Published since 1976

Vol 37 January 2012

time is money How the latest property management systems are helping maximise profits

Back in the mix Vodka is making a splash in Asia

hong Kong sAR china singapore Malaysia Thailand Rest of Asia

hK$50 RMb50 s$15 RM30 bt300 us$10

hell or high water The Thai hotel industry bounces back from the floods

d i t o r

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Property Management

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Inventory & Procurement Document Management

elcome to the first issue of 2012! With massive and continuing expansion in China, the slow opening up of previously closed locations such as Cambodia, Laos, Bhutan and Tibet, and severe flooding in Thailand, it was a mixed picture for the Asian hospitality industry in 2011. In the face of economic downturn in Europe and the US the region has had to increasingly look inward to keep the tourism

tills ringing. But with an ever-expanding middle-class in Asia, all keen to explore and do business, there is no question that the industry can become increasingly self-reliant. In this issue we look at how Thailands hospitality industry is pulling itself from the mire, both literally and figuratively, the latest generation of property management systems and the growing popularity of vodka in the region. We always want to hear from hospitality

professionals about developments in the industry, good or bad, so please do send your comments and suggestions in to: daniel@ thomsonpress.com.hk

endoRseMenTs
eDitor Daniel Creffield Design By Koon Ming Tang production@thomsonpress.com.hk contriButors Liana Cafolla Helen Dalley Zara Horner Rebecca Lo Michael Mackey associate PuBlisher Sharon Knowler sharon@thomsonpress.com.hk aDvertising sales manager Roxane Aghilone roxane@thomsonpress.com.hk circulation executive Becky Chau enquiries@thomsonpress.com.hk chairman JS Uberoi Director Gaurav Kumar
hong Kong hoTels AssociATion hong Kong chefs AssociATion fedeRATion of hong Kong ResTAuRAnT owneRs bAKing indusTRy TRAining cenTRe The fedeRATion of hong Kong hoTel owneRs AssociATion of ThAilAnd

AssociATion of inTeRnATionAl hoTelieRs shAnghAi

singAPoRe chefs AssociATion

hong Kong bAKeRy & confecTioneRy AssociATion

hong Kong MAiTRe dhoTel AssociATion

singAPoRe hoTel AssociATion

hong Kong bARTendeRs AssociATion

shAnghAi chefs AssociATion

MyAnMAR chefs AssociATion

MAlAysiAn AssociATion of hoTels

MAcAu hoTel AssociATion

club MAnAgeRs AssociATion hong Kong

AsiAn Hotel & CAtering times is publisHed montHly by tHomson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK) The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical or printers errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted at their discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means is strictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. Fantasy Printing Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong. All rights reserved (c) 2011 Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

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AHCT January 2012

CONTENTS
Volume 37 January 2012

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management Increasing competition sees more sophisticated marketing strategies in China market rePort Tide turns in Thailands fight against the floods

30 34 38

Drink New vodka pours into Asia equiPment Organic and environmental linens catching on Making an impression with quality carpets

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Master bedroom, Ariara island, Philippines

Soft touch

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50 51 52 54 57

Selling China

news inDustry Theme park suite extends the thrills; Hong Kong and Macau restaurants Michelin recognition; Peninsula Hotels bans shark fin soup ProDuct Latex protection; buffing up the buffet; younger guests included culinary Gunning for gin; beaut baguettes; whisky galore

events anD exhiBitions Events calendar Gulfood previewed Hotel Expo Macau reviewed Texcare reviewed aPPointments Whos moving where?

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Now on iPad

Available on App store

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technology Next generation property management systems save time and money Design Getting the balance right in the guest room FooD Quality air-dried and cured ham on the menu

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FeBruary Management contracts Indonesia In-room technology Bathrooms Chocolate Spirits market Beds & bedding; Furniture

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advertisers index
Agilysys Alpha International Amain Boncafe Global Search International Greenfield Gulfood Hatton Jones HORECA Hotelex Hyperlux International Furniture Fair Moet Hennessey Diageo HK Ltd Pevonia SIAL Thaifex Wools Of New Zealand Worldhotels Zieher IFC 49 37 11 9 OBC 25 35 56 57 IBC 29 33 14 & 15 53 55 41 19 27

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march Education China CRS Renovation projects Bakery Tea & Coffee Tabletops (glassware); Pizza ovens

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Ocean Park, Hong Kong

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Stars on their plates

Its another successful edition of the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau restaurants. In the third local outing of the guide, the biggest news was chef Umberto Bombanas 8 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Restaurant & Lounge being awarded three stars, becoming the first Italian restaurant outside Italy to achieve this. I am so surprised and happy. I will keep delivering the best and continue to show my proficiency, promised the King of white truffles, and Chef of Chefs of the 2011/2012 Miele Guide, whose restaurant has also been awarded Best Restaurant in Time Out Food & Drink Awards 2011. Three Michelin stars are given based on the criteria: product quality, preparation and flavours, the cuisines personality, value for money and consistency over time across the entire menu. Hong Kongs Four Seasons Lung King Heen was the first Cantonese restaurant in the world to achieve the three Michelin star status in the 2009 Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau. It is our great honour that people enjoy coming to Lung King Heen and that we get to share our passion with them, said chef Tak, who creates contemporary Cantonese cuisine, with an emphasis on dim sum, seafood and seasonal delicacies, in the 95-seat restaurant. The hotels 70-seat French restaurant, Caprice, has retained its Michelin three stars as well. Chef Vincent Thierrys contemporary French cuisine uses an increasing variety of seasonal ingredients produced locally. Chef Thierry, who commands an open kitchen of 25 chefs says; We are so humbled to get three stars again but we never stop trying to improve to make sure each guest experiences nothing less than those stars. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, now boasts three Michelin starred restaurants. The hotels signature Cantonese restaurant, Man Wah, received its first Michelin star; The Mandarin Grill +

Ocean Park suite keeps the thrills coming

Hong Kongs Cosmopolitan Hotel is offering fans of the famous Ocean Park attraction the opportunity to carry on living the theme park dream after their visit is over. The four-star Cosmopolitan, which opened in February 2005 with a total of 454 keys, recently launched a series of themed suites, one of which sets out to recreate the excitement and colour of one of Asias most successful family attractions. Decked out in Ocean Park colours and decor, the suite also boasts a Wii home video console and Ocean Park signature stuffed toys, bathrobes and key chain and card. The room even offers a 4D effect through a themed ocean breeze scent, which kicks in as guests step into the room. The Ocean Park theme suite is spaciously sized at 48 square metres, encompassing a separate dining and living area, pantry and choice of either two queen-size or one kingsize bed. Offering a maximum occupancy of two adults and two children, a stay at the suite includes admission to the park for two adults and one child, limousine transfer between the hotel and the park and buffet breakfast for three. The mid-week rate for the suite is around US$468 while the weekend rate averages US$865. Included by Forbes.com in its Ten most popular amusement parks in the world and also ranked by Forbes Traveler as one of the 50 most visited tourist attractions in the world, Ocean Park features a diverse selection of marine and wildlife attractions, including two giant pandas, rides, entertainment, and education. Anita Chan, general manager of the Cosmopolitan, says the

Ocean Park theme suite is part of a wider strategy to target the potential of the family travel sector. Although the Cosmopolitan has always been supported by international business travellers, we are also aware of the importance of the family market, so we initiated a series of family packages and room types to appeal to this demographic. She adds that the idea for a collaboration with Ocean Park came partly from seeing the reaction of guests returning from the attraction and describing the fun they had had, and partly from her own children. My two boys were always saying Mum, why cant we stay longer? even though they had spent the whole day at Ocean Park! As a family-friendly hotel we decided it would be a good idea to extend that positive guest experience, and came up the idea of the Ocean Park suite. She says the decision to work with Ocean Park rather than other brands was made as the 35-year-old attraction is a major generator of tourism awareness and business in the city. Among our theme suite series, Ocean Park is the most popular, Chan says. The success of the venture could only have happened with the help of Ocean Park, and specifically the attractions executive director, sales and marketing, Paul Pei, who has overseen six record-breaking years out of the last seven in terms of annual attendance, revenues and surpluses. When Anita approached us we jumped at the chance, says Pei. Im a salesman and am always looking to grow sales, and we could not have found a better partner. We were excited at the idea of the themed suite as weve never had a partner like this before. Both insist that although the collaboration has offered a unique selling opportunity, with myriad mutual benefits, it hasnt involved money changing hands. Its really just been more the opportunity to help promote each others brands, concludes Chan.

Bar retained one star status and Pierre restaurant retained its two star status. Chef Man Sing Lee of Man Wah, who joined the hotel in January 2011, and has played an integral role in Man Wahs success, said This is without a doubt the proudest moment of my career. It means so much to me and my dedicated team. Chinese restaurant Tin Lung Heen and the Italian restaurant Tosca at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, are both recognised in the guide. Tin Lung Heen was awarded one Michelin star. Tosca was recommended in the guide, receiving three forks and spoons. Both restaurants are less than a year old. Paul Lau, chef de cuisine at Tin Lung Heen said, My cooking philosophy is simple. The presentation can be innovative, but you always have to respect the traditional cooking methods and techniques. Kowloon Shangri-La Hong Kongs Shang Palace restaurant has retained its two star rating, which it was first awarded in 2008. Chef Mok Kit Keungs signature dishes include braised birds nest with pumpkin cream in Japanese style; oven baked cod fillet with egg white and conpoy; and chilled pumpkin cream with coconut ice cream and black glutinous rice. Seven restaurants were awarded Michelin stars in Macau, including Wynn Macaus Wing Lei, awarded two stars, and Golden Flower, which received its first Michelin star. This marks the third consecutive year Wing Lei has received the Michelin award. Master chef Liu specialises in Tan an exclusive culinary tradition from the Qing Dynasty Lu, and Sichuan cuisines. Other Macau wins include French restaurant Robuchon a Galera at Grand Lisboa which retained its three stars. Chinese restaurants dominate the two-star category with The Eight also at Grand Lisboa and Cantonese outlets Tims Kitchen and Zi Yat Heen all winners as well as five one-star restaurants, including two Italians (Aurora and Il Teatro) one Shanghainese (Jade Garden) and two Cantonese (Lei Garden and Wing Lee).

Wynn Macaus Golden Flower has been awarded one Michelin star

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i
and Italy to various South Asia destinations. Southeast Asia registered a relatively slower growth rate of 9% in September driven in part by a strong negative performance by Vietnam. At print time, Malaysia was still unable to release arrivals figures for 2011 because of difficulties with a new immigration system. Travel demand to the Pacific remained sluggish but was supported by the rugby World Cup in New Zealand, which saw an increase of +26% in foreign arrivals. However, the World Cup also had some role in dampening outbound from New Zealand to Australia, resulting in an overall decline of 9% for Australia during September. Martin Craigs, PATA CEO, said: International arrivals momentum into the Asia-Pacific region continues to hold at a relatively strong average rate. The rising tide is not, however, lifting all boats equally. A few Asia-Pacific destinations are facing difficulties and experiencing contracting numbers of visitors.

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Steady growth in Asia-Pacific

While the final quarter 2011 results have yet to be released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) its figures on international visitor arrivals to the region for September 2011 show a collective year-on-year increase of 5.7%, a decline of half a percentage point from the previous months growth rate. For the first nine months of 2011, all Asia-Pacific subregions maintained a positive performance, although at different levels of growth: South Asia +14%; Southeast Asia +12%; Northeast Asia +4%; The Pacific +1%. In South Asia the number of arrivals from other Asian origin markets in particular China and India was well above the European generating markets for the fifth consecutive month. This was also influenced by a downturn in arrivals from the UK

Michael Sengol, CEO of Meritus Hotels and Resorts, has been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA) for its Regional Series 2011-2013. In their 10th this year, HAPA have been dubbed the Oscars of the hospitality industry. The Lifetime Achievement award recognises distinguished service, visionary leadership, drive and passion. With 40 years experience with hospitality companies across Europe, Australia, Guam, China, and the Asia-Pacific region, Sengol is also the World Gourmet Summit 2011 Fonterra Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and the Leading CEO winner at the Singapore HR Awards 2011. Meanwhole, Meritus Hotels and Resorts has won Most Popular Heritage Brand at the Singapore Prestige Brand Awards. A public and panel vote resulted in the 40-year-old home-grown propertys win.

Asias oldest hotel company, The Peninsula Hotels, has banned shark fin soup at all its food outlets as of January 1, 2012. The soup is considered a delicacy, especially by Chinese, but its consumption has long been a topic of debate and controversy. [Peninsula Hotels] believes the harm done to sharks and the sensitive ecosystem [to produce the soup] is too great and they will no longer offer it. The group hopes this encourages others to discontinue this practice, a company statement outlined. However, the hotels will honour banquet bookings involving shark fin soup made prior to November 21, 2011, but taking place after January 1, 2012.

