Centara backs startup competition

Centara Hotels & Resorts and True Digital Park, Southeast Asia’s largest startup and tech entrepreneur campus, join hands to deliver a competition and incubator programme. 

The ‘Centrara Startup Sandbox’ competition and a three-month incubator programme support startups and entrepreneurs with co-working space, facilities, mentorship and funding.

The Startup Sandbox project, held in collaboration with True Digital Park, will see teams compete for a chance to join the three-month programme, during which executives from Centara will provide regular consultation sessions and be the judge for the teams’ final pitch.

“The world of hospitality is always evolving, and we are proud to be a part of this competition to encourage fresh ideas which will drive innovation in our industry. We are delighted to partner with True Digital Park to support promising startup businesses in Thailand and to mentor the next generation of innovative thinkers,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts chief executive officer Thirayuth Chirathivat.

“True Digital Park continue to build a complete ecosystem for startup and tech entrepreneurs to support the digital transformation and is proud to partner with Centara Hotels and Resorts. This startup sandbox program will strengthen our commitment to nurture tech talents and further accelerate innovative solutions,”  commented True Digital Park general manager Dr Tarit Nimmanwudipong.

Competing teams for the ‘Centara Startup Sandbox’ have to deal with a challenge: “How might we help clients experience their preferred destination or any hospitality offering while still providing them with more exclusive and memorable services”.

The winning team will receive THB100,000 and free use of co-working space at True Digital Park for six months. The first and second runners-up will each receive free use of co-working space at True Digital Park for three months.

Winning teams will also receive hotel vouchers from Centara.

1st Prize: Centara Reserve Samui, two nights in Deluxe Ocean room with breakfast for two persons, value THB23,775 per prize times three prizes per team

2nd Prize: Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, two nights in Deluxe room with breakfast for two persons, value  THB12,947 per prize times three prizes per team

3rd Prize: COSI Pattaya Wong Amat Beach, two nights in COSI Plus room with daily credit for two persons value THB3,295 per prize times three prizes per team

Teams with at least three members of any nationality 18 years old and above who have a business idea for the hotel and hospitality industry can apply now until 6 September 2021 at truedigitalpark.typeform.com.

For more information, visit https://www.truedigitalpark.com/en/startup-support/centara-startup-sandbox

Source: TTR Weekly

FOOD FOR FIGHTERS! #MAKEGOODWASTE PROGRAM

Since the Government imposed a third round of dine-in bans “ lockdown “ with less than 24 hours notice for a period of 30 days, not only left restaurateurs in financial hardship but also, with food inventory that would now go to waste. Motivated by posts made by a number of Chefs and restaurant owners expressing their desperate concerns for the inventory that they would now have to lose or waste, Bangkok Foodies team looked to the Food For Fighters organisation to help for this pressing issue. Bangkok Foodies, in cooperation with Food for Fighters, then came up with the the #MakeGoodWaste Program.

So, how does it work? Bangkok Foodies will begin their support by spreading the word of this project and source/select the restaurant who would like to participate in cooking charity meal boxes and provide those meals for the Food for Fighters Organisation. An organisation which has been responsible for sourcing funding and using those funds to commission chefs, restaurants, cooks and volunteers to cook and  provide over 200,000 meals to those in communities suffering from the COVID-10 outbreak in Thailand. Besides Bangkok communities, they provide meals to Thailand’s field hospitals, medical centers and prisons affected by COVID-19. The positive result is, participating chefs and restaurants may be able to recover some of the costs they would have normally wasted and contribute to feeding and helping these communities in desperate need, at the same time!

How does it work:

Once a restaurant participant is confirmed with the Bangkok Foodies team, they will pass the participant’s information onto the Food For Fighters team, who will coordinate and schedule the 100 meal boxes’ date and shipping times for delivery. The food should be cooked at the participant’s restaurant or whichever kitchen is convenient, on the same day, prior to the delivery. Don’t forget to take photos of your efforts so we can help to share! The Food For Fighters team, with the funding they have raised by donors, will support with a small budget per food box (1 single serve per box) to be determined once contacting the Bangkok Foodies team as it would depend on the budget available at that time.

