Luxury hotel chain Hilton has inked the deal with six landmark signings in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region such as Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, and LXR Hotels & Resorts.
The latest deal includes Waldorf Astoria Xi’an, Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur, Waldorf Astoria Sydney, Conrad Nagoya, and an LXR Hotels & Resorts property in Bali.
The hotel business said travelers will enjoy a luxurious stay in more than 50 luxury hotels in the region once the additional six new hotels and resorts open. Currently, the APAC region presents a US$10 trillion consumption growth opportunity over the next decade.
“Hilton is Asia Pacific’s fastest growing hospitality company, and that signals the confidence that owners and developers have in our ability to capture growing demand and deliver strong returns in APAC’s most sought-after destinations,” said Alan Watts, President of Asia Pacific, Hilton.
“We share the optimism that owners and developers have about the future of luxury travel and appreciate the importance they place on partners and brands that will optimize their yield. As we continue to pursue quality organic growth and enhance our network effect, we too stay focused on prioritizing the right partnerships to deploy the right brands in the right locations.”
As the travel industry bounces back after the Covid-19 lockdown, investors have shown increasing interest in hospitality real estate, as the APAC hotel investment volume in 2021 grew 46 percent year-on-year to exceed US$12 billion, and investors focused on acquiring luxury or resort assets. The luxury travel segment is also expected to burgeon as 42% of APAC consumers travel internationally to seek out luxury experiences.
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur and Waldorf Astoria Jakarta will open in 2024. Waldorf Astoria in Jakarta will become the city’s tallest building in the capital of Indonesia. Hilton will open in the following year as Japan’s first Waldorf Astoria in Osaka.
In 2026, the hotel giant will unveil Waldorf Astoria Sydney in Circular Quay. Meanwhile, Conrad Kuala Lumpur is set to open next year in Malaysia while Nagoya, Japan will welcome the opening of its first Conrad hotel Conrad Nagoya in 2026. The first LXR-branded resort in Southeast Asia will open in 2023 which is a 72 villa resort in Bali, Indonesia.
“These signings mark an incredible moment for our luxury brand portfolio as we expand Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR throughout five countries in the region, offering even more opportunities for travelers to immerse in our authentic approach,” said Dino Michael, Senior Vice President & Global Category Head of Luxury Brands, Hilton.
“From Waldorf Astoria’s intuitive service to Conrad’s bold design and LXR’s culturally immersive experiences, the hotels continue to showcase innovation and deliver on what guests are looking for in their stay. This expansion reinforces the appeal of the brands globally, and is a true testament to the team members who bring luxury to life.”
Hilton’s said the latest deal signifies a further closing of key city gaps with its luxury brands debut or expansion in key travel destinations such as Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.
Hilton added in its press release that almost 60 percent of the global Conrad estate is in the APAC region today. The brand said it has the largest share in Hilton’s APAC luxury portfolio and will grow by almost 50 percent when hotels in its pipeline open.
