Hotel industry and travel news from around the Asia Pacific region: Air China to launch first direct flight from Beijing to Brisbane, IHG merges its operating regions, Pavilions kickstarts expansion with Japan and more...

SAMHI to Rebrand Premier Inn’s India Portfolio as Fairfield by Marriott

SAMHI Hotels is set to rebrand British chain Premier Inn’s India portfolio as Fairfield by Marriott. The portfolio comprises four existing properties in New Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Goa, and one in the pipeline in Chennai. SAMHI, which is part-owned by Goldman Sachs, acquired Premier Inn’s India portfolio for approximately INR200 crore. Currently, the company has over 25 hotels (both existing and in the pipeline) across 12 cities in India.

InterContinental Hotels Group Merges its Operating Regions

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced that it will shift the regional headquarters in Singapore to the United Kingdom (UK) to create a new operating region that incorporates Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEAA). The current regional office in Singapore that covers Asia, the Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) will operate as a sub-regional division under the EMEAA office in the UK. The said changes will take effect at the start of 2018. The company stated that the EMEAA region, headquartered in the UK, will “operate through strong sub-regional divisions based in a number of locations, including Singapore, to ensure the business remains close to hotel owners, guests and colleagues. By bringing two strong, established regions together as one, the company will focus on further growth through increased agility and effectiveness”.

Pavilions Hotels & Resorts Kickstart Expansion with Japan

Marking their first phase of expansion across Asia and Europe, luxury hospitality brand, Pavilions Hotels & Resorts has unveiled The Ginto Residences in Niseko, Japan. Nestled within the pinewood forests at Ginto Hirafu, with access to premium ski lifts and snow slopes, the US$100 million development will feature 31 individual villas, with each plot measuring a minimum of 1,000 square meters. The Ginto Residences will be located next to The Pavilions Niseko, which will provide 40 suites alongside facilities such as a spa, an indoor-outdoor onsen, a gym, a yoga studio and a fine-dining restaurant. Owners of the residences will have access to all the hotel’s facilities, and will be well placed to take advantage of the amenities available at Ginto Village, the destination’s boutique shopping and entertainment center. With construction expected to commence next month, the project is slated for completion in 2019.

Grand Skylight Hotel Makes its Debut in Chongqing, China

Grand Skylight Hotel Management Co. Ltd. recently signed an agreement with Chongqing Yinling Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. to operate the Grand Skylight Hotel Wuling. Favourably located at the heart of Wulong District, Chongqing Municipality, the hotel is just a bridge away from the city’s railway station and approximately 30 minutes’ drive from the Fairy Mountain National Tourist Resort, the Three Natural Bridges and the Furong Cave. With a gross floor area of approximately 30,000 square meters, the 201-room luxury hotel will feature Chinese and Western restaurants, a grand ballroom, a gym, a mahjong/chess room, KTV and other supporting facilities. Grand Skylight Hotel Wuling is set to open in May 2008.

Air China to Launch First Direct Flight from Beijing to Brisbane

Air China will begin their first direct flight service from Beijing to Brisbane, injecting more than A$191 million into the economy of Queensland. Commencing on December 11, the airline will fly four times a week between these two cities. Tourism and Major Events Minister, Kate Jones, said that nearly 170,000 passengers would arrive in Queensland over the next four years. “Chinese visitors, Queensland’s largest source market, generate almost a fifth of Queensland’s total tourism expenditure, with visitors spending A$1 billion over the past year”, she added. Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steven Ciobo commented “With the potential (for Chinese visitor spend) to be worth up to A$13 billion by the year 2020, it is crucial that Australia continues to strengthen its ties with China to help realise the full potential of this market.” Air China already operated direct flights from Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu to Sydney and Melbourne, and this new route will bring the total number of weekly flights between China and Australia to almost 40.

HVS Guide to Hotel Management Contracts | 475 Management Contracts Representing 120,000 Rooms and over 50 Branded Hotel Operators

The HVS Guide to Hotel Management Contracts presents the results of an extensive review of hotel management agreements conducted across the Americas (USA, Canada and South America), Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and the Asia Pacific (APAC) regions, in addition to offering an in-depth understanding of the key terms and clauses of such agreements. It covers 10 principal areas of discussions �" management contract term, territorial restrictions, operator fees, operator performance test, budgeting, owner approvals, employees, indemnification, operator investment in property and termination of the agreement �" which are considered critical for owner-operator negotiations. Furthermore, the substantive document includes exclusive HVS insights on key contract provisions supplementing the results of an invaluable and extensive survey that truly offer a global perspective by highlighting the common as well as unique trends in the primary geographies of the world. The global survey sample set comprises 475 hotel management contracts representing close to 120,000 rooms and 55 first-tier (branded) hotel management companies, in addition to several second-tier (third-party) management companies and few independent operators. You may order the full guide and survey report, or just a regional report; please select your preferred option prior to making the purchase.

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