The Chef or restaurant will cook 100 boxes of a meal of their choice, something affordable, easy and casual to eat, such as rice and chicken or a simple sandwich or pasta. However, the chef and restaurant participants are more than welcome to add their personal tastes and touch to their meals, as it will represent their brand. Participants are free to apply branded stickers or stamps on boxes or paper bags. See here for some of the dishes some of Bangkok celebrity chefs have made for inspiration.

Read the full article at https://www.bangkokfoodies.com/be-part-of-the-makegoodwaste-program-with-food-for-fighters-x-bangkok-foodies/?fbclid=IwAR3WwoHzKp-0sDt-7KRNHwHwtnaTOC3Oc_T8hD5thuBFYX5WgDDFsYNCNRM

Klean Kanteen runs the “Replace Single-Use Plastic” campaign to support and give back to the Thailand Recovery Fund in support of healthcare professionals combating with COVID-19

Replace single-use plastic! Grab yourself one of Klean Kanteen’s vacuum insulated TKWide bottles and give back to Thailand Recovery Fund in support of healthcare professionals combating COVID-19.

Thailand Recovery Fund is a reserve fund for quick response against any unfortunate disasters or other social emergency issues.

The fund will continuously be raised to always be well-prepared to respond quickly to any emergency situations such as flooding, wildfire, or possible recurrence of Covid-19.
 
As a result, your donation to the Thailand Recovery Fund creates quick responses to several issues in the society. We believe that an effective help comes from an immediate response to the issues.
 
 

Mekong Tourism Collaboration

Tourism in the Mekong Region is steered collaboratively by a public-private framework between the public and private sectors.

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, which is the secretariat of the Tourism Working Group, and Destination Mekong, which is the destination marketing organization led by private sector partners, are both managing initiatives aligned to the GMS Tourism Strategy to create a sustainable and inclusive environment to support businesses and communities in the Mekong Region and provide benefits for all stakeholders – residents, travelers, and businesses.

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Food charity drive with chefs and gastronomy members

The chefs and volunteers from several culinary-related associations, restaurants and hotels came together recently to do their bit to help needy families and people severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Headed by Master Chef Luu Meng, the CEO and Founder of Almond Hospitality, they also distributed food to volunteer doctors and health offices at Covid-19 vaccination centres, construction workers and road sweepers around the Sisowath Quay and palace areas.

The two-day charity activity carried out on Friday and Monday was in appreciation of their dedication to go about their duties during this pandemic.

It involved two-day cooking of food which was packed in 410 boxes consisting of 500grammes each of Cambodian all-time favourite dish “Prahoc Ktis” (fermented fish, minced pork, pea eggplants and coconut milk with help from local NGO, Mudhita Foundation for distribution.Each box can feed up to eight people.

On Friday, the Academy of Culinary Arts Cambodia (ACAC) gave 300 boxes of cooked food while Sevensea Seafood Restaurant provided 110 boxes on Monday.  To top it off, a donation of cartons of Ogeu still mineral water from the Pyrenees, France was given with the gourmet meal.

Princess Norodom Arunrasmy, the founder of Mudhita Foundation, also participated in the cooking and preparation of the food boxes with the chefs on Friday at ACAC.

“We can’t help everyone, but we hope that with the cooking of this popular Khmer dish by our chefs and volunteers, infused with their love and kindness, we can together make a difference and bring some cheer to their lives,” said Meng who is the president of the Cambodian Tourism Federation.

The people and associations who made the charity event a reality were Disciple Escoffier Cambodia Association, Cambodia Chefs Society, ACAC, Cambodia Restaurants Association, Cambodia Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members,  Sun and Moon Hotel, World Dining Restaurant, Malis Restaurant, Uy Kuyteav Restaurant, Preah Srey of Anvarman Museum and Ogeu Groupe – Ogeu Eaux Minérales.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50866529/food-charity-drive-with-chefs-and-gastronomy-members/

Govt to launch ‘Health Wallet’ app for Covid-19 vaccine registration

The government will soon launch “Health Wallet”, a smartphone app for people to register for Covid-19 vaccination.

