Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Jetstar Pacific to source A320 components from AFI KLM E&M

    Jetstar Pacific to source A320 components from AFI KLM E&M

    Low-cost airline Jetstar Pacific has struck a long-term deal with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) under which the latter will provide component support for Jetstar Pacific’s Airbus A320 aircraft.

    Under the contract, AFI KLM E&M will also provide Jetstar Pacific with repair services and a spares pool to ensure spare parts and necessary materials are ready for maintenance and repair work.

    The deal will take effect this month.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nguyen Quoc Phuong, General Director of Jetstar Pacific, said the cooperation with AFI KLM E&M, a leading partner in the air industry, will bring significant improvements in maintenance costs and duration, thus help the airline create more timely and comfortable flight experience for customers.

    Jetstar Pacific, with two major shareholders of Vietnam Airlines and Qantas of Australia’s Qantas Airway, now has a fleet of 14 Airbus A320 planes, which is expected to increase to 30 by 2021.

    According to Fabrice Defrance, Senior Vice President of AFI KLM E&M, the contract between Jetstar Pacific and AFI KLM E&M marks the beginning of a long-term cooperation between the two sides and affirms the strong presence of the company in Asia.

    AFI KLM E&M has been providing support for nearly 2,000 planes operated by 200 airlines across the world.

  • Swiss watchmaker opens new boutique at Suria KLCC

    Swiss watchmaker opens new boutique at Suria KLCC

    Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Omega has opened its fourth boutique in Malaysia, at Suria KLCC, to cater to growing demand for its timepieces.

    The event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a traditional lion dance performance.

    Omega president and chief executive officer Raynald Aeschlimann said the brand had established a strong presence in this country, and enjoyed excellent reception in the last 11 years.

    “We are delighted to further extend the boundaries of our retail experience in Malaysia, and are confident that now is an ideal time to open a new boutique in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

    “With this boutique, we look forward to sharing our full range of products with our customers in this house of Omega,” he said.

    Located on level one of the mall, the new boutique is an important part of the retail strategy of Omega, which opened its first boutique in 2006 in Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.

    The Omega Seamaster Collection is one of the brands popular selections.

    The Omega Seamaster Collection is one of the brand’s popular selections.

    This was followed by a store in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Gurney Plaza, Penang.

    Not only does the location of the new retail store reflect the increasing popularity of Omega in the region, it also strengthens the brand’s relationship and commitment to Malaysia’s luxury market.

    Just like Omega’s other boutiques, the new store’s setup was inspired by the natural elements of air, water and sunlight – depicted using cream and champagne in the interior design, along with exotic reconstituted zebrawood furniture and chiselled glass surfaces.

    With a team of professionally-trained sales associates at hand to help customers, the boutique offers an elegant and comfortable shopping experience.

    Among the guests at the store’s opening were Malaysian jazz queen Datuk Sheila Majid and fashion enthusiasts and celebrities Nazim Othman, Jojo Goh, Tasha Shilla, Siti Saleha, Daphne Charice and Serene Lim.

    Apart from its collections of watches, the store also offers fine jewellery, quality leather goods and sunglasses for both men and women.

    Founded in 1848, Omega is a brand within the Swatch Group, the world’s leading watch manufacturer, synonymous with excellence, innovation and precision.

  • Vietjet awards a one-kilogram golden aircraft to Lucky Draw winning passenger

    Vietjet awards a one-kilogram golden aircraft to Lucky Draw winning passenger

    On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Vietjet presented a one-kilogram golden aircraft model, the biggest prize under the campaign “Win a 1kg gold aircraft, fly to a happy future”, to Ms Tran Phoi Hanh, a passenger on VJ610 flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang, a beach city in south Vietnam, on February 3, 2017.

    Millions of lucky passengers have also won super promotional tickets priced from only HK$8 during the golden hours from 1pm to 3pm under the campaign “Win a 1kg gold aircraft, fly to a happy future” lasting from December 28, 2016 to February 28, 2017. Many prizes of 3.75 gram gold bullions and domestic air tickets have been given to lucky passengers, who successfully booked their tickets and flew from December 28, 2016 to February 28, 2017. 

