Ttj English Version

English Edition

INDONESIA

TOUR & TRAVEL

OURNAL NEWS | TRENDS | PROFILES | EVENTS | DESTINATIONS

Thailand

Lau nch Issu e

Back in Full Swing

ISSN 2301-7902

Indonesia’s First Travel Trade Focused Publication with 5000+ Local & Regional Controlled Distribution

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Editor’s Note

Indonesia has a travel trade magazine to call its own

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to I ndones i a ’s. Dom es ti c touri s m i n I ndone sia is s i gni fi cant and that i s one huge buffer ag ainst gl obal events that m i ght s tem the fl ow of t o ur ism acros s borders. M any i n I ndones i a are wel l

t ’s b een a p r ocess in th e ma k in g – for a

aware of the abundance of touri s m attrac t io ns

c o u p l e of yea r s a ctu ally. Fin d in g th e an swer

wi thi n the vas t s tretch of the archi pel ago.

t o a q u es ti on th at you migh t h av e th ou ght of

A part from l ei s ure, bus i nes s travel and

a s we l l. W h y d oes n ’ t a n a rch ip elago of almos t

bus i nes s events contri bute abundantl y to t he

a q uar ter of a b i l l i o n people n ot h a v e a travel

dom es ti c m arket. T he I ndones i an travel an d

ind ust r y p u b l i ca ti o n of its ow n ?

touri s m i ndus tr y has created i ts own ti tans –

W he th er y ou a r e readin g th is on a screen o r f lip pi n g th r ou g h a ph ysica l cop y, w e h ope t his i s a n a p p r op r i ate a n sw er. We h av e

tes ti m ony to the s trength of the i ndus tr y and t he wi der econom y.

I n thi s fi rs t i s s ue, we provi de a s am pl i ng o f

ma r r ie d b oth p r i n t a n d on lin e to crea te a

the content we hope you woul d appreci at e. But

t r a ve l i n d u s tr y m a gaz in e th at striv es to meet

don’t s top there – tel l us what you woul d l ike t o

t he need s of th i s boomin g in du str y. Till n ow,

s ee here i n s ubs equent i s s ues.

c o v e r ag e of I n d onesia ’ s trav el in d u str y h as been

Jus t as I ndones i a prepares for a change in

mini m a l i n r eg i on al trade p u blication s. Th at i s

pres i denti al l eaders hi p, i t ’s a new begi nni ng f o r

und e r s ta n d a b l e – th ey n eed to cov er a slew of

us. We are gl ad you are on board wi th us.

c o unt r i es a n d i s s u es a n d if In d on esia is n ot the f la v o u r of th e m on th, it goes on th e back b urner.

We kn ow th er e’ s a lot more brew in g in I nd o ne s i a.

Fo r e i g n a r r i v a l s are b u t on e sma ll mea sure of t he t r a v el i n d u s tr y ’s yield. O n e ca n n ot com pare,

N Gunalan Editor-in-Chief

f o r insta n ce, S i n g a p ore’ s foreign tou rist arrival s

INDONESIA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF N Gunalan MANAGING DIRECTOR Panca R. Sarungu TECHNICAL ADVISOR Solahuddin Nasution GROUP OPERATING DIRECTOR Pamela Ganguly Choudhury ENGLISH FUTURE EDITOR Bukhairidzal Buang EDITOR R. Sekar Wireni CORPORATE SECRETARY Reny Savitri HEAD of SALES AND DISTRIBUTION Danny Indra HEAD of SALES - BALI Walid Salim FINANCE MANAGER Junita Embong Pasak

Ruko Permata Timur, Jl. Curug Raya No. 7E , Kalimalang - Jakarta 13450, [P] +62 21 8690 6471 ext. 123 [F] +62 21 8690 5677 [E] IndonesiaTTJ@pristamedia.com info@tourtraveljournal.co.id [W] TourTravelJournal.co.id

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Reni Maya Tadung IT MANAGER Windy Agustian

IndonesiaTour&TravelJournal

GRAPHIC DESIGN Akbar “Kuzoet”

IndoTTjournal

DISTRIBUTION Didi

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CONTENT

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Main Story

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News

Travel Technology Aviation

Destination Hotel Review

Profile

QOUTES "In one stroke, Google has liberated Google Maps."

In a new move, Google has annouced that anybody can now add tourism businesses and places of interest as pins and markers on Google Maps Bronwyn White, co-founder of MyTravelResearch.com

Infographic

Which region leads with the best hotel reviews?

The Asia Pacific region, incorporating Australia/ New Zealand, has emerged tops as the area scoring the highest hotel ratings, according to research done by travel search site Wego and travel review partner, TrustYou. The region scored 85.8 percent overall in 16 categories that included service, facilities, food, romance, luxury, romance, nightlife and price.

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Main Story

Thailand Back in Full Swing: TAT

by N Gunalan

Main Story

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h a ila n d ’ s t o ur i s m i s b a c k i n ful l swi ng, th e c o unt r y ’ s t our i s m b o ard has sai d.

T h e To ur i s m A ut hor i t y o f Tha i l a nd s a id a ll tour i s m -r el a t ed b usi ne sse s a n d s e r v ice s ha v e r es um ed no rm a l o p e r a tio n s f ol l o wi ng t he l i fti ng o f the n a tio n w id e c ur f e w i n m i d -J une.

The revoking of the curfew by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), currently overseeing Thailand’s administration, came after the Council gradually lifted the curfew in major Thai tourist destinations in June.

Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of TAT, said, “We cannot help but to keep telling the world that it’s always business as usual in Thailand and that tourism has not been disrupted by the political situation.”

Official statistics showed major airports outside of Bangkok recording healthy growth in the number of international tourist arrivals during January-May 2014, when compared to the same period in 2013.

The airports mentioned are in Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket and Samui. During January-May 2014, Thailand welcomed a total of 10.36 million tourist arrivals. Europe showed the strongest growth of 7.55 percent totalling 3.09 million. For the whole year of this year, TAT expects the country to welcome 25.6 tourist arrivals, with Bt1.23 trillion revenue (US$38.4 billion).

TAT also kickstarted the annual Amazing Thailand Grand Sale which is running till 30 September. The activity is joined by more than 15,000 shopping malls, department stores, brand-name outlets, and restaurants in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and KoSamui in offering special deals and bargains for tourists.

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Main Story

Thai Tourism Players Urge Junta to Scrap Martial Law

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ey tourism bodies in Thailand have called on the military junta to lift martial law to lure foreign tourists back to the Kingdom. "The military has lifted the curfew to restore the travel environment, but this will be good mainly for domestic travel, not for the entire sector. [Foreign] tourists would like to see martial law lifted before they come," Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, was quoted saying in a report in The Nation.

While the junta lifted the curfew nationwide, it kept martial law in place, citing national-security concerns. Tourism associations had earlier delivered tourism recovery plans to the military, included lifting martial law, the report said. "We needed help, and lifting martial law is the only thing left. If this were done, it would ensure tourists' confidence and encourage them to return to Thailand," Sisdivachr was quoted saying.

According to Thai Hotels Association (THA) statistics, hotel operators in Bangkok have suffered from the lower numbers of inbound tourists and businesspeople. Many hotels are running occupancy rates as low as 30-40 percent compared with 70 percent at the same time last year. "The THA sees very good signs for the tourism sector after the cancellation of the curfew. The political developments should help draw tourists back to the country," THA president Surapong Techaruvichit said in the report.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand planned to run a three-month recovery programme by organising familiarisation trips, street festivals in Bangkok, and a concert.

US Eases Thai Travel Alert

The United States has eased its travel alert for Thailand after the ruling junta lifted the curfew in June. The State Department said despite the lifting of the nationwide curfew, Thailand remains under martial law.

Main Story

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Thailand Launches Tourist Insurance Coverage Scheme

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o u r is ts p l a nni ng a v i s i t t o T h a ila n d c a n now us e a s p e c ia l onl i ne i ns ur a nce cov e r a g e s c he m e k nown a s the “ T h a ila n d Tr a v el S hi el d ” .

