Minor Hotels is set to intensify its presence in India with a target of 50 new openings within the next decade.
The group will focus its strategy on the upper-upscale and luxury hotel segments, where it expects strong interest from owners in its Anantara, Avani, and NH Collection brands.
Anantara Jaipur Hotel is set to open later this year
For Anantara Hotels & Resorts, the group is building on core brand differentiators by targeting opportunities in Ayurvedic wellness retreats, wilderness lodges, and historical palaces, while Avani Hotels & Resorts will fill a gap in the lifestyle hotel space across India.
Minor Hotels has also identified strong potential for the upscale NH Hotels & Resorts, particularly in rapidly developing tier two cities and airport locations – the brand will also attract upper-upscale conversion opportunities.
Eyeing hotel management contracts and with an emphasis on greenfield developments, Minor Hotels will look to identify opportunities in up-and-coming locations.
Since 2017, Minor Hotels has been present in the India market. It launched Oaks Bodhgaya in the north-east Indian state of Bihar, and later in 2024, the group will debut its flagship luxury hotel in India with the opening of Anantara Jaipur Hotel.
To support this expansion, Minor Hotels has opened a new office in Bengaluru, and appointed Vijay Krishnan as vice president of operations for India, overseeing a growing team on the ground.
Amir Golbarg, senior vice president for the Middle East, Africa and India for Minor Hotels, said: “We are bullish on the potential of India, and have already been overwhelmed with owner interest, but are proceeding with a ‘partnerships over properties’ approach. It means we are being very selective in the hotels that we add to our portfolio, with our focus on cultivating meaningful alliances with partners who align with our values and vision.”
“We believe in (India’s) potential as a world-class inbound destination… and we believe in the enormous opportunities that lie in its surging domestic market,” added Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and group CEO of its parent company Minor International.
For the first time in its history, Kempinski Hotels is venturing into Vietnam for the first time, with the launch of a waterfront hideaway nestled in the folds of the Saigon River, slated to open in 2027.
Kempinski Saigon River, designed by architectural studio Kengo Kuma & Associates, presents a modern reinterpretation of traditional Vietnamese dwellings, with 90 contemporary guestrooms, which affords expansive views of the river that embraces the property, and 10 suites, including the Presidential Suite.
Kempinski Saigon River will open in 2027 (Photo: Kempinski Hotels)
The hotel is currently being developed in cooperation with Vietnamese property developer Ecopark Corporation.
Kempinski Saigon River will offer facilities such as a 1,500m2 spa, all-day dining restaurant, a signature Vietnamese restaurant, as well as a riverside bar and executive lounge.
Situated in Dong Nai on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, Kempinski Saigon River is part of a broader 55-hectare development that will also be home to residences, schools, a sports club and retail areas along 700m of riverfront, connected to Ho Chi Minh City via a 45-minute speedboat ride.
Dong Nai itself is currently undergoing a major infrastructure expansion and improvement project designed to reduce travel times and foster economic growth, including improvements to the road and railway networks, improved waterways and the new Long Thanh International Airport, which is currently under construction.
Grand Hyatt Tokyo, in collaboration with Pokémon Sleep, is offering guests a range of wellness experiences between July 1 and August 31, 2024.
From immersive stays to charming menus, Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s Pokémon Sleep Suite recreates the world of Pokémon Sleep with a glamping-style living space, Pokémon Sleep artwork, and in-room dining featuring menu items like a gourmet Snorlax Burger and a breakfast featuring original Snorlax and Pikachu pancakes.
Pokémon fans can enjoy themed Pokémon Sleep wellness packages at Grand Hyatt Tokyo
An additional Pokémon Sleep Stay package is available for only 10 standard rooms per night and offers exclusive amenities, decorations and dining, including tote bags, T-shirts, Pokémon plushies, and more.
Restaurants will also serve imaginative Pokémon Sleep creations – from Snorlax and Pikachu-themed burgers to cookies and desserts such as Jigglypuff’s Seasonal Fruit Flan, as well as the breakfast buffet which serves up Snorlax and Pikachu pancakes.
