I wrote recently about my experience of discovering northern Thailand by car (Part 1 and Part 2).

Together with a colleague I visited Doi Angkhang, north of Chiang Mai, close to the border with Myanmar: Doi is the local word for mountain and Angkhang stands at about 1300 metres.

On this trip I saw (mostly by design but partly by accident!) areas of Thailand most tourists on mainstream holidays would not get to see.

In my opinion it is important, both for me personally and for local communities, that the positive benefits of tourism are spread to more remote parts of the country. Personally I enjoy seeing a destination behind the tourist façade and I am sure I am not alone: I get a lot more from the experience knowing that what I am seeing and experiencing is genuine, even though that experience might not always be a pleasant one. Local markets often fall into the latter category!

I do not subscribe to the notion that the flip side for my, sometimes unwitting, hosts is that they get to see glimpses of a life beyond their own, current reality. And I don’t mean me personally of course but rather what I represent.

No, for me the flip side is that tourism (when operated responsibly) is both bringing an income to the community and, potentially, the means to increase the well-being of its members.

I want to be absolutely clear here that I am not advocating the type of tourism where a tour bus turns up, disgorges its camera-clicking contents, money is deposited into a pot, bus sucks back contents and departs. No one is enriched by such an experience.

The type of tourism I am referring to is the type that Amari Hotels & Resorts, a major hotel company in Thailand, is engaging in at Doi Angkhang.

More and more hotels around the world are embracing sustainable, responsible or ‘green’ travel principles but here is a hotel group that has been doing so long before it became de rigeur. It was in 1995 that the group started the Baht for a Better Life Foundation: “Small change, contributed by guests to our hotels and donations from our staff, are used to further the education of children in Thailand. There are no administrative costs in running the Baht for a Better Life Foundation. Therefore, every dollar, pound and euro given to the fund is used for educational projects.” To date, among other things, Baht for a Better Life have rebuilt a dilapidated school in Udon Thani, north-east Thailand, and built ten new schools in underprivileged areas throughout the country.

At Doi Angkhang the Amari-managed hotel is the Ankhgang Nature Resort : a 3-star, 72-room property nestling in the mountains and developed as part of the Royal Angkhang Research Station, under the auspices of the Royal Project Foundation.

During my visit I only had time for a one-night stay but, on a whistle-stop tour of the area, I was able to visit the Royal Angkhang Station Project which “provides agricultural support to neighbouring hilltribes and develops non-indigenous crops for them to grow” as an alternative to the opium poppy which used to be their staple cash-crop. I also stopped at a remote point along the Thai/Myanmar border which was little more than a fence set within a beautiful mountain vista. Other activities in the area include trekking, mountain biking, bird watching; and sightseeing, taking in local hilltribe villages.

Image courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand News Room

On this occasion the visits that I made to local hilltribe villages were not of the type I am advocating here because, of necessity, they were brief: they were merely intended to equip me with the information to promote the overall Doi Angkhang experience, just as I am doing now.

There are 7 major hilltribes in northern Thailand but there are many smaller groups and sub groups such that I don’t believe anyone has a definitive count: estimates have put the number at around 20 with a total population of about 500,000.

There are many social and political issues surrounding the hilltribes, but the key point to mention in this article is that, by definition, the villages are remote with limited access to education.

There are four villages in the area surrounding Doi Angkhang, which are home to communities from a number of different hilltribes. Through its foundation, Amari Hotels and Resorts supports a primary school in Baan Khob Dong which provides education for the children of the Black and Red Muser tribes.

In a recently held painting competition with the theme ‘My Dream’, 7 winning students of Baan Kob Dong received scholarships presented by Mr. Wim Fagel, General Manager, Amari Rincome Hotel, as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the hotel. (See headline picture above).

As well as general educational support, the Anghang Nature Resort has helped introduce the school children to the concept of tourism. Together with the local education authorities, the resort has implemented a “Junior Guide Program”, where children from the Baan Khob Dong school are trained to show visitors around their village. The Junior Guide Program has become part of the school curriculum.

According to Amari: “The guides are encouraged to take pride in their heritage and the surrounding natural environment and communicate this to the visitors. It also gives an opportunity to take a position of responsibility in the community. Guides who complete the program are awarded a certificate and a guide badge.

