Latest news with #PanPacific
Japan Times
21 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Donki operator plans 250 new stores in tourism bet
Japanese retailer Pan Pacific International Holdings plans to open 250 new stores by 2035, in a bet on continued surging foreign tourism. The Don Don Donki store operator is aiming to drive tax-free visitor sales and expand in locations of key tourist travel routes, according to a earnings presentation Monday. Pan Pacific set its 2035 goal for ¥400 billion ($2.7 billion) in tax-free sales, after a record ¥174.2 billion in tax-free sales for fiscal year 2025, driven by increased store traffic from international customers. The move comes as the government is targeting 60 million annual visitors by 2030, thanks to surging post-pandemic global tourism and a weak yen driving record inbound numbers.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Japan's Donki Operator Plans 250 New Stores in Tourism Bet
Japanese retailer Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp. plans to open 250 new stores by 2035, in a bet on continued surging foreign tourism. The Don Don Donki store operator is aiming to drive tax-free visitor sales and expand in locations of key tourist travel routes, according to a earnings presentation Monday.
Business Times
08-08-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Leading ladies: The women heading the biggest family-led hotels in Asia
[SINGAPORE] Kuok Hui Kwong's appointment as the new chief at Shangri-La Asia is only the latest in a string of women taking over the reins across family-controlled Asian hospitality groups. The daughter of Malaysia's richest man, Robert Kuok , Hui Kwong was appointed chief executive of the prestigious hotel group on Aug 1. She is the sixth of his eight children and has been Shangri-La's executive director and chairwoman since 2016 and 2017, respectively. BT highlights some of the women who have risen to the apex of command at hotel chains across Asia. Wee Wei Ling - Pan Pacific Hotels Group Wei Ling is the daughter of late banker Wee Cho Yaw and sister of UOB CEO Wee Ee Cheong PHOTO: Pan Pacific Hotels Group The executive director (Asset, Lifestyle & Community Partnerships) of Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Wee Wei Ling, has been in the hospitality business for 36 years. Wee, 73, oversees the asset management of the group's hotel properties to managing its sustainability strategy. A scion of UOB's Wee family and daughter of the late billionaire banker Wee Cho Yaw , she co-founded People, a charity that helps special needs individuals gain skills to improve their employability. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Wee, a Nanyang University political science graduate, was entrusted to run the Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, a lifestyle brand under the hotel group, in 1996. The restaurant now has outlets in Singapore, Japan and Myanmar, while the Pan Pacific group has three brands – Pan Pacific, Parkroyal Collection, and Parkroyal – straddling over 30 cities in Asia Pacific, Africa, North America and Europe. Nikki Ng - Sino Group Ng is the eldest daughter of property tycoon Robert Ng from the Far East family. PHOTO: Nikki Ng Nikki Ng hails from a long line of legendary property magnates in the Far East family. She is the eldest daughter of Singaporean businessman Robert Ng, who is the son of the late real estate billionaire Ng Teng Fong. Her uncle is Far East Organization CEO Philip Ng. Ng has been part of the Hong Kong-headquartered Sino Group since 2002, and currently serves as its non-executive director and director of philanthropy. The group comprises Sino Land Company, Tsim Sha Tsui Properties and Sino Hotels (Holdings). Its core business is property development for sales and investment, though it is also a major player in hotel investment and management. Yale-educated Ng has driven charitable initiatives at Sino, like the non-profit Hong Kong Innovation Foundation and its integrated green community project Farm Together. She previously also served as the group's general manager from 2002 until 2023, before moving onto her current role. Dawn Teo - Amara Hotels and Resorts Teo's grandfather Teo Joo Lai developed the Amara hotel. PHOTO: Amara Holdings The senior vice-president of Amara Hotels and Resorts and the director of Strategic Planning and Corporate Development for Amara Holdings, Dawn Teo is also part of a well-known family business. Her great-grandfather, Teo Teck Huat, founded the company in the 1930s as the Teo Teck Huat Group. It was initially involved in construction, including development of the iconic Cathay Cinema at Handy Road in the 1930s, before expanding its core business areas and changing its name. The Amara Singapore hotel was developed and built by Dawn Teo's grandfather, Teo Joo Lai, and opened in 1986. Dawn graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and worked in investment banking and wealth management for 15 years before joining the family business. Outside of the family business, Teo is also the co-founder and director of Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film, a non-profit visual arts centre that supports filmmakers and photographers. Kuok Hui Kwong - Shangri-La Asia Hui Kwong is the daughter of business tycoon and centenarian Robert Kuok. She was also the former chief executive of the South China Morning Post. PHOTO: Shangri-La Asia The new CEO of Shangri-La Asia, Kuok Hui Kwong was promoted to the corner office on Aug 1. She is the daughter of business tycoon and centenarian Robert Kuok, the founder of Shangri-La and the richest man in Malaysia. The chairwoman of the group since 2017 and its executive director since 2016, she was also the former chief executive of the South China Morning Post. Harvard-educated Kuok was ranked the 40th most powerful woman in Asia in a Fortune magazine list last year. Her brother Kuok Khoon Hua, also a Harvard alumni, is a director the Kuok Group, and chairman of Kerry Holdings. The Shangri-La Group, founded in 1971, operates over 100 hotels under its four