Riyadh’s hotel occupancy was its highest for a February since 2008, according to preliminary data from STR.

• Occupancy: 75.5%
• Average daily rate (ADR): SAR801.46
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): SAR605.06

Each of the three key performance metrics came in significantly higher than the pre-pandemic comparables from 2019: occupancy (+23.4%), ADR (+34.0%) and RevPAR (+65.3%). 

According to daily data, the market recorded occupancy over 90% for three consecutive days from 6-8 February, helped by the International Conference and Exhibition for Science.

Marriott International, Inc. today announced the milestone opening of its 1,000^th hotel in Asia Pacific, signaling its continued confidence in the long-term growth potential of the region. The company entered the region nearly 50 years ago and has steadily increased its Asia Pacific footprint.

The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne is the company’s 1000^th property in Asia Pacific and marks the brand’s entry into the Australian city, showcasing a contemporary aesthetic, renowned service, and panoramic views above the city skyline.

The company anticipates adding 100 hotels – roughly two hotels per week – in Asia Pacific in 2023, expanding its footprint in key Asia Pacific markets including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, China, and India.

“The opening of Marriott International’s 1000^th hotel in the Asia Pacific is a true milestone, underscoring our confidence in the overall travel outlook, our ability to take hospitality to new heights with our associates and owners, and the power of Marriott Bonvoy in 2023, and beyond,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International. “We’re particularly thrilled to be expanding our footprint in new and emerging markets.”

“Being able to celebrate the opening of Marriott’s 1000^th hotel in the Asia Pacific is a testament to our vision for growth in the years to come in the region,” commented Yibing Mao, President, Greater China, Marriott International. “Greater China represents over half of the portfolio in terms of rooms in Asia Pacific and remains a strategic and vibrant market with tremendous growth potential. Together with the other markets in the region, the opportunities are exciting, and we look forward to building on this noteworthy milestone.”

Strengthening Portfolio in Asia Pacific

Growth in Asia Pacific is expected across multiple brand portfolio segments, anchored by the award-winning Marriott Bonvoy® travel program, a significant driver of hotel guest loyalty and occupancy rates.

Luxury Leads with Distinct Debuts – Across Marriott International’s luxury brand portfolio, 12 additional properties are expected to open in popular and emerging Asia Pacific destinations by the end of 2023. Notable openings include: The Ritz-Carlton brand’s refined elegance is set to expand in Japan with the country’s sixth Ritz-Carlton opening in Fukuoka. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve is slated to debut in the mountain valley of Jiuzhaigou in China with the opening of Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Luxury lifestyle brand, W Hotels, expects to celebrate its third hotel in Australia with the opening of W Sydney and plans to debut in Macau’s Studio City. JW Marriott anticipates delivering mindful experiences in captivating destinations from Jeju Island, South Korea, to Xi’an, China and Goa, India.

Pronounced Premium Presence – Marriott International’s premium brand portfolio includes Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Le Méridien, the Autograph Collection, and more. The company expects over 30 additions this year in Asia Pacific across this brand segment. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, the company’s most global brand, continues its transformation momentum in the region by exemplifying its modernized design concept with upcoming openings planned in destinations including Kagoshima in Japan and Colombo in Sri Lanka. The company’s leading wellness brand, Westin Hotels & Resorts, anticipates adding five hotels in Asia Pacific, including its debut in Manila, Philippines. In addition, the Autograph Collection intends to add its first hotel in Thailand with Madi Paidi, Bangkok.

Select Service Scales – Marriott’s select service portfolio continues to drive growth in the region, accounting for nearly 50 percent of planned openings in 2023. Marriott’s select service brands provide a wide-range of offerings across well-established brands such as Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, AC Hotels and Moxy Hotels. Fairfield by Marriott, known for its calm aesthetic and thoughtfully simple design, anticipates adding 19 properties in Asia Pacific, including seven hotels in the prefectures of Japan, eight hotels in Greater China and two hotels each in India and Indonesia. Courtyard by Marriott expects to add 11 new hotels, delivering smart design and modern comfort to both business and leisure travelers in cities such as Hangzhou, China; Bangkok, Thailand; Malacca, Malaysia and Shillong, India.

Marriott Bonvoy Celebrates 1000^th Milestone

Points – In celebration of the 1000^th hotel in Asia Pacific, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn 1,000 bonus points and an additional Elite Night Credit. Promotional details and registration: www.marriottbonvoy.com/earntwice

Cheers! – Guests will also be able to join in the celebration by enjoying a specially created limited edition celebratory beverage – The Melb-presso 1000 – inspired by the coffee culture of Melbourne with a nod to Marriott’s 1000^th hotel milestone in Asia Pacific. The beverage will be available through April 23, 2023 in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions across all 1,000 Marriott International hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific.