IN BRIEF
Chef Masaharu Morimoto, best known as Iron Chef on the TV cooking show of the same name, will be showcasing his style and culinary talent at a newly created pop-up restaurant concept at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, from 16 to 18 January, 2012. During the three-day event, two function rooms will be transformed into a dining room. Shortly after opening last year, Wasabi by Morimoto, in Mumbai, was listed on the San Pellegrino Top 100 Restaurants in the World. Well-known for his skill in marrying traditional Japanese techniques with ingredients which are not commonly found in Japanese cooking, Morimoto will produce some of his signature dishes such as caviar tempura trio, toro tartare, foie gras trio and saga wagyu beef as part of the 10-course gastronomic dinner.

Phase one of the US$24 million refurbishment of the Singapore Marriott Hotel on Orchard Road is nearing completion. The largest renovation in the Singapore hotels 16-year history, owner Tang Holdings started with a makeover of the hotel lobby, removing traditional architectural barriers dividing the space into open-plan zones. The second phase of the renovation is now in progress with a major overhaul of the Marriott Cafe, and all guest rooms. The project will be completed by April 2012.

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Happy birthday to one of the worlds leading chocolate brands, Callebaut, which celebrates its first 100 years. To honour the skills and passion of its customers, the Belgian chocolate-maker launched the 100 years 100 faces 100 reasons campaign. The highlight of the event was a live demonstration by chef Philippe Vancayseele, producing a chocolate showpiece made of cocoa pods, bamboo, mushrooms, wood from the Amazon and bark from the cocoa tree.

Dusit International has installed IDeaS Revenue Solutions software to improve demand forecasting and revenue management strategies in 13 of their Asian-based properties. The software will give the hotels insight into booking patterns to maximise occupancy after the group identified they needed different revenue and forecasting solutions, and data consolidation so that business decisions were based on facts rather then assumptions. Dusit expects the new software will create a platform on which an organisation-wide revenue culture may be based. Online hotel marketing solutions company, Pegasus Solutions, has launched a mobile design solution, OpenFlex, which allows hotels to deliver promotional offers correctly formatted for any mobile device. The platform ensures hotels are capable of seizing business opportunities wherever consumers are. Displaying a desktop version of a special offer website on a handheld smartphone has the potential to frustrate the consumer, who wont book as a result, said David Millili, chief web office for Pegasus Solution. OpenFlex, combined with our mobile booking engine, allows mobile bookers to quickly access promotional information through their preferred point of contact, and even allows them to add extra items to their booking such as food and beverage or event tickets. The number of people using mobile formats is expected to rise significantly in 2012.

One of Starwood Hotels and Resorts newest brands Aloft has opened in Bangkok its first hotel in Thailand. After launching three-years ago, there are now 55 Aloft hotels worldwide, which emphasise high design, tech-savvy features and social atmosphere. The Aloft Bangkok-Sukhumvit 11 has 296 rooms.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts has also opened the Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort in Guangdong, China. The resort will house a 22-acre organic farm to grow vegetables and raise livestock on. This is definitely the way forward towards a healthier and back-to-nature lifestyle, new managing director Chris Tsoi enthused. The 18th and largest hotel for Marriott International in China has opened its doors in Shanghai. The 39-storey, 720-guest room Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre is a flagship hotel for the brand in China. Featuring five dining outlets and more than 2,000 square metres of dedicated event space, including two pillar-free ballrooms and seven break-out rooms, the property has also installed a carbon offset programme throughout.
10 AHCT January 2012

Iconic Hong Kong diner, Hungs Delicacies, has become legendary among gourmets, earned a Michelin star (2010 and 2011) and has now opened a branch at Hong Kong International Airport. Veteran chef Lai Wai-Hung (Ah Hung) opened his bistro during the 2003 SARS epidemic, but the inauspicious time didnt effect the reaction to his unique marinade-braised dishes, which now have a cult following. Signature dishes include duck tongues in Chinese liquor, chicken leg tendons in sesame oil, and Chua Lams Lo Mein, the specially-blended noodle with a secret Chinese marinade developed with food critic Chua Lam. The Karma Royal Group has taken over operations at Rottnest Lodge, Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Rottnest Lodge will form part of Chakra, a new four-star lifestyle brand currently in development by the group to complement its resort brand, Karma Resorts. Working closely with the Rottnest Island Authority and the Heritage Council of WA, the hotel group has big renovation plans for the lodge with a focus on renovating the restaurants and bars.

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Marriott offers a broad range of price points with its Ritz Carlton (pictured) and Courtyard brands at either end of the spectrum

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Photography courtesy langham hotels | ghc Asia | starwood hotels and Resorts

With China leading the way in new developments, international hoteliers are differentiating themselves by selling distinctive brand stories and offering more products at different price points than ever before, says Rebecca Lo
otel development in BRICS countries has been a hot topic over the past couple of decades and with good reason. Despite the global economys roller coaster volatility, travel has never been easier or more affordable. BRICS countries offer the additional bonus of being rich in history, and they contain an emerging middle class keen to flex their travel muscles for the first time. China, in particular, is leading the way for international hoteliers. Buoyed by enviably steady economic growth, solid business investments and a huge domestic travel market, China is seen by many as a cash cow. Yet how are international brands and new players positioning themselves so that they dont get burned? In Chinas increasingly fragmented market, how do hoteliers appeal to an increasingly sophisticated clientele? New York-based Starwood was the first international branded hotel to penetrate China when it opened The Great Wall Sheraton Hotel Beijing in 1985. It currently has 88 hotels in operation and almost 100 properties in the pipeline. In 2011, it opened one hotel every two weeks in China, and the market is the companys second largest behind the US. From the very beginning, its development strategy was to work with the right partners to open the right hotels in the right locations. Starwoods strength is in operations. Within China, that means ensuring it finds a good fit for one of its nine brands, whether it is a gateway city, resort destination or emerging business hub. As China continues to build new infrastructure such as

awareness
Sheraton Huzhou South Tai Lake Resort

The Langham Xintiandi, Shanghai, says its guests are looking for a brand experience in China that matches their lifestyles and aspirations

Improving infrastructure is making emerging cities and resorts in China more accessible says Wendy Huang, Starwoods vice-president of sales and marketing for Greater China

For Chinese travellers, brand recognition is very important and a great opportunity for us ... a good Chinese restaurant is very important in China ... and they must contain VIP private dining rooms Lawrence Ng, Marriott International
currently have four executive apartments open in China, with two more to open in Shenzhen and Beijing in 2012. Relative new kid on the block Langham Hospitality Group has the advantage of being both an owner and an operator. Its historic London property gives the brand a European base that is combined with its Hong Kong business savvy. Langham is concentrating on development in Chinese cities through its three brands, each positioned at different segments of the market in terms of both lifestyle and price point. We are very fortunate that our parent company, Great Eagle, is a property developer and a property investor, says Aviva Chow, director of global sales and marketing programmes. Were not just beholden to like-minded developers where we can get a management contract. We can build from the ground up on our own, too. China is a major opportunity and is really the core of our companys expansion. To a certain degree, Chow continues, all hotels are multipurpose in the sense that they serve both business and leisure customers. What is clear is that guests are looking for a brand experience in China that matches their lifestyles and aspirations. While there are similar services, we differentiate our brands very clearly to appeal to different segments, whether in a first or third tier city. Langham is setting itself apart with unique facilities such as its private kitchen in The Langham Xintiandi. Its basically a 24-hour service where you can literally order anything you want off-menu, explains Chow. In addition, Langham has taken quality management technologies and adapted them for the hospitality industry, making them accessible to everyone from the GM to housekeeping and bellboys. Ultimately, everyone delivers the same vision to our guests, says Chow.

Brand

airports, highways, railways and high speed train lines which will make the emerging cities and resorts more accessible, it offers new opportunities for hotel developers to invest in new hotel projects, says Wendy Huang, Starwoods vice-president of sales and marketing for greater China.

F&B is key

Another factor Starwood focuses on is its F&B offerings. F&B is one of the key components to provide localised service and products to our customers, says Huang. And our Kids Club plays a key role at resort hotels, providing activities targeting families and children. Starwood is also the first international hotel company to offer the complete booking process in Chinese for all of its products. To get its message across, Starwood relies on a combination of tried-and-tested methods such as print media, along with online and innovative marketing concepts. Chinese consumers have become very web-savvy and perhaps even web-centric in their research and decision making when it comes to travel, Huang believes. Customer relations will also be a focus of ours as the Chinese market is still very much about guan xi relationships. We will take this to a higher level by incorporating our brand guest experiences into our customer relations efforts, from office visits to appreciation events. Marriott International is another chain mushrooming across China, with 100 hotels currently operating or under development. The Maryland-based operator plans to open one hotel per month

for the next three years not bad for a relative newcomer to China with its first property opened in 1998. As part of its China expansion plans, it split its sales headquarters into north and south, with the former based in Beijing and the latter remaining in Hong Kong. Lawrence Ng, area director of sales and marketing for south China, used to oversee greater China. Now he is more focused on Hong Kong, Macau and other cities as far north as Shanghai. For Chinese travellers, brand recognition is very important and a great opportunity for us, Ng says. While we want to maintain the same standards for great restaurants, guestrooms, spas and health clubs in all of our properties, a good Chinese restaurant is very important in China. And they must contain VIP private dining rooms.

Rewarding loyalty

One way Marriott encourages brand loyalty is through Marriott Rewards. Chinese guests have embraced the free-to-join membership scheme, with China being the fastest growing market internationally for the programme. Members enjoy a host of benefits, including free high-speed internet access wherever they stay in Asia. Marriott Rewards is a good platform, says Ng. Loyalty helps us penetrate into the Chinese domestic market. Marriott offers a broader range of price points in comparison to Starwood and positions its Ritz Carlton and Courtyard brands at either end of the spectrum. Ng believes that all of its six brands in China appeal to both leisure and business travellers. While Courtyard naturally lends itself to second and third tiered cities, long stay guests have the option of staying in its Marriott Executive Apartments. These are designed for executives with families who are stationed in China for extended contracts, explains Ng. We

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E p o r t

Come high

hell or water

Just weeks after some of the worst floods in living memory, Thailands tourism industry is looking to the future with new optimism, writes Michael Mackay

hailands resilient hotel industry has taken the recent flooding in its stride and rather than the out-and-out disaster anticipated is simply adding it to the list of the many problems the country has overcome in recent years. This is from managers and owners who until recently believed properties would be flooded and the entire city, the hub of the countrys travel trade, would be underwater. The first point to make is that while problems undoubtedly remain, no hotel has yet to put up a sign saying closed because of water in the lobby. There is, however, no questioning the scale of these issues for Bangkok, especially as November is traditionally one of the busiest months for the industry. Riverside Shangri-La said its occupancy rate on November 9 was 20% not as high as we expected, according to spokesman Sam Hutasingh. Such a well-located property would normally enjoy three or four times that figure. The figure of 20%, while shocking, is confirmed by others, including the Minor Hotel Group, which puts its occupancy rate at around 20-25%. However, it points out that three of its properties, the Four Seasons, the St Regis and the Anantara Riverside took the main hit with 80% cancellations, according to Dilip Rajakarier, chief executive officer at Minor Group. Against this, and somewhat surprisingly, figures for two of the groups properties, the Anantara Sathorn and the Anantara Baan Rajprasong, actually picked up. We did well on those two, said Rajakarier. He also points out that during this period occupancy at the groups two Phuket properties was 90% for the Anantara and 80% plus for the JW Marriott. The floods appear to have had a very uneven impact. Only one significant tourist destination, Ayuttaya, was actually underwater, and while nearby Bangkok had severe problems (but not on that scale), most of the rest of country continued as normal.

