Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

Welcome to the September 2019 issue of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific. I hope you all had a great summer and managed to get some well-earned down time. Haven’t had a chance to actually take any holiday yet? Well, look no further than our luxury resorts guide on page 40. Perhaps you’ll find some inspiration there for a post-summer break. For this issue, I visited Hanoi, Vietnam’s booming capital city. All eyes tend to be on China these days when we talk about economic powerhouses, but Vietnam – albeit with a much smaller population of around 97 million compared with China’s nearly 1.4 billion – is just as impressive. See page 24 for my in-depth destination report on Hanoi. We also take a look at another unsung city in Australia. Canberra, dogged…

AWARDED “Best Business Hotel in Taipei” for two consecutive years by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, 2019 marks another milestone for Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei as it’s going to turn 25 in December. To share the joy with its guests, the hotel has launched a “Celebration Holiday” room offer throughout the year for guests to celebrate their special occasion in a spacious room with a spectacular panoramic view of Taipei 101 and the city, and enjoy a bottle of 25th anniversary limited-edition sparkling wine – with many more privileges. With 420 guestrooms and suites, the elegant Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei stands 43 storeys tall in the heart of Taipei’s financial district. The hotel is a gourmet’s paradise, featuring five high-quality restaurants and three lounges including Michelin-recognised Shang Palace.…

The idea of ethical investing has been around for a long time. As the name suggests, it involves investing in companies whose activities and ways of doing business don’t clash with your values. An obvious example is tobacco companies – many people prefer not to invest in them because their products kill while delivering no obvious social benefit. Most of us would rather our money goes towards financing companies which do good, or at least don’t do evil. Why would you attend a rally against climate change and then stuff your pension pot with the shares of oil giants, for example? Still, investing ethically can be harder than it looks, so here are some ideas on how to go about it. If you want to find a fund that fits…

4 HOURS IN PHNOM PENH Cambodia’s capital is a lively thrum of markets, temples and people watching; we show you five great places to visit (page 38) BARS OF BEIJING With many independent bars closing down, hotel bars are emerging as some of the Chinese capital’s trendiest drinking spots (page 56) A350 ULTRA LONG RANGE Here’s what it’s like flying for 18 hours from New York to Singapore on Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 ULR (page 66) SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL We share our tips on how to simply and easily reduce your impact on the environment when travelling for work (page 70)…

AA MULLS FIRST CLASS TOKYO-LA EXTENSION PASSENGERS travelling between Tokyo and Los Angeles on American Airlines (AA) got the option of flying in a first class cabin from June 6 after the US carrier switched from a three-class B787-9 Dreamliner to a four-class B777-300ER. The first class cabin is only set to be available until October 27, but an AA executive told Business Traveller Asia-Pacific that “all signs look positive” for extending the service beyond that date. “At this stage we do not plan to extend the 777-300ER service beyond October 27, but this is of course under review. All signs look positive at this stage,” said Shane Hodges, vice president, Asia Pacific. An AA spokesperson, seeking to clarify Hodges’ comments, said that the airline is “cautiously optimistic” about extending…

If you are a MICE group, looking to conduct an event in Macao this year, Sheraton Grand Macao is offering special benefits under its “Meetings Beyond Imagination” deal. This is valid for bookings until December 31, 2019, for a stay until December 18, 2020. The offer benefits are a 20 per cent discount at selected restaurants at Sands Resorts Macao, exclusive packages on spa treatments and a 15 per cent discount on cocktail receptions at select venues. That’s not all! You also get interesting deals on entertainment and leisure activities — 50 per cent off on in-house entertainment, a Gondola ride and an Eiffel Tower experience.…

MALAYSIA AIRLINES has become the first airline to partner with London-based leather goods manufacturer Aspinal to provide travel amenities, which will be made available to Business Suite and business class passengers travelling on select Airbus A330 and A350 flights. The kits are based on Aspinal’s wash bags and feature different colours. Business Suite passengers will get a navy blue bag, while business class travellers have a selection of three colours: navy blue, burgundy and black. The amenity kits contain French skincare brand Payot’s lip balm and its hand and body lotion. Other travel products inside the kits include an eye mask, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, comb and earplugs. malaysiaairlines.com…

SICK OF SWISS I’m a big fan of Business Traveller magazine, and especially the letters section. Unfortunately I finally get a chance to write one – about my horrible experience on Swiss. My original trip with Swiss was booked as Hong Kong (HKG) to London Heathrow (LHR) return, both ways via Zurich (ZRH). Of the four sectors, three were rescheduled, and my bag was lost on both the outbound and return trips. Customer service by Swiss staff was horrible throughout. The first flight, HKG-ZRH, was delayed out of HKG as they were required to offload a sick passenger (not Swiss’s fault at all). The delay caused me to miss my connecting flight as my scheduled layover was just 55 minutes (arriving ZRH 0610, departing 0705). On arrival in ZRH I…

DEREK PICOT Veteran hotelier Derek has worked in senior positions on five continents, most recently as regional vice president for Jumeirah’s hotels and resorts in Europe. He now consults for hotel owners and luxury developers, advising on design and trends in hospitality. On page 63, he explores the growing trend towards mixing business and leisure – known as “bleisure”. DELIA YIN Delia Yin has been a travel journalist for more than 15 years and is the editor of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific’s sister publication Business Traveller China. In addition to foreign destinations, her year-round business travel within China has given her a wealth of insight into the varied cultures and lifestyles of its diverse regions. On page 56, she looks at some of the best bars Beijing has to offer. JOHN…

