Hotel Opening: DoubleTree by Hilton Shanghai Nanxiang

The DoubleTree by Hilton Shanghai Nanxiang is now open.  Located in the culturally historic 1,500-year-old town of Nanxiang, now an up-and-coming Central Business District (CBD) in Shanghai Jiading.

As the only international hotel in Nanxiang, the modern business hotel prides itself as an ideal destination for business travelers with extensive meeting and recreational facilities. DoubleTree by Hilton Shanghai Nanxiang is owned by Junfeng International Group and managed by Hilton.

“With its strategic proximity to several industrial, automobile zones, and the Hongqiao transportation hub, this property is not only Jiading District’s first international hotel, but is also a strong addition to the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio, as it caters to the growing demands of the district’s many business travelers,” said Qian Jin, area president, Greater China and Mongolia, Hilton. “A rapidly developing center for commerce and a growing industrial hub, Nanxiang serves as a strategic location for Hilton as we continue to make significant investments to exceed the expectations of the region’s modern business and leisure travelers.”

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Centara Hotels: Three new hotels in Laos

Centara Hotels & Resorts, r, announced it has signed management agreements for three new properties with a combined total of 216 keys, with Asia Investment, Development & Construction Sole Co., Ltd (AIDC), a well-established enterprise in Laos.

In the UNESCO World Heritage site of Luang Prabang, Centara plans to open an upper upscale Centara Grand Luang Prabang and a midscale Centra by Centara property, both near the town centre. The third property will be under Centara’s new lifestyle brand, COSI, catering to the growing segment of connected, freedom-loving travellers. It will represent a unique offering in Vientiane, the Laotian capital.

The management agreement comes as Laos launches ambitious new plans to promote tourism. In recent years, the government of the Lao PDR has come to regard tourism as a priority sector for driving socio-economic development. It hopes to attract 5 million visitors in 2018 and increasing numbers in the years ahead with a Visit Laos campaign under the slogan “Simply Beautiful.” The country’s picturesque mountains, atmospheric towns, and humble friendliness are being discovered by Thai, Chinese and Western visitors. And it has one factor particularly in its favour: superb value. According to a new report from the Swiss-based World Economic Forum, Laos ranks 14th among 136 countries in price competitiveness.

“This partnership with AIDC is a great opportunity to expand our footprint into a distinctive country,” said Centara CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat. “Laos is on the list of more and more travellers to this region, and we want to serve them with the distinct and varied accommodation options to match the travel experience they are seeking.”

Luang Prabang is the well-preserved, old spiritual city at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong rivers. Although well-served by direct flights to its airport and modern amenities, it lives up to its World Heritage status with beautiful temples and traditional riverside life. Bicycles outnumber cars. Delicious baguettes, croissants, cafés and French restaurants hint at the French colonial history in both Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Pheutsapha Phoummasak, President of AIDC Laos said “We are excited to partner with Centara to bring their trusted brands to these great cities and further promote the tourism potential of Laos. Luang Prabang and Vientiane are very popular destinations for both Thai and international travelers thanks to their perfect blend of history, beautiful scenery and charming character”

The three new hotels are the latest evidence of Centara’s expansion strategy, which calls for doubling the number of properties under its management during the next five years. This latest development will see Centara’s hotel count in Laos reach four with Centara Plumeria Resort Pakse already well under development and scheduled to open in 2020.

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Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur is now open

Hyatt and UEM Sunrise Berhad today announced the opening of the long-awaited Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont’Kiara, marking the brand’s entry into the extended stay hotel segment in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.

The Hyatt House hotel is strategically located in the exclusive, cosmopolitan community of Mont’Kiara, only minutes away from the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), the nation’s largest exhibition center.

With 298 guestrooms and fully equipped kitchen suites, the hotel currently stands as the largest Hyatt House hotel in the world, featuring a full three-meal restaurant, 3,200 square feet (300 square meters) of meeting space, a 24-hour workout room, infinity sky pool, and the TEN 37 Skypool Bar, which features a captivating view of the Kuala Lumpur city skyline. Be it the uprooted business traveler or the uncompromising tourist, Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont’Kiara offers the best in modern essentials, and contemporary home comfort for all.

“Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont’Kiara is located in a very desirable area, and we are looking forward to creating a positive travel experience for each and every guest,” said General Manager Mr. Bennett Peter. “The Hyatt House brand is everything the name represents — a welcoming and warm environment that encourages guests to live like residents. We want each and every guest who comes through our doors to feel that they can let their real-life routines roll on, even when they are on the road.”

Located in the heart of Mont’Kiara, an affluent suburb located three miles (five kilometers) from central Kuala Lumpur, Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont’Kiara is surrounded by recreational options, including the best in premium international dining, retail, niche lifestyle stores, and vibrant nightlife.

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Marriott Security Breach: The Human Side of Cyber Security Breaches

Marriott’s Starwood Hotel Group is in the spotlight as one of the worst security breaches ever.  The State of Hawaii is threatening Marriott Hotels with billions of Dollars in fines. This opened a discussion on travel security.  Peter Tarlow, head of eTN’s Travel Security Training services gives some feedback on the Human Side of Cyber Security Breaches.

Years ago, tourism security experts worried about such micro-aggressions as: room invasions, acts of personal robbery, or tourist victimization due to acts of pick pocketing.  These problems should not be minimized and in many parts of the world are still major issues.  Nevertheless, these micro-aggressions have now morphed into macro-aggressions and their consequences vibrate throughout the world of tourism.

The recent unfortunate hacking of the Marriott hotel Starwood brand database resulting in the loss of personal information by approximately half a billion people serves as another example that the world of tourism security is fast changing.  According to news reports unauthorized access to customers’ personal information may well have been occurring since 2014.  To make matters worse, it is only four years later that we know the full extent of this hacking or unauthorized taking of personal information.

Although no one can be entirely certain as to who has what personal information, it would appears that millions of patrons’ personal information such as: passport and credit card numbers, dates of birth, addresses, gender times of arrival and departure from and emails may now be in unauthorized hands; meaning that these victims may now be open to multiple forms of identity theft.

Tourism is data dependent. Hotels, airlines and other parts of the tourism industry as a convenience to customers and as a way of being more efficient keep their clients’ credit card numbers on file. Passports and driver licenses are used as proof of personal identity and agencies such as TSA in the United States must assume that identification documents are not only valid but also not falsified.

The Marriott-Starwood data breach then serves as a warning for the entire tourism industry. If customers cease to be confident that their personal information will be secure and open only to those who have proper access to it, then the long-term consequences to the travel and tourism industry might become catastrophic.  To make matters more difficult, although the tourism and travel industry has invested great amounts in time and money in cyber security there is currently no one who can guarantee 100% data privacy.  Just as there is no such thing as total security in the physical world, the same reality holds true of the cyber world.  There will always be those who seek new ways to harm others.   For example over the last few years there have been a number of spectacular cyber attacks including:

  • The hacking of the Democratic Party’s 2016 election data
  • The data breach, commonly called the Panama Papers at the Panama law firm: Mossack Fonesca,
  • The hacking of half a billion Yahoo accounts in 2016
  • The introduction of ransom-ware into the tourism industry creating a myriad of new problems for the travel industry

Realizing this fact there are two key issues in the world of cyber security.  The first issue is: the maintaining of privacy for personal data.  The problem is that no matter what new measures the tourism and travel industry might take to protect personal data there is always the potential that some attacks will break through our cyber security’s protective walls. Just as in the physical world, there can never be a total guarantee of personal data safety.  The second issue is what does the travel and tourism industry do when a tourism breach occurs.  The issues of cyber crisis management are as important as the issue of cyber security.  From the perspective of the tourism industry good cyber crisis management is essential in maintaining not only customer confidence but also customer loyalty.

Most customers might well assume that major tourism companies are doing everything possible to safeguard their clients’ privacy.  As customers have already factored this assumption into their business relationship the real issue becomes: when there is a successful attack how do tourism industry business regain customer trust.  Below are a few suggestions on cyber crisis management.

