IHG Hotels & Resorts is set to open Holiday Inn Gurgaon NH 8 in India’s NCR region come 1Q2025.
The 139-key property is located on the NH8 highway, which connects Delhi Airport to Gurgaon, putting guests in close proximity to established commercial development and the city centre.
The new Holiday Inn in Gurgaon is slated to open 1Q2025
An all-day dining & bar, lobby lounge, swimming pool and gym, as well as meeting and event spaces are planned for the new hotel.
Sudeep Jain, managing director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Gurgaon has established itself as one of the most prominent and preferred corporate hubs in the country and is among the most robust hospitality markets of the region.
“With the presence of large residential and commercial catchment around the location, we are confident that the new hotel will emerge as a great option for both corporate as well as leisure requirements.”
Hang Lung Properties (Hang Lung) has signed Hilton on as the hotel management partner of a new-build lifestyle boutique hotel within Center 66, a mixed-use development in Wuxi.
The property will bear the Curio Collection by Hilton flag, and is slated to officially open in 2H2024.
Hilton will manage the new-build lifestyle boutique hotel at Wuxi’s Center 66
Located in the prime business district in downtown Wuxi, the new hotel will comprise a seven-story main building and an adjacent three-story heritage building, providing a total of 106 guestrooms, a lobby lounge, two restaurants, a bespoke event space, an indoor pool, and a fitness centre.
Jerry Huang, president of development, Hilton, Greater China & Mongolia, said: “Wuxi is one of the birthplaces of the famed Wu culture, and the historical significance of this sought-after destination will be thoughtfully reflected in the hotel’s physical design and distinctly local offerings. When the hotel opens, we warmly welcome guests to rediscover the city of Wuxi with newfound curiosity.”
The Center 66 development was designed as a two-phase project – the first phase, opened to the public in September 2013, comprises a shopping mall and an office tower complex.
Upon completion of the second phase, located to the south of the current complex, Center 66 will be the iconic retail and commercial landmark in Wuxi’s core business district, incorporating a luxury shopping mall and Grade-A office towers with a hotel and serviced residences.
Changi Airport has launched the Hello, Changi Precinct gallery to drive awareness of the Changi Precinct, which includes areas in and surrounding Changi Airport.
Featuring interactive elements and photo spots modelled after iconic sights and sounds in the Changi Precinct, visitors can pose for photos and discover fun facts across seven themed zones. Learn interesting nuggets and stories of Siglap in the drawers of an old-school barbershop, play a digital arcade game at an HDB void deck and ‘watermelon’ playground, and jump onboard a bumboat that brings visitors through the history of Pulau Ubin and the eastern coast of Singapore.
Changi Precinct gallery aims to drive awareness of areas in and surrounding Changi Airport with interactive elements and photo spots
There are also two new exploration tours – My Changi Airport Tour and My Changi Village Heritage Tour – in partnership with local non-profit organisation, MyCommunity.
In addition to the two new tours, visitors can also sign up for six other tours running till October, each exploring a key area of the Changi Precinct such as Bedok, Pulau Ubin and Pasir Ris. For a more hands-on experience, there will be curated specialty and craft workshops during the September school holidays.
Admission to the gallery is free, and will run till October 23, 2022 at Terminal 3 Departure Hall. Tour are priced from S$20 (US$14.25) per person.
Hong Kong’s new chief executive John Lee said the authorities are considering the possibility of shortening Covid-19 quarantine requirements for travellers.
The city currently requires a seven-day hotel quarantine for arriving travellers, along with strict pre-boarding testing and application procedures.
Hong Kong is finding solutions to facilitate a shorter mandatory quarantine for travellers
Speaking at his first news conference on July 5 as the new Hong Kong leader, Lee told journalists: “I am conscious of the need for Hong Kong to remain open and convenient to travellers, but it is also important that we address the risks at the same time.”
Lee shared that health secretary Lo Chung-mau has been tasked to develop options that will facilitate a shorter mandatory quarantine for travellers.
Grand Lisboa and one floor of Shoppes at Four Seasons within Plaza Macao have been locked down by Macau authorities following the emergence of fresh Covid infection clusters.
Grand Lisboa’s closure will run from July 5 to 11.
Macau has locked down around 16 buildings across the region in July to curb community transmission of the Covid virus
In its worst-ever Covid outbreak since the pandemic hit in 2020, the city has ordered multiple rounds of mass testing to curb community transmission as well as lockdowns of buildings with multiple cases of infection. As of July 6, at least 16 other buildings in the city are also locked down.
It is, however, the first time that Macau has shut a casino down due to infections. Casinos have so far been allowed to remain open to ensure job security in an industry that generates more than 80 per cent of government income.
Accor has added nine Mercure hotels and an ibis Styles property to its collection in Australia following its landmark hotel management portfolio agreement with Salter Brothers.
There are now 53 Mercure properties in Australia.
Derry: the properties will have access to our powerful network and we are working closely with our partners Salter Brothers to rejuvenate the properties and set them up for success
Accor Pacific CEO Sarah Derry said: “We are delighted to be adding these great hotels to our portfolio. The hotels are located in highly desirable central city locations and in the best metropolitan areas. The properties will have access to our powerful network and we are working closely with our partners Salter Brothers to rejuvenate the properties and set them up for success.
“We continue to focus on expanding Accor’s presence across the Pacific region. Accor has one of the most appealing brand portfolios in the world, positioning us well to continue introducing more choice and more experiences for leisure and corporate travellers.”
In an Australian first, the management agreement includes an innovative industry-leading link to ESG outcomes.
Paul Salter, managing director, Salter Brothers, said: “Both Salter Brothers and Accor are committed to leading the way with ESG hotel benchmarks and our agreement will see us working together to structure performance against targets, which are linked to commercial outcomes.
