Baccarat and the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore present a season of enchantment

Source: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore. Baccarat and Mandarin Oriental, Singapore collaborate to present a season of enchantment.

Baccarat, the French house renowned for its crystal creations and Mandarin Oriental, Singapore will run a festive collaboration across 29 November 2024 - 5 January 2025 featuring cocktails, afternoon tea sets, exhibits and a room package. 

Conceived as part of Baccarat's 260th anniversary with exclusive experiences across the globe, the collaboration with Mandarin Oriental, Singapore continues the successful Baccarat Cocktail World Tour with MO BAR in Q124.

Upon stepping into Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, guests will find themselves surrounded by elements in Baccarat's iconic red, which represents its passion for craftsmanship and the Christmas spirit. A Christmas tree comprising two Baccarat x Marcel Wanders 24 l and 40 l Le Roi Soleil chandeliers will showcase the allure of Baccarat crystals, complete with branches, tassels and octagons.

Accompanied with an amalgamation of red gift boxes at the lobby to the photo wall placed at the entrance of MO BAR, guests can also spot collections showcased on panelled bar shelves, pedestals and lounge tables that convey Baccarat's joie de vivre.

There will be exclusive festive cocktails at MO BAR, two designed by Kim Jung Hoo, Head Bartender at MO BAR Singapore and two crafted by Hidenori Fukuda, Head Bartender of B Bar, Tokyo. Each incorporates Christmas-sy notes, and will be served in Baccarat glassware.

A Christmas edition of an afternoon tea experience is to be launched as well. In honour of Baccarat's 260 years in craft excellence, Christmas-themed savouries and sweets will include a collaboration cake - Baccarat Gem - presented on Baccarat crystalware.

Displayed on tiered trays and wares from Baccarat, curated savouries in the Enchanted Festive Tea Soirée (S$88++ per person) include foie gras logs with Christmas berries, Grand Marnier spiked nougat de Sainte-Maure and Dungeness Crab Gâteau with xérès-infused watermelon; while the sweet spectrum features red wine granite, Moss for a green tea travel cake coated in dacquoise and the 'petit' Baccarat gem. 

The Baccarat Gem (S$18++) is a limited-edition cake available at The Mandarin Cake Shop in the shape of an octagon fashioned after Baccarat's crystals. Crafted by Mandarin Oriental, Singapore's team of pastry chefs, the cake in Baccarat's iconic red brings together luxurious flavours in every bite with rosemary cream, wild strawberry compote, eglantine coulis, and a delicate layer of Earl Grey tea mousse.

A curated selection of Baccarat products including tumblers, vases and tea sets will be available, complete with gift boxes. Those who wish to learn more about each product can scan tableside QR codes, or speak directly with Baccarat sales representation. 

In celebration of the holiday season, a room package has been introduced. Guests can obtain two nights' stay in luxurious suites, complemented by an exclusive in-room amenity, Baccarat x Mandarin Oriental afternoon tea and cocktail experiences, and a Baccarat Gift Set featuring a pair of crystal tumblers to take home.

Details

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
5 Raffles Ave., Singapore 039797
Tel: +65 63380066

For reservations and bookings enquiries at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore visit https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/singapore/marina-bay/festive-season#baccarat .

Baccarat Boutiques Singapore
The Baccarat Boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is at Galleria Level,B1-68, 2 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Tel: +65 6688 7168
Takashimaya Department Store Singapore, Basement 1, 391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City,
Tel: +65 6835 1252

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore hotel guests can enjoy 10% savings when shopping at the Baccarat pop-up at The Mandarin Cake Shop and Baccarat boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

Hashtags: #MandarinOrientalSingapore, #BaccaratSG, #Baccarat260years, #EverythingTastesBetterinBaccarat

Take a rail journey to festivities at The Peninsula, Hong Kong

Kick off the festive season in grand Peninsula style in Hong Kong on 21 November 2024, with The Peninsula Express – Festive Extravaganza, an evening comprising of a musical performance followed by a feast in the form of a culinary festive market.

