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Asia-Pacific
Conrad Seoul Back on the Market for $750 Million
The 434-room Conrad Seoul, a Hilton-branded hotel in South Korea, is back on the market for $750 million. Hyatt Hotels Corporation has inaugurated the Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia’s first Hyatt Place and the first international hotel in the Bukit Jalil area. Iconic Penang Sdn Bhd is developing the Iconic Marjorie Hotel, a 298-room five-star Marriott property in Penang, Malaysia. -
Asia-Pacific
Philippines Sees Strong Tourism Rebound with 3.3 Million Foreign Arrivals in 2023
Foreign arrivals in the Philippines reached 3.3 million in the first eight months of 2023, approaching the government’s annual goal of 4.8 million. South Korea was the top source of inbound tourists. Trip.com Group reported robust recovery in domestic and international business in 2Q23, with strong growth in domestic hotel bookings in China. However, outbound hotel and air reservations remained down compared to pre-Covid levels. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts signed three new agreements with Indonesia Hospitality Group, expanding its presence in Indonesia. This follows the earlier launch of the Howard Johnson by Wyndham brand in Indonesia. -
Asia-Pacific
Asia Pacific Hotel Pipeline Hits All-Time High
In Q2 2023, the Asia Pacific hotel construction pipeline reached a record high of 1,936 projects with 401,766 rooms. Luxury, upper upscale, and upscale projects dominated the pipeline. Countries with the largest pipelines are India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan. Macau has surpassed Hong Kong as the preferred travel destination for mainland Chinese travelers in 2023, receiving nearly twice as many visitors. Around 50.9% of outbound Chinese travelers chose Macau, while Hong Kong received about 26.7%. Mainland Chinese tourists prefer destinations in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Accor is expanding its hotel offerings. They are introducing the Handwritten Collection in Thailand with the Andaman Beach Hotel Phuket, opening a Mercure hotel in Lucknow, India, and launching Lords Inn hotels in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and Kanki, West Bengal. Accor has also partnered with Reliance Industries and Renest Hotels & Resorts for new properties. -
Asia-Pacific
Foreign Investment to Japan’s Hotels Top $2 Billion This Year to Date
Foreign investors like Goldman Sachs, KKR, and Blackstone have invested $2 billion in Japanese hotel deals this year, driven by a hotel business rebound and favorable exchange rates. Hilton plans substantial growth in Southeast Asia, introducing a new Hilton Garden Inn prototype and adding seven new hotels in Malaysia, including new brands like Curio Collection and Waldorf Astoria. Accor expands across Asia with 30 new hotels, focusing on markets like Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, while also partnering to introduce the Swissotel brand to Malaysia with Swissotel Genting Highlands. -
Asia-Pacific
Phuket Gets Boost From Russian Travelers
Malaysia reopened its borders nearly a year ago and finally its hotel industry is getting back to pre-pandemic occupancy levels. The resort island of Phuket in Thailand has seen a surge of Russian travelers in the high season. That adds to a jump in regional visitation from India , Malaysia and Singapore . Reuters published an article on how the belief that airline stocks and online travel agencies would be the best Chinese travel reopening play was wrong. -
Asia-Pacific
Vietnam to Relax Visa Rules to Boost Visitors
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed his cabinet to relax certain visa requirements in a bid to attract more foreign tourists to the country. The Economic Times said many more hotels will be signed in India this year compared to last year with some chains even considering doubling their signing numbers from last year. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced strong growth in Asia Pacific as it closed out 2022, diversifying its offerings for guests and owners across the region. -
Asia-Pacific
Hilton’s Asia-Pacific Ambition
H ilton’s Asia Pacific president, Alan Watts , told Nikkei Asia that they expect hotel guest numbers in China to return to their pre-pandemic levels by year-end . The Macau Daily Times said they are being told the recent spike in hotel room prices in Macau is driving international visitors away. SJM Holdings Ltd said they plan to launch the remainder of the hotel room inventory at its Grand Lisboa Palace on Cotai in Macau within the next quarter. -
Asia-Pacific
Debut of Aman’s Sister Brand Janu
Savills Vietnam issued a report saying despite improvements in 2022, occupancy and room rates in Ho Chi Minh City have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels . Thai hotel operators are ramping up plans to expand investment at home and abroad according to Nikkei. The huge fire in Hong Kong Thursday night into Friday which received so much attention was the 48 story luxury Kimpton Hong Kong hotel that is under construction in Tsim Sha Tsui . -
Asia-Pacific
Thailand May Add Tourism Fee and Expand Domestic Hotel Subsidy
Hotels in Thailand still want the government to accelerate the launch of the new phase of the domestic stimulus scheme even with an influx of Chinese tourists expected to show up. Hyatt Hotels announced the opening of Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach , the debut of the Andaz brand in Thailand . IHG Hotels & Resorts has opened its first Crowne Plaza hotel in Bangladesh in partnership with Doreen Hotels & Resorts -
Asia-Pacific
China’s Zero-Covid Policy Shows Cracks at Beijing Airport
Beijing’s International Airport and Daxing Airport have dropped the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test result to enter their terminals. Hotels on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali are booked solid for the Christmas and New Year period . The Kyushu Tourism Organization in Japan sent us a press release on their expected new resorts and hotels opening in 2023.