HVS Anarock released their Hotels & Hospitality Overview for India for the second quarter. While ADR was up 16%-18%, occupancy dropped 1-3 points. RevPAR was up 13%-15%. June saw the rates drop month on month but were still above pre-pandemic levels. For the month of June, the most growth in room occupancy was seen in the metro cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Kochi, up to 5%. HVS Anarock said there was a major dip in cities like Pune, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh at 5%-10% and a smaller decline of up to 5% in the Goa and Hyderabad markets. The report said about 5,900 hotel rooms across 84 properties opened this calendar year, and another 12,500 rooms were signed for about 142 hotels.
The Macao Government Tourism Office said Macau received over 93,000 daily visitors in the first three days of August, up from an average of 89,000 daily visitor arrivals in July. The first half of 2023 resulted in 11.6 million visitor arrivals to Macau. The government is expecting 2023’s total to be 24 million. Macau International Airport handled more than 550,000 passengers and 4,000 flights in July, up 28% and 10% respectively over June. International passengers accounted for 29% of total passenger numbers. The airport’s average daily passenger arrivals and departures amounted to 17,000 in July, back to 58% of 2019 levels. Average flight movements of 129 resulted in 60% of 2019 levels.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is turning its focus to the Middle East with the goal of attracting 400,000 visitors from the region this year. The TAT is targeting Saudi Arabia with the expectation of 150,000 visitors. The Kingdom beat the United Arab Emirates in the first half of the year, becoming the largest market. The TAT said there were 268,000 visitors from the Middle East in the first six months of the year, with more than 75,000 coming from Saudi Arabia. The flight situation between Thailand and the Middle East has recovered to about 80% of 2019 levels. The TAT needs to make up for a shortfall in China visitation as it looks like it will make them miss their 30 million arrivals target for the full year 2023.
CBRE is managing the sale of a 1,971-square-meter site at 540 Flinders Street in Melbourne. The landholding currently features a two-level office warehouse but has been approved for two hotel towers of 24 and 30 stories. It is being offered for sale as part of a shift in strategy by the owners. The Expressions of Interest campaign closes on September 7th. The site is positioned on the southwestern corner of the CBD grid, a short walk to the Yarra River, Batman Park, and Crown Casino.
Blackstone is in talks with Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC to sell its 50% stake in some of its commercial assets with the Panchshil Group in Pune and with the Salarpuria Sattva Group in Hyderabad. Panchsil’s projects that are part of the deal are Eon Free Zone, Tech Park One, and ICC Tech Park, including JW Marriott’s 415 key hotel and Pavilion Mall. The joint venture was formed in 2014. There are other projects that Blackstone is developing and owns with the two real estate groups, but those are not part of the deal with GIC. Blackstone is not exiting the joint ventures but selling its stake in some of the projects. Originally Blackstone had intended to include all commercial properties under its JVs along with its own office portfolio held under Nucleus Office Parks to form Asia’s largest REIT and list it. Those plans clearly have changed, with Blackstone prioritizing the monetization of some of its real estate holdings in India.
Gran Melia Nha Trang in Vietnam has begun welcoming guests. The hotel offers 272 rooms with 20 room types, including the Gran Ocean Junio Suite looking to Nha Trang Bay, the modern Beachfront with a lush garden and a large balcony, the Oceanfront Pool Villa with a terrace and front-facing sea views, a private outdoor pool, and a separate lounge area. There are 62 pool villas on the beach, nestled between rocks. The resort includes international dining destinations with Mediterranean and Asian cuisines as well as wellness services and facilities, including a main pool overlooking the bay, fitness centers, the finest spa, and a Turkish bath.
The new $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, Queensland’s newest entertainment, leisure, and events destination, will feature over 50 venues and experiences when it opens in April 2024. The 12-hectare precinct will include four future luxury hotels, an array of restaurants and bars, entertainment, luxury retail, and a state-of-the-art events center with Brisbane’s largest hotel ballroom. The heart of the resort will have The Star Grand, Brisbane’s newest five-star hotel, offering 340 luxury rooms and four Skyline Penthouse Suites spread across two arc-shaped towers overlooking the Brisbane River. Hotel guests at The Star Brisbane will have exclusive access to three swimming pools on the resort’s expansive Leisure Deck, a 12,000 square meter open-air oasis offering 12 football fields of public space, as well as direct access to the Sky Deck, a 250-meter rooftop runway of restaurants and bars situated 100 meters above the ground.
Personnel News
Chalet Hotels Limited has appointed Shwetank Singh as their Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. Singh will lead the Chalet Hotels Project Development team and spearhead Business Development initiatives. Singh brings to Chalet over 25 years of diverse experience in the hospitality industry. Before joining Chalet, Singh was with Golden Sands LLC in Dubai, managing a portfolio of hotels affiliated with brands such as Hilton, Marriott, and Taj. He was also previously VP of Development and Asset Management at Interglobe Hotels.
Rotana has appointed Eddy Tannous as its new Chief Operating Officer. Tannous has over 20 years of experience in hospitality across the Middle East, holding senior roles with global brands. Most recently, he was Senior Vice President, Operations, overseeing the operational performance across Fairmont’s Middle East and Asian properties.
