Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Indonesia`s inflation predicted to be low in April

    Indonesia`s inflation predicted to be low in April

    Bank Indonesia predicted that the countrys inflation would not be too high this month with falling prices of foodstuffs amid harvest time .

    “The inflation in April is expected to be not too high as a result of the harvest time,” head of the Monetary Economic Policy Department of the central bank Dody Budi Waluyo said.

    The administered prices might increase as a result of the governments plan to raise the electricity tariff in June this year, but falling prices of foodstuffs would keep the inflation low, Dody said here on Thursday.

    Last month, the country had a deflation of 0.02 percent as said by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). BPS said the deflation was also attributable to falling prices of a number of foodstuffs like rice, red chili, garlic, eggs and fresh fishes.

    “The significant decline in the prices of a number of main foodstuffs resulted in the deflation in March,” BPS said.

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  • Executives betting on Industrial IoT

    Executives betting on Industrial IoT

    Many companies are unprepared for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), but most executives at those companies realize that the future of their business depends on it, new research suggests.

    The study from the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network also suggests that large-scale integrators and other channel partners will be among the biggest IIoT beneficiaries over the next several years.

    The study was based on a global survey of some 350 global executives and interviews with innovation leaders at large global enterprises, including companies such as Airbus, Balfour Beatty, Embraer, Philips Lighting, Whirlpool, LafargeHolcim, TVH, Hitachi and others.

    “Executives are telling us that IIoT technologies are about to play a significant role in business and industrial performance, delivering significant improvements in operational efficiency and uptime, as well as growth from new business models, products, services and customer experiences,”  BPI Networks head of thought leadership Dave Murray said.

    “Nevertheless, less than 2% of large companies say they have a clear vision for how to move forward or have large-scale implementations underway. That dichotomy suggests we are experiencing the lull before the storm of IIoT transformation. This is an opportunity for real competitive differentiation and advancement.”

    The IIoT survey shows that 52% of executives at large enterprises—and 41% of executives at all companies—expect IIoT to have a significant or major impact on their industry within three years.

    In addition, 55% of all executives say IIoT is gaining adoption within their industries, including both pilots and larger-scale adoption.

    However, just 1.5% of executives at large companies say they have a clear vision with implementation well underway, while another 57% are either beginning implementation, have pilots underway or are committed and in the planning stages.

    New products and services lead as the area most companies say they will focus their IoT investments (35%), followed by customer touchpoints (29%), and manufacturing (23%).

    More cost-efficient operations (47%), product and service differentiation (36%), and improved customer engagement and satisfaction (34%) are seen as the top benefits of IIoT.

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  • Google offers support to tourism SMEs

    Google offers support to tourism SMEs

    Smartphone adoption in Vietnam is now at 72 percent and the same as in the US, but a far higher proportion of Vietnamese travelers use smartphones to research hotels and travel than people in the US do, according to Google’s 2016 Consumer Barometer report.

    The proportion of people using smartphones for researching hotels in Vietnam stands at 48 per cent, much higher than the US’s 18 per cent, while 42 per cent research overland travel compared to 25 per cent, and 37 per cent research flights against 18 per cent in the US.

    “The key to current and future success for travel businesses lies in getting mobile right,” Ms. Ha Lam Tu Quynh, Head of PR & Communications at Google Asia Pacific, told a recent conference on “Solutions for the Development of Vietnamese Tourism Businesses” in Ho Chi Minh City.

    Vietnam welcomed 10 million tourists last year, a 26 per cent increase from 2015, and the industry contributed 6.6 per cent of GDP, with the target for 2017 being 10 per cent of GDP.

    The conference heard tips and tools to help over 30 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam’s travel industry win on mobile.

    “Mobile has transformed the way we live our lives,” Google noted in the report. “It’s speed and convenience has changed everything from shopping to entertainment. Mobile has also changed the way we travel. Tourism in the past used to mean paper maps and hefty guide books, but now you can carry all the information you need in your smartphone, not to mention all the stages of booking flights and hotels before you step on the plane.”

    In the mobile world, time is money so slow sites or apps lead visitors to head elsewhere. A study by DoubleClick revealed the stark finding that 53 per cent of consumers will abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

    Businesses can also receive good support from Google via consultancy sessions with accredited Google Developer experts or discounts from Google’s special deals with market-leading website designers.