Government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had discussed the preparation of a phone app for people to register to receive Covid-19 vaccines at a meeting with officials from the Public Health, Interior and Finance ministries on Friday morning.

The Health Wallet app would be used for Covid-19 vaccine registration. It would keep all registration data so vaccines could be distributed to people in all provinces.  

The Finance Ministry and Krungthai Bank would supervise the Health Wallet app and work  closely with the Public Health Ministry, which will launch the “Mor Prom’’ phone app, which allows people to book their Covid-19 vaccinaion.

Mr Anucha said the prime minister put emphasis on accelerating all processes to have Thais vaccinated against Covid-19,  so the country could fully re-open.

By year’s end, at least 60% of  the population should be vaccinated, in preparation for the official re-opening of the country in early 2022, the spokesman said.

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2093951/govt-to-launch-health-wallet-app-for-covid-19-vaccine-registration

Cambodia introduces QR code scanning for venues to combat COVID-19

The  Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPTC) has set up a QR Code “Stop Covid” in an attempt to provide additional measures to increase the efficiency and speed of prevention and control of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Ministry of Health announced Saturday on the implementation of the QR Code and this moves comes as a direct response to the current February 20 Community Incident, which as of Saturday 9pm has seen 32 foreign nations being tested positive for COVID-19.

It said that the public need to scan the QR Code when traveling in and out of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, entertainment venues, condominiums, companies, factories, and other enterprises which have a lot of foot traffic.

“This system will record the location of the person logged who had scanned the QR Code (a system that does not track or affect the privacy of the individual) and make it easier to find those involved or affected if that location is found to have COVID infected guests or patrons.”

The Intergovernmental Commission on the Prevention of COVID-19 also advised business owners, restaurant owners and the above-mentioned owners of crowded places to use the QR Code “Stop Covid-19”.

To get the QR Code to use, please go to stopcovid.gov.kh and click on “Request QR Code” . Then fill in the information and click on “Request QR Code” and click on “Download” to get a QR Code to print and paste in front of the business entry-exit points. Using this system is free of charge.

The Intergovernmental Commission for the Prevention of COVID-19 also called on the public to use the system to prevent the spread of the outbreak.

Source

ADB Hackathon Seeks Pitches for Digital Solutions to Spur Travel

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is seeking pitches for a hackathon on the best digital solutions that can kick-start travel in Southeast Asia in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Southeast Asia’s tourism sector was hit hard by the pandemic, along with the small and medium-sized enterprises that depend on tourists for their income. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates Asia and the Pacific’s tourism sector can lose up to $1.1 trillion in income and 69.3 million jobs in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

The hackathon, Re-establishing Tourism Confidence through Innovative Digital Solutions: Fast-tracking Tourism Recovery in Southeast Asia, promises a $10,000 prize for the winner who can come up with a digital solution that can entice people to travel again.

“Digital solutions allow for seamless integration of information flow,” said Marc Lepage, Principal IT Specialist at ADB, on the potential of technology to help revive travel in the region.

As a member of the ADB digital innovation team that set up the online challenge, Lepage says an app can be a useful tool for a traveler, who wants information at the palm of his hand. “I can look up what specific tourism operators are doing about COVID-19 that would make me feel safe to use their service, while looking, in the same app, at the process I need to go through—from immigration, airport, and official instructions. These all vary depending of where I’m coming from and where I’m going and the passport I’m holding—a digital solution that brings it all together and provides specific advice given my context would make travel easier in the COVID-19 context.”

As a traveler himself, he would also want information on the safety measures hotels offer to make him feel safer about traveling.

The hackathon named the following areas of interests for the challenge: 

  • Real-time updates on COVID-19 health and safety protocols implemented by public and private tourism service providers and information about evolving visa, air and ground transport, accommodation, tours, food and beverage services, and other tourism business operations
     
  • Integrated end-to-end travel planning tools (air and ground transport, accommodations, food and beverages, health, and wellness, etc.) that integrate COVID-19 safety and prevention measures
    ​​​​​​​
  • Creative digital marketing campaigns that maintain destination visibility and engender consumer confidence to travel again.

