Luxury Group by Marriott International unveils Luxury Wellbeing Series 2025

Source: The Luxury Group by Marriott International. The Luxury Wellbeing Series 2025 is now live.

The Luxury Group by Marriott International will introduce the Luxury Wellbeing Series 2025 from August. According to the Group's latest luxury travel trends report – The Intentional Traveler, 90% of high-net-worth travellers cite wellness offerings as a key factor in their booking decisions.

In addition, wellness travellers are planning to spend more. Beyond just feeling good, there is a growing demand for immersive, holistic wellness journeys over passive pampering, and Asia is the top destination of choice for such experiences.

Spanning multiple cities in Asia, this wellness odyssey integrates the three pillars of wellness — sleep, nutrition, as well as physical and mental wellbeing — with the cultural tapestry and natural splendour of Bali, Maldives, and Goa. The participating properties will each offer a tailored wellness escapade.

"Beyond tranquil retreats, affluent travellers are seeking impeccable, personalised, exceptional wellness experiences," said Oriol Montal, Regional VP, Luxury, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International.

"As the Luxury Group aspires to predict and exceed travellers' ever-evolving expectations, the Luxury Wellbeing Series is more than just a wellness programme — it's a transformative expedition catering to global luxury travellers' growing desire for holistic enrichment."

Bali | Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Sleep: Delve into the traditional use of medicinal plants in the Balinese Medicinal Plants Workshop, exploring how local flora can enhance sleep quality and overall health with centuries-old recipes. Follow this with Yogic Sleep Therapy, a 60-minute session focused on achieving deep relaxation through controlled breathing, gentle yoga techniques, and calming delta wave music.

Nutrition: Explore Bali with the guided Foraging with the Adventure Car tour led by the hotel's Executive Sous Chef Eka Sunarya. This hands-on sensory excursion takes guests through lush greenery where they will taste freshly-picked wild herbs, aromatic spices and tropical fruits while gaining insights into their culinary and cultural significance. 

To further embrace the deep-rooted appreciation of nature in Balinese culture, make your own traditional drinks in the hour-long Balinese Herbal Drink Workshop using local ingredients that are believed to detoxify, energise and heal.

Physical and mental wellbeing: Dive into the depths of self-awareness with the Vipassana meditation sessions, an ancient practice designed to sharpen mindfulness and foster inner tranquility. By closely observing their breath, sensations, thoughts, and emotions, guests can easily regain mental clarity and emotional resilience. 

Guests can let their artistic side shine with the Mandala Art activity, which fosters self-expression and emotional release. 

Maldives | The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands 

At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, wellness is a deeply personal journey, shaped by each guest's unique path to balance. Rooted in the resort's Deep Blue philosophy, which celebrates the ocean's healing rhythm and the science of the blue mind, the experience draws on the power of water to calm, centre, and inspire. 

From private consultations with the resort's Director of Spa and Wellness and Executive Chef upon arrival to bespoke treatments and personalised nutrition plans, every element is designed to dissolve stresses and restore inner peace.

Sleep: Taking place at the oceanfront bedrooms, the Balance of Stillness workshop will give guests an introduction to sleep cycles and creating their own sleep sanctuary with the curated sleep ritual kits to help establish a calming bedtime routine. Guests will enjoy a personalised turndown service featuring chakra tea and a sound card selected based on their initial wellness consultation.

Nutrition: A Taste of the Maldives cooking class offers guests a chance to delight in the flavours of the Maldives. They will prepare dishes using the day's fish catch alongside a vegetarian option and have a one-on-one session with the in-house wellness guru and the chef for tailored nutrition guidance. 

Following a comprehensive review of the guest's health history, lifestyle, and wellness goals, the professionals will provide guidance on a customised meal plan, portion control, mindful eating, and nutrient timing.

Physical and mental wellbeing: Set the tone with a Sunrise Floating Sound Healing Session, where sound vibrations gently align body and mind. Healing moments will be further elevated by B Strong, a powerful blend of strength training and conscious breathwork to improve resilience and clarity. 

A guided snorkelling trip and private coral regeneration experience further enrich this journey, deepening the connection between wellbeing and the healing power of the ocean.

India | The St Regis Goa Resort 

The newly-renovated St Regis Goa Resort is dedicated to the ancient practices of Ayurveda, designed to address and harmonise guests' overall health and wellbeing. The journey begins with a personalised consultation with a team of in-house wellness consultants to uncover underlying health imbalances, followed by customised treatments delivered by expert therapists.

Sleep: The Sleep Ritual harnesses the calming effects of Yoga Nidra alongside herbal tisanes to promote a deep, restorative sleep. This ritual is specifically crafted to help guests truly unwind.

Nutrition: Guests will indulge in a Dosha-Specific Farm-to-Table Lunch, aligned with individual Ayurvedic profiles using the freshest ingredients from local farms. A visit to the resort's Spice Garden further enriches this experience, offering insights into the healing properties of traditional herbs and spices integral to Ayurvedic cuisine.

Physical and mental wellbeing: The revitalising mornings begin with a therapeutic Sound Bath Session, using Himalayan singing bowls to realign the body's energies. This is further complemented by the Estuary Walk & Yoga, a reflective journey along the water's edge blending tranquil surroundings with the physical and mental discipline of yoga. 

Following the initial consultation upon arrival, The St Regis Spa offers on a series of bespoke Ayurvedic treatments designed to address guests' specific health concerns and promote a profound sense of peace and wellbeing.

Wise hiring in India, rolls out international account feature

Wise, the global company building the best way to move and manage money around the world, has announced a new hub in Hyderabad and plans to hire hundreds of roles over the next few years.

SK Saraogi, APAC Head of Expansion at Wise, noted on April 10 that the company is deepening its roots in India. "Our investment in Hyderabad is part of Wise's broader mission to transform the 32 trillion-pound international money movement market and will be central to accelerating our ability to make moving money faster, cheaper, and more convenient for millions of customers across the world," he said.

Wise's Asia-Pacific Head of Engineering, Smrithi Ravi, will relocate from Wise's regional hub in Singapore to lead the new Hyderabad hub. Due to open in 2H25, this hub will host core regional teams across Product, Engineering, Servicing Operations initially, with future plans to expand to host global product development and operations.

