| Thai Tourism Minister held a meeting end of May
2007 with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Phuket tourism professionals
for the construction of a dedicated convention centre in Thailand's most
popular resort destination. According to TAT, various sites were inspected,
but the project has yet to materialise. The meeting involved the inspections
of two sites in Phuket namely a 16.8-hectare plot on Ao Makam bay, and three
plots ranging between 24 and 56 hectares on Mai Khao beach. |
| Shimao Property Holdings Ltd announced its plans
to invest a total of US$391.8 million in developing a flagship commercial
complex project in Beijing's Sanlitun district. The project will consist
of a five-star hotel, cultural and entertainment facilities and stores selling
world-renowned brands, the company said. The complex is close to Beijing's
prime locations, such as the foreign embassies area and the central business
district on Chaoyangmenwai in Chaoyang district. Shimao Property reported
the complex will include the Beijing Huaping International Plaza, a commercial
building acquired by the group in February 2007 for US$137.1 million. |
| Prices at Taiwan's tourist hotels rose by 4.3 per
cent in the first four months of 2007 according to the Directorate General
of the Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). DGBAS officials said that
as at the end of April 2007, there were 90 tourist hotels with 21,274 rooms,
down 0.6 per cent from the same period in 2006. Room prices at tourist hotels
averaged US$97.2 in the first four months of 2007, up 4.3% from the same
period in 2006. International tourist hotels averaged US$102.2 per night,
while ordinary tourist hotels averaged US$67.8 per night. |
| The 968-room Marriott hotel will be part of a large-scale
mixed-use complex, the Macau Studio City, in Macau, China. Scheduled to
open in 2009, the Macau Studio City Marriott Hotel will be Marriott International's
first hotel in Macau and will be situated in a 30-story tower block in Macau
Studio City, Cotai Strip. With its intended target market of MICE and leisure
segments, the Hotel will offer 968 rooms, 3,000 square metres fitness centre,
five food and beverage outlets including a pool bar, and 3,750 square metres
of meeting and conference space. |
| Malaysian Property group, IGB Corp Bhd, has submitted
a tender to build a three or four-star hotel in Sydney, Australia. No date
has been set for its expected opening as the group is waiting for approval
from the relevant authorities. As part of its expansion plans, IGB�s hotel
division is also scouting for other assets in Australia and in emerging
markets in Asia. |
| Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is
planning to legalise casino gambling in 2008 in bid to stimulate tourism,
boost tax revenues, and propel the revitalisation of the country's local
economies. According to the head of the LDP policy group, the move is part
of broader efforts to attract more foreigners to the country, from 7.3 million
tourists in 2006 to a target of ten million in 2010. It is also believed
that this would earn the government significant tax revenues and spur investment
and employment rates, in the face of a declining population and shrinking
tax base. The move is further considered crucial for revitalising local
economies, which have not matched up to urban areas in terms of economic
recovery. Barriers and safety nets will also be proposed in the bill to
prevent social problems from local gambling. |
