Accor Introduces Peppers Edge Brand to China

The Lawler Labor Government will invest A$18 million in the Northern Territorytourism industry. The investment will be used to attract more flights to the NT and provide discounts to encourage more tourists to visit and experience what Australia's Northern Territory has to offer. There will be $16 million in extra funding for the Territory Aviation Attraction Scheme and $2 million for another round of the Territory Tourism Discount Scheme. The new funding is expected to provide certainty for airlines and open up the potential for more new routes to the Territory from interstate and overseas destinations. The Lawler Labor Government will ensure the Visitor Experience Enhancement Program will continue until at least the end of June 2028.

Accor Greater China announced the signing of a dual-branded project on Banping Island in Wenzhou. The project will feature the debut of Peppers Edge, a new regional brand extension of Peppers, the premium guesthouse concept originating from Australia. The 235-room Peppers Edge hotel will be joined by a 135-room MGallery luxury resort hotel. MGallery and Peppers Edge Wenzhou Banping Island are expected to open in late 2027. Each property will feature its own distinctive lobby lounge, restaurants and bars, swimming pool and fitness center, with shared event facilities that will include a Grand Ballroom and ancillary meeting rooms. Banping Island is located in Dongtou district in Wenzhou, off the southeast coast of East China's Zhejiang province. The Peppers Edge Wenzhou Banping Island will be the Pepper brand's first destination in China, joining a portfolio of 26 properties across Australia, New Zealand and Bali, Indonesia. The MGallery brand already has five hotels in Changbai Mountain, Chengdu, Mi'le and Hong Kong and will have five more hotels opening across Greater China this year including destinations in Taipei(already opened), Chengdu, Wuxi, Nanjing and Shenzhen.

IHG Hotels & Resorts will expand its Sydney, Australia premium estate with the addition of two Crowne Plaza hotels. This follows a strategic portfolio agreement with Frank and Wade Huang of Star Millennium Pty Ltd that will see the rebranding of two popular hotels at Sydney Airport and Macquarie Park. The 196-room Courtyard by Marriott will transition to Crowne Plaza Macquarie Park in early 2025. The rebranding will include a comprehensive refurbishment of the lobby and guest rooms. Holiday Inn Sydney Airport will be rebranded as Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport in September 2024. The 252 guest rooms underwent a $15 million refurbishment in 2022. The hotel will see updates to its lobby and restaurant to complete its transition into the premium segment. The hotels will move to franchise with Star Millennium appointing Trilogy Hotels to operate both of them.

Dusit International confirmed that the reimagined Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel will officially open to guests on September 27, 2024. The hotel was completely rebuilt from the ground up as part of the Dusit Central Park mixed-use development. The new Dusit Thani Bangkok has 257 guest rooms (down from 517 in the original hotel) and offers uninterrupted views of Lumpini Park. The hotel includes a Heritage Floor in honor of the storied past, adorned with local artworks, each inspired by the hotel's legacy. The original hotel's golden spire has returned, contained within a new three times larger spire. Besides 10 food and beverage options, the hotel will have a unique urban wellness concept delivering well being beyond their spa. There will be over 5,000 square meters of dedicated meeting and event space with the centerpiece being one of Bangkok's largest grand ballrooms. Additional elements of Dusit Central Park include Dusit Residences and Dusit Parkside ultra-luxury residences, a state-of-the-art office tower, a high-end retail center, and an 11,200 square meter Roof Park, all slated to open next year.

Melia Hotels International announced two new Thailand hotels, including the launch of the first Paradisus by Melia-branded property in the region. The new hotels will come online through an expanded partnership with Asset World Corporation. The addition of Melia Pattaya City and Paradisus Jomtien Resortwill bring the number of hotels under the AWC partnership umbrella to six. Melia Pattaya City will begin welcoming guests in December 2024 following a full renovation of the three-star, 234-room Grand Sole Pattaya. The property will expand F&B seafood offerings with an all-day dining restaurant inspired by a local fisherman's village and there will be new bars and MICE spaces. Paradisus Jomtien Resort will not debut until 2028. The new build will have a 43-floor tower with 698 rooms. 44 of those rooms will feature outdoor plunge pools, while the property will include multiple restaurants, a gym and spa, convention center and meeting rooms.

The Westin Josun Busan, the oldest luxury hotel in Busan, South Korea, will reopen after undergoing three years of renovations. The hotel announced the planned reopening, saying it has refashioned its rooms, the swimming pool, lobby and lounge. The renovations were to incorporate the hotel's surrounding natural environment, shown in the new lobby that brings out the colors of Dongbaek Islandand the beach to recreate the atmosphere of Haeundae. The Panorama Loungenow includes the largest selection of single malt whiskeys in Busan. In the evening, it offers 80 different types of whiskey, signature cocktails and bar food. The hotel has a new swimming pool with an outdoor terrace with an open view of Haeundae Beach. The five-star hotel has 290 rooms and five food and beverage venues.

SM Investments Corp said it plans to invest at least $300 million in an integrated casino and resort north of Manila, Philippines. SM Belle Corp's Premium Leisure Corp unit applied for a license to build and operate a casino in Clark in Pampangaprovince. There will be a casino, convention center and a hotel. Premium Leisure already owns the City of Dreams resort in Manila, operated by Melco Resorts & Entertainment.

The Clarks Hotels & Resorts unveiled its latest offering, aotel by clarks inn in Palampur in India. The newly launched brand is said to integrate the latest technology to make things easier for guests and employees. Instead of traditional check-in counters, aotel has spacious communal areas that foster a sense of community and relaxation. The hotel offers 21 rooms with four categories – Deluxe Room, Premium Room, Sunset Suite and Family Suite. There are on-site restaurants and cafes, a spa and gym as well as a rooftop lounge. Clarks Hotels & Resorts has ambitious plans for the growth of aotel during this year. They plan to open five more properties, including Palampur this month.