In one-on-one meetings this week at ALIS with senior executives of major management and brand companies, HOTELS Editor Jeff Weinstein learned how these companies are performing through the pandemic and planning for the months and years ahead. Here is the second roundup from his notebook (click here for Thursday’s roundup):
Outrigger Hospitality Group
President and CEO Jeff Wagoner first said the group has four LOIs in the Maldives with plans to manage, brand and joint venture with the current owner.
Outrigger is also putting its balance sheet to work (not owner KSL’s), closing August 25 on the acquisition of the Sheraton Kona with plans to rebrand the property as Outrigger. Another three properties were bought and rebranded by Outrigger in Thailand with Wagoner saying the group is looking for more opportunities in Asia Pacific, as well as its home market of Hawaii and for the first time the U.S. mainland. It is targeting southern California and Florida, as well as Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.
With a 140% increase in airlines seats coming from mainland U.S., Outrigger ran 80% occupancy in June and through late July, according to Wagoner, who nonetheless is anxious to see inbound international business return.
With 32 hotels in the system when Kona closes, Outrigger has some 25 deals in the pipeline with Wagoner suggesting six to eight of those deals “very active.” He also said Outrigger will consider portfolio deals.
Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort lobby is part of its new portfolio in Thailand
IHG
Big milestones were on the mind of Elie Maalouf, CEO of the Americas for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
Holiday Inn Express is turning 30 with about 3,000 hotels in its system as well as an ongoing robust pipeline. Express was listed as the second largest hotel brand in the world in HOTELS 2021 Giants ranking based on data at the end of 2020.
It is also the 75th anniversary for its luxury InterContinental brand with some 200 hotels open and 75 in the pipelines, according to Maalouf.
Some of IHG’s newer brands are also experiencing much traction as Maalouf said its 40-hotel Avid brand has a pipeline of some 180 hotels and is performing well through the pandemic with 70% occupancy levels.
A third Atwell Suites is under construction and the 80-room project is scheduled to open in early summer 2022. Others are under construction in Miami and Denver. There are currently more than 20 properties in IHG’s U.S. pipeline for this all-suites brand optimized for longer stays of up to six nights.
Some 50 voco-branded hotels are open or under development (about 20 open and 30 under development globally) and IHG recently announced plans for the first dual-branded voco in downtown Chicago at an existing Holiday Inn. The hotel is currently undergoing a complete renovation that will include transforming a portion of the existing building into a voco. Other U.S. voco properties now open or coming soon are located in New York City, St. Augustine, Florida, and Columbia, Missouri.
An upbeat Maalouf waxed about the past year and how it showed how much the hotel industry means to its people, staying focused on taking care of guests and even more importantly its internal customers.