandemic has increased the exposure of company IT systems to external threats. With 31 per cent of all employees worldwide expected to be hybrid or fully remote workers in 2022, these cyber risks are unlikely to disappear.
Six, vaccine hesitancy and the diversion of medical resources to deal with the pandemic have increased the risks associated with traditional diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella. Meanwhile, scientists continue to be concerned about the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant, one that is highly transmissible and capable of evading existing vaccines.
Seven, there are new travel risks in a new world. The transition to remote working is changing the way we work and travel. To ensure that all employees, not just travellers, are protected when working remotely, companies should consider a shift from travel risk management to people risk management.
Jorge Mesa, director of global crisis management at BCD Travel, said: “Companies should refamiliarise themselves with these risks and ensure travellers are safe. The expertise of their travel, purchasing and security managers has never been more valuable than right now. The last two years have prepared them for this moment.”
BCD’s GCM team has also highlighted that the nature of travel risks has significantly changed over the past four years. Natural events are proving to be more disruptive, with extreme weather, earthquakes and wildfires accounting for 24 per cent of all travel incidents in 2021 (up from 18 per cent in 2018).
Civil unrest and incidents of violence represent 20 per cent of all risk-related events in 2021 (up from 15 per cent in 2018). This shows that risk is not confined to the journey to/from a destination; travellers are as much at risk at the destination and need support from travel managers for the entire trip.
Air travel-related incidents fell from 29 per cent in 2018 to 20 per cent in 2021. This does not necessarily mean fewer flight disruptions. Given the rise in rail incidents – up from 15 per cent in 2018 to 20 per cent in 2021, it could be that travellers are using alternative means of transport or taking fewer trips that require air travel.
“Clearly, not all organisations travel to destinations where kidnapping or geopolitical discord pose risks,” said Mike Janssen, global chief operating officer and chief commercial officer at BCD.
“But worldwide, there is a growing number of different dangers that threaten employees and organisations. Our GCM team’s findings show the need to act now and assess, adopt and apply risk management strategies that fit company travel patterns and goals.”
The Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) has appointed Mala Dorasamy as its new CEO.
She rises from her previous role as acting CEO, a position she took in 2021.
Commenting on the appointment, MITEC chairman Abdul Rahman Mamat said: “Mala is a remarkable choice, bringing a wealth of experience from the international business and lifestyle events industry. This appointment marks an exciting chapter for MITEC and the Board looks forward to working with Mala as she steers MITEC to greater pinnacles.”
Mala hails from South Africa and has over 31 years of experience in the business events industry, specialising in the opening of new centres, managing major projects of United Nations, APEC and BRICS level, strategy development, operational management, international marketing, business development, sales growth, safety and risk management, as well as ISO/Halal implementation and management.
A result-driven professional with extensive strategic and managerial experience in convention/exhibition centre venue management, Mala was nominated as the Top 40 Women in MICE in Africa for 2015 and was awarded the South African Association of Conference Industry Fellowship Award.
Building on the success of the Rixos luxury all-inclusive brand, Accor is accelerating its expansion in the all-inclusive market with the launch of its multi-branded All-Inclusive Collection.
The All-Inclusive Collection will include Accor’s luxury and premium brands Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Swissôtel and Mövenpick. The objective is to leverage the strength and visibility of these brands in key markets identified for the All-Inclusive Collection.
Curated entertainment programmes, for both day and evening activities, will play a central role in the All-Inclusive Collection, and will build on Rixos’ expertise in children’s clubs, fitness, water sports, outdoor activities and business events.
Guests can expect spectacular shows, multiple sporting activities per resort, as well as world-class spa and wellness facilities.
There will also be extensive F&B, beach club and nightlife concepts.
The All-Inclusive Collection will span Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean – selected for their promising growth potential in the all-inclusive segment and the strength of these brands in the target markets.
The All-Inclusive Collection will initially focus on the further expansion of Rixos’ footprint of 50 properties in the network and pipeline, and will quickly scale and diversify as part of a longer term multi-branded strategy of having over 100 all-inclusive resorts in the next five years.
New openings set for this year include Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, Rixos Qetaifan Doha, and Swissôtel Sharm el Sheikh. The latter is the first non-Rixos branded property in the All-Inclusive Collection.
In South-east Asia, Rixos Nha Trang Beach Resort will be Accor’s first all-inclusive luxury resort. It will open in 2025.