It ha s b e e n s e t up b y t he Tou r is m Au t hor i t y o f T ha i l a nd ( TAT ) w ith f o ur r ep ut e d T ha i in s u r a n c e c om p a ni e s, M ua ng T h a i In s u r a n c e, C ha o P ha y a In s u r a n c e, S i a m C i t y I ns ur a nc e, an d Kr u n g th a i Pa ni ch I ns ur a nc e.

Visitors will be able to buy the insurance coverage online for a broad range of unforeseen events ranging from accidents, trip cancellation and loss or damage of baggage to emergency hotel accommodation.

These travel insurance policies provide instant coverage up to the value of Bt 1,000,000 for the packages starting at Bt 650 (US$20).

TAT Governor Thawatchai Arunyik said, “This is to ensure that travellers enjoy their visit to the kingdom with great peace of mind, knowing that should anything go wrong, they’ll be covered.”

In addition, everyone purchasing this insurance can take advantage of the 24-hour emergency assistance offered by Allianz Global Assistance which allows visitors to get pre-trip information on a range of topics.

More details are available at www.tourismthailand.org/thailandtravelshield

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News

Indonesia Aims For 12.7 Million Foreign Tourists in 2019

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nd o n e s ia is a i m i ng t o b oo s t t h e n u mb e r o f f o r ei g n t our i sts ove r th e n ex t f i v e y ea r s – f r o m the c u r r e n t 9 . 5 m i l l i on t o 1 2 . 7 millio n. T h e 2 5 % g r o wt h t a r g et, s et b y th e Tour i s m a nd C r e a t i ve Econ o my M ini s t r y, i s b a s e d on the 3 5 % in c rea s e i n t he l a s t f i ve year s.

“Backed by this significant growth, we’ve decided to increase the growth in foreign tourist arrivals,” The Ministry’s Marketing Director General Esthy Reko Astuti was quoted saying in The Jakarta Post.

The ministry will boost tourism promotion in Middle Eastern countries, as recent data shows that four member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) top the list of the fastest growing numbers of tourists arriving in Indonesia in the first four months of this year.

These include Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United

Arab Emirates and Egypt. “We have to generate more tourists from these countries because based on our experience, when a Middle Eastern airline opens direct flights to Indonesia, they tend to attract more outbound tourists from Indonesia rather than inbound tourists to Indonesia,” Esthy was reported saying.

The seat capacity of foreign airlines that serve routes from Middle Eastern countries to Indonesia amounts to 52,994 seats per week, while that of Indonesian airlines amounts to 18,424 seats per week, based on data from state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II. “There is high seat capacity on planes coming from the Middle Eastern countries, however, it turns out that most of them are carrying our migrant workers, not tourists,” Esthy was quoted saying. “We need to boost our promotion in the Middle East to attract more visitors from the region, which did not even reach 100,000 last year.”

Over the next five years, the ministry said it would focus its promotion in another 15 markets that contribute around 80 percent of visits to Indonesia, namely Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia.

News

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Bali and Jakarta see over 5000 Rooms Each under Construction

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o r e t ha n 5 , 0 0 0 r oo m s a r e u nd er co ns t r uc t i o n in J a ka r t a a nd B a l i, ac c o r d in g t o t he M a y 2 0 1 4 S TR Glo b a l Co ns t r uct i o n Pi p el i ne Rep o r t. T h e A s i a Pa ci f i c r eg i o n rep o r te d 2 , 3 3 6 hot el s U nd e r Co n tr a c t c o m p r i s i ng 5 2 1 , 0 17 rooms.

Shanghai reported the largest number of rooms under construction with 9,028 rooms in 37 hotels.

Jakarta had 6,152 rooms in 26 hotels while Bali had 5,798 rooms in 42 hotels under construction. Besides these three, Manila (6,456 rooms in 21 hotels); Chengdu (5,869 rooms in 22 hotels) and Delhi-NCR (5,297 rooms in 28 hotels) also featured among the top.

Japan Eases Visa Rules for Indonesian Tourists

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a p a n is r e l a x i ng v i s a r ul e s fo r to u r is ts f r om I nd o ne s i a a nd So u th e a s t A s i a n ne i g hb ours, Vie tn a m a nd t he P hi l i p p i nes, as pa r t o f e f f o r t s t o i ncr ea s e f o re i gn arriv a ls.

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this will help towards its aim of doubling tourist numbers ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Last year, Japan topped the 10-million visitor mark for the first time following the recovery of the tourism sector after the quake-tsunami and nuclear disaster three years ago.

Indonesians with e-passports will be exempt from

having a visa based on prior registration at the Japan embassy or consulates-general in Indonesia, the Ministry said.

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News travel audience,” said Graham Hills, Managing Director, Wego Indonesia.

“Travellers are now far more aware of the convenience that Wego provides. Local and international hotel brands, airlines, and online travel agents, are now incorporated into Wego’s enormous inventory comprising over 400,000 hotels and 700 low cost and full service carriers.”

Wego: Top Travel app in Indonesia on iTunes

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e g o ’ s r e c e nt l y l a unche d iO S tr a v e l a p p ( a l s o a v a ila b l e f o r a nd r o i d ) is n o w r a te d num b e r one i n In do n e s ia b y t he i Tunes A p p S t ore.

“Since our entry into this market in 2011, we’ve witnessed firsthand how passionate Indonesians are about travel, social media and travel related content.

We knew the next step was to provide access to all of the best flights and hotel options through a mobile device to effectively serve this insatiable

Tallest Statue in Bali on Schedule for 2016 Completion

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he l ate st ad d i ti o n to B al i ’ s G arud a Wi snu Ke nc a na (GW K) Cul tura l Pa rk i s o n sc he d ule to be unve i l e d i n 2016.

This latest addition will be in the form of the 126-metre tall status of Garuda Wisnu which will stand on top of a 12-storey pedestal complex and will be the main attraction at the 60-ha park in Ungasan.

According to I Wayan Sugiantara, Sales Operation Department Head of the GWK cultural Park, “The 12-storey pedestal complex will house a convention hall and the World Cultural Forum.”

The World Cultural Forum is a permanent attraction which showcases different cultural exhibits from around the world.

The convention hall can be used for exhibitions, events and concerts while the top storey of the pedestal complex will be a viewing gallery for visitors.

The statue is designed and built by Nyoman Nuarta and will be made of approximately 3,000 tonnes of brass and copper. It is made piece by piece in Bandung and will be shipped to Bali.

“In Bali it will take about 50 skilled craftsmen to put the statue together,” added Sugiantara.

“Certain parts like Lord Wisnu’s crown and Garuda’s accessories will be plated in gold.”

News

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Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards 2014/15

Vote 200+ Your Favorite Brands 20 August - 4 September 2014 www.indonesiatraveltourismawards.org

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Travel Trends

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n 2 0 1 3 , C hi na co r p o r a t e t ra v e l ma r ke t ex p e nd i t ur e was US $ 2 2 3 . 5 b i l l i o n. I t i s p r o j ec te d to ris e b y 1 6 . 5 % i n 2 0 1 4 - d o ub l e the in c r e a s e o f C hi na ’ s G D P grow th. C h in a ’ s t r a v e l m a r ket expe n d itu r e w i l l r e a ch U S $ 3 0 9 billio n b y 2 0 15 . C hi na i s t he world ’ s s e c o nd l a r g e s t ec o no m y an d it w ill s o o n o v er t a ke t he US to b e c o me the l a r g e s t co r p o rate trav e l ma r ke t.

Demand for structured corporate travel management is increasing as more Chinese companies opt to use online booking tools (OBTs) and company credit cards, according to HRG’s China Travel Trends Report.

Insights from the report highlight the degree to which China is evolving in relation to developments already accepted in other countries and adopted in pursuit of effective travel management.