Celebrating the glamour and excitement of vintage rail travel, The Peninsula Express pays tribute to the legacy of The Peninsula Hong Kong, which has welcomed guests after a long rail journey from Europe to Tsim Sha Tsui Station, once situated across the road from the hotel. The Peninsula Express will return to the hotel this festive season for the third and final year.

Taking place in the iconic lobby of The Peninsula Hong Kong, guests for A Culinary Journey Aboard The Peninsula Express will be taken on a train journey from Beijing to Shanghai with its final stop in Hong Kong through music and dance, with a surprise appearance by a celebrity. 

Guests will step into Grand Salisbury Station, where the custom-built Peninsula Express train carriage awaits its guests for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. With its exterior painted in signature Peninsula Green, and wood panelling, vintage light fixtures and elegantly-set dining tables inside, the carriage gives diners the sense of journeying through iconic destinations inspired by The Peninsula Beijing and The Peninsula Shanghai.

The festivities will include a time-honoured tradition at all Peninsula hotels - the tree-lighting ceremony. After the ceremony, guests are invited to continue their evening with a feast featuring delights from Swiss chalet Chesa, The Verandah, Michelin-starred Spring Moon, and Imasa.

Source: The Peninsula, Hong Kong. The Peninsula Express will return to The Peninsula, Hong Kong this festive season for the third and final year.

Details

The Peninsula Express – Festive Extravaganza

21 November 2024

5:15 pm at the hotel’s forecourt

The festive performance begins at 6 pm, followed by the festive feast at 7:30 pm.

HK$10,000 per person, covering the performance, the tree-lighting ceremony, a surprise appearance by a celebrit artist, and a selection of dishes from each of the hotel's restaurants. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For general enquiries or reservations, please contact The Lobby at +852 2696 6772, or by email at thelobbyphk@peninsula.com.

For performance enquiries or reservations, please contact The Verandah by phone at +852 2696 6766, or email at theverandah@peninsula.com.

*Reservations may only be booked on a per table basis. Price shown is the minimum charge per table, for seating up to four guests. Pre-payment is required within 24 hours upon receiving the online payment link to secure the reservation. Exclusive private or corporate charters are available upon request. The Peninsula Express seats up to a maximum of 24 guests.

More details about the festive programmes at The Peninsula Hong Kong are available on the hotel’s festive webpage at https://www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong/special-offers/festive/the-peninsula-concert-2024

Holiday dining is also available at:

Gaddi’s 

The Michelin-starred French restaurant Gaddi’s features Chef de Cuisine Anne-Sophie Nicolas’ French haute-cuisine specialities, served together with a sophisticated wine list. 

Felix 

On the 28th floor, Chef de Cuisine Aurélie Altemaire curates a selection of seasonal flavours, complemented by creative cocktails and spectacular Victoria Harbour views over the city skyline. 

Spring Moon 

Michelin-starred Cantonese cuisine and a refined Art Deco-style setting have made Spring Moon a longtime favourite. Chinese Cuisine Executive Chef Lam Yuk Ming and his culinary team present dishes to celebrate the Winter Solstice, Christmas and the New Year. 

Chesa 

This Michelin-selected Swiss restaurant offers charming ambiance reminiscent of a traditional alpine chalet. Known for its warming fare and cozy decor, Chesa features iconic dishes such as cheese fondue and raclette. 

The Lobby 

Always decorated in grand classical Peninsula style, with a picture-perfect Christmas tree as its focal point, The Lobby provides a sophisticated backdrop for guests to indulge in refined global cuisine – at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a signature afternoon tea throughout the festive season. 

This experience is complemented by live carol performances by local choirs, creating a truly magical atmosphere. 

The Verandah 

Bountiful buffet offerings, warm service, and a relaxed ambiance combine at the holiday season with a miniature railway that is set up at the restaurant’s entrance every year. Originally designed and built by The Peninsula’s craftsmen, the mini train has become a cherished symbol of the festive season at the hotel. 

