Latest news: Raffles gets Tokyo; Marriott residences growth; Taj first residence

Raffles adding Tokyo. Raffles Hotels & Resorts, alongside World Trade Center Building, Inc. and Tokyo Tatemono Co., plan to debut Raffles Tokyo in 2028 as part of the redevelopment of Tokyo’s World Trade Center in the Hamamatsuchō district. Slated to occupy the top 46 floors of the WTC building, Raffles Tokyo will feature 130 guestrooms, including 27 suites. It will also include six food and beverage outlets, as well as a fitness studio, swimming pool, and spa and bathhouse. The hotel will also offer more than 1,156 sqm of multi-functional meeting spaces and facilities.

Marriott expands in branded residences. Marriott International has announced the continued growth of its branded residences program, along with enhanced Residence Owners benefits through ONVIA, the company’s newly integrated owner recognition platform. Marriott has grown its open portfolio by nearly 50% since year-end 2019, with 138 open residential locations today, and a pipeline of 123 projects, representing around 90% growth on its existing footprint. The company’s branded residence portfolio includes both co-located projects with a hotel of the same brand, and standalone properties, which comprise nearly 25% of open and pipeline projects. EMEA has the biggest pipeline with 41 projects. The elevated Marriott Bonvoy status for Residence Owners includes preferred residence owner rates for select hotels within the global Marriott Bonvoy portfolio; special offerings and preferred access on voyages with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; exclusive offers on culinary experiences; a focus on wellness, including spa and treatment offerings; and access to an accredited concierge service.

Equinox to KSA. New York City-based Equinox Hotels announced it will open a of resort in Treyam as part of the NEOM development in Saudi Arabia. It is part of Magna’s 12 destinations located on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. The wellness-focused Equinox Resort Treyam will span a 450-meter-long bridge-like structure, floating 40 meters above a lagoon.

Promotions at IHG. Rajit Sukumaran has taken on an expanded role as IHG Hotels & Resorts as senior vice president and managing director, East Asia & Pacific to oversee its growth, performance and reputation in more than 20 countries. He led IHG’s South East Asia & Korea (SEAK) business unit over the past four years. Previously, he oversaw the regional strategy for IHG’s brands growth as chief development officer, Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa. Additionally, Vivek Bhalla has been promoted to IHG’s managing director, SEAK with responsibility for the growth, performance and operations of its estate of more than 120 hotels across 10 brands, and a pipeline of over 90 properties. Bhalla has been with the company since 2016, most recently spending four years as vice president, Operations, SEAK.

AHLA comments on NYC hotel license bill. On July 18, New York City Council members introduced a bill that would require hotels to obtain additional licenses to operate in the city. Securing those licenses would require non-union hotels to eliminate the use of subcontractors for core functions – an attempt to turn unionization into a government-enforced requirement for hotels. The bill would also require all hotel owners to be treated as joint employers along with hotel operators and set strict requirements for a number of hotel staffing functions. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) urges council members to take a more deliberative approach to this bill, which would have a widespread negative impact on the city’s workforce and economy. “This abrupt and destructive bill would permanently alter how hotels operate and threaten the jobs of thousands of New Yorkers,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “If it becomes law, thousands of hotel jobs could be lost, hotels will shutter, and New York City’s economy – especially small business retailers, restaurants, and other hotel service providers – will suffer substantially. The bill imposes workplace rules that should be negotiated at the collective bargaining table, and fast-tracking a proposal of this magnitude in the dead of summer without input from hoteliers is policy malpractice.”

Amex reports on T&E spending. Travel and entertainment spending by American Express U.S. commercial customers increased 3% year-over-year in the second quarter 0f 2024, as spending by international commercial customers showed strong growth during the period, the company reported. U.S. commercial customer T&E spending for Amex totaled $28 billion in the second quarter, equal to the previous quarter and up from $27 billion in the second quarter of 2023. On goods and services, Amex U.S. commercial customer spending was up 1% YOY to $104 billion. Total spending by small and midsized commercial customers, inclusive of T&E and goods and services, was up 2% YOY in the quarter, while spending by large and global corporations in the U.S. was flat. T&E spending by international Amex customers, both consumer and commercial, increased 11% YOY to $27 billion. International SME and large corporate spending, inclusive of T&E and goods and services, was up 14% YOY, compared with a 13% YOY for international consumer business.

The Taj moves into residences. The Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. (IHCL) is joining the branded residences sector with the launch of the Taj Branded Residences in Chennai with 123 residences alongside a 235-room hotel. Plans are underway to consider similar projects in at least eight other cities in India. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, IHCL achieved its ninth consecutive record-setting quarter, with enterprise revenue exceeding INR 30 billion ($360 million), up 7% year-over-year. The company also saw a 12% increase in profit after tax to INR 2.5 billion ($30 million). The management fee of IHCL also saw a 17% increase from the previous year.