Radisson Blu has opened the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik, nestled at the foothills of the two-millennia old Pandav Caves in India.
With over 4,500m2 of indoor and outdoor event space, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik will be able to host banquet functions, offsite business meetings and conferences, premier launches, and executive retreats.
Indoor spaces comprise the 790m2 Godavari Ballroom or The Living Room good for 12 guests, while outdoor venues include the Godavari Lawns that can host up to 2,000 guests, as well as an Amphitheatre with a manicured lawn.
There are 224 rooms available, including 18 suites with private balconies. Guests can choose from five room categories ranging from the superior room with pool view, to the deluxe suite.
The hotel is also well-equipped with recreational amenities such as Atman – The Spa, a 24-hour fitness centre, a hair and beauty salon, an outdoor pool with a temperature-controlled jacuzzi, squash court, and pilates room.
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik is also home to four dining restaurants ranging from The Orient House specialising in Chinese cuisine, to The Tuscan Room that is inspired by Italy’s traditional culinary culture. There is also a Tea Lounge with its own whiskey bar.
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik is conveniently located within a 30-minute drive from Ozar Nashik International Airport, 20-minutes from Nashik railway station, 10-minutes from Nashik bus station and 10-minutes from the city centre.
The Australian Turf Club (ATC) has unveiled Sydney’s newest world-class business events venue, the WINX Stand at Royal Randwick.
Named in honour of the wonder racehorse Winx, the two-level A$46.6 million (US$33.7 million) state-of-the-art venue is expected to play host to Sydney’s top local events and attract domestic and international meetings and events, including conferences, gala dinners, exhibitions, and other boutique or large-scale celebrations.
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Designed by Cox Architecture, built by Taylor Construction and project managed by MostynCopper over 13 months, the new two-level multi-purpose facility offers 5,043m2 of flexible floor space which includes The Pavilion on the ground floor, and the Gallery South, Gallery North and Gallery Terrace on level one.
The ground floor features an expansive, fully-enclosed indoor space flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling glass and offers 2,300m2 that can host 2,030 pax for a conference, 3,000 for a cocktail event, 1,800 banquet style and 94 stands for an exhibition. This space is accompanied by several other outdoor events and activation spaces.
Meanwhile, level one of the WINX Stand features two fully-enclosed modern indoor spaces connected by a sweeping open-air outdoor terrace offering panoramic vistas over Royal Randwick. This space is ideal for conferences and galas, with each Gallery space designed to host 530 pax for a conference, 500 for cocktails and 400 banquet-style. The level is also suitable for full event takeovers.
For celebrations, parties, and end-of-year events, the WINX Stand can host 4,000 cocktail-style throughout the venue.
Melinda Madigan, executive general manager, commercial, ATC, reflected on the interest already expressed in the venue and the positive economic of the A$46.6 million WINX Stand.
“Not surprisingly we are seeing extensive demand and inquiries, with the venue fully booked out for its first month of opening and strong bookings already throughout 2022.
“While this is an investment in the infrastructure at Royal Randwick, we also estimate the WINX Stand will deliver over A$150 million in economic benefit to New South Wales, while creating over 450 jobs during construction, which is so important to support the state’s post-Covid recovery.”
Contact meetingsandevents@australianturfclub.com.au for more information.
(TMCs) are reinventing themselves – preparing for a new trading environment
The impact the pandemic has had on business travel is well documented and the changing market conditions are leading to a significant shift in the industry.
Rebuilding Business Travel – Insights from global TMC leaders on the business travel industry outlook and recovery strategies for 2022, the latest report from Amadeus explores the opportunities, challenges, and growth strategies that will shape the future of business travel.
TMCs are reinventing themselves and preparing for a new trading environment
The research is based on insights from over 250 Travel Management Companies (TMC) executives, gathered through a quantitative survey as well as deep-dive interviews.
The research looked at the changing priorities of business travel, with the results showing:
Globally, 92% of business travellers want to be informed about health and safety information on the country they are visiting, before and during their business trip. Eighty-two per cent of business travellers in APAC echo a similar sentiment.
Last-minute changes are becoming increasingly common; due to changes such as flight cancellations as a result of new quarantine restrictions or testing requirements. Meanwhile, 50% of global travellers prioritise disruption management for last-minute changes, compared to 38% of APAC business travellers. This indicates that as the needs of business travellers evolve, so do TMCs’ roles in managing these disruptions.