Imasa 

Japanese-food enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice with a menu that includes kaiseki set dinners and osechi menus, in which each dish has is an auspicious wish for the coming year. 

Teas of Hope afternoon tea 

To celebrate the season of sharing, The Peninsula Hong Kong also invites holiday guests to enjoy Teas of Hope, featuring sweet and savoury festive delights curated by The Lobby’s Chef de Cuisine Kay Ng. Guests can enjoy the tea either at The Lobby or aboard The Peninsula Express. 

Available up to 13 December 2024 and from 27 to 30 December 2024, the Teas of Hope is priced at HK$550* per person. For each afternoon tea served, US$5 will be donated to Make-A-Wish International.

Yuletide delights

Experience the essence of Christmas at The Peninsula with a festive log cake. As with last year, this year’s log cake derived inspiration from The Peninsula Express train and is priced at HK$888 each. Orders can be placed at the hotel’s online shop.

Staying in style

Guests who stay for two or more consecutive nights will enjoy: 

- Daily buffet breakfast at The Verandah for two 

- HK$1,000 hotel credits (room guests) or HK$ ,000 hotel credits (suite guests) to be redeemed at hotel restaurants and The Peninsula Spa (treatments only) during the stay, per guestroom per night (except Imasa and The Peninsula Boutique & Café) 

- Third adult guest supplement charge of HK$ 1,100* 

- One bottle of Peninsula Champagne per guestroom per stay 

- Priority festive dining reservations for any of the hotel restaurants before 21 November 

- Priority festive dining waitlists for any of the hotel restaurants after 21 November 

- Peninsula Time – flexible check-in from 6 am and check-out time until 10 pm (blackout dates apply, including 22-25 and 28-31 December 2024 and 1 January 2025)

Booking period: Ends 30 December 2024

Stay period: From 9 December 2024 to 1 January 2025

Book now on peninsula.com, or call The Peninsula Global Customer Service Centre at +852 2910 1628 for more details.

Peninsula Festive Hamper

Each hamper is inspired by the steamer trunks that travellers once packed for round-the-world voyages. The seasonal delicacies within include The Peninsula Champagne Brut by Deutz, handmade chocolates, gingerbread cookies, Christmas cakes, smoked almonds, wasabi nuts, and duck rillettes, as well as Christmas crackers, and a Peninsula Bear with Christmas stocking. The hamper is priced at HK$3,388.

For more information, please contact the Concierge at + 852 2696 6527, or email hamperphk@peninsula.com.

The gift of Peninsula luxury

A Peninsula Gift Card lets recipients choose from a variety of signature experiences at The Peninsula Hong Kong – including dining experiences and therapeutic treatments. For more information, please visit gifts.peninsula.com/hongkong.

*All prices listed are in Hong Kong dollars and are subject to a 10% service charge.

New South Wales is Australia's favourite regional holiday destination

Regional NSW was Australia's favourite regional holiday destination in the year ending March 2024, attracting 66 million domestic visitors. 

Source: TRA. International tourism trends for NSW as of December 2023.

The latest data from Tourism Research Australia (TRA) shows regional NSW also recorded the highest year-on-year growth in regional Australia during the period and experienced the best post-pandemic recovery. Domestic overnight visitor numbers to regional NSW in the year ending March 2024 were the second highest on record at 27.1 million.

When compared with the closest corresponding period pre-pandemic (year ending March 2020), visitation was up 4.9%. The top three regions were the Hunter at 114.7% of March 2020 results, the South Coast at 113.2%, and New England North West at 112.3%.

Domestic overnight visitor growth was up 3.3% year on year for regional NSW. New England North West had the strongest growth (up 16.5%), followed by the Central Coast (11.2%).

Destination NSW Acting CEO Ian Maltman said: “These results confirm regional NSW is leading post-pandemic visitor economy rebound in regional Australia.

