Hilton plans to surpass 1,000 mid-market hotels in Asia Pacific, driven by rising middle-class demand and expanding its focused service brands.
Hilton revealed plans to double its focused service presence in Asia Pacific in the coming years to surpass 1,000 hotels in the mid-market segment. With 483 focused service properties trading in the region under its Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton brands, the company has a further 594 such properties under development.
“These brands have made huge strides in Asia Pacific with around 100 Hilton Garden Inn properties trading and approximately 400 Hampton by Hilton properties in operation in Asia Pacific (APAC). With more than 100 million Asians joining the middle class every year and intra-Asian travel now making up 60% of international tourism arrivals in the region, we see continued demand for our focused service brands,” said Clarence Tan, senior vice president, Development, Asia Pacific.
The company’s portfolio of focused service brands, comprising Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton and Spark by Hilton, has been boosted by recent openings in key tourism hotspots including Hilton Garden Inn Bangkok Riverside, Hilton Garden Inn Rayong and Hilton Garden Inn Guilin Yangshuo. In addition, the momentum of Hilton Garden Inn signings continues apace, the most recent being Hilton Garden Inn Hoi An Tra Que Village (Vietnam), Hilton Garden Inn Nusa Dua (Bali) and Hilton Garden Inn Kota Kinabalu Tuaran (Malaysia). Hampton by Hilton continues to expand across key Chinese gateway locations, most recently with Hampton by Hilton Beijing Zhongguancun Industrial Park, Hampton by Hilton Tianjin Binhai Sanda Avenue and Hampton by Hilton Guangzhou Tianhe Smart City.
Brand innovation
“It’s obvious to us that the mid-market segment is a key growth driver and we’re looking to deliver everything our customers want where they want it. Our focused service brands provide innovative, affordable accommodations, in locations where customers want to be,” said Jenny Milos, vice president of brand Management, Suites & Focused Service, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
As consumers demand more quality and sophistication from mid-market brands, the company continues to innovate in branding, design and value. In response to evolving preferences, the company recently launched Hilton Garden Inn · Gen A, the award-winning brand’s new regional prototype for Greater China, to deliver innovative upscale accommodations with today’s travelers in mind. In the coming year, Hilton will be looking at opportunities to expand the presence of Hilton Garden Inn by continuing to regionalize the brand and expanding franchising in India, China, Australia and Thailand. Hilton will also be looking to regionalize Hampton by Hilton across the region, as well as its other focused service brands, Tru by Hilton and Spark by Hilton.
Rising middle class
An expanding middle class in APAC is showing sustained demand for intra-regional travel for both business and leisure and as a result record investments into hospitality assets and airline capacity. Hilton’s recent 2025 Trends Report revealed that young travelers have high hopes and aspirations for travel. 92% of Gen Alpha and Gen Z respondents across Asia Pacific have taken at least one trip in the past year. Gen Alpha and Gen Z’s appetite for travel is particularly pronounced in China, India and Singapore, where young travelers have gone on two to three trips on average in the past year. This passion for travel is evident in their future plans as well, with 88% of Gen Alpha and Gen Z in APAC likely to travel in the next year. Additionally, 72% take pride in their ability to explore new destinations.
According to Hilton’s Trends Report, 2025 is the “year of the travel maximizer”, people looking to pair their desire to relax and recharge with high-impact adventures and experiences to maximize their time and financial investment. This follows Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report on GenerAsian Travelers revealing that the majority of Asian consumers prioritized travel over other purchases and are spending more on travel in 2024 than they did the year before.
“As Asia’s burgeoning middle class hits the road in greater numbers, travelers in this segment are expected to be more value-driven and price-conscious. Our owners are showing confidence in our efficient prototypes and kit-of-parts approach to focused service development that maximizes time and investment for both owners and customers”, said Tan.
