It is no secret that the coming of age of this segment of the global population has dramatically affected the hospitality industry.

Broadly defined as those born between 1980 and 2000, millennials make up approximately 1.8 billion, or more than 25 per cent, of the world’s population.

“As they enjoy increasing spending power, this is obviously a huge opportunity for the travel industry,” said Martin Rinck, the president of Asia Pacific at hotel and resort chain Hilton Worldwide.

In Asia, home to 60 per cent of the global millennial population, it is estimated that they account for about 35 per cent, or US$210 billion, of the $600 billion that Asians spend on international travel every year. This figure is forecast to rise to $340 billion by 2020, according to Brand Karma, a new-media company focusing on the hospitality and travel industry.

In the past few years, many hotel chains have hopped on the millennial bandwagon and created new brands and experiences to attract this segment.

One of the earliest hospitality brands to focus on millennial guests was Aloft, by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which launched its first property in 2008.

Vincent Ong, senior director of brand management at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific, said: “Back then, we noticed a strong inclination (among millennials) toward the distinctive passion points of technology, music and design — these now define the Aloft experience.”

Today, there are more than 100 Aloft properties globally, with 20 in Asia and another 25 scheduled to be launched in the region.

Another group that has entered the fray is Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. It created the Hotel Jen brand which has properties around the region, including two in Singapore.

David Lam is the director of sales and marketing for the Singapore hotels. He said that when the company first identified this gap in the market, research found that the millennial travellers’ preferences differed from those of other generations.

“Their focus on experience, efficiency and authenticity provided us with an opportunity to create a brand that would cater specifically to these needs,” said Lam.

Tru by Hilton, a hotel brand which touts itself as “reinventing the mid-scale market”, is another product of this market segment.

Hilton Worldwide’s Rinck said the creation of the prototype took off mid-2015 with a team who sought to “rip up the traditional playbook”.

Other groups, such as Carlson Rezidor’s Radisson Red, are targeting those with a “millennial mindset”, particularly in China. Its first contract was signed in Shenyang in China’s northeastern Liaoning province in 2014.

Thorsten Kirschke, the Asia-Pacific president of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, explained that “Red reflects the tastes of the next generation of travellers” and “often these guests do not wish to be defined by a certain age”.

M Social Singapore is another millennial-oriented concept, which opened its doors on June 9. The brand was created by Millennium Hotels and Resorts, and is positioned as “a meeting place for global citizens with a millennial mindset”.

Inside, the hotel is chockablock with unique elements such as interiors by French designer Philippe Starck, self-check-in kiosks, and communal tables at its Beast & Butterflies restaurant to allow guests to mingle.

Paul James, senior vice-president of global marketing and branding at Millennium Hotels and Resorts, said: “What we do know about millennials is that they were introduced to travel by their parents, and see it almost as a birthright.

“According to Phocuswright, 66 per cent of millennials rate travel as ‘very important’ to them,” he said, referring to the travel market research company.

When millennials hit the road, it is worth remembering that these are “digital natives”. As the first generation to have grown up with the Internet, they are extremely tech savvy and expect to be constantly connected, especially to social media.

Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, WeChat or any other platform, many turn to these to make decisions and share their experiences.

Carlson Rezidor’s Kirschke said: “We have found that 97 per cent will post (photos and writeups) while traveling, and 75 per cent will post at least once a day.”

Naturally, the hospitality groups have launched their own online marketing channels to reach out to millennials. At Hotel Jen, each property has its own regularly updated blog that details eateries, cultural hotspots or advice on what to do.

It also developed a video city guide for each of its hotels, giving ideas on what travellers can do in 24 hours.

“These proved incredibly popular with over 600,000 views across all of our hotels,” said Hotel Jen’s Lam.

A lot of the engagement with the millennials is carried out via mobile technology as well. For instance, Radisson Red has developed an app that allows travellers to check in and out of its hotels and enjoy secure keyless room entry by using their smartphones.

