In the news this week: BCD’s new business centre in Mumbai, Accor’s first hotel in Myanmar, Mongolia’s official partner for ITB Berlin 2015, Fairmont’s love stories
BCD’s new Mumbai business centre to help drive growth
Greg O’Neil: New centre supports expansion in APAC.
Global corporate travel management company, BCD Travel, is set to drive its growth in Mumbai, India, with the recent opening of its newest business travel centre in India at Times Square in Andheri.
Strategically located in one of Mumbai’s most exclusive commercial zones, the 18,000sqft. centre houses almost 200 BCD Travel employees, and reflects the company’s commitment to growth, talent management and corporate social responsibility.
BCD Travel’s president for Asia Pacific, Greg O’Neil, said, “We’ve targeted this highly competitive centre to support our multinational expansion in the Asia Pacific region. We’ve built our reputation on flexible, innovative service. The next few years will be full of opportunities to build on that success by serving customers in exciting new ways. Our new centre’s capacity to drive efficiencies, consolidation and scalability for us and our clients will be fundamental to these initiatives.”
BCD has operated in India for over 14 years, and mploys more than 700 people in the country. It has additional business travel centres in Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Trivandrum.
The company said its client retention rate in India of over 97% reflected its commitment to the highest calibre of service.
The Times Square development has been praised for combining business-friendly facilities with the highest environmental standards. Its extensive green areas, fitness centre, lounges, retail shopping outlets and multi-cuisine food court are housed in a gold-level LEED-certified building. LEED-certified buildings save money and resources and have a positive impact on their occupants’ health, while promoting renewable, clean energy.
Accor opens new frontier with first hotel in Myanmar
Lake Garden, Nay Pyi Taw, Accor’s first hotel in Myanmar.
Accor stamped its mark in Myanmar with the opening of The Lake Garden, Nay Pyi Taw, the first Accor hotel in Myanmar and the newest member of the MGallery Collection.
The 165-room upscale hotel is considered one of the finest in Nay Pyi Taw, combining lavish facilities and amenities with Myanmar’s exquisite touches of cultural heritage. It is just a five-minute drive away from Myanmar International Convention Centre (MICC), and 20 minutes from Nay Pyi Taw International Airport.
Patrick Basset, chief operating officer of Accor Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines, said the hotel marked Accor’s return into Myanmar,
“This opening comes at a time when the capital is seeing an influx of visitors with a strong demand for an upscale accommodation with international standard facilities and superb services. The Lake Garden is the perfect accommodation for discerning travellers looking for a memorable hotel experience in this capital city.”
MGallery is a collection of unique, upscale hotels selected through their individual personality and characteristics. They are categorised according to three themes – Signature, Heritage and Serenity. Due to its majestic architecture amidst sumptuous tropical surroundings by a gorgeous lake, The Lake Garden is categorised under the “Serenity” category.
Mongolia is official partner for ITB Berlin 2015
Improved transportation makes travelling in Mongolia easier.
Recent improvement in transportation connections and infrastructure in Mongolia have make travelling in and around the country easier, and it is ready to show these off at ITB Berlin 2015 (4-8 March) as the show’s official partner.
Visitors to the trade show will be able find out more about options for travelling in and around the country of the legendary Genghis Khan.
There are now more than 180 international airline routes, which are operated by Mongolian airlines MIAT and Hunnu Air, as well as international carriers that include Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Korean Air and Air China.
Between 2003 and 2013 the number of air passenger to the country doubled, reaching 800,000. Currently, direct flights to Ulaanbaatar are available from Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, Moscow, Istanbul, Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Seoul, Bishkek, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangkok.
A. Gansukh, Mongolia’s Minister of Roads and Transport, said, “The far-reaching reforms and developments in the road network and transport sector are the foundations on which we will build the future of our country.”
To meet rising demand a new airport is under construction in Khushigt, in the valley of Tuv Province, 52 kilometres from Ulaanbaatar. Two million passengers are expected to arrive at the airport in 2016 t. A number of international airlines, including Korean Airlines, Aeroflot, Lufthansa, Air China and Turkish Airlines have expressed interest in the new airport as a hub for their Central Asian flights.
Relive romance at #Fairmontlovestories
A love note
A love story is unfolding on Facebook, and is delivered to you by Fairmont hotels.
“Like” the Facebook pages of Fairmont Singapore and Fairmont Makati throughout October to follow Martin, a poet, as he searches for a mysterious lady who captivated his heart in Shanghai. Look out for his posts, which will appear twice a week for the next one month, where each chapter is a handwritten postcard that tells his tale.
In the hope of finding his elusive lady Martin traverses the cities across Asia, taking followers from China to Singapore and the Philippines. He roams the Summer Palace in Beijing, discovers the Gothic style of the San Agustin Church in Makati City, and wanders through the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
At the end of his journey fans can share their own love story via the hotels’ Facebook pages, or on Fairmont’s dedicated community site, Everyone’s An Original.com.
An album will also be created on the Fairmont Singapore and Fairmont Makati Facebook pages featuring all 10 posts, allowing followers to relive the romance.
And finally, the million-dollar question: does Martin eventually find the lady of his dreams? Stay tuned to find out.