    Mr. Trinh Quang Chung, Head of Google Industry, said “every Vietnamese business is an online business now, because that’s where consumers are spending an increasing amount of their time.

    For any travel business looking to attract consumers in mobile-first Asia, not being present on mobile, or offering a slow and inconvenient experience means giving competitors who are set up well an immediate advantage.

    Mobile helps Vietnamese small businesses find customers across oceans without needing to hop on a plane themselves – which is why we’re offering a range of tools and programs to help Vietnamese businesses make the most of mobile.”

  • DHL to Invest $268 Million in India as National Tax Spurs Demand

    DHL to Invest $268 Million in India as National Tax Spurs Demand

    Deutsche Post DHL Group will invest 250 million euros ($268 million) in India by 2020 to expand its logistics business and tap demand as the South Asian nation introduces a national sales tax that is set to boost movement of freight.

    The goods and services tax will help create bigger distribution centers, Deutsche Post AG Chief Executive Officer Frank Appel said in an interview in Mumbai on Friday. Until now, Indian companies were setting up warehouses in all states to avoid tax burden while the new tax reform may realign the needs of local companies toward larger and fewer mother warehouses, he said.

    The goods and services tax will replace an archaic web of levies and improve ease of doing business in a country with more than 1 billion consumers. Proposed over a decade ago and then refined several times to win bipartisan support under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the tax is scheduled to be rolled out on July 1.

    “We want to consolidate our distribution centers,” Appel said. “We follow our customers. We adapt to their needs.”

    The 250 million euros will be in addition to the 70 million euros invested in India in the last 18 months, he said. The investment would include all units of DHL Group in India and would cover airport cargo facilities in Mumbai and Delhi of unit Blue Dart Express Ltd.

    The new tax will create an opportunity to optimize the logistics network based on cost and service quality instead of arbitrage tax systems, Appel said. More manufacturers will emerge in India as they don’t have to worry about tax provisions.

    “Goods and Services Tax is a very robust step in realizing ‘Make In India,’” Appel said, citing Prime Minister Modi’s flagship program designed to lure investment in the nation’s manufacturing sector.

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  • Online shoppers use mobile phones more than computers

    Online shoppers use mobile phones more than computers

    Nearly 54 percent of online shoppers visited trading websites on mobile phones, higher than those accessing by desktop.

    The data was created from a survey of more than 27,000 client websites of Bizweb, an online commercial solutions platform.

    The results showed that 53.8 per cent of online shoppers visited trading websites on mobile phones, higher than those accessing by desktop (41.3 per cent), with the rest using tablets.

    For mobile phones, iPhone was the most popular device, accounting for more than 30 per cent.

    Mobile phones have become popular tools for shopping, meaning businesses and shop owners risk losing more than half of potential customers if the do not ultilise this channel, heard the meeting.

    In order to avert the situation, businesses need strategies to maximise sale opportunities on mobile channels, said Tran Trong Tuyen, CEO of DKT Technology JSC.

    Pham Thong, marketing director of Lazada Viet Nam, said that revenue from orders on mobile phones accounted for 70 per cent of Lazada’s orders.

    Thong said that there has been a shift of consumer habits. “The majority of young people are accessing the Internet by mobile phones”.

    Therefore, the development of e-commerce on mobile phones was indispensable, opening up opportunities for enterprises, said Thong.

    However, the Lazada representative also pointed out challenges that businesses might encounter such as services, tools and even the knowledge of the salesman about trading on mobiles.

    “Therefore, to succeed when selling on phones, businesses need to invest and have appropriate strategies for development,” he advised.

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  • China retail sales rise with a 10.9 per cent in March

    China retail sales rise with a 10.9 per cent in March

    China’s retail sales rose 10.9 per cent in March – the best month of the year to date.

    However the quarterly rise was just shy of 10 per cent – the first time the official figure has dropped below 10 per cent in 11 years according to the National Bureau of Statistics. IN January and February, China retail sales rose 9.5 per cent each month.

    Retail sales of consumer goods totalled 8.5823 trillion yuan (US$1.25 trillion) from January to March.