The Junior Guide Program enables tourists to have interaction with the local community and receive correct information about the hill tribes and the surrounding area. It also ensures any donations which are given to the villages by visitors are put into projects to benefit the community. Visitors are also taken to a co-operative shop, which sells handicrafts produced in the local villages. In addition, a ‘show house’ has been built so that guests can get an impression of the hilltribe way of life.”

For me it is this type of interaction that is enriching for all parties and it represents what I believe tourism should be about i.e sharing.

Doi Angkhang is just 3 hours north of Chiang Mai and a world away from mass tourism. To book your stay at the Ankhgang Nature Resort visit the Amari website . This is not an affiliate link and I receive no financial benefit.

Have you ever thought of running your own hotel? Maybe a little bed & breakfast on the coast?

Andrew and Kate Kemp had a dream along those lines except their’s was perhaps a bit bigger than most. Rather than a B & B, it was more like a luxury resort in Thailand; and it was to be a hotel that wasn’t a hotel!

The couple had met when they were both 18, they travelled the world together and settled down in Hong Kong for 10 years. They both had good jobs. Andrew was in the service industry, working for a major real estate developer and managing private clubs and leisure facilities. Kate was in sales and marketing for international pharmaceutical and electronic products. It took some 2 years of planning and searching but finally they obtained the finance and the land in Khao Lak, southern Thailand, to build their dream property.

They had been fortunate to stay in many hotels around Asia and therefore knew what both good and bad hotel experiences felt like. They also knew they had to be different so they created a mythical character called Lady Sarojin: an Asian lady renowned for her hospitality. This character was to represent the essence of the hotel around which the business would develop.

In order to deliver the high standard of hospitality that the Kemp’s wanted they based their whole recruitment policy on two things: language skills and attitude. They knew everything else could be taught.

When I met Andrew back in 2005 he explained that “You start with an idea, and then the people. The people we have got have bought into the idea. They understand it and I think they quite like the idea of doing something different.”

The hotel was scheduled to open on 10 January 2005. On 26th December 2004 the Indian Ocean Tsunami struck and wrought havoc on the region.

Andrew and Kate were lucky; because they were not open there were no guests in-house and no loss of life. But much of their dream was washed away. By Boxing Day night they had decided they would start again and that, critically, they would retain as many of their staff as wanted to stay: financially an irrational decision but they were agreed “it was the right thing to do”.

They set the team to work doing things they were not employed to do: the housekeeper was liaising with the Interior designer, the Spa Manager with the landscape contractor and the Front Office Manager managing the project. Probably for the first time in their working lives people were crossing departmental boundaries and really working as a team.

The Sarojin Thailand finally opened on 7 October 2005 and was by then a shared dream.

By 2006 this 56-room boutique hotel had already made it on to the Conde Nast Traveler US Hot List for both Spas and Hotels; and it has won a string of awards including Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Of course a lot of credit for the success must go to the Kemp’s management skills but for me the most crucial element is their authenticity. They have a purpose that goes beyond shareholder value.

Although I never got to work with the Kemps (I sold my business in March 2005), this is the type of company that I will actively seek out because I want business partners who share my values.

For me it is this type of company that will survive no matter what. The Sarojin might be feeling the pinch at the moment, along with the rest of the world, or it might not; but whatever, the hotel will continue to flourish because Andrew and Kate have the support of their staff, their customers and, equally as important, their community.

In my view, over the long-term, companies that focus on building stakeholder value will always be stronger than those which put shareholder value first. The tourism industry is ideally placed to tackle many of today’s social ills and the world would be a richer place if there were more people like the Kemps in the business.

If you know of any other travel and tourism companies (big or small) working in South East Asia that, in your opinion, are making a contribution beyond shareholder value please leave a comment or email me: tony AT hookedonasia dot org.

N.B. For the record only, I first told Andrew and Kate’s story in my audio book Warts and All: A practical, plain-English approach to branding your business.

The Sarojin images courtesy of: WhiteKaps Resort Company Limited

Already we know that the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa will be opening in 2011 and, according to a report in the Straits Times, with more investors now piling in China Beach is set to “become a tourism hotspot to rival Bali or Phuket.”

Read Better Than Bali

Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta

For an up-to-date perspective I asked Lisa Rawlings, who handles the sales and marketing for the Pimalai in the UK, to give her personal view.

