Talking Travel: New NUO Hotel; Ctrip Buys Skyscanner; Beijing Capital Airlines Flies to New Places
Geez, step away from the Talking Travel desk to work remotely from Koh Samui and the local travel industry lights up.
NUO Hotel has opened a new location on Chang'an Jie, beginning Thursday. Like their original location in the Lido area, it appears posh. Maintaining the theme of Ming Dynasty luxury, NUO enters an increasingly crowded, high-end market in Beijing. We're looking forward to visiting soon.
Speaking of hospitality chains with two hotels in Beijing ... oh, that's right, Mandarin Oriental still hasn't opened any. Although a second outlet was announced for Beijing in 2015, the key first location still hasn't opened. Yes, that Mandarin Oriental location, the one that has had a Mandarin Oriental nameplate up for at least two years, and which is approaching the eighth anniversary of the fire that killed one firefighter and has left it standing next to the CCTV Headquarters like an upright shipwreck over the CBD. Even the Chicago Cubs don't have to say "there's always next year" this year, and yet, here we are.
The Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced Thursday that its members will be pumping less oil in the short-term in order to boost prices. That means higher airfares. Move swiftly to get your tickets for your Christmas/Spring Festival/winter travel.
China's leading online travel site, Ctrip, has purchased British travel search site Skyscanner for about USD 1.75 billion. Other than near-monopoly status, I can't think of a reason that Ctrip is so successful. Their prices are high and their service is poor. The only nice thing to be said about the company is that it just promoted a woman to be their CEO, with another female top executive moving from chief strategy officer to senior consultant.
Beijing Capital Airlines continues a trend of Chinese airlines flying to places that have nothing to do with their base or name, initiating service between Vancouver, Qingdao, and Hangzhou. Few things point to the growth of China's travel market as much as the expansion of flights to and from cities that are not Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou/Shenzhen.
Thailand seems very quiet in the wake of the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in mid-October. The official mourning period is over billboards commemorating the king, along with many Thai citizens who are still visiting the Grand Palace to pay their respects, wearing black clothing, or a black ribbon. High season is either just starting or will soon be under way, but it feels very quiet for one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.
One road flat safe.
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Email: stevenschwankert@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @greatwriteshark
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Photo courtesy of NUO Hotel Beijing