“Destination NSW has a laser focus on ensuring the visitor economy continues to grow in regional NSW through its capability-building NSW First industry programme, marketing initiatives and vibrant events calendar.”

“NSW is home to Australia's most diverse landscapes - visitors can drive from the Snowys to the Sapphire Coast in a few hours, experience the vastly different climates of Byron Bay and Broken Hill, the sandstone cliffs of the Blue Mountains to the volcanic rock of The Warrumbungles," Maltman added.

“In addition to its spectacular geography, regional NSW is also home to some of Australia's most iconic events, ranging from the Tamworth Country Music Festival to the Narooma Oyster Festival and the world's biggest ute muster in Deniliquin.

“This collision of diverse natural wonders and vibrant culture energises visitors and ensures they return over and over again.”

Regional NSW was also the domestic daytrip capital of Australia in the year ending March 2024, recording 38.9 million domestic daytrips, 84.8 % of March 2020 levels.

The top destination for domestic daytrips were the Hunter, which welcomed 7.27 million trips (up 5.3%) and the North Coast, which hosted 7.25 million trips (up 17.6%). The North Coast and the Hunter were also the top destinations for international visitors to NSW, with 275,400 visits and 156,800 visits respectively.

Regional NSW received 694,400 international visitors who stayed 15.3 million nights and spent an estimated A$1.1 billion. The fastest-growing source markets for Asian visitors to regional NSW were India (up 15.8%) and Indonesia (up 116.5%).

Qantas lets travellers link Instagram snaps with out-of-office email responses

Source: Qantas Out of Office website.

Qantas has launched Qantas Out Of Office, a new service that transforms the generic out-of-office email reply into a real-time photographic travel journal.

Qantas Out of Office connects an email address with Instagram and updates the auto reply message with holiday Instagram photos that are tagged with the hashtag #qantasoutofoffice.

To set it up, people need to go to qantasoutofoffice.com, connect their Instagram account and email address, enter the dates that they are out of the office, where they are travelling to, and a simple message.

Qantas Group Executive Brand, Marketing & Corporate Affairs Olivia Wirth said the airline hoped the new out of office travelogue would inspire more colleagues, friends and family to travel the world.

“The traditional out of office message can be both generic and impersonal in nature and from our research, 60% of employees say they appreciate receiving something more creative,” she said.

“We know that tips from friends and colleagues are the highest driver for people when choosing their next holiday destination, so we saw an opportunity to encourage travel through the millions of out of office emails being sent every day.

“There’s no better real-time platform than Instagram to promote global travel, especially when combined with Qantas’ vast domestic and international network which offers endless opportunities for original and inspirational images.

“Whether it’s a snap of a traveller relaxing under a palm tree in the Whitsundays or sampling dumplings in Hong Kong, the images will create travel envy and travel aspirations.”

Instagram Brand Development Lead, Australia and New Zealand Sophie Blachford said Qantas Out of Office is a unique and clever platform for an airline because most people who are travelling will activate their out of office as their final gesture before jetting off.

“With this new service, moments from the holiday you’re on will provide colour and personalisation to what’s otherwise a rather mundane computer generated email,” she said.

How it works:

+ The application features only the photos tagged with #qantasoutofoffice, so people can choose which photos make up their auto reply message. The service also works with private Instagram accounts.

+ Qantas Out of Office is available globally to anyone with Hotmail and Gmail, including other domains that use the Gmail inbox.

+ The auto reply message for people using email through the Outlook desktop application will feature a link that takes recipients to a webpage collection of their Instagrammed holiday photos.


Interested?

Activate Qantas Out of Office

Watch the how-to video for Qantas Out of Office

Dubai RTA details timings for transport services during Eid al Fitr holiday

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the timings of its services during the Eid al-Fitr holidays, covering customer service centres, car parks, public buses, Dubai Metro & Tram services, marine transit, driving institutes, as well as vehicles testing & registration centres.

Source: RTA. Al Marri.