Lisa writes:

Koh Lanta is a really great alternative to Phuket or Koh Samui and I am sure we will be hearing more about it in the future! I first went to Koh Lanta 18 years ago and am pleased to see that although it has developed quite a bit, it is still largely unspoilt, has not been subjected to mass tourism like Phuket and still has a wonderful authentic charm about it which I am sure would be of appeal to the more discerning traveler. Koh Lanta is a very quiet and natural destination with its own charm. The island is still largely unspoiled, offers some beautiful beaches, superb low and green mountain backdrops where wildlife is very well present and is at very short distances of some of the highly rated diving spots in Thailand including Hin Duang, which is about 2 hrs by boat and if you are lucky, you can spot some giant manta rays!

Manta Ray

Pimalai Resort & Spa is built on 100 acres of hilly land of lush tropical forest with direct access to a 900 meters pristine white powder sandy beach (the best and safest beach on the island!). Even during peak season, there are not many people on the beach and no hawkers which in a lot of other parts of Thailand can be a nuisance! There are 5 restaurants at Pimalai ranging from Western, Thai, fine dining at Seven Seas and also a couple offering lighter snacks and poolside food. Also, further down the beach in Kantiang Bay there are a few local restaurants and bars if you fancy exploring a little further.

Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta

In December 2005, the new Pool Villas opened. The elegantly appointed one, two and three bedrooms pool villas are located on a hillside with private infinity pools overlooking the bay. They really are fabulous, spacious and certainly one of the best that I have stayed in!

The resort’s facilities consist of: 121 Deluxe Rooms, Pavilion Suites, Beach Villas and Pool Villas, all with a contemporary Thai style design; two superb infinity-edge freshwater swimming pools; a PADI dive centre; a fitness room with high quality fitness equipment; two library lounges offering free high speed internet access; shops and full conference facilities sitting up to 160 persons.

In addition to the above, the resort also offers canoeing, sailing, scuba diving (Nov – Apr), bicycling, trekking, tennis courts, Thai cooking classes, wedding ceremonies – for those looking for a more active focused holiday but also offers the perfect setting for guests who are just looking for a romantic getaway. Pimalai also is a great place to get married – weddings can be arranged on the beach – either a Thai ceremony with Buddhist monks or a western wedding. Whatever, style of wedding Pimalai is a perfect place to get married!

The Spa, Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta

The spa at Pimalai is amazing as it is set in the middle of the rain forest with streams running by, giant carp - a beautiful setting which relaxes you before you have even had your treatment. The treatments too are fabulous – again, as a bit of a spa junky, probably my favourite!

Words by Lisa Rawlings, LJR Consultancy (+44 1242 255483)

Images courtesy of the Pimalai Resort & Spa

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How To Get To Pimalai Resort, Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is just off the Krabi mainland in Southern Thailand. The closest airport is Krabi (KBV) and the journey time (including boat trip) is around 1.5 to 2 hours. The island is also accessible via Phuket (HKT).

Best Time To Go: December to March.

From April to November there is a chance of rain but the sunshine is often not far behind. Off-season rates (May – October) usually represent excellent value.

Hotel website: http://www.pimalai.com/

Have You Stayed At The Pimalai?

If you have personal experience of the Pimalai Resort on Koh Lanta I would be keen to have your comments (below) or, even better, a hotel review.

Bangtao Bay, Phuket. Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand

Laguna Phuket is now a very well-established integrated resort on Phuket’s west coast, and to the best of my knowledge there have been no new hotels on the complex for a number of years. Well that is about to change later this year with the opening of “Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas”.

It all started in the 1980s on Bang Tao Bay, on the northwestern coast of Phuket, Thailand, with an abandoned tin mine. As far as most people were concerned it was waste land, good for nothing. However, an entrepreneurial visionary from Singapore Mr. Ho Kwon Ping, turned it into the first ever integrated resort in Asia.

To quote from the Laguna Phuket corporate web site:

“The integrated Laguna Phuket destination resort, located on the west coast of Phuket Island, Thailand, spans 1000 acres of idyllic tropical parkland dotted by scenic lakes and adjacent to an 8km stretch of white sandy beach.

