Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport Group extend Changi Transit Programme

Source: Changi Airport Group.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have extended the Changi Transit Programme, which provides SIA and SilkAir customers with rewards during their transit in Singapore.

Under the extension of the programme to 31 March 2017, customers who transit through Changi Airport on SIA and/or SilkAir can redeem a Changi Dollar Voucher (CDV) valued at either S$20 or S$40, depending on the point of origin.

Singapore Airlines’ Divisional Vice President Sales & Marketing Foo Chai Woo, said, “SIA’s global network combined with the superior offerings of Changi Airport presents a compelling proposition to travellers all around the world.”

Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s Senior Vice President for Market Development, said, “We are delighted to continue this partnership with Singapore Airlines, which has served us well in strengthening the appeal of Changi Airport as a transit hub. For our transit passengers, a host of exciting shopping, dining and leisure offerings await them at Changi. The Changi Transit Programme will make exploring our terminals even more exciting for SIA and SilkAir passengers.”

The CDVs are valid for one-time use at retail, food and service outlets in the transit and public areas of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. They may also be redeemed for one-time access to the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals 2 and 3 for up to two hours. Services at the lounge include showers, light refreshments and a wide range of reading materials.

Travellers can also look forward to amenities such as airport-wide complimentary Wi-Fi, movie theatres and themed gardens while transiting at Changi Airport, where a convenient Skytrain transport system and shuttle buses provide easy access to all three terminals.

Through the Singapore Airlines Boarding Pass Privileges Programme, SIA and SilkAir passengers can also enjoy exclusive privileges when they present their SIA or SilkAir boarding passes at participating outlets in Changi Airport.

Interested?

Read the terms and conditions for the Changi Transit Programme

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the programme in 2014

Matrade to facilitate SME-large corporation partnerships

Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) has announced an initiative to help boost Malaysia’s exports of services. The Large Corporation-SME Partnership Programme aims to increase the number of partnerships between Malaysia’s large corporations and SMEs for international projects by way of procurement of the SME’s services by the large corporation. Under this partnership arrangement, SME service providers will benefit in terms of knowledge transfer, capacity building and international exposure.

The partnership programme will run for five years, until 2020, and targets to assist a minimum of 10 SMEs and three partnerships yearly. Participation into the programme is open to Malaysian companies involved in the services sector or companies aspiring to export their services.

“Collaboration between large corporations and SMEs is the way to go. The partnership will give SMEs the opportunities to enhance their capabilities and gain exposure in foreign ventures with large corporations. Mentoring and emulating best practices should be encouraged in business,” said Dato’ Dzulkifli Mahmud, CEO of MATRADE.

The partnership programme is one of the initiatives listed in the Services Sector Blueprint which was launched in March 2015 by YAB Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak. The Blueprint outlines strategic approach to optimise the services sector’s contribution to Malaysia’s economy. The services sector contributed 55% to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 and provided eight million jobs, representing 61% of total employment of the country.

Exports of services in the Q315 increased by 1.7% to RM34.14 billion (year-on-year basis) and higher by 3.9% compared to Q215. The increase in exports were contributed mainly by higher exports of telecommunications, computer and information services (TCIS), construction as well as transports sector.

Source: MATRADE Export Promotion Programmes 2016. Event participation in ICT events for 2016.

The week before, MATRADE unveiled its Work Programme 2016, listing 150 programmes that the trade promotion agency is participating in for the next year. The programmes were selected by factoring in the prevailing global and domestic macroeconomic trends such as the growth of emerging markets and the modernisation of international economic governance.

MATRADE’s Work Programme 2016’s lineup is in accordance with the National Export Council (NEC) strategies that emphasise on addressing the immediate needs of the Malaysian trading community and improving their export presence around the world. The programmes are set to complement NEC’s other strategies towards improving Malaysia’s export ecosystem.

Interested?

Download MATRADE's Export Promotion Programmes 2016

StarHub revamps loyalty programme so customers can redeem more

Singapore's StarHub has unveiled a revamped customer incentive programme to enable customers to earn and redeem points sooner.

StarHub is partnering e-merchants to allow customers to earn StarHub Rewards Points while shopping online. Agoda, a hotel booking site, was the first merchant to partner StarHub. Shopback—a Singapore-based startup that connects consumers to e-tailers such as ASOS, Groupon, Lazada and Zalora is also on board.

Every dollar spent at Agoda via starhub.com/agoda will earn one StarHub Rewards Point for StarHub customers. Customers who shop at Shopback via starhub.com/shopback may earn one or more StarHub Rewards Points. StarHub will also be partnering merchants for one-off promotions. Those who book a hotel from Agoda for June will earn three times the number of StarHub Rewards Points.

The Points can then be used to redeem StarHub Rewards across its Eat, Shop and Play catalogues, which include over 50 merchants and brands.

As part of StarHub’s SG50 promotions, customers can also look forward to redeeming over 5,000 items for 50 StarHub Rewards Points across a span of five weeks from early July.