For a takeaway treat, the Fiorentina Pastry Boutique has also created a Pokémon Sleep Crunchy Matcha Chocolate and a range of sweets, including vanilla Pokémon Sleep Biscuits and Riolu’s Ginger Cookies with a gentle cinnamon fragrance. Pokémon fans can purchase these limited treats individually or as a set.
Get sea views, lush greenery, spacious accommodations at Amari Pattaya
Experience tranquillity and convenience on the shores of Patong Beach at Amaro Phuket
In Thailand, vibrant cultural heritage intertwines with renowned cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, and genuine hospitality, creating a captivating destination.
With over 18 properties in The Land of Smiles, including Amari Hotels & Resorts, Oriental Residence Bangkok, OZO Hotels, and Shama Serviced Apartments, these accommodations allow every guest to experience comfort, convenience, and unparalleled hospitality in urban and resort destinations alike.
Amari Bangkok, Amari Pattaya, and Amari Phuket
Celebrating its 30th year, Amari Bangkok, stands as the flagship of the esteemed Amari brand, providing upper upscale accommodation in Ratchaprasong. Close to world-class shopping centres and cultural sites, it recently underwent refurbishments, introducing a new spa called maai spa, which offers unique holistic treatments to improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
New dining options include ChomSindh, featuring Thai freshwater and seafood delicacies, and NILA, which offers contemporary Indian coastal cuisine that heightens the senses.
Amari Bangkok offers nine accommodation types, including family-friendly suites with club privileges.
Meanwhile, Amari Pattaya offers a tropical beachfront escape just minutes from the city centre, boasting sea views, lush greenery, spacious accommodations, expansive swimming pools, and the famed Italian restaurant Prego onsite.
Family-friendly amenities include The Tree House Kids’ Club and the newly opened maai spa. Accommodations range from a Deluxe Pool View room to the Grand Amari Suite.
Amari Phuket
Located on the secluded shores of Patong Beach, a short distance from Phuket Town, Amari Phuket reinvigorates with the perfect blend of tranquillity and convenience. Expect verdant greenery and bright blue hues of the Andaman Sea right at the door steps of the hotel.
Guests will be spoilt for choice with six dining experiences to choose from, including the famed The TreePods and Samutr Bar, as well as 11 room types catering to couples, friends, corporate, and family travellers.
Amari Kuala Lumpur, a business hotel in the heart of KL Eco City
Beyond Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket, guests can explore various Amari properties across Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Amari Kuala Lumpur and Amari SPICE Penang, for instance, are some of the city’s leading business hotels. The former is in the heart of KL Eco City and the latter is directly connected to the SPICE Convention Centre and SPICE area, both of which offer halal dining options.
Oriental Residence Bangkok
The luxurious Oriental Residence Bangkok offers fully furnished serviced apartments with modern comforts
Situated in Bangkok’s most prestigious location on Wireless Road, the luxurious Oriental Residence Bangkok exudes sophistication and grace. Embracing a tapestry of history and diplomatic legacies, it offers serenity amidst lush gardens, inviting guests to feel at home.
The suites seamlessly blend Oriental living wisdom, Thai hospitality, and modern elegance and comforts. Expect fully furnished one- to three-bedroom serviced residences, equipped with separate living and bedroom spaces for optimal relaxation and productivity.
Guests can savour tantalising gourmet comfort food all day at Café Claire, enjoy light bites at The Play Deck pool bar, and unwind with an array of spirits and cocktails at the intimately private Oriental Bar. Best of all, Oriental Residence Bangkok is located just 700m from Phloen Chit BTS Station and 1km from Chit Lom BTS Station, making getting around Bangkok a breeze.
Shama Petchburi 47, Shama Sukhumvit, and Shama Lakeview Asoke
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Shama Petchburi 47 Bangkok an upscale serviced apartment with 127 rooms
The dining and living area of a three-bedroom apartment at Shama Sukhumvit Bangkok
The three-bedroom of Shama Lakeview Asoke Bangkok offers a panoramic view of the city
For those seeking extended stays and the amenities of home, Shama Serviced Apartments are an ideal choice. While all Shama properties prioritise home-like comforts and convenient locations for exploring, some also cater to medical travellers.