The Red app, as it is known, also allows guests to make requests for the rooms, such as extra pillows or towels. It also has a chat feature that enables guests to connect with each other to receive local nightlife recommendations, or share a ride to the airport.

Another trait of millennial travellers is the value they place on experience and authenticity, to enable them to learn something new when they travel. “Social cachet is the new souvenir,” said Starwood’s Ong.

For instance, Canopy by Hilton is another brand of the Hilton group that targets millennials in Asia. It is designed to reflect the local flavour and culture of each hotel’s location.

“The brand is all about being local, through design, food and beverage, art and know-how. So no two Canopy hotels in any city will be alike,” said Rinck.

The hotels understand that control and autonomy over their travel experiences are equally important for millennials — in short, the freedom to do what they want, when they want.

Radisson Red has a 24-hour access restaurant and bar that offers freshly prepared but pre-packaged options, including sandwiches and salads. The menu items feature locally sourced food and beverages for guests seeking an authentic experience.

In addition, millennials are not afraid to express their individuality, usually through eclectic styles that mix and match.

Ong pointed out that “they buy based on the cool factor, not status”.

Responding to this, many hotel brands have developed rooms with distinctive interior design to appeal to millennials. M Social Singapore has rooms with warm colour tones, luxurious pashmina throws and thick carpets.

Aloft incorporates open, flowing design with an urban-industrial feel, colours that contrast with the surroundings, modern furnishings and crafty touches like scrolling displays on a large video wall.

Beyond the hospitality brands, even business-to-business companies are spying opportunities.

Qooco, an education and technology company, provides mobile language learning and vocational training solutions for employees of the hospitality industry.

Its CEO David Topolewski explained how the industry needs to change how it trains staff, switching from classroom-based to mobile-learning methods.

“Top brands such as Mandarin Oriental, Pullman and Crowne Plaza are all using mobile learning to upskill their staff,” he said. “As hotels leverage technology to reach their guests, they should do the same when reaching out to their own employees.”

Providing successful services for millennial travellers is no easy task, however. Their needs are evolving quickly, which means brands must stay alert to keep up with the new trends.

Ong said he is convinced of a convergence between the speed of travel and connectivity. “The future generations will view traveling to another country just as we view a trip to the movies.”

Millennium’s James noted that the industry will need to embrace change in unprecedented ways. “It will be the only constant in travel,” he said.

“Millennials’ tastes will change, technology will change and Generation Z, well, that will be a different story again,” he said, referring to those born after the millennials.

A local farmer, Asmali Mohammad, said during a phone interview with The Brunei Times that the allure for foreign farmers of selling their produce in Brunei was the high profit margins they could earn compared with selling in their home markets.

“For example, farmers in the neighbouring states (of Malaysia) could only sell chilies for 5 ringgit (US$1.24) per kilo. But when they sell it here (in Brunei), they would only need to sell it at about BN$3 (US$2.19) to double their income, whereas local producers sell it at the market rate of around BN$6, even increasing (the price) during certain seasons.

“This is hard on local farmers because consumers only care about the low prices and not about the origins or whether the farms practice proper farming standards. Also, local farmers can’t compete with them on prices as the neighbouring states produce much more volume. But if local produce isn’t bought, how will local farmers ever expand?” he said.

Another local farmer, Alihan Alas, said the practice was allowed to continue as it is difficult to enforce it on every single person coming in and out of the country at the border control posts.

“I sell my produce at local markets, and you can tell if it’s foreign produce as there’s no way that the vegetables can be so cheap under present (farming) conditions and the cost of capital.

“If cigarettes can be smuggled in large numbers into the country, then it must be much easier to bring vegetables into the country without a proper permit,” he said.

Alihan, who is the chairman of a local cooperative of vegetable farmers, suggested the establishment of a national distribution centre for all local produce so that unauthorised foreign produce which was smuggled into the country can be easily identified.