Anantara Bangkok Resort and Spa

Targets not hit

Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok

There is, though, one clear and agreed consensus. It is unlikely that arrivals will [now] achieve the target of 20 million visitors. However, the momentum was very strong in the third quarter and overall there is a very positive trend across the country, says Catherine McNabb, vice president, sales and marketing for Dusit International. Adding to the situation is the effect on room rates. Paradoxically, as the flood crisis continued, some GMs were talking simultaneously of crisis but also not having rooms available. The explanation, while straightforward, is not financially comforting those staying were either staff who had been flooded and had to leave their homes, or key personnel needing to be close to the scene of the problems. One example is Sofitel Lad Prao, very much the frontline of the flooding and centre of the efforts to stop it spreading. The hotel was flooded, was quickly restored and is now running at 50% occupancy, largely staff and officials. Most are running at 70% occupancy, says Vasu Thirasak,

director of communications, Southeast Asia, for the Accor Group, who with 25 properties in the Thai capital understands the scale of the problem. But the rates are not good. The majority are paying at an emergency rate. A non-riverside hotel that took a significant hit, the Grand Millenium Sukhumvit, is equally downbeat. We were forecasting at 89%-90% [for November] ... but we are going to close at 47% for the month, believes Thomas G. Christiansen, the propertys GM. A particular problem he identifies both in terms of the floods impact and going forward was the cancellation of meetings. The Grand has 13 meeting rooms. We were fully booked, but at the end of November we had [only] one or two a day, he says. While there is strong consensus within the industry that the future is looking positive, there is debate about when those good times will start to roll again. Rather than polarised debate, however, it ranges mainly between quickly and slightly less quickly. We are quite confident everything will bounce back to normal, said Accors Thirasak. Christiansen, meanwhile, sees the recovery as taking place later, but by weeks rather than months. Either way, organisers of meetings and conferences are hesitating before committing to book. They are not comfortable putting down a date so soon. We need to get the news out [that] this month, February and March will be our recovery months with things back to normal in April, Christiansen said. He is joined in this by the Minor Groups Rajakarier, who is backing the first quarter of 2012 for the comeback and who also flags up the role of the conference trade.

Crisis? What crisis?

What makes many of those in the industry more confident is that the country has dealt with a different crisis most years for the past decade. These come from within its borders, with the Red Shirts seizing Rajaprasong, the Yellow Shirts seizing the hub airport of Suvarnabhumi and finally a coup, and beyond them, with the SARS and H1N1 outbreaks at the start of the decade, the financial crisis

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Novotel Bangkok Fenix Ploenchit

at the end of it and the tsunami in the middle. Thailands hotel industry is resilient if nothing else. One of the core issues which remains to be tackled is that of the number of hotels and the prevailing room rates. Quite simply, Bangkok looks like it is heading for an oversupply of rooms. There is debate about how many more are to be added and how many surplus to requirement this will be, with some suggesting figures as high as 18,000. Bangkok may currently be the most affordable it has been since 2006, with rates dropping 510%, but in contrast, Phuket and Samui have risen by at least 10%, according to Rajakarier. In Bangkok its the supply there are too many rooms, he said. Part of the problem is governmental. The government, a keen supporter of the industry, thinks in terms of arrival numbers and less about the quality and spend of those numbers. But some other changes are needed. It is a good time for the government to step back and review its long-term tourism strategy, said Dusits McNabb. She gives two examples and, tellingly, doesnt urge less government intervention, but better targeted intervention. The medical tourism sector is strong but has the potential to develop much further, MICE has experienced a serious decline and requires a more focused and effective long-term strategic approach as the gestation period is much longer than other segments and decision makers are weary of uncertainty and political security risks, she believes. Meanwhile, many hoteliers feel their marketing operations need fine-tuning rather than overhauling something helped by the financial turmoil in the Eurozone and US economic decline.

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Thomas G. Christiansen, GM Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok

Dilip Rajakarier, chief executive officer at Minor Group 80% cancellations

Ms Maria Chong
ibis Bangkok Riverside

Director of Hotel Development North Asia, Philippines & Vietnam Tel: +852 2577 3082 Email: mchong@worldhotels.com

It is unlikely that arrivals will achieve the target of 20 million visitors ... however, the momentum was very strong in the third quarter and overall there is a very positive trend across the country Catherine McNabb, Dusit International
18 AHCT January 2012

The emphasis going forward will focus more on the Asian market and less on long-haul. We are managing to stretch the season to include July, August and September because we have gone into new markets [such as] Korea, Japan, China and India. They pretty much travel year round, is Rajakariers view. To back this up he pointed out that Koreans currently make up 12% of total visitor numbers to Phuket, while visitors from India, who are not just more noticeable in Bangkok but who regard the Andaman isles as a hot and favourite destination for wedding parties have also risen dramatically. Two more markets which offer the potential for further development are Russia and the domestic one. The real challenge for hotels in Thailand, however, might be achieving the reputation they have internationally within a local market.

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E c h n o l o g y
Gilbert Luk, Micros-Fidelio Hong Kongs product manager hotel systems

E c h n o l o g y

The latest property management systems are helping hoteliers save time and money, says Helen Dalley

Tina Stehle, Agilysys systems designed with labour efficiencies and the guest experience in mind

Beat the clock

s smartphones and tablet computers continue to evolve, property management systems (PMS) in the hospitality industry continue to give guests more control over their bookings, from checking in and out online to booking hotel activities such as a scuba diving trip or cooking class from the comfort of their home or room. This is good news for hoteliers on two counts, as it not only gives guests greater freedom but also saves time and money on staffing. Property management systems unite all aspects of a hotels day-to-day operations but its their ability to help hoteliers tap into new revenue streams such as ordering a drink from a slot machine at a casino or scheduling a spa treatment prior to check in that makes a good PMS system so attractive to hoteliers.

Time-saving solutions

Agilysys currently offers three hospitality solutions: Guest 360, which provides comprehensive individual client data information; Lodging Management System (LMS), which automates every aspect of hotel operations from reservations and credit card processing to accounting and housekeeping and Visual One, a scalable

PMS solution suitable for properties with more than 50 rooms, which includes modules for property management, accounting, golf, spa, web reservations and retail point-of-sale (POS). Tina Stehle, senior vice-president and chief operating officer of Agilysys says, Our property management systems are designed with both labour efficiencies and the guest experience in mind and include faster frontdesk processes, such as reservations and check-in/check-out. Also, the integration between our systems allows for a reduction in labour by reducing the amount of manual entry required to transfer data. She adds that an example of this is how room revenue and statistics automatically flow to the Agilysys Visual One accounting module. Moreover, our mobile and self-service kiosk options reduce labour requirements and enhance guest satisfaction; and the Agilysys Guest eMarketing solution helps hotels leverage their property management systems to create email campaigns that are personalised, fast and cost-effective. The latest version of LMS by Agilysys features LMS+, an enhancement that includes a modernised graphical user interface. Stehle says this is geared towards

saving hoteliers time. Reports can now be presented in Microsoft Excel, reducing the amount of re-entry required when performing complex analysis of LMS data. Graphical user interfaces allow quicker and easier access to information. Also, functionality has been improved in the configuration and ease of use for LMS Packages. While most package scenarios could be accomplished in prior versions, manual intervention was required. Now, most of the tasks involved in package set-up and substitution of package components are automated. Stehle notes that integration between other Agilysys products such as POS and inventory and procurement eliminates many manual processes, which improves the integrity and timeliness of the information. Infor SoftBrands Epitome is another PMS aimed at streamlining hotel operations occupancy figures, housekeeping, and incoming reservations can be simultaneously displayed with the flash status and boosting profits. For staff who have little time for training, theres Medallion PMS, a visually rich software that enables users to drag-and-drop bookings using a graphical representation

of the property depicted in your room plan, room type, and reservation screens. Chris Gribble, vice-president and general manager, Asia-Pacific at SoftBrands, says, The biggest time saver with our PMS systems is that they enable hotels to customise their own screens and workflows so they can create their own reservation, check-in and check-out screens that fit their business. They can make the screens as simple as their operations allow, enabling staff members to save time by matching the process to their business requirements. Reports from some of our early adopters indicate they have been able to save up to 50% time on the check in process.

Move from manual

Another leading PMS supplier, MicrosFidelio, offers the Opera property management system, which provides all the tools hotel staff need for carrying out their day-to-day jobs, from assigning rooms and managing room inventory. Opera Xpress, meanwhile, offers a scaled-down edition of the system for smaller properties or those offering less comprehensive services. Gilbert Luk, Micros-Fidelio Hong Kongs product manager, hotel systems, says one of the biggest time-saving solutions that Opera offers is Micros Payment Gateway (MPG), which checks guests in and out, consolidates hotel cashier payments of the day and reconciles payments from the bank. MPG has replaced many manual processes and reduces human error, which enables hotels to provide a higher quality of service to the guest, he elaborates. The Opera PMS mobile solution, meanwhile, also seeks to streamline activities by giving guests not only the option to check-in and check-out using a smartphone, but also request turndown service at a preferred time, retrieve messages, place a

room service order and make restaurant reservations. With a guest profile stored for the next visit, the hotel can deliver a faster, more personalised service by helping to predict everything from which room a guest will prefer to their choice of newspaper. When working in multi-property mode, Luk says that Opera enhances the business process and operations by providing crossselling functionality and a single guest profile for all hotels, which enables staff to retrieve guest information from the same pool instead of having duplicate profiles in each property. Multi-property offers single point-ofrevenue management and consolidation of financial invoices. System administration is streamlined as there is a single shared configuration module, where configuration codes can be set-up and distributed across selected properties, he explains.

Luk believes that its the customer relationship management and revenue analysis that benefits from Opera most, as it captures spa bookings, concierge services and activities and stay history with detailed activities such as cancellations and no show. Luk believes its the customer relationship management and revenue analysis [MMS] functionality Opera offers that benefits MMS hotel operators most, as it captures spa bookings, concierge services and activities and stay history with detailed activities such as cancellations and no show. Looking for ward, how do PMS suppliers plan to help hoteliers save even more time going about their day-to-day operations? According to Stehle: We are developing mobile applications that will enhance operations and guest service. We also continue to build on our DataMagine document management system, which helps hotels boost productivity and streamline operations while becoming more environmentally responsible. Micros Luk elaborates: With enhanced web services, Opera extends connectivity to web and mobile solutions. This allows greater integration to self-service solutions, such as kiosks and mobile check-ins. There is also a seamless integration to channel manager solutions, such as RateTiger and SiteMinder, via our myfidelio.net offering, that enables the hotel to seamlessly manage rates and availability across their various OTAs.

Agilysys Guest 360 provides comprehensive individualised client data information

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ew A vioom to a r

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reflect a true sense of place in terms of interior design, says Andrew Hirst, operations director Asia, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, was conceived as a single large tree, with the guestrooms as branches. These themes have been expressed using original materials on everything. In keeping with traditional Japanese aesthetics, no single object was created to stand alone, but rather all items come together to create a harmonious whole. Hirst points out the trend away from heavy fabrics, dark colours and opulence is not true of all hotels. At our most recently opened property in Paris, the designer has taken inspiration from the richness, modernity and creativity of the 1930s and art deco, as well as from the hallmarks of luxury and Parisian fashion. Each room and suite offers quintessential Parisian, haute-couture style evident in striking colours and opulent materials. The decoration puts the accent on luxury with taupe silk cushions and embroidered taffeta in shades of orange, magenta and plum. There are no set guidelines for updating room dcor, Hirst says instead maintaining a luxury product is an on-going task with soft refurbishment taking place on a regular basis. In recent years the group has completely renovated a number of Asian portfolio properties, including in Hong Kong, Jakarta and Singapore.

Luxury and functionality

Mandarin Oriental guests want comfort, design and luxury as opposed to a simpler style of hotel room, Hirst says and above all, The room must be functional. The culture, traditions and heritage of its surroundings have
Executive suite living room at The Westin Mumbai Garden City Mandarin Oriental Tokyo premier deluxe room no set guidelines for updating room decor

The trend in hotel bedroom decor seems to be moving away from heavy fabrics, dark colours and opulence and more towards a lighter, contemporary feel. Zara Horner finds out more
sense of place is the core guiding principle of any designer tasked with re-modelling a hotel property today to ensure the hotel retains a connection with where it is located, especially if that happens to be within an area of historic significance while catering to the many and changing needs of todays sophisticated traveller. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the bedroom. Guests today demand mod cons and hi-tech gadgets and yet want to know they have woken up in Mumbai and not Jakarta. Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is a hospitality industry design house on four continents with 11 offices, including in Brisbane, Dubai, Hong Kong, Manila, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. The company portfolio covers hotels, spas, resorts and casinos throughout the Asia-Pacific region and as company literature attests, HBA is pushing to give projects inspired identities by shattering preconceived notions of standardised hotel design. Agnes Ng from the Singapore office wholeheartedly agrees that the trend is away from dark and heavy and towards simple, clean lines and decor.

We are very much in agreement, she says. Its evident in the new hotels springing up from brands such as Grand Hyatt, Westin, and Kempinski, where we see an interesting mix of textures and patterns transposed in neutral palettes. While Ng feels the trend is largely customer/hotel-led, its not entirely. Todays lifestyle can be extremely exacting such that, at days end the guest prefers nothing more than to retire to clutterfree calmness.

contemporary. Bagaman feels this is to offset the dusty and heavily polluted outside. As with their industry colleagues, Ng and Bagaman refer to location when planning a hotel room design concept. The major differences are the finishes used and the space planning, Bagaman explains. In resorts finishes tend to be more natural now and space planning tends to be more casual and relaxed, less confined. In a city hotel that would be completely opposite.

