Regal Hotels Hong Kong 2026 Strategy: Expanding Tourism, Sustainability and Global Reach, Here’s All You Need to Know

Published on December 3, 2025

This is setting Regal Hotels up for a robust 2026 that will focus on airport hotels, sustainability, and global loyalty. The tourism industry in Hong Kong is recovering well from the post-pandemic period, and Regal Hotels intends to capture growing demand both in the MICE segment and the leisure market. The strategy focuses on maximizing the potential of Regal’s airport hotel cluster, which has become a key player in the city’s MICE and hospitality landscape.

Hong Kong’s Tourism Recovery Drives Regal’s Commercial Strategy

Hong Kong’s tourism sector showed promising signs of recovery in the latter half of 2025, fueled by government-backed mega-events such as the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and large-scale concerts that brought visitors back to the city. However, despite the rise in visitor arrivals, key performance indicators such as visitor spending and hotel average room rates have not yet reached pre-COVID levels.

Balwin Yeung, Senior Vice President Commercial at Regal Hotels, highlights that current demand is mainly driven by leisure travelers from mainland China and Southeast Asia. Long-haul Western markets and MICE traffic remain below historical norms, partly due to high airfares and limited air capacity. Regal Hotels expects a gradual recovery in these areas as air capacity normalizes and corporate travel confidence returns.

Looking forward to 2026, Regal sees strong opportunities in the return of Western travelers and the revival of the MICE business. Hong Kong’s strong value-for-money proposition, compared to rising hotel rates in competing Asian hubs, positions the city as an attractive destination for both leisure and business travel.

Regala Sky City Hotel: A Strategic Asset for MICE and Business Travel

Regala Sky City Hotel, a key property in Regal’s portfolio, has emerged as an essential asset for capturing MICE demand. Recently named “Best Business Hotel” by Business Traveler, Regala Sky City Hotel offers unparalleled convenience and infrastructure for large-scale events. This recognition is particularly significant since airport-adjacent hotels traditionally face competition from properties located in central financial districts.

What sets Regala Sky City apart is its direct, air-conditioned walkway connection to AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE), Hong Kong’s premier event and exhibition venue. This makes the hotel a perfect choice for organizers of major trade fairs, K-pop concerts, and other events requiring significant standing capacity. The hotel offers over 1,200 rooms and an award-winning, pillarless ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,200 delegates in classroom style or 70 round tables.

Additionally, the hotel supports “bleisure” (business + leisure) travel patterns by offering guests access to nearby leisure attractions such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the Big Buddha, and hiking trails on Lantau Island. While the hotel is located near the airport, it’s still just 30 to 45 minutes from downtown Hong Kong, which is comparable to other global hubs.

Twin Powerhouse Strategy: Regal Airport Hotel and Regala Sky City

Regal Hotels has developed a coordinated strategy with two large properties near Hong Kong International Airport: Regal Airport Hotel and Regala Sky City Hotel. Together, these properties offer close to 2,400 rooms, making them a formidable team in Hong Kong’s MICE market.

Each hotel offers distinct advantages. Regal Airport Hotel is directly linked to the international passenger terminal, while Regala Sky City connects to AsiaWorld-Expo via a walkway. By managing both properties under a single General Manager, Regal can present them as a unified, seamless airport events platform. This “twin powerhouse” strategy simplifies event planning, offering clients the ability to spread groups and functions across both properties while maintaining an integrated delegate experience.

The infrastructure of the two hotels includes two mega ballrooms with seating for around 1,200 people each, plus more than 30 breakout rooms, allowing event planners the flexibility to accommodate large events with multiple sessions and workshops. With shuttle services connecting the two hotels within five minutes, event organizers can easily use both properties while maintaining efficiency and consistency across the event.

Green Meetings: Sustainability at the Core of Regal’s 2026 Strategy

Sustainability is another key focus for Regal Hotels in 2026, particularly through its “Green Meetings” program. Launched in November 2024, this program provides clients with an end-to-end sustainable event solution that is certified by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA). Regal’s Green Meetings initiative is structured around three core pillars: Carbon Accounting and Consultancy, Low Carbon Cooking Menus, and Carbon Offsetting.

The Carbon Accounting Report and consultancy service help organizers assess and reduce the carbon footprint of their events, providing them with practical recommendations for sustainable practices. Regal’s Low Carbon Cooking Menu offers dishes that prioritize lower-emission proteins, such as fish over beef, and cooking techniques like braising and slow-cooking. The Carbon Offsetting pillar allows clients to contribute to certified offset projects through a partnership with the Hong Kong Exchange, helping to achieve “net-zero” status for their events.

This sustainability program positions Regal as the only hotel group in Hong Kong offering a comprehensive, certified solution for green meetings, aligning with the growing demand for corporate clients and institutions to meet formal ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks.

Expanding Global Reach with GHA Discovery

In addition to its sustainability efforts, Regal Hotels has joined the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) Discovery loyalty program. With around 28 million loyalty members worldwide, this partnership significantly expands Regal’s global reach, particularly in markets such as Europe and the Middle East, where Regal is looking to grow its presence.

Through the GHA Discovery network, Regal Hotels gains access to a broad base of international travelers while offering loyalty members exclusive benefits. This partnership enhances Regal’s competitiveness on the global stage, particularly as the brand positions itself as a value-focused, MICE-capable operator in one of Asia’s key aviation and financial hubs.

Outlook for 2026: Capturing Asia-led Recovery

Regal’s 2026 strategy will focus on portfolio optimization for airport-connected hotels, strengthening sustainability offerings, and leveraging the GHA Discovery partnership to drive international visitors. Backed by location advantages, a commitment to sustainability, and access to a global loyalty network, Regal has a unique opportunity for incremental growth as it cements its position as one of the leaders within Hong Kong’s tourism and MICE sectors.