Japan

Seibu Prince Hotels will offer a consolidated membership program and unify its brand identity under a single brand.

Banyan Tree Group is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the change in name to Banyan Group. The company said the brand shift reflects the group’s evolution into a dynamic, multi-brand hospitality powerhouse.

There are notable expansion and renovations worldwide, including the opening of the Hyatt Place Bodh Gaya in India, the launch of Mondrian Hong Kong, and the extensive refurbishment of Peppers Marysville in Australia's Yarra Valley. Osaka, Japan, aims to attract 20 million visitors annually with the new MGM Osaka resort. Mandarin Oriental announces plans for three unique resorts in Setouchi, Japan.

79% of markets showed growth in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) compared to 2019, with countries like the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Singapore leading. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is set to open over 10 new hotels in Malaysia, and BWH Hotels announced a new upscale hotel in Vietnam, indicating significant growth and investment in the Asian hospitality market. Chinese airlines are canceling flights to Thailand amidst decreasing traveler numbers, despite visa waivers. Meanwhile, the Philippines surpassed its target for international visitor arrivals, with South Korea being the top source market.

Singapore saw a significant rise in international visitor arrivals in October, notably from China and Indonesia. Meanwhile, The Philippines plans to develop 48 new hotels by 2028. Several hospitality brands announced major expansions, including The Standard International's new The StandardX in Melbourne, Australia, and Accor opening Mercure Tokyo Haneda Airport. Indian Hotels Company formalized a partnership for a new Vivanta hotel in Kochi, India, and Crowne Plaza in Chennai, India will be replaced by luxury apartments.

Chinese tourists are showing decreased interest in Japan and Thailand, partly due to Japan's Fukushima wastewater release and negative perceptions from movies about Thailand. Consequently, Singapore, Europe, South Korea, Malaysia, and Australia have become more popular destinations. M Social opens its first hotel in Suzhou, China, and Indian Hotels Company plans to expand its Ginger brand across India. Other developments include the opening of the Ramada Encore by Wyndham in Amritsar, India, and new properties in Goa and Hong Kong under different brands. Sun Siyam Pasikudah in Sri Lanka reopens after renovations, and Berjaya Land Bhd secures a loan for developing the Four Seasons Resort in Okinawa, Japan.

Accor is rebranding 23 Daiwa Resorts properties in Japan as Mercure and Grand Mercure hotels in 2024. The first Hyatt Place hotel in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, is now open, connected to Paradigm Mall. Swiss-Belhotel International rebranded an upscale property in Surabaya, Indonesia, as the Grand Swiss-Belhotel Darmo.

Asian ultraluxury resort companies are expanding into Japan to cater to wealthy overseas travelers and take advantage of the weak yen, with Soneva Holdings planning to open resorts in Japan by 2027 and investing 100 billion yen in new properties. Foreign investment in Japanese hotels increased significantly in recent years, with 2022 seeing a sixfold increase compared to the previous year, and an expected total of 128.5 billion yen in investments in the first six months of the current year. International hotel brands like InterContinental, Wyndham, Marriott, Hyatt, and Accor are actively expanding their presence in various regions, including India, Vietnam, China, Thailand, and Australia, offering a diverse range of accommodations and amenities.

Samaras Construction plans to build a high-end hotel in Adelaide, Australia, featuring 175 luxurious rooms, a lavish lobby, a hotel-style bar, and a restaurant. Pan Pacific Perth is undergoing a $50 million refurbishment of its luxury hotel and convention spaces in Adelaide, including guest rooms, suites, and convention facilities. Keppel has completed the divestment of Sedona Hotel Yangon in Myanmar for $57.4 million, while Galaxy Entertainment Group is not re-entering a resort project in the Philippines.

Hotel RevPAR in China surged by 77.2% year over year due to Golden Week, with a 53.2% increase compared to 2019. Japan's hotel industry saw an elevated average daily rate in July but struggled with occupancy recovery. Melbourne's hotel industry reported a decline in RevPAR in September despite increased occupancy, and October occupancy is on par with the previous year.