Capella Hotels to Open First Resort in Taiwan

India reported a 9.1% increase in foreign tourist arrivals in the January to May period year over year. Foreign exchange earnings during the period stood at INR 1,08,362 crore, up from INR 88,441 crore in the same period in 2023, registering growth of 22.52%. The comparisons were easy early in the year and got more difficult as May foreign exchange earnings were only up 3.23% while foreign tourist arrivals only rose by 0.3%.

Capella Hotels announced its first resort and second property in Taiwan. Capella Kenting is set to open in 2028, described as the first world-class resort to grace Southern Taiwan, expected to elevate the region to new heights on the global tourism stage. It will be Capella’s second opening in Taiwan after Capella Taipei which is scheduled to open this January (2025). Capella signed a management/branding agreement with Riant Capital Limited’s Win Full Co. Ltd. subsidiary. Capella Kenting will be located on a 99,000-square-meter site along the western coastline of Taiwan’s Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung. The resort is expected to have the largest hotel rooms in Taiwan, with spacious accommodations starting at 197 square meters. Each villa will be equipped with a private swimming pool, hot springs facilities, and a 180-degree sea view. The heart of Capella Kenting will be the brand’s cultural beating heart, The Living Room, where Capella Culturists will curate meaningful experiences providing modern travelers insights into the locale.

Hong Kong-based Wharf Hotels, owners of the Marco Polo brand, is looking to expand into the resort business and forge more partnerships with Filipino investors as a way to grow its footprint in the Philippines. Marco Polo Resorts is expected to be part of mixed-use developments. The company has already held discussions with the different owners of Marco Polo-managed hotels in the country. Their strategy is to put the hotels back to the five-star level. In the meantime, the Marco Polo Davao, which closed during the pandemic but never reopened, is being renovated. They may only open with 150 rooms and two food and beverage outlets at first with the reopening done in phases. The company said they have seen a leveling off of business travel, with companies going back to savings mode. They believe the Philippines, on the other hand, is being more noticed as a business travel destination.

Angsana, a brand of Banyan Group, announced the opening of Angsana Quan Lan. The hotel is nestled in Vietnam’s Bai Tu Long Bay. Angsana Quan Lan has 156 rooms and suites offering views of the Gulf of Tonkin, three distinct dining venues and the Angsana Spa. Additional amenities include a rooftop mini-golf course and Vietnam’s first and only coastal zipline integrated into a resort. All the rooms include a spacious private balcony with either garden or sea views. The suite options include Junior, One-Bedroom or the Angsana Suite which can be connected to an Oceanview room for additional space.

Australia-based hotel operator Veriu Group has inaugurated its third New South Wales property, Punthill Maitland, its first venture in this region. The 76 apartment property is the first hotel brand to open in Maitland in more than 10 years, according to HospitalityNet. Punthill Maitland offers an array of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, ranging from 24 square meters to 71 square meters. The property also offers a 100 square meter conference room, a gym, laundry facilities, a lobby café and more. The development of Punthill Maitland is a collaborative effort with Panthera Group. Veriu Group said they have other projects nearing completion including Punthill Sunshine, Punthill Tuggeranong and Veriu Macquarie Park. They have plans to further deploy the Punthill apartment hotel model across NSW, with additional regional openings anticipated in the forthcoming years.

OYO’s parent Oravel Stays said they plan to expand their premium portfolio with the opening of 25 new hotels under the ‘Sunday’ brand this financial year. Sunday Hotels is a joint venture between Oravel Stays and their main shareholder, Softbank Group. The company is planning to launch 25 premium Sunday Hotels across key travel destinations such as Gurgaon, Manesar and Corbett. At present there are three Sunday Hotels operational in Jaipur, Vadodara and Chandigarh.

Indian Hotels Company announced the signing of a 108 key hotel in Nadiad in Gujarat under its SeleQtions brand. The signing fortifies IHCL’s presence in Gujarat. IHCL signed the branding and management agreement with the hotel’s owners, Ankur Desai. With the addition of the hotel, IHCL will have 25 hotels in Gujarat including six under development.

Cygnett Hotels & Resorts has expanded its mid-segment portfolio with the addition of Cozzet Deera in Sonipat in India. Cozzet Sonipat, A Cygnett Hotel, is centrally located in Sonipat. The hotel includes two spacious banquet halls spanning a total of 16,000 square feet. The Cozzet brand is positioned as a smart, safe and sensible budget segment brand. The Cozzet Sonipat includes an all-day dining venue named C Pavilion which also includes in-room dining service 24 hours a day.

InterContinental Auckland, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts Luxury and Lifestyle portfolio, announced the opening of Club InterContinental. The private luxury haven experience gives guests exclusive benefits such as personalized check in and check out, dedicated concierge service, welcome drinks, all day light refreshments, turndown service and complimentary garment press for two pieces. Club InterContinental access is exclusively available for guests staying in dedicated Club rooms and suites.

Personnel Move

Marriott International announced the appointment of Jason Nuell to the senior leadership position of Area Vice President – Australia, New Zealand & Pacific. Nuell, a long-standing Marriott Associate, takes over the position from Sean Hunt who has retired. Nuell relocated from Marriott’s Asia Pacific excluding China headquarters in Singapore to Sydney and will oversee 46 operating hotels and a further pipeline of 20 hotels across the region.