18 October 2018 8:22 AM

Originally launched in 1971, Regent Hotels & Resorts is being updated and earmarked for extensive growth in the luxury segment as IHG looks to capitalize on its 51% ownership stake in the Asian-influenced brand.
最早於1971年誕生的麗晶品牌酒店，如今正進行更新升級並成為洲際酒店集團擴大佈局的奢華酒店品牌，因為該集團正力求擴大其51%的股份資本在這個深具亞洲風格的酒店品牌。

The InterContinental Hong Kong will be rebranded under the Regent Hotels & Resorts flag as part of a relaunch of the brand, executives announced. (Photo illustration: Rachel Daub)

By Jeff Higley
jhigley@hotelnewsnow.com
@jeffhigley1

HONG KONG—Seven months after acquiring a 51% stake in Regent Hotels & Resorts from Formosa International Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group executives on Thursday unveiled the first look at the brand’s relaunch, in conjunction with the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific.
香港報導─ 在從晶華國際酒店集團收購51%股份的七個月之後，洲際酒店集團高層在週四(10/18)於香港舉辦的亞太酒店投資大會上公佈了麗晶酒店再造的新樣貌。

Speaking during a press briefing at the iconic InterContinental Hong Kong, which will convert to the Regent flag in the near future, the executives said the luxury brand will sit at the apex of IHG’s brand family.
該媒體發佈選在麗晶品牌代表性酒店─香港洲際酒店(前身即為香港麗晶酒店)，而該酒店將在不久的將來改回麗晶酒店。洲際酒店集團高層表示，麗晶酒店將是該集團的高端奢華品牌。

A rate premium in the range of 30% to 40% above a typical InterContinental Hotel is anticipated for Regent, according to Jolyon Bulley, CEO of Greater China for IHG.
按照洲際酒店集團大中華區執行長 Jolyon Bulley的說法，大約會有三到四成的洲際酒店據點預估會成為麗晶酒店。

“They’re going to need that for the return on investment and the economics of it,” he said. “It’s a significant capital investment that will go into delivering the brand.”
Jolyon Bulley說：「這些變更成麗晶品牌的洲際酒店是有投資回報及經濟效益的因素。而這是個重大的資本投資，並能推廣麗晶品牌酒店。」

IHG will manage all Regent properties, rather than franchising with third-party management companies, Bulley said.
Bulley接著說：「洲際酒店集團將直接管理所有麗晶酒店據點，而非與第三方管理顧問公司提供特許經營的模式。」(→台北麗晶酒店是否真的會讓洲際酒店集團直接管理，倒是尚待觀察，而這也是深層的矛盾。)

“Initially we expected the interest from the owner community to be very much Asian-based because Regent has such strong heritage here,” he said. “Since we announced the acquisition, we’ve had unprecedented interest coming out of the Middle East, where Regent really doesn’t have a heritage, from Europe and also out of the U.S. as well.”
「我們最初期待的會是亞洲地區業主的青睞，因為麗晶品牌在亞洲有相當強大的文化資產。自從我們宣布併購案後，我們有來自中東地區業主前所未有的投資合作興趣，而麗晶品牌酒店在中東地區未曾有任何據點。至於來自歐洲及美國的麗晶酒店投資合作案也是有的。」

IHG will be selective on how it grows Regent, Bulley added.
洲際酒店集團大中華區執行長 Jolyon Bulley補充道：「洲際酒店集團會審慎挑選合作的業主來發展全球麗晶品牌。」

“We really see the brand going from six hotels today to 40 over the medium term,” he said. “It’s going to be very much a side-by-side partnership.”
「我們確實可以在未來中程階段看到麗晶酒店由原本的6個據點擴展至超過40個的規模。這將會是相緊密合作的投資夥伴關係。」

“We want to be in key gateway cities and key gateway resorts where there’s luxury demand,” added Justin Channe, managing director of Regent Hotels & Resorts.
麗晶酒店集團的管理總監Justin Channe補充說：「我們想要設點在有奢華酒店需求的全球主要城市及渡假勝地。」

The company announced Thursday the signing of a deal with Multibay Development to build a Regent property in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
洲際酒店集團在週四(10/18)也與馬來西亞地產開發商Multibay Development簽署了吉隆坡麗晶酒店的開發合作案。

