Mala Dorasamy takes CEO seat at MITEC
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.
Accor takes All-Inclusive Collection around the world
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 orders a French reinvention for Spasso
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.
Western Australia gets multi-million-dollar boost for event industry
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.”
South-east Asian transport ministers align commitment to air travel recovery
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.
Marriott International expands positive travel opportunities for guests
Marriott International has expanded its Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme, from just 15 pilot hotels to nearly 100 hotels and resorts now across more than 50 destinations across Asia-Pacific, providing even more opportunities for travellers to turn their vacations into meaningful travel that connects with local communities and the environment.
According to Bart Buiring, chief sales and marketing officer, APAC, Marriott International, the programme expansion was driven by positive response from hotels and guests.
“Apart from this, the pandemic has shifted the way people travel – to have a positive impact on countries and to blend working trips with leisure,” he added.
According to the 2022 American Express Travel Global Survey, people are now more intentional about where they spend their money, and impact travel is resonating across all demographics.
Buiring said Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme stands out from other similar programmes with the “truly grassroots efforts by our hotels”.
“We asked them to structure their activities on three key pillars – environmental protection, community engagement and marine conservation – and branding all experiences through a loyalty programme in a creative and curative manner,” he said.
Targeting corporate travellers and the leisure travel market, the foundation of the programme is synonymous with people wanting to reconnect with each other; it also helps connect member guests with local experts and NGOs at the destinations they visit, while promoting and deepening cultural understanding. These experiences are available for non-members as well.
The programme has the support of travel planners, agents and meeting planners, shared Buiring.
At present, Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme offers meaningful experiences in many destinations – Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, India, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives. Guests can choose to plant mangrove seeds in the forests of Langkawi to restore the wetlands, joining a temple preservation in India to mitigate the destructive effects of sandstorms on its façade, and more.
IHG appoints development representative in Korea
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced Danny Ha as development representative for Korea, where Ha will support the strategic growth of IHG brands in the country and focus on building long and trusted relationships with owners.
Ha brings 25 years of experience in hospitality strategy and planning, brand development, contract negotiation and conversions, pre-opening and project management in Korea, having ran his own hotel consulting practice where he represented owners in various capacities. He was also an owner’s representative for high profile projects of brands such as JW Marriott and IHG InterContinental and Holiday Inn & Suites.
Ha is excited to join the IHG team at such an opportune time as travel and hospitality rallies with the reopening of borders and looks forward to developing win-win strategic partnerships with owners, as well as unlocking the potential of IHG’s brands in Korea.
Maldives gets more serious about business events
The Maldives is repackaging herself as more than just a honeymoon destination, with a real push into the business events market.
At the Arabian Travel Market last week, Thoyyib Mohamed, managing director at Maldives Tourism, told TTGmice the destination is “reimagining the MICE concept” by offering boardrooms on the beach, out-of-the-box locations for meetings, and sustainable incentives surrounded by nature.
He said: “People always think of the Maldives as a luxury or honeymoon destination and we want to change this perception. It’s a safe haven with many islands and no crowds. We’re well connected regionally and business people can bring their families to combine business with leisure.”
The initiative, branded as Redefining MICE, was launched recently in India, where Mohamed said it was well received. Maldives Tourism will also attend IMEX Frankfurt later this month.
A promotional video has been produced to convey the concept.
Fathimath Afra, chief marketing officer at Tourism Maldives, said: “People ask what facilities and equipment we have for large groups. You can convert the beach into a boardroom and we have many resorts with multiple restaurants, bars and cafes that can be converted into meeting rooms. We have very unique venues with a more relaxed concept.”
In addition, Maldives Tourism is developing a homestay scheme across its multiple local islands. The archipelago comprises 1,190 islands, of which 200 are inhabited. A total of 160 resorts also dot the islands, with five new island resorts slated to open in the next six months.
Mohamed said: “We have a very rich culture, history and religion, and many local islands. We wanted to give locals the opportunity to have a piece of the tourism profit.”
He added that many houses have one or two spare rooms that are ideal for visitors wanting to get an authentic taste of local life.
The scheme is currently in its infancy, with only one house registered. However, Afra said it would be developed over the coming months along with a series of local experiences.
AMEX GBT marks a year of ESG progress; beefs up Neo capabilities
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has published its annual environmental, social and governance (ESG) report for 2021, documenting the company’s achievements and commitments in sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), and governance standards.
Key highlights from 2021 include launching a partnership with Shell Aviation to scale up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and deployment; signing the World Economic Forum Clean Skies for Tomorrow initiative to accelerate the supply and use of SAF; unveiling new carbon reporting and mitigation products and services; collaborating with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to help set the industry standard for green hotels; and launching an employee resource group dedicated to sustainability.
AMEX GBT also increased its goal of utilising diverse suppliers across the strategic sourcing portfolio; committed to the protection of children children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism; deepened its relationship with UNICEF USA to help displaced children continue their education; and raised tens of thousands of dollars through events such as a World Children’s Day annual fundraiser, India Covid-19 emergency response, Haiti earthquake and Afghanistan evacuation responses, and donations from suppliers and vendors.
Evan Konwiser, executive vice president, AMEX GBT, said: “Our ESG report shows how we are working to meet ambitious targets, that we recognise our responsibility as an industry leader to work with customers and partners to help build a responsible, sustainable future that includes all the benefits of travel.
“These endeavours are vital as we believe travel is a force for good, powering progress across economic, social and environmental planes. As it helps bring down barriers and builds understanding, it propels trade and commerce while connecting communities globally.”
Meanwhile, the latest release of Neo, Amex GBT’s proprietary online booking tool also includes new functionalities to contribute to the company’s ESG goals for diversity and sustainability. With more countries offering a third gender option on passports, travellers are now able to present their preferred gender and match this information in booking tools and airline records.
Companies using the Neo online booking tool can choose to either remove the name prefix from traveller profiles, or include the new neutral choice, Mx. The booking tool also features a non-binary option alongside male and female in the gender selection field.
A new CO2 sort has also been added to the booking tool to help users quickly surface the travel option with the lowest carbon footprint.
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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.