Thailand Projects 50 Million Visitors by 2028

A new report suggests Thailand is on track to regain the 2019 level of 40 million arrivals this year and could hit the 50 million mark by 2028. The disclaimer is the report suggests this will occur if global, regional and local risks and threats are alleviated/mitigated. Well, at least they are not saying the only way this happens is if they allow casinos. The Thai tourism report said the only factors that could change their destiny would be another local upheaval within Thailand itself or a global collapse such as another pandemic, economic meltdown or war. It is kind of scary that we can't dismiss any of those things.

South Korea's foreign visitation is nearly back to pre-Covid levels. Korea Tourism Organization said SK welcomed around 1.42 million international tourists in June, a 47.5% increase over the same month in 2023 and at 96% of June 2019. China remains Korea's top source visitor market with 397,000 arrivals in June, followed by Japan with 258,000 and the U.S. with 152,000. That US number was 44% higher than 2019 levels. In the first six months of the year, SK welcomed 7.7 million international arrivals, up 73.8% year on year and at 91% of pre-Covid levels. China represented 2.2 million of those arrivals.

The Macao Government Tourism Office said nearly 96,000 visitors arrived daily in July with a peak of over 135,000 on a single day. From July 1 to July 25, some 2.399 million inbound tourists visited Macau, up 9.5% from 2023 and a recovery of 85.6% from July 2019. July 20 had the peak with 135,000 visitors. Macau's average room occupancy rate for the first half of 2024 rose by 6.1 percentage points to 84%. The occupancy rate of five-star hotels at 85.8% and four-star hotels at 80.4% were up by 8.1 and 4.5 percentage points respectively. The first six months of the year saw the number of hotel occupants increase by 20.4% to 7,277,000, which was 5.3% higher than the same period of 2019. 5.3 million hotel occupants were from mainland China, up 21.9% year on year. There were 542,000 foreign hotel guests, up 140% year on year with 149,000 from Korea, up 270% year on year. As of June 30, 2024, there were 143 hotel venues providing accommodation services to the public, up 12 year on year while the number of rooms available increased by 9.1% to 46,863. That is up 21% from the same period in 2019. 60% of the rooms are considered five-star.

Accor's ibis Styles brand announced the opening of ibis Styles Sepang KLIA. The hotel is located just 1.2 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and will cater to business travelers, transit passengers and families. The hotel features 229 room, including specially crafted Biker rooms and Family rooms, with the rooms equipped with a Flight Information Display System. The hotel features the largest saltwater-treated pool in the area, all-day dining restaurant named sTREATs, the Fix Lounge, a fitness center, spa, swimming pool and in-room dining.

SkyCity Entertainment announced Horizon by SkyCity will bring 303 new rooms, including 10 suites. Horizon by SkyCity will be Auckland's newest 5-star hotel when it opens on August 1. This will make SkyCity the largest single-site accommodation provider in New Zealand with 938 rooms across three hotels in the SkyCity Auckland precinct. The new property is SkyCity's third hotel in Auckland. Also launching with Horizon by SkyCity will be its signature Onyx bar, as well as The Grill restaurant at its new location within the SkyCity Auckland precinct.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for Crystalbrook Sam on Halifax Street in Adelaide. The $130 million luxury hotel development project is a collaboration between South Australian property titan, Samaras Group, and the environmentally conscious hotel chain, Crystalbrook Collection Hotels & Resorts. The 13-story, 5-star hotel will offer more than 206 rooms and suites. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, multifunctional event space, and a food and beverage venue on the 12th floor. The property will also feature a rooftop bathhouse and spa. The Ghassan Aboud Group owns the Crystalbrook Collection brand. This will be their eighth hotel in Australia with their investment exceeding $1 billion with management of around 2,000 rooms including the ones that are under development.

Pan Pacific Hotels announced its debut in Kyoto, Japan with the signing of a strategic partnership with Tokyu Hotels. This follows the launch of Bellustar Tokyo, a Pan Pacific Hotel and Hotel Groove Shinjuku, a Parkroyal Hotel, both located in Shinjuku, Tokyo last year. The Hotel Higashiyama Kyoto Tokyu, a Pan Pacific Hotel, will be added to the group's portfolio in Japan from January 10, 2025. The hotel will be introduced into the Pan Pacific Discovery loyalty program. The third hotel under the partnership has 143 rooms and just celebrated its second anniversary. The hotel features an elegant tea bar showcasing Japanese tea ceremonies, a 78-seater restaurant and bar and an onsen-style experience with three private baths.

Yong Tai Bhd was reported by The Edge Malaysia Weekly to be close to selling its newly built Courtyard by Marriott in Melaka. The price tag is said to be RM160 million to RM170 million with negotiations said to be in the final stages. The article said the buyer is an owner of a logistics company while the sale is part of Yong Tai Bhd's target to reduce debt. Courtyard by Marriott Melaka is a 248-room four-star hotel that opened in April of last year and had an occupancy rate of 65% in its first year of operation.

The Outrigger Hospitality Group has invested around $15 million over the past year in a series of major renovations in Fiji. Both the Outrigger Resort and Castaway Island Resort have seen substantial changes, from upgraded accommodations and modern amenities to more eco-friendly practices. The Castaway Island Resort is earmarked for the biggest facelift soon.

In the Philippines, the Fridays Puerto Galera, found inside the lagoons of the UNESCO-protected Muelle Bay in Boquete Island, Mindoro, is gearing up to unveil a multi-million expansion of its resort facility by 2025. The expansion project includes the construction of the Fridays Puerto Galera Conference Hall, Fridays Beach Club, Pool Bar, Wellness Cabanas, as well as a Game Room and a Jungle Gym for kids. Also in the pipeline is the construction of the resort's exclusive Pier Dock for guests arriving from Berberabe or the Batangas City Main Port. The property opened in 2018 and currently has 24 rooms and suites.