“Most of the members (of the cooperative) would agree that the prevalence of smuggled vegetables whose origins are unknown hurts the revenue of local farmers, so it’s better to have all local produce concentrated in one place. In that way, you can also ensure that the vegetables were grown ethically using proper farming practices which don’t harm consumers,” he said.

One vendor at Pasar Tani Selayun in Mukim Sengkurong, who wished to remain unnamed, told The Brunei Times that the foreign-grown produce would only be given a permit to be imported if the vegetables can’t be grown in Brunei or if there is a shortage of them.

“However, you can still sometimes see foreign-registered vehicles coming here to supply certain vegetables which are widely available in Brunei (but they are offering them) for a fraction of the price,” he said.

(US$1 = BN$1.37)

The company will join hands with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and farmers to plant chilli on a total area of 10ha, beginning in July.

Besides supplying varieties of chilli and fertilizers, the CJ Group will also send its experts to assist Ninh Thuan farmers in farming and caring techniques, Chang Bok Shang, CEO of CJ Group Vietnam, told the press, adding that his company is expected to yield some 200 tonnes of fresh chilli annually.

Earlier, the group said it will invest US$500 million in Vietnam in 2016. This figure is larger than the Korean group’s total investment of $400 million in the country over the past 20 years.

The CJ Group will also increase investment in agriculture through mergers and acquisitions and through basic investment in the value chain this year.

According to EU Ambassador to Myanmar Roland Kobia, EU foreign ministers recently convened a meeting and resolved to review the union’s strategy, in order to support the country’s democratic transition and reforms better.

“We do not want a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We really want to tailor our assistance, and we have been in contact with the government before the conclusion was outlined,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.

“As a political actor, Tatmadaw is still in the parliament and still has an important portfolio in the government. So we want to engage with them to exchange views about how we see the future of armies in democratic governments and to exchange views on the different models around the world,” he said.

The focus will remain on democratic reforms, sustainable peace, poverty reduction, and inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

“We know the challenges the country is facing and the EU is certainly determined to continue its support … We want to operate in the areas where we will really make a difference to the people. I am thinking about our support to the peace process, to the reforms of Myanmar police forces, our actions in Rakhine state, and our actions in human rights, etc,” he said.

The new strategy will prioritise six key areas of engagement – democracy, the rule of law and good governance; peace building; protection and promotion of human rights; poverty reduction and sustainable development; economic engagement and trade; and supporting Myanmar’s reintegration into Asean and the rest of the world.

In assisting Myanmar, the EU also seeks an improved legal financial framework to ensure that financial aid is well spent.

The EU re-engaged with Myanmar in 2012 by suspending sanctions and opening an office in Yangon. In 2013, it lifted all the sanctions with the exception of an arms embargo and reinstated trade preferences. It also approved 150-million-euro packages.

According to the Multi-annual Indicative Programme 2014-2020, the EU has committed to allocate 688 million euros (Bt26.9 billion) to Myanmar. With that amount, the EU is the largest donor to Myanmar.

Kobia said that of the total, education and rural development would be allocated 240 million euros each, while projects on good governance and democratisation would get more than 100 million euros each.

According to the envoy, the sum could be doubled within the next few years as some countries are committed to contributing more.

Kobia also stressed the commitment to unleash Myanmar’s economic potential.

“We are ready to support the transition to a free-market economy and to support the ongoing efforts to create legal and regulatory framework that is conducive to foreign direct investment,” he said.

“The EU wants to maintain its interest in quality investment and ensure the labour laws are protected, and we are working with Myanmar in order to enhance labour standards and corporate social responsibility.”

More investment from Europe is expected once the investment-protection agreement is signed by the new government.

“The negotiations [for the agreement] are basically finished. Just one or two parts are to be finalised. And we have signalled our willingness and our readiness to sign the agreement as soon as they are ready,” he said.