The deadline for application is on 17 January 2021.

More information: https://challenges.adb.org/en/challenges/new-normal-tourism-confidence-through-innovative-digital-solutions?lang=en&fbclid=IwAR1qfWLXCGel0yuSciABVAe3cnQiYC0YHad9VzBs6bntMGz4J4IVam2gp9E

ADB Supports Thailand’s Green, Social, and Sustainability Bonds for COVID-19 Recovery

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is assisting the Government of Thailand in designing, issuing, and monitoring innovative capital market initiatives as part of the country’s recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in a manner aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

ADB’s technical assistance through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF) includes bond framework development and external reviews to help Thailand’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) and National Housing Authority (NHA) design green, social, and sustainability bonds based on global and ASEAN standards and best practices. ADB is also helping the government develop internal systems to monitor the use of bond proceeds and prepare post-issuance reports. These measures will help lay the groundwork for more green, social, and sustainability bond issuances.

The initiatives include support for Thailand’s first sustainability bond, a first-of-a-kind issuance by a sovereign in Southeast Asia. Issued by MOF’s Public Debt Management Office in two tranches totaling THB30 billion (about $964 million) on 13–14 August, the bond was oversubscribed three times, and its proceeds will be used to finance green infrastructure through the Mass Rapid Transit Orange Line (East) Project. It will also fund social impact projects supporting the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as public health measures, job creation through small and medium-sized enterprises, and local public infrastructure development with social and environmental benefits.

ADB also supported the NHA’s maiden social bond, which was issued on 23 September in three tranches totaling THB6.8 billion. It is among the first social bonds issued by a state-owned enterprise in Southeast Asia. The bond will finance affordable housing in Thailand and promote sustainable communities. Other green and sustainability bonds are in development.

“We are delighted to support these pioneering initiatives by the Government of Thailand,” said Country Director of ADB Thailand Resident Mission Hideaki Iwasaki. “These social and sustainability bonds will help the country recover from COVID-19 by focusing on long-term, green, and inclusive infrastructure.”

“As countries face an increasing financing gap for climate-resilient infrastructure, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential for governments to tap into domestic and global capital markets with green and sustainability bonds,” said ACGF Unit Head Anouj Mehta.

ADB is preparing a new country partnership strategy to support Thailand’s economic recovery with a pipeline of green and climate-resilient infrastructure projects. The strategy will also focus on rebuilding regional cooperation through the Greater Mekong Subregion program and other platforms.

ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department has been supporting green finance development in Thailand. Projects include a THB5 billion purchase of B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited’s initial 5-year and 7-year green bonds in 2018. These were the first certified climate bonds to be issued in Thailand. ADB purchased a THB3 billion tranche within Energy Absolute Public Company Limited’s first green bond issuance of THB10 billion in 2019.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

UNWTO tracks travel recovery

As more countries around the world start easing travel restrictions, the UNWTO has launched a new tourism recovery tracker to support the sector’s rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Touted as the “most comprehensive tourism dashboard to date”, the tracker is the result of a partnership between the private sector and international organisations, including the ICAO, ForwardKeys, STR, Sojern and AirDNA.

Available for free, it covers key tourism performance indicators by month, regions and sub-regions, allowing for a real-time comparison of the sector recovery across the world and industries.

The UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker compiles all the relevant data in one place, giving governments and the private businesses the ability to track the recovery of tourism at global and regional level, alongside information on the top destinations for international tourism.

The tracker includes data on international tourist arrivals, seat capacity in international and domestic air routes, air travel bookings, hotel searches and bookings, occupancy rates and demand for short-term rentals.

According to UNWTO latest World Tourism Barometer, the massive drop in international travel demand over the period from January to June 2020 translates into a loss of 440 million international arrivals and about US$460 billion in export revenues from international tourism. This is around five times the loss in international tourism receipts recorded in 2009 amid the global economic and financial crisis.