IHG Hotels & Resorts

Chengdu Covid Fears Spurs Lock Down

STR reported China hotel RevPAR was up 48.2% year over year against very easy comps. When compared with this week in 2019, RevPAR was down -20.4%. Absolute occupancy in China last week was 59.1% versus 43.1% in the same week last year. Chengdu reported 1,000 Covid cases and the Southwestern city in China has pretty much been sealed off. About 70% of the flights have been suspended to and from the city. Hong Kong is targeting an end to hotel quarantine in November , ahead of a summit of global bankers and an international rugby competition.

Short-Term Rental Demand Is Up

The  DJIA  ended the day down 280 points while  Nasdaq  was down 67, the  S&P 500 fell 31 points and the 10 year treasury yield was up .02 to 3.13%. Lodging stocks were lower.  MCG  fell -8% today and hit a new all time low.  SOND  was up 5%. STR  said  U.S. hotel RevPAR  for the week ending August 27 th  was up 18.2%.  RevPAR versus the same week in 2019 was up 12.1%. Speaking during a session at the  Hotel Data Conference ,  AirDNA Director of Product Max Bernstein  said as of June 2022,  demand for short-term rentals  is up 21% indexed to 2019

Macau Reopens to Foreign Citizens

Tomorrow is the first day that foreign citizens from 41 countries will be allowed to enter Macau  since the start of this crisis. The travelers will still have to undergo seven days of quarantine in a designated hotel followed by another three days of self-health monitoring. Control of theme park  Huis Ten Bosch Park in Japan  is being transferred to Hong Kong-based asset management firm  PAG . IHG Hotels & Resorts  announced the opening of its  600th hotel in Greater China with the debut of Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou.

Business Travel Sentiment Still Lags

The positive start to the day deteriorated quickly with the DJIA ending the day down 308 points, while Nasdaq was down 135 and the S&P 500 fell 44 points. The 10-year Treasury yield ended the day flat at 3.11%. VCSA was the only major mover, down -9% on the day. STR’s consumer research in July 2022 produced telling insights into the state of business travel worldwide. Roughly 400 global business travelers were asked to thank about their likelihood to travel for business both now and when the pandemic is over, the results, remained in negative territory. A recently released Global Travel Association report cites global business travel coming back albeit against significant headwinds.

Macau Visitors Still Down YoY

Macau’s tally of visitors reached 81,798 for the seven days from August 12 to August 18 inclusive, a daily average of about 11,685. According to the latest Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics , the total China hotel construction pipeline is at 3,693 projects/701,974 rooms. Hilton signed six new luxury hotels in Asia Pacific which will open over the next four years.

China Covid Infections Hit 3-Month High

China reported 2,181 new Covid cases on Saturday , with infections surging to a three month high. Real Commercial said Sydney hotel occupancies are beginning to slip but hoteliers are still charging higher room rates. Tuan Sing Holdings is close to announcing plans to redevelop its 550 room Grand Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne’s Collins Street into a major mixed-use development.

Hotel Acquisitions Cool in Northern California

The DJIA  rose 19 points, Nasdaq was up 27, the S&P 500 was up 10, the 10-year Treasury yield was down .01 to 2.88% and lodging stocks were higher on a calm day in the market. B.Riley Securities upped its price target on Ashford Inc to $23 from $19. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust said total revenue in July topped pre-pandemic levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.

STR Lifts U.S. ADR Projections

Truist lowered target prices on their vacation ownership names despite publishing a positive report on their beat and raise quarters along with the continued return of capital. STR and Tourism Economics adjusted occupancy downward but lifted projections once again for ADR in the revised U.S. hotel forecast just presented at the Hotel Data Conference . Mission Hill Hospitality has acquired the Courtyard by Marriott Lenox and Hampton Inn & Suites Berkshire-Lenox , located in the heart of the Berkshire region of Western Massachusetts.