Lucknow

In the Philippines, Megaworld Corporation announced an agreement with Accor to improve its local hotel operations.

Choice Hotels International is expanding in China, announcing a distribution and franchise agreement with SSAW Hotels & Resorts Group.

China rates soften while demand rises. Hotel groups expand across Asia-Pacific with new properties in India, China, Australia and Fiji amid mixed tourism trends.

Minor International plans to expand in the U.S. with an Anantara hotel by early next year, driven by The White Lotus' success, which has boosted bookings at its Thai resorts.

Visitor arrivals to the Philippines rose by 1% in early 2025, driven by returning overseas Filipinos despite declines in South Korean and Chinese tourists.

JLL's latest survey forecasts mixed fortunes for the Asia Pacific hotel sector in 2024/2025, with optimism in North, South, and Southeast Asia, caution in Australasia and Greater China, and varied expectations for revenue, occupancy, and Capex investments.

Thailand's Prime Minister proposes a six-nation visa to enhance regional tourism, potentially extending visa validity to 90 days, with a target of 80 million foreign tourist arrivals by 2027.

Wyndham Grand debuts in Kuala Lumpur and Hilton's Curio Collection enters India, while Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point launches after a significant refurbishment. Hyatt and IHCL plan extensive expansions in India, while Genting invests in Sentosa. The Westin Tokyo undergoes a major makeover, and Candeo Hotels integrates a historic temple in Osaka.

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.

Chinese travelers' spending on travel and tourism within China surged by 95.9% year over year in the first half of the year, with urban residents leading the increase. Jakarta's hotel industry experienced its highest average daily rate and RevPAR levels since October 2018, with June 2023 occupancy reaching 66.7%. Bali will implement a US$10 tax per foreign holidaymaker starting in 2024, aiming to fund environmental initiatives, cultural preservation, and infrastructure development.