- AccorHotels' MGallery by Sofitel brand announced for Chadstone Hotel Melbourne
- Marriott International's Select-Service Hotels Tier Are Primed For Unprecedented Growth In Asia-Pacific
- South Australia State Government commits RDF grant to fund tourism accommodation
- Accommodation Association of Australia establishes board to work with Victorian tourism industry
- Google adds new features for Google Flights, Trips and hotel search
AccorHotels' MGallery by Sofitel brand announced for Chadstone Hotel Melbourne
AccorHotels announced a new partnership with Vicinity Centres and Gandel Group, who will operate the Chadstone Hotel Melbourne under its renowned MGallery by Sofitel brand. The new-build will include 250 rooms across 13-storeys, two restaurants, a lounge bar, day spa, fitness and meeting facilities. The hotel will become the tenth MGallery hotel in Australia with construction to commence in the first half of 2018 and an opening in 2019. AccorHotels Pacific COO Simon McGrath said: "We are delighted to be working on Chadstone's new hotel development and are incredibly excited by the synergies it creates; bringing our high-end, boutique MGallery by Sofitel brand to Melbourne's most luxurious fashion address."
Marriott International's Select-Service Hotels Tier Are Primed For Unprecedented Growth In Asia-Pacific
Marriott International Inc's Select-Service brands are driving its expansion in the Asia Pacific region this year. With a diverse portfolio of 21 brands of which seven are Select-Service brands with hotels open or under development, including Fairfield by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Moxy, Element and AC Hotels, the Select-Service tier is leading the rapid expansion of Marriott International's footprint in Asia-Pacific with most rooms signed in 2017 and more to come in 2018. Marriott International Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Asia-Pacific Peggy Fang Roe said: "The Select-Service portfolio is picking up momentum in key markets including Greater China, India and Indonesia. There's also strong potential in South Korea, Australia, Japan and Southeast Asia."
South Australia State Government commits RDF grant to fund tourism accommodation
South Australia State Government announced an AUD1 million (USD761,500) investment to support tourism accommodation in Port Augusta, with financing provided through a grant from the Regional Development Fund (RDF) for the Bentley Group of Companies. The project supports the State Government's economic priority of 'South Australia, a destination of choice', intended to attract and keep visitors to regional South Australia.
Accommodation Association of Australia establishes board to work with Victorian tourism industry
Accommodation Association of Australia established a Victorian State Advisory Board. Members of the new board will work closely with Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren and other key tourism industry stakeholders for the benefit of the accommodation industry. The board is chaired by AccorHotels VP of operations - Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, Adrian Williams. Mr Williams is also a member of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council's Accommodation Advisory Panel and the Melbourne Convention Bureau board.
Google adds new features for Google Flights, Trips and hotel search
Google added new features for Google Flights, Trips and hotel search. Google Flights will now offer tips under flight search results, which indicate whether fares are above, below or at normal levels and by how much they differ from usual fare levels, based on machine learning and statistical analysis of historical data. Google Trips' new 'Discounts' feature will help users access deals for ticketing and tours on attractions and activities.