Hilton ponders more WA sites

Hilton ponders more WA sites
By admin


Hilton has confirmed it is “very keen” to pursue further opportunities in Western Australia, following last week’s announcement it would open its first Australian DoubleTree property in Karratha.

Vice president development Australasia Robert Scullin told Travel Today the hotel chain was considering additional properties in the region on the back of the resources boom.

He revealed construction costs in the region, traditionally high, had been made viable by its new cost effective construction model combining traditional and modern techniques.

The lower two floors of the new Karratha property will be built using traditional methods, with the upper six storeys to be effectively pre-built, transported to the site and slotted into place. It is a similar format used on housing projects, Scullin said.

“The new model has certainly reduced the construction time and the size of the teams required to build a hotel,” he said.

Scullin revealed the firm was targeting significant Australia expansion from its current eight properties although no target number has been set.

He confirmed more Hilton properties would be unveiled in Australasia over the next 12 months, with some of those in Australia, although he identified the “tight financial market” as a challenge.

“We’d like to have a nice network of Australian hotels,” he said, adding the firm was looking beyond WA.

In addition to new-build opportunities, the firm is eyeing potential conversions in state capitals, with an additional Perth property high on the list.

“The Perth market is where every hotel would like to have more inventory,” he said.

Its DoubleTree brand has opened 25 properties in the Middle East and Asia over the first six months of the year.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]