Duty of Care is now identified as the number one business travel requirement for clients – (Global: 65%; APAC: 68%). The need for companies to reduce risk is expected as TMCs now facilitate more than air travel, with rail, hotel and car bookings included.
When asked about the future of the business travel industry, the survey results show:
Globally, 49% of TMCs see a shift from ‘unmanaged’ to ‘managed travel’. The number is higher for APAC at 57%. As planning for a business trip becomes increasingly complex with logistical and risk management exercises, employers will require assistance when it comes to travel arrangements.
Next, 71% of TMCs in APAC cited technological advancements as the top strategy for the recovery of business travel, compared to 63% globally.
Other recovery strategies include cost optimisation (Global: 49%; APAC: 63%), where TMCs automate tasks like routine service desk enquiries or offer more self-service tools to clients so that they can focus more on the duty of care for travellers, followed by diversification to new revenue sources (Global: 69%; APAC: 59%). Business travellers are looking for more services and content, which means TMCs can look at different technologies to improve customer service including improving mobile apps and messaging tools, virtual payment offerings and self-booking tools with fuller content.
Mieke De Schepper, executive vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific, Amadeus, said: “TMCs in Asia Pacific are the most optimistic that business travel will recover – something which has already happened in the Chinese domestic market – and resume its impressive long-term growth trajectory.
“But much has changed, and APAC TMCs see clear opportunities in the new world of business travel to also further improve on the past. A great example is the high number who expect more companies to shift from unmanaged to managed business travel. This provides fantastic potential for TMCs to earn more revenue by helping clients with this transformation. Expect more use of technology too: APAC TMCs are especially strong believers in progress through automation.”
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has appointed Mark S. Bradford as general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen.
In this new role, Bradford will establish a new luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel in Shenzhen. The project is scheduled to open in early 2022 and encompasses 178 spacious guestrooms and suites, eight restaurants and bars, several event spaces and a spa.
The seasoned hotelier has two decades of experience with Mandarin Oriental, initially joining as hotel manager at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, and then taking on senior leadership positions in Chiang Mai, Marrakech, Manila and Jakarta.
Prior to this move, he was opening general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Wangfujing, Beijing.
W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 hotel brands, has opened the W Xiamen in China.
Set in Xiamen’s downtown East Business District, the property welcomes gatherings in its 1,000m2 Great Room that features avant-garde art, colour-changing ceiling bulbs, and a 110m2 LED screen, the largest in the city. There are also six other customisable studio spaces for smaller events. The 262m2 Extreme WOW Suite is another possible exclusive function space, filled with contemporary art.
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There are 293 guestrooms and suites in total, alongside recreational amenities such as a 24/7 fitness centre, the Away Spa, and an indoor swimming pool.
Guests can also avail the four dining concepts within W Xiamen, where watering holes like the pool bar offers modern street food-inspired bar bites and cocktails, and the lobby-level Living Room Soundscape offering organic brews and healthy beverages.
There is also Min Yen restaurant featuring a fusion of Cantonese and Minnan flavours, and private hostings of Cognac tastings paired with mystery menus; and all-day dining space Nine, which serves baked goods and handmade noodles in the day, high tea in the afternoon with rare teas and craft beers, and steaks and seafood when the sun goes down.
Hyatt Hotels has opened the Hyatt Centric Melbourne, marking the entry of the vibrant Hyatt Centric brand into Australia.
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s downtown, event planners may utilise the 210m2 of flexible function space on level 6, as well as the 248m2 alfresco terrace.
Delegates may be put up at one of Hyatt Centric Melbourne’s 277 contemporary guestrooms, spread across 25 levels. Meanwhile, amenities include a 25-metre pool, and 24-hour gym.
There will be also two F&B options onsite – the Restaurant & Bar on the 25th floor which offers Mediterranean-inspired menus featuring Victorian produce alongside panoramic views of the city, the Yarra River and the Southbank; and the café, Allie Lane, which serves coffee and craft beer, as well as homemade pastries and sandwiches.
Magdalena Martorell, a seasoned professional with two decades of hospitality experience in Europe and Asia has taken charge of Meliá Phuket Mai Khao.
The Spanish-born general manager comes to Meliá Phuket Mai Khao after successfully opening Meliá Shanghai Parkside in China, and SOL by Meliá Phu Quoc in Vietnam.
Martorell has worked with Meliá Hotels International for the entirety of her hospitality career, beginning 20 years ago when she was selected to join the leading Spanish hotel group’s internal development programme.
