The city of Beppu, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, has long been a favourite with locals as an onsen retreat. Today, the city will enjoy a boost as an international spa resort destination with the announcement of the execution of a hotel management agreement for the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa between IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC and GHS K.K.
The exclusively designed ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa will be InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts'e first onsen resort and will feature a unique experience including a public onsen bath, spa and pool, as well as a fitness centre, restaurants & bars and Club InterContinental lounge. Each of the 89 luxury guest rooms also will feature both common and private onsen supplied with water from a local hot spring.
Scheduled to open in 2019, this will be Oita’s first international luxury branded hotel and is expected to be a key attraction for both Japanese and overseas visitors, catering to the burgeoning luxury traveller segment. The resort – which is situated on 82,000m2 of land overlooking the city and bay – will be developed by Tokyo Century Corporation, with the support of Oita prefecture and Beppu City.
Hans Heijligers, CEO of IHG ANA, commented: “InterContinental is a world-renowned, truly international luxury hotel brand, located in most of the world’s key cities and many resort destinations. We are delighted to be launching in Beppu, a scenic area of natural beauty, blessed with rich cuisine and fine hot springs. As InterContinental’s first onsen resort, ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa will be a globally unique luxury resort, and I am confident it will be a highly sought-after destination for both domestic and international travellers. This ANA and InterContinental co-branded hotel will attract both international and domestic travellers.”
Shunichi Asada, President & CEO, Representative Director of Tokyo Century Corporation said: “This is the first luxury resort development for Tokyo Century Corporation, and we are especially excited to work with an internationally acclaimed global hotel brand as InterContinental for this project. Through the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa development, our aim is to contribute to Beppu’s ambition to be a world-class international tourist destination.”
Satoru Kondo, President of GHS, K.K., which has leased the property from Tokyo Century Corporation and which has engaged IHGANA to manage the Hotel, added: “With its natural beauty and more than 2,400 natural springs, Beppu has built a reputation throughout Asia as one of Japan’s most renowned onsen destinations. We are very focused on further developing the city’s potential as a destination for travellers who seek a world-class luxury resort experiences. We look forward to providing the iconic true luxury experience that InterContinental offers and to raising the international profile of the destination.”
Oita Prefecture has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination in recent years, especially for visitors from South Korea, Taiwan and South East Asia, and that is expected to grow as Oita City prepares to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Luxury hotels like ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa help support this influx of tourism by responding to the need for premium, world-class accommodation.
There are currently 69 InterContinental Hotels and Resorts across Asia, Middle East and Africa, representing over one third of a total 187 of the brand’s properties globally, with 27 in the development pipeline set to open in the coming three to five years. For more information on InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, visit www.intercontinental.com.