Moaza Al Marri, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, RTA Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector, said: “Customer Service Centers will be off-duty the during Eid al-Fitr holiday from Sunday 3rd July 2016 and will resume duty on Sunday 10 July 2016. All paid parking zones in Dubai will be free of charge except for the parking lots of the Fish Market and the Multi-level Parking terminal starting from Sunday 3rd July, and fees will be activated on Saturday 9 July."

Al Marri added that trains will be running almost 24 hours during the holidays. 

Red Line stations

Tuesday 5 July: 5.30am to 11.59pm.

Wednesday 6 July: 12am to 2am; 5.50am to 11.59pm.

Thursday 7 July: 12am to 2am; 5.30am to 11.59pm.

Friday 8 July: 12am to 2am; 10am to 11.59pm.

Saturday 9 July: 12am to 2am.

Green Line stations

5 July:  5.50am to 11.59pm

6, 7 July: 12am to 2am; 5.50am to 11.59pm

8 July: 12am to 2am; 10am to 11.59pm

9 July: 12am to 2am.

The tram service will operate from 5 to 7 July from 6:30am to 1am the next day. On 8 July, the tram service will start at 9am and continue up to 1am on 9 July.

The Route C01 bus will operate around the clock. Other public buses will have varied timings:

Main bus stations, e.g. the Gold Souk

6, 7 July: 5.20am to 12 midnight (next day)

Al Ghubaiba Station; subsidiary stations, such as Al Qusais and Satwa

6, 7 July: 5am to 12 midnight (next day)

Al Quoz Industrial Area station

6, 7 July: 5.30am to 11.30pm

Jebel Ali station 

6, 7 July: 6am to 10.15pm 

Metro feeder service stations such as Rashidiya, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta, Abu Hail, Etisalat, and Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall

6, 7 July: 5.15am to 1.10am (next day)

The service timing of commercial transport and inter-city bus services will be as follows: 

Main stations, such as Ghubaiba to:

Sharjah (Jubail): 24 hours 

Abu Dhabi: 5am to 12:50am the following day

Subsidiary stations, such as Sabkha will start at 6.30am and continue to 12 midnight. 

Union Square Station: 5am to 12:30am the next day. 

Deira City Center: 6:55am to 10pm. 

Karama Station: 6:10am to 10:15pm. 

Al Ahli Club Station: 7am to 11pm. 

External stations: 

Sharjah (Al Taawon): 7am to 11:30pm.

Al Fujairah Station: 6:45am to 10:30pm.

Ajman Station: 6am to 11:30pm.

Hatta Station: 6:30am to 10:40pm.

From 5 to 7 July, water buses at Marina Stations (Marina Mall, Marina Walk, Marina Terrace, and Marina Promenade) will run from 12 noon to 12 midnight. 

Water taxis will operate daily from 9am to 10pm. 

At Al Ghubaiba Station, the water taxi will operate from 4pm to 10pm

At Dubai Marina station it will operate from 2pm to 10pm. 

From Jumeirah Palm Atlantis, the service timings will be from 4pm to 10pm. 

From Jumeirah Palm Station (Rexos) it will run from 11am to 5pm.

Dubai Ferry will operate at Al Ghubaiba and Marina stations during the Eid holidays at 11am, 1pm, and then at 3pm, 5pm and 6:30pm.

The working hours of traditional abra (boats) at Dubai Creek Stations (Al Ghubaiba, Al Sabkha, Baniyas, and Dubai Old Souk) will be from 10am to 12 midnight. The Blue (electrical) abra will operate at Burj Khalifa from 6pm up to 11pm, at Al Mamzar from 2pm to 12 midnight, and at Atlantis from 1pm to 9pm. The air-conditioned abra at Al Jaddaf will operate from 7am to 12 midnight.

All service providers and partner centres will be closed from 5 to 7 July 2016.
Interested?

View detailed Eid al Fitr timings for all RTA services

Adobe Digital Index ranks Chinese as biggest holiday spenders for 2015

New research from the Adobe Digital Index predicts China will lead the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in online spending this holiday season, with US$150 billion in sales forecast.