brands; Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders. It owned 81 of those properties as at the end of the 2024 financial year. Sonia Cheng - Rosewood Group Cheng is a scion of the family behind New World Development and Chow Tai Fook Jewellery. PHOTO: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Trained in applied mathematics at Harvard, Rosewood CEO Sonia Cheng is at the helm of a group with three hotels in the World's 50 Best Hotels list, with Rosewood Hong Kong in third place. Like the other women heading hotel groups on this list, Cheng is from a storied and wealthy family. Her grandfather was Hong Kong billionaire Cheng Yu-tung, who escaped the war in mainland China in 1938 to found the real estate and investment conglomerate New World Development. He later also took over the Chow Tai Fook Jewellery store from his father-in-law. Her father, Henry Cheng, is now the chairman of New World Development and the Chow Tai Fook Jewellery store, with Sonia Cheng the vice-president of the latter. Cheng started her career in banking and finance before joining the family business as CEO at the age of 28, driving the expansion of Rosewood. This includes the first hotel to open under her leadership, the Rosewood London in 2013. She has since added the wellness concept Asaya, kids' club programme Rosewood Explorers Club and private members' club Carlyle & Co to the group's portfolio. Lee Boo-Jin - Hotel Shilla Lee is the younger sister of Samsung Electronics executive chairman Lee Jae-yong. PHOTO: Yonhap News/Newscom The president and CEO of South Korea's Hotel Shilla, Lee Boo-Jin, is the younger sister of Samsung Electronics executive chairman Lee Jae-yong and elder sister of Samsung Welfare Foundation chairman Lee Seo-hyun. Their father is Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee, with Boo-Jin previously having been the chairman of Samsung Construction and Trading Corporation. Hotel Shilla operates 19 luxury hotels in South Korea and one in Vietnam, with Lee Boo-jin at the helm since 2011. It also owns duty-free stores at Seoul's Incheon and Singapore's Changi airports. Lee is also considered a style icon in South Korea and had her name changed from Lee Yoo-jin at the age of three. She studied locally at Yonsei University, unlike her siblings, and was ranked the ninth-richest person in Korea in 2025 by Forbes. Ho Ren Yung - Banyan Group Ho is deputy CEO of luxury resort group Banyan Group. PHOTO: Banyan Group The deputy CEO of the Banyan Group, Ho Ren Yung has been part of her family's business since 2009. The daughter of the group's co-founders Ho Kwon Ping and Claire Chiang, Ho Ren Yung studied at the London School of Economics and oversaw the company's brand relaunch with 18 hotel openings in 2024. She took on the deputy CEO role a year ago. Her parents established the luxury resort group in 1994, which now has 10 global brands. It manages and develops resorts, hotels and spas across the world in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. Most recently, it opened the Mandai Rainforest Resort in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Ho has also co-founded co-working space Kennel and was also the founding member of AVPN Asia Gender Network and Creative Mornings in Singapore. Naphaporn Bodiratnangkura - Nai Lert Group Bodiratnangkura is a fourth generation leader of the hospitality company. PHOTO: Aman Nai Lert Bangkok The CEO of Nai Lert Group and Nai Lert Park Development, Naphaporn Bodiratnangkura is a fourth generation leader of the hospitality company. The eponymous Nai Lert was named after her great-grandfather, who started the firm in 1894 as an imported goods business. It later expanded into hotels and transport and is now involved in real estate, education and culture beyond its core hospitality focus. At 11, the Bangkok-born Bodiratnangkura was sent to an all-girls boarding school in the United Kingdom. She went on to study hotel management at the University of Surrey before moving to New York to study at the Parsons School of Design. When called back to Thailand by her grandmother, she thought her return would be short-lived. Having made her way up to the top job, Bodiratnangkura is now plugging gaps within Thailand's hospitality sector through her family business. Charintip Tiyaphorn - Pimalai Resort & Spa Tiyaphorn is the owner representative at Pimalai Resort & Spahe resort. PHOTO: Pimalai Resort & Spa The owner representative of Pimalai Resort & Spa in Thailand, Charintip Tiyaphorn also started her career away from the family business. She initially worked in auditing, before completing a master's in marketing and management. After her graduation, she was coaxed to her father's hotel to lead the accounting and finance department, before also taking over the sales and marketing department. Today, she is the owner representative at the resort. Located on Koh Lanta, Pimalai Resort was opened in 2001 by Tiyaphorn's father, Anurat Tiyaphorn, a former lawyer. Today, it boasts a reputation of being one of the most luxurious resorts on the island. It is also one of only 78 hotels to feature on the Small Luxury Hotels of the World's (SLH) Considerate Collection for its sustainability efforts. Carolyn Choo - Worldwide Hotels Group Choo was a bank management trainee when she was called upon to join her father at Worldwide Hotels Group. PHOTO: Carolyn Choo The CEO and managing director of Worldwide Hotels Group, Carolyn Choo received an urgent call from billionaire hotelier Choo Chong Ngen , her father, in 2002 to join the family business. At the time, she had been a management trainee at a local bank for over three years. Today, she has been in the top job for eight years. Worldwide Hotels Group manages brands, including the well-known Hotel 81 chain. It also owns the Novotel Singapore on Kitchener hotel and the Mercure Icon hotel in Singapore, alongside 11 other hotels in the Asia-Pacific region. The group has grown significantly since Choo joined, from having just three degree holders and 12 Hotel 81 properties to a key player in affordable hospitality today.
