Phuket Boosts International Visitors, Bali Grows Domestic Market

STR reported on China hotel data for the week ended November 30. Hotel RevPAR in China was up 2.4% year over year. It was up against a tough +55.6% comp in the year ago week. Truist Securities said this was the first positive clean-comp result this year since the comparisons became more difficult in 1Q.

The Macau Government Tourist Office announced the region’s target of 33 million visitors for 2024 is likely to be surpassed, potentially reaching 34 million by the end of December. Macau welcomed 39.4 million tourists in 2019, so they still have some work to do.

The Hanoi Department of Tourism said in the 11 months of 2024, the total number of tourists to Hanoi is estimated at 25.33 million, up 11.7% over the same period in 2023. November saw arrivals total 2.18 million, up 16% over November 2023. International tourists were up 28.4% at more than 680,800 arrivals. Domestic tourists were up 7.1% to 1.5 million. The average hotel room occupancy rate in November was 67.1%, up 13.9% over November 2023. Hanoi has 3,761 accommodation establishments with 71,256 rooms.

Global Asset Solutions issued a report saying Phuket, Thailand has enjoyed a rise in international travel, while Bali, Indonesia is benefitting from a more buoyant domestic market. The report discussed record hotel rates but total arrivals still not reaching 2019 levels due to the Chinese mass market not returning to pre-Covid levels. Bali has benefitted from pent-up demand following the pandemic, bolstered by the government’s Visa on Arrival program, open to 89 countries. Luxury hotels’ average daily rate reached US$607 in 2023, 27% higher than in 2019. Even with supply rising by 1,800 rooms in 2024, the growth will continue but slower. In Phuket, average room rates hit a record high of US$197 in the first half of the year, helped by Thailand’s government relaxing visa restrictions. The report said both Phuket and Bali have infrastructure issues with significant traffic issues around the Bali airport and beach pollution. Phuket’s road network does not flow smoothly at peak periods, and water supply to resorts over the dry season is an ongoing challenge.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok has debuted, set in a 216-meter-high tower at One Bangkok, the largest holistically integrated district and a world-class business and lifestyle destination in the heart of Bangkok. Many guestrooms offer private loggias and terraces overlooking Lumpini Park. Deluxe rooms are at 50 square meters, the Gardenia Suites measure 102 square meters, while the Marigold and Amaranth Suites are at a spacious 127 square meters. The Ritz-Carlton Suite at the top of the hotel is a 389 square meter penthouse. The Club Lounge is perched on the 23rd floor. Amenities include restaurants and bars, the Ritz-Carlton Spa, and Ritz-Carlton Grand Ballroom, the largest of its kind in the city.

A new luxury living brand, Luminous Living, has launched with a promise to disrupt, innovate and set new standards in New Zealand’s luxury accommodation landscape. Luminous offers premium property management services for owners, including a range of customizable partnership models for luxurious dwellings, including lodges, boutique hotels, resorts, penthouses, and suites. Chris Dickinson is the Founder and Director of Luminous Living. He originally launched Hotel Fitzroy in Auckland’s Ponsonby. Luminous will take over the operations of the boutique property, currently operating under the Fable banner. The rebranded Hotel Fitzroy by Luminous will take place on December 16. Luminous on Anzac will be a conversion of an existing heritage building into a design-led boutique hotel, scheduled to open in February 2025 with eight two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouses. Luminous has plans to open four Auckland properties within the first half of 2025, followed by expansion into other major New Zealand tourism destinations and further abroad with 50 fully branded properties by 2030.

SH Hotels & Resorts unveiled plans for 1 Hotel Tokyo, set to open in 2025. SH is collaborating with longtime partner Mori Trust and, after years of planning, is creating a true 1 Hotels experience. The 1 Hotel Tokyo will be located in the Akasaka district, serving as an anchor to Mori Trust’s Tokyo World Gate Akasaka project. The complex integrates retail, offices, and the 1 Hotel experience in a pedestrian-friendly, masterfully planned development. The hotel will have their main lobby on the 38th floor, with the main restaurant accessed from the lobby. The hotel will have 211 guest rooms, including suites measuring 42 to 140 square meters. There will be a spa inspired by Zen gardens, multiple hammams, a fitness center, an indoor pool, restaurants and bars, and 473 square meters of meeting and event space.

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a deal to open Holiday Inn Chennai Vandalur in 2026, adding 200 rooms to its South India portfolio. IHG signed a management agreement with Sakthi Elegant Towers India Pvt Ltd. for the Holiday Inn Chennai Vandalur. The hotel is scheduled to open its doors in 2026, showcasing the brand’s Open Lobby concept, as well as meeting rooms and event spaces, dining options, a fitness center, and more. The hotel will be located just a short drive from Chennai International Airport.

The Leela Hyderabad has opened, an urban retreat located in Banjara Hills in India. This marks the entry of The Leela brand to Hyderabad, offering 156 rooms and suites with the property set on 2.5 acres in the heart of the city. The hotel offers a selection of world-class dining venues, a dedicated wellness center spanning 1,900 square meters offering a luxurious spa, fitness facilities, and a serene pool area. Rounding out the amenities is event space measuring over 930 square meters, including a terrace courtyard.

During ILTM Cannes, Hyatt Hotels Corporation showcased a pipeline of over 50 luxury and lifestyle hotels set to open worldwide by 2026. Hyatt’s pipeline includes openings like Miraval the Red Sea, set to debut in late 2025, marking Miraval brand’s international debut. Other luxury and lifestyle Hyatt openings over the next two years include Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur and Park Hyatt Johannesburg, as well as the Andaz Miami Beach and Andaz Gold Coast. To unlock the next level of this international growth, Hyatt is introducing specific portfolios that reflect greater focus and differentiation and can maximize the potential of each of its brands, including: The Luxury portfolio, including brands such as Park Hyatt, Alila, and Miraval, and The Lifestyle portfolio, encompassing brands such as Andaz, Thompson Hotels, and the newly acquired Standard International brands including The Standard and Bunkhouse.