China leads with the highest anticipated online spend in the region (55%), Adobe said, with nearly half of the country’s consumers surveyed (49%) predicting an increase in their online spend for the period. The average Chinese Internet user is predicted to spend a total of US$210 online during November and December, driving one-fifth of total online sales for the year.

Japan is expected to see the second highest online spend in the region with US$37 billion in online sales (a 5% growth year-on-year) predicted, followed by Australia at US$7 billion. Fourteen percent of Australians and 16% of Singaporeans anticipate they will increase their total spend this holiday season. 

Across the rest of APAC, consumer spend is expected to remain steady year-on-year. 

Adobe’s global Online Shopping Prediction is based on an analysis of 55 million product SKUs and aggregated and anonymous data of more than one trillion retail websites over the last seven years. The holiday season represents 20% of worldwide online spending – with Austria and the US at the top of the list.

Consumers in APAC are not only shopping online more, they are also becoming increasingly efficient, with 20% or more in each country surveyed saying they expect to spend less time holiday shopping this year compared to last – a saving that could give them more time to spend with their families and friends.

“Holiday shopping is a huge investment and consumers get more sophisticated every year with their online and mobile shopping in order to secure the most popular gifts at the best prices,” said Tamara Gaffney, principal research analyst, Adobe Digital Index.

Gaffney said mobile is playing a significant role in holiday shopping behaviour. “Over the next two months we expect Southeast Asia to lead the charge in mobile shopping with 21% of e-commerce purchases to be transacted via smartphones and around 10% via tablets. Japanese shoppers won’t be too far behind, with 24% of e-commerce purchases predicted to be made via smartphones and 6% via tablets.”

Consumers are also finding online shopping less stressful than heading to the stores. In Australia, almost one-in-five (19%) consumers rated offline shopping as extremely stressful, compared to only 6% who said the same about online shopping. China is the only country in the region where online and offline shopping are seen as equally stressful.

Additional findings include:

· Across APAC, lower prices and good deals are important motivators for consumers to shop online, with free shipping a particularly strong driver for shoppers in Australia and Singapore.

· While online shopping during the holiday season is increasingly attractive, when it comes to logging on, most APAC consumers find shopping via mobile phone more stressful than shopping on their desktop, laptop or tablet device.

· Product reviews are among the top two influencers for shoppers when considering a major purchase, according to 36% of consumers in Australia, 43% in China and 44% in Singapore.

· Consumers in Singapore and China are more likely to leverage social media when they shop, with 41% of Singaporean and 49% of Chinese shoppers saying they consult social media to help make holiday shopping decisions. Interestingly, Australian respondents are far less likely to use social media as a tool for shopping (23%).

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about the 2015 festive season, including:

Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the pleasure edition
Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the tech edition

How Facebook sees mobile redefining the season

Hong Kong's Winter Wonderland experience
The City of Sydney's Christmas programme

Sofitel So Singapore's French fusion Christmas menu
The launch of Casa Ferrero, Ferrero Rocher's popup store
House of Sillage launches the Holiday by House of Sillage fragrance

Mobile is redefining the festive experience: Facebook

People in Southeast Asia* are sharing more during the festive year-end season on Facebook, the social media platform and on their preferred device - and that device is mobile, says Facebook, the company. Compared to the rest of the year, people share 30% more mobile content during the festive period** and 75% of posts created were on mobile, the company said in a blog post.

"...People share more mobile posts on New Year’s Eve (68% more) and Christmas Eve (36% more) compared to the rest of the season," stated Facebook in the blog post.

Facebook also found that people across demographics are sharing more on Facebook during the season, including youths*** (19% more), Millennials**** (23% more), parents (17% more) and mums (19% more).

"Across Southeast Asia, Facebook conversations during the period are centred on greetings and festive activities in the Philippines (84% of Facebook chatter), Indonesia (90%) and Singapore (52%)," Facebook said.