Travel Daily News
19-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Pan Pacific London unveils newly renovated suites
Pan Pacific London unveils renovated suites blending British elegance and Singaporean warmth, offering bespoke luxury, family features, and tailored wellness experiences. Forbes five-star hotel Pan Pacific London unveils a new standard of graceful luxury across its forty-two suites. The newly renovated suites offer guests a tactile journey through a rich tapestry of textures, colors, and botanical motifs that evoke the senses- with two evocative styles, each designed to meet the unique preferences of each guest. Designed by Singapore-based FDAT, the suites' interiors heighten residential ambiance that complements the hotel's modern aesthetic while also honoring its Singaporean heritage. Each suite presents a unique combination of craftsmanship and design with bespoke pieces and customized features setting it apart from existing rooms. Striking wallpapered artwork pays tribute to biodiversity and the delicate interplay between plant and animal life, inspired by the landscapes of Singapore's Botanical Gardens, while custom octagon-shaped lamps offer subtle nods to prosperity and good fortune. The wooden floors create a warm, inviting atmosphere with hand-tufted rugs featuring wave-inspired blue patterns evoking the calming essence of the Pacific Ocean and bringing a sense of tranquility to the space. The suites also include striking views of the capital, dressing tables, custom-designed dining tables, ergonomic desks and marble bathrooms blending elegance with functionality for work and leisure, while generous walk-in wardrobes offer ample storage space with a touch of luxury. Donovan Soon, Founding Director of FDAT, says: 'Modern and rich in detail, we wanted to create a unique experience that captures the essence of both British sophistication and the tropical warmth of Singapore. The new suites build upon the original Pan Pacific brand story, offering a sense of discovery and exotic charm. Each suite not only looks beautiful, but also inspires and evokes exploration, promising each stay a memorable journey.' Whether for a family getaway, celebrating life's milestones or business travel, each of the new suites is tailored to meet the unique preferences of each guest: The Devonshire Suite combines functionality with luxury, offering more than just a place to stay for the modern business traveler. Its versatile living area serves as an ideal space for working and relaxing. The well-appointed ergonomically designed desk, equipped with local and European power sockets, provides a productive workspace whilst in-room fitness equipment ensures guests can maintain their fitness routines. A one-way Elizabeth Line butler meet and greet from Liverpool Street Station is also included, ensuring guests and their luggage are escorted straight to their Devonshire Suite with ease. The Bishopsgate two-bedroom family suite, spanning over 100 square meters, offers the freedom to dial-up or down playtime with games and books, personalized children's turndown treats, along with Singa's Den Adventure Tepee and access to the Children's Singa Cub Club program. The Walbrook Suite, designed with celebrations in mind, offers a dedicated butler, Champagne Taittinger or a bottle of L'Excessive non-alcoholic Sparkling Wine on ice. The property's new Concert Package can prepare you for any music weekend getaway with personalized amenities including a pair of monogrammed pillowcases and a vinyl record player with a thoughtfully curated vinyl library. Guests staying in the suites also enjoy access to the hotel's SENSORY Wellbeing Floor with high performance gym, infinity pool and spa treatment rooms, evening turndown service, complimentary pressing, soft drinks mini bar and Dyson amenities. The SENSORY Sleep Program offers a customizable bed, yoga, meditation, and expert-recommended refreshments for a restful night.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh vs Pacific Emporium: Mainstream chain or hotel does it better?
