Asian Trails’ executive team has just returned from the Indonesian island of Bali after a successful annual board meeting.

In between meetings, the staff enjoyed some of Bali’s best experiences, including a jungle trek and a Jeep ride through a spectacular terrain framed by volcanic backdrops. A highlight was tasting delicious Indonesian cuisine and viewing authentic cultural attractions.

Here are just a few snapshots of the occasion as our teams across the region prepare for another year of trailblazing travel.

Happy trails!

Asian Trails Cambodia enjoyed hosting a FAM trip for Polish MICE agents who were accompanied by our Poland representative Jasinska-Goerdt Agnieszka.

Ten top MICE agents and an Emirates Airline representative from Poland visited Cambodia from the 21^st to the 26^th May. A varied schedule included exploration of the vibrant capital of Phnom Penh, a city packed with historical and cultural sites that are perfect for unique MICE events.

This was followed by three nights in Siem Reap where the group enjoyed intensive exploration of the magnificent Angkor Archaeological Park’s 9^th century Khmer Dynasty architecture. A perfect trip concluded with a day and night spent on the paradise island of Koh Rong where the group enjoyed pristine white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Our Cambodia team used their expert local knowledge to reveal a different side to the kingdom. This was enhanced with some fun activities, such as learning to cook authentic Khmer cuisine, all undertaken with sustainable elements.

Asian Trails recently appointed eCommerce Manager Simone Persano has set out his stall to increase the sale and diversity of our online products.

In particular, Simone earmarked a focus on increased sales of multi-day and multi-country tours.

He said: “We are in a very advantageous position because not many DMCs around the world have the capabilities of Asian Trails in the sense that we are the owners of our own multi-day and multi-country products and we have invested in state-of-the-art technology which enables clients to book exceptional experiences with ease.

“I look back to my earlier years as a resort representative in Mexico when people came on all-inclusive packages and rarely left the hotel, maybe taking just one tour during a two-week break and not exploring the locality or connecting with the local people and their amazing culture and traditions.

“With the tools we have to hand, we can seamlessly supply visitors with the best experiences in destinations across Asia and also do this with a more sustainable approach.”

Simone has extensive knowledge of the tourism sector, with over 20 years employment in the industry, starting as a resort representative and progressing from customer care to roles in product design, operations and now e-commerce.

He said: “I have had the opportunity to work in the main areas of a DMC and this has given me a perfect perspective on how a product is created, developed, distributed and sold. This has equipped me with the mindset to increase our visibility in the online world.”

Another area Simone is keen to expand on is accessibility programmes.

“We have the technology to help us effectively distribute this type of product, making accessibility programmes more available and recognisable by the operators.”

Despite the global mass marketing of leisure products, Simone said there are still some products that have not penetrated every single market, such as seat in coach tours.

He said: “We are currently working on the creation of seat in coach tours for markets that have never used non-private coach tours. I have been working on these for many years because they are very popular and well established in the Italian market.

“The main issue is to use technology to help us communicate more effectively as I know there might be some agents who would like to book, but they do not have sufficient knowledge on essential excursion information, such as inclusions, non-inclusions, how this type of tour differs from a private tour and so on.”

All of the areas identified by Simone are seamlessly facilitated by our booking platform eConnect. This offers global connectivity to hotels, activities, transfers and multi-day tour reservations at the click of a button.

The portal enables us to present our online products more effectively compared to a conventional brochure, as we can update content, benchmark rates and share information instantly with online travel agencies.

eConnect also helps during negotiations with suppliers as we can show clearly how their products and services are presented to our customers.

This technology has enriched Asian Trails’ reputation as a DMC market leader, with positive feedback from stakeholders two years after the platform’s launch at the World Travel Market in London in 2022.

Simone concluded: ”Our clients have expressed great interest in the benefits of using this user-friendly and reliable technology.

“It has provided a solid foundation for us to spread awareness about our Asia-wide portfolio and it has demonstrated how easy it is to book our products. Consequently, clients can concentrate their full focus on the diverse experiences we offer – the most important face of a DMC!”

For more information about eConnect and our online products and service, feel free to reach out directly to Simone Persano.

Asian Trails recently delivered a series of sustainability workshops in collaboration with our partners at Studiosus. The aim of this educational event was to enhance awareness and facilitate discussion around responsible travel practices within the industry.

Asian Trails’ Group Sustainability Manager Ameer Virani worked alongside Studiosus’ Head of Corporate Responsibility Tony Reyhanloo to present a comprehensive training programme which spanned over four days and involved staff from two of our country offices.

