Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) is rolling ahead with global expansion despite the Covid-19 pandemic, including debuting its first property in Europe next year and bringing forward the launch of ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay to November 2020.
The Singapore-based hotel group, a wholly-owned subsidiary under UOL Group Limited, has openings marked for Melbourne, London, Dalian, Hanoi, Malaysia, Jakarta and Singapore in the next two years.
“Particularly, we look forward to planting our first flag in Europe with the opening of Pan Pacific London in spring 2021. It will be a welcome addition to the luxury market in the Liverpool Station area,” said Cinn Tan, chief sales & marketing officer, PPHG.
These announcements come on the back of the March launch of PPHG’s new brand, Parkroyal Collection Hotels & Resorts, which aims to take sustainable hospitality to the next level.
“Crisis gives rise to opportunities. During this season, we wear a long-term lens to recognise the need to continue investing and upkeep our properties to ensure that we keep in pace with our growth strategy.”
Properties in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are also undergoing facelifts, including the S$45 million (US$32.4 million) complete overhaul of the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, formerly Marina Mandarin Singapore.
Ms Tan told Travel Weekly Asia that renovation works were “ongoing full steam” for Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Immediately after Singapore relaxed circuit breaker measures to “transform this icon into a ‘hotel-in-a-garden’ and reopen doors in November”. The original launch was slated for Q1 2021.
The lifting of restrictions across Australia – when Travel Weekly Asia interviewed Ms Tan in late June – including intrastate travel restrictions removed from New South Wales and Victoria since 1 June and Phase 4 reopening underway for Western Australia since 27 June, have resulted in “a gradual pick up in business, with the weekend leisure business showing more positive signs [and] strong pick up of June’s staycation promotion” for PPHG’s properties Down Under, she revealed.
Meetings groups however, are still slower to return “due to the restrictions on capacity and safe distancing measures. Some corporate companies are also restricting business travel at this point of time,” said Ms Tan.
Apart from focusing on value-adds in stay packages, PPHG has also launched Pan Pacific Cares to roll out elevated cleaning standards and partner with various infection prevention vendors and authorities to meet the new norm. Processes have also been reengineered, with contactless check-in-and-out, payments, and adjusted measures and capacities for meetings and events implemented.
Ms Tan said: “Travellers are looking at assurances from hotel groups as travel resumes… there are also fears of a second wave such as in South Korea and Beijing. Hence, safety, cleanliness and well-being remain top of mind for all travellers.”
“Our hotels, resorts and serviced suites provide flexible cancellation till end of the year and we work with our clients to ensure that we provide a solution to any postponement of their events or accommodation needs.”