Hilton has opened the 310-key DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya, marking the group’s entry into the second-largest city in Indonesia.
The property welcomes business events, and offers 2,719m2 of space across 17 meeting spaces. Venue options include the 360 Degree Function Room spanning 605m2 on the highest floor of DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya which can accommodate up to 600 guests. Additionally, the Tunjungan Grand Ballroom features 800m2 of exhibition space equipped with advanced audiovisual facilities and 47m2 of built-in LED screens.
Loft Suite Master Bedroom
Recreational facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, and a 24-hour fitness centre. Business travellers with their young ones in tow will appreciate the Kids Zone where children aged between four and 12 years old will be able to enjoy a video games zone, outdoor terrace, play gym as well as play room.
Residential meeting groups can also choose to dine at one of its three dining outlets – the all-day Makan Kitchen, The Koffee Deli & More in the lobby, and at the Cloud 22 Rooftop Bar.
DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya is situated in Surabaya’s city centre, a 45-minute drive from the Juanda International Airport.
Singapore Airlines has appointed Ng Boon Kiat Melvin as its general manager for China, effective since February 8, 2021.
Based in Beijing, Ng is responsible for the airline’s strategic planning and market expansion in China.
Having been with the airline for nearly two decades since 2002, Ng has successively held several positions including sales and distribution executive, corporate account manager, regional marketing manager for North Asia, and manager for Northern China.
He has also taken on the general manager role across several markets, namely, Sri Lanka, Russia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Tang’s Living Group has appointed two new group general managers to its senior management team.
Henry Tse, current general manager of Hotel COZi, steps into his new role as the group general manager – hotel operations & brand development of Hotel COZi, Bay Bridge Lifestyle Retreat and Commune. His new role will see him managing five hotels and a co-living space.
From left: Henry Tse; and Alfred Chan
Prior to joining Hotel COZi as hotel manager and serving as part of the hotel’s pre-opening management team back in 2017, Tse has over 30 years of hospitality experience. He previously held management positions at hotels such as Dorsett Tsuen Wan Hong Kong and Silka Far East Hotel.
Meanwhile, Alfred Chan, also a 30-year hospitality veteran, assumes the position of group general manager – hotel operations & brand development of Hotel Ease, Hotel Ease Access and Minimal Hotels. In total, he will be managing 10 hotels.
Chan joined Tang’s Living Group in 2018 as the general manager of Hotel Ease‧Tsuen Wan and Hotel Ease Access‧Tsuen Wan, where he helped to enhance brand awareness and development. He has also held leadership roles in Metropark Hotel Kowloon and Kew Green Hotel Wanchai.
A rendering of the boardroom at Connect@Changi separated with air-tight, floor-to-ceiling windows. (Photo: Connect@Changi)
Delays have set in for a new segregated travel lane allowing short-term business travellers to stay, work and meet at dedicated facilities in Singapore.
According to national papers, The Straits Times, the Connect@Singapore initiative has been delayed at least until February 21. It was scheduled to launch last month, with the first travellers under the scheme arriving in Singapore from the second half of January.
A rendering of the boardroom at Connect@Changi separated with air-tight, floor-to-ceiling windows. (Photo: Connect@Changi)
The first dedicated facility these travellers will be put up in under the scheme is now expected to open for check-in only from February 21, sources told The Straits Times.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), which is overseeing the Connect @ Singapore scheme, did not say why the scheme has been delayed.
An MTI spokesman would only say that the start date for applications for the scheme will be “broadly aligned with the estimated operational start date of the first Connect @ Singapore facility”.
Singapore Tourism Board’s executive director for infrastructure planning and management, Chew Tiong Heng, told the broadsheet that assessments on the first facility – Connect @ Changi facility at Singapore Expo – are in the final stage and no reservations have been taken from the travellers yet.
Eventos now has the improved ability to easily host live events online
Eventos, Bravesoft’s event platform for customised event operations in Japan, is now able to provide livestreaming services, a new feature added to the platform through technology provided by Tencent Cloud.
Dubbed Easy Live, the new function now allows Eventos users to perform live broadcasting online without the use of external tools. This capability is supported by Tencent Cloud’s Live Video Broadcasting (LVB) and Tencent Real-Time Communication (TRTC) solutions.
Eventos now has the improved ability to easily host live events online
It can support presentations, panel discussion, competition and live shows, and runs on ultra-low latency. Hosts can broadcast the event, which viewers can then subscribe to, watch, comment, and playback. Other features include a beauty filter, audio processing, instant broadcasting on a splash screen, live screencap broadcasting, and video definition changing.
Prior to this addition, Eventos users were already able to use this event platform to manage events including ticketing functions, business matching chats, and data analysis, among others.
Kiyota Koichiro, board member & general director of eventech unit, Bravesoft, said: “The pandemic has shaken up the event management industry, where livestreaming and online events have become the new norm. Addressing the demand growth in livestreaming services, Eventos has now given its users the ability to easily host live events online, as well as foster business communication within this event platform through the support of Tencent Cloud.
“Our collaboration with Tencent Cloud enabled us to install a function that helps prevent broadcasting challenges and hurdles and also highlight the value of Eventos for our users. We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration in the future.”
What will be the "new normal" in the business travel world?
While corporate cards offer refund protection for cut tickets cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, follow-up “tracing and tracking” is throwing up challenges, according to some regional buyers managing large multi-market, multi-airline programmes.
In recent GBTA online discussion updates, US corporate travel managers (CTMs) raised the issue of unused air tickets being booked for leisure travel by employees who have left the company.
There are millions of flight cancellations, and keeping track of refunds is a monumental task
Benson Tang, executive director, corporate travel, Informa Markets, who is based in Hong Kong, said there is no possibility for the scenario at his company.
