Richard Barnes Editor-in-chief richard.barnes@cleverdis.com Tel: +33 (0) 4 42 77 46 00 Hotel & TourismSMARTreport#39 2018 Summer Edition 3 FOREWORD MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION The travel industry is all about getting people moving. But not at any cost. On the one hand, it is evident that people want to have “genuine” experiences, getting off the beaten track, and experiencing all the beauty the world still has to offer. But if the very fact of them doing so spoils the place they are visiting, that is what we now know as “over-tourism”. The increasing awareness of the effects of over-tourism is having a growing impact on how destinations are dealing with tourists in their most popular locations. An excellent example is that of Thailand, whose authorities put a total halt to the tourist “infestation” of Maya Bay, while an important impact study is carried out. It’s a step in the right direction, and part of a larger growing movement towards responsibility and greater care for the planet. This edition of the SMARTreport has a wide number of examples of best practices when it comes to creating surprising, extraordinary and memorable experiences for the travellers of today, and tomorrow. Enjoy the read! 4 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 4 HONOURING THE SILK ROAD HERITAGE Dr Jennifer Cronin, President, Wharf group 7 NEWS 7 PROMOTION OF DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY REDUCTION, AND PEACE WITH TOURISM 9 EVENTS 9 VIRTUOSO TRAVEL WEEK 10 AS UNIQUE AS YOU 11 MARRAKECH AGAIN HOSTS LUXURY HOTEL PLAYERS AT PURE EXPERIENCES 12 PATA TRAVEL MART HOSTED IN LANGKAWI 12 ASIA’S DOUBLE-BILL CORPORATE EVENT 13 WORLD ROUTES 2018 HEADS FOR GUANGZHOU, CHINA 14 IFTM TOP RESA PARIS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS 15 ASIA’S PREMIERE Q4 TOURISM EVENT 17 EVENTS CALENDAR 19 ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS 19 EXPERIENCE… WITH A CAPITAL “E” 20 WHEN “IMPOSSIBLE” DOES NOT EXIST 21 DO THE LOOP 22 IN THE FIELD WITH GUIDO GRAF THE HONEYMOON –TRIP OF THE LIFETIME – THE START INTO A NEW STAGE OF LIFE 23 HONEYMOONS LOVE IS IN THE AIR 24 BEACH RESORTS UNSPOILT NATURE, INCREDIBLE BEACHES 24 ROSEWOOD PHUKET – ON THE SHORES OF EMERALD BAY 25 PRIVATE ISLANDS 15 KILOMETRES OF WHITE SAND BEACHES – JUST FOR US CONTENTS 25 A GEM IN CAMBODIA’S UNTOUCHED KOH RONG ARCHIPELAGO 27 ASIA PACIFIC 27 ASIA PACIFIC – THE BOOM CONTINUES 28 TRANSPORT AIRPORT PASSENGER TRAFFIC BOOMING IN SE ASIA 31 THOUGHT LEADERS IN ASIA-PACIFIC 32 INBOUND - FACTS & FIGURES ASIA LEADS GLOBAL TOURISM GROWTH IN 2018 33 INBOUND - TRENDING DESTINATIONS HONG KONG WINE & DINE PARADISE 33 HONG KONG GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS A GLOBAL MICE HUB 34 CREATING TOURISM MEDIA ASSETS 36 THE ROADMAP FOR LANGKAWI 36 POSITIONING OF FRENCH POLYNESIA AS A TOURIST DESTINATION 37 PLACING THE ISLANDS OF TAHITI ON THE TRAVEL ADVISOR’S TOP SHELF 38 INBOUND - NATURAL WONDERS THAILAND MOVES TO PROTECT NATURAL HERITAGE AT MAYA BAY 38 ROYAL BELUM - THE LAND BEFORE TIME 39 INBOUND - TRENDING HOTELS LUXURIOUS COMFORT WITH A TASTE OF TRUE SICHUAN HOSPITALITY 39 AMANYANGYUN OPENS A NEW GATEWAY TO THE PAST 40 JUST HOW “GREEN” CAN A HOTEL BE? 40 MIMPI OPENS ON PERENTIAN ISLANDS 41 NICCOLO PRESENTS SKY HOTELS AT ILTM ASIA 42 THE SPIRIT OF MARCO POLO AT THE HEART OF CHINA’S “SUPER-CITY” - SHENZHEN 44 ACCORHOTELS AND AMBASSADOR GROUP BUILD ON PARTNERSHIP IN KOREA 45 NOVOTEL AMBASSADOR SEOUL GANGNAM OPTIMISTIC OVER FUTURE GROWTH 46 QUIET DAYS AT RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL PHNOM-PENH 47 ROSEWOOD PHNOM PENH OPENS IN THE HEART OF CAMBODIAN CAPITAL 47 WHEN LUXURY MEETS WITH HISTORY ... 48 OUTBOUND CUSTOMISED TRAVEL THE NEW FORM OF OUTBOUND TOURISM FOR CHINESE TRAVELLERS 48 CHINA THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO “ASIAN TOURISM MIRACLE” 48 ASIAN OUTBOUND: DID YOU KNOW? 49 HELPING CHINESE TOURISTS TO “TRAVEL EASY” 50 SERVICE AS A PILLAR OF THE VALUE PROPOSITION 51 INNOVATIONS & TECHNOLOGIES 51 “TECH” JUST ANOTHER FOUR-LETTER WORD? 53 IN THE FIELD WITH DAVID ESSERYK AI WILL CHANGE THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 54 GROW DIRECT BOOKINGS BY 25%? YES, YOU CAN… 55 INCREASING THE NEED FOR SPEED IN 2018 AND BEYOND 56 WHEN TWO GREAT NAMES GET TOGETHERG 58 THE ART AND SCIENCE OF DESTINATION MARKETING 58 ON THE NEW DYNAMICS OF HOTEL DISTRIBUTION
