Accor Opens World's Largest Mercure Hotel in Singapore

CoStar said the Asia Pacific hotel construction pipeline is being led by China. At the end of March, there were 502,610 rooms In Construction, up 5.6% year over year. That same gain was seen in Rooms in Final Planning, at 109,926 while Rooms In Planning were down -11% to 289,041. Total Rooms Under Contract in Asia Pacific was down -0.4% to 901,577. China leads the Asia Pacific region in total rooms In Construction at 315,145 followed by Vietnam at 37,113.

In Australia, Territory Labor Government announced a $68 million investment in the 2024-2025 budget to bolster tourism, including new airline routes and marketing campaigns. $6 million in extra funding is included in there to support the sector and talk up the Territory to their biggest visitor markets. $3 million of that will go to encourage more international visitors to the Territory and $3 million will be used for more cooperative marketing with airlines that have brought more airline routes and more passenger capacity to the NT through the Territory Aviation Attraction Scheme. Tourism Australia's global campaigns will continue to get support from the budget.

Accor announced the opening of its largest Mercure-branded hotel in the world, the 989-key Mercure Icon Singapore City Centre. The property is located on the corner of Club Street and Cross Street and was developed by local hotel operator Worldwide Hotels who bought the site in 2019 through a government land sale tender for $562.2 million. The location is between Chinatown and the CBD. The hotel has six dining options, a swimming pool, gym and a wellness deck. The lobby features an LED mural and artwork by local artist Ripple Root. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows or balconies and eco-conscious amenities.

Amara Hotels & Resorts said they are set to redesign its two flagship properties in Singapore: Amara Singapore and Amara Sanctuary Sentosa. The redesign is aimed at creating meaningful connections and memorable experiences for guests, with a focus on tailored, sophisticated spaces. Amara Singapore began its transformation in October 2023 with the final touches expected to be completed by September 2024. The renovation encompasses a comprehensive overhaul of the hotel's public spaces and guest rooms. Renovations include the introduction of a new Lobby Bar and a completely reimagined Café Oriental. All 389 rooms, along with the event venues, are undergoing significant enhancements to both aesthetics and functionality. Over at Amara Sanctuary Sentosa, Amara Hotels & Resorts is revitalizing the suites, villas and shared spaces with the project scheduled for completion in mid-2024. Both properties are set to unveil a series of new brand experiences by the end of 2024.

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of the second Holiday Inn & Suites in Australasia, partnering with Felix Capital for the first time to open Holiday Inn & Suites Caloundra Sunshine Coast in early 2028. The new hotel will form part of a mixed-use development in the heart of the Sunshine Coast. The 160-room hotel will include 33 suites and feature all the Holiday Inn brand hallmarks including an open lobby, all-day dining restaurant and lobby café, meeting spaces, fitness center, outdoor pool and Kids Club. In addition, guests will enjoy views of Caloundra in Australia while dining or drinking at the rooftop restaurant and sky bar. This will be the first Holiday Inn & Suites in regional Queensland, a 90-minute drive from Brisbane. Overall this will be IHG's 10th hotel in Queensland. In the last two years, IHG has opened eight Holiday Inn family-branded hotels across Australasia with three more in the pipeline.

Onora Hospitality's luxury brand juSTa Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of its latest property, juSTa Hollow Oak in Mussoorie in India. This is the company's fourth property in Uttarakhand and is part of the company's strategic plan of offering circuit-based itineraries in various states. The hotel has 16 rooms in three categories, all offering forest views. The restaurant is called Sabor and offers a variety of local and international dishes. Wellness services include yoga and meditation sessions, spa treatments and a health-focused food and beverage menu. Additionally, juSTa Hollow Oak offers venues for events such as meetings, conferences, and weddings.

CG Group has plans to take its hospitality company CG Hospitality Global and The Fern brand public over time. CG is looking to expand the Fern brand in India with one route being by making investments through the company's earnings in hotel ownership and revenue share arrangements. They are also embarking on bringing in a strategic partner, preferably an investor operator, to partner with a minority stake. Concept Hospitality/Fern Hotels is CG Hospitality's management company. By 2025 CG Hospitality anticipates operating more than 200 hotels. They also plan to launch more safari lodges across India, similar to the ones it has around Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Panna and Pench national parks, in partnership with IHCL. CG Hospitality currently has close to 107 operating hotels in India across over 75 destinations. In Gujarat alone, there are over 25 hotels with brands such as The Fern, Beacon and Zinc. CG is looking to add 20-25 hotels every year under the Fern brand and to add at least one or two more lodges every year. The company will also bring its holistic medical wellness brand, The Farm, which is currently present in the Philippines, to India over the next few years. It will launch two Taj properties in Bhutan this year and CG Hospitality will also open another hotel in Dubai while they have around six hotels under development in Nepal.

Radisson Hotel Group announced its latest development update and continued growth strategy across the Group's diverse portfolio of 10 leading brands. The Group's current portfolio consists of more than 1,340 properties in 95+ countries. Following a record-breaking 2023, Radisson Hotel Group further extended its portfolio in Q1 2024 with strategic signings and openings across EMEA and APAC. The UK, India and China continue to be the leading growth countries, along with exciting debuts in new markets and resort destinations such as Montenegro, Indonesia and Laos, with the signings of respectively Radisson Blue Hotel & Resort, Kolasin; Radisson Resort Anyer, the Group's first resort offering a glamping concept, and Radisson RED Vientiane in the capital of Laos. In Q1 2024, more than half of the Group's signings and openings were achieved across APAC, in particular in India, China, and Cambodia, led by the Radisson RED and Radisson Blue brands. Key strategic signings included the Group's first property and market debut in New Zealand, Radisson RED Auckland, along with additional signings such as Radisson RED Phnom Penh and Radisson Blue Hotel & Residences Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Radisson Blue Hotel, Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh and Radisson Blue Hotel, Lucknow Gomti Nagar, Uttar Pradesh in India. Looking ahead to the remainder of 2024, Radisson Hotel Group will continue to harness the power of its 10 global brands.

Personnel Moves

Hospitality management start-up Olive by Embassy has appointed Dhruv Kalro as its co-founder. The company has embarked on a hybrid strategy and pan-India expansion. Kalro has been COO at Olive by Embassy. The startup is part of Bengaluru-based realty firm Embassy Group. The Olive by Embassy hybrid hospitality strategy combines hotels, co-living, co-working spaces, members' clubs, wellness facilities, and dining options at one location. They target students and young professionals in Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities with stays of three months or more.