Guides and team members from Asian Trails’ offices in Vientiane, Laos and Siem Reap, Cambodia participated in the event, sharing their thoughts and practical experiences of how responsible travel works on the ground. The dialogue helped to highlight important sustainability topics in each destination and what we can each do to contribute to more positive outcomes.

By engaging local supply chain stakeholders in discussions about sustainable travel, we hope to foster better understanding and encourage greater movement towards more sustainable travel in the long term.

We thank our partners at Studiosus for helping to deliver such a successful event.

For more information about Asian Trails’ commitment to responsible travel, reach out to our Responsible Travel Team.

Asian Trails is delighted to welcome French national Francois Guillot as our new General Manager for Laos.

Passionate about travelling and discovering new cultures, Francois began his tourism career in Europe and North Africa where he guided and organised tours.

He first visited South-East Asia in 2002 and was captivated by the region’s people, food, history and cultures. This prompted him to pursue a professional career in Laos, taking on roles as general manager, business consultant and technical advisor for various tourism and community development projects nationwide.

Commenting on Laos’ transformation over the last 20 years, Francois said that although travel around the country has become more convenient due to modern transport developments, such as the Laos-China high-speed rail link, the nation’s diverse cultures and landscapes remain as charming as ever.

Having joined Asian Trails’ family, Francois is looking forward to leading our Laos team to new heights and sharing his extensive destination knowledge with clients and partners. Reach out to Francois and our team in Laos at res@asiantrailslaos.com.

For many people the island of Borneo portrays exotism as one of the world’s last frontiers.

I have always been fascinated by its diversity, whether visiting the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak or the Indonesian side of Kalimantan.

For nature lovers, this is one of Asia’s most interesting places to visit. Sabah, in particular, is close to my heart since I have been traveling to this destination for over 30 years.

Asian Trails has had a presence in Sabah for many years, but for different reasons we never got the chance to officially open our Kota Kinabalu office.

This all changed last week when we were honoured to finally cut the ribbons in the presence of Ms. Noredah Othman, the CEO of the Sabah Convention Bureau.

Emir Cherif, Managing Director of our Malaysia and Singapore offices, and myself were present for this special occasion, along with our Sabah team and colleagues from our Kuala Lumpur office.

Officially opening this office with Ms. Othman, Emir and the distinguished guests felt like an event surrounded by one big family. The tourism trade in Sabah is a close-knit community of great people who are proud of their state and heritage. They want nothing more than for visitors to have a fantastic stay.

This state is famous for its orangutans and proboscis monkeys and these can be viewed in rehabilitation centres and with a bit of luck, in their natural rainforest habitat. Sun bears, the smallest bears in the world, can also be seen at a sun bear conservation centre.

Sabah also has an incredible variety of birds, including distinctive hornbills. This story would be several pages long if I were to fully describe the extensive animal kingdom native to this area.

For me, the ultimate nature experience is to travel by boat from Sandakan on the Kinabatangan River and stay at one of the lodges. River safaris take people into the middle of the dense rainforest on day, as well as night time trips.

One can also go on a guided walk directly from the lodges into the jungle. Brave explorers can undertake this adventure at night.

The 130-million-year-old Danum Valley is one of the most exciting rainforests in the world to observe not just wildlife, but also an incredible array of jungle plants and trees. The valley is home to some of the tallest trees in the tropics, with many towering 100 metres above the forest floor.

It is possible to take a suspended canopy walk above the tree tops or a trek along jungle pathways alongside trees that date back thousands of years.

There is even a night drive through the rain forest to observe nocturnal animals and what has always fascinated me, sleeping birds of all sizes and colours.

For families with children, exploration of the river and rainforest is a once-in-a lifetime experience and since it is not very physically challenging, even grand-parents can join an amazing journey in this exceptional environment.

But Sabah is not only about nature, it also has beautiful pristine beaches, a wealth of ethnic culture, intriguing village life and much more and this is all easily accessible through overland drives or domestic flights.

And last but not least, for our incentive customers looking for off the beaten track activities for small and medium-sized incentives, Sabah is an excellent choice.

Admittedly, it is not the easiest place to travel to, since multiple flights may be required through hubs such as Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to reach Kota Kinabalu International Airport, but the rewards are extensive and each journey is unique.

Our Malaysia office will be pleased to send you our Borneo product offerings for Sabah and Sarawak. Our specialists can also tailor-make bespoke journeys for FIT travellers, families, honeymooners and MICE agencies.

