Covid19 live blog roundup: Hotels start planning for 2021

We summarise updates shared on the TOPHOTELNEWS Covid19 live blog to draw a picture of how the international hotel industry is negotiating the ongoing crisis.

The international hospitality industry has been sent into a tailspin with the sudden onslaught of the coronavirus crisis. From lockdowns to travel bans and border closures, hotels are having to navigate more uncertain waters than ever before.

Our team has been tracking in real-time how the industry is reacting to the continuing crisis, and here we recap some of the recent activity around the world, focusing on positive developments in particular.

Looking towards 2021

While many hotels have tried to capitalise on what remained of the summer following the reopening of key travel markets, a few properties have gone the other way, and delayed their return until next year. The opening of The Langham, Jakarta is now scheduled for 2021, while the launch of the Holiday Inn Riyadh Al Malaz has been pushed back until the second quarter of next year.

Other projects have been delayed indefinitely, including the Novotel, Ibis and Adagio project in Jeddah al Andalous, which is still on hold with no resumption date, and the Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Jakarta, whose opening date remains unclear. The Jumeirah Bali is scheduled to open in 2021, but that’s not written in stone, and still depends on the unfolding Covid19 situation.

On a more optimistic note, the opening of the Revier Dubai Business Bay has been set for January 2021, while construction continues on the Atakoy Jumeirah in the hopes that it will be ready next year too. In addition, the Peak 12 Hotel at Viborg in Denmark is now targeting an early 2021 launch.

Eye-catching new European hotels

There are a number of exciting hotel projects on the horizon across Europe, many of which will be located in capital cities and other dependable tourist destinations. For example, citizenM is opening its second hotel in Switzerland, this time in Geneva, while Copenhagen is set to welcome Zleep Hotel Lyngby to the north of the city.

Meanwhile, in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, the country’s first Hyatt-branded hotel, Hyatt Regency Sofia, has opened and started operating successfully. And over in London, Brown’s Hotel is reopening for the autumn season, and the property is already gearing up to offer guests a variety of new experiences and amenities.