A collection of deluxe hotels, including Banyan Tree Phuket, Sheraton Grande Laguna, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Laguna Beach Resort, Laguna Phuket Holiday Club Resort, Allamanda Laguna Phuket and a group of private luxury villas, Laguna Phuket Holiday Residences, offer a wide selection of options to accommodate families, groups, honeymooners and friends.”

Laguna Phuket. Credit: Laguna Phuket

Over the years, I have visited the resort many times and have stayed at the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket and the Laguna Beach Resort: I have visited on business and with the family (disclosure: some stays were hosted others paid for). The hotels on the resort each have their own personality and focus, and they range from superior 4 star to 5 star plus.

As a Laguna Phuket guest you can use the facilities of most (but not all) of the other hotels and that makes it a more complete experience. As an integrated resort, aside from a few local beach-restaurants, this is a tourist enclave. However, there are local restaurants less than 5 minutes away by taxi; and, when we visited, one of the restaurant staff was good enough to bring us back to the hotel at the end of the meal. I suspect they would collect guests at the beginning of the evening too but we never put that to the test.

In addition to spending my own family holiday there (twice) I have sent many clients to the resort and I cannot recall one complaint. It is important of course that you choose the right hotel.

For example the Laguna Beach Resort is very much a family hotel while the Banyan Tree is more for couples. In my opinion The Banyan Tree is the best hotel there albeit a bit too formal for me: it is a great choice for honeymooners.

I do not know too much about the ‘new kid on the block’ at the moment, other than Outrigger Enterprises Group has been selected to manage the new luxury collection of residences, villas, town homes and apartments. When complete, Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas will consist of 309 two-, three- and four-bedroom units, many with their own private swimming pools. The first units will be ready for occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2009, just in time for the High Season. I feel some special promotional opening rates coming on!

Important Note: Every year during the rainy season (around April to October) heavy seas are responsible for dragging sand from the beaches. During this period there is sometimes bulldozer activity on the beach as sand is replenished; and there are sandbags along the front. It did not bother us but it might be a surprise if you were not forewarned.

Bangtao Beach, low season: Credit Tony Champion

Most importantly though there is a very strong under-current at that time and there has been loss of life. Unfortunately people have allegedly ignored the red flag.

Sheraton Grande Laguna

The best time to be on the island, weather-wise, is December through to March but you can enjoy the Phuket Laguna at anytime of the year. Although sea-bathing is not an option during the rainy season period, you can use one of the many swimming pools and there is a protected lagoon behind the hotels for certain watersports like kayaking and sailing.

If you have visited Laguna Phuket what was your impression?

Tanjung Rhu

Tanjung Rhu on the Malaysian Island of Langkawi is, in my opinion, one of the best beach locations throughout South East Asia.

The long, white-sand beach looks onto limestone karsts rising from the sea and the adjacent river is bordered by mangrove forest. The area is a blissful oasis of solitude and a delicious slice of nature.

Situated within these 1100 acres of lush tropical greenery is the Tanjung Rhu Resort. My family and I had a great 3-day stay there (disclosure: the room was hosted by the resort) a few years back and really enjoyed the beauty of the place. Not to mention the huge room that would be a suite in most other hotels. The smallest rooms are around 50 sq metres compared to the 30/32 sq m that you would normally find as the standard.

I am a big fan and so, although not surprised, I felt more than a twinge of consternation when I read, in The New Straits Times, that a memorandum of understanding was recently signed between Coco International Ltd and AUF Properties Sdn Bhd to develop a 20 acre residential-cum-commercial centre along this beautiful stretch of Langkawi’s northern coastline.

I am not against development per se. I think it would be hypocritical if I were: I enjoy staying in comfortable hotels in stunning locations and as a travel professional, I made a living from sending other people to such places.

What for me is important is how that development is handled. Today, there is every reason why a development should be both responsible and sustainable. Fortunately, according to the Master Plan for Tanjung Rhu (N.B. the file is 3MB and might be slow to download) that is the approach the consortium responsible for this development is taking. They claim to be committed to retaining the four main ecological systems which are the key features that make the area so special: the forest, mangrove, the freshwater and the marine system.

Tanjung Rhu Resort

Given the increasing awareness of today’s ‘green’ traveller any developer that ignores these issues would risk creating a White Elephant. I doubt this consortium will make that mistake. There are too many examples in the region where over-development has diminished the intrinsic value of the destination.

