Many hotels in ASEAN roll out red carpets to attract tourists to encourage enjoying trips to make up for lost vacations in the past 2 years.

Located near the flashy shopping malls along Singapore’s Orchard Road shopping belt, guests at Adina Serviced Apartments are regularly treated to free popcorn, chips, and drinks.

The facility’s attentive manager Nancy Zhang is also keen on personally consulting guests about their stay at the Adina, which opened in late June with 88 rooms. The apartments, operated by Singapore’s Far East Hospitality Holdings, are also giving away S$100 ($72) meal vouchers to guests – a sign of a concerted effort to attract tourists, who have been virtually absent for over two years due to the Covid pandemic and related travel restrictions.

Despite the Covid-19 outbreaks, countries in the 10-member ASEAN have reduced or removed entry restrictions on travelers to revive economies since 2020. Far East Hospitality’s chief executive, Arthur Kiong, said when asked about the trend as tourism surges, that tourists are making fewer but longer trips.

In Thailand’s Koh Lanta island district, the 5-star Pimalai Resort and Spa is offering up to 30% off for visitors to the Andaman coast. Those who book 7 to 13 days before the check-in date will receive a 20% discount on their stay, while those who book 30 days or more in advance will receive a 30% discount.

In addition, Pimalai is offering a “Stay 5 Pay 4” promotion, where guests from the Asia-Pacific region who book a 5-night stay will only pay for the 4-night stay. Included in the package is a daily breakfast for two round trips by land and by sea to and from Krabi International Airport. By offering free nights and substantial discounts, it is hoped that every guest can maximize their stay and enjoy more fulfilling experiences, said Charintip Tiyaphorn, representative owner of Pimalai. again.

Many other hotels roll out red carpets to attract visitors to encourage enjoying trips to make up for lost vacations over the past two years. The hotel sector, battered during the pandemic, has jumped in with aggressive marketing campaigns. At the Bali resort in Indonesia, the resort InterContinental is running a promotion where guests who book a longer stay can save money.

The UK-based hotel chain is pitching the deal by offering 20% ​​off at other restaurants and eateries, as well as on their laundry service. But even as the hospitality sector moves aggressively to attract tourists, there is no guarantee the efforts will succeed. Border restrictions may have been eased, allowing tourism to revive, but the pandemic isn’t over yet.

US commercial real estate investment and services firm CBRE warned of headwinds for hotels this year in a research report released in the first quarter. That includes the deficit in travel demand due to high fuel costs due to the Ukraine war that still hinders the full recovery of tourism. The report also notes that outbound travel from China, on which many Asian countries depend, will remain restricted as Beijing continues to pursue a zero-Covid policy to keep quarantines in place. for guests to come.

Although many markets now offer quarantine-free entry, the additional administrative burden associated with overseas travel planning continues to deter many people, the report said. In addition, many businesses still maintain a cautious attitude towards business travel. CBRE’s research also notes that some hotels in the Asia-Pacific region are finding it difficult to rebuild their workforces after Covid-induced layoffs, even as tourists gradually decline. return. Many former employees have moved to other jobs such as retail for better pay and more stable working conditions.

However, hotel groups like Thailand’s Minor Hotel are still struggling to attract guests. Located on Malaysia’s famous Desaru coast, Minor’s Anantara Resort and Villas are offering a “Buy 3 Pay 2 Beach Vacation Package” that comes with a free night, 15% savings on food and spa treatments as well as daily stock with in-room minibar. There has been a strong focus on digital campaigns in each region to maximize profits, said Michael Marshall, Chief Commercial Officer of Minor.

Source: Cong thuong