“We have seen change in every part of the business - service configurations are moving away from onsite to offsite dedicated team setup, the classic travel management model has evolved into the widespread deployment of online booking tools, invoice payment now employs various credit

platforms, simple air spend management now includes the management of all T&E expenses, and simple relationship management is now a more value/objectives focused business management,” said Yates Fei, General Manager, HRG China.

Fei said the Chinese government has continued to invest heavily in infrastructure projects producing a favourable environment for corporate travel.

Key findings from report showed that the majority of China-based multinational companies are optimistic about future economic developments in the country. They have committed to an increase in corporate travel expenditure but stressed cost-savings efficiencies remain their fundamental objective.

They have also indicated that they would maintain or increase manpower in 2015 to meet increasing labour demands and economic growth.

“China is currently experiencing a slower growth rate overall however, this is leading to an increase in demand for structured corporate travel management with more companies opting to use Online Booking Tools (OBTs) and introducing company credit cards as they realise the vast benefits of doing so, especially controlling travel and related expenditure costs,” said Fei.

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14th

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in Indonesia

World Islamic Tourism Mart The Indonesia Travel and Holiday Fair

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Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Republic of Indonesia

For more information:

Joinly Organized by:

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ARI +62 21 8690 6471 or 0856 955 93070, ari@rajamice.com ext. 122, Edy +62 857 1829 6233, projectofficer3@rajamice.com

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Travel Technology

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o u mig h t i m a g i ne na t ur a l d is a s te r s t o b e t he p r i m ar y c a u s e of t r a v e l d i s r up t i ons bu t a s tu d y by A b a c us s ho ws the real s c o u r g e o f t r a v e l i s, m o r e ofte n th a n n o t, m a n-m a d e.

The travel technology company has published metrics on the root causes of disruption across the region and around the world, collated from broadcasts of the Abacus TripAlert service.

Analysing over 5,000 early warning alerts broadcast over 2013, it showed natural phenomena being the single largest source of inconvenience with 28% of all travel disruption stemming from either severe weather conditions or other naturally occurring events.

However, while man-made disruption was secondary, the repercussions were deemed to be much more serious, compared to forces of nature, as they often evolved into other alerts as they escalated, Abacus said.

In fact, out of a total of 1,451 ‘security’ alerts broadcast by AidCom, its partner in early detection,

Most Travel Disruptions Are Man-made 25% were considered ‘severe’ and led to defensive measures that played havoc with travellers’ plans.

Road, airport and even border closures are a common outcome under such circumstances, the study revealed.

All man-made political and security related events accounted for four in every ten alerts, often linked to each other. From the one-in-seven that warned of localised political activity came 136 riots with 64 curfews in 2013. “The domino effect is why early

ROOT CAUSES OF TRAVEL DISRUPTION Abacus TripAlert

Travel Technology

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ROOT CAUSES OF TRAVEL DISRUPTION Abacus TripALert Asia Pacific Data 2013

Source AidCom abacus.com.sg

warning is so important,” said PederKvendset, CEO of AidCom. “A political rally or election turning violent quickly becomes a security issue for travellers. Reports of terrorist activity will also spike in the feeds, prompting companies to consider their duty of care to staff working in the vicinity.”

‘Traffic’ advisories follow in number, detailing the locations where congestion, cancellations or closures are likely. Almost half of all political and security

incidents reported last year triggered one or more of the 1,488 urgent traffic alerts.

Overall, the Middle East was the focus of the most security alerts at 437 last year. In Asia, both India and Bangladesh witnessed frequent clashes and varied protests. Pakistan’s economic capital Karachi produced 25 security alerts during the year, just ahead of Bangkok’s 22 political alerts and nine security alerts.

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Travel Technology

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e a d in g m o b i l e a p p l i ca t i ons pr o v id e r C he e t a h M o b i l e has un v e ile d t he To p 1 0 Tr a v e l Apps th a t a r e l e a s t l i kel y t o s l o w dev ic e p e r f or m a nce, a nd t i p s to keep p h o n e s r unni ng s m oo t hly.

It surveyed the most popular travel apps and ranked them based on the amount of junk or cache files they leave behind in a person's phone, revealing that not all travel apps are created equal with Travelocity, Orbitz and Yelp as top performers.

It said some travel apps can leave behind more megabytes of junk than the size of the app itself.

The list below detail apps that aren't heavy packers, keeping travel light:

Rank

App

System Cache

1

Travelocity

186 KB

2

Orbitz

320 KB

3

Yelp

389 KB

4 5

Priceline Expedia

1.96 MB 3.84 MB

6

Travelzoo

4.57 MB

7

Kayak

5.80 MB

8

TripAdvisor

7.85 MB

9

Airbnb

12.50 MB

10

Hotels.com

16.90 MB

"Being aware of which apps are best for a phone can make a big difference, giving a person more storage room for vacation pictures, longer battery life and faster data processing to play games and connect with friends on social media," said Ruimin Huang, as Product Manager, Cheetah Mobile.

Here are tips to improve improving device performance. Disable automatic time zones/time and set the clock manually. This stops a device from constantly requesting location/time data.

Reduce the push frequency of email, weather and social media apps. When finished with an app, manually shut it down instead of pushing it to run

Top 10 travel apps and tips to keep smartphones secure and junk-free

in the background. Disable giving location based information to apps unless necessary (i.e. maps, dating, etc.). Turn off GPS when it's not needed.

Travel Technology

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Mobile and social media ‘supercharge’ Chinese travel boom

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stu d y b y Ho t e l s.c o m has hi g hl i g h t e d th e ch a ng i ng t as t e s o f C hi ne s e tra vel l er s as de pe nde nc e o n tec h n ol ogy a n d pr e f e r e nc e f o r i nde p e n d e n t travel grows.

Th e l a test H o t e l s.c o m C hi ne s e Intern a ti on a l Tr av e l M o ni t o r ( C I T M ) s how e d how i m p orta n t t e c hno l o g y has be c o m e in the d eci si on -m aki ng m i x o f i nt e r nat i o n a l Chi n ese tra vel l e r s. T he annual s t udy o f mo r e than 3,000 Ch ine s e i nt e r nat i o nal t r ave lle r s and 3,000 h ote l i e r s wo r l dwi de o f f e r s a n ins igh t i n to th e c hang i ng be hav i o ur of Chi n ese tra vel l e r s and ho w t he ho t e l indu str y i s a d a pt i ng.

Mob i l e a n d s o c i al dr i v i ng t r av e l : Fo r t h e firs t ti m e, over hal f o f t he C hi ne s e t r a ve lle r s s ur veyed tol d H o t e l s.c o m t hat t he y no w book th ei r h ote l ac c o m m o dat i o n v i a t h e web or m ob i l e apps, up f r o m 45% i n 2 0 1 3 .

Jus t u n d er h a l f us e o nl i ne ac c o m m o d a t io n web si tes a n d onl i ne r e v i e ws s i t e s t o res ea rch th ei r t r i ps and a t hi r d c he c k s o c ia l med i a for ti p s.

Fou r ou t of fi v e ( 84% ) t r av e l l e r s s ha r e thei r p h otos a n d e xpe r i e nc e s o n s o c ia l med i a d u ri n g a nd af t e r an i nt e r nat i o n a l trip, wi th m a n y us i ng ho t e l W i - Fi t o do s o; the stu d y fou n d t hat ac c e s s t o f r e e W i-Fi is now vi ewed a s t he m o s t i m po r t ant s e r vic e offe red b y h ote l s by 59% o f t r av e l l e r s.

Wi th i n tern et pe ne t r at i o n i n t he c o u n t r y

c limb in g t o 4 5 . 8 % , C h in a e n d e d t h e year w it h 6 1 8 millio n in t e r n e t u s e r s, 5 0 0 mi l l i on o f t h e s e c h o o s in g t o a c c e s s t h e w eb vi a a mo b ile d e vic e, a c c o r d in g t o t h e Chi na I n t e r n e t N e t w o r k I n f o r ma t io n.