    There was strong consumption potential in rural areas, the data shows, with retail sales climbing 11.9 per cent during the quarter, outpacing urban areas where sales rose 9.7 per cent year-on-year.

    Online sales continued their run of strong growth, surging 32.1 per cent in the first two months to 1.405 trillion yuan.

    As a main driver of economic growth, consumption contributed to 64.6 per cent of China’s GDP growth last year. The nation is aiming for a steady increase in consumer spending this year.

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  • Gloria Jean’s Coffee leaves Vietnam

    Gloria Jean’s Coffee leaves Vietnam

    Australia’s Gloria Jean’s Coffee Vietnam has closed its last coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City, in the Phu My Hung urban area of District 7, after ten years in Vietnam. It arrived in Vietnam in 2007 under a franchise license secured by the VietLifestyle JSC.

    The ten-year deal saw the master franchisee launch coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, each involving investment of $200,000.

    VietLifestyle had aimed to open a further 20 locations over the next two years, offering espresso-based, chocolate-based, and cocoa-based drinks to young people, expats, and foreign tourists familiar with the brand.

    The master franchisee was to achieve this in part through sub-franchising the concept and providing operational, marketing, management, and business development support.

    A slowdown hit a few years ago, however, when its prime corner location on Dong Khoi Street in Ho Chi Minh City closed, partly because of high rents.

    Other locations then began to disappear. By the end of last year, only two stores remained: one on Cong Truong Quoc Te in District 1 and the Phu My Hung outlet in District 7.

    Gloria Jean’s was founded in Australia in 1996 with the ambition of being the most loved and respected coffee company worldwide.

    The chain currently has more than 900 outlets in 39 markets worldwide, including more than 400 in Australia.

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  • Japanese automakers strengthen grip on SE Asia

    Japanese automakers strengthen grip on SE Asia

    The Japanese auto industry maintained its strong grip on the vehicle markets of southeast Asia last year, according to exclusive data provided to just-auto.

    The Japanese carmakers’ combined sales in the region’s five main markets rose by an estimated 3.3% to 2.62 million units in 2016, for a market share of 84%, according to data supplied by AsiaMotorbusiness.com.

    The highest Japanese dominance is in Indonesia, the region’s largest market, where their combined share of sales rose to a staggering 98.5% by last year. In Thailand, the Japanese accounted for 88% of sales, while in Malaysia it was 78%, including sales of Perodua – a domestic brand which depends entirely on Daihatsu for its products.

    Competitors from elsewhere have tried and failed to gain a significant foothold in this region and in key markets the Japanese have only strengthened their grip in recent years.

    European manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and to a much smaller extent Jaguar Land Rover, dominate the premium segments and this is set to continue. But this success does not extend to other segments of the market.

    Ford withdrew from Indonesia at the end of last year, choosing instead to focus on markets where it has a better chance of competing. It has had better luck in some of the smaller emerging markets such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

    GM’s efforts to break into the high-volume compact MPV segment in the region were short-lived. It closed its “Spin”MPV plant in Indonesia last year and is downsizing its product range in the region to include just pickup trucks and SUVs.

    Toyota dominates the ASEAN region, with sales in the five main markets estimated at 910,263 units in 2016 – for a market share of 29%. If combined with Daihatsu, upon which it relies heavily, and with its Hino subsidiary, Toyota group’s sales in the region rose to 1.355m units last year (including Perodua) – to account for more than 43% of sales.

    Toyota has been extremely successful in maximising synergies with Daihatsu in Indonesia, which is by far its largest market in the region and where it is responsible for 56% of total sales.

    Toyota has by far the largest range of vehicles in this market and has been at the forefront of the development of new market segments across the region, including low-cost green cars and small and medium MPVs and SUVs. It enjoys the best economies of scale and strongest pricing power.

    Honda has emerged as the second-best selling brand in the region in recent years, despite the company’s lack of a presence in the commercial vehicle segment. Its share of regional sales has risen from just over 8% in 2012 to almost 14% in 2016.

    Honda’s recent growth has been underpinned by its strong and successful product range expansion, particularly in the compact MPV and SUV segments. New models such as the Mobilio, H-RV and B-RV have proved to be extremely popular in markets such as Indonesia, where its sales and market share have almost tripled in since 2012.