Ravi's team in Singapore is also responsible for building features localised to customers’ needs across the region. One such example is the new international account details feature for Indian businesses. These businesses can now use Wise to receive payments from abroad in multiple currencies.

According to Benori Knowledge, high transaction fees (40%), non-transparent pricing (37%), and complicated processes (31%) were top challenges for businesses in India who receive payments from abroad. The new feature from Wise simplifies this process for receiving international payments:

- Businesses get free international account details in 8 major currencies on Wise: the US dollar, British pound, Euro, Australian dollar, Singapore dollar, New Zealand dollar, Canadian dollar, and Hungarian forints.

- Clients can pay using these details like they would to any local account

- Wise automatically converts the foreign currency to INR at the mid-market rate and sends it to their linked business’ account in India

- Money is processed in under 90 minutes during business hours with automatic eFIRC delivery via email. A foreign inward remittance certificate (FIRC) or a foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA) is proof of a foreign transfer to India.

Ravi said: "India's tech talent ecosystem is world-class, and I'm excited to return home to lead Wise's newest full stack hub in Hyderabad. The teams in Hyderabad will play a crucial role in Wise's global infrastructure and product development. I’ll be looking for people who are passionate about building products that have a real impact on customers and who are self-starters looking to solve some of the most complex problems in international money movement. Our new international account details feature is the perfect example of how we build products from a deep understanding of the local customer experience."

Wise first started powering payments for India’s diaspora in 2013. Today, about 10% of all the money sent from abroad to India is done so on Wise*. Wise’s customers in India can send up to US$250,000 abroad - the maximum amount allowed under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) - under its own AD-II licence. 

Explore

Ask about joining Wise in India at https://join.smartrecruiters.com/Wise/b4b4a8d8-4fcd-4c5a-933e-b2a387a5698d-wise-india-talent-community-2025

*The Reserve Bank of India tracks the inflow of rupees into the country, and estimates it to be about US$100 B.

JAC Recruitment India opens second office in Bengaluru

JAC Recruitment India has established its second office in Bengaluru to provide greater assistance to companies with Japanese operations in the southern region of India.

“We’re always looking at ways we can support our clients with their business and expansion plans,” said Adil Driouech, Group MD, JAC Group (Ex-Japan).

JAC Recruitment India is a specialist recruitment firm that supports clients through permanent hiring and client advisory across a range of industries, including chemicals, manufacturing, industrial, textiles, consumer goods, engineering, construction, logistics, IT supply chain, trading, and healthcare.

Its first office was established in Gurgaon in March 2014 and is managed by Kazuo Komaki, MD of JAC’s operations in India. Komaki will also manage the Bengaluru operation.

VistaJet World unveils year-end trips

VistaJet World aims to top every Christmas wishlist with a variety of ultra-exclusive and luxurious destinations.

Unconventional and unique trips for the Asia Pacific region include:

The Great Maharajas | India

Source: VistaJet. Enjoy India on the Maharajas trip.

Be hosted by the maharajas from palace to palace, resting overnight in luxury Taj Hotels properties throughout.

- Join the maharajas in their palaces

- Stay at Taj Hotels

- Exclusive access to Mehrangarh Fort

- Visit the Taj Mahal

- Go on safari at Ranthambore National Park

- Unwind at wellness retreat Vana Spa, where VistaJet members will receive bespoke benefits

Price: from US$295,000 (for a couple sharing accommodation)

Volcano Expedition | Vanuatu, South Pacific

Camp on the side of an active volcano with a team of experts. Peer down over the edge of The Son of Benbow and capture footage of a bubbling lava lake.

- Abseil over the edge of an active volcano to photograph a bubbling lava lake

- An extreme expedition, camping on the edge of the volcano

- Immersive experiences with local villages and the Ni-Vanuatu people

- ving experiences and water sports in the surrounding areas

Price: from US$275,000 (for a couple sharing accommodation)

VistaJet, the global private aviation company, launched VistaJet World in October. VistaJet World curates one-of-a-kind, multistop travel adventures tailored around its members’ passions. Customers have access the entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid- and long-range jets. 

ZEE5 woos Pakistan, Bangladesh

Source: Zee5. Images for the #ShareTheLove campaign.

Three months after its soft launch across 190+ countries, digital entertainment platform ZEE5 is now focused on Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The #ShareTheLove is themed around the similarities that ZEE5 shares with Pakistan and Bangladesh in terms of culture and entertainment. Bringing in a strong bouquet of content which resonates with audiences in these markets, including Hindi and Bengali original shows like Rangbaaz, Kaali and the upcoming Sharate Aaj, original films like Aranyadeb and Tigers as well as digital premieres like Namaste England and Praktan; ZEE5 shares the love.

Amit Goenka, CEO, ZEE International and Z5 Global, said, "Indian content, especially our TV shows, movies and music gets tremendous love across the globe, and especially so from the sub-continent due to the relatability. We are glad to announce our availability in Bangladesh and Pakistan vide our new campaign #ShareTheLove and we look forward to getting a tremendous response from these markets."

"Good content transcends borders and especially so with Pakistan and Bangladesh where there is so much shared context of culture and language. This high energy TVC captures our innate similarities and showcases the content that we all love to watch, which is now available on ZEE5. With this message at its core, #ShareTheLove is sure to resonate beautifully with audiences in these markets," adds Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global.

ZEE5 offers 1,00,000 hours of Indian movies, TV shows, cine plays, music, videos and exclusive originals across 12 languages - English, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati and Punjabi. It also offers 60+ popular live TV channels.

Details:

Download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store or the iOS App Store. ZEE5 is also available . ZEE5 is also available on Samsung Smart TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Watch the TV commercials for Bangladesh and Pakistan

Oppo ad makes it to Youtube's 2018 top 10

Source: PFT. Oppo F7 ad becomes favourite Youtube video.

A TV campaign for Oppo has become No. 3 on YouTube's 10 most watched ads in 2018.

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology arm of Prime Focus, conceptualised and produced the ad, which presents childhood supporters of four of the best cricketers in the world, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and R. Ashwin.

The narrative depicts how real support makes real heroes and weaves in the Oppo F7 as a selfie expert.

Filming locations included Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as New Delhi and Pune in India.

