Asia Pacific, excluding China, hits record highs in all stages of its hotel construction pipeline

Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) state that Asia Pacific’s total construction pipeline, excluding China, hit a new all-time high at the close of 2019 with 1,926 projects/409,447 rooms. Project counts are up 7%, while room counts are up 8%, year-over-year (YOY).

Projects currently under construction stand at a record 991 projects with 224,354 rooms. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months and those in the early planning stage are also at all-time highs with 436 projects/85,417 rooms and 499 projects/99,676 […]

Capella launches lifestyle brand Patina Hotels & Resorts

SINGAPORE—Capella Hotel Group has introduced a new brand to its portfolio—Patina Hotels & Resorts. The lifestyle brand was created for progressive travelers of a new generation. Patina Maldives, Fari Islands will be the first launch, while properties in Ubud, Bali, in Indonesia, and Sanya, China, are also in development. Patina is one of two unique brands under Capella Hotel Group.

Born out of guests’ desire to honor individuality, Patina Hotels & Resorts is a response to the continual flow of life, […]

Travel trade decries Indonesia’s new ban on more nationals

Following its travel ban on China, Indonesia has now expanded its ban to travellers from Italy, South Korea and Iran – regions hardest-hit by Covid-19 – as it seeks to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

The new travel restrictions, which started yesterday (March 8), will leave Indonesian trade players to fall into even deeper limbo after the loss of the Chinese sector – their second-biggest source market.

Indonesia expands travel ban to include Italy, Iran, and South Korea; passengers in […]

Mass panic about the Coronavirus could do more damage than the disease itself

Shoppers in Sydney, Australia, argue over toilet paper in a video posted on March 6 by Nine News. Nine News/Twitter

Abdu Sharkawy, a doctor in Toronto, Canada, wrote a Facebook post late Friday that’s going viral.
The doctor, an infectious disease expert, argued that, while the coronavirus will be bad, people’s selfishness could make it far worse.
He cited incidents like people stealing face masks from hospitals and panic-buying supplies as proof that the virus is bringing out the worst in people.
The post […]

Aman Resorts launches Janu, a new brand

The first Janu hotel will open in Montenegro

SINGAPORE – Aman Resorts has unveiled Janu, its first new hotel brand in the luxury hotel company’s 32-year history.

Positioned as a sister brand to the company’s core Aman flag, Janu is named for the Sanskrit word for “soul.”

Janu promises to offer an “energetic” hospitality experience, with a focus on “genuine human interaction, playful expression and social wellness”.

It is intended to complement the Aman brand, which the company describes as sanctuary-like and synonymous with […]

Aloft Hotels Makes a Splash in Bali with the Opening of Aloft Bali Seminyak

Aloft Hotels, Marriott International’s hotel brand for music enthusiasts and tech-savvy travelers, announces the opening of Aloft Bali Seminyak. Located in the heart of vibrant Seminyak, the brand-new, urban-inspired hotel features interactive social spaces and modern style, along with a fresh new social scene to Bali as the first Aloft hotel to open on the island.

Aloft Bali Seminyak embodies the brand’s new tech-forward, future-proofed design philosophy with a lively, industrial-inspired aesthetic intermixed with distinct local touches that complement the free-flowing open […]