Shopping peaks in December, the company observed. Retail store check-ins on Facebook spike by 14% compared to the rest of the season, with 39% of check-ins taking place on Saturdays and Sundays. "Over 50% of people in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand said they are intending to shop online more this season, according to Facebook-commissioned polls*****... Over four out of five people in the Philippines (91%), Indonesia (83%) and Thailand (84%) said Facebook is influential to their shopping during the season. More than one in two people in the Philippines (63%), Indonesia (56%) and Thailand (52%) also said that Facebook is the preferred platform to seek advice about what to buy from others," said Facebook in the blog post.

There are geographic differences in shopping days of choice however. Mondays are most popular for online shopping in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, Facebook said, whilst Vietnamese prefer Thursdays and Singaporeans prefer Sundays. When it comes to shopping on mobile, Fridays are the most popular day across the region.

Facebook has observed that the shopping frenzy continues into the New Year. While the company attributes the upswing - it notes that in January 2015, users shopped online 19% more compared to the festive season on average - to good post-Christmas deals, Chinese New Year could also be a big reason. Chinese New Year, when new clothes must be worn and home interiors refreshed before relatives and friends visit, is celebrated in Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam (as Tet), as well as anywhere there is a sizeable ethnic Chinese community. It always falls on January or February; it was on February 19 in 2015, and will start on February 8 in 2016.

The breakdown across countries:

Indonesia

• 80% of festive season posts were created on mobile
• Indonesians share 87% more video content and 24% more photo content than the rest of the year
• Shopping peaks on New Year’s Eve with 57% more retail store check-ins, and continues into the New Year with 30% more online shopping in January

The Philippines

• 70% of festive season posts were created on mobile
• Filipinos share 50% more video content and 37% more photo content than the rest of the year
• Shopping peaks on Christmas Day with 59% more retail store check-ins, and continues into the New Year with 16% more online shopping in January

Thailand

• 80% of festive season posts were created on mobile
• Thais share 20% more video content and 30% more photo content than the rest of the year
• Shopping peaks on New Year’s Eve with 98% more retail store check-ins, and continues into the New Year with 7% more online shopping in January

Vietnam

• 70% of festive season posts were created on mobile
• Vietnamese share 100% more video and photo content than the rest of the year
• Shopping peaks on Christmas Eve with 82% more retail store check-ins, and continues into the New Year with 38% more online shopping in January

Singapore

• 79% of festive season posts were created on mobile
• Singaporeans share 22% more video content and 13% more photo content than the rest of the year
• Shopping peaks on Christmas Day with 85% more retail store check-ins, and continues into the new year with 7% more online shopping in January

Source: Facebook. Sourced from Facebook internal data based on inferred and reported data, January 2014 – January 2015 (accessed June 2015).

Interested?

View a regional infographic and link to other country-specific infographics

Facebook recommends that marketers reach out first on mobile with "eye-catching ads with concise copy for the small screen". Read tips for Facebook ads. Facebook also suggests using the Custom Audiences feature to reach potential customers, as well as to reach new audiences similar to current customers with the Lookalike Audiences feature.

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about the 2015 festive season, including:

Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the pleasure edition
Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the tech edition

Who in APAC will be spending the most online, according to the Adobe Digital Index

Hong Kong's Winter Wonderland experience
The City of Sydney's Christmas programme

Sofitel So Singapore's French fusion Christmas menu
The launch of Casa Ferrero, Ferrero Rocher's popup store
House of Sillage launches the Holiday by House of Sillage fragrance

*Includes the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore
**October 2014 to January 2015
***Aged 18 to 24
****Aged 18 to 34
*****Separate polls in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, each with 500 respondents ages 18+, selected as a representative sample of the online population, July 2015.

Get in the Christmas mood with Holiday by House of Sillage parfum

Source: House of Sillage.

House of Sillage, a specialist in haute parfumerie, celebrates the Christmas season with Holiday by House of Sillage, which features the festive scents of mandarin, peach and vetiver.

