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China hotel RevPAR increased by 50.4% YoY, outperforming a 48.2% comparison and growing 19% compared to 2019, driven by strong recovery. Thai hotels, especially those with three stars or less, faced severe impact from interest rate hikes, uncertain tourism outlook, and competition, prompting calls for regulatory changes. New luxury hotels are opening in historic Japanese and Vietnamese destinations, while major hotel chains like Accor and Melia are expanding their portfolios in Singapore and Vietnam. Additionally, Meriton Suites is expanding luxury offerings across Australia.

Q2 '23 saw 14,572 global hotel projects. Luxury and upscale chains dominate, led by Hilton, Marriott, and IHG. Urban hotels lag in post-pandemic recovery compared to resorts and suburban counterparts, with rate management playing a vital role. Notable new hotels, rebranding, and appointments are taking place, with Hilton, Riu Caribe, Choice Hotels, and Sonder making moves. London's Broadwick Soho hotel is set to open with unique additions.

CoStar and STR analysis reveal Australia's hotel market normalization as leisure demand plateaus and corporate business strengthens. Occupancy and ADR figures show progress compared to last year but remain slightly below 2019 levels. Choice Hotels APAC reports positive Q2 results in Australia and New Zealand, adding new deals and Ascend Hotel Collection locations. Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya opens, featuring music-themed rooms; DoubleDragon Corp starts construction on its first overseas hotel in Hokkaido, Japan. Macau experiences impressive hotel occupancy rebound in July; IOI Properties partners with Marriott for a new hotel in Singapore's Marina View property; juSTa Rudra Resort & Spa to open in India; The Greenwood Hotels and Resorts Group invests in Northeast India expansion; The Roxy Impiana Hotel prepares for opening in Kuching, Malaysia.

DJIA, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all experienced gains, while 10-year treasury yield decreased. Lodging stocks surged, led by lodging REITs AINC and ABNB, potentially narrowing the gap between NAV and stock prices. Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group takes over management of Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites in Los Angeles. Manhattan's Park Lane Hotel sold to Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. Wingate by Wyndham near LAX sold to Greens Group. IHG announces new Crowne Plaza in Saint John, New Brunswick. Kintetsu Group plans new hotel in Plano, Texas. Choice Hotels breaks ground on Cambria Hotel in East Tampa, Florida. Evans' Tempo by Hilton project falls apart. Philadelphia's former Family Court building to be transformed into a boutique hotel with an African American Museum nearby. East Bay Resort rebrands as Salterra Resort and Spa in Turks and Caicos after major renovation.

In Q2 2023, the Asia Pacific hotel construction pipeline reached a record high of 1,936 projects with 401,766 rooms. Luxury, upper upscale, and upscale projects dominated the pipeline. Countries with the largest pipelines are India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan. Macau has surpassed Hong Kong as the preferred travel destination for mainland Chinese travelers in 2023, receiving nearly twice as many visitors. Around 50.9% of outbound Chinese travelers chose Macau, while Hong Kong received about 26.7%. Mainland Chinese tourists prefer destinations in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Accor is expanding its hotel offerings. They are introducing the Handwritten Collection in Thailand with the Andaman Beach Hotel Phuket, opening a Mercure hotel in Lucknow, India, and launching Lords Inn hotels in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and Kanki, West Bengal. Accor has also partnered with Reliance Industries and Renest Hotels & Resorts for new properties.

DJIA gained 213 points, Nasdaq increased by 114 points, and S&P 500 rose 28 points; 10-year treasury yield decreased by 0.03 to 4.21%. Lodging stocks surged on Hersha Hospitality buyout news, particularly REITs: HT up 56%, BHR up 16%, AHT up 10%, others up 6% each, while AINC traded down -9%. Hersha Hospitality Trust and KSL Capital Partners will merge in an all-cash deal worth $1.4 billion, where common shareholders receive $10.00 per share and preferred shareholders receive varying amounts based on their holdings. The merger aims to close in Q4 2023, leading to a rally in hotel REIT stocks. Major US and Chinese hotel groups have strengthened post-pandemic, while Europe lags behind. Marriott, Jin Jiang, and Hilton lead the world hotel ranking, with only one European representative (Accor). US has six companies in top 10, China has three, and Spanish companies see shifts in their rankings.

The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 generated $2.98 billion in travel and retail spending in NSW, boosting the economy and drawing record audiences to hospitality venues. Hilton plans to open 25 new luxury hotels in the Asia Pacific region, including its Waldorf Astoria brand in countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, and India. Hotel Properties received approval for a S$1-2 billion project to redevelop prime properties on Orchard Road. The redevelopment includes twin skyscrapers, retail, office, residential spaces, and a performance theater, making it Orchard Road's largest property redevelopment.

-Stock market saw gains: DJIA up 247, Nasdaq up 127, S&P 500 up 29. Various hotel reopenings and renovations, including The Hadsten Solvang and The Woodlands Resort. New hotel projects and expansions, such as Deer Valley Resort and Canopy by Hilton Cannes.

DJIA, Nasdaq down; S&P 500 fell; 10-year treasury yield up. Hotel Trends: Global RevPAR growth; Canada's record ADR and RevPAR; mixed occupancy rates. Developments: Hotel expansions, renovations; Hyatt Vacation Club launch; new CEOs, brand in Croatia.

China's hotel RevPAR rose 44.3% in a week, compared to a strong 89.7% rise a year ago. RevPAR also increased by 12.3% compared to 2019. Vietnam's flexible economy attracts investors despite short-term challenges. M&A deals increased, supported by lowered interest rates, with a positive medium-term outlook. Macao's daily visitor arrivals exceeded expectations in August, reaching 139,000 in a day. Hotel occupancy rates rebounded, hosting numerous MICE events, and a new Andaz hotel is set to open.

Hotels are increasingly charging for early or late checkouts, impacting both regular guests and loyalty program elites. This comes alongside a 1.8% rise in US hotel RevPAR and a 3.1% increase in Group RevPAR. Waramaug Hospitality acquires Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners with 222 rooms and versatile meeting spaces. SpringHill Suites by Marriott open in Delaware, Scottsdale, and Lansing. Oyo Hotel in St. Louis undergoes a $46 million renovation to become a Sheraton, introducing Bonvoy Apartments. Leading Hotels of the World adds four member hotels: The Adria (London), Azur Legacy Collection Hotel (Vancouver), Chedi Katara Hotel (Qatar), and Aleenta Retreat (Chiang Mai). These properties offer unique amenities, including a tranquil spa, rooftop dining, private beaches, and repurposed Thai dwellings.

Foreign investors like Goldman Sachs, KKR, and Blackstone have invested $2 billion in Japanese hotel deals this year, driven by a hotel business rebound and favorable exchange rates. Hilton plans substantial growth in Southeast Asia, introducing a new Hilton Garden Inn prototype and adding seven new hotels in Malaysia, including new brands like Curio Collection and Waldorf Astoria. Accor expands across Asia with 30 new hotels, focusing on markets like Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, while also partnering to introduce the Swissotel brand to Malaysia with Swissotel Genting Highlands.