Strong marketing, regional targets will lift Maldives post-pandemic

WIthout a domestic travel market to rely on for the post-pandemic tourism rebound, Maldives will need to sharpen its destination marketing efforts in accessible regional markets, opined industry leaders during a webinar organised by PATA and the Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation (MMPRC) on Monday.

Speakers at the COVID-19 Crisis and Maldives Tourism webinar were Thoyyib Mohamed, managing director, MMPRC; Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA; and Sarah Mathews, group head of destination marketing APAC, TripAdvisor.

The Maldives has shifted her marketing campaigns to […]

Thailand extends emergency decree, may adopt coding system for businesses

Although there had been talks of lifting the state of emergency at the end of this month, Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on April 27 announced it will extend its emergency decree until the end of May.

Amid low numbers of new coronavirus cases, CCSA considered the measures effective in flattening the curve.

A proposed colour-coded venue-categorising system will indicate when businesses and public areas could reopen

Therefore, under the executive order, the six-hour curfew from 22.00 to 04.00, prohibition of […]

Global hotel profit rocked by COVID-19

As expected, March was a brutal month for the global hospitality industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to HotStats data, with the U.S., Europe, Asia and Middle East all recording year-over-year profit drops of 100 percent or more.

In the United States, gross operating profit per available room was down 110.6 percent year over year to $-12.71. The triple-digit drop was by far the largest percentage decline ever recorded by HotStats since it started charting U.S. data. The […]

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands has appointed Marco Den Ouden as General Manager

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands has appointed Marco Den Ouden as General Manager. In his new role, Marco will bring over 20 years of global experience in the luxury hospitality industry as he builds the pre-opening team and prepares to launch the property in Q4 2020.

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands will be the first launch under Patina Hotels & Resorts, a new sophisticated lifestyle brand by Capella Hotel Group, which was created for progressive travellers of a new generation. Strategically situated in […]

Centara adds two resorts to Vietnam portfolio

Centara Hotels & Resorts is further expanding its presence in Vietnam, with the signing of hotel management agreements for two new resorts being developed by Novaland Group, a Vietnamese property and real estate developer.

Centara Hotels & Resorts’ Markland Blaiklock (front row, right) signs deal with Novaland Group’s Huy Bui (front row, left) to open two resorts in Vietnam

The partnership will see the addition of 2,260 keys to Centara’s growing Vietnam portfolio.

Slated to open in 2022 and 2023, the two resorts […]

Floating assets all tied up with nowhere to go

LONDON – The global scale of the coronavirus outbreak has laid up the cruise industry’s billion-dollar vessels, which a March estimate valued at more than US$167 billion.

Data company VesselsValue has launched a platform that provides valuations, data and satellite intelligence on passenger cruise ships.

According to the London-headquartered company, there are a total of 483 ships globally, of which 368 are currently plying the world’s waters, with 115 ships on order. The figures are valid as of 31 March 2020 and […]