HVS Anarock’s latest report on India says occupancy will improve to 66% at hotels in 2023. That compares with the end of 2022 when occupancy was in the 59-61 percent range. Occupancy rising past 60% and room rates fully recovering last year and rising 17% this year could send RevPAR to new highs but it has not gone unnoticed. There were 166 new hotels signed in 2022 which could bring 14,855 new rooms to the market. That will take some time to impact results so for now, HVS Anarock is projecting RevPAR to rise 18% higher than where it was pre-pandemic.
Trip.com said the interest in travel to mainland China has bounced back since the country resumed foreign visa applications. The new edition of the firm’s “TripTrends Series” finds international travelers’ interest in mainland China increased significantly in the last few weeks compared to the same period in 2019. International users searching for hotels in mainland China on their platform was up 126% compared to the same period in 2019. They found from March 15 to April 14, China hotel bookings by international travelers also followed the same trend, rising by 32% from where it was pre-pandemic. Travelers from Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, the UK, US, Japan and Singapore made the most flight bookings to mainland China last month.
The total number of esports hotels in China exceeded 20,000 by the end of February this year, with the occupancy rate reaching an average of 60%. The report was prepared by Shunwang Big Data Centre, Chinese property management system provider Xuanzhu and esport hotel management system provider Xingyun. The study shows 20,000 esports theme hotels are equipped with 62,000 computer terminals, which had more than 18 million consumers. The number of esports hotels rose 3.12% and the computer numbers increased by 5.26% compared to January. These hotels in second-tier cities have been more successful than in big cities in China. Xi’an has more than 600 of the hotels in the city, leading the group. Zhengzhou, Chengdu and Wuhan are said to have more than 500 in each city.
The Macau Land and Urban Construction Bureau said 12 hotels were under construction during the first quarter of the year, bringing a combined future capacity of 3,934 new rooms. There were eight hotel awaiting development approval and offering a further 1,308 rooms, taking the total number of ne hotels potentially coming online to 20 and the number of rooms to 5,242. The 12 under construction feature a combined gross floor area of 221,113 square meters. The Macau Government Tourism Office figures show that as of February this year, there were 126 hotel establishments in Macau, up 6 year on year, with a capacity of around 39,000 rooms. 35 of them are 5-star hotels, 19 are 4-star, 17 are 3-star and 22 are 2-star with the remaining ones described as “economical accommodation establishments.” The Epic Tower at Melco Resorts’ Studio City Phase 2 is the latest to open, adding 338 suites while Galaxy Macau Phase 3 is due to start opening their facilities in the coming months. That will include the all-suite Raffles at Galaxy Macau and the Galaxy International Convention Center, which incorporates the Andaz Macau hotel.
Indonesia-based Artotel Group has acquired hotel management firm Milestone Pacific Hotel Group, also based in Jakarta. Milestone has 45 hotels, all in Indonesia, mostly in second tier cities, and six brands – Marc, MaxOne, Nite & Day, Ruma Ruma, One of a Kind and Zia. Artotel Group manages more than 100 hotels in Indonesia with its own brands – Artotel and Dafam. Its newest hotel under one of their own brands is the 70-room Artotel Casa Cikarang, which opened March 20 in the satellite town of Cikarang, 30 miles southeast of Jakarta. That hotel is owned by PT Libra Delta Hijau. Artotel is also the master franchisor in Indonesia of French firm Louvre Hotel Group’s Kyriad brand. On April 15 they opened the 50-room Kyriad M2 Lampung in collaboration with PT Mahkota Maju Adi Perkasa. Artotel also operates several Indonesian restaurant brands.
The new Vinpearl Landmark 81 luxury hotel has opened inside Vietnam’s tallest building, Landmark 81, in Ho Chi Minh City. It clocks in at 461 meters high and overlooks the Saigon River in the eastern stretch of Vietnam’s biggest city. The hotel has 223 rooms and suites with the 68th floor having the penthouse suite, described as both the largest and highest presidential suite in all of Vietnam. The 488 square meter suite has two marble bathrooms, sleeping space for up to 5 people, a private chef and mixologist on request. The hotel includes a selection of restaurants and bars, three event spaces, and a spa named Akoya which includes a sauna, steam room and infinity pool. The hotel is the Vietnam debut of Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand, occupying 34 floors of the 81-floor skyscraper. The rest of Landmark 81 is a mix of private residences and public attractions.
Australia’s NSW Southern Highlands is attracting new investment, including the recent $20 million sale of a sprawling Bowral retreat. The Canberra Times said Milton Park Country House Hotel and Spa is set to undergo a major refurbishment after its changed hands in March. Salter Brothers paid $20.2 million for the 11-hectare property, purchasing it from foreign investors Yufan Australia Pty Ltd who paid $13 million for it in 2013. Links House, a popular 17-room wedding and events venue, was sold in November for $5.25 million to a foreign investment company, Carson Capital Bowaral Boutique Property Pty Ltd.
Shishi-Iwa House announced the opening of SSH No.03, the latest mountain nature retreat, situated in Japan’s Karuizawa mountain resort town. This is the third House, each situated minutes on foot from each other, collectively forming Shishi-Iwa House Karuizawa, with guests sharing all the common facilities. SSH No.03 is comprised of 10 pavilions interconnected by a series of covered walkways and garden courtyards. The retreat is exclusive with only 10 guest rooms and 1 cabin villa offering Superior Rooms and Tatami Suites.
Personnel Move
Dubai-based Aleph Hospitality has appointed Satish Jaidev as Corporate Head of Sales, in charge of developing the sales team. Before joining Aleph, Jaidev was Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing at Wyndham Dubai Deira.
RAK Properties PJSC, Ras Al Khaiman’s leading private property developer, appointed James Marsh as their Chief Development Officer, responsible for developing RAK’s land bank. Prior to joining RAK, Marsh worked with leading developers, including Aldar, Modon and Jumeirah Group.
Planet Hollywood International has appointed former TGI Friday’s India head Rohan Jetley to lead its hotels and resorts division in India and Asia. Jetley believes there could be 10 Planet Hollywood Hotels in India in the next two to three years, a mix of either new builds or conversions. They currently operate two hotels in India in Mumbai and South Goa. After divesting its family owned company’s stake in TGI Friday’s, Jetley joined Reef Technologies as Chief Executive for the Middle East region before coming to Planet Hollywood.
Hyatt Hotels Corp. has made two senior appointments to its executive leadership team in its Europe, Africa and Middle East region. Hyatt hired Heidi Kunkel as Senior VP of Commercial Services and Monique Dekker as SVP of Human Resources. Kunkel joins Hyatt from Hilton Hotels and Resorts where she held the position of Vice President of Operations for Australasia. Kunkel will lead Hyatt’s Commercial Services function in the EAME region. Dekker has held various positions across Hyatt’s properties worldwide. In her new role, she will be responsible for creating professional opportunities for Hyatts’s workforce in the EMEA region.