At the briefing, Andrew Patrick, ambassador of the United Kingdom to Myanmar, said his country’s referendum on leaving the EU would not have a negative impact on Myanmar.

“The decision will be made by the people of the UK. Whatever the outcome, the UK will continue to support this country and to work very closely with the country,” said Patrick

The “Pakse Declaration on |a Road Map for Strategic Development of Ecotourism Clusters and Tourism Corridors” focuses on sketching a partnership plan in using natural resources sustainably, bringing economic benefits to people in rural areas, and developing a subregional ecotourism network.

The declaration will be submitted to leaders of the association at the Asean Summit in Vientiane in September.

The tourism chiefs asked Asean tourism agencies to collaborate in implementing the road map in coordination with Asean partners, including international organisations and Asean centres in China, Japan and South Korea, as well as the private sector.

They hailed Laos’ idea to hold the forum, which gives a chance to both the public and private sectors in Asean’s tourism industry to form a network and seek strategies for tourism development.

They underscored the importance of the connectivity between ecotourism destinations with roads and waterways, thus setting up ecotourism clusters and corridors throughout Asean members regardless of geographical and natural borders.

This will open up new economic prospects in areas along roads and sea routes, they affirmed, describing it as an important economic initiative for job creation and community development, which helps revive natural resources and bring changes to poor rural areas.

At the forum, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien proposed that Asean make full use of its online tourism portal to help people discover regional ecotourism.

She suggested that tourism working groups promote their role as coordinators to boost intra-bloc cooperation, thus realising the Pakse Declaration.

As an active country in Asean’s tourism partnership, Vietnam has paid much attention to ecotourism as well as responsible travel, which has been shown in its Tourism Law and relevant documents, she said.

The Vietnamese government has also issued a tourism strategy until 2020 with vision to 2030, focusing on developing sustainable tourism in line with preserving and promoting national cultural values and protecting the environment, she added.

The Brexit effect will not significantly affect Indonesia and Asean trade as export volume to the UK is small at only 0.9 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively, of total trade, he said. However, prolonged political risk could affect the economy.

“The majority of Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, we need to see if the UK can stand up to separatist issues,” David told thejakartapost.com on Friday in Jakarta.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he would resign immediately after “leave” won the tally. The victory for the “Leave EU” campaign has fanned speculations that more countries could withdraw from the EU amid the fragile recovery of the world economy.

Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus Martowarojo said the central bank would keep an eye on capital flows in the country. As of mid-June, BI recorded 70 trillion rupiah of capital inflows into Indonesia, a jump from 30 trillion rupiah in the same period last year.

“We believe the world is shocked and we acknowledge there will long-term implications following Brexit […] The impact will be limited to the financial sector,” he said underlining that the UK may take two years to complete the procedures required to leave the 28-year-old bloc.

(US$1 = 13,546 as on June 24, 2016 via oanda.com)

Virgin Coconut Oil Producing has been producing virgin oil products under the Sengtaven (Sunshine) brand over for the past few years which were selling well on the domestic market.

“Our products are now being recognised and attracting interest from foreign customers, and our company has already received orders from Japan,” said factory manager, Malisa Bousatry.

“We expect to exp ort about 540 litres of virgin coconut oil in the first order, but now we are waiting on quality checks”.

Malisa highlighted there were good opportunities for Lao coconut oil producers in Japan given that they had already purchased from the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam in the past. In addition, the product has also gained recognition from consumers in France who want to use it as a traditional skin treatment and for hair care, but the firm has to improve its smell due to customer complaint s.

The company was now researching and producing the product with fragrance in order to meet customer expectations, she said.

Malisa said they planned to increase production in response to higher demand but sometimes there was a shortage of raw materials and had to buy coconut oil from Vietnam.

Malisa gained a master’s degree in food technology from Vietnam and upon returning wanted to manufacture some products that she could distribute to domestic and export markets.

