Travellers formalizes partnership with Hotel Okura

January 5, 2018

Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc., owner and operator of Resorts World Manila (RWM), formalized an agreement with Hotel Okura Co., Ltd. , a luxury Japanese hospitality chain to operate Hotel Okura Manila, a 191-room hotel, as part of the country’s first integrated resort, according to a disclosure by RWM to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday. With a soft opening targeted in the fourth quarter of 2018, Okura will join the roster of RWM’s portfolio of international hotel brands that include Marriott Hotel Manila, along with the soon-to-open Sheraton Manila Hotel and Hilton Manila. Remington Hotel, RWM’s value for money offering, will soon be rebranded as Holiday Inn Express. Held at the Marriott Hotel Manila, the signing ceremony was attended by Toshihiro Ogita, president, Okura; Hidetoshi Ishimaru, corporate executive officer, Okura; and Yeonhang Chua, senior advisor, InterAsia Links Co. Representing  Travellers International Hotel Group were Kingson Sian, president and CEO; Bernard Than Boon Teong, chief financial officer; and  Gina Alvarez, chief legal and corporate services officer. “The Philippines, especially Manila, is a very promising market considering the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and population size, both of which are growing fast. The local hotel business is benefiting from these and other favorable trends,” said Ogita. “Having worked closely with Mr. Kingson Sian, we are confident that we will receive their full support as a reliable partner to operate the hotel. We will leverage the group’s expertise in traditional Japanese hospitality to make Hotel Okura Manila a much-beloved hotel among both local and foreign visitors,” Ogita adde,. Hotel Okura Macau opened in 2011, followed by the opening of The Okura Prestige Bangkok and The Okura Prestige Taipei in 2012. Okura intends to expand its growing portfolio to 100 properties worldwide, with focus on Asia. Okura has already announced to open Okura brand hotels in Cappadocia in 2019, Manila, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon in 2020, and Taichung in 2021. DMS