Pranav Chaturvedi, Associate VP - Creative Services, PFT said, “Through this film, we have tried to recount stories of the unsung heroes who have been instrumental in shaping some of the nation’s most fantastic cricketers. For us, the biggest challenge lay in recreating scenes from 20 years ago with authenticity and accuracy. Keeping in mind each player’s hometown, we tried to give viewers a feel that is as close to reality as is cinematically possible."

Since its release on 29 March, 2018, the Oppo F7 video was aired on digital media as well as television, crossing landmark viewership figures in the first month. At the time of writing the video had 31.7 million views.

Details:

Watch the video

OnePlus 6T to launch on October 29

Source: OnePlus YouTube channel. Placeholder announcing
the launch.

Global technology brand OnePlus will soon Unlock The Speed in Singapore. The OnePlus 6T Android smartphone will be launched in Singapore through Euro Cellular Singapore, a regional mobile phone distributor.

The OnePlus 6T features Screen Unlock technology, which allows the phone to be unlocked with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Paired with the company’s fast charging technology, the new phone also comes with a larger battery. The device will feature Qualcomm’s flagship processor, Snapdragon 845 with Android Pie 9.0 out of the box.

The OnePlus 6T will be launched globally on October 29 at 11 am (11 pm Singapore time) in the US.     

OnePlus has done very well in the US$400-US$600 segment. Sales have been driven by India, China and the UK, the company said. Euro Cellular Singapore launched the OnePlus 6 in May. The OnePlus 6 is its best-selling smartphone to date. The trend is global - the  model sold over 1 million units globally within 22 days of the launch.

Counterpoint Research's analysis of the Indian smartphone market showed that OnePlus has led the premium smartphone segment in India for the second successive quarter in Q318, capturing 30% of the market driven by the strong performance of its OnePlus 6.

"Positive word of mouth along with an effective social media strategy has helped OnePlus in targeting a new user base," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director with Counterpoint Technology Market Research in a blog post.

"OnePlus 6 became the highest selling flagship model for OnePlus within five months of its launch.
OnePlus continues to increase its points of sale by launching its offline and exclusive stores across key cities. This has helped the brand reach out to a larger potential user base."

In India, the OnePlus 6 remains the best-selling model in the premium segment followed by the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy A8 Star.

Details:

For more information and to preorder the OnePlus 6T, go to the One Plus Singapore Facebook page, Lazada, Shopee, and Qoo10.

Catch the launch live on Youtube at 11 am EDT (3pm GMT). The landing page will be live after the global launch event on October 29. While community launch invites are sold out, OnePlus’ local community can log in to Youtube to watch the live launch event along with the rest of the world.

Hashtag: #OnePlus6T

*Premium smartphones are defined as those priced above US$400.

India updates passport services app

The Honourable External Affairs Minister of India Smt. Sushma Swaraj has launched an upgraded mPassportSeva mobile app.

  

The mPassport Seva App is available for Android and iOS and will have the facilities to apply, pay and schedule appointments for passport services. With the launch of this mPassport Seva App, citizens will not require access to a computer and printer to apply for passport services.
The mPassport Seva App will now support enhanced set of passport services such as:

- New user registration

- Filing of application forms to apply for passports and police clearance certificates

- Payment for passport services 

- Appointment scheduling

- Fee calculator

Two new Taj resorts announced for 2018

Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris puts the Andamans on the map in April 2018 with the first luxury resort to open on the archipelago.

Source: Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris. The Taj Exotica.

The new Taj Exotica will be located on Havelock Island on the crescent-shaped Radnanagar Beach, offering 72 villas resort-style.

Inspired by the pitch-roof stilt huts inhabited by the indigenous Jawara tribe, Taj Exotica is set in 46 acres of jungle, forests and mangroves with care taken to preserve the ecosystem of the island. To limit the resort’s carbon footprint, not a single tree was felled during the construction of the resort. The surrounding coconut and Areca nut trees as well as the mangroves remain undisturbed and have been incorporated into the resort’s design. An onsite bottling plant, waste disposal system and a sanitation treatment plant for water purification have been set up. Additional green initiatives will include solar energy panels for generating electricity to further reduce the consumption of diesel.

Guests can also meet with the in-house Naturalist who will work closely with the local NGOS and authorities towards the preservation of the marine life and the natural environment, which enjoys an abundance of bird life – over 270 species have been sighted on the archipelago.  Havelock Island is well known for its dive sites and Taj can offer interesting destination experiences including underwater photography, kayaking through the mangroves, and diving. Both Radhanagar and Elephant beaches are within reach.

The new resort will also be home to a Jiva Spa and three restaurants, each of which tell the history of the island’s inhabitants – including the Indian freedom fighters incarcerated by the British in the 19th century in the notorious Cellular Jail and the brief occupation of the Japanese during World War II.

The Settlers fine dining restaurant uses homegrown ingredients to create innovative dishes rooted in the flavours of Southeast Asian, Tamil, Keralan and Bengali cuisine, while speciality restaurant Shoreline offers coastal curries and fish from the Andaman sea and Bay of Bengal. For international comfort food, Turtle House offers global grills and a selection of Taj signature dishes curated from the chefs at leading Taj Hotels.

New for autumn 2018 is Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa – a new resort located in the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of the river Ganges. The hotel will be situated 30 km downstream from Devprayag, where the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge to form the holy Ganges. Each of the 81 rooms, including 47 villas, and the public areas overlook the Ganges and the pristine forest beyond.

This property will offer the very best of yoga and meditation as part of the Jiva Spa, in line with the rich expertise from the Yoga Masters of Rishikesh. Guests will enjoy practicing Yoga in a special pavilion situated by the river.

The hotel is along a new route opening up in North India, as Taj Swarna opened in Amritsar at the beginning of 2017 and Taj Theog – a new hill station resort is due open in Shimla at the end of 2018.

Details:

Prices at Taj Exotica start from INR 25,000 excluding taxes.

Rates at Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa are to be confirmed upon opening.

ARTWALK Little India mixes something old, and something new

Source: ARTWALK Little India. Izzad Radzali Shah, Festival, ARTWALK Little India 2018, LASALLE College of the Arts, 2018. Photo: Ng Wu Gang.
 

