HVS - ASIA PACIFIC HOSPITALITY NEWSLETTER - For The Week Ending 8 Jan 2016 (January 8, 2016)

Goldman Sachs Invests INR441 crore in India’s SAMHI Hotels

Leading global investment bank Goldman Sachs has invested INR441 crores in four-year-old hotel investment and development company, SAMHI Hotels. The new funding raised by SAMHI, which bought a hotel in Ahmedabad earlier this week, will be used for acquiring hotel assets in India over the next 15-18 months. Founded by Ashish Jakhanwala and Manav Thadani in 2011, SAMHI specializes in development, acquisition and ownership of branded hotels which are located in prime markets and locations throughout India. Partnering financially with global hotel groups, such as Marriott and Accor, and operators, such as Starwood Hotels and Hyatt International, SAMHI Hotels Pvt. Ltd. had raised US$100 million from Equity International and GTI Capital in 2012. Of this, US$75 million came from Equity International. In 2014, the company raised INR126 crore from founders and existing investors including GTI Capital and Equity International, and around US$21 million from the World Bank arm – IFC, via convertible debentures.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Expands Footprint in Kota Bharu, Malaysia

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has entered into an agreement with Usahasama Seri Cemerlang Sdn Bhd to develop Mövenpick Hotel Kota Bharu, located in the East Coast of Malaysia. Slated to open in 2018, this iconic new 30-storey hotel of Islamic design will span across 1.177 acres. The 452-room hotel will offer 114 Deluxe Rooms, 139 Junior Suites, 16 Royal Suites, three Empire Suites and one 815 square meters Emperor Suite taking the top three floors of the completed hotel. Other facilities include a banquet hall seating up to a thousand guests, restaurant and café, retail outlets, His & Hers Pool, Spa, Gym, Club Lounge, Business Centre and a helipad on the roof. In addition, the certified ‘Green Building’ will feature the latest environment-friendly technology to save energy and reduce wastage. This latest announcement from Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts sees the continuation of an ambitious expansion plan for the upscale Swiss hotel group in South-East Asia. The two other properties which will be opened over the next three years in Malaysia include Mövenpick Hotel & Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Kuala Terrengganu.

China Extends Tourist Tax Refund Scheme to Six Additional Destinations

Foreign tourists visiting Liaoning, Anhui, Fujian and Sichuan provinces, Tianjin Municipality and Xiamen City can enjoy value-added tax refunds on their purchases in specific shops starting from January 1, 2016, according to an announcement released by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). First launched in Hainan Province in 2011, the MOF decided early this year to broaden the program nationwide, in order to attract more tourists and boost domestic consumption. Beijing and Shanghai were included in the program in July. Under the plan, foreign tourists as well as visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who have lived on the mainland for no more than 183 days are eligible for an 11 percent rebate on consumer goods purchased at designated department stores. The minimum purchase for a value-added tax refund is 500 yuan (US$77.1) in any one store in a day. The refund is valid when the purchase is made within 90 days before departure and the products remain unused upon departure.

Kempinski Delhi Re-Branded to a Leela

Delhi-based Ambience Group recently ended its association with European luxury hotel operator Kempinski Hotels SA, within four years of signing a management agreement to operate the former's luxury hotel in Delhi. Ambience Group has now tied up with Indian luxury chain Hotel Leelaventure Limited to manage the 480-room property in East Delhi, which has been reflagged as the The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel. With this addition, the hotel group now operates three properties in the Delhi-NCR totaling over 1,150 rooms. Both companies, Ambience and Kempinski, said the management agreement was ended with mutual consent. When the two tied up in 2011, Kempinski had given Ambience Group plans to expand aggressively in India. However, due to change in management at the head office level, the plans did not materialize. The hotel offers 480 rooms including suites, which are encased within two towers connected by sky bridges, four restaurants and a glass-enclosed bar, 70,000 square feet of multipurpose meeting and banqueting space, a spa measuring 6,587 square feet, two fitness studios, a beauty salon, and two outdoor temperature controlled swimming pools.

Vivanta by Taj Debuts in Northeast India in Guwahati

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has announced its latest addition in its portfolio with the opening of Vivanta by Taj – Guwahati, Assam. Spread across five acres, the hotel features 150 guestrooms, an oriental restaurant, a tea lounge and a bar along with over 25,000 square feet of flexible conference and meeting space, including a pillar-less ballroom of over 6,000 square feet, a spa, and a swimming pool. Built under a public-private partnership with the Assam Government providing land on a 60-year lease extendable by 30 years, the property marks the debut of the Vivanta brand in Northeast India. In addition to the newly opened Vivanta, the group operates two hotels under its budget brand Ginger in the region, in the cities of Guwahati and Agartala. Guwahati is the largest city of Assam, a major riverine port and one of the fastest growing cities in India. It is also the gateway to both Shillong and the famous Kaziranga Sanctuary.

