Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Hong Kong International to add stores as part of Terminal 1 upgrade

    Hong Kong International to add stores as part of Terminal 1 upgrade

    Airport Authority Hong Kong has unveiled details of a major upgrade programme in Terminal 1. A number of “anchor” retail stores and F&B outlets will be added as part of the improvement work, which aims to offer a “vibrant new experience for passengers”. New duty free shops for liquor, cosmetics and accessories will be open for business “soon”, Airport Authority Hong Kong said, offering experiential concepts such as interactive zones and a whisky bar.

    The food hall in the East Hall area will be revamped with a new design (as illustrated immediately below).

    Over 40 new check-in counters with self-bag drop facilities and two new additional baggage reclaim carousels will be installed. The project also includes an extension building adjacent to the existing Car Park 4 to provide approximately 1,400 additional parking spaces, as well as premises for the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy and HKIA Preschool. The new building will also house other staff-related facilities including a community centre, a multi-purpose sports hall and fitness centre, and staff canteens for the airport community.

    The authority is also planning to build a weather-proof footbridge connecting Terminal 1 and the North Satellite Concourse. Known as ‘Sky Bridge’, it will reduce passengers’ travelling time and the need for using shuttle buses. The 200 metre long footbridge with travellators will feature an observation deck and catering outlets in the towers at both sides.

    New features in the expanded East Hall of Terminal 1 will include a roof garden and a children play area that spans two levels in the restricted area. There will also be a dedicated recreational zone featuring new technologies for travellers, the authority said. Themed areas may be introduced in the boarding gate areas at Terminal 1.

    “The enhancement projects for Terminal 1, together with the three-runway system in 2024, will increase the airport’s handling capacity, as well as bringing a fresh look and feel,” said Airport Authority Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer Fred Lam. “Passengers from around the world will enjoy an experience tantamount to travelling through a new airport.”

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  • Amazon continues to open new fulfilment centres

    Amazon continues to open new fulfilment centres

    Amazon.com announced plans to open its second Colorado fulfilment centre in Thornton, which will be the first Amazon Robotics facility in the Centennial State. Amazon will create more than 1,500 new full-time associate roles at this facility.

    “We are excited to continue growing in Colorado with the new Robotics fulfilment center in Thornton,” said Akash Chauhan, Amazon’s vice president of North American Operations. “This facility will utilise robotics, vision systems, and more than 20 years’ worth of software and mechanical innovations. We are grateful for the support we have received from state and local leaders who have helped make this project possible.”

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  • Tesla close to agreement on first production plant in China

    Tesla close to agreement on first production plant in China

    Tesla Inc is close to an agreement to produce its electric cars in China for the first time and gain better access to the world’s largest auto market, citing people familiar with the matter.

    An agreement with the city of Shanghai would allow Tesla to build its facilities in Lingang development zone and could come as soon as this week, the report said.

    The electric carmaker, whose revenue from China tripled to more than $1 billion last year, would need to set up a joint venture with at least one local partner under existing rules, Bloomberg reported.

    Tesla was not immediately available for comment.

    In March, Tencent Holdings Ltd, China’s biggest internet company, bought a 5 percent stake in Tesla for $1.8 billion

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  • JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay crowned Asia’s leading new resort

    JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay crowned Asia’s leading new resort

    The award is another big step for Sun Group on its path toward turning Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island into a luxury global travel destination. The 2017 World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia has named JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in southern Vietnam Asia’s Leading New Resort.

    The five-star JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay beat other famous newcomers, including Anantara Kalutara Resort and Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort and Spa in Sri Lanka, The St. Regis Langkawi in Malaysia, Alila Anji in China, and Hoshinoya Bali and Mövenpick Resort and Spa Jimbaran Bali in Indonesia, to bag the most votes from tourism experts from more than 140 countries.

    “We are delighted to be named Asia’s Leading New Resort by our colleagues in the hospitality industry,” said Ty Collins, the resort’s general manager. “The opening of JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay marks the birth of luxury hospitality in Phu Quoc and has established a benchmark of excellence and quality for future Marriott developments throughout Asia.”