    Not all Japanese automakers have enjoyed growing sales in the region. Nissan and Suzuki in particular have struggled to keep pace with their more successful rivals, while Mitsubishi/Fuso has also been impacted by weak commercial vehicle demand in key markets.

    In ASEAN’s smaller markets the Japanese dominance is not so overwhelming. Japanese brands accounted for 69% of total vehicles sales in the Philippines last year, while in Vietnam their combined share was below 50%.

    South Korean brands such as Hyundai and Kia have been more successful in penetrating these markets, as have Ford and GM. Chinese brands have also targeted in the commercial vehicle segments here with a degree of success.

    But one wonders whether it’s just a matter before the Japanese tighten their grip on these markets too.

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  • Cebu Pacific passenger volume drops in February

    Cebu Pacific passenger volume drops in February

    The Gokongwei-led carrier ferried a total of 1.45 million passengers in the second month of 2017, 6.3% less than the 1.55 million recorded during the same month last year, according to the latest operating statistics uploaded on its Web site.

    The latest tally was also down 16% from the 1.72 million passengers it ferried in January, which was up from the 1.64 million noted in January 2016.

    The data showed airline capacity dipped 1.5% to 1.74 million from 1.76 million during the comparable period, while the number of flights also decreased 2.8% to 10,237 from 10,535 previously.

    Seat load factor in February also went down to 83.6% compared to the 88% recorded in February 2016, even as the number of aircraft increased to 59 from 57.

    For the January to February period, Cebu Pacific and Cebgo already carried 3.17 million people, slightly lower than the 3.19 million seen during the comparable period last year. Capacity was up 2.7% to 3.76 million from 3.66 million, while flights during the first two months were 84.4% full on the average.

    Based on its latest operating statistics, the number of flights went up to 21,975 from 21,873.

    The Gokongwei airline is targeting to ferry 20 million passengers this year, as the company expects the delivery of 48 additional planes up to 2021.

    In 2016, it carried 19.1 million passengers, up 4% from the 18.4 million passengers flown in 2015. On average, Cebu Pacific flights were 86% full during the year.

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  • Myanmar mobile payment firm ONGO gets new investor

    Myanmar mobile payment firm ONGO gets new investor

    National Bank of Canada (NBC) has acquired a 22% stake in Myanmar-based mobile payments firm ONGO for an undisclosed sum.

    ONGO is the consumer facing brand of Ronoc Asia, a subsidiary of the emerging markets investment business Ronoc. It offers retailer payments solutions, payroll programs and direct to consumer services leveraging payments technology.

    ONGO currently employs over three hundred people in Yangon and is expected to grow to five hundred by year end.

    “The addition of National Bank of Canada is an important milestone for our business. We have aggressive growth plans for Myanmar and have set ourselves a goal of providing over one million consumers with access to finance over the next three years,” said Michael Madden, the Founder and Chairman of Ronoc Asia/ONGO.

    “The addition of NBC as a strategic investor will strengthen our capabilities and accelerate our timelines in Myanmar as well as our expansion to other markets in the region.”

    “National Bank of Canada is proud to become a partner of Ronoc Asia/ONGO. This investment in fintech complements the activities we already have in the ASEAN zone through our subsidiary ABA Bank, in Cambodia,” stated Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Canada. “We look forward to contributing to ONGO’s success.”

  • Lazada loyalty program link to other ecommerces

    Lazada loyalty program link to other ecommerces

    A Lazada loyalty program for Singapore shoppers looks set to be expanded to other Asian markets.

    Alibaba-owned Lazada has teamed up with Netflix and Uber Technologies – the first time the companies have jointly created an online rewards program, according to Lazada CEO Maximilian Bittner.

    The program is aimed at consumers who primarily go online for shopping, entertainment, transportation and food delivery.

    Alibaba acquired a controlling stake in Singapore-based Lazada for US$1 billion last year. The “LiveUp” program links their online services, from Netflix and UberEats to grocer RedMart and Taobao marketplace.

    Consumers pay S$28 (US$20) a year for such benefits as six months of Netflix streaming, discounts on Uber rides and free delivery on Lazada or Taobao purchases. A mobile app will be rolled out in the second half of the year.

