Hotel industry and travel news from around the Asia Pacific region; this week: Le Meridien's Asia drive, JW, Vietnam central coast destination marketing and more....

Le Méridien to Open Six More Hotels in Asia in 12 Months
 
Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts has announced a pipeline of nine hotels, which are expected to open within the next 12 months. Among these nine properties, six will be opened in Asia in locations such as Jimbaran Bay - Bali, Zhengzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Dhaka, Qingdao and Mahabaleshwar in India. All new properties will feature the Le Méridien Hub experience, which focuses on making the hotel lobby a social gathering place for conversations, debates and exchanges. All six hotels in Asia are expected to open by October 2013. 
 
Bhutan to Offer Private Jet Services
 
Drukair, Bhutan's national carrier, has formed a partnership with charter specialist, Chapman Freeman to offer private jet services in the country. Under this partnership, Chapman Freeman will provide private jets and flying permits to operate charters to the Himalayan Kingdom, in addition to certified navigators which are a necessity given the mountainous environment in Bhutan. The new service will be based at Paro International Airport in Bhutan, which is considered one of the most challenging airports for pilots to take-off and land, due to its surrounding mountainous landscape. 
 
Archipelago to Add 42 Hotels by Year-end
 
Indonesia-based hotel operator Archipelago International will add 42 hotels to its portfolio in 2013. The company's four-star Aston and two-star favehotel and Neo brands are the fastest growing brands amongst Archipelago's seven brands. The strong increase in domestic tourism in Indonesia has helped to propel the growth in Archipelago's portfolio. New Archipelago properties are expected to open this year in Bali, Balikpapan, Belitung, Bogor, Jakarta, Jambi, Jember, Kupang, Luwuk, Madiun, Mataram, Semarang, Solo and Surabaya. Additionally, the company will be launching a new three-star plus brand in September this year. 
 
New Body to Promote Tourism in Vietnam's Central Coast
 
Hoteliers, golf course owners and travel operators along Vietnam's central coast have come together to form a tourism body, Central Coast Vietnam Destination Marketing Organisation, to promote the region. Founding members include hotels and resorts such as The Nam Hai, Crowne Plaza Danang, Hyatt Regency Danang, Fusion Maia Danang, Furama Resort Danang, Grand Mercure Danang, The Ocean Villas, Angsana Lang Co, La Residence Hue, Montgomerie Links and Danang Golf Club. The tourism body aims to promote resort towns such as Danang, Hoi An and Hue as leisure tourism destinations to rival destinations such as Bali, Koh Samui and Phuket and the marketing campaign will be timed with the launch of direct Dragonair flights between Hong Kong and Danang in March 2013.  
 
JW Marriott Enters Bangladesh
 
Marriott International and Jamuna Builders Limited have signed an agreement to operate the 700-room JW Marriott Hotel Dhaka. Jamuna Builders Limited is the real estate arm of Jamuna Group, Bangladesh's largest diversified conglomerate. The JW Marriott Hotel Dhaka will be part of a mixed-use development, which will include retail and office components. The property is located close to Dhaka's international airport and will feature three restaurants, two bars, a spa with eight treatment rooms and 2,280 square metres of meeting space. Upon completion, the JW Marriott Hotel Dhaka will be one of the largest JW Marriott hotels in Asia.

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