    The construction of JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay started in 2015 and the resort opened its doors to the public late last year.

    Lying only 15 minutes from Phu Quoc International Airport, the French-style resort has 244 rooms, suites and stand-alone villas.

    It also has four restaurants serving French, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese food.

    Emerald Bay is the first five-star resort in Sun Group’s Phu Quoc holiday resort chain to officially open.

    The resort aims to awaken the tourism potential on Phu Quoc and turn the island into a luxury global travel destination. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay’s success as Asia’s Leading New Resort has taken the developer a step closer.

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  • Over two million Chinese tourists to visit Indonesia in 2017

    Over two million Chinese tourists to visit Indonesia in 2017

    The number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia is estimated to reach more than 2 million tourists in 2017, an official said. Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Jakarta Sun Weide said here on Tuesday that the tourism cooperation between Indonesia and China continues to grow.

    The Chinese Embassy has recorded around 560,000 Chinese tourists to have visited Indonesia during the first three months of this year.

    “The number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia is estimated to reach more than two million this year,” Sun Weide said in a press conference followed by an iftar at the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta.

    Last year, 1.45 million Chinese tourists had visited Indonesia. The number was the second largest after Singapores with 1,47 million tourists.

    It is estimated that the visiting Chinese tourists had contributed around two billion US dollars of foreign exchange to Indonesia last year, he said.

    Cooperation in the tourism sector between Indonesia and China has been robust, he said.

    On the same day, delegation from Guizhou Province of China held a conference to promote its tourism potential in Jakarta.

    Ren Xiang Sheng, Guizhou Provincial Secretary in southwestern China, said the increased cooperation in the fields of tourism and culture has become part of efforts to strengthen Chinas One Belt and One Road (Obor) initiative.

    In 2016, more than one million tourists had visited Guizhou, a region dotted with picturesque mountain in China. Out of one million visiting tourists, 128,000 were Indonesians.

    Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has estimated that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia will reach 2.4 million in 2017, surpassing Singaporeans who were estimated to top around 2.275 million in the same year.

    Achieving its 12 million tourist visit target in 2016, Indonesia has set a target to attract 15 million tourist in 2017.

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  • A sophisticated e-commerce model attracts 8 major supermarkets

    A sophisticated e-commerce model attracts 8 major supermarkets

    Honestbee, Asia’s leading online grocery and concierge service, where professional concierge shoppers handpick and deliver fresh groceries from top local stores,
    has announced partnerships with eight well-known major supermarket partners in Hong Kong on June 20th.

    Providing a turnkey solution for supermarkets to gain new customer bases and incremental revenue, Honestbee presents itself as an attractive solution to traditional supermarkets and boutique stores looking to grow their sales and customer base overnight.

    Honestbee, a Singaporean tech startup founded in 2015 operating in eight major cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, is now extending its service to include Japanese lifestyle brand YATA Supermarket, local chain supermarket Taste, as well as U select which sells close to 600 products from the UK’s leading supermarket, TESCO.

    Agreements with eight supermarkets including PARKnSHOP, Great Food Hall, Taste, Fusion, International (will launch in July), YATA Supermarket, U select and TESCO have allowed Honestbee to offer over 30,000 items to consumers in Hong Kong. The company continually innovates to improve the shopping varieties and delivery capabilities with the aim of delighting its customers, and building the largest and most convenient online grocery concierge service in Asia.

    Apart from the technological expertise and efficient network, the valuable information and solutions honestbee offers partners has played no small part in attracting new stores. “It’s a turnkey e-commerce solution”, said Hong Kong country manager of honestbee, Derek Winder. “This means, if someone wants to launch an e-commerce platform, they can use honestbee to build their e-commerce store as well as handle the payments, professional customer service team and logistics. Plus, our system captures valuable information like the most popular products, customer frequency, product ordering information and out of stock circumstances. This consumer data is incredibly useful and can easily help our partners realize which items they should stock more of!”

