Analysis for Asia

Recently CAPA reported on Airports Council International (ACI) – North America’s habitual annual call for more funding for airport infrastructure.

Airports Council International is a trade body that acts as a lobby group. Now it is the turn of the Asia Pacific division (ACI AP) to enter the fray, but on a different topic – namely, the dichotomy between a stiff rise in airfares in the region (and the Middle East) versus continuing financial pain for airports.

Indeed, ACI AP’s message echoes one made by the UK’s Heathrow Airport a short while ago: that it is unreasonable that airports anywhere should be regulated on the charges they can apply while – generally speaking – airlines cannot be regulated on the ticket prices they charge their customers, which is left in the nebulous domain of 'supply and demand'.

ACI AP does note an improvement in airports’ finances from the third quarter of 2022, and especially so in the final one, and with China coming out of its COVID-19 shell there is some evidence available from airport (group) financial statements that CAPA is aware of that the situation is uneven, and perhaps not quite as bad as ACI AP paints it.

The region’s continuing recovery rests firmly with what happens now in China, for sure, and in many different ways.

US carriers accounted for all three of the largest airline globally (measured in seats) as of the end of Mar-2023 and the start of the 2023 summer schedule.

American Airlines was the largest airline by capacity, offering just short of 5 million seats per week.

It was followed by Delta Air Lines and low cost carrier Southwest Airlines. United Airlines was the fifth largest carrier by seats.

Thailand hospitality specialist Dusit International has outlined its arrival plans in the Japanese market by unveiling two new properties in the city of Kyoto.

The properties –Dusit Thani Kyoto and ASAI Kyoto Shijo – will debut later this year offering Thai-inspired features into Japan’s hospitality scene.

The two hotels offer features and concepts that will cater to different types of travellers, from those seeking luxury and elegance to those looking for a more authentic and cultural experience.

The recovery in air travel to and from China is picking up pace in the early months of 2023 as more COVID-19-related restrictions are eased and airlines respond by ramping up services in this market.

The Chinese government raised hopes for reopening international travel in Dec-2022 when it announced its intention to remove a range of entry restrictions. However, there were still specific steps required to implement the changes for many categories of international travellers.

More hurdles emerged in Jan-2023, when several other countries imposed new entry requirements on travellers from China due to concerns about an uptick in COVID-19 infections. This prompted severe criticism from Chinese authorities.

There has been further progress in these areas over the past month. Many of the overseas governments have now removed their restrictions on travel from China. And the Chinese government itself has taken some of the additional steps needed to fulfil its reopening goals.

Airlines are announcing schedule changes to increase their Chinese capacity, and this trend will likely increase in the coming months.

Radisson Hotel Group plans to introduce an exciting new era of social and stylish hospitality to Thailand following the signing of Radisson RED Phuket Patong Beach, a vibrant upscale lifestyle hotel that will mark the debut of the Radisson RED brand in the “Land of Smiles.”

The 390-key Radisson RED property will introduce a new era of bold, social and hyper-connected hospitality to this popular destination, as part of a nationwide and wider regional expansion strategy.

Accor has confirmed that its Pullman Hotels & Resorts premium brand has formally launched in Singapore with the opening of Pullman Singapore Orchard. Located on Orchard Road, the city’s famous retail district, this modern and stylish hotel will allow guests to balance business and leisure in this vibrant destination.

Elsewhere in Singapore, Accor has confirmed the launch of the newly-rebranded Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt, while elsewhere across Asia it has announced the first Pullman property for Phuket, a Fairmont property in Bangkok, the debut of the MGallery brand in the Philippines, and new ibis properties in Cambodia and India.

IHG Hotels & Resorts is pursuing an ambitious expansion plan in Greater China that explores popular and emerging destinations. Leveraging its global experience, deep local insights, and a rich brand portfolio, the company is positioning itself to respond to increasing domestic travel demand and welcome Chinese and international travellers alike in the new era of travel.

IHG currently has 12 brands in Greater China, with a total of more than 1,000 hotels operating or under the pipeline. This year, it will continue to expand its footprint in Greater China, covering more than 200 cities.

New insights from hotel benchmarking specialist STR shows further positive signs in the recovery of the global hotel industry, with particularly encouraging signs across the Asia Pacific region where the continued removal of restrictions has allowed properties across the region to more freely open their doors to guests.

Southeast Asia and Northeastern Asia sat at the lower end of recovery compared to other STR-defined subcontinents in terms of occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) in 2022. But, significant improvements are to be expected as the Asia Pacific region returns to normalcy.

Research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed that within the next decade, Beijing will overtake Paris to become the world’s largest Travel and Tourism city destination.

The report, sponsored by Visa and researched in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators such as Travel and Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend.

It analysed 82 cities around the world including four major Chinese metropolises, but while long term the outlook for some Chinese cities looks positive, prolonged travel restrictions and border closures have slowed down the recovery in the short term.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Yuan Lih Construction Co, a developer that is part of Taipei-based Yuan Lih Group, have announced plans for a new luxury hotel in the heart of Taiwan’s capital.

Four Seasons Hotel Taipei will be located in the Xinyi District, directly opposite to Taipei 101, one of the most iconic skyscrapers in Asia and one of the tallest towers in the world. Construction of the new Hotel is already underway, and is anticipated to be complete in a few years’ time.

Taipei 101 is one of the top tourist attractions in the city and is home to high-end shopping, art galleries, and offices as well as the Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation and other major banks and organisations.