ASCENT QANTAS is upgrading to a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its Sydney-Santiago route from late June 2020. The airline will also add an additional three return flights per week between the two cities. CATHAY DRAGON is adding a new twice-weekly service to Niigata, on Japan’s Honshu Island, starting October 30, using a two-class Airbus A330. Meanwhile, the airline’s seasonal service to Tokushima, launched last winter, will return on December 11 and be operated using a two-class A320. ANA and JAL are both launching flights between Tokyo and Vladivostok. Japan Airlines will offer a daily non-stop service operated by a Boeing 737-800 starting in summer next year. ANA will start flights from March 2020, though the aircraft type and flight frequency remain unconfirmed. STARLUX AIRLINES, a start-up carrier in Taiwan, has…

How many flights do you typically take per year? I take about 30 to 40 flights per year. They are a combination of short flights between countries in Europe, and super-long flights (up to 30 hours in some cases) between Europe and Asia, America or Australia. Any unusual equipment you fly with? I personally don’t carry a lot of equipment, but I do travel with my makeup artists, hairstylists and photographers, who have the coolest advanced gadgets. Any flights in your life that stand out? As I travel very frequently, I have many times celebrated special occasions in the air. I specifically remember my flight last New Year’s Eve from Paris to Hong Kong, which turned out to be a wonderfully memorable experience. Although I was surrounded by Aeroflot crew…

Cordis, Shanghai, Hongqiao From now December 31, 2019, the Cordis, Shanghai, Hongqiao is offering a Bed and Breakfast package that includes daily breakfast for two people, as well as earning of mileage points through its frequent flyer programme partnerships. The package starts from RMB1,000 (US$142). cordishotels.com/shanghai-hongqiao The Siam, Bangkok Set on three acres of verdant frontage along the Chao Phraya River, The Siam is a 39-room luxury retreat in Bangkok’s Dusit district. The hotel is now offering guests three-night stays for the price of two nights. This includes daily breakfast for two, butler service, free property-wide wifi and in-house movies, free local calls, a Portier mobile device (4G enabled smartphone with free data connectivity and internaional and local calling), a daily fresh tropical fruit basket, and schedueld shuttle boat service…

THE PERILS OF ESCOOTERS AND EBIKES POST BATH_VIP A a days is for them to be swamped by eScooters and eBikes provided by the likes of Lyft and Lime. I am used to the Boris Bikes of London which are also appearing in my city of Bath, but the eScooter in particular appears to be on its way to becoming a modern menace unless something is done about it. Last week, my wife and I were walking around Dallas and by the end of it, I was foaming at the mouth at the sheer irresponsibility of the eScooter riders and the Lyft company that provides them. For those not familiar with these, you can pick one up from anywhere on the street and pay for a block of time,…

Drive just 25 minutes from Phuket International Airport to Natai Beach in the north of the Thai island, and you’ll arrive at Iniala Beach House. With only three three-bedroom villas and a single one-bedroom penthouse – plus a new one-bedroom suite set to open this December – this property is all about peace and seclusion. The villas and the penthouse, created by a team of ten international designers, all afford stunning views of the Andaman Sea. Each has its own living room, dining area, private spa and private pool with direct access to the resort’s secluded beach. The “high-end bespoke experience” in Iniala Beach House is another highlight that distinguishes the property from a plethora of other resorts in Phuket, says Iniala’s CEO Wayne Milgate. Before arriving at the resort,…

2 % Aviation’s contribution to global emissions 4.5% Annual growth of the civil aviation industry 180,000 Number of commercial flights powered by biofuel blends as of June 2019 170 Number of companies working on electric aviation projects £1 million Value of the prize Heathrow is offering to the first electric-hybrid aircraft in service at the airport 300 mph Target speed of the all-electric aircraft that Rolls-Royce plans to fly next year 82% Percentage of Qantas frequent flyers who say they want to offset their carbon emissions…

Bleisure is the rather inelegant word hoteliers use to describe business travellers who are mixing work and leisure and adding on a few days’ holiday to their trips. But are you too old to partake in this trend? A recent study in France by American Express and BVA (a French research company) confirmed earlier findings by several US travel consulting firms that it was millennials who were making the most of the opportunity. The report highlighted that business travellers in Europe aged 25 to 45 were the most likely to add on leisure days to their work trip. So how is the hotel industry responding? A growing awareness that younger business travellers may want to spend more time in their destination has spurred further research. This has revealed that there…

CONSIDER YOUR FLIGHT Skyscanner highlights eco-friendly flights with a green leaf symbol, taking into consideration fuel consumption based on the type of aircraft, its seating capacity and whether the flight has a stopover. As a rule of thumb, fly economy class non-stop on an airline with a newer fleet. STAY IN BUDGET ACCOMMODATION If you can, stay in a newly built hotel that has smaller rooms (and so is more efficient) and that uses fewer disposable amenities (toiletry dispensers in the shower rather than travel-size bottles). USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT Once you’ve reached your destination, rent an electric vehicle or use bicycles and public transport to get around the city. LIMIT PLASTIC USE Carrying a reusable water bottle saves money and is environmentally friendly. Hotels often have water fountains, while many…