    With no upfront cost and a professional customer service team readily available to offer tailored solutions, honestbee’s e-commerce package presents an attractive offer to potential partners. Additionally, the company provides information not readily available to retailers in brick-and-mortar stores. This can include customer frequency, product ordering information, out of stock circumstances and the geographical location of orders. The ability to share which products are most popular during a certain time frame, for example, allows supermarkets to implement targeted marketing strategies.

    Along with comparatively high rental costs in Hong Kong, honestbee provides the ideal e-commerce platform – a critical component for all the partners looking to boost both online and offline sales.

    Since its launch, the company has successfully grown to become one of the most advanced players in the on-demand category, with 60% of customers making use of the service at least once a week and spending an average of HK$750 per visit. From the beginning, honestbee’s commitment has been to deliver a superior customer experience, become an invaluable partner for retailers, and give back to the community. Other than the major supermarkets mentioned above, honestbee partners with popular boutique stores in Hong Kong including Feather & Bone, The Butchers Club, Pet Line and Baby Central.

    Thanks to the recognizable regional expansion and quality service, honestbee has just won the Wild Digital #BOOM Startup of the Year award on 24th May 2017, which recognizes startups that have demonstrated outstanding growth.

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  • Google launches first SEA Cloud Platform region

    Google launches first SEA Cloud Platform region

    Google has launched its first Google Cloud Platform (GCP) region in Southeast Asia. Named “asia-southeast1”, the region, located in Singapore, has been established in a bid to improve latency for both GCP customers and end users in or near Singapore.

    The Singapore region is GCP’s third in Asia and primarily caters to customers in Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. GCP’s other two Asian regions are located in Taiwan and Tokyo. Google had initially intended to open a data center in Hong Kong but plans were abandoned in 2013 due to land availability issues.

    According to a blog post by Dave Stiver, a product manager at GCP, customers in Southeast Asia can expect to enjoy between 51% and 98% improvements in round-trip time (RTT) latency, compared to using other GCP regions such as Taiwan and Tokyo.

    Google already runs a data center in Singapore, and the addition of a second facility next to the first is expected to cater to an expanded customer base across all company sizes as GCP widens its footprint in the region.

    Current GCP customers in the region include Blackberry Messenger (BM), Carousell and Go-Jek.

    BM has selected IT services firm Pythian to assist in migrating its mission-critical infrastructure from Blackberry’s on-premise data centers in Canada to GCP in Asia. The move is aimed at catering to a significant increase in media consumption by its users worldwide, as the messaging platform seeks to move into the commerce and services space.

    “We are excited to be able to deploy into the GCP Singapore region, as it will allow us to offer our services closer to BBM Messenger key markets. Coupled with Google’s global load balancers and extensive global network, we expect to be able to provide a low latency, high-speed experience for our users globally,” said Matthew Talbot, CEO of Creative Media Works, the company that runs the BBM Messenger Consumer service globally.

    GCP also counts Carousell, Indonesia’s Go-Jek, Avaya, Adidas, Deloitte, HSBC and Netflix as customers.

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  • Auto supplier Magna to manufacture BMW 5-series plug-in hybrids

    Auto supplier Magna to manufacture BMW 5-series plug-in hybrids

    Canadian auto supplier Magna International Inc will produce BMW’s new 5-series plug-in hybrid at its Austrian factory, the company said on Monday, part of a strategy to produce electric cars on a contract basis for global automakers.

    The BMW 530 plug-in hybrid will be manufactured beginning this summer at Magna’s plant in Graz, Austria, where it already plans to produce Jaguar’s I-PACE SUV beginning in early 2018.

    Global automakers and their suppliers are investing heavily in fully-electric and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. Consumer demand is still low versus that for gasoline engine vehicles, but companies are beginning to offer more choices to respond to government mandates for greater sales of vehicles that emit little or no carbon dioxide, and prepare for a future experts believe will be dominated by electric vehicles.

    Rival tier-one auto supplier Continental, for example, said in April it was increasing spending by 300 million euros ($334.68 million) on new products such as charging systems and battery management components related to electric vehicles.

    Magna, North America’s largest automotive supplier and the third globally, is alone among the top auto suppliers to perform contract manufacturing for carmakers. Its Austrian plant can produce about 200,000 cars per year. Magna is currently building a new paint shop in Slovenia due to increased demand.

