New properties proliferate as visitor spend hits new heights

Australia’s hotel growth is galloping ahead as new figures show the nation smashing targets for visitor spending.

Latest National Visitor Survey figures show our Tourism 2020 goal to grow visitor expenditure on overnight accommodation to $115 billion has been met well ahead of schedule, with international and national overnight visitor expenditure now at a record $118.9 billion.

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”15046″ align=”left”]Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson says the success has been driven by “the combined efforts of the tourism and accommodation sectors allied with the federal government”.

The booming local market is not going unnoticed by international brands.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced a 124-room TRYP by Wyndham hotel in Adelaide to open in 2021, the fourth to be developed under the rapidly expanding ‘local vibe’ brand Down Under.

The $35 million Pultney Street hotel will be created by Ginos Group and encompass a lounge, two restaurants, two bars and meetings rooms.

“Tourism in South Australia is soaring; visits to the state increased seven percent in year ending September 2018, reaching a record high of seven million,” said the group’s president and managing director for South East Asia and Pacific Rim, Joon Aun Ooi.

“TRYP by Wyndham is a vibrant brand, which appeals to the modern traveller. We are excited to be bringing this exciting urban concept to Adelaide, a city that is attracting visitors from all over the world. When it opens, the hotel’s stylish design and tailored experiences will enable guests to explore the city like a local.”

Regional Rydges

Meanwhile, Rydges has added hotels in the regional NSW towns of Tamworth and Armidale to its portfolio.

The Event-owned hotel group is cashing in on NSW’s continued dominance of the national tourism spend figures (28.8 percent), which show more than half of the state’s domestic visitor spending occurring in regional areas.

The existing properties will be rebranded Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges and the Powerhouse Hotel Armidale by Rydges and relaunched under the brand this month.

Both will continue to be managed by their owner, hotelier Greg Maguire.

“The completion of a multi-million-dollar upgrade, which will take our Tamworth hotel from a 4.5-star rating to a five-star rating, was the catalyst for choosing to partner with Event,” said Mr Maguire, a long-term operator of both properties.

The Tamworth property encompasses 81 rooms close to the CBD, while the Armidale hotel has 57 rooms, a restaurant and wine and tapas bars.

Melbourne curtain raiser

Brady Hotels will open its latest 4.5-star laneway hotel in Melbourne’s theatre district on August 1.

The boutique $32 million Brady Hotels Jones Lane spans 21 storeys and encompasses 153 rooms.

The styling “takes on a sophisticated dark palette, complimented by chic brass pendant lighting and leather lounges adding a cheerful pop of bright orange”, according to the development team of SJB, Peddle Thorp Group and Brady Construction.

Features include floor to ceiling windows, black and marble bathrooms, bespoke furniture and Australian Urban Skin Care bathroom amenities.

The developments include Jones Lane Café and Bar, two garden terraces, a gym, laundry and bike storage room.

Group general manager Robert Moore said: “Jones Lane is a ‘very Brady’ hotel with its emphasis on design excellence and guest experience; and ‘very Melbourne’ in its laneway setting and positioning as smart, cultured and unpretentious.”

Moxy double

Marriott International has announced a 150-room Moxy hotel for Perth, hot on the heels of its Melbourne South Yarra signing earlier this year.

The Moxy Perth development at 195 Hay Street, due for completion in 2021, will be backed by a consortium of West Australian business people.

The brand is defined by “minimalist yet multifunctional design”, with features including a bar, a 24/7 self-service grab-and-go food concept, a communal lounge for guests and locals, fitness centre and free wifi.

“Moxy is an adventurous, fun and bold response to the desires of today’s travellers, who are seeking out a lifestyle and experience, rather than just a hotel room,” said Sean Hunt, area vice president, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Marriott International.

“This is the second Moxy hotel signed in Australia in 2019 alone, showing the need for lifestyle hotels in the market.

“Moxy Perth will be a vibrant addition to the city of Perth, which, with its waterfront location and thriving calendar of events continues to attract urban travellers from across Australia and the world.”