    The airline also officially gets the World Record for “the World’s first golden aircraft model” from WorldKings. The Vietnam Book of Records accordingly recognized the record for “Vietnam’s first golden aircraft model”.

    As a new-age carrier, Vietjet is favored for its amazing promotions and interesting activities. The airline has been given world records for “The airline with the most inflight entertainment programs”, “The love flight with the most kisses”, “The most smiles onboard a flight to Singapore”, “The Speed date event for up to 600 singles”, etc.

    With its high-quality services, special low-fare tickets and diverse ticket classes, Vietjet offers its passengers enjoyable flights with dynamic and friendly flight crew, comfy seats, amazing hot meals and special surprises from the airline’s inflight activities.

  • Cebu Pacific acquires 59th aircraft

    Cebu Pacific acquires 59th aircraft

    The Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific Air recently took delivery of its 59th aircraft, a brand new ATR 72-600 which is the fourth of the 16 firm orders CEB made last year.

    The new ATR 72-600 will be used to support the company’s expansion as CEB, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Cebgo, which is launching two new routes -Cagayan de Oro to Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro to Tagbilaran — this March 15. “We are eager to receive yet another addition to our ATR fleet, supporting our expansion plans in the archipelago.

    CEB remains committed to further increase inter-island connectivity within the Philippines, to serve not only our kababayans but also tourists who wish to explore the country’s beautiful islands and experience the world-renowned Filipino hospitality,” said Alexander Lao, President and CEO of Cebgo.

    “Rest assured, we will continue making more destinations accessible to everyJuan while consistently providing our trademark low fares, paired with our safe and fun service” added Lao. CEB currently offers flights to a total of 37 domestic and 29 international destinations, operating an extensive network across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and USA. The airline’s 59-strong fleet is comprised of four Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320, seven Airbus A330, eight ATR 72-500, and four ATR 72-600 aircraft. Between 2017 and 2021, CEB expects delivery of one more brand-new Airbus A330, 32 Airbus A321neo, and 12 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

     

  • SMEs to get more help in going digital

    SMEs to get more help in going digital

    The Government is committed to getting its hands dirty to help more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) transform digitally to stay in business amid disruptive technological innovations.

    The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), the government agency leading the charge, will play sector “chief information officer” to SMEs, providing customised help from funding and consultancy to approving tech products and participating in joint pilots.

    This will be available under a new scheme dubbed SMEs Go Digital, targeted at the 200,000 SMEs in Singapore.

    During the debate on his ministry’s budget yesterday, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said: “It will help raise SMEs’ overall level of digital readiness by giving them step-by-step advice on the technologies to use at each stage of their digital journey.”

    The kitty is $80 million over four years from April under this scheme which was first announced two weeks ago by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.

    SMEs Go Digital aims to defray up to 70 per cent of the cost of technology purchase, capped at $300,000 per SME.

    It will replace a seven-year-old iSprint scheme, which provided similar subsidies and basic tech advice, benefiting some 8,000 SMEs.

    SMEs Go Digital aims to be more comprehensive than iSprint by also helping SMEs with more advanced needs such as cybersecurity, data analytics and artificial intelligence through a new SME Digital Tech Hub to be set up by September.

    In reponse to Dr Yaacob’s announcement, nominated MP Thomas Chua, who is president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, voiced concern about the prospect of disparate technologies being implemented by different firms.

    Specifically, supply chains that connect buyers and sellers must be interoperable.

    COMMON LANGUAGE

    “Applying a standardised system for the industry is like learning a common language to facilitate communication… If not, the transfer of large masses of data could cause system errors,” said Mr Chua.

    To this, Dr Yaacob said IMDA will adopt a sectorial approach to ensure systems talk to one another and to accelerate the pace of transformation, especially for the deployment of more sophisticated systems.

    Specifically, IMDA will partner influential companies to pilot sector-specific solutions that have the potential to scale up.

