Brand Marriott| Marriott International Continues Asia Pacific Growth With Nearly 100 Properties Expected to Open in 2021

75 Properties Opened Across Asia Pacific in 2020

Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) continues to expand its portfolio, expecting to open 100 properties in Asia Pacific in 2021, bringing more brands and experiences to new destinations for guests across the region. In 2020, the company celebrated its 800th milestone hotel opening in the region with 75 properties added to its portfolio during the year, representing more than one opening per week across the region. Nearly 27,000 rooms were added to the region’s development pipeline in 2020 alone, in addition to the signing of Marriott’s largest branded residences project with close to 4,200 units.

“I am proud of the way we have continued to grow and have moved quickly to adapt to the challenges that arose from the pandemic. With the launch of new global industry hygiene standards in April 2020, innovative offerings such as work anywhere package and hyper-localized marketing and sales strategies, our nimble and forward-thinking approach will continue to lead us through the recovery,” said Craig S. Smith, Group President, International, Marriott International. “We are grateful for the continued resilience and positivity demonstrated by our associates and for the confidence, our guests, owners and franchisees continue to have in us. We remain well-positioned to meet the travel demands of our guests across Asia Pacific and the rest of the world.”

Greater China has led the global recovery to date, and the company expects to soon celebrate its 400th hotel in Greater China and its 50th hotel in Shanghai with the opening of JW Marriott Shanghai Fengxian in spring 2021. With this hotel opening, Shanghai has the distinction of reaching this important milestone for the company in Asia Pacific.

According to a joint report by consultancy Bain & Co. and Alibaba’s Tmall Luxury unit, Mainland China is on track to become the world’s largest personal luxury market by 2025 even seeing year-over-year domestic growth in 2020 despite the pandemic. To leverage this trend, Marriott International continues to strengthen its luxury portfolio with expected openings in 2021 such as W Changsha, W Xiamen, St. Regis Qingdao & The Ritz-Carlton Reserve Jiuzhaigou. With the anticipated opening of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve, China will be the first country in the Asia Pacific to house all of Marriott International’s luxury hallmarks.

Marriott’s leisure bookings in China have been particularly strong, up over 25 percent year over year in the third quarter in Mainland China, demonstrating the resiliency of demand once consumers are comfortable that the virus is under control and restrictions can safely be lifted. The company is introducing more travel experiences across its brand portfolio, including at popular leisure destinations such as Mianyang in the Sichuan province with the expected opening of Sheraton Mianyang, as well in the culturally-rich destination of Nanjing with the anticipated opening of The Westin Nanjing Resort & Spa.

Beyond Greater China, Marriott International continues to strengthen its footprint, with several expected brand debuts across Asia Pacific in 2021. In Japan, W Hotels is expected to debut with the opening of W Osaka, while The Luxury Collection is also slated to debut in Australia with the opening of The Tasman in Hobart. The iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is expected to celebrate its debut in the leading resort destination of Maldives in early summer, bringing legendary service to the picture-perfect archipelago.

Further expanding Marriott’s presence in breathtaking resort destinations, the JW Marriott brand is slated to bring its warm luxury experience to Jeju Island in South Korea with the planned opening of JW Marriott Jeju in late 2021. The company’s signature wellness brand, Westin, is also highly anticipated to debut in one of India’s top beach destinations, Goa, this summer.

To support domestic travel in Japan, the company plans to open six additional Fairfield by Marriott hotels throughout 2021 along ‘Michi-no-Eki’ roadside stations aimed at revitalizing the country’s local sightseeing spots. Japan expects to have more than 30 Fairfield by Marriott hotels by the end of 2023. Touted as one of the best cities in the world for art, culture, music and food, Australia’s Melbourne is expected to see the opening of the country’s second W Hotel with W Melbourne in spring and the opening of Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands in early 2021.

“The strength of our pipeline is testament to the long-term growth prospects in Asia Pacific,” said Paul Foskey, Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “Despite a challenging environment in 2020, we are pleased with the signings we have achieved across the region during the year. We have full gratitude to our owners and franchisees for their belief in the resiliency of travel and the strength of Marriott’s portfolio of brands.”

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Group overview: Wyndham plans 128 hotel openings in the coming year

Key Take Away

 Wyndham has big plans for the coming years with 128 hotels and 28,758 rooms in their pipeline. The group’s focus lies on expanding its presence in the Asia Pacific region. It is unsurprising that the top 5 national growth markets include three countries in this region. 

China leads the list with 31 openings and 7,608 rooms. India and Vietnam round it out with 9 and 6 new properties, respectively. Argentina comes in second place with 12 launches and 1,046 rooms, followed by the United States with 10 new hotels and 3,009 rooms.