Multidisciplinary arts festival ARTWALK Little India, jointly organised by LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) with the support of Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association, returns for its fourth edition in January 2018 as part of Singapore Art Week. 

Themed Urban Mythology, the event marks the first of a renewed three-year partnership between STB and LASALLE, following a successful first three years between 2015 and 2017. Visitorship grew from 74,000 in 2015 to 140,000 visitors in 2017. 

In total, there are seven new murals, one visual art installation, and three performing artists at ARTWALK 2018, in addition to fringe activities. The programme spans 10 days and features new hands-on activities such as dress-a-puppet workshops and aura photography readings. 

This edition of ARTWALK sees several artists return to resurrect tales of Little India. Master storyteller Kamini Ramachandran, a participant since 2016, will be telling stories of the supernatural variety. Eunice Lim, artist of ARTWALK Little India murals Cattleland and Cattleland 2, is also back to honour Singapore’s longest-running Tamil bookstore, Siyamala Bookstore, which imports publications directly from India. Leow Wei Li, a student volunteer on Lim's mural in 2017, has decided to take part in this year’s ARTWALK together with Dominic Khoo to form art duo sobandwine. Their mural is an homage to the marigold flower in Indian culture.

To further draw out the collaborative nature of the festival, business owners within Little India have been invited to play a more engaged role in ARTWALK 2018. For the first time, corporate sponsors who have businesses within the area have jumped on board. These include main sponsor Corwin Holding, a joint venture between Lum Chang Holdings and a fund managed by LaSalle Investment Management Asia and developer of the new mixed development project at the former The Verge; plus co-sponsors Nippon Paint and Wanderlust Hotel. Four organisations also came on board as programme partners: Monster Day Tours, Indian Heritage Centre, Artgrain, and Audace Bar & Restaurant.

“We wanted to ensure that everyone involved felt like they have a stake within the neighbourhood and festival. Our end goal is all about celebrating the rich diversity and history of Little India, and with the personal investment of these individuals, many of whom came up with very creative ways to amplify the theme of this year’s ARTWALK; we believe 2018’s edition adds new layers to an already exciting and on-going dialogue of Little India,” said Hazelina Oh, a BA(Hons) Arts Management student of LASALLE. ARTWALK is managed by a team of seven BA(Hons) Arts Management students from LASALLE, with guidance from artist and LASALLE Senior Fellow, Milenko Prvacki. 

“ARTWALK Little India has played a key role in injecting vibrancy into the precinct and making Little India and its rich heritage relevant to a younger generation. It has also made the tourist experience in Little India more immersive,” said Kenneth Lim, Director, Cultural Precincts Development, STB.

Details:

ARTWALK Little India 2018 runs from 18–27 January 2018, with programmes and activities happening on Thursdays to Saturdays, 6pm – 9pm. 

The festival guide is available for download and can also be picked up at the Indian Heritage Centre or Clive Street POLI site.

Sign up for guided tours by Monster Day Tours

Self-guided tours can be accessed via the Locomole app on mobile devices, downloaded on both the App Store and Google Play store.

India-ASEAN Writers Festival debuts in Singapore

The High Commission of India in Singapore is organising the first-ever India-ASEAN Writers Festival in Singapore.

2018 is the 25th year of friendship between India and ASEAN and the High Commission is celebrating it with multiple events as the ASEAN India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Overseas Indians Day). The festivities will be held on 6-7 January at the Marina Bay Sands.

One of the marquee events at the festival is the PBD Writers Festival, which has been programmed and organised by Kitaab International (Kitaab), a Singapore-headquartered publishing and events company, on behalf of the High Commission of India in Singapore.

"The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Writers Festival 2018 celebrates the literary ties between India and the ASEAN nations. It showcases the literary talent of ASEAN - writers and poets who have contributed to building a common literary heritage across the nations," said Zafar Anjum, Programme Director and founder and CEO of Kitaab, Singapore.

More than 30 writers from ASEAN are participating in this two-day festival. Professor Edwin Thumboo, the doyen of poetry in Singapore, will be delivering the keynote address. Literary luminaries Suchen Christine Lim, Isa Kamari, PN Balji, Chris Mooney-Singh, Marc Nair, Krishna Udayasankar, Clara Chow, Desmond Kon, Jayanthi Sankar and Elavazaghan Murugan are some of the prominent authors who will be participating in the festival.

India, with 22 officially recognised languages and a history of over 3,000 years in written literature, possesses “the single most complex and continuous multilingual tradition of literature in the world,” according to Dr Sheldon Pollock, a Sanskrit scholar and editor of the Murty Classical Library of India (MCLI).

Through millennia, India has been a source of inspiration for culture, art, architecture and literature in countries belonging to the present-day ASEAN. Thanks to contact with Indian civilisation, Southeast Asia has created many literary works inspired by Indian culture, says Kitaab.

Sanskrit scripts are the first form of writing known to have reached Southeast Asia, and have influenced the choice of the alphabets adopted for local languages in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. A large number of ancient inscriptions which have been discovered in these region are in Sanskrit, and the Indian classic, the Ramayana, has inspired literature in this part of the world.

Kitaab points out that only culture can nurture and build a sense of being part of something bigger. Literature and books in general are cultural products that have been known to have a significant influence on people, ultimately creating a sense of belonging and an ASEAN identity.

Explore:

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Learn more about Pravasi Bharatiya Divas events

Hashtag: #PBD2018SG

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Singapore to mark 25 years of ASEAN-India partnership

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), celebrated every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community in the development of India, will be held in Singapore to mark 25 years of the ASEAN-Indian partnership.

The event is celebrated every year to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the India government, reconnect them with their roots and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

During the PBD Convention, overseas Indians are honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to recognise their contributions in various fields, both in India and abroad.

13 PBD conventions have been held in India so far. In 2015 the Government of India revised the format of PBD and re-energised its engagement with the Indian diaspora to enable sustained and more substantive engagement. Following the review, the PBD convention will be held once in two years in a city outside Delhi, India. In the intervening year, smaller, outcome-based PBD conferences will be organised in New Delhi on issues of concern to the Indian diaspora. It was decided that Indian missions and consulates will also celebrate PBD every year.

