In the news: Two new destinations for AirAsia X, more hotels in India for Carlson Rezidor, new partnership between Mama Shelter and Accor
AirAsia X takes flight to Hawaii and Europe in December
It’s Hawaii for AirAsia X in December. (Image credit: UrchenkoJulia/iStock)
It will be “Aloha Hawaii” and “Hello (again) Europe” come December for AirAsia X, the longhaul no-frills subsidiary of AirAsia, when it launches services to these two destinations.
According to reports, the airline has applied to fly to Honolulu, Hawaii from its hub in Kuala Lumpur with a refuelling stop in Osaka, Japan, and a four times weekly schedule.
As for the European destination, AirAsia group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes described it as a “sexy route” without elaborating further.
“We have to go back to Europe. By being in Europe and the United States, it would change the brand profile quite dramatically,” said Fernandes.
The airline operated services to London and Paris, but stopped them in 2012 citing economic viability and other factors.
AirAsia X group CEO. Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, said the airline was in the midst of working out an arrangement with a feeder airline in Europe on this “exclusive” route, without shedding further light on which the city will be.
He is upbeat on AirAsia X’s future despite a not too encouraging financial performance last year when it recorded a pre-tax loss of RM605 million (US$166) compared with a pre-tax loss of RM212 million in 2013, due to an increase of 33.9% operating costs year-on-year.
Kamarudin is confident the airline will turn around due to higher bookings and yields, the dropping of some unprofitable routes, as well as implementing cost-saving measures with AirAsia like having one ground handling.
Carlson Rezidor grows presence in India, launches Radisson Red
Radisson Red, a new brand for Carlson Rezidor in India. (Image credit: Carlson Rezidor)
Carlson Rezidor has strengthened its position in India by expanding to state capitals and emerging secondary and tertiary cities, focusing on South and West India.
Raj Rana, chief executive officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said the group is “positioned to seize the growth opportunities. We intend to have a hotel in every major city in India with landmark hotels in every state capital.”
Carlson Rezidor targets to have 170 hotels within the next five years. In 2014 and the first quarter of this year the group opened a total of 10 hotels and signed six new hotels in India.
As part of this growth strategy the group just launched Radisson Red in the country.
Radisson Red is a new hotel concept that focuses on design and detail, choice, personal interaction and technology. It targets India’s millennial segment, as well as address the needs of savvy travellers, while meeting the expectations of bottom line-focused owners.
The brand allows guests to choose the Lifestyle Elect proposition to decide the type of stay experience that best reflects their lifestyle. It also offers a non-traditional stay experience that combines work and play, and appeals to the growing millennial-minded segment.
“Radisson Red also gives owners the flexibility to customise the specifics to cater to the unique demands of each locale,” said Thorsten Kirschke, president of Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
In India, Radisson is ideal for primary/secondary such as Ahmedabad, Benguluru, Chennai, the Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune, as well as leisure and religious destinations such as Goa, Jaipur, Katra, Shirdi, Tirupati.
Carlson Rezidor expects to have 60 Radisson Red hotels globally by 2020.
There are now 117 Carlson Rezidor hotels in operation and 45 under development across 45 cities in India, including 14 state capitals. Its brand portfolio ncludes the Radisson Red, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson brands.
Accor partners with Mama Shelter, opens new hotel in Yangon
Accor and Mama Shelter team up fo online booking.
Lifestyle hotel brand, Mama Shelter, has joined the 3,700 Accor hotels on Accorhotels.com, the worldwide booking portal for the group’s hotels.
Customers can now book stays at the lively, atypical and modern facilities created by Mama Shelter in Bordeaux, Istanbul, Lyon, Marseille, Paris (and soon in Los Angeles) on its website, and mobile site, and using the Accorhotels.com app.
Mama Shelter inventory comprises 633 rooms, five restaurants in five cities and two countries.
The partnership between the two companies was initiated when Accor acquired a 35% stake in Mama Shelter.
In a related development Accor opened the 366-room Novotel Yangon Max, its first hotel in Yangon, Myanmar, and third property in the country.
Patrick Basset, chief operating officer for Accor Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines, said the new property is Accor’s first hotel in Yangon in over a decade.
“As Accor’s third hotel in Myanmar, the hotel reflects the continued expansion of business and tourism in the region and the growing demand for internationally-recognised hotel brands with high service standards.”
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