She steadily rose through the ranks, working as the operations manager at Tryp Rey Pelayo at Gijón in the north of Spain before becoming the resident manager at Meliá Barcelona. She then became the general manager at Tryp Barcelona Aeropuerto before moving to Asia in 2012 to assume the hotel manager post at Meliá Bali & The Garden Villas.
Opening soon, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao offers 30 suites and 70 villas, and facilities such as four dining outlets, a five-treatment-room spa, three swimming pools, a fully-equipped fitness centre, kids’ club, ballroom and two multifunctional rooms.
The new acquisition builds on last year’s initial investment in the firm
Flight Centre Travel Group, FCM’s parent company, has fully acquired Shep, a Texas-based software company that provides a browser-extension based communication platform for multinational corporations.
The Shep browser tool will enable FCM to customise content and enhance the user experience on third party websites and online booking tools that corporate customers use, either as part of the FCM platform’s flexible offering or when booking or searching outside of a company’s recommended booking tools.
The new acquisition builds on last year’s initial investment in the firm
There are also tangible benefits for customers in the areas of health, safety, sustainability and policy guidance, which the Shep product will enable FCM to integrate into these systems when the products don’t offer them themselves.
As such, customers can expect greater consistency across the globe, while also delivering better control, duty of care, sustainability and communications benefits – a priority in today’s evolving travel landscape.
Shep’s integration comes as the company gears up for the global rollout of its new omnichannel, proprietary platform to service a multinational client base across 100 countries.
Alongside Shep, FCM will continue to leverage the significant technology investments its parent company has made in recent years to improve customer experience. These include the acquisitions of booking technology specialist WhereTo, mobile chatbot platform Sam, and equity investment in air content aggregator TPConnects.
Without clarity on endemic plans, large-scale organisers in Singapore will continue to have many hurdles to cross
The rapid spread of Omicron infections across the world has forced Asian governments this week to reinstate even tougher border measures, with Thailand pausing her quarantine-free allowance for travellers and Singapore freezing new ticket sales for Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights and buses.
Thailand’s latest restrictions will be enforced until January 4, 2022, but the Kingdom will continue to accept Thailand Pass applications for visits with quarantine, with registrations required at least one week prior to travel. The Phuket Sandbox scheme will also continue to stand.
Singapore has imposed a stop-sale order on all new ticket for Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights and buses
Singapore’s VTL freeze, in effect from December 23 to January 20, will not impact travellers who have already obtained a flight or bus ticket. The latest decision will also see the Ministry of Health temporarily reducing the VTL quotas and ticket sales for travel after January 20, 2022.
The capacity and ticket sales for VTL land travel into Singapore or Malaysia from January 21 will be cut by half, with allowance for only 24 one-way bus rides per day.
Designated VTL flights into Singapore will also be halved from January 21.
Omicron fears have also led Japan to extend until January next year her ban on new entries by all foreigners and quarantine requirement for all returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents. These rules were supposed to have ended at the end of this year.
Meanwhile, stricter social restrictions have also been rolled out in some parts of the region. South Korea has reimposed a curfew, requiring dining establishments and bars to close by 21.00 and limiting gatherings to no more than four people, while Malaysia has axed all large New Year’s Eve celebrations, allowing only small and private gatherings – provided pre-event Covid-19 tests are conducted.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has appointed Amanda Hyndman as general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, as well as area vice president of operations and group director of quality & rooms.
In addition to managing the group’s flagship property, she will also oversee operations at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong; Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou; Mandarin Oriental, Macau; and Mandarin Oriental, Sanya.
Hyndman’s corporate responsibilities extend to the group’s rooms division and quality service programme, managing all aspects of global operational standards as well as rooms division, including front office, housekeeping and guest services.
A seasoned hotelier, the British national joined the group in 2007 as general manager of The Excelsior, Hong Kong, before taking on general manager roles at Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., and Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok where she oversaw the historic Authors’ Wing renovation.
In 2018, she joined Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London as general manager and area vice president, operations and was responsible for the most extensive renovation in the hotel’s 100+ year history, while also overseeing Mandarin Oriental properties in Munich and Prague.
The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok anchors the One Bangkok development with cosmopolitan elegance. Featuring the city's largest ballroom and a spectacular new penthouse suite, it delivers exceptional hardware and deeply authentic, soulful service for business and leisure travellers alike
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