    It will start with sectors such as retail, food services, logistics and cleaning.

    For instance, IMDA has partnered retail store Robinsons to integrate some 200 SME suppliers on a common e-procurement platform for better sales planning and inventory management.

    IMDA has also partnered StarHub to target 1,000 SMEs in the food and beverage business, offering them a comprehensive automation package including broadband services, retail analytics, digital ordering and payment systems. StarHub is working with the Tampines Merchant Association for this.

    While recognising that SMEs’ digital needs vary widely across and within sectors, Dr Yaacob noted that his ministry is open to feedback to fine-tune the new scheme.

  • PAL, Cebu Pacific announces flight cancellations

    PAL, Cebu Pacific announces flight cancellations

    THE Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have announced the cancellation of flights due to the maintenance shutdown of the Tagaytay radar from March 6 to March 11. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued a notice to airmen enforcing a temporary shutdown of the Tagaytay radar for maintenance and upgrade.

    The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through CAAP, urged the affected airlines to prepare for the scheduled maintenance which is expected to result in flight deductions.

  • Australia Eyes Indonesian Mining and Tourism

    Australia Eyes Indonesian Mining and Tourism

    Head Of the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Thomas Trikasih Lembong, predicted that Australia’s investment in Indonesia could increase up to USD 3 billion (around Rp 40 trillion) throughout the next three to five years. Most of Australia’s investment is predicted to be centered on the mining and tourism sector.

    “That’s the sum total of the projects we are trying to develop. Two-thirds will be in the mining industry and one-third in the tourism sector, lifestyle, and others,” Thomas said on Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

    Thomas explained that Australia’s has an exceptional mining industry. A number of the largest mining companies in the world is owned by Australia, such as EMR Capital, who purchased a gold and silver mine in North Sumatera, and Newcrest, who is currently operating the gold mine in North Maluku.

    In addition, Thomas said that the Indonesian government is really interested in cooperating with Australia in the tourism sector.

    “Many tourists from Japan, China, and Indonesia travel to Australia. They have great taste, management, and good designs. We need that in order to develop Indonesian tourism sector,” Thomas said.

    Currently, according to Thomas, Indonesian and Australian officials are committed to developing both countries’ tourism sector, especially coastal and maritime tourism. Thomas stated that Indonesia owns a varied number of islands and diving tourist destinations.

    “But we don’t have a maritime tourism industry, while Australia has a good reputation in yacht spots,” Thomas said.

    Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment Steven Ciobo, stated that Indonesia could develop many tourist destinations in addition to Bali. Ciobo asserted that by having investments reeling in and the development of various infrastructures across regions, the number of tourists entering Indonesia can significantly increase.

  • Garuda Indonesia Increases Flight Frequency of Routes to Australia

    Garuda Indonesia Increases Flight Frequency of Routes to Australia

    National airliner Garuda Indonesia (GIAA.JK) will increase its flight frequency to destinations in Australia during the holiday period from May to October, 2017.

    The company targets its passenger growth from flights to Australia to reach 650,000 passengers this year.

    “Flight frequency from Jakarta to Australia is increased to five times from four times each week, while the frequency for Bali-Australia route is raised to seven times from six times per week,” said M Arif Wibowo, President Director of Garuda Indonesia on Tuesday (3/7).

    He said the addition of frequency on flights to Australia will be adjusted with market demand during the holiday period. Thus the flight frequency will be different each period.

    The addition of frequency is part of Garuda Indonesia’s effort in meeting demands and rising market growth, and is line with the synergy commitment the company has implemented with Tourism Australia. The cooperation has boosted the number of passengers on Australia flights to more than 644,237 passengers in 2016.

  • Value of Vietnam’s ‘bikini airline’ overtakes national carrier

    Value of Vietnam’s ‘bikini airline’ overtakes national carrier

    Vietnamese private budget airline VietJet’s market cap surpassed that of state-owned Vietnam Airlines on Monday.

