STR said China RevPAR for the week ended August 13 was up 107.7% year over, up against a -28.9% comparison. When compared with the same week in 2019, China hotel RevPAR was down -14.7%. Absolute occupancy for the week was 66.1%. That compares against and easy 36% comp in the year ago week.
According to the recent Asia Pacific, excluding China, Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics, at the end of the second quarter the region’s total construction pipeline grew to 1,891 projects/396,517. At the end of the second quarter, projects currently under construction stand at 958 projects/212,609 rooms and project scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months stand at 337 projects/66,655 rooms. Projects in the early planning stage stand at 596 projects/117,253 rooms. Development activity was most active within the mid-level chain scales, where upscale and midscale project hit record high project counts of 411 projects/92,424 rooms and 181 projects/28,993 rooms respectively. Conversions and renovations projects stand at 173 projects/34,955 rooms in the second quarter. At the end of the quarter, countries with the largest pipelines in Asia Pacific’s construction pipeline, excluding China, are led by India with 339 projects/42,548 rooms. Indonesia follows with 284 projects, 45,359 rooms, then Vietnam with 223 projects/80,376 rooms. Next is Thailand with 178 projects/42,694 rooms then Japan with 171 projects/36,919 rooms. Asia Pacific cities with the largest construction pipelines at Q2 are led by Bangkok, Thailand with 69 project/18,304 rooms; Seoul, South Korea with 63 projects/12,068 rooms; Jakarta, Indonesia with 63 projects/11,434 rooms; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with 45 projects/13,602 rooms; and Phuket, Thailand with 36 projects/8,814 rooms. The top four franchise companies in the total construction pipeline are led by Marriott International with 271 projects/58,673 rooms, Accor with 203 projects/41,816 rooms, InterContinental Hotels Group with 143 projects/30,677 rooms, and Hilton Worldwide with 91 projects/21,483 rooms. Top brands in Asia Pacific’s construction pipeline, excluding China, at Q2 include Accor’s Novotel brand with 48 projects/9,989 rooms, Marriott International’s Courtyard by Marriott with 38 projects/8,121 rooms, IHG’s Holiday Inn brand with 45 projects/9,947 rooms, and Hilton Worldwide’s brand Hilton Hotel & Resort with 32 projects/8,752 rooms. The Asia Pacific region, excluding China, had 126 new hotels/23,706 rooms open in the first half of the year, with another 191 new hotels accounting for 38,128 rooms, expected to open in the second half, bringing the total forecast for new hotel openings to 317 with 61,834 rooms by 2022 year-end. LE analysts forecast 2023 new hotel openings to be 377 new hotels with 77,089 rooms and 420 new hotels with 78,906 room anticipated to open in 2024.
Trip.com said that off-season travel between July to September for both Australia and Southeast Asian countries showed an increase as borders reopen. Southeast Asian consumers based in tropical countries have been making trips to Australia which is a cooler destination right now. Australian travelers are making short-haul trips to Southeast Asia. Trips to Australia are the most popular on Trip.com among travelers from New Zealand but flight bookings from Southeast Asia to Australia increased 35% between June and July from their booking data form April and May. Australia and New Zealand removed many of the travel restrictions that have been in place during the pandemic. In the top 5 countries traveling to Australia this summer, Indonesia was behind New Zealand with Singapore taking third place, UK in fourth and Thailand in fifth.
The Sebel Quay West Suites Sydney unveiled a multi-million dollar refurbishment, invigorating its status as a distinctive, stylish and sophisticated hotel in The Rocks. The refurbishment of the all-suite hotel includes new soft furnishings of its guestrooms featuring new carpets, designer lighting, stylish dining tables and chairs which enhance the suite offering. In addition to the room refurbishment, the hotel lobby has undergone a complete transformation which has seen it refreshed with luxurious, classic finishes, reviving the space with a modern interpretation of classic styling. Curated artwork selections and high quality furniture pieces have been selected to complement The Rocks locality and harbor proximity. Also taking part in the refurbishment was the hotel’s Quartier Bar & Bistro.
Fusion Originals, part of Vietnam’s most recognized hotel group, announced the opening of the first Fusions Originals, the Fusions Original Saigon Centre. The property is located in Saigon Centre, atop the Takashimaya Shopping Mall. The 99 bespoke accommodation units occupy 10 floors in one of the city’s largest and most fashionable mixed-use developments. The property is the center of Ho Chi Minh City’s commercial and tourist area. There is a full length outdoor swimming pool on the sixth floor, Miss Thu restaurant, the Nest guest lounge and more. For Fusion Originals, they are currently exploring multiple locations around Vietnam for more of these hotels. They will be designed to capture local fashion and culture and no two properties will be alike. Fusion Original is one of eight brands that now come under the Fusion umbrella. With this new Saigon opening and the acquisition of Thai-based GLOW Hotels & Resorts, Fusion has more than 4,000 rooms in Vietnam and Thailand.
India Tourism Development Corporation will hold a roadshow on August 22 to seek investor feedback on the monetization of the Ashok hotel in the heart of Delhi, along with its vacant land, for the development of a commercial block and serviced apartments. The Ashok has a total inventory of 550 rooms, including 160 suites, a few hundred meters from the prime minister’s residence and the embassies. The winning bidder may have to invest about Rs 450 crore to refurbish the hotel on the lines of global iconic hotels, according to the presentations prepared for the roadshow.
Leading Japanese law firm Nishimura & Asahi said they advised Polaris Holdings Co. Ltd. in its acquisition of a holding company operating 13 hotels under the Red Planet brand and its subsidiary Red Planet Holdings (Philippines) Ltd. Red Planet had been one of the largest limited-service hotel chains in the Philippines but its rapid expansion, followed by Covid, made things tough for them. Polaris agreed to acquire 13 hotels with 2,208 rooms operating under the Red Planet Hotels brands as well as two land sites for potential hotel development. Of the 13 hotels, two of them are fee simple comprised of land and building ownership, while 11 others are ground leased with building ownership. Polaris also announced the acquisition of the 245 key Red Planet The Fort that is slated to open later this year and the land leasehold rights for a potential development of a new hotel in Entertainment City for JPY1.2 billion. After the completion of the two acquisitions, Polaris and its subsidiaries will operate 45 hotels with 8,135 rooms.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of the 278 key Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach in Doha, Qatar. The managed hotel opens in collaboration with a leading regional hospitality development entity, Hala Real Estate Development Company. Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach is the closest beachfront hotel in the West Bay area, offering modern premium rooms and state-of-the-art leisure facility, including a variety of on-site restaurants, a spa that includes a jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and an outdoor pool as well as a fitness center. Business travelers can use the six corporate meeting rooms. Wyndham’s development pipeline in the region is at 27 hotels. Wyndham now has three operational hotels in Qatar, important considering the FIFA World Cup starts there in November. They have two further properties under development.