-Have a plan.  It is essential that every tourism entity assume that at some point it will suffer some form of cyber attack.  Do not wait for the attack to occur to begin to figure out how damage mitigation will occur.  Remember a cyber attack results in not only damage to the client but also in the client’s customer of the tourism entity.  It is essential to realize that the media may not always reflect an accurate picture of the data breech.  Thus a post-cyber attack plan should include not only caring for impacted clients but also careful working with media outlets so that they have full access to and report accurate information concerning the cyber breech.

-Tell the truth.  As bad as the crime may be, tourism disasters occur when a business does not tell the truth.  Once it becomes clear that there is a cover –up the victimized business has managed to lose customer confidence twice: once due to the data breachand then due to an unwillingness to tall the truth.

-Work to rebuild confidence.  Nothing hurts a tourism industry more than lack of timely and accurate information. After a tourism cyber attack customers are rightly upset and feeling vulnerable.  Make sure to publicize in as many ways as possible how your business is helping cyber attacks victims.   Let the attack’s victims know that they are not alone and that you have developed a plan to aid them in whatever way possible. Be sure to allow victims to know that you are continuing to monitor the situation and both security and legal experts provide advice as to what people can do to protect themselves after a data breech.

-Tell the public what your company is doing to help.  Send out notifications as to what the public should look for or what signs may indicate personal issues. Then consider step such as: free access to one of the credit and data protection businesses, contacting lawyers who are prepared to help with issues of Identity theft, changing passwords, regularly monitoring of accounts for issues of fraud

-Provide information as to what travelers can do to protect themselves when traveling.  In a world based on information it is almost impossible for every traveler to know what to do and what not to do.  Hotels, airlines and airports can help by reminding their guests to be careful not to:

  • Use public access locations to transmit personal or financial data
  • Use Bluetooth sparingly and make travelers aware that Bluetooth communications may be susceptible to interceptions
  • Remind visitors that public Wi-Fi networks are also vulnerable
  • The use of a smartphone can create less vulnerable hotspots.

-In an age of both phusical and cyber insecurity tourism officials make sure that their security agents are not only well trained in every aspect of security including the customs and cultural habits of their customers, but also well paid.  In a business security climate as unstable our current climate, it is essential that security personnel and top business executives work together, receive regular news updates, and be able to act not only quickly, but in a caring and professional manner with travelers.  It does no good to have people well trained in the technical aspects of security if they forget that their clients are real feeling people who are fearful in a world of the unknown.

More information on eTN Travel and Tourism Security Training by Dr. Peter Tarlow visit
http://travelsecuritytraining.com/

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The Caribbean region: Relevancy?

At a recent Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) event in Nassau, Bahamas, the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) once again reviewed and explored the opportunities that would become available with the adoption of the One Caribbean concept.

In reality, the research should explore the question as to the relevancy of the Caribbean region.

The Past is Prologue…or is it?

The economies of the Bahamas and The Caribbean region are faced with challenges that are decades (if not centuries) in the making. At one time the areas were of significant importance to European countries as they sought power and prestige. Militarily the countries were fighting over the Caribbean region as they searched for military bases that would enable them to reach South America and control key islands such as Cuba while the European merchants wanted control over real estate to access the then rare and profitable goods such as sugar and tobacco.

This geographically and economically important sector soon became a battleground and by the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain, France and England fought to control the region’s territories and shipping lanes. As European empires declined in the Americas (early 19th century), the geopolitical climate of the Caribbean changed. When France and Spain withdrew from the region, a vacuum was created and was filled by the US and by the late 19th century the US had snatched Cuba and Puerto Ricco from the Spanish and there has been no new competition from any European power since then.

Historically the countries in the region were commodity exporters but expanding and diversifying their economies has been difficult. The Caribbean states cannot rely entirely on domestic markets for economic growth and some of the smallest states are totally dependent on tourism or other one industry projects such as petroleum refining in Curacao, the export of medical goods in the Dominican Republic (aided by its inclusion in the Central American Free Trade Agreement and low tariff exports to the US), with Trinidad and Tobago relying on natural gas for economic development. However, Jamaica and other nations lack these benefits and constantly face slow economic development, overreliance on services and persistent financial deficit.

