China

Asia-Pacific

China Likely to Keep Zero-Covid Strategy in Place

STR  reported China hotel data for the week ending 10/8. China hotel RevPAR was down -16.5% year over year (Golden Week). When compared with the same week in 2019, RevPAR was down -12.7%. People’s Daily , considered the Communist Party’s way of getting the message out to the Chinese, said China should stick with its zero-Covid strategy . Hyatt Place Huangshan Train Station , the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Huangshan, is officially open.
Asia-Pacific

Europe Will Supersede APAC as Leading Travel Region

A new report from international travel industry analysts, the  Centre for Aviation , predicts the  Asia Pacific region  will no longer be the world’s largest travel region by the end of 2022. Hyatt Hotels  announced the opening of the  Fuji Speedway Hotel  in  Shizuoka, Japan , the first property within  The Unbound Collection by Hyatt  brand in Japan. Business Line reported  Accor   plans to divest its stake in Indian ventures , opting to go asset-light through management contract deals.
Asia-Pacific

New Maldives Premium Properties in Pipeline for 2023 Openings

Enova Estates SL  issued a press release on  new resorts expected to open in 2023 in the Maldives . They currently have over 160 island resorts. The Lee family has offered a takeover bid for Mulpha International Bhd, a continuation of a trend of privatizations and buyouts of public listed companies in Malaysia. Marriott International announced the signing of an agreement with Yuexiu Property to bring its Ritz-Carlton brand to downtown Wuhan in China.
Asia-Pacific

Cambodia Says It Will Hit Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2026

The number of international tourists to Cambodia  is expected to reach the pre-Covid-19 pandemic level in 2026. Indian Hotels  and other hospitality firms in India have said they are eyeing price rate hikes. IHCL recently went back on that, saying the price hikes will have to wait until November. Hyatt Hotels Corp  announced the opening of Hyatt Centric Sector 17 Chandigarh, marking the debut of the Hyatt Centric brand there.
Asia-Pacific

China RevPAR Improves YoY But Falls Short of 2019

STR reported China lodging data for the week ended 9/24. Hotel RevPAR was up 5.1% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, RevPAR was down -21.5%. The St. Regis Jakarta is set to debut on November 10, 2022, within Jakarta, Indonesia’s Golden Triangle District. Club Med said their three Japan properties are ready to welcome back guests. That includes the brand new Club Med Kiroro Peak, opening in December 2022.
Asia-Pacific

Trip.com Says China Summer Bookings 20% Higher Than 2019

STR reported China hotel RevPAR the week ended September 17   fell -11.5% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, China hotel RevPAR was down -40.1% Despite STR reporting week after week for the past several months that China hotel RevPAR has plunged again, Trip.com said hotel reservations in China surpassed pre-pandemic levels since late June . Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Place Bharuch . This is the second Hyatt Place hotel in Gujarat and the sixth Hyatt Place hotel in in India.
Asia-Pacific

Hilton Garden Inn Tripling China Portfolio

STR  said  Melbourne, Australia’s hotel performance  in August fell from the previous month. Preliminary August 2022 data shows occupancy at 59%, ADR at A$207.05 and RevPAR at A$122.10. Hilton said their Hilton Garden Inn brand is poised to triple its portfolio in Greater China and offer travelers an expanded network of 135 properties in the coming years. Louvre Hotels Group , an affiliate of Jin Jiang International , the second largest hotel group in the world, has begun construction of its five hundredth project in China.
Asia-Pacific

Hong Kong Hotels Set Aside Rooms for Positive Covid Cases

STR reported China hotel RevPAR results for the week ended September 10. RevPAR was down -12.3% year over year while down -29.3% when compared with a comparable week in 2019. Hong Kong hotels have been told to set aside just eight or 3% of their rooms, whichever is lower, to house travelers who test positive for Covid, raising the risk of insufficient space for infected people if the easing of travel curbs come into effect. Asset World Public Company Limited said they are strengthening their long term partnership with Marriott International with an agreement to launch a new Ritz-Carlton hotel in Bangkok’s heritage riverside district.
Asia-Pacific

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.
Asia-Pacific

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.