Flexibility to explore

A specific approach

In general, designers still have the flexibility to explore various room configurations Ng notes, with no particular room zone being the primary dictum of room layouts. In the end, each hotel has to be styled in a specific way and hotel types require different styles. Business and luxury hotels require a different approach, where one style should be more sensitive to the work environment and the other offer luxe to a certain degree, some opulence even, Ng says. And, city and resorts [need] a distinct approach to design. [With] locale and cultural influences, operator and branding clear [considerations]. Fiona Bagaman, Ngs colleague in Hong Kong, says Guestroom space is viewed not only as a bedroom now, but together with the bathroom next to it, so finishes and design have been leaning towards a lighter, contemporary feel with cleaner, fresher lines all round. HBAs recent design of the Marriott Wuxi, Sheraton Beijing, and Hilton Wuhan are good examples of this. All these have less complicated stone pairings and more contemporary designs. Most of the design houses projects are in China at the moment, Bagaman notes, where the preference is for lighter and

Though it may surprise many visitors to densely urbanised Japan, the country is a land of forests and mountains, and the design of the ultra-modern Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, embodies that with a woods and water theme running throughout. Fabrics and furnishings have been created from specially selected natural materials for wallpaper, carpets, upholstery, drapery and cushion covers. The hotel sits in historic Nihonbashi district so the design focus is on historical and cultural roots. The area is synonymous with kimono production and brightly coloured, multi-patterned kimono-inspired fabrics are an integral part of the hotels design concept; lighting is softened using shades of a fabric containing washi, the Japanese paper used to make fusuma (room partitioning) screens. Isegatas, which are forming sheets for dyeing kimono, are hung in each guest room. Understatement and calm is the order of the day, so curtains have been installed which interplay with natural light streaming and made from a chenille weave to represent a water motif. Rather than following trends we aim to ensure our properties

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Fairmont Singapore Executive Club Room: designed to reflect a classic and conventional appeal

Presidential suite, The Westin Mumbai Garden City

inspired the personality and style of Fairmont Singapores 769 rooms. The hotel says its guest bedrooms are designed to provide a private sanctuary, a quiet refuge offering a wealth of amenities carefully chosen to offer the highest degree of pampering. Rooms at the Fairmont are designed to reflect a classic and conventional appeal, while providing home comforts such as lounge chairs, fully-equipped working desks, dual-line phones and high-speed internet access. Fairmont Singapores decor is one of understated elegance. Each room is well-appointed with simple yet sophisticated furnishings and amenities a discerning business traveller would need and find conducive for a relaxing stay, says Walter Santos Navarro, assistant director, marketing communications. We do our utmost to adorn every room with vibrant little touches that speak volumes of Fairmont Singapores commitment to authentically local culture and elements that celebrate and embrace the destination. This could be as simple as putting a bouquet of orchids, which is an endemic flower to the island nation, a piece of dragon fruit to remind guests of the countrys colourful, tropical flavours or a piece of cloth draped on a bed made from a combination of batik, saree and silk which embodies the melting pot and multi-cultural tapestry that makes Singapore what it is today. Grace Soh is a director at Bent Severin, the design team which worked on the hotel interiors. Yes and no, she replies when asked if the trend towards simplicity is customer-led. Yes as in whilst

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

Guestroom space is viewed not only as a bedroom now, but together with the bathroom next to it, so finishes and design have been leaning towards a lighter, contemporary feel with cleaner, fresher lines all round Fiona Bagaman, HBA Hong Kong

of style and elegance. Lighting also has become an integral part of room decor and traditional lamp shades have been replaced by modern table lamps and diffused cove lighting to make a design impact. Having opened in January 2010 there has been no need to upgrade the room decor yet, but Pereira says it has been guided by many factors, including the customers. Decor can vary from brand to brand and can be influenced by cultures in different countries. Most seasoned travellers are loyal to their brand and choose the hotel depending on the nature of the trip. If it is a business trip they usually prefer to stay in a comfortable tech-savvy hotel but if they are travelling to celebrate an occasion their choice could be different.

the contemporary feel is preferred, there is no stopping the operator expecting the luxe experience from quality fabrics that excite the senses. For example, the touch and feel of good quality velvets, chenille, satins accented by conversation piece scatter cushions like silk embroider y, silk velvets mixed mohair. Interior design in hotels is constantly changing to follow trends, Norton Pereira notes. The director of rooms at The Westin Mumbai Garden City says his hotel has a very modern and contemporary look and feel. In terms of flooring we have used natural materials like Turkish Travertine with earthy tones for carpets in all our guest rooms. We have used neutral colours beige and brown upholstery, white oak veneer, and pastel wallpapers in the guest rooms as these colours have a tranquil effect on guests with a touch

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Jamon Iberico bellota from Anba Associates

o o d

Growing demand

Gold by Harlan Goldstein opened in Hong Kong towards the end of 2010 and offers a wide range of these meats. Owner Harlan Goldstein says that he has seen a large increase in the popularity of quality drycured ham and is accordingly selling more in his restaurant. We are using one leg a week, four legs a month thats a lot of ham, he says. We carry a wide selection of 5J leg. Its extremely popular, people really enjoy this ham as it has a very nice, rich, nutty taste and can be served in a varity of ways. We do it on top of tomato bruschetta and its really great. Goldstein says Gold also serves chorizo with roasted garlic and smoked onions which is equally popular. We use Parma ham as well, he enthuses. We combine it with Italian melon, rocket, shaved parmesan and black truffle honey the richness of the ham, sharpness of the cheese and sweetness of the honey really work well together. Its much more popular now and much more exposed in restaurants. People are ordering these kinds of meats as a side dish, kind of, lets have a plate of Spanish ham. In terms of the quality, buyers should

look at the marbling of the ham, the fat content, recommends Goldstein. I like it to weigh around seven to eight kilos, not have too much fat and have a nutty, rich taste. Theres lots of Spanish ham on the market, but I had to try many before I found the one I liked, he says. Florence Lo, marketing manager at Fiesta, says the company is supplying drycured pork products in Hong Kong, where she has seen the popularity rising for Spanish hams such as Serrano and Iberico, not just from high-end restaurants and hotels, but also on the retail side. She believes that part of the reason for the popularity of Spanish dry-cured hams such as jamon serrano is because it is similar in texture and taste to the Italian prosciuttos, which most people are familiar with. More and more people want to know more about the where, what and how of the different food products, she suggests. Once people understand a bit more about Spanish dry-cured ham, they realise these are products of high quality and are willing to spend a little extra to get them, whether in a restaurant or at a gourmet supermarket. Lo adds that in the last three years, there has been a clear shift in the Hong

Pata Negra House is supplying a wide range of Iberico ham

Porcine Perfection
Air-dried and cured European meats, particularly Iberian ham, are becoming more popular in Asias high-end restaurants, writes Daniel Creffield
est of the west dishes such as caviar, foie gras and truffles that Asian customers want to see on the menus of upscale restaurants in the region are increasingly being joined by topquality air-dried and cured meats. Spain, Italy, Portugal and France are the primary producers of these delicacies, which include Iberian ham, Parma ham, chorizo, Serrano ham, mortadella, pancetta, soppressata, salchichon and others. Of these, cinco jotas or 5J Iberico ham is regarded by many as one of the finest artisanal Spanish hams money can buy. Of these, one of the best known is jamn ibrico de bellota (acorn). This ham is from freerange pigs that roam oak forests along the border between Spain and Portugal, eating mostly acorns. The exercise and the diet have a significant impact on the flavour of the meat and the ham is subsequently cured for up to 36 months. A prized animal in Spain, Iberico pigs are highly appreciated for the unique taste, texture and marbled fats that has similar properties to olive oil and is thought to be heart-healthy. This breed of pigs is an indigenous race notably different from other pigs, with black fur, long snouts and slender legs. Genetics also play a role in the difference between Iberico pigs and white pigs. The meat of the Iberico pig is darker as it has a higher iron and mineral content, which the human body can absorb more efficiently than equivalent nutrients from vegetables. The genes of the Iberico pig contribute to the higher percentage of marbled fat in the meat, making the meat juicier with more flavour. Iberico pork fat is regarded as relatively healthy as the fatty acids consist of between 5055% oleic acid similar levels to those in olive oil. This is further enhanced by the strict diet of acorns, which not only produces fat that is good for the heart but the quantity of acorns in the diet actually affects the classification of Iberio pigs. The pigs are slaughtered at a minimum age of 10 months and are fattened up most rapidly in the latter stages, when the animal doubles in weight over three or four months.

Collina

Skyline

Stablo

Amuse

GERMANY

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Visit us:

Hoteres Tokyo, Japan (Building East, hall 5 - booth D02) 21.02. - 24.02.2012

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Sausage sensation

Spanish people love their sausages. You can always find a few varieties of aircured sausages hanging in a typical Spanish household. The most well-known is chorizo, which is ground pork, flavoured with pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika), garlic and white wine. The firmer chorizo is sliced and eaten as tapas and the softer ones are used for cooking. The fat-to-meat ratio helps determine the use of the chorizos the ones with more fat are used for cooking to enhance the flavour of the dishes and to prevent the chorizo itself from drying out. The size of the chorizo sausages as well as their usage (for cooking or for eating sliced) determines the length of time that they are cured. Air-curing time can range from a week to several months. Among the popular sausages there are also lomo and salchicon, which are cured and air-dried in similar ways. The differences between these sausages are the type of meat (lomo being the loin of the pig) and the type of marinate used. Spanish air-cured sausages chorizo, salchichon, fuet are getting popular in hotels, says Florence Lo, marketing manager at Fiesta. As chefs become more inventive, so is their use of ingredients. For example, Spanish chorizo is not merely just used for stews or tapas but for sauces and salad dressings.

Experience a true Hospitality Showcase in

Sausages such as chorizo are becoming increasingly popular in hotels, says Florence Lo, marketing manager at Fiesta

for a few complementary nibbles. Kwok says she also finds many customers willing to pay more for the highest quality of food. Which of these kinds of products are particularly popular in Asia? Cold cuts such as chorizo are the most popular for tapas or pre-drink snacks while Iberico ham for those luxury hotels and restaurants. Most threestar hotels look for cold cuts while five-stars want more expensive Iberico ham.

Network and source at Hospitality Asia 2012 for a dynamic showcase of products, coupled with the latest developments and trends for the hospitality and contract manufacturing industries from Asia and beyond.
IFFS unveils the inaugural edition of SingaPlural, which represents a celebration of design elements in the city, taking the form of a creative and inspirational journey with a unique design trail. From 9-11 March 2012, SingaPlural will feature bite-sized tours around key design hotspots in the city centre to showcase local furniture design talent. Held in conjunction with IFFS/AFS, SingaPlural will be open to both trade visitors and the public. Debuting for the first time alongside IFFS/AFS, the Hospitality.Design.Furniture. CONVERGE ASIA 2012 is a conference that brings you an unprecedented platform to discover and gain insights into the latest hospitality design trends, innovations and tap on new markets. For bookings and more information, please visit www.hdf.tpgi.org

Buyer beware

Correctly carving Iberico ham is a real skill says Olivier Pacifics Oliver Win

Kong food and beverage industry from the dominant French/Italian cuisines to Spanish restaurants and tapas bars, a trend has definitely encouraged the demand for Spanish products, especially drycured hams. Many ask for an entire leg of Iberico ham which can be placed on a stand and sliced fresh to order. It also serves as a very presentable display at restaurants and hotels. Tristan Saint-Raymond, manager of Pata Negra House, says that at the moment he is only supplying the Iberico ham in Hong Kong, but looking increasingly towards the China market. These products are more and more popular [across Asia], as Spain is a trendy

destination for holidays and the Spanish government did a lot of advertising/ marketing to promote the country and its gastronomy, he says. Iberico ham is the most popular item for us, as its the perfect companion to a glass of red wine. Hotels and restaurants like this product because it is high-quality and appreciated by Chinese people, as they are used to eating pork meat. Candy Kwok, assistant general manager gourmet food with Anba Associates, is also supplying Iberico and, as well as other meats including duroc, chorizo and cured lomo (pork loin) in Asia. She agrees that their popularity is rising in the region, especially as with the growing popularity of wine, customers are looking

Olivier Pacific managing director, Oliver Win, has been importing and distributing fine food to hotels, restaurants, clubs, airlines and retail across the Asia region for 28 years. He says that as well as a supplier, he also seeks to educate on food products and the culture of gastronomy selling provenance as well as taste. He sounds a note of warning to those looking for quality 5J Iberico ham. The perfect ham is cured to perfection, he insists. It doesnt get better with age like wine, its ready when its ready. The raw weight of the ham dictates how long the curing process should take. However, he says that some suppliers are selling ham aged for 72 months and charging substantially more for it. Selling by age is a joke. A heavier leg takes longer to cure its as simple as that. Theres no benefit to over-ageing a ham its a natural product youll just end up with a desiccated ham. Win says that he supplies the whole package in order to correctly serve ham a stand, knife, DVD instructions in Chinese to teach how to carve, and enoy the product itself.

