NEWS
Pan Pacific London: The Promise vs The Delivery
As the first Pan Pacific Hotel in Europe, it’s no surprise the Singapore-based hotel group is eager to stamp the hallmarks of the brand in London, a city with no shortage of luxury hotels. Overall, it has fared well in our brand review
How to Keep a Brand Alive and Kicking
Too many brands, too little differentiation. Veteran hotel CEO Stephan Vanden Auweele writes about it and offers his views on how brands could stay current despite ever-changing needs of customers
How Travel + Leisure Will Supercharge its new buy Accor Vacation Club
Travel + Leisure’s acquisition of Accor Vacation Club is probably the first time that a ‘pure’ vacation ownership company has bought a global chain’s club. But can multi-brands work in vacation ownership? Hotels-Asia asks Barry Robinson, the man in charge of the club when the deal is done in 1Q24
Hotels Ripe for Innovation in so Many Ways, Says Disruptor Banyan Tree
Raised in a family that is no stranger to innovations, Ho Ren Yung, senior vice president of brand and commercial, Banyan Tree Group, urges the industry to see constraints such as manpower shortage, and new wellness and sustainability demands, as opportunities to innovate. Take a leaf from the Banyan Tree
All Exclusive is the new All-Inclusive and it’s Coming to Asia
The all-inclusive rage in the US and Europe is coming to Asia. Accor has already signed two Rixos resorts in Vietnam. But hold your horses — after four decades, Club Med has only nine resorts in operation in Asia, excluding China. Yet may be more competitors is what it takes to turbo-charge all-inclusive in the region
Marriott focuses on Sheraton makeover in Asia after Covid setback
Asia is home to nearly one-third of all Sheraton hotels globally, so it is key to the brand’s transformation. But getting more owners to pour capital expenditure towards a refashioned Sheraton, when many of them want to recoup losses from Covid-19, may prove tricky. Still, it’s all good, says Marriott, as brand recall is high the region
Timeshare’s moment in Asia is here but industry must tread ‘mindfully’
Realizing the region’s true potential for timeshare requires a mindful approach, as the building blocks for the sector to thrive are not yet set in stone. Barry Robinson, who heads Wyndham Destinations expansion in Asia, explains the why’s and how’s
Raffles gets big in Macau, Banyan Tree goes small in Japan, Como heads home
A brief round-up of interesting hotel openings and why they stand out
Asset Managers Rise in Asia as Chains Hobble to Support Owners
Asset management is relatively new to Asia but that is set to change as downsized chains hobble to support owners
Regent Bows out of Singapore as IHG Continues to Revive Brand
Hilton will rebrand the Regent Singapore as a Conrad hotel, a bummer for IHG which is resuscitating Regent. It sparks the perennial question, is there a place for Regent today? Chances are, this time it will be different and the brand will live on. Here’s why
After Buying Comes Hard Selling as Hyatt Works to Deploy Acquired Brands in Asia
Hyatt Hotels’ shopping bag is stuffed with new brands, with more to come when its acquisition of Dream Hotel Group is completed. After the buying comes the hard selling to get Asian owners to embrace its acquired flags such as Thompson Hotels
Six Ethical Questions to ask When Using AI in Hotel Operations
AI will become fundamental to the daily operations of hospitality businesses but there are thorny questions. EHL Hospitality Business School’s associate professor Reza Etemad-Sajadi lists six that you should be asking
Mirror, mirror, who’s the greenest-looking hotel of them all?
If there’s an award for the greenest-looking hotel in Singapore, the Pan Pacific Orchard which opened on June 1 is a serious contender
The man who has the Last Laugh
Fans will cheer, critics will groan. But no one can dispute Deepak Ohri has had the last laugh. His autobiography details how he did it
Thai Hotel Owner Unlocks Water Parks, Residences for IHG
Increasingly, Asia’s next-gen hotel owners want to make their own mark, not just carry on the family business. Proud Group Thailand’s Proudputh Liptapanlop is one of them. In the process, she unlocks water parks and InterContinental Residences for IHG in Thailand
This Hotelier Sets a High Benchmark for Raffles Hotel Singapore
Rates of luxury hotels in Singapore are rising, but are still lower than rates of luxury hotels in other major cities. Raffles Hotel may correct the anomaly. Its managing director Christian Westbeld is working on it
Do Superhero Hotel General Managers Exist?
The best hotel general manager is a hotelier, business leader and parent all rolled into one. Sounds like a superhero? They do exist. But it may be difficult to groom more of them in the future. Here’s why
Las Vegas Sands to Invest Billions More on Non-Gaming Attractions in Macau
Major casino companies are showing their love for more non-gaming attractions in Macau, a China-driven aim for the city to reduce heavy dependence on junkets. It’s a great thing for the destination