    A Magna spokeswoman would not comment on a statement by the Slovenian government in March that the auto supplier would potentially invest up to 1.24 billion euros in the country, including a car plant with capacity of 100,000 to 200,000 vehicles per year.

    Having contract manufacturing in its portfolio creates a niche for the company as automakers slowly bring more electrified vehicles to market over the next decade. For automakers, outsourcing the assembly can be an advantage on low-volume models to minimize capital expenditures and avoid tying up their own production lines.

    Swamy Kotagiri, Magna’s chief technology officer, said he sees contract manufacturing of electric vehicles as a “near-term opportunity” for the company, given that by 2025, 40 to 50 percent of all vehicles produced will include some electrification elements.

    “We are setting up knowing the penetration will be higher.”

    Magna has also produced non-electric cars at its Austrian facility, including BMW’s Mini Countryman and Mercedes-Benz’ (DAIGn.DE) luxury G-Wagen SUV.

    Last month, Magna raised its full-year sales forecast on higher demand.

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  • IKEA Korea chief ‘absolutely satisfied’ with performance

    IKEA Korea chief ‘absolutely satisfied’ with performance

    Global furniture giant IKEA’s retail manager for South Korea Andre Schmidtgall said the country’s home furnishing industry will continue to grow for the next couple of years.

    Its first store in South Korea which opened in December 2014 in Gwangmyeong, just southwest of Seoul, logged 345 billion won (US$303 million) in sales in the 2016 fiscal year.This is the largest turnover among all IKEA stores in the world during the period.

    The two-story building spans 57,100 square meters and displays some 9,200 products in 65 showrooms with a child care area and a cafeteria featuring Swedish and Korean dishes.

    During the 2016 fiscal year, the Gwangmyeong outlet had 6.4 million visitors. It said 1.1 million people have signed up for a membership so far.
    “”We believe that the (South Korean) home furnishing market will clearly grow above average retail the next five to seven years,”” the country retail manager said. “”One of our challenges at the moment is that we have only one store,”” he said. “”This store is too busy when it comes to the amount of visitors. We have more than 6 million, so we need more stores to give a better shopping experience.””

    IKEA plans to have six stores including one in Gwangmyeong — and an online store up and running by 2020 at which time it will have invested 1.2 trillion won in the country.

    The second store is set to open in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, later this year.
    The company currently has three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Giheung, 40 kilometers south of Seoul, the southern port city of Busan and the Gangdong Ward office in southeastern Seoul.
    IKEA Korea is also preparing to launch an e-commerce service though it is yet unclear when this would begin.

    Despite worries that IKEA’s entry would result in a decrease in sales of existing small and medium-sized enterprises in the market, the furniture giant said it has so far brought a positive impact to the surrounding community.

    Citing a credit card survey conducted by the Korea Distribution Association between December 2014 and August 2015, Schmidtgall said more than half of their customers bought things at a shop other than the furniture store within a 10-kilometer radius.

    All shops in the region have seen their credit card turnover increase between 7 and 27 percent during the cited period, he said.
    “”This is something we are really happy with,”” the retail manager said. “”We are not only trying to stimulate interest in the furniture market, but it is visible that we are nurturing the area around too.”

    In addition, IKEA Korea is attributed to create new jobs forecasting to hire some thousands of new employees in the next couple of years with its new stores.

    IKEA Korea currently has around 1,200 employees at its headquarters and store in Gwangmyeong, and plans to hire 550 more workers for its second store in Goyang.

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  • Tiffany & Co. opens Hong Kong airport pop-up

    Tiffany & Co. opens Hong Kong airport pop-up

    Tiffany & Co. has opened its Hong Kong international airport pop-up store earlier this month.

    Located at Shop 6E188A, Departures East Hall on Level 6 of Terminal 1, the temporary boutique is situated right next to the famous New York jeweller’s standalone airport store.