For More Information Click Below:

tophotel.news/group-overview-wyndham-plans-128-hotel-openings-in-the-coming-years-construction-report/?_lrsc=8be63461-c92c-4fdc-9851-53b798a772d0

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announces new Asia Pacific Leadership

Key Take Away

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has appointed Joon Aun Ooi as President of the Asia Pacific region. Our focus in the region and continued commitment to making hotel travel possible for all remains unchanged

The company has brought together its South East Asia and Pacific Rim business with its Greater China operation to establish the Asia Pacific region.

For More Information:

https://www.thehotelconversation.com.au/news/2020/05/18/wyndham-hotels-resorts-announces-new-asia-pacific-leadership/1589755730?utm_source=Mailer&utm_medium=ET_batch&utm_campaign=ethospitality_news_2020-05-18&dt=2020-05-18

International Tourist Numbers Could Fall 60-80% in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a 22% fall in international tourist arrivals during the first quarter of 2020, the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows. According to the United Nations specialized agency, the crisis could lead to an annual decline of between 60% and 80% when compared with 2019 figures. This places millions of livelihoods at risk and threatens to roll back progress made in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Tourism has been hit hard, with millions of jobs at risk in one of the most labour-intensive sectors of the economy

Available data reported by destinations point to a 22% decline in arrivals in the first three months of the year, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Arrivals in March dropped sharply by 57% following the start of a lockdown in many countries, as well as the widespread introduction of travel restrictions and the closure of airports and national borders. This translates into a loss of 67 million international arrivals and about US$80 billion in receipts (exports from tourism).

Although Asia and the Pacific shows the highest impact in relative and absolute terms (-33 million arrivals), the impact in Europe, though lower in percentage, is quite high in volume (-22 million).

Prospects for the year have been downgraded several times since the outbreak and uncertainty continues to dominate. Current scenarios point to possible declines in arrivals of 58% to 78% for the year. These depend on the speed of containment and the duration of travel restrictions and shutdown of borders. The following scenarios for 2020 are based on three possible dates for the gradual opening up of international borders.

• Scenario 1 (-58%) based on the gradual opening of international borders and easing of travel restrictions in early July

• Scenario 2 (-70%) based on the gradual opening of international borders and easing of travel restrictions in early September

• Scenario 3 (-78%) based on the gradual opening of international borders and easing of travel restrictions only in early December.

  Under these scenarios, the impact of the loss of demand in international travel could translate into:

• Loss of 850 million to 1.1 billion international tourists

• Loss of US$910 billion to US$1.2 trillion in export revenues from tourism

• 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs at risk

  This is by far the worst crisis that international tourism has faced since records began (1950). The impact will be felt to varying degrees in the different global regions and at overlapping times, with Asia and the Pacific expected to rebound first.

  Experts see recovery in 2021

  Domestic demand is expected to recover faster than international demand according to the UNWTO Panel of Experts survey. The majority expects to see signs of recovery by the final quarter of 2020 but mostly in 2021. Based on previous crises, leisure travel is expected to recover quicker, particularly travel for visiting friends and relatives, than business travel.

International tourist arrivals, 2019 and Q1 2020 (% change)

International Tourism 2020 Scenarios

International tourist arrivals in 2020: three scenarios (YoY monthly change, %)

When do you expect tourism demand in your destination will start to recover?

Learning Never Ends: A Revenue Manager’s Journey to the Next Level

Revenue management sits at the heart of all the action within a hospitality operation. Decisions are made real time and there is always something new on the horizon. What you learnt while training for hospitality or even over the years can become redundant very quickly if you don’t keep up with evolving trends, techniques and tools.

Pawan Sahani of Hospitality Minds India was quick to pick up on this. Having started his career at Hotel Grand Residency and after nearly 4 years at Hospitality Minds India, when the opportunity to upskill with Australian Revenue Management Association (ARMA) came up, he could not refuse. He knew the course’s practical make-up that armed students with knowledge and tips that he can apply at his work every day.

Pawan came across the first level of the ARMA course, part of which is offered at a discounted rate to STAAH partner clients. Level 1 of this course is free for all STAAH partners. ARMA is the leading organisation in Asia Pacific and Australia and works with market leaders and educational institutes to create training initiatives to support the development of those in the field of revenue management.

Pawan went on to complete Level 1 and 2. He now feels more confident than before to contribute positively to the growth of properties through best practice, sound processes and latest technologies for revenue management.

Among some of the topics covered in the course are Foundations and Calculations, Measures and Maximisation, Yieldmax Stimulation Game, Group and the Revenue Management Relationship and more.

Marriott International Lights Up Across Asia Pacific To Spark Hope

Hong Kong -- Marriott International across Asia Pacific will light up its properties to send a positive message, offering a ray of hope to the communities they are in for locals and travellers alike. The "Light for Hope" initiative looks to spread positivity amidst the challenging times the world is currently facing.

