Hotel Openings 2021 and beyond...

More than 70 hotels are poised to open in Australia and New Zealand in 2021 and more than 41 slated for 2022 in a strong signal the industry is surging forward in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trend offers some new choices for business travellers heading into Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington – locations which are dominating hotel openings.

In a further encouraging sign, it’s a significant increase on a total of the 37 hotels which were planned to open in 2020.

The latest hotels report, released by FCM Consulting, has revealed so far this year 30 hotels consisting of new builds, renovations and rebrands have opened in Australia and New Zealand.

These include Adelaide (1); Brisbane (3); Geelong (1); Hobart (1); Melbourne (10); Newcastle (1); Parramatta (1); Perth (1); Sydney (2); Traralgon (1); Werribee (1); Auckland (4); Dunedin (1); and Wellington (2).

FCM General Manager Consulting, Felicity Burke, said the new hotels would give business travellers peace-of-mind around health and hygiene factors with many embracing technology to change the traveller experience such as online check-in.

“Some of these properties are not in a CBD so that will relieve some of high occupancies we have been seeing in regional locations,” she said.

“While border closures and lockdowns have continued in 2021, corporates have focused on intra-state travel driving up the demand for regional hotels mid-week.

“Coming out of 2020 there has been a backlog of new hotel openings in Melbourne, and it’s encouraging to see during the first half of 2021 those hotels that have opened and growing steadily, albeit in a challenging environment.”

With more than 22 hotels due to open in Q3-2021, of which 9 have been rebranded, it is the ideal time for travel procurement teams to review their future hotel programs.

On the books for Q3-2021 in Australia and New Zealand include Adelaide (3); Albany (1); Brisbane (2); Cairns (1); Gladstone (1); Melbourne (4); Toukley (1); Sydney (2); Auckland (3); Kaikoura (1); Papakura (1); Queenstown (1); and Wellington (1).

Summer travellers are set to be spoiled for choice with Q4-2021 set to continue the trend with more than 20 hotels queued to come online including Brisbane (1); Gold Coast (1); Hobart (1); Maroochydore (1); Melbourne (6); Parramatta (1); Perth (1); Sydney (2); Yarrawonga (1); Cambridge (1); Christchurch (1); Queenstown (2); and Wellington (1).

Next year is positioned to see a further 41+ hotel properties open across the region with several acquisitions of existing hotels and new branding on some well-known hotel brands coming into the markets in 2022.

FCM Consulting predicts the good news to continue into 2023 with more than 30 new hotel openings all currently at various stage of build on the horizon.

The hotel industry is definitely ready to deliver some great experiences.

Now is also a great time to review your hotel program with our experts at FCM Consulting.