A new mixed-use development in Osaka that promises to facilitate innovation, well-being and a challenge-mindset for residents, visitors and businesses is set to partially open within weeks.
Grand Green Osaka aims to transform the north part of the city into a contemporary district with a wide range of facilities, improved transport links and 45,000m² of green space. Facilities will include shops, restaurants, a spa, a museum, sports and edutainment cubes, an information centre and a 120m-long canopy-covered event space.
It will also house three hotels catering to different markets: the luxury Waldorf Astoria Osaka with 252 rooms, the upscale Hotel Hankyu Gran Respire Osaka with 482 rooms and Canopy Osaka Umeda, a lifestyle property with 308 rooms.
The complex will be opened in full within fiscal year 2027 and a new train station under the development with a direct connection to Kansai International Airport will be opened by JR West in 2023. By 2031, this new train line will extend to Shin-Osaka Station, a gateway to the Shinkansen lines, thereby boosting access to other parts of Japan.
Designed to improve the quality of life of residents and visitors alike, Grand Green Osaka will centre around the new Umekita Park (a tentative name). It will feature abundant spaces for visitors to relax and interact with nature, such as the Reflection Lawn, which will host various activities and events for up to 10,000 people.
The park will also act as an a sustainable ecosystem to support biodiversity and an evacuation space to boost the city’s disaster resilience.
Niccolo Hotels has unveiled its Persona N campaign designed to encourage guests to connect with themselves through stay experiences, culinary presentations, wellness offerings, and art and design appreciation.
The new campaign also aims for guests, particularly millennial and Gen Z travellers, to embrace facets of their identity, and to enjoy the immersive experiences offered at the Niccolo Hotels situated in the heart of Chengdu, Changsha, Chongqing, Suzhou and Hong Kong.
To support the campaign, a video was developed to showcase Niccolo Hotels’ understanding of millennial and Gen Z travellers and their motivation to follow their passions. Depicting immersive experiences that go beyond luxurious accommodation, various personas – The Creator, The Indulger, The Retreater, The Harmonist and The Socializer – are featured engaging with art pieces, embracing time in solitude with wellness activities, enjoying a dining experience and night life.
In addition, a survey by iiMedia Research revealed that consumers are now gravitating towards more relaxed and comfortable travel options, with 60 per cent of consumers stating their primary motivation for holiday travel is to unwind and alleviate stress, while in terms of hotel preferences, 24.6 per cent indicated they would choose to stay at a luxury hotel.
The campaign runs from now till August 31, where guests can enjoy up to 25 per cent off the best available rate for a minimum two-night stay, which comes with daily breakfast for two. Members of Cathay Pacific’s frequent flyer programme will also earn double Asia Miles.
“We conceived Persona N to reiterate the on-property experiences for millennial and Gen Z travellers, who have steadily grown to form a significant portion of the brand’s customer base,” said Holger Jakobs, vice president sales and marketing, Wharf Hotels. “Known to be independent travellers and individualistic, these two generations display unique behavioural trends and are increasingly focused on self-discovery, self-indulgence and fulfilment.”