Hospitality trends in the Asia-Pacific: a discussion of five key sectors

This paper reviews recent trends in major hospitality sectors in the Asia-Pacific region. Observes that the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE), backpacker, and bed and breakfast sectors are growing, characterised by burgeoning market demand, proliferation of specialist infrastructure, sector-specific education and training, and dedicated development and marketing strategies. The casino sector is facing major challenges, seeing declining demand in some areas. Competitive forces are evident in the licensed clubs sector, where a proliferation of gambling options has undermined traditional sources of revenue. Conversely, the hotel and restaurant sectors can be considered mature. There is increased attention to facilities development, asset management, market segmentation and use of new technologies, and the restaurant sector appears focused on product revitalisation. Concludes that the recent economic turmoil in Asia will no doubt produce new challenges, as well as opportunities, in the lead up to the next millennium.