Tang explained: “Our company issues a corporate credit card and all charges are put on it. And a manager’s card will be used for non-managerial staff without one.
“If a refund is needed, the credit will go back to the corporate credit card. For LCCs, we have a corporate account and bulk purchase travel coupons, so unused tickets go back into our corporate account. So no issue.”
The CTM of a global European retail giant with T&E management handled out of Shanghai, told TTGmice he is trying to close any gaps.
He said: “We use Airplus International in most countries. In China, however, we are still using invoicing due to complex cross-charging needs. Since June last year, we have been working with the TMC in each country to refund all unused tickets.
“We have also heavily restricted new bookings, ensured new bookings are flexible for change, but, there will still be gaps in the follow-up even if the overall sums involved are not significant.
“We have also worked with the TMC to implement pre-trip approval for LCC bookings in December 2020 to close off this gap.”
But some Singapore-based regional CTMs have expressed concern.
One CTM in the pharmaceutical sector pointed out that corporate credit cards have different liabilities – corporate versus personal – and if the latter, she quipped that some employees can leave the company with three years worth of mileage points to use.
She continued: “While there was ‘no travel’ in 2020, we still paid out millions in our air programme and are still looking at a chunk of money to be refunded.
“On a company basis, we do not know who has an open ticket and neither does the TMC know if a ticket in the system has been used or when it was used. That’s because the TMC booking and airline reservations systems can’t talk to one another as GDS, mid- and back-end systems are different in each country.
Studying the TMC reports is like looking for a needle in a haystack, she observed. “We have asked if our TMC can upgrade its system to help track air tickets because our employees don’t know how many bookings they have but are not used and have to be sent for a refund.”
The situation, she said, is further complicated by different airlines adopting different refund policies, some suddenly changing their policies from cash to credit, even asking corporates to make a new booking.
“We never used to have to track unused tickets but because of Covid-19 it is now ‘visible’,” she noted, adding some suppliers took a long time for the refunds.
Sharing similar concerns, a CTM in the energy sector, said he is seeking some US$208,000 in refunds, mostly cash but some vouchers, and noted about US$80,000 is still outstanding.
The company, which has nearly 20 regional and international airlines in its programme, has had to wait around six months for refunds so far.
He commented: “Our TMC is providing a refund report free of charge, and we are willing to pay a US$50 transaction fee for each refund request.
“I totally understand the main intention of the airlines is to stay afloat, but they must also do something to work with each other when capacity is limited, when service is reduced and some airfares have increased substantially.
“My suggestion is for airlines, regardless of their alliance membership, to consider allowing interlining to help corporate travellers and to cut waste. Airlines need to start talking to each other,” he urged.
Shirley Yuen, regional director – global and strategic sales, Asia Oceania sales office, Japan Airlines, commented: “Corporates usually book via a corporate fare. However in cases where corporate fares are not used, then tracking for corporate spending may be difficult.
“Only IATA published fares allow the use of all IATA airlines, but they are usually the highest. Airlines may also file a carrier fare that allows the use of specific carriers in a joint business or in the same alliance. For example, American Airlines is our Pacific joint business partner.”
Malaysia agrees on green lane reciprocal travel bubble with Indonesia
Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed in principle to implement a reciprocal green lane scheme to facilitate bilateral travel, pending approval by health authorities in both countries.
Malaysia’s tourism, arts and culture minister, Nancy Shukri, said in a press statement that the travel bubble initiative is part of the ministry’s recovery plans formulated last July to revitalise the country’s tourism sector.
Malaysia agrees on green lane reciprocal travel bubble with Indonesia
She added that the ministry has also held discussions with the Health Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry to explore opportunities in creating travel bubbles with neighbouring countries such as Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
“Its implementation, however, is subject to bilateral discussions and considerations based on the aspects of health, immigration, data tracking, and ongoing monitoring by relevant agencies in both countries,” she said.
The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) president, Francis Teo, welcomed the news but opined that strict adherence to SOPs and proper implementation is needed to guard against imported cases.
Teo also suggested airport and immigration authorities could look into providing permanent special lanes and counters dedicated to travellers to facilitate their movement upon arrival.
“We look forward to seeing the opening of borders between Malaysia and Indonesia, and anticipate that this would facilitate the movement of business travellers between the two countries. The success of this Reciprocal Green Lane would help support and speed up the opening of the business events industry in Malaysia.”
A new series of karate-related offerings for business groups is now available in Japan’s southern island chain of Okinawa, the birthplace of karate.
Launched by the Okinawa Convention Visitors Bureau under its latest web platform, “Enjoy Karate Tourism in Okinawa,” the programme features karate trials for beginners (120 minutes), as well as workshops for more experienced karate practitioners. The gi, or karate uniform, can be rented onsite.
On completion of the programme, participants typically receive a certification of completion and a group photo with their karate master.
Meanwhile, corporate groups seeking experiences rather than lessons can try Ryukyu traditional tile smashing and Zen seated meditation (45-minute or 60-minute programme) at the famous Shuri Kannondo Temple in Naha.
A six-hour-long tour (US$290) to explore the island’s karate roots via visits to monuments, shrines, museums, dojos and shops is ideal for a corporate excursion, while the 30-minute karate demonstration performed by local masters is suitable (USD$ 390) as pre-event entertainment.
Most programmes are held at Okinawa Karate Kaikan in Tomigusuku, about 15 minutes’ drive from Naha International Airport. This facility, which was opened in 2017 to preserve and develop the heritage of Okinawa karate, also has rooms for small group meetings. Its main gymnasium can be transformed into a conference space.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