She also wanted to make healthy products, so she decided to study about the production of coconut oil because it is used in many countries for its health giving properties.

She decided to invest about seven to eight million kip and began producing it in her house back in September 2012 in Xokkham village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane.

The appeal of virgin coconut oil is that it has multiple uses. It can be applied to moisturise and soften hair, to moisten skin or used to massage the body.

Moreover it contains high levels of vitamin E and it is turning around perceptions that coconut oil is not good for your health.

Malisa said company has recently launched new lip balm product made from coconut oil with orange, mint, and lemon flavours.

“We brought this new product to showcase at the recent job fair and it has become popular among students,” she added.

Their products are currently on sale in mini-marts, beauty salons and shopping malls around the country.

Prices range from 30,000 kip for a small bottle, 60,000 kip for a medium size and 110,000 kip for the largest bottle. Lip balm sells for 25,000 per 10 grammes.

(US$ = 8109.95 Laotian Kip)

According to website businesskorea.co.kr, the project is meaningful in that Daewoo E&C has become the nation’s first private firm which first proposed the project to the Vietnamese government, unlike previous government-led development projects, and it is the first export of Korean-style developer projects.

The Starlake City project involves building a 1.86 million-square-meter new residential city in the West Lake area 5 kilometers northwest from Ha Noi City Hall. Vietnam’s THT Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Daewoo E&C, has led the mega new city development project.

The total cost of the project is about US$2.2 billion and the first-stage construction alone costs $1.2 billion. Daewoo E&C will begin the first parceling sale of 182 four-story houses in the H7-10 block located on the southwest side of the new city.

The sales prices range from US$720,000 to US$2.35 million. Buyers should make a 20 per cent down payment and will be able to move into their new houses in July 2017.

Daewoo E&C plans to start the second parceling sale of 182 houses within this year, and the third and fourth sale of villas and 600 apartments next year.

An official from Daewoo E&C said, “As Vietnamese lawmakers have approved the revised Law on Housing in July last year, allowing foreign investment and ownership of houses or apartments, foreign consumers are increasingly making inquiries. Local real estate developers and Korea’s institutional investors have been inquiring about it.”

Armed with a wooden hammer and various sized chisels to make impressions, Sengottuvel toils daily in a shed in his home in a village called Thammampatti, 60km from the city of Salem in Tamil Nadu, India.

In the village, there are about 60 artisans working on this craft and the numbers are dwindling every day as the elderly artisans retire. Despite having a degree in chemistry, Sengottuvel has chosen to become a woodcarver because he didn’t want to see the art die off.

“I’ve been doing this for over 30 years,” he says in a recent interview in Kuala Lumpur.

“My father taught me (to work with wood) when I was a little boy and I would spend after-school hours learning from him. I tried to do the same with my three kids but they’re just not interested.”

First, Sengottuvel learnt how to make jewellery and bit by bit, moved on to bigger things. Back home, Sengottuvel has made a name for himself as an expert in statues and panels.

“My grandfather was also a craftsman and he made chariots for temples. My father is still at it (woodcarving). Last year, he was awarded the Living Treasure (award) by the state of Tamil Nadu. I’m still not as good as him,” says the humble 48-year-old.

Sengottuvel, who listens attentively, carefully draws out his work process in this interview.

He obtains the raintree wood from sawmills and begins working as soon as orders pour in from all over the world.

“Most of the carvings are done on a single piece of wood. If it breaks open, we allow it to breathe for a few days, then we use another piece of wood to patch it up,” explains Sengottuvel, who made his first journey out of India last week.

He recently exhibited his wooden carvings at the Artistic Treasures exhibition held at the Temple of Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur.

His favourite piece to carve is the plump, astute elephant-headed Hindu deity Ganesha.

Ganesha is the deity that worshippers first recognise when they visit holy places in India. Known to be a legendary scribe, he utilises his broken tusk, which he frequently holds, to record parts of the Mahabharata epic.

