in the world, only 7.85 million were part of a chain. As a
consequence, almost every large group – from Starwood to
Hilton – is working to extend their reach by incorporating
independents into their branded collections.
Marriott set the trend with its Autograph Collection
in 2010 – it now has more than 90 properties. This was
followed by Curio by Hilton in 2014; Starwood’s Tribute
Portfolio, launched in April 2015; and Loews Hotels
and Resorts’ OE Collection, which debuted earlier
this year.- Safety first
According to travel management company Carlson
Wagonlit’s reportTravel Trends, Programme Priorities: A
Traveller-Centric 2016, security is a top priority this year,
with 80 per cent of travel managers expecting it to have a
“high or very high”impact on their programmes. Despite
increased global security risks, business travel has to go
on, however. Research companies are finding that travel
numbers to high-risk destinations like Egypt or Israel are
seeing considerable increases year-on-year. International
SOS and Control Risks have published the Travel Risk Map
2016 to help organisations better understand the risks in
the markets where they operate and travel (visit riskmap.
controlrisks.com for in-depth analysis). - Social currency exchange
A new app called We Swap heralds the dawn of“social
foreign exchange”, where travellers can swap currency
between them, digitally. This peer-to-peer platform is
supported by Mastercard, so it’s secure, and fees are
between 1 per cent and 1.4 per cent, depending on how
quickly you do the transaction.You can store up to
16 currencies, and money is withdrawn via a prepaid
card that is posted to you.
London-based SwaappEX offers a similar middleman-
free service, with geolocation software built in so you can
easily meet up with the person you are swapping your
leftover Thai baht with. - Saving the planet
Following the Paris Climate Conference in December 2015,
there will be renewed pressure on travel companies to take
responsibility for their environmental practices. Hilton
Worldwide has become the first global hotel company
to serve MSC-certified sustainable cod in Europe, and
this summer launches its new“responsible”hotel brand,
Canopy, in Reykjavik, Iceland.
December saw an agreement between the Airport
Carbon Accreditation scheme (promoting carbon
neutrality) and the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change). So far, 137 airports are accredited as
part of the programme, representing 31 per cent of global
air passenger traffic. In January it was announced that new
green tech developed by NASA over the past six years
would help commercial airlines to save US$250 billion – as
well as reduce pollution by 75 per cent.Q
InnovationI 55long-term plans are, it seems credible that they are
targeting specific industries that likely have the same
exploits in order to maximise their efforts before moving
on to the next industry.”
American Airlines was hacked last summer, as was
United and travel tech company Sabre. Battling this, the
cyber-security market is expected to grow from US$75
billion in 2015 to US$170 billion by 2020.- PAYG airport lounges
As airlines make it tougher to qualify for lounge
access, demand for pay-as-you-go (PAYG) facilities is
increasing. Hong Kong-based Plaza Premium Lounge
has four lounges in its home airport, and opened the first
independent facility in the UK’s Heathrow T4 last year –
for £35 (US$51) you get food, alcohol, wifi and showers. It
has also launched a Singapore Changi facility with cooking
stations and a massage area, and a co-branded lounge
with China Eastern at Shanghai Pudong International’s T2.
A lounge in Phnom Penh came in January and another in
Taiwan Taoyuan in February, with Rio de Janeiro Galeao
International to open by the summer.
Another pay-in lounge to open in Changi Airport is
The Haven by Jetquay (launched in 2014); located in the
arrival hall of Terminal 3 on level 1, it offers shower and
nap facilities, meeting rooms, a business centre and F&B
corner. Lounge packages start from S$35 (US$26). - Hotel group mergers
and buyouts
Hotel chains are joining forces. Last year it was announced
that Marriott International would acquire Starwood Hotels
and Resorts for US$12.2 billion, a deal that will make it the
biggest hotel company on the planet when finalised in the
summer, with 30 brands and 5,500 properties.
In September, France’s Accorhotels acquired FHRI
(Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel), which has 155 hotels
around the world. As other chains seek to compete, the
pressure to merge will increase, and consolidation of
the hotel industry will echo airline behaviour over the
past decade.
That’s not all the big hotel groups are doing to increase
their presence. Hospitality research group MKG Global
reported last year that out of 19.5 million hotel rooms
Clockwise from
top far left:Wifi
on board; the new
green-friendly
1 Hotel South
Beach, Miami;
Space Suite in the
Kameha Grand,
Zurich, which
recently joined
Marriott’s Autograph
Collection; and the
interior of theCitation
Longitude private jet
businesstraveller.asia JUNE 2016