Connect with us

www.HospitalityAsia.com.sg

9 - 12 March 2012 Singapore Expo

Co-locating Shows: International Furniture Fair Singapore 2012/29th ASEAN Furniture Show | Deco Asia 2012
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Vodka distillery (Moet Hennessy Diageo) Pernod Ricards Absolut Vodka

Is Asia waking up to vodka? Despite its huge popularity in Europe, North America and further afield, the worlds number one spirit category has traditionally played second fiddle to whisky, brandy and even dark rum in the Asian markets. That may now be changing, reports Robin Lynam

odka owes its global success to a large extent to its versatility. It is consumed by a demographic that ranges from the sophisticated cocktail connoisseur sipping the driest of martinis in a bar in Manhattan, to the bingedrinking British teenagers overdosing on a Friday nights worth of alcopops. Diageos Smirnoff vodka is the biggest selling spirit brand in the world, but recent years have seen Pernod Ricards Absolut mounting a strong challenge to it worldwide. A plethora of new brands has also emerged, each attempting to establish a niche in a category which extends from supermarkets own cheaper, supposedly neutral-tasting spirits, to premium priced brands such as Grey Goose and Belvedere. Although the worlds biggest standard, premium and super premium brands are well established in the major Asian markets, until recently relatively few of the newcomers or smaller names had made inroads in establishing a presence.

Choices, choices

However, they are becoming more proactive, and one man who is pleased to see the range expanding is Sam Jeveons, master mixologist and bar manager at Caf Gray Deluxe at Hong Kongs Upper House Hotel. Only a very small percentage of the products are new to the world market, says Jeveons. Many have been around in other countries. What has happened with each of them is that someone has now recognised that Asia is a tried and tested market, and the products which have a presence in the Europe and North American markets are becoming available here. I think thats a positive thing. Jeveons says that at the Upper House he has 11 different vodkas from seven or eight different brands. Im quite selective as to what I put on the back bar so to a
Dankowskie gold rye fields producing some of the worlds best vodka grains

degree we make the choice for the consumer through what we stock but theres far more choice out there now. The bigger brands are still rejuvenating themselves and coming out with new things, but its the new quirky underdog vodkas coming out that are quite nice at the moment. Ive just been visited by a brand called Korskenkorva which is from the oldest distillery in Finland. Its new, it uses different grains so it has a different taste expression, so thats interesting for my back bar, he says. The big names are also moving upmarket, introducing new premium or super premium expressions and putting extra marketing muscle behind existing ones. Competing strongly for a share of Smirnoff and Absoluts business in the standard category are Finlandia, Stolichnaya, Wyborowa and Skyy. The major super premium contenders are Grey Goose, Belvedere, Stolichnaya Elit, Chopin, Ketel One and Smirnoff Black. Across the board the brand owners are putting more and more emphasis on their premium and super premium expressions, encouraging consumers to trade up. There is also a trend toward limited edition bottlings, led by Absolut, which recently launched Absolut Mode, the latest edition in a series which has previously produced, among others, Absolut Disco, Absolut Rock, and last years Absolut Glimmer. Promoting each of the editions there has been an advertising campaign employing images shot by a leading fashion photographer. Absolut Mode has been photographed by Sharif Hamza, and the campaign features supermodel Shannan Click. It was very inspiring to work with Sharif Hamza. He immediately came up with an idea for the photo shoot that we loved. It really captures the concept and ends up in breathtaking imagery, both moving images and stills, says Mathias Westphal, global brand director at The Absolut Company.

Marketing mix

More creativity is going into marketing vodka, perhaps because unlike barrel-aged spirits there is less in the way of complex character differences between the brands. The spirits do not speak all that loudly for themselves. Each brand has its own character, which is apparent if you taste them side-by-side, but it is true that most consumers drink them as mixed drinks or in cocktails. Very few taste the expression neat and therefore get the best out of it, believes Jeveons. There are brands and there are products. Grey Goose is still the worlds number one premium vodka, but a panel of experts would not rate it as the best tasting vodka. Its the power of the brand and the power of advertising that leads the way. Brand rather than product is prominent in the customers mind. As a grain-based spirit potato vodkas such as Chopin are comparatively rare and expensive to produce vodka can be made more or less anywhere, so it should be no surprise that new vodkas distilled in Asia are beginning to emerge. Jeveons is a fan of Shanghai White, a premium vodka joint venture between Diageo and the Shui Jing Fang Baijiu distillery in China. Hong Kong has been a test market for it, he explains. The test market period is over now and its being launched in China. Its made from Chinese grown product but it has a very Polish bite to it. I like Shanghai White because its an east-west thing, and we are a western-owned company in China [Swire Hotels]. Theres a story to tell to guests the fact that its made in Chengdu, and that it is a great tasting vodka, he says. Diageo also recently increased its stake in the Vietnamese Hanoi Liquor Joint Stock Company, Halico, which produces Hanoi Vodka, acquiring a further 5%, increasing its share in the company to 30%. Hanoi Vodka is the market leader in Vietnam, followed by Smirnoff, and vodka is the fastest growing spirit category in the country.

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Belvedere vodka from Moet Hennessy Diageo

International Wine and Spirit Researchs latest forecast report predicts growth for vodka sales across Asia for the five-year period between 2010 and 2015. India, which is expected to overtake Russia as the worlds second largest spirits market by 2013, is forecast to see vodka sales increase by 12%. The category is also growing rapidly in Thailand, Hong Kong and Korea as well as joining Baijiu as a serious white spirit performer in China. We are number one in vodka in every market except China where we are a close number two, says Gilbert Ghostine, president, Diageo Asia Pacific. We have built the vodka category in India, Thailand and Vietnam. However, Polish vodkas, which are able to trade to a greater extent on heritage, are also establishing a stronger presence in Asia. Authenticity plays a part, says Jeveons. Its a bit like Pilsner beers coming from Germany. Places like Poland have laws to [keep] their distillation processes purer. Also Polish grain is traditionally rye which is very characterful, so in a world where things are mass-produced from wheat, Polish vodkas have heritage but they also have stand up character because the more flavourful raw material produces better vodka. Sobieski Vodka is gaining market share in India and Wyborowa and Belvedere are successfully building a following in China. Chopin is a well-regarded brand in Japan and ubrwka is popular in Vietnam and Cambodia. As far as premise sales go, Jeveons says that the trend is towards flavoured rather than neutral vodkas an area in which Absolut has the widest ranging portfolio, although he prefers Belvedere, which uses a maceration and redistillation process to thoroughly integrate the fruit flavours with the spirit. Flavoured vodkas are more typically produced by adding oils and essences without further distillation, which is a quicker and cheaper process. Belvedere has unique flavour options in its portfolio. I never used to be a big believer in flavoured vodkas, thinking that as a bartender if you wanted a flavoured vodka you could make it yourself, but Ive realised that that there are more sales in flavoured vodkas than in neutral ones. Here we use a lot more Ketel One Citrus than we do Ketel One, he says. Vodka as a category is growing fast in Asia, and diversifying in terms of range and price point as it does so. Brand owners see it being a big earner in Asia over the next few years. Consumers who are accustomed to ordering it mostly as a means to give a kick to a mixer are being encouraged to explore the spirits subtleties. Every bartender should be able to stand behind the product he is selling based on its character, says Jeveons. Its important to give the customer quality the whole way through.

Heritage helps

Sam Jeveons bar manager at Caf Gray Deluxe at Hong Kongs Upper House Hotel

Vodka vs gin
Strangely or maybe not so strangely gin is having a resurgence, and when I look at my sales mix gin beats vodka across the board, says Sam Jeveons, about customer drinking patterns at Caf Gray Deluxe. People are calling on gin for martinis. I think were entering a phase in which people are not drinking what the generation before drank. Smirnoff is the largest seller, but I think its declining. Now there are more interesting gins around, like the new No 3 Gin [from Berry Bros] with that coriander flavour. There have, perhaps, been more unique and interesting gins on the market here in the last year and a half than there have been vodkas. Maybe thats why the sales mix is tilting in gins favour. Certain great brands have come along and really reinvigorated the market. Theres now no gender really associated with it, and it used to be a mans drink. But thats not to detract from vodka. I just think other things are catching up with it.

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fabric of life

HattonJones suppies hypoallergenic bed linens made from luxurious organic fabrics, including cotton and eucalyptus pulp

There is increasing pressure on hotels to incorporate organic and environmentally sound fabrics and linens, but they also have to be robust enough to offer value for money, reports Daniel Creffield

hile hotels want to be seen as being environmentally aware, organic and natural linens can be expensive, and have suffered from a reputation of being fragile and requiring frequent replacement. The next generation of these fabrics, however, has made major advances in durability while improving on their comfort and aesthetics. Lizette Smook, founder and CEO of Innovasians, a biodiversity solutions provider to the lifestyle industry, producing eco-products, garments, home textiles and amenities, says that organic bedding has become an important part of the hospitality industry. There was a quick shift in the textile industry as more people began supporting the green movement, and so sustaining its development, she believes. And she maintains that more people in the industry are going back to basics as they become increasingly aware of the synthetics. There are many advantages to using natural linens. For example,

organic cotton is hypoallergenic as it is not exposed to harmful chemicals, and its production does not need the amount of water used for classical cotton production. Eco-friendly bed linens remain a top choice for their soft feel and all natural composition. Almost every luxury bedding company features a collection that is composed of organic cotton. Moreover, more and more companies have been looking at alternative solutions, Smook notes. Innovasians signature fabric is bamboo, as it has a lower environmental footprint than cotton or synthetics and also offers durability and a silky feel. As with organic cotton, bamboo bedding has antibacterial characteristics that make it a favourable option.

Go green

HattonJones Co. Ltd is the only linen company in Hong Kong to be green certified and the first there to receive the prestigious Green Seal from the International Institute of Green Business.

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100% cotton provides a luxurious feel ... yet because of the weaving technique and construction process it is longer lasting and doesnt compromise product quality Tarynn Hatton-Jones, HattonJones Co.

and doesnt compromise product quality, Hatton-Jones insists. She adds that there has been a lot of interest in new-age fibres, which gives an indicator of where the in the hospitality industry is and demonstrates a shift of thinking. HattonJones Co. offers a range of fibres from conventional cotton to Egyptian and organic, bamboo, tencel (a luxury biodegradable fabric made of wood pulp cellulose), hemp, linen and silk, all of which can be blended and weaved to client specification. She does warn however that these new-age fibres do not sustain higher temperatures and therefore need to be laundered more carefully typically on a 45 degree washing cycle with 45-minute drying process. She adds that this is not a negative regarding these fibres, rather a big positive, new-age fibres dont hold bacteria, therefore it is not necessary to wash them at high temperatures. This results in a shorter cleaning cycle, less detergent and subsequently a cheaper energy and water bill.

Wood you credit it

Amain linen supplies its products to around 100 international hotel groups

137 Pillars House East Borneo suite bedroom offers a good range of high quality linens

The company plays a key role in assisting its hospitality clients in moving towards a more sustainable future. They are an important part of the Triple Bottom Line and their products, services and social responsibility are based solely on the worlds people, our planet and their clients profit. Tarynn Hatton-Jones, CEO of HattonJones Co. believes that while its a massive task for hotels to move towards sustainability, in the long run it makes sense economically and environmentally. She says that one of the latest trends in linens is that four and five-star hotels now want 100% cotton, whether organic or non-organic. 100% cotton provides a sufficiently luxurious feel ... yet because of the weaving technique and construction process it is longer lasting

Stefania Cantini, of Beltrami Linen in Italy, is a champion of wood fibre. Beltramis top product, Fibra di Legno, is spun from the wood pulp of specially grown trees. Again, both bed and bath linen are light enough that they can be washed and dried at lower temperatures than cotton, thus saving energy. Hard-wearing yet soft, Fibra di Legno is also delicate on the skin and easy care, 100% biodegradable and is manufactured using clean production processes. It also keeps its softness and colours even after many washings. Cantini says the hospitality industry is now far more environmentally concerned, both in terms of the products themselves and in terms of saving energy and the laundry is a major consumer of power. That is why we are always researching. We carefully select our yarns and use fewer chemicals. We have been developing products which require less energy in the washing/drying cycle, such as Fibra di Legno, and our new cotton towel collection, Perlage, both of which have fast-drying properties around 25%30% faster than standard cotton. Cantini adds that many properties are looking for more contemporary style and high quality fabrics, to give their customers a home experience. They also look for highly customised items; they want to be different. Where budgets are more limited they prefer to buy incrementally and introduce smaller, luxury items to provide a touch of elegance: a decorative throw, high quality room service napkins, a soft quilted bath mat, a special bathrobe. Shenzhen Amain Industry Co manufactures a wide range of hotel linens, including bed and quilt covers, sheets, pillow cases, towels, bath robes and mats, all produced with pure cotton finecombed yarn imported from Pakistan. The company also has high quality goose down and eiderdown duvets and pillows with 100% cotton fine-combed yarn surface. It also offers F&B and various other hotel linens. The company supplies its products to around 100 international hotel groups, including Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Peninsula, Shangri-La and Ritz-Carlton. Cindy Zhang, international group sales director assistant at Amain, says many hotels look for pure cotton fabrics for bedding and table linen. Most hotel are asking for good quality cotton ... four and fivestar hotels tend to want 300 thread count and above.

