Read the latest news from around the Asia-Pacific region.
Sydney Hotels Gear Up for Ambitious Net-Zero Targets
Hotels in Sydney are working toward the city’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions, and new-build projects will need to meet tougher rules starting next year, reports HNN contributor Tamara Thiessen.
The government’s National Australian Built Environment Rating System program is helping owners transition to net-zero emissions.
“All our assets are achieving the best possible outcome on ESG,” said Sabine Schaffer, managing partner and co-founder of Pro-invest Group. “To ensure we achieve 5-star NABERS energy across the portfolio, we’re working with our consultants to understand what it will take to reach Sydney’s net-zero 2026 target and get [our hotels] to a state that is net-zero-ready."
STR: The Americas and Asia-Pacific Regions Show Increased Hotel Pipeline Activity
Among the four world regions, the Americas and Asia-Pacific were the two that showed year-over-year increase in hotel pipeline activity by the end of the first quarter, according to March 2022 data from STR, CoStar’s hospitality analytics firm.
In the Asia-Pacific region, there were 946,499 rooms under contract, representing a 3.3% increase. There were 315,956 rooms in planning, a 16.9% increase, but its 147,854 rooms in the final planning stage were a 19.3% decrease. There were 482,698 rooms in construction, a 4.3% increase.
China has the most rooms in construction with 301,879 rooms with Vietnam with the second-most rooms at 32,804.
Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels the Latest Company To Distance Itself From Myanmar
The disputed elections and return to a dictatorship government in Myanmar have reversed the course of several hotel developments in the country, mostly recently Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels’ project transforming the former Myanmar Railway Co. headquarters in Yangon, reports HNN’s Terence Baker.
Clement Kwok, CEO of Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels, said in an interview with Hotel News Now that his firm has “put a considerable amount of effort, resources, design and planning into this project, which we signed in 2014 and [that] is now 70% completed." But for now, it's best that the project be put on hold.
“We do not take lightly the decision to giving up our investment. We cannot continue at the moment and have temporarily stopped work as a prudent business decision, with no exact time frame available on how long this might last," Kwok said. “We are still hoping to be able to serve the people of Myanmar and visitors one day."
Bangkok Mega-Project Heralds New Era for Dusit Thani Hotel
Bangkok-based Dusit Thani Public Company Limited has started construction on its Dusit Central Park project, a project that includes the revitalization of its closed Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel along with luxury residences and an area with lifestyle, retail and office components, reports HNN contributor Selena Oh.
“The Dusit Thani Bangkok is attached to the residences unlike other branded residences,” said Suphajee Suthumpun, group CEO of Dusit Thani. “[It] is the residence project invested with our equity. Our iconic address is akin to the apartments surrounding Central Park in New York City and Hyde Park in London."
Deals, Developments, People on the Move
- IHG Hotels & Resorts debuted its first Regent Hotels & Resorts property in Southeast Asia with the opening of the Regent Phu Quoc with 176 suites and 126 villas.
- Singapore-based Hotel Properties Limited and Como Holdings’ joint venture sold the 405-room Hilton London Olympia for 40.8 million pounds sterling ($51.7 million) to an undisclosed buyer.
- Japan’s Sankei Building Co. and Tokyu Land Corp. announced the development of the 63-room Hakone Sengokuhara Hotel Condominium and Residence in Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun in Kanagawa Prefecture.
- Through a joint venture, Hong Kong-based Weave Living and U.S.-based PGIM Real Estate will acquire the 435-room Rosedale Hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong, for 1.37 billion Hong Kong dollars ($174.6 million) from Hong Kong-based ITC Properties Group and Shaw Trustee.
- Australia’s Pro-invest Group and Singapore-based Next Story Group have created a new management company: Vista Hospitality Group Australasia.
- Australia-based Time & Place acquired the 59-room Hotel Lindrum Melbourne MGallery from developer Robert Magid for 50 million Australian dollars ($35.8 million).
- U.S.-based Outrigger Hospitality Group acquired the Maafushivaru Resort in the Maldives with plans to rename it the Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort.