Hotel industry and travel news from around the Asia Pacific region: Quest to Expand into New Zealand market with seven new properties, Selo Group builds Ecological Park in Lombok and more...

Selo Group Builds Ecological Park in Lombok
Singapore-based Selo Group has announced that the group will be developing a 100-hectare ecological park in Lombok, Indonesia. The proposed site is located behind the Selong Selo Resort and Residences and will feature a nursery, solar panels, plantation forests, and other tourism activities that are centred around environmental education and social resilience. The ecological park will also provide economic opportunities for the local community, which aims to hire local women to lead the nursery, with the aim of establishing gender equality and equity in Lombok. The park will also be staffed by employees versed in land management and agroforestry techniques, which allows them to convey their knowledge to visitors. In addition, the villas at Selong Selo Resort and Residences are pre-crafted offsite to prevent waste and minimise the environmental impact during the construction process. It was also stated that 97% of all construction debris was recycled. CEO of Selo Group Andrew Corkery mentioned that Selo Group hopes that future travel will be much more intentional and socially responsible, and believes that their projects will provide a sustainable, yet meaningful travel experience.

Quest to Expand into New Zealand Market with Seven New Properties
Australia-based Quest Apartment Hotels (“Quest”), a member of Singapore-based The Ascott Limited, has announced that they will continue their expansion of their New Zealand portfolio, with seven properties slated to open between June 2021 and July 2022. The first property slated for opening in June 2021 is the Quest Takapuna, a 51-key hotel located on the North Shore of Auckland. Following this, Quest has also announced three other hotels openings in 2021, which includes Quest Mt Eden in September, Quest Queenstown in October, and Quest on Cambridge in Christchurch in November. In 2022, Quest will be opening three more hotels, namely the Quest Lambton in Wellington in February, Quest Hastings in June, and Quest Mt Maunganui in July. Managing Director of Quest David Mansfield stated that he is confident that this expansion would capitalise on the increase in travellers attributed to the trans-Tasman bubble. Upon completion, Quest’s New Zealand portfolio is expected to increase to 42 properties, with its global portfolio reaching 177 hotels.

Intercontinental Hotel Group Announces AUD32 Million Revamp in Adelaide and the Signing of New Properties
Built in 1988 and rebranded in 2009, InterContinental Adelaide is one of Adelaide’s most iconic luxury hotels. The 367-room hotel will undergo its first major renovation since its opening which is expected to commence in late 2021 and complete in early 2023. The AUD32 million refurbishment will include rooms redesign, meeting spaces, hotel entrance, lobby, hallways, lifts, restaurants, and a new club lounge. South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, mentioned that the refurbishment would value-add to South Australia’s tourism, events, and business sectors. Apart from the refurbishment, UK-based Intercontinental Hotel Group (“IHG”) will also bring Kimpton Hotels & Resorts, its boutique luxury brand, to Sydney. Together with Australia-based Pro-invest Group, they will convert and reposition Sydney’s Primus Hotel into the 172-room Kimpton Sydney, which is set to open in October 2021. Additionally, IHG has also announced the signing of the 200-room InterContinental Parramatta, scheduled to open within a mixed-use development in 2025. Currently, IHG has 60 hotels operating under six brands in Australasia, including a big presence in South Australia with Crowne Plaza Adelaide, Holiday Inn Express Adelaide, and the new Hotel Indigo Adelaide recently opened on 1 March 2021.

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