For details, please get in touch at res@asiantrails.com.my

Laurent Kuenzle
Chief Executive Officer, Asian Trails

Asian Trails’ Laos team recently returned from a three-day team building trip in the northern provinces of Nong Khiaw and Muang Noi.

Staff undertook hotel inspections and enjoyed fun games and activities designed to enhance relationships and build collaboration skills. A key element of the trip was a sustainable approach while travelling and staff brought along their refillable water bottles to prevent any waste.

This immersion into the northern region’s cultural and natural wonders is part of our group-wide approach to ensure our staff are at the forefront of product and location knowledge so we can build on exceptional service standards and deliver a wealth of diverse products that meet all demands.

For advice about planning a trip in Northern Laos or elsewhere in this amazing country, please access: Asian Trails Laos.

The official inauguration of Asian Trails’ office in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia was commemorated on 10 May 2024. The event was led by our CEO Laurent Kuenzle and Emir Cherif, Managing Director for Malaysia and Singapore, who took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony alongside Noredah Othman, CEO of the Sabah Convention Bureau.

We were honoured to be joined on the day by our key partners, including: Jocelyn D. Untasan, DOSM of Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort; Suzaini Sabdin Ghani, DOSM of Shangri-la Tanjung Aru; Datin Elaine Kwan, Group DOSM of The Pacific Sutera & The Magellan; Gordon Seet, General Manager of The Luma Hotel; Alven Lim, Sales Manager of Borneo Nature Tours; Bong & Lorine, owners of Borneo Tracker; Tiffany Chu, DOS of Shangri-la Tanjung Aru; Nelly Maisos, Sales Manager of Borneo Eco Tours; and Datuk Tan Kok Liang, owner of Borneo Trails.

The attendees had a chance to explore the office while enjoying light refreshments and a cultural dance performance. Our honoured guests also received an Asian Trails’ gift bag containing our eco-friendly Asian Trails’ bottle and reusable bag.

Well equipped to handle reservations, operations and customer service duties in the Kota Kinabalu area, our Kota Kinabalu branch is one of three Asian Trails’ offices in Malaysia. Our other Malaysian offices are located in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.

The Kota Kinabalu office is located at:
No A-10-15A, Block A, Lorong Lebuh Raya Sutera,
Sutera Avenue, Sembulan, 88100, Kota Kinabalu.

For more details, please contact our team at: Asian Trails Malaysia.

In this latest edition of Trailblazer, I am pleased to announce the launch of Explore Indonesia, a digital guide highlighting our responsible travel products that combine engaging, cultural exploration with positive benefits for local communities and the natural environment.

As part of our mission to make sustainable travel mainstream, this comprehensive destination guide outlines some of the positive impacts that can be achieved when choosing travel products that prioritise local people and places, while also elevating the guest experience.

We cover Indonesia’s most-visited destinations, as well as those more off the beaten path places where we believe tourism can contribute to economic development and environmental conservation.

I hope you enjoy the selection we have to offer and please do not forget to check out our other Explore guides for Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

Stay tuned for our other destinations in the coming months!

Happy travels,

Björn Schimanski
Managing Director, Asian Trails Indonesia

We are delighted to share the success of Asian Trails’ Ramadan Food Bank initiative in Malaysia. In the spirit of giving back during the holy month of Ramadan, our team distributed essential supplies to seven shelter homes in the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor areas, providing much-needed support to communities in need.

After communicating with the shelters about how we could best offer our support, our team identified a list of essential items and worked together to procure them. The donations included basic food supplies such as rice, flour, tea, coffee, biscuits and canned foods, as well as necessities such as toiletries, clothing and stationery.

A group of 36 Asian Trails team members then volunteered their time to distribute the donations to each of the seven shelters over two days in Ramadan. While visiting the shelters, the team enjoyed the chance to spend time with the residents, sharing basic knowledge through casual conversations or helping to pack food and clean the dining area.

Asian Trails believes in the importance of community and compassion. Particularly during this month of prayer and celebration, it has been a rewarding experience to make a small difference in the lives of families living in the shelters.

Looking ahead, our colleagues at Asian Trails Malaysia and Singapore intend to continue their charitable efforts and are already planning future visits to the shelters where volunteers are always needed to help with cleaning and household chores.

For more information about giving back to local communities or how to get involved, contact the team at Asian Trails Malaysia and Singapore.