Bulley said he doesn’t anticipate many current InterContinental Hotel properties converting to the Regent brand, but there have been selective conversations about it.
洲際酒店集團大中華區執行長 Jolyon Bulley說他並未預期目前許多洲際酒店據點轉換成麗晶酒店，但已有部份的交涉商議進行了。

“There would be a selective few—I would say three to four would probably be in the range—but no plans at this point in time for any further conversions,” he said. “It’s just the story of this one is so strong.”
「將會有挑選出的少數據點─大概是3~4間左右的數量─ 轉換成麗晶酒店。但以目前這個時間點來說，不會有任何轉換品牌的計劃。光是香港洲際酒店換回香港麗晶酒店就已經很足夠了。」

The iconic InterContinental Hong Kong, located on Victoria Harbour, was built as a Regent in 1980 and will revert to that name, Bulley said. The plan is for the property to close in 2020 for the conversion to Regent in 2021. It had been scheduled to close for major renovations last year, but that plan was scuttled when IHG acquired the Regent brand.
Bulley接著說「這間位於維多利亞港指標性的香港洲際酒店，最初在1980年以香港麗晶酒店開業，如今將更名回去。這更名轉換計劃將使香港洲際酒店於2020年先行歇業，並在2021年變更成香港麗晶酒店。香港洲際酒店原本要在去年(2017年)歇業以進行重大改裝工程，然而就在洲際酒店集團併購麗晶集團後，該改裝工程計劃就被迫石沉大海。」

“It’s a billion-dollar asset, this hotel,” Bulley said. “The investment is going to be significant. We are going to close this hotel for at least a year.”
「香港洲際酒店可是價值數十億美金的資產。此項改造工程將耗費鉅資，且歇業期將至少一年。」

IHG’s acquisition and relaunch of the Regent brand is all about reaching a growing consumer segment, executives said. By 2025, the luxury accommodations segment will be worth $95 billion, according to Channe.
洲際酒店集團此次的併購麗晶酒店及改造計劃，實因為了不斷成長的國際高端客層市場。因為按照麗晶酒店集團的管理總監Justin Channe的說法，在2025年之前，頂級奢華酒店市場的產值將高達950億美金(約2兆9450億台幣)。

“Regent is perfectly positioned in our uppermost luxury brands to maximize on this opportunity,” he said.
「麗晶酒店是最適合成為洲際酒店集團中最頂級奢華的酒店品牌，並可大幅增加搶攻頂級奢華酒市場的商機。」

Tom Rowntree, VP of global luxury brands for IHG, said three things are driving the luxury segment’s growth:
洲際酒店集團全球奢華酒店品牌的副總裁 Tom Rowntree表示，有三項因素正驅動著奢華酒店市場的成長：

• The continued growth of traditional luxury markets such as Europe and North America;
• The incredible growth of the number of Chinese travelers; and
• The rise of millennial consumers, which accounts for 45% of all luxury consumption.
• 傳統奢華酒店市場，比方像是歐洲及北美洲，仍持續成長。
• 中國旅客的驚人成長。
• 千禧世代消費者的崛起代表著該客群佔所有奢侈品消費的45%。

“It’s an unprecedented time where you’ve got three incredible drivers driving the sector, and that’s really the core of our focus on the development of the Regent brand,” Rowntree said.
Rowntree表示：「這是個前所未有的時機，因上述三項驅力因素都同時在導引著奢華酒店市場，而這確實是我們洲際酒店集團專注發展麗晶酒店品牌的主要原因。」

The timing of the Regent brand relaunch coincides with its 50th anniversary, approaching in 2021, executives said. The brand was founded in 1970.
洲際酒店集團高層表示，麗晶品牌再造的時間點與其品牌成立的第五十個年頭2021年是差不多一致的。而該品牌是在1970年誕生。」

“The world’s best luxury brands all have a heritage and history that makes their credibility absolutely undeniable,” Rowntree said. “As do we with the Regent brand.”
洲際酒店集團全球奢華酒店品牌的副總裁 Tom Rowntree說：「全球所有最佳的頂級奢華酒店品牌都有文化資產及歷史傳承，而這也讓他們的公信力絶無否定可言，如同我們洲際酒店集團對待麗晶酒店品牌一樣。」