Sydney

Covid restrictions continue to fall like dominoes . Hong Kong came through with their plan to end their hotel quarantine policy, putting it into effect before October Golden Week, beginning today. Macau’s hotel occupancy rate fell to just 33.3% in August, down -1.1 percentage points year over year. DBS said Singapore’s hospitality industry is on track for a “spectacular” second half of 2022.

STR  reported  China hotel RevPAR  for the week ended September 3 rd . Year over year, hotel RevPAR was up 19.3%, still up against easier year-over-year comps. The DuGhassan Aboud Group has acquired Sydney, Australia’s Rydges Sydney Harbour Hotel for approximately $100 million. Radisson Hotel Group announced the continued expansion of their brand footprint with Radisson Resort & Suites Phuket .

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.

The Singapore government said indoor masks will no longer be mandatory from August 29 on and that masks will only be worn in medical facilities and on public transport. The bigger…

Macau’s tally of visitors reached 81,798 for the seven days from August 12 to August 18 inclusive, a daily average of about 11,685. According to the latest Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics , the total China hotel construction pipeline is at 3,693 projects/701,974 rooms. Hilton signed six new luxury hotels in Asia Pacific which will open over the next four years.

China reported 2,181 new Covid cases on Saturday , with infections surging to a three month high. Real Commercial said Sydney hotel occupancies are beginning to slip but hoteliers are still charging higher room rates. Tuan Sing Holdings is close to announcing plans to redevelop its 550 room Grand Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne’s Collins Street into a major mixed-use development.

STR said China RevPAR for the week ended August 13 was up 107.7% year over, up against a -28.9% comparison. According to the recent Asia Pacific, excluding China, Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics , at the end of the second quarter the region’s total construction pipeline grew to 1,891 projects/396,517. Trip.com said that off-season travel between July to September for both Australia and Southeast Asian countries showed an increase as borders reopen.

STR reported Sydney, Australia hotel occupancy dipped in July from June. Occupancy in July 2022 was 65.8% while ADR was A$239.96 resulting in RevPAR of A$157.80. The Business Times reported business has picked up so much in Singapore that hotels are frantically looking for employees as staffing levels have yet to match the tourism pickup. Choice Hotels Asia Pacific said corporate travel has returned to a new normal with guests seeking value for money as work trips merge into leisure.

China has locked down part of Tibet’s capital following reports of a Covid-19 outbreak that grew from four to 22 cases on Monday. Radisson Hotel Group announced the signing of Radisson Biratnagar in Nepal, in partnership with The Centurion Hotel Private Limited. Ennismore announced its continued expansion across New Zealand and Australia with the signing of four new hotels in New Zealand with CP Group.

STR said things really improved in China following the belief that the Covid outbreaks were over. Hotel RevPAR for the week ended July 30 th in China was up 8.5% year over year while down only -10.3% versus the same week in 2019. Travelers from Japan, Taiwan and Macau will be temporarily allowed to enter South Korea without a visa this month. Baring Private Equity Asia announced its affiliated real estate funds completed the acquisition of the Sydney Hilton hotel for A$530 million.