Macau Tourism Arrivals Still a Small Fraction of 2019 Numbers

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service said the SAR saw a total of 5,700,339 visitor arrivals in 2022, down 26% year on year. The 2022 figure compares with 7.7 million arrivals in 2021 and a record 39.4 million arrivals in 2019. The number of overnight visitors fell 32.8% to 2,484,028 while same day visitors fell 19.8% to 3,216,311. In December, visitation was down 52.6% year on year to only 389,390.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced a Hyatt affiliate entered into a management agreement with a Mori Building affiliate for Hotel Toranomon Hills, which will be at the heart of Tokyo’s emerging business center as part of the new Toranomon Hills Hills Station Tower. The 205-room luxury hotel will debut The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in Tokyo and when it opens in late 2023. This will mark the second hotel within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt-brand in Japan. At the social heart of the hotel will be the lounge, located across the floors 11 and 12. The lounge will feature an “active zone” with co-working stations, meeting rooms and complimentary refreshments for productivity and collaboration alongside a relaxation zone and shower facilities for hotel guests who arrive early or have late departures. Two signature loft suites will combine restful accommodations and lounge amenities, serving as alternative co-working spaces. Featuring a dining room, living room, bathroom and bedroom, the suites can be configured to fit diverse occasions. The culinary experiences at the hotel will include a signature restaurant, café and bar on the first floor.

The Rydges Melbourne is undergoing a complete transformation and will re-open in Autumn 2023, positioned as a flagship property for the group. The hotel is located in the heart of the Australian city’s vibrant theater district, moments from Collins Street boutiques, major sporting precincts, Bourke Street Mall and more. The new new Rydges flagship property will include 370 fully refurbished rooms made up of up of 310 king standard rooms, 35 suites and the addition of 25 apartments. The property will have one of Melbourne’s largest conference and event venues following the addition of nine newly created spaces, spanning 1,500 square meters across two two levels. The additional spaces include a large room that can be converted into three smaller spaces which open on the new Rooftop Terrace, an outdoor area overlooking Her Majesty's and Chinatown. There also is a new signature restaurant portfolio of properties continues to grow with 44 across Australia and New Zealand.

Indian Hotels Company announced the opening of Baragarh Resort & Spa, an IHCL SeleQtions hotel in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, nestled in the lap of the Himalayas.The resort includes 33 rooms, spread over European style chalets with touches of the local design ethos. It includes a spa and outdoor heated pool, all-day diner, and a bar. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have four hotels in Pradesh with one under development.

Udman Hotels, the hotel brand by gifting company Ferns N Petals, has launched a 46-room, four-star luxury property in Haridwar in India. Udman Hotels & Resorts by FNP has five properties across locations in Delhi NCR as well as an upcoming hotel in Sariska, Rajasthan. The company rents or leases its properties and manages the hotels by itself. The new hotel includes a Royal Suite, overlooking river Ganga and Shivalik mountains. The new Udman hotel also includes a conference/ /banquet hall

Sarvatra Group, based in Ahmedabad in India, announced their foray into the hospitality business with a premium resort near Ratanpur on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. Sarvatra Group partnered with Welcome Heritage, a joint venture between ITC Ltd and Jodhana Heritage. The luxury resort will be completed in three phases. The group has acquired more than 40 lakh square feet of land and carried out construction of over 18 lakh square feet. They have executed five projects so far, including luxury villas, farmhouses, and weekend homes projects along with an affordable housing project in Gandhinagar. Five more projects are currently underway.

Anya Hospitality Group is expecting 2023 to be an exciting year for both hospitality and luxury property development in the Philippines with international borders opening and travel becoming accessible to local and international tourists. AHG and Roxaco Land Corp said phase three development of exclusive enclave Anya Resort and Residences in Tagaytay City is ongoing. More luxury villas are being developed for homeowners. Anya Residences are initially two bedrooms with expansion possible to four bedrooms, allowing homeowners to rent out rooms to generate income. The villas include their own plunge pool. AHG’s 2023 development plan includes the construction of the Niyama Wellness Center including a sprawling spa with water features, treatment rooms, gym and an F&B outlets.

Yotel announced its first hotel signing in Saudi Arabia. The Yotel property is expected to open in 2025 and will be the first hotel to open in Oxagon, which will be the home of advanced and clean industries in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. Oxagon said they selected Yotel give their shared ambitions to focus on people-centric design, circularity and digital advancements. The hotel will feature 300 rooms, showcasing the brand’s features including the signature robotic concierge, motorized SmartBeds and fully integrated technologies. Guests will have access to Komyuniti, the brands signature multi-functional dining and co-working space, a 24-hour fitness center, a Grab and Go Café, and meeting spaces. The partnership marks the latest hotel agreement with NEOM’s Hotel Development, the division responsible for building a future-centric hospitality ecosystem in the Northwest corner of Saudi Arabia. For Yotel, the new announcement signifies their ambition to grow both management and franchised projects in the Middle East region as part of its larger strategy to reach 50 hotels by 2025.

Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin believes Accor’s re-organization will give his company a competitive edge, helping its brands up and down the scale steal share in the Americas from its U.S.-based peers while leading the race to convert many independently run properties in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia-Pacific.