 Over 270 hotels across various cities and regions, from Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Saigon, Jakarta, Maldives, Mumbai and many more have lit up their hotel rooms to the symbol of a smiley face, as seen from the façade of the hotel. The symbol was chosen to project a happy demeanour radiating positivity, with hopes that it brings a smile to the faces of everyone who sees it.

"In times of uncertainty one thing remains certain - we are in this together, and we will come out stronger", said Craig S.

Putting people first is at core of Marriott International. Hotels across Asia-Pacific have been going above and beyond to demonstrate the extraordinary collective power of people to help others

In these challenging and unprecedented times, associates from hotels across Asia Pacific have volunteered over 40,000 hours to serve their communities

Throughout April, guests and travellers can view the "Light for Hope" initiative at select Marriott International hotels across Asia Pacific.

How Should Hotels Set Room Rates Now and After the Coronavirus Crisis?

It may seem off-topic to ask experts for advice on how hotels should be setting their room rates right now. Thousands of hotels are closing in Europe and the U.S., and the goal for many properties is to survive

Yet most hotels will re-open someday. Most hotels will also continue to accept reservations for stays many months from now. So it’s urgent to price those future stays smartly.

TAKE HEART FROM ASIA

“Asia-Pacific learned a lot by going through the SARS experience, and as a result, most had a plan for facing some of the same challenges”

Westerners have been more quick, on average, to cut rates to stimulate demand, while operators in Asia-Pacific have favored other measures.

A case in point: About half of Asia-Pacific hoteliers tried “value-adds,” compared with only a third in Europe. An example of a “value-add” could be offering any guest who stays a voucher for, say, a substantial credit if they rebook a future stay within a year, or it could be offering a free airport transport in a well-sanitized vehicle.

Asia-Pacific hoteliers were significantly more likely than ones elsewhere in this crisis to emphasize promotions targeted to new segments of customers than their hotels typically have sought. They also have more been more likely to take steps to try to reward loyal, or potentially repeat, customers.

MAINTAIN PRICING POWER IF AT ALL POSSIBLE

“Studies have shown that hotels that are the fastest to drop their rates and who drop their rates the deepest can be the last ones to recover when demand comes back,” said Dan Skodol, a hospitality and travel industry revenue management, pricing, and analytics expert at Cendyn

Yet despite being hard advice to swallow, rate-cutting has long-term consequences.

“One reason is that the pricing structure of many hotels is based on a ‘best available retail rate,’ meaning that all the other rates, such as for business, group, and so on, are tied to it,” Isaac said. “When demand comes back, the more lucrative customers like business travelers and event or wedding planners will be reticent to accept price hikes.”

“But discounts are useless if people aren’t traveling for safety concerns,” Schultz said. “We want to make sure that when demand does come back, we’re sure not to be missing any dollar by having gone too low.”

THINK BEYOND THE RATES

“Guests will remember their cancellation experience more so than the rate they paid,” said Mike Chuma, vice president, global marketing, enablement and engagement at IDeaS, a software maker. “When circumstances permit, offer flexible policies to cancellations, such as offer hassle-free credits or complimentary amenities for future stays.”

The pace of recovery is something to keep in mind when figuring out who to spend your scarce marketing dollars on targeting.

Marketers will need to adapt relevant pitches as social distancing remains an on-again-off-again issue for the next year or longer.

“Showing a big group of people hugging and high-fiving is likely not the best image in these times,” Lugli said.

Looking at new segments to target with marketing might mean a hotel that usually caters to leisure travelers pitching their rooms on platforms for business travelers seeking extended stay and corporate relocation

If you need hope, look to China, where occupancy has begun to rebound. China saw hotel occupancy nearly vanish during the worst of the crisis, but a recovery is beginning to emerge, according to new data from tech vendor Shiji Distribution. Occupancy levels vary, but in some cities have recovered from low single digit percentages to around 30 percent.

Outside of China, Asia-Pacific hotels are also seeing the green shoots of recovery, according to data from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and tech vendor RateGain.

.For more information visit : https://twitter.com/MarriottIntl/status/1240639160148529160

Hope amidst crisis, Marriott to reopen the closed properties in China

Marriott is the world’s largest hotel operator with 800 properties in the Asia Pacific region and roughly half in Greater China. 

 Marriott had 375 properties, with roughly 122,000 rooms, across Greater China at the end of 2019, representing 9% of its total global rooms.

About 90 properties closed in China due to the global spread of coronavirus but are already seeing positive signs of a return to normal

Marriott began to see the impact of the coronavirus on business in mid-January with occupancy declines gradually, spreading from Wuhan to other markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

In February, RevPAR in Greater China declined almost 90%, versus the same period last year and in the Asia-Pacific region outside Greater China, it declined roughly 25%, year-over-year.