She also notes that linen is more popular than before especially in F&B situations and that there is a small but significant increase in customers mainly five-stars and boutiques asking for silk bedding products. There is also a demand for specialist fabrics. Some hotels request waterproof or fireproof fabrics and retardant bed linen and curtains, while others ask for fabrics to be finished with Teflon.

Act naturally

Beltrami is developing products which require less energy to clearn and maintain

Executive housekeeper at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Joseph Tang, says he is using 100% woven cotton at the property. Our bed linen is made in Italy from 100% Egyptian cotton. It is a natural fibre which provides softness and comfort to our guests. In terms of developing trends, he says executive housekeepers will be looking for higher thread count cotton for their bed linen over the next few years, from 300 to 1,000 thread cotton. [I think] 600 thread count Egyptian cotton would be the best it is silky on the skin, soft and very smooth. Manfred Ilg, general manager at 137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai, Thailand, agrees it is important to offer a good range of high quality linens. Among the propertys bedding are white goose duvets, 100% cottons and a range of Siam Feather products. He adds that he would also consider organic and natural fibres. Its important to maintain the high-quality evident in the rest of your property, he insists. High quality linens make an impression on guests. People like to work hard, play hard and and sleep well. And he says the comfort factor has got to him as well. Even in my house I use the hotel linen, as Ive got used to the quality of the fabrics we use at the property! he laughs.

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that sinking sensation

Wools of New Zealand

Carpets represent a major expenditure and various factors should be weighed up before a purchasing decision is made, writes Liana Cafolla

Avalon from Tai Ping Carpets

Contemporary design at Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe

arpets play a big part in making a good first impression. As customers enter a hotel lobby or cross the threshold of a restaurant, a soft, plush floor covering under their feet adds a sense of luxury and attentive to detail. Carpets provide a quiet atmosphere as well as a sense of silence, sophistication and safety. The soft sensation helps to separate the hotel or restaurant from the harder world and floor coverings outside, creating an expectation of relaxation and luxury that is the first step to creating a successful venueclient relationship. Besides positively contributing to the overall aesthetic appearance of the F&B outlets, carpets reduce noise level, providing a more comfortable environment for the customers to enjoy the dining atmosphere, says Stephen Wong, director of sales and operations, Asia division, of carpet makers Tai Ping. If various patterns are used, carpet could also provide zoning function exhibiting different themes for different areas. Wool carpets offer other advantages including safety, value for money and

rather surprisingly air-cleaning properties, according to Al Ross, Asia manager of Wools of New Zealand. Rather than attracting dust, wool carpets can apparently help to clean the surrounding air. A little known fact is that wool carpets have the ability to absorb airborne pollution and odours, and the effect continues for the life of the carpet, says Ross. Rooms with wool carpet smell fresher and have less pollution from the environment. He adds that wool carpets are also extremely fire safe, and are much less likely to cause injury if somebody trips. Wool carpets may be expensive to purchase, but are cheaper to maintain over their lifespan due to the low labour and cleaning chemicals costs [involved]. Wool fibres are low-lustre, and take dyes deeply into the fibre, he insists. Designers can use any colour and be sure of getting a rich, full result. Providing a good [maintenance] programme is in place, a wool carpet will keep its good looks for its entire budgeted life span. That lifespan is generally three to five

years, barring any major accidents.

Wooly thinking

Carpet is usually selected taking into account cost, use-intensity and design requirements. Important factors to consider are the level of human traffic, the location of the building as areas may need a different material mix than inland areas, and aesthetic considerations. Once these needs have been assessed, buyers can consider the most suitable material. The most commonly used materials are wool, nylon, and wool/nylon mix in hand-tufted, Axminster, and machinetufted carpet for hotels and restaurants, as they provide excellent aesthetic appearance while fulfilling the clients practical needs in withstanding heavy traffic conditions, says Wong. Wool is the preferred material because of its sustainability, durability, appearance, lifespan, safety and ease of maintenance, believes Ross. Different areas require different carpet qualities, with lobby and entrance areas

probably the most difficult in terms of balancing functionality, design and the wow factor. It is here that customers form their all-important first impressions of a venue. These are also high-intensity areas that need a durable material such as Axminster or hand-tufted carpet, says Ross. The design and colours used in these areas are often custom-designed, says Wong, and can set the tone for the colours and decor of the rest of the hotel, or stand out as a feature area in their own right.

Design considerations

In the recently opened Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe, design was the top priority, says the propertys general manager, John Burger. We tend to consider the carpets that match with the design concept of the hotel when choosing carpets. For example, red carpet in the banquet hall co-ordinates and matches with the halls light walls and chandeliers, offering guests a refreshing and modern visual style. In the reception, the hotel used carpet as part of a wider design. ... the carpets pattern in the lobby,

[with] the landscape wall, lobby chandeliers and marble flooring, formed a Chinese landscape painting, he says. As with lobbies, restaurants are highuse spaces, and also typically see frequent spillages of food and drink. Red wine stains are the worst, says Hyatt Regency Shatins housekeeping manager, Esther Lee. They usually happen in restaurants and event venues. Heavily patterned carpets in mainly dark colours are probably best simply to hide stains, but the final choice often depends on the overall style of the restaurant. Restaurants are usually designed to a theme, and the carpet design can play a major part that. From housekeepings point of view, of course we should focus on durability of the carpet, says Lee. Its always better to have dark colour ones. While both Tai Ping and Wools of New Zealand provide detailed cleaning and maintenance instructions, hotels and restaurants usually clean their own carpets, so ease of maintenance is something that needs to be considered.

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Regency ballroom Hyatt Regency Sha Tin

The influence of nature is a strong theme right now, using colours and motifs from a wide range of sources ... economic uncertainty creates a more conservative design environment, with less extreme colours and designs Al Ross, Wools of New Zealand
At Hi l t o n Guangzhou Tianhe, staff remove dust and dirt from carpets daily, and wash them every month. At Hyatt Regency Shatin, we use extractors to clean, says Lee. High traffic areas demand more frequent cleaning, usually around once a month. Restaurants and events venue should be cleaned once every three to four months. Guestrooms and suites at least once a year.

New Zealand Wool Carpet

This brand is your guarantee of excellence
Exuberant designs from Wools of New Zealand and above left

Not all carpets are created equal.

The quality starts with the fibre. New Zealand wool is the worlds best. Sustainably grown, high in strength and purity, New Zealand wool is the basis of every luxury carpet and rug. The perfect carpet is more than just the wool. Overall manufacturing quality needs to be perfect for a long-lasting, trouble free carpet or rug. Ask for the Wools of New Zealand brand. Wools of New Zealand licensees are accredited manufacturers whose products meet over 23 performance and construction standards, beginning with the fibre. Then relax knowing that your guests will experience the luxury and comfort of pure New Zealand wool.
1 1702100028 : (010) 64402951 (010) 64402912 E-mail: info@wnz.com.cn www.wnz.com.cn www. woolcarpet.com

Sound investment

In guest rooms, one of carpets most prized qualities is sound absorption. Carpets are crucial to absorbing noise and minimising disturbance to guests, especially on guest floors, says Lee.

Even if you wear a pair of leather shoes and walk over the carpet, the sound emitted would not be as loud as walking over the marble flooring, agrees Burger. While hotel guest rooms see less foot traffic, they also usually comprise the biggest total area to be carpeted, making cost a focus. Broadloom tufted carpet in plain colours or simple designs and textures are usually selected, which keeps price down and meets the design requirements for room ambience, says Ross. While carpets are often selected to match an overarching venue theme, trends also play a part. The influence of nature is a strong

theme right now, using colours and motifs from a wide range of sources, he adds. We seem to be moving into a period of economic uncertainty, which creates a more conservative design environment, with less extreme colours and designs. Tai Pings 1956 collection is designed for hotel and restaurant use, including the Zingara range, which can be customised to suit clients preferences. Most carpet patterns contain a regional design flair that reflects the elements and colour for individual projects, says Wong. Our global collections are designed and developed by following the worlds annual colour and design trends and forecasts.

Wools of New Zealand, China

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Safety first
To assist in health and safety at work, leading, global latex protection provider, Ansell, has produced a comprehensive glove selection guide. The guide includes details on the most commonly used chemicals and which glove materials are appropriate for maximum resistance to permeation. No one glove material provides resistance to all chemicals, so it is important to understand different protective materials behave differently when in contact with specific chemicals, says Ansell. The Ansell chart includes American Chemical Society registry numerical identifiers for chemical elements, compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. The advisory-only information is intended to guide and inform qualified professionals engaged in assuring safety in the workplace. For more information:www.ansellasiapacific.com

Taking the heat

Comendas award-winning CRC heat recovery system is known for its efficiency and energy and cost saving. A perfect standard of hygiene is achieved by the heat recovery unit, which can be incorporated into any Comenda hood dishwasher or ware washing system, and can achieve up to 25% energy saving. The heat produced by the machine is transferred to the water, allowing connection to the cold water supply without the need to increase the power. Furthermore, with the CRC system, the steam produced at the end of the washing cycle is condensed and cooled, with the air being released into the room at an ideal temperature to guarantee maximum operator comfort. Comenda was recently confirmed with ISO 14001 environmental certification. For more information: www.comenda.eu

Buffing up the buffet

The new slate, marble and granite buffet system Rock Art by Zieher stands out due to its modern and robust mixture of materials, which includes natural stone and glass. The dark brown marble columns are available in different sizes (8x8x8cm and 16cm/24cm) completely polished or carved. The biggest column is 24cm, and can be combined into any Zieher buffet system. Various natural stone trivets allow for a greater interpretation of finger food presentation and ensure the buffet is secure, and non-slip underside bases are made of felt. The range comes with an assortment of miniature plates and sushi boards, wine coolers, glass and menu holders. For more information: www.zieher.com

Textile tableware
New York designer Sandy Chilewich, known for her experimental woven textile collection and manufacturing techniques, has unveiled a new range of modern design, easy care, durable tableware. Rib weave is chunky, flat, with a natural feel. Rib weave tablemats are available in black, coconut, mahogany, pearl and toffee. Faux bois ( fake wood) encompasses three digitally printed, simulated wood grains. Placemats and coasters are available in driftwood, walnut and ebony. Cubic is a stencil-like lace of open and closed irregular rectangles. Placemats and runners are available in gunmetal, black and bronze. Wall coverings are also available. Chain weave is a sleek textile interpretation of metalwork often found in elevators. It is available in gold, called tawny and silver, or pewter. Other designs include, bamboo, brocade, fringe stripe, engineered squares, tribal, pressed dahlia, cubic and spots. Chilewich also designs 100% linen napkins, napkin rings, food tiers and floor mats. For more information: www.chilewichwholesale.com

Tapping into quality

General Hardwares line of commercial kitchen taps and fixtures are crafted with quality materials and designed to deliver crisp jets of water with power and precision. With over 30 different elements to choose from, General Hardware fittings feature forged brass bodies for performance and durability. Pre-rinse units are provided with efficient ergonomically designed watersaving spray valves. A guarantee of cleanliness, dependability and strength, General Hardware forged products are stronger and less subject to weak spots, which cause costly leaks resulting in down time in one of the busiest and most important areas of an operation.