    Inside, the pop-up store is divided by floor-to-ceiling glass panels, to increase openness and light. From a bird’s eye view, the store is designed like a diamond and is mostly white, with graphic embellishments coloured in the house’s signature Tiffany blue.

    Moreover, the store hosts special Tiffany’s collections, which will be launched consecutively to maintain interest in the store. First up, is the Wedding Diamond Series, followed by the themes Stylish Accessories, Christmas Season and Valentine’s Day.

    The new Tiffany’s pop-up serves as a convenient second shopping avenue for departing travellers leaving Hong Kong, in particular, tourists returning to mainland China.

    Hong Kong’s visitor numbers increased 1.9% in April 2017 on the same month last year, according to data from Hong Kong Tourism Board. Mainland Chinese visitor numbers increased 1.8%, while non-mainland visitor numbers lifted 2.2%, said HKTB.

  • Nokia demonstrates XGS-PON for mobile fronthaul

    Nokia demonstrates XGS-PON for mobile fronthaul

    Nokia Bell Labs has announced the first successful demonstration of ultra-low latency 10G passive optical networks (PON) for mobile fronthaul.

    In the demonstration, Nokia Bell Labs showed how it is possible to use a commercial next-generation PON to transport ultra-low latency CPRI streams via a standard single fiber running between the Baseband Unit (BBU) and the Remote Radio Head (RRH).

    The proof-of-concept demonstration indicates how existing fiber networks can be used to cost-effectively transport mobile traffic, which could accelerate the transition to 5G.

    The trial used XGS-PON technology that runs on existing fiber access networks and allows operators to use GPON platforms to deliver high-capacity services.

    “This is an important milestone in the industry and in the advancement of 5G, showing for the first time how a PON network can effectively be used to support very high capacity, low latency applications,” Nokia Bell Labs head of access research Peter Vetter said.

    “It demonstrates the flexibility of PON to support traditional CPRI and evolving mobile specifications, such as fronthaul over simpler native Ethernets, and validates the readiness of PON for the 5G era.”

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  • Amazon India, Myntra get battle ready for fashion sales this weekend

    Amazon India, Myntra get battle ready for fashion sales this weekend

    With apparel manufacturers trying to liquidate old stock ahead of the new GST tax regime, e-commerce companies like Amazon India, Myntra and Jabong are expecting blockbuster sales this weekend. Flipkart firms Myntra & Jabong will go head on with Amazon India for superiority in the fashion category with their end-of-season sales this weekend.

    Amazon India has partnered with 1500 leading fashion brands for the sale event from June 23 to 25 with exclusive tie-ups with 25 brands like GAP, Under Armour, M&S, Michael Kors and many more.

    Amazon has also said that it will open 12 temporary physical stores in the country’s biggest tech parks in Bengaluru, NCR and Mumbai to popularise its fashion sale event coming up this weekend.

    “We have tied up with the biggest tech parks in the country to promote our fashion sale and give youngsters an opportunity to step out and experience fashion at physical outlets,” Arun Sirdeshmukh, head of Amazon’s fashion business, told the Times of India.

    Flipkart which is currently the undisputed leader in the fashion category with its two fashion subsidiaries Myntra & Jabong is expecting its fashion e-tailers to dominate the sales this weekend.

    Myntra said it expects to see a 25-fold jump in daily sales during its ‘End of Reason’ sale to be held between June 24-26. Over 1,800 brands will participate in the three-day sale, offering discounts of 50-80 per cent like that of Amazon India.

    “Our ‘End of Reason Sale (EORS) gets bigger and better with each passing season. The sixth edition will be the largest yet and will see Jabong also participate,” Ananth Narayanan, CEO of Myntra and Jabong, said in a statement.

    “We expect about 45 per cent growth over last year and 25X jump in revenues from what we do on an average day,” he said.

    With GST, the taxation structure and prices will change from July 1 so the sellers are offering high discounts which will benefit the end of season sales on e-commerce firms. GST Council has decided to tax man-made apparel up to Rs 1,000 at 5 per cent, while those costing above Rs 1,000, will attract 12 per cent.

