Singapore hotels to benefit from strong Christmas party season and other international news

Singapore hotels to benefit from strong Christmas party season
Singapore hotels are set to hit a record sales-high for corporate orders and end-of-year parties during the Christmas period, according to a report on Channelnewsasia.com. With retail sales in the territory booming hoteliers look set to benefit from the improved sentiment, also. At the Pan Pacific hotel, more than 90% of its 27 meeting rooms have been put aside for Christmas parties and its two grand ball rooms are booked solidly into January, a trend across Singapore.

Marriott to open eleven hotel in Beijing
Marriott International is to open its 11 hotel in Beijing in 2008 under a management agreement reached with Beijing Huhua Estate Development. The 19-storey hotel will be named the Beijing Marriott Hotel City Wall and will have 615 bedrooms. It will be a mixed development on a 9,000sq m site. Marriott claims its customer bedrooms will be the largest in its Chinese portfolio, with all featuring bathrooms boasting separate showers and tubs.

Starwood named Special Olympics hotel partner
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has been named global hotel partner for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. The sponsorship includes financial and in-kind support by Starwood. The hotel company will also broadcast Olympic news throughout its internal television channel in its properties. Starwood is also donating $50 (£30) to the Special Olympics for each Westin Heavenly Bed, Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed and Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort bed sold through Starwood retail channels in the lead up to the event.

Online travel bookings to overhaul offline in 2007
A new report by PhoCusWright claims online travel bookings in the USA will surpass offline bookings in volume for the first time in 2007. Transactions on the internet are forecast to account for over half (54%) of all US travel bookings next year. PhoCusWright also predicts that the lead operators have had online – such as hotels and airlines – through direct bookings will be further eroded in 2007 with online booking agents such as Expedia and Travelocity taking a larger chunk of online sales.

Whopper to return to Japan
Burger King is set to return to Japan after a five-year absence. Two Japanese companies, Lotte and Revamp, will operate the fast-food outlets under licence from Burger King. They plan to open 100 Burger King stores during the next five years. The burger brand beat a retreat from Japan in 2001 after weak sales and fierce competition from rival McDonalds.

By Chris Druce

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