Industry News

Okinawa poised to take on Bali and Phuket as international arrivals surge

Often called the Hawaii of Japan, Okinawa is attracting a rising number of regional tourists, thanks to greater air connectivity driven by LCCs to the resort destination, according to a recent report by C9 Hotelworks.

Visitors to Okinawa hit a record 9.8 million last year, elevating the market to the likes of Asia’s twin icons of Bali and Phuket, the Okinawa Hotel Market Review revealed.

The demand was mainly driven by overseas source markets, which grew 14.2 per cent year-on-year compared to […]

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Australia’s first Ritz Carlton set to open 15 November

A widely anticipated hotel opening, The Ritz-Carlton Perth is set to redefine the guest experience along the West Coast, by offering personalised service and immersive experiences conceptualised around the history, culture and natural beauty found in the region. The hotel’s spa is set to bring a definition to region wellness traditions, created with the guidance of leading international spa and wellness consultants GOCO Hospitality.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., part of Marriott International has announced that The Ritz-Carlton Perth is set […]

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Thailand adjusts 2019 tourism target

Thailand has trimmed its foreign visitor arrivals forecast to between 39 and 39.8 million this year from 40.2 million, marking a second time the ministry has decreased the arrivals target for 2019.

Thai tourism grew by 1.4% to 19.7 million in the first half of 2019, prompting the Tourism and Sports Ministry in July to drop its target from 41.3 million to 40.2 million.

Tourism and sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said he is confident the new target is achievable as the government […]

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Swiss-Belhotel International reaches 10,000 rooms in Indonesia

Swiss-Belhotel International, the global hospitality management chain, is celebrating reaching 10,000 rooms in Indonesia, the largest country in Southeast Asia and a key focus market for the company.

This major milestone was achieved following the launch of a series of new Indonesian hotels in recent weeks. The 104-room Swiss-Belinn Gajah Mada Medan in North Sumatra and 150-room Swiss-Belhotel Bogor in West Java both started welcoming guests in May 2019, and the 107-room Swiss-Belhotel Serpong opened in southwest Jakarta on 1st June.

This trio […]

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Radisson adds Hoi An to Vietnam portfolio

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of a beachfront property close to Hoi An, the heritage port town on Vietnam’s central coast.

Slated to open in 2021, Radisson Blu Hoi An will be nestled directly on the Ha My Beach, just eight kilometres from Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed town centre and 30 minutes’ drive from Danang International Airport.

The low-rise property, comprising 734 rooms, suites and villas, will flow around a series of reflective pools, with wooden walkways and landscaped […]

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Bali warns ill-mannered tourists: Behave or go home

Not for the first, and almost certainly not for the last, Balinese people have been angered by the tawdry antics of tourists – in this case a pair of disrespectful Czech Instagram ‘influencers’.

A man was shown lifting up the skirt of his girlfriend and splashing holy water on her bottom in a temple in Bali’s Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud.

In the ensuing public backlash, Wayan Koster, the island’s governor, said the local government would step up its role in […]

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