IHG to Debut an InterContinental in Chiang Mai

The World Travel & Tourism Council predicts China’s travel and tourism sector will contribute $1.48 trillion by the end of 2023, marking 150% growth from 2022 when Zero-Covid was still a hope and a prayer. Ten years from now, the WTTC forecasts the sector will contribute over $4 trillion to China’s economy. In 2023, the sector will support more than 74 million jobs in China, just 9% below 2019 levels. By 2033, the WTTC predicts 31 million additional jobs to reach almost 106 million in total, which will be one in seven in China. The WTTC said this year's data shows China has seen 22.1 million outbound passengers between January and August, up 506% from last year. Inbound passengers in that period are up 556% to 21.9 million.

Asset World Public Company Limited has partnered with IHG Hotels and Resorts to launch the five-star InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping, conceptualized as Thailand’s first living museum hotel to celebrate the culture and traditions of Lanna heritage. The hotel is located in the Chang Khlan area in the heart of Chiang Mai, the largest city in Northern Thailand, just 20 minutes from Chiang Mai International Airport. The location is where AWC is planning to develop the ‘Lannatique’ mixed development project that will consist of art and culture villages, four leading hotels, and other properties. The InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping is the result of a full renovation of the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, the first-ever hotel in the TCC Group’s hotel portfolio. This is the first InterContinental hotel in Northern Thailand. The hotel has 240 rooms in phase one and also includes the Kam Lobby Lounge, Gad Lanna all-day dining venue, Hong’s Chinese Restaurant and Sky Bar, a 616 square meter ballroom, various sized meeting rooms, a Kids Club, spa and wellness center, gym and a swimming pool. Since 2020, AWC and IHG have signed over 1,200 rooms across six properties in Thailand.

Minor Hotels’ NH Hotel brand has launched a development for a 12-story Sydney Airport hotel. The development is aimed at travelers seeking a retreat within the urban hub of Mascot, within close proximity to the airport. The development application covers the demolition of existing structures on site, a single-story cottage, and a small industrial building. In their place will be a 12-story hotel development with 77 rooms costing an estimated $55 million. The site is surrounded by other hotel developments, including the nine-story Quest Hotel and the 12-story Citadines Connect Hotel. The Mascot Hotel will be the latest in NH Hotels’ existing portfolio of more than 330 hotels in 30 countries and one of its first in Australia. Plans for a Sydney CBD site have been launched under the NH Collection brand, due to open in 2025. The Mascot Hotel is due to be completed in 2026.

The grand opening of Fusion Hotel Group’s newest hotel, HIIVE by Fusion Binh Duong, took place on September 15. The Fusion Hotel Group said the new hotel, in one of the ideal locations in Vietnam, was designed to live up to the “Workation” sustainable tourism trend, promising to be a perfect choice for business travelers visiting Binh Duong. The hotel is located in the heart of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Zone, a one-hour drive from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.   The hotel has 172 hotel rooms, a typical American sports bar, and a variety of other facilities.

Kojo Hotels Cebu-Mandaue has its official grand opening on September 19, opening what they are describing as a new era of affordable hospitality in Cebu, Philippines. Aside from what they say are comfortable rooms and accommodations, the hotel has a mini-gym for people who need exercise. Kojo Hotels said one of the best things about their hotels is their accommodating staff, ready to serve 24/7.

The Ifuru Island Maldives celebrated its official opening on September 23. The lush natural island includes a 1km long stretch of beach. They described themselves as all-beach, all-sunset and all-inclusive. The resort offers Maldives’ first-ever permanent skydive dropzone and a Xanadu spa, extensive dining offerings, and exceptional experiences. Located in Raa Atoll, the luxury premium all-inclusive resort offers 147 elegant beach suites and villas, including those with direct beach access and personal pools. The accommodations are described as ‘Retreats’ and ‘Villages,’ arranged in small coteries that balance sociability and seclusion. There are six restaurants and four bars, creating a culinary journey for guests.

Hotel Polo Towers Group has partnered with Nagaland, India’s Department of Tourism, to set up five-star hotels in Dimapur and Kohima. An agreement was signed between Hotel Polo Towers Group and the Nagaland government to set up a five-star hotel with a mall in Dimapur and a five-star hotel in Kohima within an expected timeline of three to four years. The approximate direct and indirect investments in these projects, which include over 200 rooms across both hotels, are reportedly estimated to be Rs 150 crore. Both projects will be released under a public-private partnership model and will operate on a design, build, maintain, operate, manage, and transfer basis. The Dimapur facility will feature multiple dining venues, entertainment centers, and retail shops. The Kohima project will focus on providing a luxury hotel experience to both business and leisure travelers. Hotel Polo Towers is considered the largest hospitality group in the Northeast, currently with nine operational hotels and five hotels in development. The expected timeline for the completion of these projects is three to four years.

Best Western Premier Marvella Nha Trang Hotel held an official opening ceremony yesterday. The Vietnamese hotel was developed by the Security Investment and Trade Joint Stock Corporation, located on a land area of nearly 1,100 square meters, overlooking Nha Trang Bay. The 32-story hotel has 335 luxury rooms, all with balconies or glass doors with sea views. The hotel has four restaurants and two bars, an outdoor infinity pool, spa, fitness center, indoor 3D golf play area, and children’s club. The Best Western Premier also has a conference room with an area of more than 270 square meters. Best Western Group currently manages more than 4,500 hotels and accommodations in 100 countries and territories.

Hong Kong-listed LET Group Holdings has entered into an agreement with the buyer of its Hokkaido land plot. LET Group has reached an agreement to sell a land plot held in Aza-Yamada, Kutchancho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido, Japan, with a total land area of 220,194 square meters for $27 million. The land was originally intended to house over 50 villas and townhouses and a 40-room hotel. The new buyer is a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, wholly owned by Raymond Shao Leong Yap as a nominee of the ultimate beneficial owner of the original buyer. Under the new amended purchase agreement, the buyer remitted to LET Group an additional $2.3 million deposit payment. The closing was to take place on October 2, but with the payment of the third installment, it could be extended to October 31. If the closing date is extended, the price could be increased to $27.6 million.