Shama Petchburi 47 Bangkok is adjacent to Bangkok Hospital and just a 10-minute drive to Thonglor, Ekkamai, and Bumrungrad International Hospital. This upscale serviced apartment offers 127 serene rooms, from cosy Junior Suites to spacious Three Bedroom Suites. Guests enjoy a peaceful retreat with modern facilities and attentive services.
Shama Sukhumvit Bangkok, near Ploen Chit and Nana CBD, is ideal for business and medical travellers as well as families and groups, with accommodations ranging from sleek one-bedrooms to spacious three-bedroom apartments. Close to Bumrungrad International Hospital and just 10 minutes away from MedPark Hospital, each residence boasts modern amenities and expansive city views.
If a truly centralised location is your top priority, Shama Lakeview Asoke will not disappoint. Located in Bangkok’s bustling CBD in Asoke, just a brief 10-minute stroll from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) and Benjakitti Park, Shama Lakeview Asoke offers a serene escape while providing easy access to the city’s attractions. Accommodations range from studio suites to spacious three-bedroom apartments, offering peaceful views of the lake or city skyline.
Shama has more than 10 properties throughout China, including Hong Kong. No matter the destination, Shama provides convenient access to vibrant city life, ensuring a seamless and enriching experience for both long and short-stay residents.
ONYX Hospitality Group has multiple properties that have recently opened and are scheduled to open in 2024. The former includes Shama Hub Metro South Hong Kong and the latter include Amari Bangsaen in Thailand, Amari Vientiane in Laos, Amari Colombo in Sri Lanka, and three properties in Malaysia including Shama Susana Johor Bahru, Shama Medini, and OZO Medini.
Visit ONYX Hospitality Group for the latest company updates. Or meet the team in person at various travel and tourism events worldwide. This month, they will be at Arabian Travel Market from May 6 to 9, 2024.
Dao by Dorsett has appointed Jessie Khoo-Gan as its new general manager.
She joins the team with a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and has amassed over 30 years of extensive experience in the hospitality industry.
Prior to joining Dao by Dorsett, she has held leadership roles at Paradox Singapore Merchant Court, as well as at Pan Pacific Hotels Group and the Shangri-La Group.
As Macau celebrates its 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), it is ramping up efforts to grow inbound tourism from Asia, particularly from Singapore, which is the destination’s eighth most valuable international visitor source market.
In 1Q2024, Macau welcomed over 25,000 visitors from Singapore, with an average daily visitor volume increase of 263.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.
Cheng: Macau is now a diversified destination that offers various experiences covering culture, sports, events and more
Speaking at the Macao Tourism + MICE Product Updates Seminar & Travel Mart in Singapore on April 25, Cheng Wai Tong, deputy director, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), observed more interest in visiting Macau among Singapore travellers, partly due to direct air routes between the two destinations.
Traveller demographics have also changed, according to a survey by MGTO. Visitors from Singapore are younger, have a high education background and income, tend to travel with family, and prefer to visit heritage sights and experience local food and culture.
“Macau has transformed from a gaming destination to a diversified destination,” he said.
Tourists are coming to experience the non-gaming aspect of Macau and to meet this changing demand, the government will continue to focus on its Tourism+ strategy to promote other aspects of the destination. It includes culture and creativity; sports; business events; public events; wellness; gastronomy; technology; e-commerce, and education.
Cheng also highlighted the increased number of concerts hosted in Macau since last year. Cantopop artistes and international acts such as Bruno Mars and Blackpink have all performed in the destination, creating a positive impact on tourism. As most concerts were held in the evening, concert-goers stayed overnight and had more opportunities to shop and dine.
There is also a bonded bus service that connects visitors to Hong Kong International Airport via the Macau side of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, launched last August.
These developments support Macau’s aim to welcome 33 million visitors in 2024.
“Looking ahead, MGTO will continue its marketing efforts in Singapore, focusing on five key pillars to position Macau as a premier travel destination. These pillars include partnerships with key airlines and online travel platforms for discounted packages, collaborations with Singapore travel agencies, utilisation of KOLs and social media, participation in major travel fairs, and organising mega offline consumer events to showcase Macau as a destination,” said Cheng.
A private-government sector collaboration has launched the Visit Iloilo campaign, complete with branding and tactical offers, to position the province as a leading tourism destination for foreign and domestic travellers alike.