Fettah Tamince, chairman of the Board of Rixos Hotels, said: “I am incredibly proud of the success Rixos has achieved in the five years as part of the Accor portfolio. Together, Accor and Rixos complement each other’s market-leading expertise, and the All-Inclusive Collection is the next step in accelerating their positions in the sector. This new initiative comes at a time when the demand for all-inclusive stays could not be stronger and now is the right time to leverage this positive trajectory.”
Gaurav Bhushan, CEO Accor Lifestyle & Entertainment and co-CEO Ennismore, added: “The post-Covid travel market is witnessing a renewed desire for leisure stays. Accor’s strategic decision to double down on the all-inclusive segment, the fastest growing sector in this market and build upon its success with Rixos, capitalises on this opportunity. The new luxury and premium All-Inclusive Collection, reinforces our business model while increasing our exposure and value proposition for hotel owners.”
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok’s popular restaurant and bar Spasso has shed its Italian vibe for a French flair, with the venue being relaunched this month as Spasso Bistro.
The new Spasso Bistro serves Parisian-inspired dishes, such as classic Jean Larnaudie foie gras au torchon, Les Frères Marchand AOC cheese platter, a bouillabaisse with sea crab, and a selection of freshly shucked French oysters.
Dishes are paired with wine and drinks, and meals end decadently with French-influenced desserts such as baba gascon with Armagnac, Bourdaloue pear tart, and profiteroles.
Live musical performances interspersed with eclectic playlists of popular jazz, funk, and indie & electro pop tunes promise to teleport diners to the streets of Paris.
The government of Western Australia has handed down its 2022-23 State Budget, announcing an increase of A$31 million (US$21.8 million) in funding for tourism events.
This includes A$20 million for a new Major Events Fund, of which A$5 million has been allocated for hosting business events.
The latest financial injection comes in addition to the A$15 million Reconnect WA package announced in December 2021.
The boost in funding comes at a pivotal time for Western Australia’s business events industry, which is poised to experience a significant period of growth and recovery following the reopening of state borders and renewed appetite for travel from business event delegates.
Business Events Perth chair Bradley Woods said the additional funding recognised the important role that business events played in strengthening and diversifying the state’s economy, and the support that was needed to revive the sector after a significant disruption.
“The impact of Covid-19 on the business events industry has resulted in a massive hit, in terms of real losses and future business confidence, so this funding boost is well timed as we continue our efforts to secure lucrative business events to re-energise and rebuild the many venues and small businesses that are still struggling two years into this pandemic,” Woods said.
Tourism minister Roger Cook said the increased funding would maximise opportunities for the state, securing lucrative business events not just for their tourism impact, but also as a platform for economic diversification, presenting an opportunity to promote Western Australian expertise to the world.
“This is the next stage in turbo-charging Western Australia’s economic transition after the successful management of Covid-19 for more than two years,” Cook remarked.
“A revived programme of business events will help to create an economic legacy beyond the value of initial tourism expenditure – helping us build towards a bigger, better Western Australia.”
Transport ministers from seven South-east Asian countries have pledged to rebuild and restore air travel through various measures including mutual recognition of Covid-19 health certificates and the development of a single ASEAN aviation market.
The commitment is shared by the ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei.
According to Singapore broadsheet The Straits Times, a joint statement by the ministers also pointed to efforts such as harmonised aviation-related public health and safety measures, aligned sustainable practices, and improved air connectivity between South-east Asia and other regions.
Training and capacity building will also be promoted to support recovery and growth of the civil aviation sector and the well-being of its workers.
Indonesia has removed pre-flight PCR or ART tests for inbound international and domestic travellers, including returning Indonesians. This comes into effect today.
Masks are no longer required for vaccinated people in non-crowded outdoor spaces. However, the mask-on policy still applies on public transport.
President Joko Widodo said the decision was made based on the pandemic coming under control in the country.
Arriving travellers will only need to undergo a health check at the airport for any Covid-19-related symptoms.
The Circular Letter issued by Indonesia Covid-19 Task Force on May 18 stipulated that travellers must comply with the new health protocol: download the PeduliLindungi tracing app, show proof of their second Covid-19 vaccination obtained at least 14 days prior to departure, and have insurance covering Covid-19 medication and evacuation to referral hospitals.
This policy is eligible for entry through the international airports of Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Batam, Bintan, Manado, Lombok, Medan, Makassar, Yogyakarta, Banda Aceh, Padang, Palembang, Solo, Banjarmasin and Balikpapan, and all international seaports.