“At StarHub, we value the loyalty and support of our customers. That is why we enhanced our loyalty programme around their needs; to reward them with what is relevant to them. We recognise that, increasingly, consumers are shopping online, hence, our partnerships with Agoda and Shopback will enable customers to be rewarded whenever they shop online with our partners,” said Jeannie Ong, Chief Marketing Officer, StarHub.

“Through these partnerships, customers will be able to earn StarHub Rewards Points faster and redeem for rewards they want across a richer variety of options. We are constantly on the lookout to bring the latest trends and offerings to our customers, and will continue to introduce more partners and exciting rewards options in the near future.”

Interested?

Find out more about the loyalty programme
Existing customers can redeem rewards (login required)

Accor Plus is Accor's new paid loyalty programme

Source: Accor.

Accor Advantage Plus, Accor's paid loyalty programme with over 350,000 members across 17 countries, has a new name and a more generous spirit. Relaunching as Accor Plus, the 21-year-old programme now enables its members to experience more at over 600 Accor properties across Asia Pacific. Members have access to significant savings on accommodation, dining at over 800 restaurants, and a range of VIP member events and partner offers, the company said.

“The rebrand of Accor Plus is not just about a name change,” said Louise Daley, CEO of Accor Plus. “It is about giving travellers exclusive access to the best things about travel and dining, plus more. Accor Plus enables members to do more for less, with a focus on exclusive money-can’t-buy experiences and special treatment that means they will always travel like a VIP while enjoying significant savings.”

The brand’s relaunch with is showcased through a new website. The Accor Plus team is also committed to creating bespoke events for members such as masterclasses with celebrity chefs to diving with dolphins or the meeting the cast of theatre shows. In addition, members can accumulate reward points more quickly through an upgraded status in Le Club Accorhotels, which means they can enjoy free stays and savings faster than non-members.

“We have listened to our members and understand they expect more from the programme than ever before,” said Daley. “It is no longer about simply providing a discount for our members but providing them with access to a world of benefits that make every trip more memorable and making them feel part of an exclusive world of privileges.”

Interested?

Visit the Accor Plus website
View the associated video

Australian businesses can use uChoose for corporate rewards

Source: uChoose website.

i2c, a provider of card processing and emerging financial services solutions, and Corporate Prepaid Solutions (CPS), a prepaid programme manager, have launched the first of several corporate prepaid programmes with the uChoose corporate rewards gift card in Australia. 

The uChoose card, powered by i2c’s global processing platform, is a turnkey solution for companies that wish to offer a Visa-branded gift card. Companies can customise the card to align with their brands. The card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, offering recipients the freedom to spend their gifts at millions of merchant locations worldwide.

“UChoose offers companies across Australia the ability to choose prepaid gift cards that fit their brands and budgets. As our processor, i2c played an important role in enabling us to build a solution that offers simplified program setups and card ordering, quick turnaround times and reliable global acceptance,” says Kristy Allen, GM, Operations at CPS.

June 26 is Global Day of Discovery at Renaissance Hotels worldwide

Renaissance Hotels will host its third annual Global Day of Discovery on June 26 at more than 150 of its hotels around the world. On this day, nearly every Renaissance Hotel will celebrate by offering both hotel guests and the local community the opportunity to get out and discover something new by hosting exclusive musical, culinary, art or culturally focused events and unique local excursions designed by hotel Navigators to showcase the unique stories of each destination. 

The Day of Discovery celebration officially kicks off Renaissance Hotels' Summer of Discovery calendar, a summer-long programme of exclusive events at all 157 hotels around the world designed to help travelers experience the best discoveries of the season.

"We make a promise to our hotel guests that every time they step into a Renaissance Hotel they are inspired to discover and experience something new and meaningful," said Toni Stoeckl, Vice President for Renaissance Hotels. "Celebrating our Global Day of Discovery is just one way that we encourage guests to Live Life to Discover by inspiring travelers and locals to make the most of their time in a destination by visiting a new local art gallery or listening to an emerging musician perform in one of our hotel lobbies."

A sampling of events taking place on June 26 includes:

Soccer at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel. There will be a mini competition during an outside BBQ with live music and live viewing of soccer games to compete for fabulous prizes. 

Source: Renaissance Hotels website.

The Renaissance Shanghai Caohejing Hotel will provide insider access to the Shanghai Museum of Glass where guests can experience the crystal-clear world of glass featuring interactive and live demonstrations.

The Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa is organising a bicycle ride to discover the Mai Khao environment with an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) expert. 

From June 12-27, Renaissance Hotels is also running a competition encouraging fans to share their best business travel stories. Entrants will be asked to share a photo with caption on Twitter and Instagram, tagging @RenHotels and using the hashtag #businessbrag. Two winners will be eligible to win. 

The first will win a trip to the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel to experience an exclusive music performance by Lucy Rose. The second will win a year of tickets to AEG concert venues, and a stay at a US Renaissance Hotel of choice. 

Winners will be announced on June 30 via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit www.renhotels.com/businessbrag for more information 

Watch the associated video here.