“I have a penchant to carve Ganesha because I feel a certain joy every time I do it. He appears in a lot of my carvings. I’ll have many visions in my head, and will draw it on the wood. The eyes are the most difficult to carve because they chip easily,” says Sengottuvel.

Throughout his career, Sengottuvel has carved musical Ganeshas, sleeping Ganeshas and baby Ganeshas.

Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the minute detailing in his work. It can only come from years of practice and discipline. These carvings, as he says, can be used as furniture, ornaments, or for worship. They combine form and function.

Among his other prominent works is the yali, a mythical creature seen at the entrance of Hindu temples. It is the guardian of the premises though many these days put it inside their houses as a decorative item.

Each piece is smoothened with sandpaper, and treated with oil to keep away insects. Varnish is not used. On the rare occasion that people want coloured carvings, Sengottuvel’s wife helps him to paint.

For his work, the talented Sengottuvel has also clinched many awards, which he attributes to “God’s gift”.

“I’m always thrilled when I walk into a restaurant or temple or places that have my carvings. It stares at me and I stare back at it. There is a connection.”

Not only does Sengottuvel do his own designs, he also does commissioned works. Proudly, he says he never has stock as everything sells out fast. Depending on the size of the carving, it can take him several weeks to months to make one.

Sengottuvel spends six to seven hours on his craft daily, only getting up for meals or when his knee starts to ache.

He has six assistants to help out.

“It’s 100% handwork. I’m not saying it’s easy but there is so much fulfilment in the art. How I wish one of my children will carry it on.”

His works are still available for sale at the KL venue. Proceeds will be channelled towards the SivaSanta Dialysis And Medical Clinic (also known as temple of fine arts), which is expected to begin construction before the end of the year.

The non-profit establishment has been operating under Klinik Derma SivaSanta for the past 33 years.

There will be significant changes within the supranational EU body, but the changes will not be immense enough to cast shadows over other regional entities like Asean, Muhadi Sugiono an international-relations expert at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, said before the final results of the poll were announced.

The most concerning thing about Brexit is that it might propel other countries to exit from the EU, even though the probability of such a contingency is quite low, he added.

Not fully involved

The United Kingdom has never been fully involved in the EU. The British opposed replacing the pound sterling with the euro and opted out of the passport-free Schengen Agreement to try to maintain its borders. Nonetheless, the EU still works despite leaving its second-biggest economy out of a number of important requirements, Muhadi said.

“In fact, considering that the EU and Asean rely more on regional frameworks for their cooperation, any impact to the partnership following Brexit will be minimal,” he explained.

On the other side, the UK will suffer more from a separation than the EU itself as it will no longer be able to ride on its partnerships with other countries. Britain might have to renegotiate several arrangements with Asean, Muhadi said.

The EU is Asean’s biggest investor, at around 14.8 billion euros (Bt582 billion) per year on average. The EU and Asean trade with each other to the tune of 200 billion euros a year.

The EU’s main exports to Asean are chemical products and machinery and transport equipment. Asean’s main exports to the EU are agricultural products and textiles and clothing. The UK is a strategic trading partner for Asean member states.

Yose Rizal Damuri, head of economic research at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based in Jakarta, said there could be both positive and negative impacts from Brexit.

On the negative side, Yose said some economists predicted that the UK would experience a decline in its economic development.

The UK is one of the main export destinations in Europe for most Asean countries and it is also the top destination for Indonesia when it comes to export destinations in Europe, he said.

“With a negative impact on the UK’s economy, it will certainly cause an impact on Asean countries exporting to the UK,” Yose said. “But there are others [economists] who also say that it [the UK’s economy] would expand instead. It’s a mixed review.”

Meanwhile, on the positive side, Yose said Brexit would open up the chance for the UK to open new trade agreements freely with other countries such as those in the Americas without having to wait for the EU’s approval.