Aligned with historical trends for the market, Madrid’s hotel industry reported higher performance from the month prior, according to preliminary February 2023 data from STR.

• Occupancy: 64.5%
• Average daily rate (ADR): EUR127.89
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): EUR82.50

The market’s ADR and RevPAR levels surpassed the 2019 comparables, +26.0% and +10.2%, respectively, while occupancy remained lower than the pre-pandemic comparable (-12.5%). 

Daily data shows Wednesday, 22 February (81.7%) and Saturday, 25 February (85.4%) as the only two days of the month with occupancy above the 80% mark, helped by ARCO Madrid (held 22-25 February). The rest of the month saw daily occupancy above 50%, with only two days falling below that levels.

Turtle Bay Resort has been accepted into Virtuoso®’s exclusive portfolio of luxury travel partners, comprising over 2,300 preferred suppliers in 100 countries. According to Robert Marusi, Chief Commercial Officer of Turtle Bay, inclusion in Virtuoso will present new sales and marketing opportunities to the network’s more than 21,000 luxury travel advisors and their highly desirable clientele. Virtuoso agencies worldwide sell an average of (U.S.) $28–$32 billion annually, making the network the most significant player in luxury travel.

“Virtuoso’s acceptance process is incredibly selective, so becoming a preferred partner is a true honor,” said Marusi. “The reputation Virtuoso member agencies have for outstanding dedication to their clients is a perfect fit with our own bespoke approach to service. Now that we’re part of this renowned network, we look forward to offering Virtuoso advisors and their clients the special amenities, values and experiences that surpass their expectations.”

Turtle Bay Resort joins Virtuoso’s collection of the finest luxury hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour operators and other travel entities worldwide. These partners, which specialize in world-class client service and experiences, provide superior offerings, rare opportunities and exceptional value for Virtuoso clients. These prestigious providers are able to market to Virtuoso clients via network vehicles and to Virtuoso agencies through multiple communications channels and events, including Virtuoso Travel Week, luxury travel’s preeminent worldwide gathering. Turtle Bay’s acceptance into Virtuoso gives it direct relationships with the world’s leading leisure travel agencies in North and Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

Hawaii’s legendary Turtle Bay Resort recently debuted a luxurious transformation that completely embraces the captivating beauty and natural splendor of Oahu’s North Shore. Set on 1,300 pristine oceanfront acres, Turtle Bay immerses visitors in its stunning landscape, nestled alongside five miles of coastline with secluded sandy beaches, a working farm, and world-famous surf breaks. In addition to the host of extraordinary amenities at the resort, Virtuoso clients will also receive a $60 daily breakfast credit at Alaia and Ho’olana; a $100 experience credit valid toward Spa, Golf and Stables; complimentary upgrade based on availability upon arrival; and a welcome amenity.

Sydney WorldPride 2023 drove the market’s hotel average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) above pre-pandemic levels, while occupancy remained slightly below 2019, according to preliminary data from STR.

During the 17-day event, Sydney’s highest occupancy levels were recorded on Saturday, 4 March (95.8%) and Saturday, 25 February (95.4%). Throughout the period, daily occupancy remained above 80% with only three days falling below that mark. 

“WorldPride was held for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere with Sydney hosting a series of events across two weeks to commemorate LGBTQIA+ pride and celebrate contributions made,” said Matthew Burke, STR’s regional director for Pacific, Japan & Central South Asia. “The festival generated enormous interest with hotels reporting consistently high occupancy and room rates.” 

When compared with the matching 17-day period in 2019, Sydney occupancy was 2.3% lower while ADR (+25.7%) and RevPAR (+22.1%) were each up by double figures. In dollar terms, accommodation operators saw a room revenue lift of AUD43 million from 2019.

“Room rate during the period reached its peak on Saturday, 25 February, the day of the Mardi Gras Parade, with the metric coming in at AUD414, while occupancy reached 95.4%. That night was always anticipated to produce a high occupancy level, with STR’s Forward STAR data indicating a spike in occupancy on the books visible as early as November 2022.”

IHG Hotels & Resorts today celebrates both impressive development momentum from a successful 2022 and the start of the annual HUNTER Hotel Investment Conference in Atlanta by releasing an update on its recent and planned future growth across the Americas region and beyond.

Elie Maalouf, CEO, of Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “IHG continues to invest in strategic efforts that strengthen our brand portfolio while building trust and confidence among our guests and owners. We continue to see strong growth in the Americas and around the world, notably among our Suites brands and the Holiday Inn brand family and through the addition of exceptional Luxury & Lifestyle properties and brand debuts in key markets. With more than 4,300 Americas hotels among a more than 6,100 property global portfolio that spans 18 new and iconic brands, we’re excited for the future and well positioned to deliver even greater levels of exceptional guest service and strong owner returns.”

