Hilton Sets APAC Target of 1,000 Properties

The number of visitor arrivals to Macau in the first nine months of 2024 reached just above 25.9 million, up 30.1% year over year and 85.9% of 2019's levels. International visitor arrivals were up by 95.1% year over year for the nine months ending September 30, but that is only 70.7% of 2019's levels. In September, average room rates for hotels in Macau declined, led by five-star hotels, even as occupancy rose 9.9 percentage points. The five-star nightly average was MOP1,441.7, down -10.2% from September 2023 and down -4% from September 2019. The average occupancy rate for the segment was 91.9% in September 2024. The average occupancy rate across all the Macau Hotel Association's tiers was 90.9% in September, up 8.9 percentage points year over year. For three, four, and five-star hotels, the average daily rate was MOP1,282.3, down -9.3% year on year.

Thailand saw 26.08 million visitor arrivals in the first nine months of 2024, up 30.09% year over year. Thailand officials were originally hoping for 40 million arrivals this year but that has been tempered to a wish for 35 to 37 million, citing an extremely fragile and flammable global scenario and the impact of the upcoming Electronic Travel Authorization requirement.

Savills Vietnam said Hanoi, Vietnam's hotel market still holds significant short-term recovery potential. The Hanoi Department of Tourism launched a variety of initiatives from October through the end of the year, aiming to attract more visitors. Of note was the Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2024, earlier this month, and communications cooperation with CNN, according to Savills. The city is also focused on preserving and upholding cultural values, contributing to its sustainable tourism development, and increasing demand in the hotel market. For 2024, Hanoi is set to welcome an additional 68 hotel projects with 12,115 rooms. 207 rooms from a five-star hotel will come online this year. Savills said for 2025-2026 the market is projected to supply 3,035 rooms from 12 new projects with five-star hotels accounting for 77% of the supply with the rest four-star. The inner-city area is expected to make up 41% of the new supply, 5,027 rooms from 22 projects. International brands such as Hilton, Fusion, Accor and Four Seasons are to manage 66% of the new supply while the remaining 34% will be overseen by domestic management units.

Hilton announced plans to double its focused service presence in Asia Pacific, aiming to exceed 1,000 mid-market hotels in the coming years. Hilton currently has 483 focused service properties operating under the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton brands, with an additional 594 properties in development. Recent openings in key tourism spots, including Hilton Garden Inn Bangkok Riverside, Hilton Garden Inn Rayong, Hilton Garden Inn Guilin Yanghuo, Hampton by Hilton Beijing Zhongguancun Industrial Park, Hampton by Hilton Tianjin Binhai Sanda Avenue and Hampton by Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe Smart City. Hilton recently launched Hilton Garden Inn Gen A, the brand's new regional prototype for Greater China, expecting to continue to regionalize the brand in 2025 while expanding the franchising in India, China, Australia and Thailand. They also want to expand their Tru by Hilton and Spark by Hilton brands.

Hilton announced the signing of its flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand in Udaipur in India. The hotel will be developed in partnership with Elysian Hotels Private Limited, opening in early 2026. The 118 key Hilton Udaipur will offer a distinctive brand of amenities, offering 1,850 square meters of indoor and 438 square meters of outdoor event spaces including lawns and courtyards. There will be four dining outlets as well as an outdoor pool, spa, fitness center and an executive lounge.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation unveiled its latest addition to the JdV by Hyatt collection, the Perennial Tianjin, marking its fourth property in Greater China under the JdV brand. The Perennial Tianjin is part of The Perennial International Health and Medical Hub, a mixed-use complex that integrates healthcare, senior living, hospitality and commercial elements. The hotel offers 178 contemporary guest rooms and suites, starting from 376 square feet. There are 16 suites for guests while those in executive rooms and suites gain access to exclusive Club Lounge privileges. The hotel fitness center includes a 6,200-square-foot indoor heated pool and an array of fitness equipment. There are three food and beverage options as well as meeting spaces including a grand ballroom covering over 29,000 square feet as well as 11 multi-function rooms.

Hyatt also announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Huanghsan Hengjiangwan, which was set in Huangshan, China. The hotel includes 250 guest rooms and suites, equipped with contemporary amenities and private balconies. The Regency Club rooms provide guests exclusive club privileges and the 2,314 square foot family suite is designed for family getaways. There are three food and beverage options, 12,389 square feet of flexible indoor meeting space, 24-hour fitness center and indoor swimming pool and a kid's playground.

Hyatt said they are aiming to nearly double their properties in India to 100 within the next five to six years. Currently, Hyatt has 52 hotels in Southwest Asia with 50 of them in India and two in Nepal, surpassing 10,000 hotel rooms in total. They plan to introduce more global brands from its portfolio in India. Recently Hyatt launched the 'Grand Showroom' at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai. The Hyatt Regency brand will expand to new locations with upcoming openings in Kasauli and Ghaziabad. The Hyatt Place brand is entering Aurangabad and Haridwar and is set to open in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Hyatt is considering new destinations like Bhopal where is plans to introduce The Unbound Collection in 2025. This year, they announced a pipeline of eight new properties, which is expected to add around 1,200 keys by late 2024 and early 2025.

ITC Limited has increased its shareholdings in EIH and HLV Limited, operators of The Oberoi and Leela Mumbai, respectively. ITC, which is in the process of demerging its hotel business, announced this with its recent financial results. ITC increased its stake in these hotel companies by acquiring shares from wholly-owned Russell Credit.

Accor completed the refurbishment of its five-star Sofitel Sydney Wentworth property in Sydney, Australia's central business district. The heritage-listed building dates back to the 1960s with the hotel previously trading under the Sheraton and Rydges brand before becoming a Sofitel property in 2004. The A$70 million refurbishment encompassed all 436 rooms and suites, as well as Sofitel Club Millesime, the hotel's health and wellness centre and events spaces. A new drinking and dining precinct has also been created, featuring two restaurants, two bars and an outdoor terrace bar. The hotel's redesigned entrance lobby now features a bronze façade.

Personnel Moves

Newport World Resorts announced John Lucas, currently General Manager of Hilton Manila, will be its new Chief Hospitality Officer, effective January 2025.