NRMA buys RACT tourism assets: The Australia-based National Roads & Motorists’ Association (NRMA) will acquire the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania’s (RACT) tourism portfolio of hotels and marine tourism services. The AUD160 million (US$122 million) acquisition consists of two prominent hotels within Tasmania, the 60-key Freycinet Lodge and the 60-key Cradle Mountain Hotel, and tourism services including the Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises. The assets will be paid by cash, with the company deploying part of its AUD1 billion (US$763 million) funds that has been set aside for the acquisition of Australian tourism firms. The company stated that it plans to spend millions to improve these assets in the next two to three years.
Jikeikai Group’s wellness hotel, Zen-Aomori: The Japanese company Jikeikai Group will open in 2024 the 145-room Wellness Hotel Zen-Aomori in Aomori, Japan. The hotel will offer a medical check-up upon arrival, followed by personalized wellness regimens, spa treatments, meditation guidance, and nutritional and dietary treatments. The property will also have health and wellness-focused areas with yoga facilities, saunas and exercise equipment, areas with custom lighting and comforts dedicated to mediation and relaxation, as well as areas designed for business meetings. In addition, an exclusive 10th floor was created by designer Hiroshi Matsuba, who has created more than 180 Japanese traditional “Ryokan” hotels.
H.I.G. Capital acquires Norway landmark: London-based alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital announced that an affiliate has recently completed an investment in Hotel Ullensvang, a 170-room upscale waterside resort located in Norway’s Hardangerfjord. Terms were not disclosed.
Sonesta relaunches franchising, adds to team: Less than ten days after completing its acquisition of RLH Corp., Sonesta International Hotels Corp. on Tuesday launched its renewed global hotel franchising organization. The new franchise organization is led by Keith Pierce, who was named as executive vice president, president Franchise & Development, upon closing of the Red Lion acquisition earlier this month. On Tuesday, Sonesta appointed Brian Quinn as chief development officer to lead the company’s franchise growth effort. Quinn brings more than 20 years of senior development and sales management experience to Sonesta, including nearly three years as chief franchise sales officer at Red Lion.
Holiday Inn next to LaGuardia faces foreclosure: The Holiday Inn near LaGuardia Airport In New York is facing foreclosure, a signal of looming distress for the city’s battered hospitality market. A mezzanine lender tied to Moinian Group is planning a UCC foreclosure sale of the equity interests in the 217-room hotel in Corona, Queens. The loan has a balance of US$7.2 million. The sale is planned for June 7 and the winning bidder in the auction will still have to pay the senior mortgage of about US$21 million.
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Australian mogul could double money in Sydney: Hotel mogul Jerry Schwartz is putting another of his Sydney CBD properties on the market as he re-evaluates his accommodation portfolio because of the impact of COVID-19. The rumored AUD$50 million (US$38 million) asking price for the Ibis Sydney King Street Wharf would more than double the AUD$24 million (US$18 million) Schwartz paid for the 91-room property in 2013. The eight-story budget hotel was popular until COVID-19 hit Sydney’s CBD hotel market hard from April 2020.
Global tourism looks shaky: Vaccine passports may help spur more travel, but vaccination rates suggest many countries have a long road ahead, according to data from Bloomberg Businessweek. At present vaccination rates, it will take years before many tourism-dependent countries vaccinate 75% of their population—the level at which viral transmission eases.
Social scrolling in the pandemic: The average American spent 176 hours scrolling social media for travel inspiration throughout the past year, according to new data via a survey from Motel 6. Three in five (60%) Americans experienced a stronger desire to travel in the past 12 months than in a normal year. Over half of social media scrollers (57%) said their next trip is inspired by something they saw while scrolling, and almost two-thirds (63%) said it helped keep them happy over the past unprecedented year.
U.S. Travel calls for restart on cruises: U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow has issued the following statement:
“The standard of evidence should be exceptionally high for rules that effectively single out certain industries as other parts of the economy are allowed to reopen. Restrictions have taken a disproportionately heavy toll on the travel industry and our millions of workers, and the rule preventing cruise operations is uniquely specific. It is economically imperative to find the pathways to reopening, and the evidence is clear that a layered approach to health and safety allows the safe resumption of travel. We join the calls to identify the way toward lifting the Conditional Sail Order and allowing the phased resumption of cruise operations as quickly as possible.”
Centara reopening 3: Bangkok-based Centara Hotels & Resorts will have three more hotel re-openings in early April 2021 in resort destinations across Thailand in response to increased domestic travel demands during the extended long holiday over Songkran. The move coincides with the easing of travel restrictions for international arrivals to Thailand, which will see the quarantine period shortened to 10 from the original 14 days. The three hotels and resorts include Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, Centara Hotel Hat Yai and COSI Pattaya Wong Amat Beach. All three will reopen April 1.
Marriott’s co-branded credit card in Korea: Marriott International has launched the Marriott Bonvoy The Best Shinhan Card, offered exclusively by Visa. The launch is set to be the first hotel industry credit card in South Korea. In designing the card, Marriott analyzed the spending and traveling behavior of Koreans, finding that “they love to travel (9% of credit card spend is on overseas spend) and enjoy dining out (11% of credit card spend).”
Aimbridge managing in Texas: Plano, Texas-based Aimbridge Hospitality has been selected by owners Ethan Capital to manage the newly opened 288-room Courtyard Los Angeles Monterey Park in California. The property has an onsite Starbucks as well as 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Amenities additionally include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, and room service.
Spire adds Marriott Park Ridge: Irving, Texas-based Spire Hospitality has expanded into New Jersey with the addition of Marriott Park Ridge. The 289-room property has three on-site dining options, 18,000 square feet of event space, a 24-hour fitness center, and indoor and outdoor pools.