    “Singapore is the market on the cutting edge of validating what we think consumers might want, so we will focus on Singapore first,” says Bittner, who expects to add more partners.

    E-commerce in Singapore, which accounted for 0.9 per cent of total retail there in 2003, has grown from 2.4 per cent in 2013 to 4.8 per cent last year, according to Euromonitor data.

    Bittner and RedMart co-founder Vikram Rupani hatched the loyalty program over breakfast on Christmas Eve before approaching Netflix and Uber. “Their decision to do it was very fast because they have the same goal,” says Bittner.

    Uber, which entered Singapore four years ago, will offer members benefits including free rides and promotions. “This is just the beginning,” says Uber Singapore GM Warren Tseng.

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  • China set for online grocery boom

    China set for online grocery boom

    Online grocery in China could more than double in growth between now and 2020, according to figures released today by international grocery research organisation IGD, with its current 3.1 per cent share of the country’s total grocery market forecast to leap to 6.6 per cent over the next three years.

    Driven by the growth of the internet, greater smartphone usage, more focused investment from retailers and shifting demographics, IGD forecasts online grocery in China to grow by almost 32 per cent year-on-year by 2020.

    “China already has the world’s largest online grocery market in terms of value and this certainly shows no signs of slowing down,” said Shirley Zhu, Asia programme director at IGD. “Last year, 3.1 per cent of all China’s grocery sales were conducted online, a figure we believe will increase to 6.6 per cent by 2020 – a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.8 per cent.

    “Set against our forecast CAGR of 5.9 per cent for China’s total grocery market over the same timeframe, the size of the opportunity for retailers looking to trade online is clear,” Zhu noted.

    This growth is being driven by a combination of factors, according to Zhu: “Internet and smartphone usage is growing across China, while the country’s demographics are changing too – there is a rising population of young, middle-class shoppers leading busier lives. In turn, this is creating an aspirational class of shoppers who want access to grocery products at the click of a button, and who are also increasingly looking to source international goods. Clearly, retailers have been responding to these trends, with lots of players looking to grab a slice of the action.”

    A combination of online ‘marketplaces’ and bricks and mortar retailers make up China’s leading online grocery players, according to IGD.

    “Alibaba’s Tmall and JD.com are the two of the largest online retailers in China and they also have a strong position in online grocery,” Zhu explained. “These platforms are a one-stop shop for all domestic and international brands and categories, as well as offering a nationwide logistics network, rapid delivery, innovative and simple payment solutions, and new technologies such as drones and virtual reality.

    “These platforms are also increasingly delivering cross-border opportunities, both selling international products in China, but also selling globally, enabling lots of international retailers to enter the Chinese market through them. We’re also seeing marketplaces like Alibaba and JD investing in bricks and mortar stores.

    “Other key online grocery retailers in China include Walmart via JD.com and Sun Art Retail, which sells via multiple platforms,” she outlined. “There are also lots of other retailers investing in online – for example, Bee Quick, which focuses on fresh products, can deliver to its shoppers within an hour in the 14 cities in which it operates, while Carrefour launched in April 2016 and is extending its service to more cities.”

    As the majority of people in China access the internet via their smartphone, getting mobile commerce right is critical for grocery retailers looking to sell online in China, according to Zhu.

    “Thinking mobile first is vital. Many retailers are rolling out apps offering exclusive discounts and special features, while other apps allow for easy e-payment solutions that allow people to shop online,” she said. “Brands and retailers are also advertising and have shops set up on WeChat, China’s biggest social media network.

    “Indeed, as China’s online grocery channel continues to grow, we expect to see more partnerships created between retailers and manufacturers,” Zhu added. “We also expect to see online grocers personalising their offers, using data to understand how and when people shop online, to deliver a better service and even personalised products. We also expect innovations such as voice-activated technology, virtual reality and smart devices to play a greater role as the market develops.”

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  • Honestbee sweetens Thai operations budget

    Honestbee sweetens Thai operations budget

    Honestbee, a Singapore-based online grocery and concierge service provider, is boosting its presence in Thailand to capitalise on lucrative online shopping opportunities.