    VietJet grabbed headlines with bikini-clad flight attendants when it was launched in 2011 and its success on the Ho Chi Minh stock exchange reflects its rapid ascent since.

    It has become known in Vietnam as the “bikini airline” and female crew do still wear them, but only on some flights.

    Its market share is expected to top that of Vietnam Airlines this year, a feat it has achieved by tapping into a fast-growing economy and a young population starting to travel more.

    VietJet shares hit VND137,400 ($6.03) each, valuing it at $1.8 billion, ahead of Vietnam Airlines at $1.7 billion.

    On its first trading day VietJet was valued at $1.4 billion and its rival, which listed in January, at $2.1 billion.

    Growth in the Vietnamese market, which is one of the fastest in Asia Pacific, and a relatively small free-float in VietJet shares for retail investors, had driven the price of the shares, brokers said.

    VietJet’s stock has a lower price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 15.75 compared with 16.63 for Vietnam Airlines, Thomson Reuters data showed.

    The CAPA Centre for Aviation has said that VietJet, which currently commands 40 percent of Vietnam’s domestic market, will likely become the country’s biggest domestic carrier this year.

    Future growth

    Some analysts forecast VietJet shares will jump to more than VND143,000 per share.

    “(The) VietJet story just begins so investors still have a lot of expectation on its shares,” Nguyen Van Dung, manager of the securities consulting department at Saigon Securities, said.

    “But if from investing perspective, I will buy Vietnam Airlines share as the firm has much potential to grow sustainably in (the) long-term and the price now is very good to buy,” he added.

    The listings of VietJet and Vietnam Airlines were part of the government’s push on privatization to boost investment.

    Vietnam, which is slowly opening up its domestic market amid considerable investment interest, has completed several major share sales and listings in recent months, including a $3.72 billion flotation of its top brewer Sabeco SAB.HM in which the government owns nearly 90 percent.

  • President Jokowi calls for better transportation between Sumatra and Java

    President Jokowi calls for better transportation between Sumatra and Java

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), during a closed-door meeting on Monday, emphasized the need for improving transportation services between the islands of Sumatra and Java by operating better ferries.

    “We are concerned about the operation of the toll road from Lampung Province to Palembang, which leads to vehicle queues in Merak-Bakauheni crossing lane,” the Lampung Governor M Ridho Ficardo stated here on Monday.

    Jokowi and Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla (Jokowi), along with Ricardo and other officials, held a meeting in the Presidents Office to discuss the National Strategic Project and Prioritized Program.

    Ficardo stressed that the transportation authority should deploy several ferries of better quality to improve cargo transportation between Merak and Bakauheni ports that connect Sumatra and Java islands.

    According to Ficardo, the authority should operate ferry trips every hour to transport cargo and passengers.

    He reiterated that the authority can increase the ticket price to provide better services and deploy faster ferries.

    “The improved toll road should be offset by better crossing access. It is fine to increase the price to provide better services,” Ficardo pointed out.

    The meeting also discussed the development of industrial areas in Tanggamus District that builds maritime industry, Mesuji District, and Waypisan District.

    The governor added that the industrial area in Mesuji District could be developed, because the region has a mine of low calorie coals that can supply fuel for power plants.

    The Trans Sumatera toll road has entered the second phase of construction with the development of toll road of 250 kilometers. The government is targeting its completion in 2018.

  • AirAsia India Offers All-Inclusive Tickets

    AirAsia India Offers All-Inclusive Tickets

    Ahead of the Holi festival next week, AirAsia India has announced a promotional offer, selling tickets starting Rs. 1,499. Bookings for this AirAsia India offer are open till March 12, 2017, the airline – which is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Malysian carrier AirAsia – said on its website. AirAsia India’s special fares scheme is applicable on travel till June 30, 2017, said the airline, which competes with the likes of Air India, IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet in the domestic market.

    Under the special all-inclusive tickets programme, aimed at the upcoming Holi festival, tickets between Hyderabad and Bengaluru are being offered from Rs. 1,499 – the lowest under the scheme.

