Analysis for Asia

AC Hotels by Marriott, the design-led lifestyle brand from Marriott Bonvoy, has made its brand debut in Greater China with the opening of AC Hotel by Marriott Suzhou. This marks the introduction of a seventh brand in the group’s Select Brands portfolio into the region.

Known as the ‘Venice of the East,’ Suzhou is an ancient water town filled with elegant waterways, quaint alleyways and peaceful pavilions. The new property is situated in the heart of the city’s historic Gusu District.

As we enter the new year, the latest results from the Henley Passport Index provide an insight into a world characterised by extraordinary upheaval and offer a revealing look at what lies ahead.

For the fifth year running, Japan crowns the Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.

Accor has confirmed three key openings across the Asia Pacific region, welcoming the Mercure hotel brand back to the coastal holiday hotspot of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland, debuting a new era of premium, locally-inspired international hospitality to Bali with a Grand Mercure opening, and launching a Novotel property at Mumbai International Airport, the second Novotel hotel in the city.

The transformation of the Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand continues to build momentum across the globe, with more than 30 properties displaying the brand’s design transformation by the end of 2022.

Greater China now features eight properties with the modernised design concept with Sheraton Xi’an South, Sheraton Ningbo Xiangshan Resort, Sheraton Nanjing Kingsley Hotel & Towers and the soon to open Sheraton Xi’an Chanba joining Sheraton Guangzhou Hotel, Sheraton Mianyang, Sheraton Zhaoqing Dinghu, and Sheraton Chengdu Pidu as transformed Sheraton-branded properties in Greater China.

Sheraton plans to continue its transformation journey in the region with the brand expecting additional hotels to showcase the new modernised look next year with the openings of Sheraton Beihai Resort and Sheraton Lanzhou Anning.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group will double its serviced suites portfolio by 2023, with new openings in key gateway cities such as Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Nairobi. This comes under the Group’s latest wave of expansion, which will increase its global development portfolio by 50%, adding more than 4,000 keys by 2023.  

Radisson Hotel Group is looking to double its Indian footprint with nearly 150 hotels and resorts to be added by 2025. This will be achieved through the launch of its midscale brand Park Inn & Suites by Radisson in the country and a strategic alliance with Ruptub Solutions Private Limited which operates a domestic chain of 1,000+ properties in 120+ cities across India under the brand ‘Treebo’.  

Langham Hospitality Group celebrates its 20th anniversary by launching Ying’nFlo, an upper midscale hospitality brand, with its sociable lifestyle approach accented with emerging music and art, geared at capturing the bold optimistic spirit of Millennials and Generation Z travellers across the globe.  

The Dorchester Collection will hit new heights by the end of the 2020s as it expands its footprint in Asia, adding to its existing portfolio of nine hotels across London, Paris, Milan, Rome and Los Angeles and its approaching debut in the Middle East next year with The Lana, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  

Autodesk, a global leader in design and make technology – with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing media, education, and entertainment – was recognised for the environmental credentials of its corporate travel programme at CAPA – Centre for Aviation’s annual Environmental Sustainability Awards for Excellence in Singapore.

The San Francisco-headquartered company was awarded the Corporate Travel Environmental Sustainability Programme of the Year 2022 Award in Asia at a gala dinner at the Capella, attended by over 150 of the region’s aviation luminaries and part of the 2022 CAPA Asia Aviation Summit.

CAPA, part of the Aviation Week Network, also recognised Wizz Air, Cebu Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Volaris and Etihad Airways in the airline section of the awards with Central and Eastern European low-cost carrier Wizz Air recognised for its ambitious, multi-pronged sustainability strategy as the Global Environmental Sustainability Airline/Airline Group of the Year.  

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed the opening of Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula in Wanning, Hainan. The 262-room oceanfront resort offers a luxurious tropical escape amidst the spectacular natural beauty of Hainan’s Shenzhou Peninsula, a natural treasure located off the east coast of Hainan Island with a tropical climate, fresh air, golden beaches and crystal-clear waters.