Coming clean
New Asia player, Italian industrial laundry equipment company Grandimpianti, has a complete range of equipment for water washing, drying, ironing and general treatment of laundry. The company creates complete laundry plants based on specific property requirements. The range consists of over 60 items: washing machines with low and high centrifugation and aseptic, hydro-extractors, laundry rotary dryers, mono-frontal roller ironers, and rotary press dryers, ironing surfaces and laundry carts, many of which are patented. Grandimpianti WF washing machines and EB series dryers are now fitted with an electronic control device, so they interact with each other and users in an intuitive and functional way to enable the setting of same circuits, same programming and language control. This helps the user, and any after-sales care, as the device acts like a black box, helping to monitor consumption rates, set customised programmes and check all operations. Energy rates are optimised, costs cut and time saved. For more information: www.grandimpianti.com
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For more information: www.thelegacycompanies.com

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Pressure and temperature control

Italian coffee machine and grinder maker, Cimbali, has launched two new machines. The M39 HD provides thermal stability and adjusts the temperature of cups individually so that customised pressure profiles can be employed according to the blend used. This reproduces an aromatic profile that would be difficult to achieve at a constant pressure of nine bars. Because coffee blends react differently to the passage of the water depending on their characteristics and roasting, the M39 HD guides the extraction process, modulating throughout delivery the pressure of the water on the coffee. In addition the extraction time is split into a maximum of four phases to vary and optimise pressure and bring out aromas. The M39 HD is available in two or three group Dosatrons, which can be customised with the patented Turbosteam steam wand for consistent frothed milk quality without the need for any manual intervention. The Q10 is the smallest super-automatic machine in the Cimbali range. Designed for locations that serve approximately 100 beverages a day, it has a new seven-inch touchscreen display with intuitive user interface. Sensors indicate cup presence, water and milk requirements. For more information:www.cimbali.it

Golden Gize
Gize, the gold-filtered mineral water from Canada, has been awarded gold for its packaging design at the Pentawards 2011. Its the 10th award for the brand for 2011. Designed by agency zweipunktnull in Germany, the clear glass water bottle is tapered in the centre making it easy to hold. Gize is available in its classic form with and without carbonation, and four flavours as Gize+: lemon-elderflower, raspberry-ginseng, pear-vinegar and pineapple-coconut. Gize and Gize+ come in 0.2-litre and 0.75-litre bottles. For more information: www.gize.com

The cutting edge

Friedr. Dicks new knife series Premier Plus features specially-crafted handles designed to provide perfect volume and shape, an effortless cutting blade, comfortable grip and balance. Made of high-carbon steel which has been specially developed for chefs knives allows for a long-lasting edge and hygiene at the same time and ensures a seamless connection of the blade with the plastic handle for better hygiene. The volume and shape of the handle offers a secure and pleasant grip, and as a consequence fatigue-free working. The slender blade ensures a perfect cut without bruising or damage.

M39 HD

A light fry
Vulcan, a provider of commercial cooking equipment, has launched the PowerFry VK series. Using a patented heat transfer technology, which maximises uniform heat transfer to the oil, the company guarantees faster recovery and cook times. The simple yet innovative design cooks up to 25% faster, producing more products in less time. The PowerFry VK fryers are also the most energy efficient gas fryers available. Easy to operate and clean, additional benefits include: precise cooking with analogue, digital, or programmable computer controls; a special ignition system which gently heats cold oil prolonging oil life while saving energy through low idle rates; lower flue temperatures which reduce kitchen A/C costs; and an all stainless steel construction and 10-year limited tank warranty; plus an easy to use and effective filtration system. For more information: www.vulcanequipment.com

Bath-time fun
The booming children and teens cosmetics market has a new addition. ADAs Jungle Kids Hair & Body Wash is specially formulated for sensitive skin, a gentle conditioner leaves hair smooth, so that it can be combed out easily, and the range smells of kids favourites melon, banana and apple. A Jungle Kids wash glove, a small soap crocodile and a soft tiger bath towel add appeal. The Jungle Kids package features a bouncy ball, a water-squirting animal and rattles as well as a painting set. All are kid-friendly and certified according to EN71. Available in 30ml tubes and 25g soaps, the range has no added parabens, silicone or artificial colours. Outside packaging features cheerful jungle animals, with the tiger available as a stuffed animal. Jungle Kids enables the hotelier to demonstrate that paying attention to little guests is a top priority in his establishment, says Wilhelm B. Knning, ADAs managing director. For more information: www.ada-cosmetics.com

For more information: www.dick.de

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Gunning for gin

Gin is expected to do big things in Asia this year (see p32) and French brand Citadelle plans to be in on the action, launching this month in Hong Kong and Macau. But its not new, the recipe for the French gin was developed in 1775. Categorised as a London gin, the spirit is the only gin with 19 spices (Bombay Sapphire has 10, Tanqueray has eight). The four distillations include purifying the alcohol, infusing it with fresh plants and flowers (jasmine, honeysuckle, and cinnamon) and the final distillation is in cognac copper pots to keep the aromatic complexity. No sugar is added. The Citadelle Reserve is oak barrel aged, giving it a pale gold colour. Both varieties are award-winning in Europe and the US. For more information: www.sinovantagewines.com

Whisky by demand
Glenlivet, the worlds number two single malt Scotch whisky, is launching a special new expression in Hong Kong this month. In response to growing demand for single malts, the Glenlivet Excellence 12-year-old is bright gold with prominent aromas of ripe pear, vanilla and honeycomb, a background presence of spicy orange and delicate hazelnut and oak notes, with rich flavours of dark chocolate, ginger, cinnamon and hints of liquorice. Combining the floral and balanced signature style of The Glenlivet with a higher proportion of whisky matured in ex-sherry casks to create a rich, vibrant drink, The Glenlivet Excellence 12-year-old is the work of The Glenlivet master distiller, Alan Winchester. For more information: www.theglenlivet.com

Health fix Better baguettes

Following the success in Asia of their individual bread rolls, Bridor is now launching a full range of authentic French baguettes. Fully adapted to the needs of hotels, restaurants and catering companies, Bridor uses fine quality ingredients, such as French flour without additives, preservatives or flavours. The crusty baguettes are slowly kneaded and fermented for at least three hours, and partly baked in a stone-base oven to produce a golden and crunchy crust. The baguettes need to be finished for 10 to 12 minutes and remain fresh for up to six hours. The range includes: the countryside baguette with hints of caramelised rye and a fine crust; the delifibre is fibre-rich to give a longer lasting full feeling; the 1778 has a delicate hazelnut taste with soft creamy coloured dough; and the cereal baguette made with a blend of wheat and grains has a pronounced malt flavour and contains sunflower and sesame seeds and brown flax. Bridor products are exclusively distributed by FB Solution in Hong Kong and Macau. For more information: www.groupeleduff.com Healthy Coffee formulas combine the health benefits of ginseng, reishi mushroom, and other ingredients with the worlds finest coffee beans to create a line of healthy instant gourmet coffee drinks. Healthy Coffee is positioned in the market at the intersection of the coffee, wellness and energy drinks industries, and has offices in 20 countries and distributors in 30 others. Products include: EnerGi Black Healthy Coffee; EnerGi Blend; EnerGi Chai Healthy Milk Tea; EnerGi Blast; EnerGi Choco; and the soon to be released EnerGi Mocha. For more information: www.healthycoffee.com

More than gold colour

For a decadent start to the Year of the Dragon, Champagne maker Luxor has used gold leaf in its latest outing. Calling the Champagne Tasty, unique, different, delightful and luxurious, the blend is made up of 90% Pinot Noir, 7% Chardonnay and 3% Pinot Meunier and includes 24 carat gold leaves. Bottles can be personalised. For more information: www.bacchusasia.com

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Time for tea

Hong Kong tea distributor, Quali-t is determined to prove there is a tea for every occasion. With over 40 varieties to choose from, its top 10 are: Brilliant Breakfast, Original Earl Grey, Moroccan Mint, Green Tea with Jasmine Flowers, Pure Chamomile Flowers, Pure Peppermint Leaves, Rose with French Vanilla, Ceylon Hyson Green Tea and Natural Ceylon Ginger Tea. The personality of a fine tea can be experienced with the eye, on the nose and only then on the palate, says the company. Other more unusual offerings include: Dombagastalawa Single Estate, a clean and open, coppery toned tea with some strength, but generally mellow; Nuwara Eliya Pekoe, a unique brew from one of the four premier tea growing regions of Ceylon which is distinctive, delicate and gentle and Organic Chun Mei Eyebrow Green Tea, made from fine, jade green leaves, the skill required in producing it means this tea is considered a work of art. With a clear and pale yellow colour, it has a herbal, slightly creamy and distinct plum-like fruitiness. For more information: Email sales@quali-t.com.hk

Hot vodka
Swiss-made Provokant vodka is now available in Asia. Three varietals are on offer: blackcurrant, strawberry and hot chilli, which are proving popular served as shots, on the rocks or as part of a cocktail blend. Already a hit in upmarket Hong Kong locations such as Dragon I, Play and Likuid, Provokants makers claim the 18% ABV vodka offers fast turnover at the bar. For more information: www.facebook.com/SharabIDC

Celebrating cognac
This year is a landmark in the history of one of the oldest cognac houses, Martell, as it marks the 100th anniversary of its iconic Martell Cordon Bleu the cognac used by allied governments to toast the end of World War One hostilities, and served to Concorde and Orient Express passengers. To mark the occasion, special centenary gift boxes, in standard and limited edition forms, have been produced. For more information: www.martell.com

A range combining design and technology!

A rum deal
Plantation vintage rums come from seven different origins: Jamaica, Barbados, Panama, Nicaragua, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad and include the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. Double and cask-aged in the place of origin, Plantation Trinidad rum has a coppery hue with smoky oak notes enhanced by orange caramel and toasted nuts; Panama variety has thyme and eucalyptus notes followed by banana and pineapple, vanilla and honey; Nicaragua rum has a shorter fermentation, with sharp grapefruit, vanilla and oak flavours; Grenada rum is rich, slightly spicy with aromas of jasmine, tea, pepper and nutmeg; Barbados variety is distilled in traditional pottery stills and aged in bourbon and sherry casks, is dark amber with vanilla, coconut, passion fruit and banana notes; Jamaica Plantation rum has powerful flavours, is highly aromatic and mahogany; lastly Guyana rum spends long years fermenting in bourbon casks so its smoky nose develops a persistent dried fig and currant flavour. Five-yearold Plantation Grande Reserve is also available. For more information: www.sinovantagewines.com
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The 5000 Series offers 9 types of wine cabinet with the capacity to store 38 - 182 bottles. It combines design and technology for serving and displaying your wines. The numerous equipment combinations offered by the 5000 Series help you to serve your wines as efficiently as possible!

For a free brochure containing full detail, please contact: Alpha International Food Services 909, Chai Wan Industrial City, Phase 2, 70 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2889 2123 Fax: (852) 2889 1757 http://www.eurocave-alpha.com Email: alpha@eurocave-alpha.com

Made in France

v E n t s
DATe Feb 19 22 eVenT Gulfood Dubai International Exhibition Centre Dubai DeTAiLS Supercharge your business at Gulfood! The worlds biggest annual food & hospitality showcase, at the heart of one of the most important global markets Gulfood is the essential sales and sourcing opportunity for the entire MENASA region, with over 20 years experience connecting international buyers with market-leading suppliers from around the world. Established in 1994, HORECA is the regions largest annual meeting place for both the Hospitality and Food & Beverage Service Industries. HORECA 19th edition includes The International Trade Show for the Hospitality & Foodservice Industry, The International Trade Show for the Food Industry and Beirut International Wine & Drinks Fair. Hotelex 2012 will offer 100,000 square metres of exhibitions space, with 1,100 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors. The show will continue to focus on the lowcarbon development of the hotel industry and the development direction of the global hotel industry, so as to create a new future with an international and professional philosophy. With a focus on promoting the Asian food and hospitality industry, Food & Hotel Asia has grown tremendously along with the industry as the premier trade event synonymous with the food and hospitality industry in Asia and beyond. Today, the show is a made up five specialised events: Food Asia, Hotel Asia, Bakery & Pastry, Hospitality Style Asia and Hospitality Technology; and an up-and-coming segment named Tea & Coffee. In 2012, the 13th edition of SIAL China will be back in Shanghai. SIAL China will set the benchmark for overseas companies stepping into China as well as providing valuable insights and trends regarding the Chinese F&B market. New events for 2012 include a team contest, hospitality forum and coffee trends area. ORGAniSeR Dubai World Trade Centre PO Box 9292 Dubai UAE Tel: +971 4 308 6081 Fax: +971 4 318 8607 gulfood@dwtc.com www.gulfood.com Hospitality Services s.a.r.l Dekwaneh, Main Road, Borghol Bldg, 2nd Floor P.O Box 90155 Jdeidet-El-Metn 1202 2020 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 1 4800 81 Fax: +961 1 48 28 76 info@hospitalityservices.com.lb www.horecashow.com UBM Asia 8/F Xian Dai Mansion 218 Xiang Yang Road Shanghai 200031, China Tel: +86 21 6437 1178 507 Fax: +86 21 6437 0982 www.hotelex.cn www.hotelexchina.com Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd No. 1 Jalan Kilang Timor, #09-02 Pacific Tech Centre Singapore 159303 Tel: +65 62336638 Fax: +65 62336633 www.foodnhotelasia.com

x h i b i t i o n s

March 20 23

HORECA Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center Beirut Central District Lebanon

International business flavours

April 9 12

Hotelex Shanghai Shanghai New International Expo Centre Pudong, Shanghai China

April 17 20

Singapore Expo Singapore Expo, Halls 1 9 1 Expo Drive Singapore 486150 Singapore

May 9 11

The 13th SIAL China Shanghai New International Expo Centre Hall N1-N5, E7 Pudong New Area Shanghai China Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai United Arab Emirates

COMEXPOSIUM Shanghai Room 301, Dongyi Building 88 Changshu Road, Shanghai 200040, CHINA Tel: +86 21 62 49 20 28 / 24 10 Fax: +86 21 62 49 34 14 www.sialchina.com dmg events Suite 502 - 509, The Palladium Cluster C, Jumeirah Lake Towers P.O. Box 33817, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +9714 4380355 Fax: +9714 438 00361 www.thehotelshow.com

May 15 17

The Hotel Show provides a unique networking and sourcing platform within the region. The event gathers over 14,800 hospitality professionals for three days of intensive business networking, industry awards, conferences and hospitality functions. With its proven track record of delivery, spanning 13 years, The Hotel Show is the largest hospitality supplies event for the Middle East and North Africa region. THAIFEX World of Food Asia, held in Bangkok, Thailand, is where global players in the food and beverage industry meet. The show covers food & beverages, featuring halal & organic food, catering, food technology, hospitality service and retail & franchise.