    “Celebrate the festival of colours with your loved ones in #Srinagar, #Pune & other awesome destinations!” AirAsia India said in a tweet.

    Some of the other routes covered under the offer include Imphal-Guwahati from Rs. 1,999, Pune-Jaipur from Rs. 2,999, and Pune-Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam-Bengaluru from Rs. 2,399, as per the AirAsia India website.

    Discounted fares from various airlines have spurred strong growth in air travel market in India. The country’s domestic air passenger traffic zoomed 25.13 per cent to 95.79 lakh last month, data from aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) showed.

    Rival airlines IndiGo, SpiceJet and Jet Airways had also announced discounted tariffs recently.

    Also, AirAsia India is likely to commence international operations from the second half of next calendar year. “We will have 14 aircraft in the fleet within this year, depending on the business performance. And, we will add another six planes by the middle of the next year. Then we will get to international operations,” its CEO Amar Abrol had said earlier.

  • Indonesia Offers Cooperation With IORA Member States

    Indonesia Offers Cooperation With IORA Member States

    The Indonesian government decided to use the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit as an opportunity to broaden its partnership in the industrial sector by offering several sectors for investment to IORA member states.

    Some of the sectors being offered include the shipping industry and its equipment, seafood processing, automotive components, petro chemical and coal gasification, and downstream agriculture products.

    “The abovemetioned sectors are included in export-oriented labour-intensive industries and import substitution,” said Industrial Minister Airlangga Hartanto on Monday, March 6, 2017.

    The partnership will allow Indonesia to access IORA members states market, which mostly consists of non-traditional markets. “The partnership can be done through a bilateral supply chain cooperation,” Airlangga said.

    Airlangga added that other efforts that need to be done are initiating business matching with IORA member states, and optimizing the role of Indonesian Embassies in promoting the domestic industrial ability and its market potential.

    “Improving partnership as in industrial capacity development training, has been conducted in cooperation with Mozambique and Seychelles at the small and middle-sized industry,” Airlangga said.

    Airlangga asserted IORA member states present highly prospective economic potential, including its large market of 2.7 billion population, and the fact that around 70 percent of the world’s trade passes through the region.

    The IORA also stores 55 percent of the global oil reserve and 40 percent of the global gas reserve. IORA member states also produce on-third of the world’s total tuna production.

  • Cebu Pacific receives new airplane

    Cebu Pacific receives new airplane

    In a statement released on Friday, Cebu Pacific said it took delivery of a new ATR 72-600 on Feb. 28, bringing the budget carrier’s current fleet to 59 planes. It was the fourth of the 16 firm orders Cebu Pacific made last year.

    The arrival of the new ATR 72-600 will serve wholly owned unit Cebgo’s new flights from Cagayan de Oro to Tagbilaran and Bacolod starting on March 15.

    “We are eager to receive this year another addition to our ATR fleet, supporting our expansion plans in the archipelago,” Cebgo President and CEO Alexander G. Lao was quoted in the statement as saying.

    Between 2017 and 2021, Cebu Pacific expects the delivery of one more brand-new Airbus A330, 32 Airbus A321neo, and 12 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

    Listed Cebu Air, Inc., which operates Cebu Pacific, offers flights to 37 domestic and 29 international destinations.

    Shares in Cebu Air fell by P1.95 or 2.10% to close at P90.95 each on Friday.

  • SOEs to divest from banks on positive market outlook

    SOEs to divest from banks on positive market outlook

    Both The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) and Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) plans to auction their holdings in Maritime bank and Ocean Bank (OCB) in March.

    VNPT has registered to offload its entire holding of 71.6 million shares in Maritime Bank at the starting price of VND11,900 (US$0.52) per share, equivalent to 6.09 per cent of the bank’s capital, in an auction scheduled for March 10.

    The move is in line with the direction of Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue to urge the telecommunication group to divest from its listed member companies.

    On a smaller sale, Agribank will sell 390,665 shares in Ocean Bank during an auction in mid-March. The starting price is set at VND10,200 per share.

