Asia-Pacific

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida  is pledging to increase inbound tourism spending to more than 5 trillion yen per year. OYO  has introduced an improved flagship  patron-facing app – CO-OYO . The Economic Times reported on  the comeback of “big fat weddings” in India .

Macau saw 65,677 visitor arrivals over the weekend in the first two days of the National Day Golden Week. Marriott International announced their JW Marriott brand opened the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites, an all-suite luxury retreat nestled in a serene beachside setting on southern Thailand’s Andaman coast. Hilton Grand Vacations announced the grand opening ceremony for The Beach Resort Sesoko, a Hilton Club.

Enova Estates SL  issued a press release on  new resorts expected to open in 2023 in the Maldives . They currently have over 160 island resorts. The Lee family has offered a takeover bid for Mulpha International Bhd, a continuation of a trend of privatizations and buyouts of public listed companies in Malaysia. Marriott International announced the signing of an agreement with Yuexiu Property to bring its Ritz-Carlton brand to downtown Wuhan in China.

The number of international tourists to Cambodia  is expected to reach the pre-Covid-19 pandemic level in 2026. Indian Hotels  and other hospitality firms in India have said they are eyeing price rate hikes. IHCL recently went back on that, saying the price hikes will have to wait until November. Hyatt Hotels Corp  announced the opening of Hyatt Centric Sector 17 Chandigarh, marking the debut of the Hyatt Centric brand there.

STR reported China lodging data for the week ended 9/24. Hotel RevPAR was up 5.1% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, RevPAR was down -21.5%. The St. Regis Jakarta is set to debut on November 10, 2022, within Jakarta, Indonesia’s Golden Triangle District. Club Med said their three Japan properties are ready to welcome back guests. That includes the brand new Club Med Kiroro Peak, opening in December 2022.

Dajia Insurance Group Co has put three hotels in the US up for sale, hoping to generate US$1.3 billion to take advantage of an expected surge in leisure travel and resort business. U.S. hotel operator Standard International is betting on Thailand’s post-pandemic tourism recovery. Bloomberg said Standard is hoping to power an expansion in Asia that will see it open properties in popular and less-explored destinations. The new $340 million dual-tower Docklands development in Melbourne, Australia will include a huge rooftop infinity pool, spanning 35 meters when it opens in 2026.

JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group’s  latest  Hotel Investor Sentiment Survey suggests hotel investment in  Asia Pacific  will continue to recover in the fourth quarter of 2022 and into 2023 with more investors looking to deploy the highest levels of capital since the pandemic started. Fortune Park Hotels , a unit of ITC Ltd ., said they are growing upwards of 20% in revenues over 2019-2020 numbers. Accor announced further expansion in India with the signing of Mercure Chandigarh Tribune Chowk , scheduled to open late 2023 and Novotel Mohali Airport Road, scheduled to open in 2026.

Covid restrictions continue to fall like dominoes . Hong Kong came through with their plan to end their hotel quarantine policy, putting it into effect before October Golden Week, beginning today. Macau’s hotel occupancy rate fell to just 33.3% in August, down -1.1 percentage points year over year. DBS said Singapore’s hospitality industry is on track for a “spectacular” second half of 2022.

STR reported China hotel RevPAR the week ended September 17   fell -11.5% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, China hotel RevPAR was down -40.1% Despite STR reporting week after week for the past several months that China hotel RevPAR has plunged again, Trip.com said hotel reservations in China surpassed pre-pandemic levels since late June . Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Place Bharuch . This is the second Hyatt Place hotel in Gujarat and the sixth Hyatt Place hotel in in India.

Marriott International  announced it expects to open  14 additional luxury properties   in Asia Pacific by the end of 2023 . Marriott currently operates 156 luxury properties in the region. Construction of the long-awaited resort at  Kalgoorlie Golf Course  in the city of  Kalgoorlie-Boulder  in  Australia  has finally begun. PT Platnet Properindo Jaya Tbk will initiate the operation of Citi Hub Hotel, Kelapa Gading in Indonesia in 2023.