by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Wed March 27, 2019
Hilton's DoubleTree hotel brand is poised for tremendous growth in the year ahead with the vast majority of that expansion slated to take place in the Asia Pacific region.
During an interview with TravelPulse, the brand's Senior Vice President and Global Head, Shawn McAteer, said about 200 hotels are in the pipeline for 2019, half of which will be located across Australia, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
"Travel both inbound to Asia and outbound is increasing, so it helps to have a good footprint in the region," McAteer began.
The growth spurt is even more notable when considering the brand's history. Up until 2008, DoubleTree had no hotels outside of North America, McAteer explained. Its first foray into Asia was in Beijing, after which the growth continued to multiply. Now, as DoubleTree celebrates its 50th anniversary, there are 560 properties across 45 countries.
"We have five new countries that the brand is coming into just in Asia. That is really exciting for us when you look back at the DoubleTree story," McAteer continued. "For 11 years we were in just one country. Now we have 45. It's a remarkable story."
Beyond the story of growth, the message McAteer would like to pass along to travel agents, in particular, is that DoubleTree is a brand with very good distribution, particularly throughout Asia, where 62 properties are already in operation.
As for the properties in the pipeline for the region, they're primarily new builds, but a small fraction, about 17 will be property conversions.
It's also worth noting that whether it's the new DoubleTree property in the vibrant cultural hub of Perth, Australia or the upcoming DoubleTree in the eclectic Indonesia metropolis of Surabaya, each property is being designed to provide both leisure and business travelers access to key cultural and business centers across the Asia Pacific.
Here are some of the most noteworthy 2019 DoubleTree openings.
DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila Rajawarna Resort (Weerawila, Sri Lanka)
The first DoubleTree by Hilton in the country, this contemporary resort will be located near three of the top 10 most visited wildlife national parks and sanctuaries in the country, providing travelers with a thrilling, adventurous getaway in the heart of Sri Lanka.
DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside (Putrajaya, Malaysia)
A conversion hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya Lakeside will be Hilton's first hotel in Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital when it opens.
DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort (Patong, Thailand)
Set in the heart of Patong and overlooking the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort provides guests with a tranquil getaway beginning right at check-in. The resort will be the first DoubleTree by Hilton property in the gorgeous province of Phuket.
DoubleTree by Hilton Suzhou Wujiang (Suzhou, China)
Overlooking the Jinghang Canal, this newly-built hotel will open as the only international hotel in Suzhou Wujiang's business development zone, providing access to key economic centers.
DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya (Surabaya, Indonesia)
Located in Surabaya's city center on historic Jalan Tunjungan Road, DoubleTree by Hilton Surabaya will provide the ideal destination for business travelers and conventions, as it will boast the city's largest ballroom, a large exhibition floor, 16 meeting rooms, and a 360-degree rooftop meeting room.
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