13 hours ago
North Korea Opens Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone
STR reported China hotel data for the week ended June 21. China hotel RevPAR was down 7.7% year-over-year. At least this week, it was up against a tougher comp of a 2.2% gain in the year-ago week. For the week ended 6/21/25, ADR was down 2.3% year-over-year while occupancy was down 5.5% for the week.
PATA released their Asian Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027: Mid-Year Update. Under their medium scenario, international visitor arrivals to Asia Pacific are expected to reach 801 million by 2027, up from 692 million in 2025. China remains the top inbound market, forecast to welcome up to 148 million visitors by 2027. The U.S. and Türkiye are not far behind, with Türkiye and Mongolia poised for the most robust recovery. China continues to lead outbound travel, with the U.S., Korea, and Japan showing stability, and India, the UK, and the Russian Federation becoming increasingly significant source markets.
In another troubling situation for Thailand, a report surfaced saying the turmoil in the Middle East has tourists from the Persian Gulf countries, as well as the U.S. and Europe, increasingly canceling their trips. The Thailand Hotel Association warned that the number of tourists from the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East could fall by 10% and as much as 20%, particularly noticeable this summer, as that is the peak season for Middle Eastern visitors seeking coolness in Thailand. The Deputy Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand also blamed higher tariffs and rising prices, caused by the trade and foreign policies of U.S. President Trump, for the declines. They are also concerned about the potential for oil prices to rise, along with a whole bunch of other reasons why Thailand will not come close to their projected arrival numbers this year.
Yesterday, we reported how Thailand's ruling government optimistically said they are pushing forward with their Entertainment Casino Complexes bill, would have their first reading in a few weeks, and they had enough votes to pass. A few hours later, they announced they were postponing the reading of the bill because they needed time to educate the public. A year of debating this is not enough time to educate the public? The government claims that it believes the public thinks the Entertainment Complexes are just casinos, and that is what the bill is all about, not the non-gaming activities that the bill would authorize for development.
Savills (Macau) Limited said The 13 Hotel in Macau has been sold for HK$600 million (US$76 million) to a local investor, not the US$51 million that was previously reported. Savills said the deal marked the first hotel property transaction in Macau this year. The new owner plans to invest HK$200 million to HK$300 million in repositioning and comprehensive interior and exterior renovations of the property. The redevelopment is expected to integrate French palace aesthetics with non-gaming elements. The new owner is assembling a team and developing plans that will completely reimagine everything from interior design to dining facilities. The 199-room property had been marketed with an asking price of HK$2.4 billion. JLL has been appointed as the management company for the hotel to ensure a smooth transition.
Mirah Investment & Development announced the soft launch of Kuara Resort, a boutique beachfront retreat on the southern coast of Lombok, Indonesia. Kuara has just 16 villas and is the third full-scale resort delivered within an 18-month span by Mirah. The villas range from one to three bedrooms, with select ones featuring direct beachfront access, private swimming pools, or open-air fire pits.
Kim Jong Un celebrated the official opening of the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist zone. The new coastal zone has hotels, sports facilities, restaurants, and can host nearly 20,000 guests. As to where the guests will come from, that is the big mystery, because it will only be open to local tourists. Regardless, the North Korean leader said this is a proud first step in building a stronger tourism industry.
In India, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd. said it is embarking on an aggressive expansion with plans to triple the number of properties and rooms to over 300 and 20,000, respectively, in the next five years. The company is also getting into the budget segment, targeting youngsters and Gen Z customers under the Regenta Z brand. It added 14 hotels in the past year, over 960 rooms, up to 115 hotels today. In the next one to one and a half years, it wants to add another 30 hotels, and in the next five years, it wants to triple its room count and number of hotels, targeting 300-plus hotels. Royal Orchid has a new 5-star brand, 'Iconiqa', with all its further five-star hotels to be under this brand. Royal Orchid will now have seven brands – Iconiqa, Hotel Royal Orchid, Royal Orchid Central, Crestoria, Regenta, Regenta Place, and Regenta Z.
RCI announced the addition of several Club Mahindra properties in India to its global exchange network. The partnership significantly expands RCI's presence in India, and provides its members with access to a wider range of holiday experiences. The newly affiliated Club Mahindra resorts in RCI include Club Mahindra Kensville Golf Resort in Ahmedabad; Club Mahindra Le Vintuna Managed Resort in Gangtok; Club Mahindra Assonora Resort in Goa; Club Mahindra Bharatpur Resort; Club Mahindra Saura Hotel in Agra; Club Mahindra at the Chumbi Mountain Retreat Resort & Spa in Pelling; and Club Mahindra Pavagadh, located near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park.
Personnel Move
Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a unit of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., announced that Hidechika Takasaka has been appointed President and Representative Director. In 2024, he was appointed Director of the Board and Senior Managing Executive Officer at Okura Nikko Hotel Management.