Inspired by the bright lights of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City, the snow globe cap showcases sparkling scenery plated in 18 karat gold and white gold, showing freshly fallen snow descending. The floral and citrus fragrance comes in a glass bottle that is hand-polished, ombre-lacquered and adorned with 63 hand-placed, custom-coloured Swarovski crystals.

House of Sillage pays homage to the artistry, traditions and unmatched expertise of the classic parfumerie, while transcending modern conventions. The company creates fragrances which are rivalled only by their bottles. “We have created a line of luxurious and sophisticated fragrances, gathering wisdom from people who have devoted their lives to this particular kind of beauty,” explains founder Nicole Mather.

Interested?

House of Sillage parfums are available in the GCC and in Indonesia.

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about the 2015 festive season, including:

Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the pleasure edition
Singapore Gift Guide 2015, the tech edition

Who in APAC will be spending the most online, according to the Adobe Digital Index
How Facebook sees mobile redefining the season

Hong Kong's Winter Wonderland experience
The City of Sydney's Christmas programme

Sofitel So Singapore's French fusion Christmas menu
The launch of Casa Ferrero, Ferrero Rocher's popup store

Add your own branding to SPD paper and electronic greeting cards

Source: SPD website.

SPD, an organisation dedicated to working with people with disabilities to develop their potential to the fullest, has a sheltered workshop* that produces both paper and electronic greeting cards for various occasions, including birthdays, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year.

Cards can be customised with corporate logos, specific messages, or designed for other occasions.

Interested?

Visit the e-shop to view the full range of cards. Christmas 2015 and Chinese New Year 2016 cards are already available
Enquire at +65 6579 0742

*A sheltered workshop is a work environment for people with disabilities. 

McAfee provides safety tips against holiday scams

McAfee, part of Intel Security, has released its annual 12 Scams of the Holidays list to explain how cybercriminals take advantage of the holiday mood to scam people during the festive season.

Source: McAfee.

Said David Freer, Vice President, Consumer, APAC, McAfee, part of Intel Security: “All it takes is awareness and some simple precautionary measures to keep.. digital lives safe and not spoil the year end spirit.”

This year’s top 12 Scams of the Holidays include several that could impact employees:

Scam no. 4, termed 'buyer beware', notes that point of sale malware could lead to exposed credit card information. The only way to tell is through credit card statements and sometimes, breaking news reports.

If sending corporate e-cards through a third party service, scam no. 6, 'getting carded', is relevant. McAfee notes that well-known e-card sites are safe, cautions that scams could still dupe users into downloading malware.

Scam no. 8, the 'bank robocall scam', could happen to corporate accounts as well as personal accounts. In this scam, phone calls purportedly from a financial institution inform the employee that a bank account has been compromised, and request information such as the account password to make changes.

The tenth scam is about Year in Review traps — the risks of clicking on these feature stories from work emails is that they could infect and compromise the security of company devices.

And lastly, scam no. 12, 'bad USB blues'. Companies which receive gift hampers from vendors may be saddled with infected USB drives. 

McAfee has also shared these safety tips:

· Do your research to make sure the company you are working with is legitimate.

• Do an online search of the company you’re buying items from to see if there’s any news about recent risks
• Go to the company’s homepage to make sure it is a genuine business 
• Instead of clicking on a link in an email for a shopping deal, visit the site directly

· Bank carefully

• If your bank calls requesting information, hang up and call them back through the official main phone number. It’s important to talk to your banker through the official number so you know it is legitimate
• Inspect the ATM for loose wires or machine parts that may have been tampered with. This could indicate hackers trying to fix the machine for their benefit

· Stay informed

• Follow breaking news stories for new security breaches to stay alert
• Only shop at retailers you know have not been compromised
• Check all credit card statements for any suspicious entries 

· Educate employees

• Ensure devices are secured with complex passcodes to allow access to smartphones, tablets or laptops 
• Share the most common scams that exist around the holidays with your employees so they know what to be on the lookout for and how to stay protected

Hashtag: #12scams