This year’s PBD will celebrate the ASEAN-Indian partnership and will be themed Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic ASEAN INDIA Partnership. The venue, Singapore, is considered not only India’s gateway to the East but also the heart of ASEAN. The event hopes to generate outcomes that deepen the diaspora’s relations with India and play a key role in promoting closer ties between India and ASEAN.

More than 15 plenary sessions will be conducted by business leaders, senior government officialsand academics on current topics covering key sectors like infrastructure, finance, education, technology and media. Topics include:

The ASEAN-India Economic Partnership

ASEAN and India in the digital world

Make in India

ASEAN, India and the new world order

Diaspora in ASEAN – history and the current situation

Government speakers from Singapore will include Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security; Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs; and S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry). Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs, India; Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; and Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam; will represent India at the event. Other VIPs include Tun S Samy Vellu, Special Envoy to India and South Asia on Infrastructure at Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia and Dato' Sri SK Devamany, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s office, Malaysia.

An India-Singapore Entrepreneurship Bridge will be launched on day 1.

A number of competitions will also be held, covering literature, poetry, classical dance, classical vocal skills, and classical music. A Writer's Festival will be held on both days beginning at January 6 from 2.15pm, with an introduction by Programme Director Zafar Anjum, Kitaab.

Details:

Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level 4 & 5

6 January
Conference: 9.30am - 4.45pm
Parallel events: 8.45am - 6pm

7 January
Conference: 9.45am - 5.45pm
Parallel events: 12pm - 6pm

Explore:

Register

Download the agenda (PDF) 

View the list of speakers

Hashtags: #PravasiBharatiyaDivas, #PBD2018, #PBD2018SG

DebtorsWatch aggregates information on bad payments in India

DebtorsWatch is India's first online platform for reporting trade defaults. The web-based interactive portal helps businesses report late payments, trade defaults, perform credit checks and monitor a customer's credit-worthiness. The data can also help registered members in performing due diligence checks.

CA Deepanjan Periwal, the founder of Debtors Watch says, "In countries like US, UK, Australia, credit tracking is a very common phenomenon to check the creditworthiness of a person based on the historical payment performance. In India, things are not transparent enough. Shrewd debtors were keeping the market in dark and eloping away after completing the cycle of debt sufficiency.

"We, at DebtorsWatch, are targeted towards introducing a transparency in the market where we are inviting people, by giving them an additional hand to recover money."

Businesses can report bad debts by uploading documents supporting their claim. On reporting a default the portal sends a series of email and text reminders to debtors asking them to clear their dues. Failure to do so result in a default being registered on the platform. The portal also allows customers to respond to the defaults reported against them.

Explore:

Watch the video introducing DebtorsWatch

India and Bangladesh launch connectivity projects

India PM Shri Narendra Modi, the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee have jointly inaugurated a series of connectivity projects between the two countries.

These include the second Bhairab and Titas Railway Bridges along the 320-km Dhaka-Chittagong railway corridor in Bangladesh, and the International Rail Passenger Terminus at Chitpur in Kolkata, India.

The dignitaries also flagged off the inaugural run of the Bandhan Express between Kolkata and Khulna in southwest Bangladesh, a distance of over 150km. The train runs on Thursdays from Kolkata in the mornings, reaching Khulna in the early afternoon, leaving Khulna in the early afternoon to reach Kolkata in the evening.

OPPO launches OPPO F5 in India

- Artificial intelligence (AI) technology for selfies in India and the first full screen device from OPPO 

- Indian actor and former model Sidharth Malhotra is a new brand ambassador, joining current ambassador and Indian actress Deepika Padukone

- The new brand slogan is The Selfie Expert & Leader 

Source: OPPO. Sidharth Malhotra, OPPO Brand Ambassador (second from left), with Li (second from right) and Will Yang, Brand Director, OPPO India (right). 

OPPO, the selfie expert, has unveiled the OPPO F5, the brand's first FHD+ full screen display model in India. The phone features A.I. Beauty technology, which customises beautification for subjects in a selfie. 

"Our focus has always been on bringing the best photography and selfie experience to the Indian consumers. We have been leading the selfie industry in the Indian market with our Selfie Expert F series for which we have received immense response, especially from the youth. With the launch of F5 that offers the first A.I. Beauty technology in India, we are confident of going further ahead in this journey. Thus, the new brand slogan, The Selfie Expert & Leader, truly represents our ambition to continue being the leaders in the market," said Sky Li, Global VP, OPPO and President of OPPO India.

OPPO also announced a new brand ambassador, youth icon and Bollywood superstar Sidharth Malhotra, who will join Deepika Padukone. Sidharth and Renowned Photographer - Rohan Shrestha shared their own selfie experience with OPPO F5 during the event.

A.I. Beauty technology

OPPO F5 is the first smartphone that brings AI for selfies to India, OPPO said. The F5 can determine skin tones, gender and age from an image. The technology uses more than 200 points on a shape to identify faces. Professional photographers and makeup artists were consulted during the R&D process, enabling their professional skills to be emulated in making selfies look more natural, the company said.

After facial recognition, A.I. Beauty technology will beautify the face based on one's skin, eyes, lips, and face shape. The feature is intelligent and will add feminine enhancements for female subjects but not males. Children and babies do not receive enhancements that make them look like adults, OPPO said.

The OPPO F5 comes installed with a 20MP front camera with a f2.0 aperture and 1/2.8" sensor. Both features allow the camera to gain more information to produce better images with less noise in low-light conditions. The front-camera Portrait mode  applies a bokeh effect to the background, creating better gradation and making the subject the focus of the selfie.

The 16MP rear camera is excellent for day and night shots. The f1.8 aperture performs well for brighter and more precise shots in darker settings. An f1.8 aperture allows more light in than a f2.0 aperture for better photos.

FHD+ full-screen smartphone

The F5 is OPPO's first 6.0" FHD+ full-screen display device and also the first phone equipped with FHD+ full screen display in its price segment, OPPO said. It features a 2,160 x 1,080 pixel screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio. 

Streamlined design

The F5 has a curved unibody that fits well in the palm. A 0.4mm laser strip carved onto the chassis adds a linear finish.

Biometrics

The F5 comes with Facial Unlock, new face recognition technology for unlocking the phone. If the user prefers to use the fingerprint unlock function, the fingerprint reader is now on the back of the phone, enabling a full front screen.

