Despite Covid19 wreaking havoc in the hospitality industry, our analysis suggests the hotel project pipeline across APAC remains full, especially in China and South-East Asia.
A peek into the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database reveals that 2,476 new hotels with 595,057 rooms are slated to open in the APAC region in the coming years.
We take a look at some development hotspots and find out which properties you really need to keep an eye on.
Explosive growth in APAC’s hotel market
For some time, APAC has been driving growth in the global hotel market, and that’s certainly still the case now with 671 properties and 150,318 rooms in the pipeline for 2020 alone. Only 185 of them are currently in the pre-opening phase though, which could be a sign that some openings may be postponed until next year due to delays caused by the Covid19 pandemic.
Yet even without counting possible delays, 667 launches are scheduled for 2021, adding 162,102 rooms to APAC’s hotel offering. This rapid growth is set to continue in 2022 with 444 planned hotels and 111,798 rooms, followed by another 179 properties with 43,735 rooms for 2023. 515 hotels with 127,104 rooms are confirmed for 2024 and beyond.
Of the 2,476 hotels due to open in the APAC region, 1,368 will be in the four-star segment, with the remaining 1,108 in the five-star category.
China leads the way in APAC
If we look to rank countries based on the number of active hotel projects in each, China is way out in front with 1,206 planned openings and 189,677 rooms, making up almost half of the entire region’s upcoming launches. Australia follows in a very distant second place with 183 new hotels and 35,602 additional rooms. India concludes the top three with 148 new hotels and 23,257 rooms.
Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are next in line with 136, 123 and 117 openings respectively. Malaysia, Japan, Russia and the Philippines conclude the top ten with 87, 83, 64 and 61 properties each.
APAC’s top cities for new development
Given that nearly half of the hotels planned for APAC will open in China, it’s unsurprising that eight of the ten destinations on our list of the region’s top cities for new development are in the People’s Republic.
Chengdu heads up the rankings with 60 new hotels and 13,672 rooms, and Shanghai comes in second place with 48 properties and 11,700 rooms. Interestingly, Bangkok completes the top three with 41 new hotels and 10,648 rooms.
Apart from the Thai capital, Melbourne is the only other non-Chinese city on this list. Here, 39 hotels will open, adding 8,881 rooms to the city’s inventory.
Completing the top ten, Hangzhou and Nanjing will both get 34 new hotels, Shenzhen and Xian will each see 32 properties open, the popular holiday destination of Sanya will receive 31 hotels, and Wuhan will welcome another 28 properties.
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Fastest-growing hotel brands across the APAC region
Hilton is expanding aggressively in APAC, resulting in two of its names heading up the list of the region’s ten fastest-growing hotel brands. The signature Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand will add 85 properties with 23,971 rooms, while DoubleTree by Hilton will get 57 extra hotels with 14,043 rooms. Extended-stay company Citadines apart’hotels will also celebrate 57 openings, but with only 10,935 rooms.
Elsewhere, Marriott Hotels & Resorts will be launching 53 hotels, while Sheraton Hotels & Resorts will open 49 properties. And not to be overlooked, IHG’s Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts will get 43 new hotels.
Somerset Serviced Residence has 42 ongoing projects, meanwhile, making it the second long-stay brand on this list. Hyatt Regency Hotels is next with 41 openings, followed by Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts with 40 openings. Four Points by Sheraton completes the top ten with 39 new properties underway.
APAC hotel projects to keep on your watchlist
According to our database, the 7,500-room Mui Dinh Eco-Resort in Vietnam is currently the largest project in the region’s pipeline – it will open in early 2022. Inspired by the region’s rich history, tribal culture, and architecture, the scheme comprises six resort hotels as well as a boutique unit. The property will include 7,000 guestrooms and 500 ocean-facing villas in addition to amenities like a theme park, casino, beach club, and mountain clubhouse.
Wyndham Resort Beau Rivage Nha Trang is another stunning property being developed in Vietnam. It will be part of a mixed-use project right on the beachfront in the popular tourist city. 1,079 rooms will be spread over two 50-storey towers overlooking the ocean and the surrounding countryside.
And the 593-room W Sydney will be perched atop The Ribbon, an eye-catching 20-storey development taking over the footprint of the current IMAX theatre, soaring upwards between the area’s elevated roadways. From Q2 2021, guests can enjoy the signature W service and opt for a hotel room or a serviced apartment. In keeping with the location’s history, moreover, the W will also feature an all-new IMAX cinema.
