CARLSON Panorama Hospitality (CPH) is well on track to meeting its target of operating 20 hotels in Indonesia within the next six years, with four properties in the works and 12 potential ones in the wings.

Following the launch of its Jakarta office last September, CPH is scheduled to open the 256-room Park Inn by Radisson Makassar and 200-room Park Inn by Radisson Lampung in 1H2015 and the 220-room Radisson Batam Hotel & Convention Centre in 1Q2016.

CPH also secured a contract for upper-upscale Radisson Bali Uluwatu with 120 rooms last December.

The joint venture company between Carlson Rezidor and Indonesia’s Panorama Group was set up last year (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 6, 2013).

Andre de Jong, vice president South-east Asia and director, Park Inn by Radisson Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said: “Apart from the four projects we are working on with developers…we are actively looking at 12 potential projects.”

Javier Salgado, head of development Indonesia, CPH said: “CPH initially targeted to operate 20 properties in Indonesia in seven years. However, within 10 months we have managed to secure four projects, so I think we should be able to (achieve) more.”

“This year we are targeting at least five more contracts (in destinations like) Jakarta, Surabaya or Bali,” he added.

Salgado expects CPH will sign six new projects a year once its hotels open and brand awareness grows to “meet the seven-year target in four years”.

In the mean time, Panorama Group’s other hospitality arm, PHM Hospitality, has also announced it will launch its new three plus-star brand Frii and eight hotels this year.

Kristian Kuntadi, managing director of PHM Hospitality, said the group would launch the 79-room Frii Bali Echo Beach in April.

Other openings this year will include The 1O1 Jogjakarta Tugu (156 rooms) in April; The BnB Bandung Metro Indah (100 rooms) in May; The 1O1 Bali Legian (adding 103 deluxe rooms) and The 1O1 Bandung Dago (141 rooms) in June; The 1O1 Bogor Surya Kencana (156 rooms) in August; The 1O1 Jakarta Sedayu Darmawangsa (138 rooms) in September; and The Haven Bali Brawa All Suites (80 suites) in October.

PHM Hospitality is aiming for 25 hotels by 2015 and 50 hotels by 2020.

MARRIOTT International is bringing the first Courtyard by Marriott brand hotel to Singapore in 2017 through an agreement with Hoi Hup Sunway Novena.

Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena will be part of a 33-storey mixed-use development located next to Novena MRT station and close to Royal Square at Novena.

The hotel will offer 250 guestrooms and allows easy access to the city’s popular shopping belt in Orchard Road.

Simon Cooper, president & managing director of Asia-Pacific for Marriott International, said: “Courtyard is designed for frequent business travellers who are driven by success and enjoy the break from routine that travel offers. Leisure travellers wil also be attracted by Courtyard because of the smart and energising experience as well as a range of choice it offers.

“The Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena has set a strategic milestone as the first Courtyard-branded hotel in this important city, we look forward to unveil this stunning hotel in 2017.”

THE Sri Lankan government has approved an additional US$15 million boost for marketing promotions in the growing source markets of Asia, with South Korea among the new countries being courted.

Passed by the Sri Lankan cabinet last week, the sum will go towards holding and enhancing roadshows and outdoor promotions in South Korea, China, India and Russia over the next two years.

A Sri Lankan Tourism official who chose to remain anonymous said: “We are looking at a lot of outdoor promotions (which we did in China last year).”

He pointed out that South Korea was a “growing market with many outbound travellers” and said a large number of Sri Lankans are employed there.

Travel analysts have highlighted a significant shift to eastern markets from the traditional west as a tourism source. India is Sri Lanka’s top market with 208,795 arrivals in 2013, up 18.4 per cent year-on year.

Chinese and Russian arrivals exploded in 2013, soaring 96.5 per cent and 80.4 per cent year-on-year, registering 54,288 and 51,231 visitors respectively.

HONG Kong-based Dragonair will launch its second route to Malaysia next month with the commencement of 10 weekly Penang flights.

The new Hong Kong-Penang service beginning March 30 will be operated with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration.

Daily services on the route leave Penang at 07.45 to touch down at 11.35. They leave Hong Kong at 15.10, landing in Penang at 18.50.

Meanwhile flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays depart Penang at 12.55 and arrive at 16.45. Return services leave Hong Kong at 08.15 and reach Penang at 11.55.

Dragonair first launched flights to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in 1985.

In conjunction with the new service, Dragonair has rolled out promotional fares on some of its other routes.

HOTELIERS in India are bracing themselves for an expected loss in room nights as the hugely popular cricket tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) shifts outside of India this year.

Rajeev Menon, area vice president – South Asia for Marriott International, said: “IPL takes place in April-May when corporate as well as leisure travel is slow during that time. It has been of great help in driving business in most major cities across India in the lean season.”

This year’s IPL season collides with the national general elections, making it difficult for the government to ensure adequate security at the sporting event and prompting organisers to hold it overseas.

“With the tournament now being taken to an overseas destination it means thousands of nights and millions of rupees lost in revenue to the industry,” Menon added.

STR’s quarterly report stated that average occupancy rate for April 2013 was 58.2 per cent, while Horwath HTL found that IPL generates 45,000 room nights yearly.

“Major Indian cities are already witnessing an oversupply of room nights thus affecting average occupancies. The tournament shifting to an international destination is a double blow to the hospitality industry,’ said Ranjan Kumar Mishra, managing director of Odisha-based Eastern Voyage.

FINNAIR will pad up its double-daily winter service between Helsinki and Bangkok with three additional weekly flights, starting December.

Between December 30, 2014 and March 27, 2015, the airline will deploy an Airbus A340 in a two-class configuration on the new evening frequencies.

Flights leave Helsinki airport at 20.15 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and touch down in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi at 11.00 the following day.

Return flights depart on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 12.45 and land in Helsinki at 18.55.

Finnai CEO, Pekka Vauramo, said: “Thailand has long been a popular destination for Finns and other Northern Europeans, and adding capacity will help us meet this enduring ­– and growing – demand.”