Macau

Macau follows what China’s leadership tells them to and now it is confirmed that Zero Covid is dead. ONYX Hospitality Group unveiled plans to strengthen its serviced apartment brand, Shama . The Novotel Bali Benoa has reopened following a major renovation that will reposition the beachfront resort.

Beijing’s International Airport and Daxing Airport have dropped the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test result to enter their terminals. Hotels on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali are booked solid for the Christmas and New Year period . The Kyushu Tourism Organization in Japan sent us a press release on their expected new resorts and hotels opening in 2023.

STR reported China hotel RevPAR for the week ended November 26 was up 2.2% year over year. Macau hotels’ had average occupancy in October of 41.8%, up 4.2 percentage points from September. Accor announced details on some of its newest properties across Australia and New Zealand that will be opening in 2023.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan rose to nearly 500,000 in October, the first month it fully reopened to overseas visitors after more than two years of being closed due to Covid restrictions. Visitor arrivals to Macau in October totaled 580,333, up just 4% from September despite October being a month with a Golden Week. Radisson Hotel Group is planning to grow its portfolio in India from 140 hotels to 200 in FY24.

STR reported China hotel RevPAR for the week ended 11/12 was up 17.5% year over year. China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced it would continue to suspend outbound tours by mainland travel agencies. In the recent China Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics , LE analysts report that China’s total hotel construction pipeline, at the close of Q3 2022, stands at 3,604 projects/684,288 rooms.

On Thursday, China’s new top leadership body reaffirmed Beijing’s “dynamic zero” Covid-19 policy in their first meeting since the Communist Party’s Congress last month. Chinese hotel operator Atour raised $52 million in an initial public offering in the United States. Indian Hotels Company said they plan to emerge as the most iconic and most profitable company in South Asia by 2025 and that plan is on track.

STR reported China hotel RevPAR the week ended October 29 was down -17.1% year over year. When up against the similar week in 2019, hotel RevPAR fell -44.8%. The South China Morning Post published an article on medical tourism being ramped up in Asia. The article focused on Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia  courting medical tourists. Bali is seeking to attract world-class hospitals to the tropical island, adding medical treatment to its roster of offerings.

Shanghai ordered mass testing of all 1.3 million residents amidst another lockdown, Wuhan locked down 900,000 people for at least five days, while in Macau the MGM Cotai casino resort was locked down after a dealer tested positive. The hospitality sector in India  is looking at rapidly adding managed hotels to its portfolio. Hong Kong -based Langham Hospitality Group has launched an upper midscale brand called Ying’nFlo .

Accor said they signed an agreement with Panthers Group for a new five-star Pullman hotel at the Penrith Panthers precinct in Western Sydney . InterContinental Khao Yai is a new resort in Thailand , located in Nakhon Ratchasima province in Khao Yai National Park . IHG , in cooperation with Bao Quan Investment & Construction Joint Stock Company , will open its first Crowne Plaza hotel in Vinh Yen City in the northern province of Vinh Phuc this November.