M o r e t h a n 9 0 % o f in t e r n e t u s e r s r e p o r t e d ly h a ve a s o c ia l me d ia a c count w it h 4 2 % o f u n d e r-3 5 s c o n s u lt in g s oci al me d ia w h e n p la n n in g a t r ip a w a y.

Th e s t u d y s a id s o c ia l me d ia is p lac i ng a n in c r e a s in g ly in f lu e n t ia l r o le in w here C h in e s e t o u r is t s d e c id e t o vis it a n d t hus h o w h o t e lie r s ma r ke t t h e ms e lve s t o t he se t r a ve lle r s.

To a p p e a l t o t e c h - s a vvy C h in e s e gue st s, h o t e lie r s a r e r e s p o n d in g w it h o ve r t w ot h ir d s ( 7 0 % ) o f f e r in g f r e e in t e r n e t a ccess a n d ma n y mo r e ma k in g t h e ir w e b s it es a va ila b le in M a n d a r in. I n a d d it io n, som e h o t e lie r s a r e s ig n in g u p t o C h in e s e soci al n e t w o r k s like We C h a t a n d We ib o t o engage w it h p o t e n t ia l g u e s t s, s imila r t o Tw it t e r and Fa c e b o o k e ls e w h e r e.

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Aviation

Use IT to improve passenger experience: IATA

I

ATA h a s a s ke d a via t i o n s t a ke h o ld e r s t o d e v e l op a n d u s e in f o r ma t io n t e c h n o lo g y t o imp r o ve p a s s e n g e r e x p e r ie n c e.

“We must always remember that we fly people and cargo, not planes. So our mindset has to be oriented to view things from the perspective of the customer in all that we do—including how we design, integrate and implement IT systems,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “Everything begins with the shopping experience,” Tyler said at the Air Transport IT Summit jointly hosted by SITA and Airline Business magazine.

“The most successful brands— whether they are fast food chains or five star hotel groups--aim to deliver a predictable and consistently pleasant shopping experience.

“In the case of air travel, the simple truth is we can’t always do that yet,” said Tyler.

He said that airlines, travel agents and travellers face limitations because of the archaic pre-internet language standard powering most travel agent and online travel agency displays.

Hence, beyond price and schedule, travel agents are not able to offer product differentiation among airlines, except on a limited and airline-specific basis.

To address this, IATA is working to update the standard for electronic communications between airlines and travel agents from the pre-internet standard to XML, and ensure consumers have the ability to access and compare all of an airline’s products and services wherever they shop.

“By 2020, we want 80% of passengers to be offered a complete self-service suite based on industry standards. “

23

24

Destination

Cycling around Sukhothai A two-wheeled guide to the city of the golden dawn

Destination

25

A

nyo ne fasc i nate d by S o uthe a st Asi an hi sto r y will l o ve S uk ho tha i. The c ity re pre se nts Thai l a nd ’s go l d en age and was the se a t o f p ower fo r the nati o n’s gre a te st l e aders no tab l y K i ng Ram k ham hae ng the G re at (1239- 1298) During the Sukhothai era, the Thai alphabet was formulated, the foundations for Thailand’s politics and culture were established, and Theravada Buddhism became the national religion. This was a golden age when according to a famous 1292 inscription there was always “Fish in the water and rice in the fields.”

Now the ruins and temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site but still venerated by people coming to pay respect and celebrate festivals like LoiKrathong.

No wonder the city retains its place in the hearts of the Thai people. But for visitors looking to explore, there is a less obvious attraction – the ancient city of Sukhothai is wonderfully, blissfully flat.

“Flatness?” you may ask. “What sort of value does that add to the tourist experience?” Well basically it makes Sukhothai Historical Park the best place in Thailand to see by bicycle. Sitting in a valley plain, there are no hills within the park and even outof-shape travellers find it easy to cycle between the monuments at a stately pace with minimum effort. Trees provide shade and there are stalls for

26

Destination

refreshments. It really is the best way to get around.

But before you mount a bike, visit the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum (09.30-16.00 hrs.) by the main KampaengHak Gate. Here you can get a good overview of the city’s history and see some of the artefacts collected by archaeologists over the years.

When you need your wheels, there are bike rental shops near to the Park’s entrance. Be warned, many of the boneshakers available seem to date from the era of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great himself – they’ve certainly seen better days. But you can’t fault the price – only Bt30-40 daybreak till around 19.00 hrs.

If you’re carrying camera equipment and bags, ask the rental shop owners for some bungee ropes to secure your stuff. The gentle roads, antiquated transport and traffic-free nature of the Park means you can forgo a cycle helmet, but you do need protective headgear in the form of a sun hat – and

take sunscreen – it gets hot out there.

Once you’ve mastered your battered bike and nervously peddled to the Park’s entrance, you need a ticket. Unfortunately, you can no longer get one general ticket, rather you have to decide what areas of the Park you plan to see (at around Bt100 a pop and Bt10 for the bike).

There are ticket offices at all entrances, so you can make your mind up as you go along. If you’re short of time; or are a tempted-out by Thailand (it does happen), then stay within the city walls. The main attraction is the principal temple of the Sukhothai Period, Wat Mahathat. Many of the famous Sukhothai Buddha statues, in standing as well as sitting poses are here.

These make for great photos but remember they are objects of veneration for Buddhists, so are mindful and respect them as you would images in any other temple. The other main feature of Wat Mahathat is the large lotus-bud chedi – but there are 200

Destination other pagodas around as well as exquisitely carved stonework.

A couple of hundred metres from Wat Mahathat is a smaller but more elaborate temple, Wat Si Sawai which will seem familiar to anyone who’s visited India.

For the temple’s three carved stupas evoke Hindu architecture, indeed it was thought once to have been a Hindu shrine and sharp-eyed visitors will spot Vishnu hidden in the stucco relief, as well as more familiar Southeast Asian imagery; such as, the mighty Naga.

27

North of Wat Mahathat, on its own island is Wat Sa Si. Leave your bikes at the entrance and approach by bridge. The most distinctive feature is the bellshaped chedi – the Ceylonese style of which shows the influence of Sri Lankan Buddhism in Sukhothai.

Wat Sa Si is the venue for the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) monthly mini-light and sound shows (Sukhothai staging this year’s mini-light and sound shows between February and September) and it’s worth trying to time your trip, so you can see the show and watch the history of the city brought to life.

28

Destination

Behind Wat Sa Si is the famous statue of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great. The king is seated in a teaching pose and his face is styled after the image of the Buddha. Though relatively new, the statue is worth stopping for. After all, without this influential monarch, the name of Sukhothai could well be forgotten – a mere footnote in history.

If you’ve the time, you’ll find some of the most interesting sights of Sukhothai lie beyond the city walls.

Kids love Wat Chang Rop with its massive elephant heads near the east gate. But there are greater treasures further west. Take the Tack road, take a right into the western zone and you find forest temples, hermitages and chedis sitting like an arboreal Atlantis among the greenery – you need a separate ticket but it’s worth it.

The main attraction here is Wat Saphan Hin which sits atop a 200-metre high hill. You can’t cycle up the rough stone pathway and it’s a tiring trek to the top, but the view over the old city is almost worth it. Here there’s a 12-metre high standing Buddha. According to legend, King Ramkhamhaeng the Great would ride his white elephant to this temple at full moon to pay his respects. But it must have been an elephant

with stronger knees than this writer. The climb takes it out of you, so bring a spare bottle of water. Luckily, it’s an easy ride back to the main city on pleasant roads.

This can only be a taster. There are so many temples and ruins within the historical park that you are going to need more than a day to see them all, and a longer article than this one to describe them.

But rent a bike, see the main sites and you are off to a great start. The major attractions can be seen over the course of a long day and by cycling you get to see it all at a sedate pace and feel you’ve earned a sundown beer. – just get on your bike and get out there.

Sukhothai Historical Park is located 439.7 km north of Bangkok; about four-five hours by car or 1 hour 15 minutes by air.