Updated operating system

OPPO's Color OS 3.2, together with 4G RAM + 32GB ROM memory gives the operating system a smoother user experience. A triple slot tray supports two nano SIM cards and one TF (Micro SDHC) card simultaneously. The Octacore CPU processor uses less energy, produces less heat while delivering 40% more performance compared to the previous Color OS versions.

Other highlights include:

- The F5 has a 3,200Ah battery that allows up to 12 hours of continuous use in simulated tests with the help of Continuous Optimizing technology, which manages the apps running on the device. 

- The OPPO F5 has Game Acceleration targeted at gamers. This feature offers a smoother game experience. Apart from optimising the game display configuration to fully utilise hardware resources, incoming calls are shown as a banner so that they do not interrupt one's game.

- The O-share file sharing technology is 100 times faster than Bluetooth - eight to 10 pictures (3MB each) can be transferred between OPPO phones within 1 second. 

- A Split Screen feature is meant for easy multitasking.

In 2016, OPPO was ranked the No. 4 smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. In India, OPPO ranks No. 2 in the offline market by market share as of December 2016 according to GfK. OPPO is the official sponsor of Team India, and the Men's and Women's National Cricket Team in 2017. It is also the official global partner for the International Cricket Council in the mobile category for four years starting 2016. 

Details:

Priced at INR19,990 the F5 (gold and black edition) will go on sale from November 9 and will be available both online and offline. Two other models were also launched at the event, the F5 6GB edition at INR24,990 (red and black edition) and the F5 Youth (black and gold edition). These two variants will be available in December.

Singtel to accept preorders for Google Pixel 2 XL from today

Singtel today announced that it will bring the highly anticipatedGoogle Pixel 2 XL to Singapore as its official telco partner. Singtel customers will be the first in Southeast Asia to purchase the brand new device when it is launched on 15 November.

Yuen Kuan Moon, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Singapore, Singtel, said, “We’re excited to bring the Pixel 2 XL to Singapore. It is a device that many Android fans here have been eagerly waiting for, and we are sure they will be amazed by its innovative features. With our extensive 4G network speeds and new Combo plans, coupled with our unlimited data options, customers will enjoy the optimal Google Pixel 2 XL experience – they can take and upload as many selfies as they want and ask Google Assistant endless questions!”

On the fastest mobile network in Singapore, the Pixel 2 XL, a Cat 11 4G LTE device, allows customers to experience data speeds of up to 500Mbps islandwide.

Source: Google blog post. The Google Pixel 2 in Just Black.

Google Pixel 2 will have the "highest-rated camera in the world" according to independent camera experts DxOMark, said Google. The Pixel 2 XL is equipped with a camera that takes beautiful photos and standout videos in any light, unlimited cloud storage* for all your photos and videos in Google Photos, and a long-lasting battery with 7 hours of battery from 15 minutes of charge**. The Pixel 2 XL also comes with Google Lens, a new set of visual smarts, and a localised version of Google Assistant, which will be launched later this year for use with Singaporean English (Singlish).

A Google blog post has shared that high-quality portrait shots with background blurs (bokeh) can be taken from both the front and back cameras, and new motion photos will capture a few seconds of video around the shot to enrich the moment around the picture. Video is also smoother through combining both optical and electronic video stabilisation.

"The Pixel 2 camera is powered by our computational photography and machine learning (ML) capabilities which make all these great features easy, fun and fast for you to use," said Mario Queiroz, VP and GM for Phones, Google, in the blog post.

The company is also committed to enhancing camera features. One example "coming soon and exclusive to Pixel" will be augmented reality (AR) stickers, basically graphics that can be superimposed onto real life surroundings for photos and videos.

Pixel 2 owners will get an exclusive preview of Google Lens that builds on Google’s advancements in computer vision and ML, combined with the Knowledge Graph which underpins Google Search.

"From day one, on your Pixel 2, you’ll be able to look up landmarks, books, music albums, movies, and artwork, by clicking on the Lens icon in Google Photos. You can also use Google Lens to copy URLs and contact info from a picture of a poster or business card. We’ll add capabilities on an on-going basis, including to use of Lens in the Google Assistant," Queiroz explained.

The integrated Google Assistant will makes tasks—from sending a text or making a call, to finding an answer—faster, easier and hands-free, Google said. "You won’t need to edit the text messages you dictate as often as you do with other assistants. With Pixel 2, you can access your Google Assistant with a new feature called Active Edge. Just give the phone a quick squeeze—even when it’s in a case—and ask the Assistant for what you need," Queiroz said.

Source: Google blog post. The Google Pixel 2 in Kinda Blue.

The Pixel 2 is water- and dust- resistant to the IP67 standard and there will be monthly security updates from Google. It comes in two sizes: the 5" version has a cinematic OLED display, and comes in Just Black, Clearly White and Kinda Blue. The 6" Pixel 2 XL has a pOLED 18:9 display comes in Just Black and Black & White. Both phones are powered by Android 8.0 Oreo and come with an always-on display to show notifications without having to touch the power button.

Alongside Pixel there are new cases and accessories, such as customisable Google Live Cases, and a range of other cases, cables, headphones and more from over 25 partners in the “made for Google” programme. "The 'made for' products will feature a badge on the packaging so you know they've been certified to meet Google's compatibility standards," said Queiroz.

Interested?

Customers can register their interest in Singapore with Singtel for Google Pixel 2 XL from 9am today. Google says most people will be able to copy their contacts, apps, messages, photos, and even their iMessages from their old phones to Pixel in 10 minutes or less.

In India, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be available online exclusively on Flipkart and in retail stores, with Pixel 2 being available for sale starting 1 November 2017, and Pixel 2 XL available starting 15 November 2017. Both will be available in 1,000+ stores across the country. The Pixel 2 64GB will cost Rs61,000, Pixel 2 128GB is set at Rs70,000, Pixel 2 XL 64GB at Rs 73,000, and the Pixel 2 XL 128GB at Rs 82,000. Preorders start on 26 October 2017.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will also be available in Australia.

*Free, unlimited original-quality storage for photos and videos taken with Pixel through the end of 2020, and free, unlimited high-quality storage for photos taken on Pixel afterwards.  