Notable milestones across IHG Hotels & Resorts’ growing Americas and global portfolio include:

• Holiday Inn Express: Remains IHG’s largest global brand with 3,000+ open properties and nearly 327,000 rooms spanning 50+ countries; 110 signings globally add to a pipeline with the potential to expand the brand’s market-leading scale by more than 20 percent; new downtown Washington, DC hotel among key 2022 openings.
• Holiday Inn: Sixty-two newly opened hotels include an Atlanta property near IHG’s Americas headquarters, and the dual-branded Holiday Inn & Suites/avid hotel Mt. Juliet – Nashville Area and Holiday Inn/voco hotel Chicago Dwtn – Wolf Point; refreshed prototype features an evolved design and premium breakfast offering, with a further 50 Americas hotels slated for renovation in 2023.
• avid hotels: Emerging brand of scale scheduled to open its 60th hotel in Conyers, Georgia this year, while also maintaining a 140+ property Americas pipeline that will more than triple its size in the region; new-to-market hotels opening later this year in Austin, Tuscaloosa, and Tulsa demonstrate the brand’s popularity within the midscale segment.

• Atwell Suites: IHG’s newest all-suites brand designed for the next generation traveler opened its first two hotels in Miami and Denver in 2022; 11 new Americas signings have expanded its regional pipeline to 30+ properties.
• Staybridge Suites: Extended stay brand’s growing global footprint includes 314 hotels spanning nearly 34,000 rooms; 142-hotel America’s pipeline equals nearly half of its current regional portfolio; the enhanced prototype adds seven keys while reducing build size by two percent.
• Candlewood Suites: Mid-scale extended-stay brand’s expanding footprint includes 368 hotels and nearly 33,000 rooms; on track to increase its portfolio by one-third with 124 hotels in the pipeline.

• voco hotels: IHG’s fastest growing premium brand has opened 10,000+ rooms among 18 countries within five years of launch; recently opened hotels in Chicago, Niagara Falls, and Guadalajara will join forthcoming U.S. properties in Flushing, Destin, and Laguna Hills and Mexico properties in Queretaro and Saltillo.
• Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts: Global pipeline will expand the brand’s current reach of 400+ hotels and 110,000+ rooms by 26 percent; three-quarters of the Americas portfolio will be new or have been recently renovated before the end of 2025, with 20 planned for completion in 2023.
• EVEN Hotels: New and evolved prototype features a more cost-efficient design, refreshed restaurant concept, and integrated wellness experience; on pace to double its Americas presence with 10 hotels in the pipeline, including planned 2023 openings in Bozeman, Beaverton, Waco, and Austin.

• Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas: Eight new signings grew the brand’s global pipeline to 38 hotels, which will triple its existing portfolio; the brand’s strong emergence in the Americas includes six signings, among them a resort with branded residences in Napa Valley.
• Regent Hotels & Resorts: Reimagined upper-luxury brand’s first Americas property scheduled to open along Santa Monica Beach in late 2023; expanding global portfolio of 19 open and pipeline hotels including the recently reopened Carlton Cannes in France and signature properties in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Bali.
• InterContinental Hotels & Resorts: The world’s first and largest international luxury hotel brand with 200+ open hotels and 90 in the pipeline; 10 Americas pipeline hotels include planned openings in Dallas, Grenada, Bellevue, and a recently signed resort on the island of Dominica.
• Vignette Collection: Robust America’s entrance included initial signings in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Oregon’s wine country, followed by its early 2023 debut opening in Washington, DC; new signings in China, Japan, and Germany will expand the brand’s presence to more than a dozen countries, with 100+ properties globally expected to join during the next decade.
• Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: First all-inclusive resort in Mexico among 10 new global signings that increased the boutique luxury brand’s global pipeline to 41 properties, representing growth of more than 50 percent on its 76 open hotels; 2022 also saw the opening of the brand’s first Australian property in Sydney; five new Americas openings planned for 2023.
• Hotel Indigo: On pace to reach 200+ hotels in the next three years, doubling in half the time it took to open the first 100; eight Americas hotel openings in 2022 included the brand’s South American debut in the Galapagos Islands and three new properties in New York City.
• Iberostar Beachfront Resorts: IHG’s first exclusive partner also represents its 18th global brand, and accounts for 70 hotels and 24,000+ rooms; global pipeline includes five properties planned for the coming years and expands guests’ access to the resort, beachfront and all-inclusive properties in the Americas and Southern Europe.