1st INDONESIA ITCE

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM

CAREER EXPO

The Sultan Hotel Jakarta Golden Ballroom, Dec 20 & 21, 2014 Career Expo

Individual Career Chat with Employers for Key Executives Skill Competitions

Educational Conference, Seminar, Training, Workshop Supported by:

MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CREATIVE ECONOMY REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

ASSOCIATION OF THE INDONESIA TOURS & TRAVEL AGENCIES

Official Venue:

INDONESIA HOTEL & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

MINISTRY OF LABOUR & TRANSMIGRATION

Entertainment

For Info & Booking

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & CULTURE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Jointly Organized by:

Ari Darmawan [P] +62 21 8690 6471 ext. 122 [M] +62 856 9559 3070 +62 812 9157 5146 [E] ari@rajamice.com Edy Sahputra [P] +62 21 8690 6471 ext. 122 [M] +62 857 1829 6233 [E] projectofficer3@rajamice.com

www.ITCE.Rajamice.com

30

Destination

Roaring future for MICE in

Bandung B

a n d u n g, t he c a p i t a l a nd l a rge st c i ty o f We st J ava, has i n th e p a s t d e c a d e c a r v e d a ni che fo r i tse l f a s a po p ul ar de sti nation f o r me e t i ng s a nd i nce nt i ve e ve nts. The MICE i nd ustr y i tse l f h as been r id in g on t hi s wa v e a nd putti ng i n p l ac e pl ans to d e ve l o p the in du s tr y. T h e M I C E i nd us t r y ha s b e e n c hara c te ri se d by hi gh gro wth pote n tia l. I t a l s o p r o v i d es a n e x te nsi ve ra nge o f e m pl o ym e nt oppo r tu n itie s a s we l l a s s p ur r i ng the gro wth o f l a rge i nd ustr y as s o c ia tio n s.

by Panca Sarungu

Destination

31

Baros Convention Center The big appeal for Bandung has always been its attraction as a city for weekend stays, especially for visitors from the capital Jakarta, which is two hours away. The average visitor stays for less than two days but for the MICE sector, it represents a prime opportunity to bring in people who are likely to stay during weekdays Indonesia’s third largest city provides a plethora of offerings, starting from its cool weather. Bandung is resplendent with Dutch colonial architecture as well as a beautiful botanic garden, a zoo, golf courses, superb culinary offerings and of course, shopping.

Last year, almost 150,000 foreign visitors went to Bandung, representing a 26% increase compared to the previous year. Malaysians and Singaporeans dominate the visitorship to Bandung because of easy direct air access.

The city is trying to expand the domestic exhibition market and promote the international status of the local MICE industry. It is doing this through integrating private and public sector resources. There are established local exhibition and convention companies that can compete with existing Jakartabased firms.

32

Hotel Review

by Bukhairidzal Buang

T

h e C h e d i S a ka l a i s a ne w a l l s u ite s h o t el s i t ua t ed a l m o st a t th e tip o f B a l i ’ s Ta nj ong Ben o a b e a c h a nd a s hor t 3 0 min u te d r iv e f r o m t he a i r p o r t.

T h e h o te l o ff e r s 2 4 7 s ui t es a n d 1 4 p o o l v illa s s e t i n a s t y l i s h mod e r n d e si g n co up l e d w i t h the c h a r m o f w a r m B a l i ne s e h os p ita lity.

I was in Bali for ten days for a mix of work and a holiday and for my last day I wanted to cap the trip with a stay in a really nice hotel where all I wanted to do was laze around in the room, enjoy the facilities, go swimming, lounge at the pool bar and get a nice relaxing massage.

The day before my check-in, the hotel’s reservation manager called me to reconfirm my arrival details and offered to arrange a complimentary transfer from the airport. Since I was already in Bali and was driving a rental car, I told her that I would make my way to the hotel on my own. She then gave me directions how to get to The Chedi Sakala in case I was not familiar with the Tanjong Benoa area.

The 62 sq m room was elegantly divided into a kitchenette, dining and living room, bathroom and the bedroom. The complimentary fruit basket, mini bar contents and a selection of tea and coffee at the kitchenette were standard but the welcome

A Truly Enchanting All Round Experience note and chocolates from the general manager added a nice personal touch.

One thing I particularly liked was the big balcony that overlooked the swimming pool which stretches the length of the hotel complex. With a nice hot cup of coffee or a cold drink in hand, it was the perfect alternative to chilling by the beach, as the room was just too nice to leave.

Before checking out I checked in at the spa for a bit of pampering. The perfect combination of the aroma oils, serene ambience and soothing massage strokes made this one of the best massages I’ve ever had and the best for the entire trip.

After my spa treatment it was almost time to pack up and check out of the hotel. I thoroughly enjoyed my short stay at The Chedi Sakala and will definitely plan a longer stay the next time I visit Bali. I think The Chedi Sakala is perfect for a family holiday or a romantic getaway with that special someone.Their ever friendly staff and excellent service will leave you with a deep lasting impression and a smile, even days after you have checked out of The Chedi Sakala.

New Hotels

33

by Bukhairidzal Buang

New Venue Option for MICE Outside Nusa Dua

A

n e w k i d on t he b l o c k lo c a ted i n U ng a s a n, S o uth Ku ta, i s hop i ng t o e s t a b l i sh it s e lf a s th e ne w v enue o f c ho i c e for MICE in B a l i. “ T hi s ho t el i s built w ith th e p ur p os e t o b e the only o n e o ut s i d e N us a D ua wi th MIC E f a c ilit i es s i m i l a r t o N usa Dua b u t a t a m or e a f f or d a bl e pric in g, ” Ry a n Ta nj ung, S a l es Ma n a g e r o f t he A s t o n U ng a san H ote l & Co nv e nt i o n C e nt er, sai d.

All 268 rooms of the Aston Ungasan will be fully operational by mid July and guests will be treated to a breathtaking view of sunrise or sunset from the comfort of their rooms. “We call it panoramic. You have the sea, you have the mountains. When the weather is clear you can see two mountains, Gunung Agung and Gunung Batur,” he said.

Aston Ungasan’s new convention complex offers a grand ballroom with state-of the-art lighting and sound system that can fit 1,700 pax. There are also eight meeting rooms and a wedding chapel. Besides offering video conferencing facilities, the ballroom can also be a turned into a venue for mini concerts for up to 300 people.

The hotel is located a short drive away from popular beaches like Padang-Padang, Pandawa and Dreamland, perfect for the weary business traveller to have some time to unwind after a busy day or two of meetings at the Aston Ungasan.

34

New Hotels

Second Iclub Opens in HK iClubSheung Wan Hotel has opened in Hong Kong with guests among the first to use an innovative Mobile Key technology. That works with smartphones.

The 248-room hotel is near Hong Kong’s financial and shopping district, International Finance Centre, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and Macau Ferry Terminal.

Sofitel for Sentosa Accor, which is managing the 215-room Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa, is changing the property’s name to Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa in the second half of 2015. The current refurbishment is covering all accommodation, public areas, the Spa, conference rooms, landscaping and back-of-house areas.

Hyatt to Run Manila Property Hyatt City of Dreams Manila is set to open this year in the gateway of Entertainment City overlooking the Manila Bay area. The 365 room hotel has direct access to three distinctive entertainment venues, including a family entertainment center, a live performance lounge and a nightclub.

Banyan Tree Group Unveils New Brand Banyan Tree Group has launched Cassia, the third brand in its portfolio, lying somewhere between hotels and serviced apartments. Five projects are being developed in China, Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. Another seven is being planned in Brisbane, New York, Japan, Seychelles, Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Vietnam.

New Hotels

35

Mandarin Oriental Manila moves Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a management contract for a new 275-room hotel which is part of a mixed-use development centrally located within Makati City. The existing Mandarin Oriental, Manila on Makati Avenue is expected to close later this year and the new one is set to open in 2020.