Few regions in the world have declined in relevancy so quickly as the Caribbean. Four hundred years ago the Caribbean Basin was the center for competitive European powers. Today, the region is a collection of islands that have developed separately and are divided by their own economy and political systems. The economic challenges they encounter are a direct result of their small size and limited financial options. In the 21st century the region is identified by uneventful playlands and dependency on foreign markets for financial support as well as food and other economics aid.

While the areas are strategically important to the security of the United States, they are economically irrelevant to US policymakers, and will remain in this position for the foreseeable future.

The Caribbean continues to be strategically important to the USA; however, without competition there is little happening of importance and the US now concentrates on secondary issues that include drug trafficking, migration and regional trade.

 Not by Tourism Alone

There has been a growing dependence on all- inclusive vacation packages. However, all -inclusive holidays are frequently organized and bought in the customer’s country of origin and the most generous percentage of the revenue stays with those who control the market (direct access to potential customers, airlines and sometimes to the facilities in the host country). In addition, international capital in the region – where more than 60 percent of hotel complexes are owned by foreign nationals – does not filter through to the domestic society. The first beneficiaries are international investors (North American, European and South African) who take advantage of attractive tax systems that allow the rapid movement of earnings without having to reinvest.

Frequently tourism officials quote the contribution of tourism to the local economy. However, the numbers can be misleading, for they do not factor in the cost-of-doing business. For example, less than 15 percent of the food consumed in hotels on Saint Lucia is locally produced. Perhaps this can be explained, in part, by the difficulty of guaranteeing a regular supply of provisions, the need for health checks and visitors’ tastes. However, the net result, is a much smaller contribution to the Saint Lucia economy. The studies conducted for the island of Saint Lucia find an equivalent financial loss of up to 40 percent of the declared tourism revenue. Therefore, the net contributions from tourism should be considered when all important factors have been deducted (especially food related).

Tourism is not a Free Lunch

How much does it cost a country to host tourism and how is the revenue obtained distributed? From a government’s perspective, the immediate priority is jobs. From afar, the Caribbean islands frequently appear like simple host structures that fall in line with an international system where the likelihood of local participation is limited. The development of the tourism sector has resulted in systems that are beyond the control of a resentful and impotent local population. The cost of tourism for the local citizens and their environment is particularly severe: inflation and dollarization of local economies alongside the closure of sections of their coastline.

It is necessary to find new options that are firmly rooted in the host territories and populations to create a genuine sustainable tourism development program. At the core is the idea of ecotourism although there are other options. However, new tourism must be complementary and original, better integrated into the host societies and their environment and deliver alternatives to the classic resort-based mass tourism product that alienates rather than integrates the people, culture, skills and abilities of the local citizens.

Hotel complexes have become fortresses and inaccessible with security playing a crucial role in their commercial success. The tourist is isolated by geographical location and hotel. The visitor is closed off to the rest of the host territory while host populations find themselves in urban suburbs and “invisible” decaying communities, hidden and even forgotten.

Although crime statistics from many Caribbean region countries are high, the region has been able to play on its image of a safe paradise and a low risk destination by herding tourists into exclusive areas. However, in some destinations, the reality of serious social tensions, pockets of extreme poverty and no-go districts that are run by organized criminal gangs and drug cartels have moved into resorts in such locales as Negril. Tourist cities like San Juan have high security perimeter fences around a heritage site where the visitor can move around without being disturbed, under the watchful eye of police forces with special training in tourism protection.

Tourist Bubbles

Mass tourism has created uniformity in the design and function of the tourism product with a concentration on standardization. Loss of originality has led to a loss in the uniqueness of a location and any reference to a particular national territory or unique hotel is secondary. A recent visit to the Coral Towers, (an Atlantis Hotel that is part of the Marriott Autograph collection) was evidence of a property scrubbed clean of any vestige of Nassau, or The Bahamas (except for a few low-quality sculptures of dolphins separating one hotel section from another) and Caribbean music poolside.

