Hanoi hotel sector grows

HANOI  Hanoi Department of Statistics says an estimated 30 hotels offering 5,000 rooms — including 3,600 five-star rooms — are scheduled to open in Hanoi this year.
Local media reported that research conducted by Savills Vietnam, Hanoi currently showed there were 9,000 rooms in 64 hotels ranging from three to five-star, up 4% quarter-on –quarter and 10% year-on-year.
Half the supply falls under the five-star hotel segment. South Korea’s Lotte Hanoi hotel opened in March this year, supplying an additional 318 five-star rooms.
The first quarter of 2015 is considered a peak tourism season, generating a 5% climb in average room rates from the previous quarter and a 4% annual increase.
inside no 2According to the Hanoi Department of Statistics, there were 537,000 international arrivals in the city during the first three months of this year, a 14% drop from the first quarter of last year. Over 80% were tourists and 17% were business travellers.
In the first quarter, the occupancy rate rose just 1%.
Savills Vietnam’s Head of Research and Consultancy Do Thu Hang said the hotel market will expand further over the next three quarters, thanks to promotional activities and visa exemption policies for international tourists.

sourced:ttrweekly.com