U for Pattaya Absolute Hotel Services is launching U Pattaya in 2015, set on a 5.5-hectare plot of beachfront land. It will have 21 rooms and 21 villas.

Best Western expands in Cambodia Best Western International has named its new property in Phnom Penh as Best Western River Palace Hotel. It is the second Best Western in Cambodia following the Best Western Suites and Sweet Resort Angkor in Siem Reap.

Ritz for Mumbai A Ritz-Carlton Mumbai is set to open in 2017 at Worli, a new business district at central Mumbai. The second Ritz-Carlton in the country after the RitzCarlton Bangalore, the hotel is part of a mixed used development that includes residential spaces.

36

New Hotels

Fashion TV to open its first hotel Love Fashion Hotel, the first ever hotel by Fashion TV will open its doors in September 2014. Located in the party district of Legian, the 202–room hotel with a chic and trendy theme will be managed by Budsan Internasional. The rooftop Love Fashion Bar is described as Bali’s premier nightlife destination and the place to be for trendy party-goers.

Latest addition to Nusa Dua Inna Hotel Group’s premiere new offering, Inaya Putri Bali is scheduled to open in October 2014.

The 460-room resort is bringing the concept of the Balinese village to Bali’s Nusa Dua with seven villagethemed clusters inspired by seven Hindu goddesses for different purposes such as MICE and leisure.

Another hotel to launch in Pecatu Indah Resort Located in the Pecatu Indah Resort complex, this new 5 star hotel managed by Absolute Hotel Services will officially open in November 2014. U sameera Pecatu Bali will offer a total of 122 rooms and suites, meeting facilities and spa, the hotel is also located right at the doorstep of the famous Dreamland beach.

37 INDONESIA’S LEADING TRAVEL & TOURISM BASED PROFESIONAL EXHIBITION ORGANIZER

Suara Merdeka Travel Mart

B2C

12 - 14 Sept

Semarang - Central Java

Indonesia International Haritage Cities Expo

B2C & B2B

3 - 5 Oct

Tenis Indoor Stadium Senayan Jakarta

14th Indonesia Travel & Holiday Fair (ITHF) Jakarta Concurrent with World Islamic Travel Mart

B2C

24 - 26 Oct

Kartika Expo - Balai Kartini

Indonesia Showcase

B2C

7 - 9 Nov

Malaysia

Celebes Travel Mart concurrent with Deep & Extreme Celebes

B2C

14 - 16 Nov

Celebes Convention Center - Makassar

1st UFTAA Travel Mart

B2B

16 - 19 Nov

Aston Ungasan - Bali

Indonesia Showcase

B2C & CSR

21 - 23 Nov

Singapore

5th Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards (ITTA)

CSR

15 Dec

Jakarta

International Tourism Carrier Expo

B2C

17 - 18 Dec

The Sultan Hotel - Jakarta

Head Office: Ruko Permata Timur Jl. Curug Raya No. 7E, Kalimalang - Jakarta - Indonesia 17411 [P]. +62 21 8690 6471, Ext. 128 [F]. +62 21 8690 5677

Bali Office: Jl. Banda, No. 21 Denpasar - Bali - Indonesia 80113 [P/F]. +62 361 225 530

38

Profile

Nyoman Astama, General Manager Bali Niksoma Boutique Beach Resort, The Magani Hotel & Spa, Maharta Bali Hotel & Spa

The Boss S with A Ready Smile

by Bukhairidzal Buang

i nc e l e avi ng ho te l tra i ni ng sc ho o l i n 1988, Nyo m an Astam a has ste ad fa stl y wo rke d hi s way thro ugh the ranks b e fo re re ac hi ng hi s p l ac e at the p e a k o f the pi l e i n the ho sp itality i ndustr y.

Before landing his current position of general manager, he has served in several hotels in various positions including as a bellboy and receptionist.

Profile

“I would say I was born in the front office or room division department, but I grew up in sales and marketing,” said the ever smiling Mr Astama when I met him for our breakfast meeting at the restaurant of The Magani Hotel & Spa, one of the hotels where he is general manager.

Having held the general manager position at Bali Niksoma Boutique Beach Resort for the past 8 years, Aswtama has also been at the helm of The Magani Hotel & Spa since its opening in July 2012. He is also the general manager at Maharta Bali Hotel & Spa

39

which is currently undergoing a major renovation and rebranding exercise and will be relaunched in 2016.

The busy Astama would shuttle between the two hotels, which are about 10 minutes drive apart, and his normal work day would last 12 hours, with 16hour days at the office not uncommon. Spending long hours every day at work, it is a wonder how he is always ready with a smile when talking to guests or his staff even at the end of his long day. “You have to enjoy what you are doing,” he quipped.

Staff at both hotels sees him not just as their boss but also as a father figure as he always gives honest advice on how to improve and develop in their roles with the hotels. “The staff is a very important asset of the company,” according to Mr Astama who makes sure that his staff are well informed of the concept and the philosophy of the hotel.

“Once they are all aware and have the same understanding, this will make the operations easier and smoother.”

One of the main traits that he instills in his staff is to provide excellent service to keep guests coming back. “What keep our business running are our satisfied and delighted guests,” he added. “Once the guests are delighted they will keep coming back and this is very important to sustain the business.”

Despite putting strong emphasis on service quality, Astama also realizes that having a good product is also of paramount importance in order to give guests a complete package.

He has built The Magani into an award-winning hotel despite its recent introduction into the very competitive hospitality industry of Bali. The Magani was awarded Indonesia Leading City Hotel at the ITTA Awards 2013/2014, a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice award in 2014 and has been listed as the number 1 Legian hotel in TripAdvisor since its opening in 2012.

His recipe for success was easily summed up as, “A combination of a good product, fantastic service from staff who are genuine and personal and excellent teamwork between all departments of the hotel.”

Astama remarkably still manages to find time to balance his work and social life despite his packed schedule. “The good part of being in Bali is we are tied up with social and community activities. For example, temple ceremonies or weddings of family or community members,” said Mr Astama.

40

Profile

Other than spending time with his family, the devoted family man finds joy in managing his time to attend such events and activities as they provide him with an opportunity to socialize outside of work. He also finds this as a good way to catch up with friends in a more relaxed and informal manner and provides the work-life balance that is important to him.

There is also a sense of social responsibility in taking part in the community activities as Mr Astama feels it is important to maintain the rich Balinese tradition and culture which itself is one of the major factors that draw tourists to Bali. As for the future, Mr Astama hopes to further strengthen the market base and market share of his hotels. “Bali Niksoma and The Magani are two different products. Bali Niksoma is more for leisure, such as honeymooners, while The Magani is a mix of both leisure and business,� he explained.

He aims to strengthen their market base and to develop more on areas such as MICE for The Magani. The hotel owners are also developing other supporting business sources such as the Mozarella restaurant which currently operates at both The Magani and on the beach next to Bali Niksoma. They also have two other locations at Jalan Padma and Jalan Kartika Plaza.

Astama then prepared to take his leave to

proceed to Bali Niksoma for another meeting. I thanked him for his time and he replied with his trademark smile as he hurried to a waiting car to take him to the next of his long list of appointments for the day.

41

42

Profile

Ren Tobing Co-founder and Managing Director, Topotels

F

o r Re n To bi ng, c o - fo under a nd m a na gi ng d i re c t or o f To p o te l s, the j e tse tti ng l i fe styl e i s so m e thing tha t he ha s be c o m e ve r y a c c usto m e d to fo r m o st of hi s c a re e r i n the ho sp i tal ity i ndustr y.

Singer Turned Successful Hotelier

by Bukhairidzal Buang

Profile Being at different time zones during breakfast and dinner is rather common for such a busy person like Ren and I was lucky enough to catch up with him at the recent Bali & Beyond Travel Fair held at Nusa Dua Convention Center to find out more about his busy lifestyle.

Ren’s first appointment was as a management trainee in Westin Tokyo back in 1995. His 19 years in the hotel business has seen him in various roles in sales and marketing, culminating in his appointment as General Manager of Sales for Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore with French hotel giant, Accor.

