Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition September-October 2021

We’ve made the decision to be optimistic. Faced with continued lockdowns, slow vaccine rollout, continuing border closures and new Covid strains, we are choosing to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. In practical terms, that means planning a return to travel. By the time you read this, we will be attending our second international conference in 18 months. Whether this is possible for you will depend on where you are living, and which passports you hold, but we will continue to highlight those governments that are trying to restart travel. In this issue, David Luekens looks at the well-publicised Phuket Sandbox (page 24), an experiment for vaccinated travellers that allows those who test negative for Covid-19 before and after arrival to skip quarantine and freely roam Thailand’s largest island. Indeed,…

ROB GOSS Rob is a Tokyo-based writer specialising in books, travel writing and creative writing. His articles have been published in the likes of the BBC, National Geographic and Roads & Kingdoms. In this issue, he checked into the recently opened Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo. Read his review on page 61. KATE FARR Kate Farr and her writing partner Rachel Read co-founded boutique writing and editing agency Editors' Ink, and regularly report on lifestyle and travel trends in Hong Kong and beyond. On page 54, they sketch out the perfect four hours to spend in Hong Kong. TAMSIN COCKS Tamsin has been writing about travel for over a decade, and is a former editor of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific. Stuck in Hong Kong since the pandemic struck, she has taken to exploring the city’s staycation options.…

HYATT REGENCY OPENS IN GUANGZHOU A NEW HYATT REGENCY has opened in east Guangzhou’s Zengcheng National Economic and Technological Development Zone. The property features 408 rooms with 65-inch LED TVs and a design inspired by traditional Lingnan culture. Facilities include a 20th floor Regency Club lounge, Chinese restaurant Xiang Yue with eight private dining rooms, all day dining Market Cafe, a heated indoor pool, fitness centre and nearly 3,000 sqm of events space including the 850 sqm Regency Ballroom. The property also features 96 serviced apartments with kitchenettes and washer dryers. hyatt.com BRITISH AIRWAYS LAUNCHES ‘BEST OF BRITISH MENUS’ BRITISH AIRWAYS is to offer a series of new ‘Best of British Menus’ across all cabins in the coming months. The initiative will begin with a British roast dinner in September for Club World and First customers,…

85% believe aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected 65% agree the air is as clean as an operating room 86% who travelled since June 2020 felt safe onboard owing to Covid measures 89% believe the measures are well implemented 90% believe airline personnel do a good job enforcing Covid measures 70% thought the rules and paperwork were a challenge to understand 67% saw arranging testing as a hassle 89% agreed governments must standardise vaccinations and testing certifications Source: IATA/Rockland Dutton, May 2021…

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED CREATIVITY? Artists have adapted their practices. Restricted access to studios has led some to embrace new mediums or work on a more intimate scale, and some artists have created work that draws on their experience of the past 18 months. HOW ARE FRAGILE WORKS TRANSPORTED? There are highly skilled shipping companies who specialise in this. As founding members of the Gallery Climate Coalition, Frieze encourages our galleries to opt for sustainable shipping methods, such as via sea-freight as opposed to air. FAVOURITE MUSEUM? Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, which sits on a bluff overlooking the sea. The founder invited artists to create site-specific works for the property. MOST PRIZED POSSESSION? A painting by French artist David Aiu Servan-Schreiber from his Planet Series. The painting is a gold moon on a…

Air India has launched new flights connecting Mumbai, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala to Malé, Maldives. Air India Express, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, has announced new flights between India and Kuala Lumpur. British Airways has increased flight operations between India and the UK. China Eastern has received the first A350 aircraft to be delivered from Airbus’ widebody completion and delivery centre in Tianjin, China. Cathay Pacific has introduced Premium Economy to its Dubai route with the roll out of the Airbus A350-900. Emirates has signed a unilateral codeshare agreement with South African carrier Airlink and has resumed flights to South Africa. Qantas has launched a 12-month status extension offer for elite FFP members. Virgin Atlantic has increased its capacity to Hong Kong by 80 per cent, with four additional weekly flights on an A350.…