    “We are spending millions of US dollars in Thailand this year on increasing our local staff, upgrading our IT infrastructure, and adding marketing activities,” said Bounthay Khammanyvong, country manager of HonestBee Thailand.

    He said Thailand is the seventh market in Asia-Pacific for Honestbee since it began operations in 2015, following Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The company is expanding into the Philippines soon, said Mr Bounthay.

    Just three months after it started operations in Bangkok this January, transactions at its Thai website ranked third among the seven countries where it has a presence.

    Honestbee provides online grocery concierge and delivery service through partnerships with leading supermarkets who have no online retail channel.

    Customers choose their products online and place their orders either via its local website — www.honestbee.co.th — or its mobile application through Google Play or the Apple Store. The company’s concierge shoppers then hand-pick their groceries for them.

    Honestbee earns a commission from its merchant partners. The company charges customers a flat rate of 30 baht with no minimum purchase requirements.

    The company has over 10,000 users in Thailand.

    Mr Bounthay said Honestbee’s service does not compete with offline retail stores, instead complementing their offerings to accommodate the shift towards online shopping.

    He said the company is focusing on improving the speed of its delivery service to reach customers’ homes in an hour.

    Its target customers are millennials, housewives, and multi-generational family households with high purchasing power.

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  • 7th Lego Store opens in Davao City

    7th Lego Store opens in Davao City

    The seventh Lego-certified store in the Philippines opened on April 22, 2017 at the Abreeza Ayala Mall offering more and exclusive merchandise of the famous toy brand to Dabawenyos. The Lego Store in Davao City is the second store in Mindanao, the first being in Cagayan de Oro City, which opened last April 1. “We know that Lego is a very popular brand and we want to bring it closer to all our fans, collectors, families, and kids.

    We want to also give them the full Lego experience,” said Sharlene Ortiga, LAJ Marketing Retail Manager, at the sidelines of the store’s opening. LAJ Marketing Philippines is the exclusive distributor for Lego merchandise in the Philippines. Ortiga said Lego Store Abreeza features exclusive items that are not available in other stores. “This store is fully designed and authorized by Lego for us to operate with their complete package and guidelines,” Ortiga said.

    The store features the Pick-a-Brick Wall, a custom-built fixture filled with Lego bricks and elements where shoppers can hand-pick and select pieces they need. It also offers exclusive Lego sets available like the Doctor Who and Big Bang Theory sets. At present there are seven Lego-certified stores in country, Park Triangle in Taguig, which is also the first Lego-certified store in the Philippines; Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa; Trinoma and UP Town Center in Quezon City; The 30th in Pasig City; Abreeza Ayala Mall in Davao City; and Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City.

    At present, Ortiga said they are just looking into having two stores in Mindanao. However, she said they are eyeing to have another provincial store by the end of this year but she did not disclose yet where this store will be. She also said they are still studying the possibility of putting up a Lego-certified store in the Visayas. “For the Visayas we already have other channels where we are distributing Lego but here in Mindanao there are only a few so we decided to open a complete Lego Store here to serve the needs of our Lego customers,” Ortiga said.

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  • Bold bid for expansion by Food Capitals

    Bold bid for expansion by Food Capitals

    Food Capitals, Thailand’s franchisee for Domino’s Pizza and South Korean fried-chicken restaurant chain Kyochon, has acquired two companies for THB400 million (US$11.6 million) in a bid to expand both domestically and overseas.

    It has spent THB289 million to acquire Osha Group’s food business in the US, with the remaining THB121 million for its takeover of Bangkok-based G Enterprise.

    California-based Osha has five restaurant brands – After Osha, Lao Table, Osha Express, Osha Thai and Osha Thai 3rd Street – while G Enterprise’s four restaurant brands are Chingcha Chalee, Moom Muum Park, Pirate Chambre and Umami Falabella.

    Food Capitals CEO Tanakorn Angpubate expects the acquisitions to boost the group’s revenue by more than 50 per cent from THB714 million last year – following five years of red ink.

    The company has also set aside THB200 million to open two restaurants in Thailand and another two in the US.

    Food Capitals’ brands include Domino’s Pizza in Thailand and Cambodia, Kyochon in Thailand, and Red Planet Hotels across Asia.

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