Hotel Properties Limited co-founder and managing director Ong Beng Seng had a notice of arrest and then bail set. While no charges were filed against Ong, he was detained so he could be asked by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau to provide information on his interactions with Singapore Minister for Transport S Iswaran. The minister is on leave of absence while assisting in CPIB investigations into a case uncovered by the anti-graft agency.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced the preliminary visitor arrivals for June were 2.75 million with a daily average of about 92,000 visitors. About 13 million arrivals were recorded in the first half of 2023. The HKTB expects Hong Kong’s tourism will continue to recover steadily in the second half of the year.
Macau’s tourism in the first half of the year recovered to 59.6% of the daily average in 2019 with inbound tourists from January to June exceeding 11.64 million, a daily average of more than 64,000. The Macao Government Tourism Office said that number is up above 70,000 visitors a day now. The MGTO said the average hotel occupancy rate in the first six months of the year was 80.1%, only 10.7 percentage points below what was registered in 2019. International tourists totaled nearly 475,000 in the first six months, 31.2% of the daily average for the whole year of 2019.
Lai Chau Province, located in the northern region of Vietnam, is making efforts to reach a target of two million tourists, making tourism a key service sector by 2030. Lai Chau is located about 430 kilometers northwest of Hanoi. The province is placing a strong emphasis on the development of trekking tourism, adventure sports, eco-tourism and community-based tourism. They also aim to diversify tourism products aims to enhance the overall tourism experience, cater to a wider range of visitor preferences, and showcase the beauty and cultural richness of the province. In the first half of 2023, Lai Chau welcomed approximately 567,330 visitors, reflecting a notable increase of 41.5% compared to the corresponding period in 2022. That is 69.2% of the 2023 target set for tourist arrivals in Lai Chau. Total tourism revenue in the first six months was estimated at US$634.5 million, up 16.7% from the same period in 2022 and 63.2% of the target set for all of 2023.
CISSA Group unveiled the grand opening of World Class Wellness at Wyndham Grand Nai Harn Beach Phuket in Thailand. The hotel features 353 rooms of various styles. Going beyond the accommodations, the hotel introduced Plenary Wellness, a patient-centered healthcare sanctuary dedicated to achieving holistic perfection. The initiative aims to establish Phuket and Thailand as a foremost medical wellness hub in the ASEAN, solidifying their position as a high-end health resort destination. The four health and beauty services offered include Physiotherapy, Anti-aging, Aesthetics, and Health Check Ups.
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a partnership with Odom Living Co., Ltd. to introduce Vignette Collection to Phnom Penh in 2027. The 50-room Vignette Collection Phnom Penh Odom will be located in the heart of Cambodia’s capital, providing guests with an exclusive Luxury & Lifestyle destination. This will be the second IHG Hotels & Resorts property to open in Cambodia following Six Senses Krabey Island. Vignette Collection is IHG’s first collection brand. They have a pipeline of 15 hotels after opening six properties and over the next 10 years aim to reach 100 properties globally. The Vignette Collection Phnom Penh Odom is located on the top 7 floors of Odom Tower, the 45-story office component of mixed-use development Odom. The hotel will feature 50 rooms and suites, two restaurants, a rooftop bar, lobby lounge, swimming pool, fitness center, members-only private club and four meeting rooms.
Hilton announced the opening of Conrad Shenzhen in the city’s Qianhai business district in China, expanding the brand’s global portfolio of elevated luxury offerings. The 300-room hotel is situated in the heart of the city’s financial center, only 25 minutes from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. The hotel is owned by Horoy Group. The rooms and suites start at 56 square meters. There is a Chinese restaurant Ch’ao, the Common Room for premium cuts, seafood, and other specialty dishes, the Azaleas lounge, and Collective Bar. The hotel offers 2,100 square meters of meeting and event space.
Fujita Kanko Inc. announced Hakone Kowakien Hotel opened in Hakone, Japan, a hot springs destination surrounded by Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji, 90 minutes by car or train from the center of Tokyo. The newly built 150-room modern resort includes large indoor and outdoor hot springs baths, one situated on the top floor, seven private hot springs baths, a restaurant, kid’s space and outdoor pool open in the summer. A multi-function room serves as a co-working space. The resort is built on Fujita Kanko’s vast Hakone Kowakien resort compound. The resort’s guests are granted unlimited free access to Yunessun, a hot spring theme park and Mori no Yu, another hot spring facility on the compound.
In the Asia Pacific region, Radisson Hotel Group added more than 60 hotels to its portfolio in the first six months of 2023, representing over 8,000 keys in Vietnam, India, Thailand, the Philippines and China. In Thailand the group has more than doubled its portfolio by signing seven new hotels with over 1,300 rooms in the last 12 months. The Radisson Hotel Ploenchit Bangkok, when it opens next year, is expected to become the group’s flagship Radisson property in Thailand. Radisson Hotel Group also recently unveiled Radisson Blu Resort Kumbhalgarh, nestled amidst the Aravalli Range in India’s Rajasthan region. RHG is one of India’s largest international hotel operators with over 150 hotels in operation and development.
Marriott International’s Le Meridian Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of Le Meridien Amritsar, further strengthening the brand’s presence in India with its 11thproperty in the country. The hotel is located within 1.5 km from the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport. This is also the third Marriott property in the city. The hotel has 147 guest rooms, spacious lobby, Le Meridien Hub, three dining venues, meeting spaces spread over 20,000 square feet and more.
Fortune Hotels, a member of ITC’s hotel group, announced the opening of Fortune Ranjit Vihar Amritsar, the upscale hotel chain’s second property in the city giving them over 200 rooms in inventory in Punjab.
Indian Hotels Company announced the opening of its first hotel in Jammu in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Vivanta Jammu City Centre is owned by KC Group and has 90 rooms, a range of eclectic culinary delights, health and wellness facilities, and over 10,000 square feet of banqueting space.