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  • UPS rolls out new peak shipping surcharge

    UPS rolls out new peak shipping surcharge

    UPS announced a new peak charge applicable during selected weeks in November and December 2017 for US residential, large packages and packages over maximum limits. The new charge is designed to enable UPS to continue to provide best-in-class value to customers while offsetting some of the additional expenses incurred during significant volume surges.

    “We’re focused on helping our customers achieve success during some of their most important selling seasons,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS chief commercial officer. “To meet their requirements, UPS flexes its delivery network to process near double our already massive regular daily volume, and that creates exceptional demands.”

    To meet peak volume demand, among many other investments, UPS acquires on a temporary basis and often at shorter-term premium rates, additional air and truck cargo capacity, temporary facilities, and additional sorting and delivery personnel.

    Further, shipments which are larger, heavier, or have unconventional shapes or sizes create even greater operational complexity during high-demand periods.

    “Our goal is to help every customer obtain the delivery capacity they need, combined with predictable and timely service they count on from UPS, even when there is limited capacity in the UPS network,” Gershenhorn continued.

    The company’s new per-piece peak charge* for the US 48 contiguous states and intrastate Alaska and Hawaii** for applicable package types and periods is summarized in this chart***:

    Nov 19 to
    Nov 25    		 Nov 26 to
    Dec 2    		 Dec 3 to   Dec 9 Dec 10 to
    Dec 16    		 Dec 17 to
    Dec 23
    UPS Next Day Air Residential

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    $0.81
    UPS 2nd Day Air Residential

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    $0.97
    UPS 3 Day Select Residential

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    $0.97
    Ground Residential

    $0.27

    $0.27

    n/a

    n/a

    $0.27

    n/a = no additional charge during this period
    * Peak Surcharge to be published Sept 1, 2017 in a revised version of the UPS U.S. Rate & Service Guide
    ** For packages to and from Alaska and Hawaii, the surcharge is posted on ups.com/rates
    ***Chart does not show all potentially applicable peak surcharges. 

    “With the new peak charge, per-package costs for many shipments will only marginally increase during this very busy time of the year.” Gershenhorn continued.

    For example, a five-pound UPS Next Day Air package shipped from Atlanta, GA to a residential address in Philadelphia, PA will increase about one percent, compared to non-peak shipping times. A similar package shipped to a commercial address would experience no additional cost.

    From November 19 through December 23, UPS will also apply peak surcharges to Large Packages and packages that exceed maximum size limits. These charges are in addition to normal surcharges applicable to such packages. When shipping packages that exceed UPS’s published maximum size limits, customers are encouraged to consider using UPS Freight.

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  • AirAsia named world’s best low-cost airline for 9th consecutive time

    AirAsia named world’s best low-cost airline for 9th consecutive time

    AirAsia has been named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for the ninth time in a row at the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

    The awards, known as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, was presented to Asia’s largest low-cost carrier at a ceremony held at Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace, Le Bourget Airport in Paris on Tuesday.

    AirAsia Group cabin crew head Suhaila Hassan, who has been with the company for 20 years, accepted the award, flanked by AirAsia ambassador David Foster and Brazilian football player Roberto Carlos at the ceremony that saw 71 awards being given away.

    The airline was also named Asia’s Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia.

    “We are now nine times world champion. To put it into perspective, Brazil won the FIFA World Cup five times, Michael Jordan was NBA champion six times and Michael Phelps holds the record for most first place finishes at a single Olympics with eight gold medals,” said AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

    “We take the world champion title seriously and we will strive to continue to improve for both our guests and shareholders,” he added.

    He said over the last 15 years, the group has created a great brand and wants to move towards One AirAsia, a truly Asean community airline.

    “We also want to recreate ourselves as a digital airline and use technology to drive more value,” said Fernandes.

    Meanwhile, AirAsia X, AirAsia’s long-haul sister airline, bagged the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin and World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Seat awards for the fifth straight year.

    The Skytrax Awards are the global benchmark of airline excellence with over 19.9 million customer surveys completed worldwide by more than 105 nationalities, measuring standards across 49 key performance indicators of an airline’s frontline products and services.