I do not yet know when the development is scheduled to start but when it does there will be a big challenge for the Tanjung Rhu Resort to manage the disturbance to guests during the building phase. I shall endeavour to keep an eye on the project and provide reports as and when I have more information.

In the meantime if you know the Tanjung Rhu Resort Langkawi and would like to submit a review of it I would be pleased to hear from you: tony at hookedonasia dot org.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

Thailand is probably suffering more than most in South East Asia during these difficult economic times and I have touched on some of the reasons behind this in a previous post.

It comes as no surprise then to read that, reportedly, more than 100 hotels in Thailand are up for sale, mainly in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. The very places, of course, that have been the main beneficiaries of tourism over the last 20 years or so.

In Bangkok Mr Kurt Wachtveitl the General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental reportedly told journalists that ‘Business is very, very bad, and the future looks absolutely bleak,’ and estimated that hotel occupancy rates were just 20 per cent across the board. As an aside, Mr Wachtveitl (72) is retiring this summer after 41 years as the hotel’s GM: I only met him once but I found him to be very gracious and I know he will be missed by many in the industry. I wish him a long and happy retirement.

The idea of retirement might seem appealing to many in the tourism industry at the moment, especially in Thailand. The industry there is reeling from a succession of blows the latest of which has been swine flu.

Surely part of the problem has to be an over-supply in the industry. We have only to look at the number of hotels being squeezed onto hilltops in Phuket and Ko Samui, for example, to realise that every last drop of the tourist dollar is being squeezed from the land.

It seems to be ‘human nature’ that the hint of a profit drives us crazy and we chase the dream regardless; hence, perhaps, the British fascination with property. Unfortunately, just as that particular bubble has burst here so too the tourism bubble has burst in Thailand.

Granted no one (or at least not many) could have predicted the challenges that we are all facing now, but common sense should tell us that regardless there is a tipping point above which tourism is no longer sustainable.

Thailand is blessed with many attributes, not least of which of course is its stunning coastline in the south, and I know that the destination will bounce back. Now, though, there is an opportunity to stand back, take stock and plan for a sustainable tourism industry in Thailand. Will the opportunity be taken?

Centara: 2 new hotels

in southern Thailand

I hear that the Thailand-based Centara Hotels & Resorts has taken on the management of two more hotels in Thailand: the Bhundhari Spa Resort & Villas Samui, A Centara Resort, on Ko Samui, and Centara Pariya Resort & Villas on Koh Pha Ngan – famous (or is that infamous) for the backpackers’ full moon parties. This must mean Ko Pha Ngan has entered the mainstream. It has always interested me how backpackers pioneer destinations and lay the foundation for mainstream tourism. That’s a whole debate right there but if I am to get this post published I have to move on.

The Bhundari Spa Resort has an introductory offer on at the moment for bookings made by 10 May 2009 with prices from THB 2,950 (Currency Converter) – that’s around £56: worth looking at if you can get this rate for the July/August peak.

New Flights Kuala Lumpur to Phuket

Firefly, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, will launch a daily flight between Kuala Lumpur (Subang) and Phuket from 01 May 2009.

The airline operates out of Penang and flies to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Bharu and Langkawi in Malaysia, and Koh Samui and Phuket in Thailand.

I remember being cheesed off when Thai Airways withdrew their flight that used to operate between Phuket and Penang: it made a great combination for clients. It is good that Firefly has been on that route since April 2007 and now with this new one it is possible to have some interesting local combos: e.g. Singapore/Penang/Phuket/Kuala Lumpur.

New from Tiger Airways

- Singapore/Langkawi and Singapore/Penang

Following on from news that AirAsia will be flying between Singapore and Langkawi (at time of writing I am still awaiting the schedule), Tiger Airways announced this week that the Governments of Singapore and Malaysia have given approval for the low-cost carrier to commence daily services to Langkawi and up to 3 services a day to Penang from Singapore.

Rosalynn Tay, Managing Director of Tiger Airways Singapore, said “Tiger Airways continues to buck the global aviation trend. Over the last four months we have added 7 routes to our group network including daily flights to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, a new daily service between Singapore and Jakarta, more services on the ever popular Singapore – Kuala Lumpur route, as well as 4 extra flights a week to Guangzhou bringing the total number of weekly services to 11.” The airline has yet to announce the flight schedule to Langkawi and Penang.