Iloilo Festivals Foundation (IFFI) president Allan Tan said that apart from presenting the destination in every imaginable discussion and platform possible, Iloilo will increase its presence in local trade fairs and international travel expos.
Iloilo’s tourism community comes together to raise the profile of the destination for international and domestic travellers
Soon to be launched across service partners are discounts and added service value systems, Tan added.
The campaign also draws support from Iloilo MICE Alliance, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iloilo Chapter, Department of Tourism, local government units, and the province of Iloilo.
Megaworld Hotels and Resorts group general manager Art Boncato Jr said the website www.visitiloilo.ph is being jazzed up and a digital marketplace page will be added to highlight tourism suppliers and their offerings. The e-commerce platform will enable convenient service transactions between customers and businesses.
Visit Iloilo is envisioned to be a progressive campaign to last a long time as the province doubles down on expanding its tourism hardware including an international airport, ferry services linking it to other domestic destinations, a convention centre, more hotels, and more natural and cultural attractions, heritage sites and festivals.
Located in Western Visayas, Iloilo City was named UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for 2023, recognising its heirloom dishes including pork dumpling soup called pancit molo; savoury noodle dish of batchoy made from innards, beef and pork strips sprinkled with pork crackling; native chicken delicacies, and more.
An array of new European sailings, ranging from nine to 56 days, has been added to Oceania Cruises’ 2025 Mediterranean programme.
Cruise enthusiasts can expect to journey with Oceania’s Marina and Nautica to iconic islands in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Adriatic as well as well-loved European resort towns and bustling cities, and lesser-known ports of call.
Oceania Cruises’ Marina will show off refreshed interiors with its 2025 Mediterranean sailings
Cities including Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul, Rome and Lisbon frame the 16 voyages, allowing the ships to meander from lively jet-set resort towns such as Monte Carlo, Cannes, Positano and Sorrento, to hidden gems including Tirana and Sarande in Albania; Trapani in Sicily; Calvi and Propriano in Corsica, and Sibenik in Croatia.
Through Oceania’s extensive set of small-group, immersive shore excursions, guests can rediscover previously-visited favourites through a new lens, or uncover new places for the very first time. For example, while in Santorini, travellers can choose an adventurous tour of the island’s active volcanoes, or while in Montenegro, see a new side of Kotor by exploring Europe’s southernmost fjord, Boka Bay.
The new voyages also come with enhanced onboard experiences, as the 1,250-guest ship, Marina, emerges from an expansive refurbishment. It will feature two new dining options, an expanded poolside ice-cream parlour, and refreshed Penthouse Suites and public areas.
Global hospitality brand Yotel and Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality have formed a partnership that will allow the former to launch the first Yotel hotel in Japan in early 2025.
The 244-key Yotel Tokyo Ginza will command a prime location in the city’s most popular dining and shopping destination, with Tokyo Station a short 15-minute walk away.
Yotel Tokyo Ginza will offer 244 rooms and an attractive address for both leisure and business travellers
It will showcase the brand’s distinctive signature style, seamlessly blending modern design with locally inspired artwork. Guests can expect new features during their stay, such as robotic concierge, motorised SmartBeds, and fully integrated technologies enabling a complete digital guest experience from reservation up to check-out.
Hubert Viriot, Yotel’s CEO, said the new property would be the brand’s flagship.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with an investor who shares our dedication to innovation and excellence in hospitality,” he said.
Eu Chin Fen, CEO of Frasers Hospitality, said: “The debut of the inaugural Yotel-branded hotel in Tokyo, Japan marks a significant milestone for us and reaffirms our commitment to deepen our presence in the country as we continue to grow the portfolio. We are pleased to join hands with Yotel to launch the brand in Japan and look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership in the long term.”
Yotel Tokyo Ginza is part of the brand’s wider strategy to expand across key cities in Japan. The group is also working to roll out Yotelair, a transit hotel concept, at key gateway airports and train stations.
With over 20 years of hospitality expertise, the French national was previously the general manager of Lebua Hotel Bangkok.
Dao by Dorsett has appointed Jessie Khoo-Gan as its new general manager.
She joins the team with a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and has amassed over 30 years of extensive experience in the hospitality industry.