**Approximate battery life based on use of the included charger and a mix of talk, data, and standby use with the ‘always on’ display feature turned off.  Actual results may vary - see website for details.  

Multiplatform content consumption differs across age groups in Asia

ComScore releases measurement of mobile audiences in Malaysia. The Y axis tracks various consumer segments by age ranges.

ComScore, the cross-platform measurement company, released insights on Malaysia, India and China recently in conjunction with CTR Market Research that underline how Asia consumes desktop and mobile content. According to the companies, over half of Malaysia’s users consume online content on both the desktop and mobile platforms in a month.

Analysis of recent multiplatform and mobile data from its digital audience measurement and media planning solutions for Malaysia shows that the most multiplatform-savvy demographic are people aged 35–44, with nearly three quarters of this segment using a combination of desktop and mobile devices. Key findings include:

- In Malaysia, multiplatform users form the largest segment, with just over half of the total digital population accessing the Internet via both desktop and mobile devices in a month.

- At the same time, just over one in five users no longer rely on desktop, becoming part of a ’mobile only’ audience that appears to be growing globally.

- Users aged 15–24 are most ‘mobile-only’, while the 25–34s are least reliant on desktops. Younger demographics are more likely to be mobile-only when accessing digital content, with around a third of 15–24s and 25–34s abandoning desktops and laptops altogether. The 25–34s age group are the least reliant on desktop, with only 3% using it as their sole platform.

- Almost three quarters of total online minutes in Malaysia are spent on smartphone or tablet devices, with the bulk of this extensive mobile time spent within apps. As expected, younger demographics spend the largest share of their time on mobile.

- On the other hand, users aged 45 years and above spend almost one third of their time on desktops and laptops, the highest proportion among all age groups.

ComScore tracks India travel consumers. The X axis tracks various consumer segments by age ranges.

When it comes to travel, mobile plays an increasingly important role in how digital content is being consumed. In July 2017, 68% of travel category visitors in India accessed content via mobile devices only, and almost two thirds of total digital time in the category is spent on smartphones or tablets, said comScore. Using insights from comScore MMX Multi-Platform and Mobile Metrix, the company shared that:

- India’s travel category is dominated by mobile audiences, with 68% of travel users choosing to access content only through their smartphone or tablet devices in a month. With only 22% of users accessing travel content exclusively through desktop computers in a month, the importance of smaller screens for publishers and advertisers is clear.

- For 10% of users, brands have multiple potential touchpoints, as they access travel content across both desktop and mobile platforms in a month.

- The top travel entities in India include diverse brands, including rail transport, cab booking sites, online travel agents and travel information sites. Across nine of the top 10 travel properties, mobile is the primary platform in terms of unique users. Cab booking and ride-sourcing users are almost exclusively using mobile, accounting for 97% and 98% of traffic for Ola Cabs and Uber respectively. Expedia users buck this trend, choosing to access primarily through desktop.

- The share of total minutes on mobile peak with younger users, and decline with older age groups.
Millennials rely heavily on mobile to consume travel content, with mobile representing over 70% of their time spent online.

ComScore chart showing the percentage of unique visitors in China to online sites by category and platform.

In China, comScore figures show that:

- Mobile apps account for six in 10 digital minutes in China. The majority of mobile app minutes are in the portals, retail and instant messenger categories.

- Just 18% of China users now rely solely on desktop access, driven largely by the 45–54 age bracket. In contrast, 20% of China Internet users access content only via mobile devices in a month.

- Broadly speaking, mobile-only audiences are larger for close-ended or location-sensitive tasks, whereas browsing of sites in the retail and portals categories still have significant desktop and multiplatform audiences. The exception is the banking category, where the proportion of mobile audiences is double that of desktop audiences.

- Mobile-only consumption varies dramatically through age ranges, meaning that advertisers and publishers must think carefully about the platform mix to reach their target customers.

The digital marketing world has been particularly active. This week, artificial intelligence (AI) company Appier announced a new Chief Strategy Officer, as well as plans to expand its operations in Japan to better support existing customers as well as drive demand for Appier's AI solutions in the country. The newly-appointed Chief Strategy Officer, Sean Chu, will also head Appier's operations in Japan.

In April, advertising technology company AdAsia Holdings closed US$12 million in Series A funding from JAFCO Asia, the largest single investment that JAFCO has made in a company in one investment round. At the time, the company said it would use the funds to expand into new markets such as mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia in 2017, as well as grow headcount to 400 by end-2018. Part of the money was also earmarked for a new product development centre in Vietnam.

The Singapore-headquartered company began operations in April 2016, and currently has seven offices in six countries, with Shanghai soon to follow. The company has a global headcount of over 90 staff and more than 300 clients globally.

Interested?

Download the comScore Introducing Expanded Mobile and Multi-Platform Measurement in Malaysia with Mobile Consumer Panel Data presentation

Download the comScore Mobile's Hierarchy of Needs report for insights into key behaviours that have propelled mobile to a primary platform in global markets including China.

Oman Air adds third flight on Muscat-to-Mumbai route

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has launched a third daily flight on its Muscat to Mumbai route. The new time slot is expected to prove popular especially with business travellers who can now take an evening flight and reach their destination early the next morning.

Launched on 1 August this year, the two hour 50 minute flight departs Muscat, Oman at 10.40pm and arrives in Mumbai at 3am the next morning. The return flight leaves Mumbai, India at 4.05am and reaches Muscat at 5.15am. 

Oman Air already has two daily return flights between Muscat and Mumbai – the outgoing flights depart Muscat at 1.20am and 9am respectively, arriving in Mumbai at 5.40am and 1.20pm. One return flight leaves Mumbai at 4.15pm to arrive in Muscat at 5.30pm, while the other flight departs Mumbai at 6.55am, reaching Muscat at 8.10am.

Mumbai is the largest city in India and its financial, commercial and entertainment capital. Drawing in around 5 million visitors a year, the city is consistently in high demand among Oman Air guests, especially those from Oman’s large Indian expatriate community.

Oman Air first launched flights to India in the 1990s and the demand for seats has grown exponentially amongst both business and leisure passengers. The new flight is the latest move in Oman Air’s programme of fleet and network expansion and follows a revised air services agreement between the governments of Oman and India in December 2016, when the number of weekly seats was increased to 27,405 seats for both countries, against 21,145 seats in the previous agreement.

