With South-east Asia enjoying strong inbound tourism growth, it’s a great market in which to expand while strengthening the brand’s position at home in Japan, opines Yoshiki Kaneda, president and CEO of Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide
What inspired the launch of Park Regis by Prince Singapore, your first property in the South-east Asia market?
Our desire to bring our unique brand of hospitality to a dynamic and fast-growing region. South-east Asia offers tremendous opportunities with its rich cultural diversity, rapidly growing tourism and strategic location as a business and travel hub.
Singapore, in particular, stood out as an ideal getaway into the region. Its reputation as a vibrant global city, attracting both leisure and business travellers, aligns perfectly with our vision. The city’s strategic geographic position, coupled with its reputation for innovation and safety, makes it the perfect location to introduce our bi-cultural identity and Japanese hospitality ethos to a new audience. In 2023, Singapore saw a 115 per cent increase in international visitors, making it an exciting destination for our expansion.
Park Regis by Prince Singapore is a key milestone in our global expansion strategy, offering a blend of cutting-edge technology, sustainability and the warm, attentive service we are known for, while also serving as a model for our future developments in the region.
Why is the South-east Asia market important to you?
It’s a vital market, with its immense potential for growth and its positioning as a key global destination for both leisure and business travellers. The region’s cultural richness, along with increasing inbound travel post-pandemic, presents a unique opportunity for us to bring our distinctive hospitality experience to a new audience.
Our goal is to establish Park Regis by Prince Singapore as a leading property in the city, recognised for offering a ‘home away from home’ experience for all guests as well as being among the first few hotels in Singapore to be AI-integrated while offering its unique blend of cultural nuances. We expect to attract both leisure and business travellers, offering them an unforgettable experience during their stay.
Aside from Singapore, we plan to expand to other South-east Asian countries, with our upcoming launch of Park Regis by Prince Menteng in Jakarta, Indonesia, and The Prince Akatoki Riverside Bangkok in Thailand, both slated to open in 2025. We plan to focus on growing brand awareness, forming strategic partnerships and exploring opportunities within the region.
What wider ambitions does Seibu have outside Japan?
We aim to become a global leader in hospitality, growing our portfolio to 250 properties globally, with 150 of those outside Japan. The primary driver of this expansion is the growing demand for international travel and culturally resonant hospitality experiences. With regions like South-east Asia experiencing a resurgence in both international and domestic travel, we see an opportunity to introduce our unique bi-cultural offerings, combining Japanese hospitality with local cultural nuances, to new markets.
Another key factor in our global growth strategy is the desire to offer travellers a consistent and seamless ‘home away from home’ experience. Our properties are designed to blend biophilic principles, advanced technology and sustainability practices, ensuring that our guests enjoy comfort, convenience and an eco-conscious stay, no matter where they are in the world.
What developments can we expect in your Japan portfolio?
With a focus on providing the highest quality service in the hospitality industry, we aim to continue to develop our business, with a goal of expanding our hotel network to 100 properties in Japan. As the leading operator in Japan’s hospitality sector with over a century of history and a loyal customer base, we are well-positioned to drive this growth.
One of our core strengths is our ability to cater to a wide range of guests through our multi-brand operations, which include luxury, upper-upscale and upper-midscale hotels. We also have extensive experience operating both city and resort hotels, as well as managing large venues for events and conferences. Leveraging these strengths, we plan to continue expanding into underserved regions and rebranding existing properties, such as the successful transformation of the Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay in July 2023.
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce our expansion into Fukuoka with the upcoming launch of a hotel under the Prince Hotel brand in 2026, further solidifying our presence in key Japanese markets. This strategic growth allows us to meet the evolving demands of both domestic and international travellers while maintaining our commitment to exceptional service and hospitality.
What excites you most about changes in the hotel industry and Seibu’s role in shaping them?
The integration of technology and sustainability in the hotel industry. These trends are transforming the guest experience, and we are fully embracing these changes. Our properties, like Park Regis by Prince Singapore, offer tech-forward solutions such as contactless mobile key access, digital room keys and streamlined check-ins through mobile apps, enhancing guest convenience while also reducing our environmental footprint.
We’re also committed to sustainability, eliminating single-use plastics and providing eco-friendly alternatives like filtered water dispensers. This aligns with our broader sustainability vision across all our properties.
The combination of cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices allows us to create memorable, premium experiences for our guests, while also playing a key role in shaping the future of hospitality. Through these efforts, we’re able to stay ahead of trends and maintain our competitive edge globally.
