| Peter Greenberg to Helm Brand Gurus Panel at 4th China Hotel Investment Summit | Return to Headlines |
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Renowned travel personality Peter Greenberg will moderate at the key session, 'Inspiration from the Brand Gurus', at the 4th China Hotel Investment Summit. An Emmy Award-winning journalist and producer, Peter Greenberg is best known as the Travel Editor for NBC's 'Today' show. The annual China Hotel Investment Summit is co-hosted by HVS and Beijing International Studies University (BISU) and jointly organised by HVS and Phoenix Consulting. The event will be held at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai from 16 to 18 April 2008. Holding court with a very illustrious and distinguished panel comprising Michael Issenberg, Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Accor Asia Pacific; Peter Gowers, Chief Executive of IHG Asia Pacific; Paul Foskey, Executive Vice President of Marriott International; and Koos Klein, Area President of Hilton Asia Pacific, Greenberg will weave his magic to draw the best tips from this discussion. The 4th China Hotel Investment Summit is the most established and successful hotel investment conference in China, attended by over 600 industry leaders from China and 22 other countries. Please visit www.chinahotelsummit.com for registration and sponsorship information. For additional information, please contact: Adeline Phua |
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| Club Med Plans To Open A Second Resort In Malaysia | Return to Headlines |
| France's Club Mediterranee (Club Med) has expressed interest in opening a second resort in Malaysia, particularly in Sabah or Langkawi, following its first resort, Club Med Cherating Beach in Cherating, Pahang. With a focus on ski, beach and hill resorts, Club Med emphasises the importance of a unique location for their resorts. Besides Malaysia, Club Med is also looking for suitable sites in India, China and Vietnam. | |
| Singapore's UOL Group Limited To Expand Hospitality Business In Asia Pacific | Return to Headlines |
| Singapore's UOL Group Limited has announced its plans to invest approximately US$360 million of its available funds to add 15 to 20 hotels and serviced residences to its hospitality portfolio in Asia Pacific by 2011. The group is expected to expand in fast growing markets such as China, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. Following the opening of Pan Pacific's first serviced apartments property, the 126-key Pan Pacific Serviced Suites in Singapore, the group is expected to open another five serviced residences by 2011, including the Pan Pacific-branded serviced residences in Bangkok, which is scheduled to open in 2009. According to UOL's President and Chief Executive, Mr Gwee Lian Kheng, expanding into the serviced accommodation business is a logical extension to its current hotel accommodation offerings. | |
| Shangri-La Villingili Resort And Spa To Open In Addu Atoll, the Maldives In Fourth Quarter 2008 | Return to Headlines |
| Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of the Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa on Villingili Island in Addu Atoll, southern Maldives in the fourth quarter of 2008 to coincide with the peak season in the Maldives. The resort is the first luxury resort to open in the Addu Atoll, which is accessible via an eight-minute boat ride from the Gan International Airport or a 70-minute flight from the Malé International Airport. The 142-key all-villa resort is likely to offer a 218-square-metre tree house villa, water villas, beach villas, twin beach villas, pool villas and two presidential villas. Other facilities include seven food and beverage outlets including two restaurants and five bars, a signature spa – CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, and a 30,000-square-metre 'The Village' which is expected to house an environment centre and serve as a focal point for leisure and water activities. | |
| Stiff Opposition Expected Over Thai PM's Plans To Legalise Casinos | Return to Headlines |
| Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has revealed plans to legalise and open casinos in Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Hat Yai within four years if the government completes its four-year term. Mr Samak is also considering other forms of legalised gambling, including a new 'lotto' type game to finance a scholarship fund for needy children. Despite having the intention to target only foreigners and boost tourism to compete with neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia, the Thai PM is likely to face fierce opposition from the Buddhist community and other conservative groups, as well as opposition parties. Currently, the underground gambling industry is estimated to have a US$16 billion annual turnover while approximately US$1.6 billion is believed to flow into border-town casinos in Cambodia and Myanmar where Thais frequent daily. | |
| Accor To Expand In Vietnam | Return to Headlines |
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Accor has announced the launch of its luxury Pullman and mid-scale Mercure brands in addition to the expansion of its Novotel brand across Vietnam. A total of ten hotels are in the pipeline with three Pullman, two Mercure and five Novotel hotels to be opened over the next three years. Two of the Pullman hotels, the 150-room Pullman Sapa Resort and 200-room Pullman Lao Cai Hotel, will be developed in the northern Lao Cai province while the 360-key Pull Vung Tau Hotel will be situated in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The two Mercure hotels, 102-room Mecure Hanoi La Gare and 380-room Mercure Hanoi Hado, will be located in Hanoi and are scheduled to open in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Novotel Nha Trang and Novotel Ha Long Bay are likely to open in late 2008. Other Novotels to open are Novotel Hoi An Imperial Resort (in 2009), Novotel Phu Quoc Resort (in 2010) and Novotel Ha Noi On The Park (in 2010). |
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