The airline is growing its weekly capacity to India with frequencies increasing on five of the airline’s 11 key Indian destinations. Bombay, Delhi and Hyderabad have gone from twice daily to three times daily. Flights to Calicut have grown from once daily to three times daily while Lucknow flights are now twice daily. The airline also launched direct daily flights between Salalah, Oman and Calicut in early 2017. This latest addition from Mumbai to Muscat increases the overall weekly frequency of flights to India from 154 to 161.

Abdulrahman Al-Busaidy, Deputy CEO & Chief Commercial Officer of Oman Air, said: “The addition of this flight is part of our wider commitment to the Indian market. India is a key destination for Oman Air and the demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high. Increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests, who will now be able to leave Muscat in the evening and arrive in Mumbai the following morning. We are sure this new service will prove just as popular as our other Indian routes.”

IBM sounds alarm over skills gap in India

Source: IBM. Cover for the Upskilling India report.

IBM has announced a study conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in cooperation with the Economist Intelligence Unit to evaluate India's growing skills challenge and proposed recommendations to bridge the gap.

A majority of Indian executives surveyed in the study said that the quality and quantity of skills in the Indian workforce are at least comparable to those of other countries, and many reported them to be superior. However, only 40% indicated new employees in local labour markets have the requisite job skills.

The IBM study, Upskilling India, derives insights from a survey of academics, corporate-recruiters, and emerging education leaders in India. In addition, the study also analysed results of recent surveys of startup entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and corporate executives.

Key findings:

• Six in 10 (61%) of India's surveyed educators indicate that the higher education system is unable to respond to changing societal needs.
• Seven in 10 of India's venture capitalists indicated that startups cannot find employees with the right skills.
• Only 40% of Indian industry executives said new employees recruited in local labour markets have requisite skills.
• Nearly three quarters (73%) of India's education leaders surveyed say new technologies are disrupting higher education.

"Today's rapidly evolving economic environment makes developing new skills an imperative across job profiles and sectors. At IBM, we believe in providing an environment that fosters new learning and development experiences aided by the power of technology," said DP Singh, VP and Head - HR, IBM India/ South Asia. "We are working with government bodies, academia, corporates, startups and recruitment firms to equip India with a 'job-ready' workforce."

Between 2010 and 2030, India's working population is expected to expand from 750 million to almost 1 billion. Without adequate education and training, such population growth poses increased risk of the emergence of a growing class of the under or unemployed.

The study recommends:

Developing more practical, experience-based education - Rethink higher education curricula by identifying opportunities to infuse experience-based and real-world learning experiences and embracing new teaching technologies and techniques. Higher education institutions should build alliances with industry partners, share learnings and refine strategies.

Embracing technologies that improve educational access, experiences, and outcomes - Assess current capabilities and requirements, experiment with using new technologies and extend capabilities through ecosystem partners.

Build deeper relationships with ecosystem partners - Define and reach consensus with key partners around a common vision for the education ecosystem, with clearly defined commitments from all partners.

Interested?

Read the Upskilling India study

Download the IBM IBV app on an Android or iOS device

Citadines OMR serviced residences open in Chennai

Citadines OMR servied residences open in Chennai, India.

CapitaLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has opened its second serviced residence in India – the 269-unit Citadines OMR in Chennai, the country’s third-largest city and one of its fastest-growing cities.

With this latest property, Ascott strengthens its position as India’s leading international serviced residence operator, with a footprint of more than 1,600 units in nine properties, both operational and under development, across the country.

Tony Soh, Ascott’s Chief Corporate Officer, who also oversees its business in India, said: “India is one of the world’s top 10 economies; its increasing visitor arrivals and rising affluence present immense opportunities for international brands like Ascott. Our strategy for
India is to expand in high-growth cities where there is strong demand for international-class serviced residences from expatriates and business travellers.

"Ascott has six properties with over 900 units in various stages of development in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Sri City. By 2021, our presence will grow to 1,600 units in nine properties. India is a key market for Ascott, and we are seeking to expand through strategic alliances, investment and management contracts in cities where we have presence as well as other key business cities including Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.”

Ajit Koushik, Ascott’s Area GM for India said: “With the launch of Citadines OMR Chennai, Ascott now has two operating serviced residences in Chennai, a major IT hub with thriving industries such as automobile, banking and finance as well as manufacturing."

Koushik said Somerset Greenways Chennai is seeing high demand from business executives in the industries he listed, driving expectations that Citadines OMR Chennai will also perform well. While Somerset Greenways Chennai has units of up to three bedrooms, Citadines OMR Chennai offers independent travellers the flexibility to customise their stay, he said.

India continues to be one of the top 10 most attractive destinations for foreign direct investments with a record US$46 billion being invested in the country in 2016¹. Further, Chennai is predicted to be one of the future Indian megacities to record the fastest rate of real GDP growth from 2016 to 2030².

Citadines OMR Chennai is strategically located along the Old Mahabalipuram Road, which serves as Chennai’s IT Corridor and is lined with IT parks, office complexes and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) such as the ELCOT SEZ and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamilnadu.

Citadines OMR Chennai is near the scenic East Coast Road, which is dotted with restaurants and cafés. Nearby suburbs like Velachery and Neelankari offer shopping, dining and recreational options.

The serviced residence offers guests a variety of units such as studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, which come with a fully-equipped kitchen and modern amenities. It has an infinity pool on the rooftop, a gym with steam and sauna facilities, jacuzzi and residents’ lounge.

There are also two meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 100 people, a business centre, 24-hour guest services desk, launderette and a convenience store. Guests can savour a meal at Hola, the 24-hour coffee shop or Delhi Highway, an Indian-cuisine restaurant located within the residence.

Interested?

As an introductory promotion, Citadines OMR Chennai is offering special daily rates from INR4,000++, inclusive of a complimentary buffet breakfast and Wi-Fi. Monthly rates are also available for long-stay guests.

1 FDI inflow zooms 18% to USD 46 billion in 2016: DIPP, 24 February 2017, The Hindu
2 Cities of the Future: Fastest Growing ‘Megacities to be’ are in India, 5 June 2017, Euromonitor International

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