Jakarta – 4 February, 2009 – Faced with the worst global recession in 70 years, the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry will be looking to growth in regional business to see it through the crisis, according to
DestinAsian magazine’s founder, publisher and managing director, Ronald Liem.
Announcing the prestigious fourth annual
DestinAsian awards for 2009, Mr Liem said there is no longer any doubt that the year will be a tough one for the travel and tourism industry worldwide. He said the Asia-Pacific region would not be spared its impact, despite the relatively positive outlook for some countries in the region.
“The ongoing financial crisis and the downturn in the global economy will mean cuts in travel budgets for businesses, families and individuals in 2009,” he said. “Both luxury and economy travel will be affected as budgets are tightened and clients cut their travel plans or seek out the best value for money.
“There may be some improvement towards the end of the year provided the coordinated actions now being taken by governments worldwide to reinvigorate their economies begin to take effect,” he said. “But the extent and depth of the crisis means that nothing is certain in what has become a most uncertain world economy.”
Mr Liem said one bright spot was the fact that the Asia-Pacific industry was one of the most efficient in the world. “Airlines, hotels and other travel service providers in the region had to weather the Asian financial crisis a decade ago and that experience will help them through the global crisis this time around,” he said.
“Another positive for the industry is that with global inflation low the costs of travel have leveled out and may even be coming down in some parts of the industry. Oil prices, especially, have fallen dramatically since the middle of 2008 and this is having a positive impact on transport costs, especially for airlines.”
Mr Liem predicted the reaction of both business and leisure clients to the current crisis would be measured rather than dramatic. “One response I did notice in my own travels over the recent holiday period – and this is only anecdotal at this stage – was a tendency to change travel plans rather than cancel them outright,” he said. “Talking among friends in the industry, it’s clear that a number of factors are changing the way we travel, most notably the current economic climate. People aren’t necessarily staying home as a result, but are, it appears, looking for flexibility when making travel plans, and for creative ways to squeeze every ounce of value out of each travel experience.
“A trend already evident – one that I experienced first hand over the holidays – is that a growing number of people are choosing to holiday in destinations close to home, rather than invest in expensive, long-haul trips.
“Another emerging trend sees tourists becoming increasingly reliant on technology, for everything from making travel bookings to finding hot deals on accommodations and flights. On this note, you’ll be happy to know that
DestinAsian is taking all of this on board, and over the course of the year we’ll be working to overhaul our Web site to make it a much more efficient travel resource.”
Mr. Liem said the re-launch of the DestinAsian.com website would involve a complete redesign, new content and improved functionality so users can access our magazine articles as well as satisfy their travel information and booking needs at the site. The new site should be ready in April-May this year. The objective is for DestinAsian.com to be leading travel and tourism website for luxury travel in Asia.
Mr Liem said that the longer term outlook for travel and tourism globally and in the Asia-Pacific was positive even if the short term road might be a little rough. Despite the economic downturn the World Travel Organisation (WTO) figures showed that visitor arrivals worldwide hit 928 million in 2008, up 2 per cent on 2007. However, demand slowed significantly as the year progressed and the financial crisis worsened undermining consumer and business confidence.
As a result, arrivals growth globally was mostly flat in the second half of the year and there was a decline of 3 per cent in arrivals to Asia after strong double-digit growth in 2007 and the early months of 2008. Some bright spots in the region, even in the second half, included Macao, Indonesia, India and Korea.
The WTO expects no growth or a decline of up to 2 per cent in international tourism in 2009 with America and Europe being most affected. The Asia-Pacific is expected to be positive (a modest 3 per cent increase), although growth will continue to be much slower compared with the region’s performance in recent years.
“Looking further ahead, there is the prospect that the industry will come back strongly in 2010 and the years beyond as the global economy recovers and pent-up demand for travel and tourism is unleashed,” Mr Liem said.
Announcing the 2009
DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards, Mr Liem said readers of the industry’s most prestigious luxury travel and lifestyle magazine had rewarded some old favorites as well as some newcomers during the year.
The full results are contained in the attached table. Full details of all the awards will also be included in the February-March 2009 issue of
DestinAsian magazine.
For 2009
DestinAsian readers again voted Singapore Airlines the best airline for premium class travel, economy class travel, in-flight entertainment, best frequent flyer program (Krisflyer) and as best overall airline in the region.
Singapore’s Changi Airport also picked up the award for best Asia-Pacific airport. Hong Kong received the award for best business city, Bangkok was voted best leisure city and Bali took the award for best island destination.
The Hyatt Hotels and Resorts group again picked up the readers’ award for best business hotel chain in the Asia-Pacific and the best leisure hotel chain award went to the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts group.
The Banyan Tree group dominated the Spa awards receiving the best City Spa award for the Banyan Tree Spa Bangkok and best Spa resort for the Banyan Tree Spa Phuket. The Ascott Group received the best serviced residence award.
Four Grand Hyatt properties (in Beijing, Jakarta, Seoul and Taipei) received awards as did three Park Hyatt properties (in Saigon, Sydney and Tokyo) as well as the Grand Hyatt, Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai. Ritz-Carlton hotels (Bali and Singapore) picked up two awards.
Other awards went to the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Burj al Arab (Dubai), Sofitel Metropole (Hanoi), The Peninsula (Hong Kong), Makati Shangri-la (Manila), Taj Mahal Palace and Towers (Mumbai), Oberoi (New Delhi), Banyan Tree Phuket (Phuket), and Mandarin Oriental (Kuala Lumpur).
Mr Liem congratulated all the winners of the Readers’ Choice Awards 2009. They will be presented with their awards of a Zwiesel vase at a special luncheon on Thursday, 25 February 2008 at The Peninsula Hong Kong. “Competition in all categories was fierce with few votes separating the top three or four service providers in each of our 33 categories,” Mr Liem said.
He again urged all winners to maintain and enhance the high standards that make the Asian region such a favored destination for business and leisure travel. All winners are encouraged to use the special
DestinAsian Readers’ Choice logo in any promotional materials.
Voting for the
DestinAsian Readers’ Choice awards was held in the latter half of last year using a survey which sought readers’ votes and opinions on their favorite destinations, hotels and airlines in Asia-Pacific region. Readers were required to nominate a winner in each category and provide a short explanation of their choice. Mr Liem thanked readers for taking the time to complete the survey and for their continued support.
Editor’s note: A full list of award winners is attached. Further details of readers’ opinions are available in the February-March 2009 issue of
DestinAsian. Mr Ronald Liem is available for media interviews.
The
DestinAsian Media Group was founded in Jakarta in 2001 by Mr Ronald Liem. It began operations with a single publication, the now highly successful
DestinAsian travel and lifestyle magazine.
DestinAsian is published 8 times a year with a readership of 90,000. It is distributed to affluent travelers through subscription, newsstands, in-flight and controlled circulation throughout Asia and beyond. Key markets include Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and Australian and New Zealand, as well as some key Middle East destinations. The publication targets those individuals who not only enjoy travel but who also appreciate the finer things in life.
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