“With energy costs rising, the importance of ESG hotel benchmarks is now more important than ever and we’re looking forward to establishing these targets with Accor as they move into full operation with the portfolio.”
Captain Cook Cruises has rolled out a new series of gourmet cruises from Perth city to the scenic Swan Valley, known among locals as the food bowl of the Western Australian capital city.
Six experiences are now available under the Swan Valley Wine Cruises collection, with the Swan Valley Gourmet Wine Cruise and the Taste of the Swan Valley – both priced from A$185 per adult (US$128.40) – being the most indulgent.
Captain Cook Cruises takes guests on a cruise from Perth’s Elizabeth Quay to the Swan Valley
The Swan Valley Gourmet Wine Cruise takes guests on a cruise from Perth’s Elizabeth Quay to the Swan Valley, during which they will enjoy tea, coffee, muffins as well as a tasting of premium West Australian wine plus cheese and biscuits before arriving at the elegant Sandalford Estate for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the winery and wine tasting.
The day continues with a two-course lunch at Sandalford Estate, and guests are invited to restock their wine collection at exclusive rates.
The Taste of the Swan Valley programme combines a river cruise with an in-coach tour operated by Swan Valley Tours. The experience takes in lunch at Homestead Brewery and tasting opportunities at Lancaster Winery, Margaret River Chocolate Company, and Providore Swan Valley. There is no rest for bellies on this tour, as the return cruise to Perth City features all-inclusive wines at the open bar along with cakes, tea, coffee and live entertainment.
Travellers familiar with Captain Cook Cruises’ programmes in Perth will be pleased to know that the company renovated its fleet during the travel disruption, equipping its ships with new screens as well as refreshed destination commentary that introduces indigenous history and contemporary local information. Wine-and-dine cruises in general also feature upgraded menu and wine list.
Forecast from the WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) is expecting Japan’s travel and tourism sector to contribute nearly 40 trillion yen (US$293.5 billion) to the country’s GDP by the end of 2023 – just 2.2 per cent below 2019 levels.
The report marked 2021 as the beginning of the sector’s recovery for Japan.
WTTC’s report reveals employment will surpass pre-pandemic levels by end-2022
Pre-pandemic, the sector’s contribution to GDP was 40.8 trillion yen in 2019, falling to 18.4 trillion yen in 2020 – a 54.8 per cent loss. In 2021, its contribution to GDP climbed 22.9 per cent year-on-year to reach 22.7 trillion yen.
In 2019, the sector supported 5.8 million jobs, falling to just below 5.3 million in 2020, and saw a recovery of more than 210,000 travel and tourism jobs reaching 5.5 million.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “Following two years of restrictions to mobility, which damaged the sector, there are reasons for optimism as the sector is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
“But there is still work to be done. Removing testing and facilitating international travel will further boost the sector’s growth and fast-track the recovery.”
WTTC’s data also reveals employment will surpass pre-pandemic levels, recovering more than 23,000 jobs, to reach more than 5.8 million by the end of the year.
Over the next decade, travel and tourism’s GDP is expected to grow at an average of 2.6 per cent annually to reach more than 46.7 trillion yen. This will create nearly 683,000 jobs over the next 10 years, averaging more than 68,000 new jobs every year, to reach more than 6.2 million employed by the end of 2032.
By the end of 2022, the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 60 per cent to more than 36.2 trillion yen, amounting to 6.5 per cent of the total economic GDP.
Employment levels in the travel and tourism sector are expected to grow at a slower rate, with more than 5.6 million to work in the sector by the end of this year.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will be opening a Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an in collaboration with Chinese development firm Spring Garden Company come 2026.
The hotel will feature 250 guestrooms and suites as part of a mixed-use development project, and F&B options include two restaurants, lobby bar, and rooftop bar overlooking Muta Temple Relics Park.
Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an is slated to open in 2026
Recreational facilities include a spa, salon, indoor and outdoor pools. There are also two ballrooms, several private dining rooms, as well as flexible meeting and event spaces.
Nearby attractions include the city’s imperial museums, the majestic ancient city wall and renowned Terracotta Warriors Museum, the Muta Temple Relics Park, as well as the Tang Dynasty Wall Relics Park.
Located approximately 45 minutes by car from Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, Four Seasons Hotel Xi’an will also be accessible via high-speed rail and train for those travelling from destinations within China.
Air Asia Airbus A320 at Kuala Lumpur airport (KUL) in Malaysia. Airbus is an aircraft manufacturer from Toulouse, France.
AirAsia Thailand will fly direct to Hong Kong next month, and will do a pilot roundtrip flight next week between Guangzhou and Bangkok.
The Bangkok Don Mueang-Hong Kong will begin with a weekly flight starting August 7, 2022, before increasing to twice- and thrice-weekly in September and October 2022 respectively.
AirAsia hopes to attract tourists from China and Hong Kong to Thailand
A pilot roundtrip flight between Bangkok Don Mueang and Guangzhou will also be launched on July 13 to demonstrate the carrier’s readiness to serve routes to and from China once the country officially reopens.
AirAsia’s goal is to bring tourists from China and Hong Kong to Thailand to help spur economic growth post-pandemic.
AirAsia Thailand’s CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya stated: “China is Thailand’s number one market for tourists and is home to a large population with high spending power. While the government of China has yet to fully allow foreign tourists, the relaxation of some measures has allowed the airline to restart its service and signals recovery for the country’s economy and tourism sector. AirAsia reaffirms its adherence to established stringent health and safety protocols.
“With restrictions further relaxed in Thailand, we have been marketing heavily in China and Hong Kong to tap into these tourism markets to sustain strong recovery post-pandemic,” Santisuk added.