SAMHI Hotels Acquires Ganesh Meridien Hotel, Ahmedabad

SAMHI Hotels Pvt Ltd, a leading hotel asset company in India, acquired the 156-room Ganesh Meridian hotel, located on S.G. Road, from Ahmedabad-based Shree Siddhi Group for an undisclosed sum. Opened in May 2015, the five-star hotel will be rebranded with an international upscale brand shortly, according to a press statement. In addition to 156 rooms, the property features two restaurants, over 7,000 square feet of meeting space, a swimming pool, a spa and a gym. The hotel will be SAMHI’s third property in Ahmedabad, after Four Points by Sheraton and Formule1.

Best Western Finds New Partner, Sorrel Hospitality, for India Market

American hotel chain Best Western International has inked a ten-year master licensing agreement with Gurmeet Uberai's Delhi based firm, Sorrel Hospitality to further its expansion plans in the Indian hospitality market. This partnership was formed post the ending of its pact with Cabana Hotel and is the American hospitality company’s third such association in just over two decades.  While Best Western International is yet to confirm the development, the new Indian partner acknowledged the association. The new partnership is likely to be made public after the pending financial/commercial issues with Cabana as well as the existing owners of Best Western in India are resolved.

China Will Become the Most Important Tourist Source Country for Russia, UK and Australia

According a research of Gold Palm, a tourism service system developing and managing company in China, China will become the most important tourist source country for Russia and UK, and the biggest source country for Australia, in the near future. According to the statistics of Japan National Tourism Organization, by the end of October 2015, there were 4.9 million Chinese visitors to Japan, thereby contributing to 26% of total international visitor arrivals, making China the biggest tourist generating country for Japan. Statistics from the UK Home Office show that Chinese applicants for visiting the UK take up 17.23% of the total applicants, which is higher than that of India and the US, indicating that China has emerged as the largest source country to the UK. By the end of September 2015, China stayed the second biggest tourist source country for Australia. However, among the top five tourist source countries, including New Zealand, UK, US and Singapore, China has a comparatively higher consumption amount as well as a higher growth in tourist numbers, which will soon lead to it becoming the top inbound country for Australia.

Absolute Share Price Performance, as on 7 January 2016

Closing Share Price as at
7 Jan 2016
23 Dec 2015
% Change
Australia Stock Exchange (ASX)
Event Hospitality and Entertainment Ltd
14.79
16.03
-7.7%
General Property Group
4.53
4.84
-6.4%
Mirvac Group
1.89
2.01
-6.0%
Mantra Group
4.53
4.88
-7.2%
Bangkok Stock Exchange (THB)
Central Plaza Hotel Public Co Ltd
41
45
-8.9%
Dusit Thani Public Co Ltd
68.5
68
0.7%
The Erawan Group Public Co Ltd
4.12
4.28
-3.7%
Grande Asset Hotels and Property Public Co Ltd
0.79
0.73
8.2%
Laguna Resorts & Hotel Public Co Ltd
23.4
23.1
1.3%
Minor International Public Co Ltd
32.5
36.25
-10.3%
China Shanghai Stock Exchange (RMB)
Jinling Hotel Corporation Ltd
12.9
15.57
-17.1%
China Shenzhen Stock Exchange (RMB)
Huatian Hotel Group Co Ltd
8.47
9.85
-14.0%
Guangzhou Dong Fang Hotel Co Ltd
15.68
19.41
-19.2%
NASDAQ (US$)
China Lodging Group Ltd
29.8
29.9
-0.3%
Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc
33.95
34
-0.1%
Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HK$)
Miramar Hotel & Investment Co Ltd
13.6
13.6
0.0%
Regal Hotels International Holdings Ltd
4.26
4.29
-0.7%
Sino Hotels Holdings Ltd
2.31
2.31
0.0%
The Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels Ltd
8.07
8.29
-2.7%
Shangri-La Asia Limited
7.23
7.39
-2.2%
Dorsett Hospitality International
1.54
1.54
0.0%
National Stock Exchange (INR)
IHCL (Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces)
117.8
112
5.2%
EIH (Oberoi Hotels & Resorts)
129.5
121
7.0%
Hotel Leela Ventures
21.5
20.65
4.1%
Korea Exchange (KRW)
The Shilla
72900
80800
-9.8%
Singapore Stock Exchange (S$)
Amara Holdings Ltd
0.45
0.43
4.7%
Ascendas Hospitality Trust
0.755
0.73
3.4%
Ascott Residence Trust
1.15
1.16
-0.9%
Banyan Tree Holdings Limited
0.41
0.43
-4.7%
CDL Hospitality Trusts
1.3
1.325
-1.9%
Far East Hospitality Trust
0.635
0.645
-1.6%
Hotel Grand Central Ltd
1.18
1.2
-1.7%
Hotel Properties Ltd
3.6
3.8
-5.3%
Mandarin Oriental International Ltd (US$)
1.47
1.45
1.4%
OUE Hospitality Trust
0.76
0.755
0.7%
Stamford Land Corporation Ltd
0.49
0.5
-2.0%
Taiwan Stock Exchange (NT$)
Formosa International Hotels Corporation
219.5
220.5
-0.5%
The Ambassador Hotel, Ltd
26.7
26.75
-0.2%
Tokyo Stock Exchange (JPY)
Japan Hotel REIT Investment Corp.
87100
93700
-7.0%
Imperial Hotel, Ltd
2332
2440
-4.4%

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