The Caribbean is marketed for its sunny climate, perfect beaches and authentic souvenir junk. Many guests are happy to remain in their air-conditioned tourist bubble and there was no need to leave. The hotel provides ample opportunities for swimming, dining, entertainment, gambling and international brand shopping. Guests pay a price for paradise and everything is designed to minimize the contact between the tourist and the local community. Everything is respectable. The desire for the exotic is satisfied and at the same time the guest is protected from anything different.

If the tourist bubble were the first step toward experiencing a “faraway land” and included a “training period” that would guide the tourist into more integrated activities with the host society – there could be gradual meetings arranged between the visitor and the host society; however, with the current system, the tropics and the “safe” exotic are an end in themselves. While there is conversation to make changes in tourism opportunities, there is little more than sound and wind to demonstrate the seriousness of the commitment.

Citizens of the host country are experiencing environmental problems created by tourism. The disappearance of natural resources and increased pollution, shortages of potable water, high costs of food and medical / health care…all are results of a tourism focus rather than a domestic concern. Government decision-makers allow cruise ships to pollute their waters, and the hosts are left to deal with waste left behind by the cruise passenger. Hotels consume enormous amount of wastewater and some hotels lack adequate treatment systems. Fragile marine worlds are being devasted by mass tourism from cruise passengers, pleasure boat moorings as well as underwater diving and hunting in weakened coral systems.

Troubles in Paradise

With government officials more concerned with their positions than the welfare of their constituents, decisions on how to maintain the environment, and access to and management of limited resources is politically motivated. New international residents (either through citizenship by investment or residence by investment) have selected the Caribbean region as their own personal Paradise destinations. The people born and raised on these beleaguered islands are unable to compete in a society that deprives them of resources that rightfully belong to them, including the land and coastal areas on the mainland, leaving them few options but to live in less than desirable areas of the country that have poor infrastructure and limited access to transportation.

Is There a Future?

At the CTO SOTIC event, tourism officials? repeated the work “hope” time and time again while the important word, “plan” was rarely part of the presentation.

David Jessop, the Director of the Caribbean Council has found that, “…since 2007…annual visitor spend [in the Caribbean] has fallen by US$5 billion. Governments ignore this at their peril. If income is falling and profitability has yet to reach pre-2007 levels, it suggests that the Caribbean is becoming less competitive in relation to other destinations and that current levels of tourism employment and tax revenue may not be sustainable.”

Jessop continues, “What is even odder is that beyond this there is little if any interest by governments or regional institutions in the econometric modeling of the Caribbean industry to enable the development of models into which assumptions…. demonstrate whether the reduction or increase in taxes bring greater or lesser returns. As a consequence, taxes go up, airlines are incentivized and tax holidays are granted without there being any clear understanding of whether the short, medium or long-term impact is likely to be positive or negative. For an industry worth more than US$25 billion per annum and which employs at least thirteen percent of the region’s workforce, this is truly disturbing.”

Jessop goes on to say that industry professionals operate in “silos” with “gifted amateurs” who are “unclear” as to how “to advocate new ideas at a regional level or bring about change in the policy environment.” He finds that the Caribbean tourism industry “desperately” needs political enlightenment and “regional visionaries” who are able to work with the public and private sectors, convincing them of the “benefits of a strategy that ensures the sector not only becomes, but remains globally competitive.”

The United States is not in a position to “write off” the region. The CSIS study of The Relevance of US-Caribbean Relations (2017) finds that, “The Caribbean basin is connected to the United States in geographic, economic and human terms. Its prosperity and security directly impact that of the United States. Accordingly, the choices that the United States makes with regard to furthering the region’s security and prosperity will be felt in the United States as well.”

If Not Now, When?

The question remains, when will the public and private sector leaders in the Caribbean countries and the US recognize that the region is more than a playground, an attractive locale for second home buyers and a viable option for people looking for additional passports?

The potential of the region has been ignored for too long and there is precious little time remaining for open discussions on major issues that include: disaster relief, incentives and trade agreements to encourage trade with and investment in the region and expanding programs to strengthen Caribbean institutions.

© Dr. Elinor Garely. This copyright article, including photos, may not be reproduced without written permission from the author.

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