    Mobifone, one of the three largest network operators in Viet Nam, also plans to divest from Southeast Asia Commercial Bank Bank (SeaBank) and Tien Phong Bank (TPBank) this year, after the failure in 2016.

    In April last year, Mobifone put up its entire holding of 33.4 million shares of SeABank, equivalent to 6.12 per cent of the bank’s capital, for sale at the initial price of VND9,600 per share, but no investors registered to buy.

    It also registered to sell 14.28 million shares, or 2.57 per cent of TPBank’s capital in April 2016, and successfully sold 61 per cent of this amount. Before the sale, the network company held 4.76 per cent of TPBank’s capital.

    According to VP Bank Securities Company (VPS), banks could be among top best performers on the securities market this year, driven by the intense restructuring process in the financial system, as well as the Government’s support policy of easing foreign ownership limits in commercial banks.

    In addition, many small banks have plans of debuting shares on the stock market this year, and this would facilitate divestment from these banks.

    “The VN-Index could climb to 780 points this year, on the average price-earnings (P/E) ratio of 17,” VPS wrote in a report.

    The benchmark VN-Index gained 14.8 per cent in 2016, ending the year at 664.87 points. It has gained 7.2 per cent this year.

    In the third quarter of last year when the stock market had perked up, dairy firm Vinamilk (VNM) successfully sold over 2 million shares in An Bình Bank (ABBank).

    In December, Tan Thuan Industrial Promotion Co Ltd (IPC) and Saigontourist also successfully offloaded their entire holdings in SaigonBank.

  • Spring into the New Shopping Season at Galaxy Macau

    Spring into the New Shopping Season at Galaxy Macau

    It’s a magical time of the year, when the warmer weather brings forth bursts of flowers and puts a spring in everyone’s step. This March, visit The Promenade Shops at Galaxy Macau™ for “A Beautiful Spring”, where the mall will be transformed into a cornucopia of blossoms to welcome the arrival of the new fashion and shopping season. Better yet, get carried away at T Galleria Beauty by DFS at The Promenade Shops, where any purchase entitles you to a hand-painted floral tote bag designed by local artists*! 

    From now to 7 May, the hydrangea-themed Living Indoor Garden comes to life as spectacular, fresh blooms take over the Pearl Lobby of The Promenade Shops. More than 8,000 colorful hydrangeas – one of Asia’s most popular native flowers – will form a sea of blossoming, authentic pink flowers nestled alongside lush greenery and many other floral-themed decorations, taking your breath away and ushering in a romantic spring season. It’s the perfect place to celebrate the arrival of spring and take memorable photos of your loved ones.

    Spring is also the time when new 2017 Spring/Summer collections hit the racks, and skincare and beauty routines change for the warmer weather. From 25 March through 7 May, make any purchase at DFS and receive a free hand-painted floral tote bag, and have the Macau Local Ginger Talent’s artists to add personalized touches for you! Each bag features a hand painting by a talented local artist, ensuring a unique shopping experience. It’s all part of an exclusive collaboration between The Promenade Shops and DFS. 

    There’s even more springtime beauty at the UA Galaxy Cinemas, where shoppers will discover a Beauty and The Beast Movie ticket promotion in collaboration with The Promenade Shops and floral boutique Le Sean Seasons Florist. Starting 16 March, cinema-goers will receive a voucher for 5% off at Le Sean, The Promenade Shops, upon purchasing two Beauty and the Beast 3D movie tickets. Along with this exclusive voucher, ticketholders can also enter a lucky draw for the chance to win one of five The Little Prince box sets, a charming prize worth a retail value of MOP$1,580/each.

    And that’s not all. Shop DFS now for price match guaranteed with the lowest price in Asia on the best sellers#. Visit the more than 200 luxury and lifestyle brands at The Promenade Shops to discover all the floral-themed spring arrivals in store, many of which are exclusive offerings found only at Galaxy Macau. So make your way to The Promenade Shops and celebrate the arrival of “A Beautiful Spring”!