    AirAsia and AirAsia X have won a combined 25 Skytrax World Airline Awards since the awards were introduced in 2001.

    AirAsia is Asia’s largest low-cost carrier by the number of passengers carried, with an extensive network covering more than 120 destinations in 26 countries across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and the United States.

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  • New KBank JCB Credit Card for Japan Enthusiasts and Travelers

    New KBank JCB Credit Card for Japan Enthusiasts and Travelers

    KBank and JCB International (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., have introduced the “KBank JCB Credit Card” to accommodate Japanese culture and lifestyles. A wide range of attractive privileges are offered, with first-year targets of 100,000 cards and spending of 2 billion Baht.

    Mr. Pipit Aneaknithi, KBank President, said the popularity of Japan has continued to flourish in Thailand. Being among the most-visited destinations of Thai travelers, Japan welcomed 900,000 tourists from Thailand in 2016, generating the sixth-highest tourism receipts of worldwide visitors. In addition to their charming shopping venues and unique cultural tourism sites, appealing marketing activities and promotional campaigns have been added as attractions for Thai customers. Last year, spending in Japan via K-Credit Card amounted to approximately 3.3 billion Baht, with accommodations, apparel and retail merchandise ranked as the top three spending categories. Japan is therefore an interesting market.

    On account of all this, KBank has partnered with JCBI to launch the KBank JCB Credit Card under the concept, “Superb Deals! for Japan Lovers”. There are Platinum, Gold and Classic cards, beautifully designed in a modern Japanese style. More fun is found with card envelopes in a Moire’ pattern that is animated when the card is pulled out of the envelope, unique among credit cards in Thailand. A target of 100,000 new cards has been set for the card’s initial year, with total card spending of 2 billion Baht.

    The KBank JCB Credit Card offers multiple exclusive privileges selected for Japan lovers to enjoy their experiences both in Thailand and Japan. Cardholders, especially career people, who prefer Japanese food or shopping for Japanese brands, will get many more discounts and special offers from airlines, hotels and leading stores, which can be divided into three categories as follows.

    – J-Highlighto: Scores of unique privileges are offered, such as 2x KBank Reward Points for any spending in Japan without minimum amount, zero-percent installment payment up to 10 months for purchase of air tickets and package tours to Japan with Majestic Travel, a discount of 0.15 Baht for every 100 Yen purchased with Thai Baht using the KBank JCB Credit Card at any KBank branch or Foreign Exchange Booth (excluding Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airport branches), as well as the use of airport lounge services worldwide.

    – J-Discounto: Japan enthusiasts in Thailand can enjoy numerous discounts when spending with the KBank JCB Credit Card in dining, shopping and travel categories. For instance, they may get up to a 20-percent discount on foods at participating Japanese restaurants or with leading Japanese brands, specially-priced packaged foods, mobile Wi-Fi rental at a special rate, and cheaper Cathay Pacific air tickets, or they may redeem their accumulated points for extra discounts at leading department stores.

    – J-Benefito: These include discounts, special reward points and other privileges at well-known shopping malls, retail and drug stores, such as Matsuya, Takeya, Big Camera, Marui, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug, Sapporo Drug Store, Tsuruha Drug Store, Kirindo, and Big Drug, as well as personal accident insurance coverage of up to 8 million Baht.

    Mr. Kimihisa Imada, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of JCB International Co., Ltd., said that Thailand is one of JCB’s top destinations for business expansion and service provision to JCB credit cardholders, because of the growing popularity of Japanese culture in Thailand. The present cooperation with KBank is an important step for JCB’s business strategy in Thailand, given that KBank is the market leader in the merchant business and credit card spending, as well as being JCB’s strong business partner. This cooperation will offer KBank JCB credit cardholders greater convenience in spending and traveling in both Thailand and Japan, as well.

    Currently, as JCB’s paying agent, JCB cards are issued in 23 countries and territories, with a combined total of 105 million cards. Cooperating with business partners is one of JCB’s strategies to bolster business growth. As a provider of payment solutions, JCB is committed to offering superior products and services to its customers globally. The company has formed partnerships with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions worldwide to expand its credit card and merchant bases.