Good news for the islands of Penang and Langkawi, and for the independent-minded traveller, but I do wonder where all the passengers are going to come from.

Independent Travellers Buck The Trend?

I drop into forums when I can and help out where I can and I have noticed that, whatever might be happening in the travel industry as a whole, the independent-minded traveller is still planning and still taking the annual (if not more often) vacation. Is it just my imagination or are those that are clued-up making the most of the cheap Asia travel?

With our credit well and truly crunched and wallets squeezed so no moth could survive, the travel industry needs to be inventive if we are to be enticed away from our homes.

Shangri-La Singapore Garden Wing - Koi Pond

It started in a small way back in February when Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts claimed to be the first international hotel group to offer free WIFI and wired Internet to every guest. Then in March the same group announced the launch of their Customised Hotel Package Programme. You can make a reservation on the Shangri-La website using the Custom Stay (Best Available) Rate and then add extras like airports transfers, Spa treatments, laundry etc etc at a discounted price. The actual ‘menu’ of extras varies from hotel to hotel.

The point about the promotion is that a) you are getting the hotel’s best internet rate: subject to Terms and Conditions; b) you are receiving a discount by pre-booking; and 3) you are able to budget more easily.

Amari Palm Reef Ko Samui

A few days later, the Thai-based hotel group Amari Hotels and Resorts came out with their own version of this promotion called “Dynamic Packaging”. The timing was so close that I am sure this was a coincidence but it is interesting the way the hotel marketer’s mind is working.

Just like the Shangri-La offer, you can pre-book your ‘extras’ e.g. airport transfers, meals and excursions thereby saving money on the advertised prices and keeping track of your hard-earned, fatigued cash.

The last promotion is for me the most-interesting. The Quincy Hotel in Singapore is a new 108 room, boutique hotel at Mount Elizabeth and its rates are inclusive of:

• Personalised limousine pick-up from airport on arrival
• Daily buffet breakfast, set lunch & dinner
• Cocktails
• Unlimited broadband Internet access
• Local telephone calls
• Daily 2 pieces of laundry
• Minibar is replenished daily
• All day coffee and tea

The headline rate is S$208 plus tax and service for a single and S$268 ++ for a double.

That means, based on a double room, you can stay in Singapore for around £71 per person (using current exchange rates with the only extras to think about being sightseeing and perhaps shopping – well this is Singapore!. N.B. These prices are scheduled to increase in May.

Chicken Rice - Image courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board

This all-inclusive concept is of course nothing new but there are not many proponents in Asia; and to my knowledge there are no other city properties going down this path. Now, you could argue that is for one very good reason: Asia is one of the best regions in the world to eat out with Singapore right up there at the top. The city is one of the easiest places anywhere to travel around with oodles of noodles, sticky rice, laksa and Chicken rice. In fact probably just about any type of cuisine you care to mention: pizzas, burgers, sushi, banana leaf curry, Thai Green Curry…..(OK, enough – my mouth is watering).

So why would you just want to eat in the hotel? Well, according to a report in the Straits Times

“Quincy’s novel pricing policy seems to be pulling people in, economic downturn or not: It has achieved 76 per cent occupancy since its soft opening last month, higher than the national average occupancy rate of 67 per cent in January.

Quincy’s general manager Franck Hardy said guests will have a ‘hassle-free’ stay during these belt-tightening times without worrying about add-ons to their bills. ‘We wanted to do something completely different, not follow the norm.’”

I applaud the initiative and I hope it continues to work.

It would not suit me because part of the fun of Singapore is exploring and finding new places to eat. (I know that for some people ‘fun’ and ‘Singapore’ do not belong in the same sentence but I am a fan of the city and will happily debate its virtues). But it is obviously suiting some people and the thrust of this piece is that hotels have to be more inventive in the way they present their hotels and some hotel managers are breaking away from the norm.

There is nothing here that could be called rocket science and it is more evolution than revolution but I believe it is only the start. In my opinion it is now for us, the consumer, to tell the hotel industry what it is we want. Are any of these initiatives going to persuade you to travel and if not what would?