Dusit to Vietnam. The result of a long-term franchising arrangement with Linh Chi Limited Co., Dusit International will make its Vietnam debut this December with the opening of the 108-room Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort on the country’s largest island, Phu Quoc.
Senior leader to Rosewood. Rosewood Hotel Group has appointed Achim Lenders senior vice president of operations, Americas and Europe. In this role, Lenders will provide support, guidance and direction to the operational teams of Rosewood properties in those regions. Lenders spent many years in senior F&B roles with Hyatt before joining Starwood in 2014.
Avani to New Zealand. Minor Group’s Avani Hotels & Resorts will launch in New Zealand as a result of the acquisition of the Metro Suites in Auckland. This 40-story, 370-key hotel will be rebranded and refurbished as Metropolis Avani Residences debuting in October this year.
Hotelier jumps on Trump suit. Eric Goode, whose New York City hotel properties include the Bowery Hotel and Waverly Inn, is the latest plaintiff in the lawsuit that claims U.S. President Donald Trump businesses have an unfair advantage in the hospitality industry, according to a court document filed Wednesday. Goode and two other plaintiffs argue that they are being hurt because U.S. government workers and foreign dignitaries can redirect their business to restaurants and hotels in which Trump has financial interests. The lawsuit was originally filed in January by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a government watchdog group.
Trump seeks dismissal. U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking dismissal of a lawsuit claiming he is illegally using his office to profit from his Washington, D.C. hotel. Trump’s lawyers Wednesday asked a federal judge to reject the case brought by the owners of a nearby wine bar, who say their establishment faces unfair competition because of the proximity of the Trump hotel.
Element to Melbourne. Marriott International has signed an agreement with TRC Pty Ltd to debut its Element brand in Melbourne, Australia, in 2019. Element Melbourne Richmond is slated to open in 2019. The new-build hotel will feature 168 rooms.
U.S. pipeline update. Lodging Econometrics reports that the Q1 United States construction pipeline currently stands at 5,032 projects/602,034 rooms, up 13% by projects year-over-year. There are 1,511 projects/197,450 rooms under construction, up by 155 projects YOY or 11%. Projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months, at 2,414 projects/272,487 rooms, were up 367 projects, 18%. This is the 21st consecutive quarter of growth, but the pipeline is still a distant 851 projects/183,513 rooms away from the Q2 2008 peak.