Coming next Gulfood 2012 19-22 February 2012 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre www.gulfood.com

May 23 27

IMPACT Exhibition Center Bangkok Thailand

Koelnmesse Pte Ltd 152 Beach Road #25-05 Gateway East Singapore 189721 Tel: +65 6500 6700 Fax: +65 6294 8403 info@koelnmesse.com.sg www.worldoffoodasia.com Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd 9H, Jinsui Tower, and No.900 Guangzhou Ave. Mid, Guangzhou, China Tel: +86-20-38866965 Fax: +86-20-22223568 hosfair@hosfair.com www.hosfair.com

June 28 30

China Import and Export Fair Complex Guangzhou China

HOSFAIR Guangzhou has been successfully held for nine years with a 30% rate of growth every year, and has become one of the leading exhibition and trade platforms for hospitality suppliers and manufacturers, as well as a bridge for Chinese hospitality internationally.

ulfood, the worlds largest annual trade exhibition for the food and hospitality industry is set to deliver its most international show to date, with a record 83 countries, 107 international pavilions and more than 3,800 exhibitors. Running from 19 22 February 2012 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the show was sold out in October 2011. With the Eurozone crisis and economic instability in the US, many of the worlds food trade companies are looking to emerging markets to deliver sustainable growth. Strategically positioned, Gulfoods host city Dubai plays a key role in the exhibitions ongoing success, organisers note. Jebel Ali port will undergo a US$850 million expansion this year and the cargo-dedicated Dubai World Central Airport is on track for an increase in capacity. Now a well-established platform for all sectors of the food and beverage industry to showcase and source products and services, the show is expected to welcome more than 65,000 industry professionals from more than 140 countries, including Argentina, Australia, China, France, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, USA and Vietnam to Dubai for the four day event. Trixee Loh, senior vice-president, Dubai World Trade Centre, says Threequarters of the buyers who attend Gulfood make purchasing decisions at the show, which illustrates not only the value and variety of products, but also the calibre and competitiveness of the exhibitors. More than 1 million square feet of exhibition space has been dedicated to Gulfood 2012, together with co-located shows Restaurant & Caf Middle East and Ingredients Middle East, that run alongside to deliver a full-circle offering to the industrys professionals. The Gulfood conference covers information on future trends, critical issues and industry highlights. This year, the conference has expanded to include three defined verticals: Food Leaders Summit, Food Processing and Packaging Forum, and a Foodpreneur Forum, with international experts, thought leaders and captains of industry scheduled to offer industry insights. A host of fringe events will provide networking opportunities. And the hotly contested Gulfood Awards will reward achievements and innovations in the regions food and drink industry.. The trade-only show reported record visitor attendance in 2011 with a total of 62,024 trade professionals from 152 countries attending the exhibition.

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Key decisionmakers and awards at Hotel Expo

he seventh International Hotel Expo, held at the Cotai Strip, The Venetian Macao last November, recorded an increased number of visitors. Nearly 70% of the 8,500 visitors were general manager, procurement manager and key buyer level. Attendance from members of the GHM (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau) Hotel General Manager Association, Thai Hotels Association, Hotel & Restaurant Association of the Philippines and Malaysian Association of Hotels also increased. Around 100 exhibitors from Canada, France, Japan, Pakistan, China, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Hong Kong and Macau, unveiled their latest products and services, many of which were eco-friendly, green initiatives. Advanced hospitality technology solutions were also introduced. The fifth Asian Hotel General Managers Forum, and fourth Seminar on Co-operation between Hotels & SMEs incorporating the Business Matching, Spa & Wellness Forum, were held concurrently and covered topics such as industry development trends and prospects. The Golden Pearl Awards honoured the best hotels and chefs of the Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau Region 2011, while the third Macau International Lotus Cup Hotel Furniture Design Competition recognised companies and individuals efforts in that industry. Cooking demonstrations with free tasting by Mortons Steakhouse, and coffee art performance, talks on coffee shop operation and coffee making ran at the Coffee Culture Workshop throughout the exhibition.

Coming next Hotel expo 2012 21-23 November 2012 Cotai Strip, The Venetian Macao www.hotel-exhibition.com

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www.worldoffoodasia.com/www.thaitradefair.com

Laundering success

excare Asia, the regions largest trade fair for textile care products, services and solutions, attracted more than 7,000 visitors from 50 countries and regions when it took place from 17 19 November 2011 at the China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China. The biennial show had 135 exhibitors from Belgium, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the US in three halls totalling more than 10,000 sqm of floor space. Visitor attendance was up 18% compared to the 2009 event and the top five buyer countries were Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Many exhibitors reported signing contracts during the show. Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH from Germany signed a contract to provide a large Shanghai industrial laundry operator with a centralised laundry system. Wendy Chi, the companys chief representative said: We have been working closely with Zhenghang for over a year to develop a centralised laundry system to meet their current and ongoing needs. With the show being busier than previous editions we expect to establish more contact with laundry operators. The Texcare Forum Asia held at the show provided an ideal occasion to gain more information. Mr Luo Xuefu, general manager for Beijing Xingquan Haoda Laundry found the seminars on automation and practical operations to be useful. He said: We are planning to purchase a tunnel washer next year so the sessions on automation and practical operations were really interesting and helped us to understand the cost benefits of upgrading and standardising our work practices.

Savor Your Success

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

23. - 27.05.2012

IMPACT Exhibition Center Bangkok, Thailand

A Unique Concept That Has Proven to Work
Meet your desired buyers through our well structured product zones Network with key regional buyer groups that Thailands strong food industry attracts Benefit from the extensive combined advertising and public relations efforts between organizers

THAIFEX - World of Food ASIA covers

Food & Beverage featuring HALAL & ORGANIC Food Food Catering & Hospitality Services Food Technology Retail & Franchise

Coming next Texcare Asia International Trade Fair for Modern Textile Care China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China 2013 (date to be confirmed) www.texcare-asia.com

RE
Jointly organized by Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Ms Lynn How Tel: +65 6500 6712 Fax: +65 6294 8403 l.how@koelnmesse.com.sg
Thai Chamber of Commerce

TER GIS

W! NO

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a
Pierre Perusset is now GM of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong. Prior to this appointment, Perusset was the MD of The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta. He has more than 30 years experience in the luxury hospitality industry, more than of 12 of which have been with The Ritz-Carlton. His work experience spans more than 10 countries.
Pierre Perusset Eric Kee

p p o i n t M E n t s

eric Kee is now hotel manager at The Excelsior, Hong Kong. With more than 15 years of Asian hotel experience including with Mandarin Oriental group and Wynn Resort, Macau prior to joining The Excelsior, Malaysian Kee was GM of Park Plaza, Wanfujiang, Beijing, China.

Alex Willats has been appointed general manager Dusit Thani Bangkok. British Willats joined Dusit in 2010 from Radisson Hotels The Al Areen Palace & Spa, Bahrain where he was executive assistant manager. He has more than 15 years experience in the hospitality industry and has held senior management positions including at Londons The Ritz and Claridges. Dusit International has appointed Aloysius Michael to the newly created position of corporate director of rooms. Previously resident manager of Dusit Thani Pattaya, Singaporean Michael held operational and management roles at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore where he began his career in hospitality more than eight years ago.

Dusit International has announced the appointment of Jiri Kobos as vice-president of operations. A 30-year industry veteran, Kobos has held senior management positions in Africa, Europe and Asia, including 10 years with Hyatt Worldwide, prior to joining Dusit as managing director and GM of Dusit Thani Lakeview Cairo in 2010.
Alex Willats Jiri Kobos

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has appointed Krister Svensson as general manager of the newly opened St. Regis Bangkok. Prior to this he was GM of the W Hong Kong, managed The Westin Resort Guam, Sheraton on the Park in Sydney and Le Meridien Commodore Beirut.
Aloysius Michael Krister Svensson

p p o i n t M E n t s

18/10 Stainless Steel

Phukket resort Paresa has appointed Min Ching Lin as F&B director in charge of Talung Thai and Diavolo. A Nicaraguan/ Taiwanese native, fluent in Spanish and Chinese with an international hospitality and tourism business degree, Lin has worked in Nicaragua, Switzerland and the US and joins Paresa from Langham Place Samui.
Min Ching Lin Wendy Liu

Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort and the operating Four Points by Sheraton has appointed Wendy Liu as deputy general manager. Chinese national Liu, a yoga enthusiast and 14-year industry veteran will play a dual role in overseeing the two properties.

Nicolas Ishkanian

Richard He

Peter Hildebrand has been appointed general manager of W Hong Kong. With more than two decades of hospitality experience, Australian Hildebrand has worked in many key Asian cities. He has worked at Hyatt Group, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts with his first GM appointment at the Westin Fuzhou Hotel.
Peter Hildebrand Kevin Li

Kevin Li is the new financial controller at the Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort which is also operating Four Points by Sheraton. A keen angler, Li has 18 years industry experience and comes from a role as financial controller of Jiuzhai Paradise InterContinental.

Ho t e l g r o u p Ko s m o p o l i t o Ho t e l s International has appointed Philip Schaetz as senior vice-president of sales and marketing. Schaetz has more than 17 years experience within the hospitality industry across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US. He is an expert in data analytics and electronic distribution strategies.
Philip Schaetz Sissie Gui

Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort and the operating Four Points by Sheraton announces the appointment of Sissie Gui as director of sales as part of its new six member leadership team. In her most recent role Gui was director of business development at the Shrangi-La Guangzhou.

Phuket fine dining resort Paresa has appointed New Zealander Ryan Arboleda as executive chef. Arboleda joins Paresa from Crown Casino and Towers, Melbourne, Australia. He will oversee two restaurants, Talung Thai and signature Mediterranean fine dining venue Diavolo.
Ryan Arboleda Ivo Estorninho

Portuguese national, ivo estorninho, is the newly appointed hotel manager at Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort and the operating Four Points by Sheraton. A 23-year industry veteran specialising in F&B prior to joining Sheraton Guangzhou, Estorninho was F&B director at The Westin, Macau.

Chuan Spa, at Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong, has announced the appointment of Victoria Childs as spa director. Childs has worked in London, the Maldives, Singapore and Hong Kong. Prior to joining Langham Place, she assisted with the pre-opening of the spa at the Grand Hyatt Singapore as spa manager.
Victoria Childs Shirley Shim

Shirley Shim is the new director of human resources at Sheraton Guangzhou Huadu Resort and the operating Four Points by Sheraton. A Malaysian, Shim has 13 years hospitality industry experience and was director of HR at Sheraton Shunde Hotel. Shim is a Tai Chi enthusiast.
Juice Dispenser Granite Base Cha ng Dish Baby Wave Spectra Induction Server Baby Wave Induction Soup Station Cha ng Dish Water Channel Induction Server Hy-Tide

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design patent no: 200630120938.3

Absolute Hotel Services has appointed nicolas ishkanian as vice-president revenue and distribution management, responsible for the pre-opening and operating of U Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Hotels & Residences and Eastin Easy properties.

Richard He has been appointed to the position of chief engineer at Sheraton Huadu Resort, and will also cover the Four Points by Sheraton property. He was previously chief engineer at the Sheraton Dongguan Hotel and has a special interest in developing an organic farm at the new property.

Roll-Top Mobile Carving Station & Adjustable Heat Lamp