Having been in a very comfortable position with an accomplished international brand, Ren still feels there needs to be another challenge in his career. “I guess the next challenge was to set up my own hotel management group which was competent and could compete in the market,” he said.

Ren embarked on this challenge and set up Topotels with two friends in February 2012. “Luckily I have two other friends in the hotel industry who decided to join forces to become ‘The Three Musketeers’,” he added with a laugh. “We feel it is better to not be too greedy when starting a new business and having three people would mean the risks are equally shared.”

The two friends are Yonto Wongso and Ojahan Oppusunggu, both seasoned professionals in the field of hotel management but with different areas of expertise. “The three of us complement each other,” he said of this union. He likens the success of running a successful hotel management group to running a band, the members have to share the same mission and vision to keep the band strong and not fall apart.

Apart from their experience and expertise, another reason behind the success of Topotels is the strong investment in the foundation of the company which saw them hit the ground running from its inception.

“We were new but we provided a variety of services, we have a call centre, sales reps, a website and an overseas office in Malaysia. They can see that we are not a small company and that we are serious about our business.”

Ren also attributed Topotels’ success to the wide connection in the hospitality industry which he built throughout his career, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. He also shared another winning strategy with potential investors and hotel owners, “Being an

43

international company, with experience managing hotels in Malaysia and Singapore, our operations are of international standards but our negotiations are always kept with a local flavor.”

Despite his busy schedule, he makes it a point to be at home in Jakarta to spend quality time with his family during the weekends. “I do not work for myself, but for my family,” he added. Juggling work and his personal life, Ren has always kept himself occupied with various sporting activities such as basketball. A more recent inclination is golf, enjoyed both as a sport and a business activity.

His other passion in life is entertainment. A man of many talents, Ren was formerly a radio broadcaster with 90.4FM Cosmopolitan Radio, Jakarta and a famous emcee having hosted events such as the Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards in 2011.

Ren finds pleasure in making people happy; a common objective that he feels is shared in hospitality and entertainment. “The job of an emcee is not just to read the event program but also to add humour when we are on stage to make people happy,” he said with a smile.

Also a successful recording artiste, his song Indahnya Sepi (Beauty of Silence), a duet with Shelomita from his first album in 2001 was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group at the 5th Indonesia Music Awards. In 2004, his single Cinta Terlarang (Forbidden Love) for the soundtrack of award-winning film Arisan!, was also nominated for Best Soundtrack at the MTV Indonesia Movie Awards 2004.

Sharing his vast experience with the future generation of the hospitality industry, Ren was also a lecturer at the Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ) for three years from 2008 to 2011. However, most of his other passions had to take a back seat since Topotels was formed as he plans to focus on building it into a successful and renowned hotel management brand.

For the next five years Topotels’ mission is to expand regionally and explore markets in Myanmar or Vietnam after their successful venture into the Malaysian market. Industry watchers are in awe as a relatively young company of 2 years managed to penetrate into the Malaysian market with a corporate office and 3 hotels opening by the end of 2014.

Even with the success of Topotels, the down-toearth Ren still holds dear to his key principles in life, first of which is determination. “With my background

44

Profile

in hotel sales, one the most important principle in life to me is determination,” he said. “To persevere and fight to the last drop, success or not, it is down to a higher calling but most importantly is the effort that is put in.”

“Second, is just to enjoy. You need to enjoy what

you are doing, if something is forced the result will not be good, either if you work for yourself or for someone else,” added Ren. “Lastly, and sometimes the most difficult, is gratitude. To be able to be thankful during both the good and bad times in life,” he finished with a smile.

45

Tennis Indoor Senayan 3 - 5 October 2014

Indonesia International Heritage Cities Expo is a unique exhibition that featuring the diversity of culture among the cities recognize as Heritage Cities in Indonesia declared by UNESCO Why Exhibit: 1. First event in Indonesia featuring the richness & uniquely art and culture in every destination or cities in Indonesia 2. The biggest Heritage Expo using more than 5000 sqm indoor and outdoor area in downtown of Jakarta 3. The best channel to promote culture & heritage tourism to public with booth showchase and culture art performance in daily stage performance 4. Visiting more than 20.000 visitor during 3 days event

Supported by:

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CREATIVE ECONOMY REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Official Airline:

MINISTRY OF YOUTH & SPORTS REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Official LCC:

For Information:

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & CULTURE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

ASSOCIATION OF THE INDONESIA TOURS & TRAVEL AGENCIES

Joinly Organizer:

HERITAGE CITY NETWORK INDONESIA

Ari Darmawan Edy Sahputra [P] +62 21 8690 6471 ext. 122 [P] +62 21 8690 6471 ext. 122 [M] +62 856 9559 3070 [M] +62 857 1829 6233 +62 812 9157 5146 [E] projectofficer3@rajamice.com [E] ari@rajamice.com

46

MICE

Mice Sector Lags Behind

I

n do nesi a’ s me e t i n g s, i n c e n t i ve s, conv ent i o ns an d exh i b i t i o n s (M IC E ) s ect o r l ags beh i n d , w i t h o n l y a ro u nd 3 % of th e 8. 8 mi l l i o n fo re i g n t o u ri st s l a st y e a r des ignat ed as M IC E vi si t o rs.

Balai Kartini

Jakarta Convention Center A lth ou gh th e shar e o f f o r e i g n M I C E arriv al s h a s i n cre as e d f r o m 2.1% i n 201 2 it rem a i n s a sma l l c o nt r i but o r t o t o ur i s t arriv al s, a ccord i ng t o To ur i s m and C r e a t ive Economy Mi n i str y de put y di r e c t o r o f M I C E and sp eci a l i n ter e s t M ar t i ni Paham who w a s quoted b y th e Ja kar t a Po s t.

Marti n i sa i d the M i ni s t r y ai m s t o t r i pl e t h e num b er of MICE v i s i t o r s by 2019.

Touri sm a n d C r e at i v e E c o no m y M i ni s t e r Mari E l ka Pa n gest u was quo t e d pr e v i o u s ly as s ayi n g th a t th e g o v e r nm e nt s ho ul d improve tou ri sm t r ans po r t at i o n f ac i l i t i e s a n d promoti on a cti vi t i e s f o r 16 c i t i e s ac r o s s t h e archipel a go d ec l ar e d M I C E de s t i nat i o n s.

T he ci ti es i n cl u de Bandung, Bat am,

JIEXPO D e n p a s a r, Ja ka r t a, M e d a n, M a ka s s a r, M a n a d o, M a t a r a m, S u r a b a ya a n d Yo g ya ka r t a. H o w e ve r, a c c o r d in g t o M a r t in i, o n ly J a ka r t a a n d D e n p a s a r h a ve s e e n g r o w t h in t h e s e c t o r o n t h e b a c k o f t h e c it ie s ’ a c c e s s ib ilit y, s u p p o r t in g in f r a s t r u c t u r e, f a c ilit ie s a n d h u ma n r e s o u r c e s.

Th e c a p it a l c it y o n ly h a s t w o c o n vent i on c e n t e r s — t h e Ja ka r t a C o n ve n t io n C ent er a n d JI E X P O in Ke ma yo r a n b u t n e x t ye a r, t h e I n d o n e s ia C o n ve n t io n E x h ib it io n ( I C E ) c e n t e r, in B S D C it y in S o u t h Ta n g e r a n g, w ill o p e n. I t w ill o f f e r 5 0 , 0 0 0 s q m o f h al l s p a c e, 5 0 , 0 0 0 s q m o f o p e n - a ir d is p la y s p a c e a n d a 4 , 0 0 0 s q m c o n ve n t io n cent e r.

