Wyndham Hotel Group to Set Foot in Indonesia

Wyndham Hotel Group is set to to open its first Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property in Indonesia, at Bali’s Lepang Beach, through a partnership with PT. Wijaya Karya Realty. The Wyndham Resort Tamansari Jivva slated to open its doors in January 2016, will be located minutes away from Bali’s prestigious surf break, Keramas. With eight villas and 214 apartments set on a 1.4ha beachfront land, the resort will feature an open lobby surrounded by a pool, an oceanfront pool, a beach bar, a restaurant, conference facilities and a gym. Bali attracted 3.39 million international arrivals into the island in 2014. The number of international arrivals in the island has surged over the years, with a CAGR of 8.3% between 2004 and 2014, making Bali one of Indonesia’s fastest growing tourism markets. With a substantial amount of supply entering the market in 2016, RevPAR growth is expected to be under pressure in the short to medium term. 

Absolute Hotel Services Group to Launch Travelodge Hotels in Thailand

Absolute Hotel Services Group (AHS) has entered into a joint venture with Travelodge Hotels Asia for the launch of the Travelodge brand and sub-brands in Thailand. Targeting more than 4,000 keys in Thailand by 2020, Travelodge Asia has three sub-brands including Nano by Travelodge, One by Travelodge and Skye by Travelodge. The four brands, ranging from lower to upper midscale properties, will have varied design concepts, aimed at attracting different categories of customers. With extensive expansion plans in Asia, Travelodge will be launching its brands in many countries including Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. Currently, there are close to 1,000 Travelodge-branded properties worldwide. According to Jonathan Wigley, CEO of AHS, the midscale hotel segment in Thailand is expected to perform well, taking into consideration the travel demographics in the country. Currently, AHS operates the Eastin Grand Hotels, Eastin Hotels & Residences, Eastin Easy and U Hotels & Resorts, with a portfolio of more than 60 hotels in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, the Middle East and Europe.  

Golden Tulip Debuts in Bangladesh with the Opening of the Royal Tulip Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa in Cox’s Bazar

Golden Tulip Hotels opened its first property in Bangladesh’s popular beach destination Cox’s Bazar last week. Located on Inani Beach, the Royal Tulip Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa offers 493 rooms, seven food and beverage outlets, three meeting and conferencing facilities with a capacity of 1,230 guests, a spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a water park, and numerous activities for children.

HNA Looking to Acquire French Tour Operator FRAM

According to a press announcement from FRAM Group - one of the largest French tour operators, China’s HNA Group and its French partner Selectour Afat has proposed a ‘confirmed’ quoted price for the acquisition of its shares. Although the press communiqué did not involve the exact price of the quote, information from related sources suggest that the offer could reach upto €40 million (US$46 million), with 90% of the transaction value being invested by HNA. Meanwhile, Karavel Promovacances, a French online travel sales group, has also proposed a seperate offer for the acquisition of FRAM Group. FRAM Group was established in 1949 and is one of France’s largest national travel agency, with a turnover of €373 million (US$428 million) in 2014 and having serviced 50,000 people this summer alone. However, the group suffered substantial losses in recent years and has been on the verge of bankruptcy. The final decision on the acquisition is expected to be announced by FRAM Group within the next few days.  

Absolute Share Price Performance, as on 16 Oct 2015