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The World Travel & Tourism Council reported positive signs of recovery for the Asian travel and tourism sector with five major metropolises seeing a significant economic rebound . Macau visitor arrivals in January doubled year on year, reaching nearly 1.4 million, but a hospitality and tourism management professional has warned Macau will only see half of the yearly pre-pandemic visitors this year . Accor announced plans to open a Mercure property in Tokyo, Japan. Mercure Tokyo Hibiya will be housed within the existing Uchisaiwaicho Heiwa Building, close to JR Shimbashi and Uchisaiwaicho stations .

The Philippines Hotel Sales and Marketing Association said hotels in the country remain optimistic of the industry’s performance this year as the average occupancy has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Marriott International is planning 14 new luxury properties opening in the Asia Pacific region this year. IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of voco Bangkok Surawong with Tawanna Property Company Limited, a real estate investor and developer in Thailand .

According to  Lodging Econometrics’ Q4 Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the Asia Pacific region ,  excluding China , the region’s total construction pipeline stands at 1,903 projects/404,222 rooms, up 5% by projects and 2% by rooms YOY. South Korea’s government will remove its entry restrictions for short-term travelers from China . Singapore property tycoon Koh Wee Meng , via his entity JK Global Wealth , made an offer of 12 cents a share for the rest of developer Global Dragon .

Marriott International’s Ritz-Carlton is presenting a newly elevated experience at The Ritz-Carlton Club across its Asia Pacific hotels, joining a successful launch in Mainland China last summer. Hanwha Hotels & Resorts signed a memorandum of understanding with Lodgis Hospitality Holdings to forge a strategic partnership to mutually boost each of their hotel and resort portfolios. New Zealand’s Sotheby’s International Realty is listing an exclusive Queenstown  development site, expected to sell for more than $40 million.

Tour groups from mainland China to 20 countries have restarted, 11 of which are in Asia Pacific. Meanwhile, in China , hotels and restaurants are frantically searching for employees. During the first six days of work after China’s Lunar New Year holiday, job openings in the hotel and catering sectors surged 40% from the same period a year earlier. Colliers Philippines said the average hotel occupancy rate in Metro Manila is expected to further increase to over 60% this year, driven by a higher number of domestic and foreign travelers.

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s Cities Economic Impact Report showed travel and tourism’s direct contribution to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth’s GDP and jobs continues to rise. KSL Capital Partners is among investors that are increasingly keen on acquiring hotels in remote destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. A resort in the Blue Mountains that was closed during the pandemic has reopened its doors and has been listed for commercial sale following a multi-million renovation.

Singapore hotels’ average room rate was up 27.7% in December 2022 from a year ago to a new 14 year high of S$285.84. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos has approved a value-added tax refund program for foreign tourists by 2024 to attract more visitors. The first Hilton hotel in Japan’s Hokuriku region has opened. The DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama is located within a three-minute walk of Toyama Station.

Macau has received 245,000 visitors in the first four days of the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival holiday week. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of The Earth Amritsar, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, its first hotel for the brand in India . Sarovar Hotels and Resorts announced the opening of Shyama Sarovar Portico in the city of Orai, Uttar Pradesh in India.

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service said the SAR saw a total of 5,700,339 visitor arrivals in 2022, down 26% year on year. Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced a Hyatt affiliate entered into a management agreement with a Mori Building affiliate for Hotel Toranomon Hills. The Rydges Melbourne is undergoing a complete transformation and will re-open in Autumn 2023, positioned as a flagship property for the group.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told the media that many foreign nations had responded warmly to the country’s newly relaxed Covid-19 regulations. The Macau government said that, as of this Sunday, they will officially end all quarantine requirements for all nationalities entering Macau. Vietnam said its tourism sector raked in about US$408.3 million in revenue during the three-day 2023 New Year holiday .