MICE

Get closer to the wild side of Bali

T

h ere’s a wil de r s i de t o Bal i ’s be ac h e s a n d cu l tu ral at t r ac t i o ns t hat M I C E orga n i sers m ay no t be awar e o f.B a li Z oo i s l i tera l l y g e t t i ng i t s ani m al s t o g e t in “ tou ch ” wi th m e e t i ng and i nc e nt i v e plann ers, offeri ng a di f f e r e nt e xpe r i e n c e t o the MICE i n d u s t r y. “ E v e r y o ne l o v e s an ima ls and th e Ba l i Zoo g i v e s t he o ppo r t uni t y t o get b a ck to th a t f e e l i ng o f be i ng i nt i m a t e w ith a n i m a l s,” s ai d R i r i n S e t y o wat i Lo w, Director of Sa l e s and M ar ke t i ng.

Last year, the Zoo hosted 150,000 visitors, mainly leisure, but it’s ramming up the offerings to the MICE sector.

“One of the key selling points is the opportunity to get closer to the animals,” said Putu Agus Setiawan, Sales & Marketing Manager.

The attarction has a petting zoo, activities to be

P

ekanbaru is set to welcome its first integrated convention centre by the end of this year.

The Ska Convention Center Pekanbaru is located 10 minutes away from the Sultan Syarif II International Airport and close to the government and business district.

It will encompass a 200-room hotel and a mall. It will have a grand ballroom and five meeting rooms.

With a total size of almost 2120 sqm, the ballroom can accommodate up to 2,500 people. The meeting rooms can hold 100-200 delegates.

Business is slowly coming in for the convention center with the first slated to be the Islamic Solidarty Games. More than 50 countries are expected to compete in the Games in October. A 500-delegate association event is also in the works for the same month.

The developer, SKA, also the owner of the 107room Swiss-Belkin Ska, Pakanbaru, is planning to but we create their own events.

“We are looking at consumer events to complement the corporate events we are getting,” said Dody Darmansyah, Director of Convention at Swiss-Belinn Ska.

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physically closer to the animals and even being a mahout for a day.

Besides smaller places for meetings, the Zoo is focusing on teambuilding activities and themed parties. Currently the facility has space for a 100pax outdoor themed dinner. Later this year, a larger space that can accommodate 300 people will be ready.

Pekanbaru’s biggest convention facility set to open in October

PR IS FROM VENUS: MEDIA IS FROM MARS A bespoke media relations training programme for hotel marketing communications/PR practitioners in Jakarta

Endorsed and supported by Hotel Public Relations Association (H3), Jakarta Have you always wondered why that press release that you sweated over for days and finally sent off with that blockbuster quote from your GM never saw the light of day in the media? Have you wondered why your media contact told you that the brilliant Christmas buffet lunch release you sent over was deemed not newsworthy?

Journalists (and their editors) seem to ru(i)n your life and your GM doesn’t seem to understand why the hotel never gets media exposure whereas that ‘other’ hotel across the road is a media darling?

Guess what - you’re not alone. Figuring out what the media wants and how they operate is an essential skill and prerequisite for any hotel PR professional.

“PR is from Venus; Media is from Mars” – a two-day hospitality sector-specific primer - will help you navigate through these uncharted territories.

The bespoke module will touch on issues close to the heart of hospitality sector PR professionals and offer practical tips for participants. Through case studies and practical exercises, attendees will take back valuable insights on how the media operates and producing content that the media loves. The module is targeted at executive as well as managerial-level PR professionals who have had some experience in PR, hospitality-related or otherwise.

You’ll pick up tips on: •Developing a nose for news , •Dealing with the media , •Pitching to the media, •Media interviews, •Organising press conferences, •Developing a strategic PR plan Workshop facilitators:

N Gunalan and Michelle D. Wan, two veteran hospitality PR practitioners with expertise in luxury and upscale brands spanning the Asia-Pacific region such as Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Grand Park, Park Hotel and Knightsbridge

N Gunalan Managing Director, Dream Communications Gunalan founded the firm after an illustrious career in journalism (covering newspapers, television, radio, online and magazines) and public relations. His clientele base includes Singapore Tourism Board, Reed Exhibitions, Abacus, Travel Daily Media, DBS Securities, Meinhardt and MultiChannels Asia.

Gunalan is also a speaker and moderator at regional travel trade conferences and regularly lectures at several universities on Public Relations, Media Relations, Journalism, Media Law and Ethics, Web News Production, Advertising and Communication Skills. He was most recently the Regional Director of Marketing Communications at regional hospitality chain Park Hotel group and was Editor-in-Chief of TravelWeekly, a well-respected travel trade publication.

Michelle D. Wan Founder of Plus Wan Communications Michelle is a communications practitioner whose copywriting stint evolved to careers in three award-winning hospitality companies – Marriott Hotels & Resorts (Singapore), The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company (Shanghai and Singapore) and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (Singapore). Collectively, these have formed the cornerstone of her expertise in the luxury hospitality and lifestyle arenas.

An advocate of strategic positioning, combined media and marketing partnerships across public relations, marketing communications, online and social media, Michelle firmly believes in harnessing community engagement and crisis management for sustainability and business continuity respectively.

Organized by:

Monday

1

Sept

2014

Tuesday

2

08.30 AM

Registration

09.00 AM

Welcome and Introduction

9.15 – 10.30 AM

A Nose for News - What’s Good Story?

10.30 – 11.00 AM

Networking Over Coffee

11.00 AM

Pitching to Media

Writing a press release is just the first step and won’t guarantee any news coverage. You need to pitch it.

Participants will learn how to pitch to the media

12.00 – 1.00 PM

Dealing with The Media: Dos and Donts

Is the media your friend or foe? Understanding how the media works. Tips on handling the media and how to collaborate with them to positive coverage for your hotel.

1.00 – 2.30 PM

LUNCH

2.30 – 3.30 PM

Preparing for Media Interviews

3.30 – 5.00 PM

Breakout - Interview Role Play Sessions (Incorporating Tea Break)

5.00 – 5.15 PM

Recap, Q & A and Preparation for Day Two

9.00 – 10.30 AM

Organising Press Conferences

10.30 - 11.00 AM

Networking Over Coffee

11.00 – 12.300 PM

The Press or Fam Trip

12.30 – 2.OO PM

LUNCH

2.00 – 3.30 PM

Developing A PR Strategic Plan

3.30 – 3.45 PM

Networking Over Coffee

3.45 – 5.00 PM

The Elevator Pitch

5.00 PM

Q & A and Goodbyes

Sept

2014

September 1-2, 2014 (9am to 5pm) Venue: Hotel Century Atlet Senayan Your investment: 2-day programme with lunch and tea breaks US$400: Early-bird discount (register by 8 Aug 2014) US$500: For registrations after 8 Aug 2014 For a SPECIAL rate ONLY for Members of Hotel Public Relations Association (H3), Jakarta, please email: H3 secretariat viana.igah@hyatt.com.

How do you determine what is newsworthy? A perennial question among PR practitioners. Why not create newsworthy content and events?

What message are you going to send during your media interview? How do you handle different media interview situations and different media? How do you prepare yourself – and senior management – to handle the interview with confidence?

What does it take to put together a press conference and why would you have one? How do you prepare yourself and the spokespersons for it? What are the procedures? Who do you invite? How do you ensure different media get what they want?

We always seem to have nice new hotels to show off.

What better way than to invite journalists to come by and check it out? Pick up tips on organising a press trip and how best to prepare for it.

We seem to be always writing F&B releases on the latest culinary offerings at our properties. Is that what hospitality PR is about? What’s the BIG picture? We’ll look at why we need to be clued into developing an overall PR plan that draws everything together.

How would you present your company’s brand....in 3 minutes! Time to put you in the elevator to give your company a lift.

For registrations and payment, please contact: Mr. Panca Sarungu, [M]. +62 813 1141 1911 [M]. +62 817 817 846 [P]. +62 21 8690 6471, Ext. 128 [E], psarungu@rajamice.com

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Events

Indonesia Delegates @Malaysia Premium Travel Fair

Royal Plaza on Scotts chefs' sea-shell inspired race car for charity

Taj Hotel Group@IT&CM India 2014

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