In the news: Brand Karma partners with HolidayCheck, mega development for Melaka, business mobile app for BCD Travel, four more properties for Pan Pacific Hotels Group
Brand Karma expands in Europe, partners with HolidayCheck
Brand Karma, the digital marketing solution for hospitality and travel brands, expands its footprint in Europe in a partnership deal with Swiss based HolidayCheck, one of Europe’s largest online travel portals.
The two companies announced their partnership at the same time as Brand Karma expands its European presence, providing more comprehensive and customized services to European hotel and travel brands.
The partnership will see reviews sourced from HolidayCheck integrated into Brand Karma iO, which is used by international and luxury hotels worldwide to monitor, manage and monetise their online reputations.
Brand Karma iO clients are able to gain unique insights from HolidayCheck reviews, which are analysed for sentiment, topic and demographic. The review site is available in 10 languages across Europe, and has a database of more than 10 million user opinions, pictures and videos.
Georg Ziegler, head of B2B at HolidayCheck, said, “Our partnership with Brand Karma helps hoteliers across the globe to improve their guests’ experience based on insights from our database of millions of reviews. Not only will hoteliers be able to manage their online reputation, but we are also supporting them with the creation of a specific hotel experience for their target group.”
Tourism boost for Melaka with mega development
A mega waterfront development project in Malaysia's historical state of Melaka, the RM40 billion (US$12 billion) Melaka Gateway, is expected to elevate its tourism potential to a new high.
The 246-hectare project, which will be developed by KAJ Development (KAJD), will comprise one natural and two man-made islands, a theme park, the Malaysia Eye, an international cruise terminal and a seven star hotel. It is expected to be completed by 2025.
The project’s highlights include :
• Shoppers haven: An outlet mall comprising 450 stores with international brands, and a UNESCO Heritage Promenade for local crafts.
• Theme park: Covers 24 hectares with the Malaysia Eye, a 100-metre highl ferris wheel offering panoramic views of the Melaka Straits.
• Gateway Beacon Tower (pictured above): A 288-metre tower with over 80 storeys, comprising a seven star hotel and premium condominiums, the Marina villas, which have individual berths right at the resident’s doorstep
• Melaka international cruise and ferry terminal: The region’s largest marina with up to 1,000 berths accommodating up to three cruise ships, and a world-class maintenance and repair facility for mega yachts.
The project’s master plan also includes a Gateway Floating Stadium, a beach, park and self-sustainable eco-resort to be powered by renewable energy. There will also be two bridges linking Melaka Gateway with mainland Malacca, as well as a 5-kilometre long monorail and road access on Gateway East and Gateway West.
According to KAJD, the project has attracted investors from China, Singapore, UAE, UK, Italy, US and Korea.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who unveiled the plan recently, said the development was projected to attract an additional 2.5 million tourists over the next 12 years. with high-yield consumers expected to contribute substantially to the country’s tourism earnings.
• Photo of Gateway Beacon Tower courtesy of Melaka Gateway
TripSource provides personalised service for business travellers on the go
Mobile solutions provider for the travel industry, Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd. (MTT), has developed a new personalised mobile travel app called TripSource for global travel management company, BCD Travel.
The app enables business travellers to easily access and track every trip while on the go, and have a better business travel experience with personalised guides, directions, reminders and travel updates.
Leveraging MTT’s corporate travel product, MTT Concierge, TripSource gives BCD Travel more control in managing its mobile channel and will enhance its communication with its travellers. It also uses MTT Engage (MTT’s intelligent push engine) to send targeted push notifications.
Travellers who book trips through BCD Travel can use the free app to help them stay organised and productive. They are able to access and share travel itineraries (airlines, hotels, ground transportation and more) while on the go.
The app also provides real-time flight status alerts and gate changes, driving directions to destinations along their journey and even rewards for using the app.
TripSource is currently available for download only in the US.and Canada from the Apple iTunes store. Other countries and versions will be available later this year.
Pan Pac adds four more properties in APAC
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has clinched four management contracts to add three Parkroyal and one Pan Pacific hotels to its Asia Pacific portfolio, namely in Australia, China and Myanmar.
The Group’s first Parkroyal hotel in China – the 360-room Parkroyal Chengdu (pictured left) – is scheduled to open in 2017 along the iconic Sha River and opposite the University of Electronic Science and Technology. It is part of a mixed-use development comprising high-end residential units, a hotel, office and retail spaces.
The 300-room Pan Pacific Zhuhai will be the sixth Pan Pacific property in China. Due to open in 2017, it is located next to the Gongbei Business Circle and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, which is currently under construction.
The 180-room Parkroyal Nay Pyi Taw, slated to launch this April, in Myanmar’s capital is the second Parkroyal in the country. The first is in Yangon.
The 281-room Parkroyal Melbourne – the fourth Parkroyal hotel in Australia and second in Melbourne – will open in 2016 in the Digital Harbour Precinct of Melbourne Docklands. It will occupy the first 18 storeys of The Altus, a 37-storey hotel and apartment complex.
With these additions, the hotel group now owns and/or manages 38 hotels, resorts and serviced suites with close to 12,000 rooms in Asia, Oceania and North America, including those under development.