In this instalment of my comparison series, I'm pitting the well-known chain Song Fa Bak Kut Teh against the upscale Pacific Emporium at Pan Pacific Singapore. On your personal foodie checklist, what elements make up a solid bowl of peppery bak kut teh? Is it determined by the tenderness of the pork ribs, or does the flavour and heat of the broth matter more to you? As for me, I place equal importance on both. I'm sure Song Fa Bak Kut Teh needs no introduction. But if you're like me and can't even remember the last time you stepped foot inside, here's a quick recap. It began as a humble pushcart stall in 1969 and has since flourished into 14 outlets across Singapore. It has also earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand listing for 8 years — impressive! I'm sure when most of you swing by Pan Pacific Singapore, you'll directly head up to level 3 where Edge resides and miss out on Pacific Emporium. Located at the ground floor lobby, this place serves Western and local-inspired cuisine. At Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, the small sized portion of the Pork Ribs Soup costs S$8.80++. To have a more balanced meal, we ordered the Pork Ribs Lunch Set A (S$13.80++) which came up to a total of S$16.55 nett (not the cheapest, for sure). It comes with 3 pieces of pork ribs in soup, golden-brown fried youtiao, plain rice, and your choice of either salted veggies or peanuts. Pacific Emporium's Peppery (S$26+) was beautifully presented on a wooden board, with a retro-looking bowl containing 4 pieces of baby back ribs and tofu puffs soaked in a thick broth. By the side was a bowl of steamed jasmine rice, condiments, and dough fritters. Maybe it was because Song Fa was my third bak kut teh stop of the day, but after just 2 spoonfuls of soup, I was already complaining about the lack of pepper. My colleague, Dean shot me a look of disbelief, as if I'd gone bonkers. Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant ($8.50) vs Chatterbox ($25): Neighbourhood eatery or hotel does it better? True enough, after 2 more sips of the broth, the slow, peppery burn began to make its presence known. My tongue had probably gone numb by then! Flavour-wise, it was well balanced, with bold notes of garlic coming through as well. It was light enough to keep sipping on without feeling overwhelmed. Oh, Song Fa also offers free refills of piping-hot soup at no extra charge. Score! The soup at Pacific Emporium had a richer light brown hue, with a thicker, collagen-like consistency. This became even more evident as the soup cooled, forming a thin film on the surface. The soup was robust and flavourful with pronounced notes of garlic. Though the pepper notes were there, I wished it had a stronger kick. We later learned that the hotel had mellowed down the pepperiness to suit the palate of tourists. Maybe there should be an option to dial it up for locals, too? That being said, the soup might start to feel a little jelak and heavy for some after a few mouthfuls. If you wish to have additional soup, there will be an extra charge of S$3 — fair enough, considering it's in a hotel setting. Some have mentioned that the ribs at Song Fa can be a little on the tough side. However, that wasn't the case for me. I was blown away by how tender and flavourful the meat was. Perhaps the chefs at the Chinatown Point outlet are more skilled? The baby back ribs pieces at Pacific Emporium were massive. The chef shared with me that they've recently adopted a new preparation method: the pork ribs are sous-vide for 24 hours before being simmered in the broth. The ribs were the epitome of tenderness, requiring almost no effort to chew. It was a lot softer than the meat served at Song Fa. Honestly, if I had just come from the dentist with all my teeth extracted, I'd still be able to handle the meat here. It was also well marinated — 2 thumbs up! The fried dough sticks at both establishments were well executed. But if I had to pick a winner, it would be the one from Song Fa — thanks to its slightly soft centre, compared to the crispier version at Pacific Emporium. When I was a teenager, I wondered what the big fuss about bak kut teh was. I mean, it just looked like boiled pork ribs in broth at that point of time (yawns). However, this dish involves dunking the meat into the mix of condiments, sipping the peppery broth and feeling the gentle burn, taking a bite of the crispy youtiao, then soaking it in the soup. This isn't just something to fill your stomach, it's a complete experience. Similar to the previous laksa battle, this was a very tough fight between both sides. Pacific Emporium really exceeded my expectations by serving one of the softest pork ribs I've ever had although the ones at Song Fa were pretty tender, too. For the soup, the version at Song Fa was lighter yet more peppery. It was a pity that the broth at Pacific Emporium was toned down in pepperiness to suit the tastes of many tourists. It's definitely a spot I'd return to, and you can bet I'll be asking for the pepper dialled up! After much deliberation, we crowned Song Fa Bak Kut Teh the winner, but only by a narrow margin. Sungei Road Laksa ($4) vs Peppermint ($38): Coffee shop stall or hotel does it better? The post Song Fa Bak Kut Teh vs Pacific Emporium: Mainstream chain or hotel does it better? appeared first on
