Hilton’s South East Asia Playbook: Secondary Cities, Design-Led Stays, and Wellness by Intention

In this interview for Hospitality Net, Henri Roelings speaks with Alexandra Murray, Area Vice President and Head of South East Asia at Hilton, about the changes she is seeing in traveler behavior across the region and how Hilton is responding. The discussion covers Hilton’s pipeline and growth priorities, the rise of secondary cities, the challenge of scaling a sense of place across a diverse portfolio, and why wellness is increasingly being embedded into the full stay rather than treated as a standalone add on.

1. 2025 has seen travelers prioritize more intentional and immersive experiences. What specific shifts are you seeing in guest behavior across South East Asia, and how are these influencing Hilton’s growth strategy for 2026?

Across South East Asia, travel demand continues to grow, and the region remains one of the fastest growing globally. We are seeing travelers being more deliberate, choosing experiences that feel locally connected, whether that is cultural immersion or time spent in nature, or simply the ability to slow down and be present. We’re also seeing this demand driven largely by regional and intra-Asia travel, which tends to favor shorter breaks, repeat visits, and deeper exploration rather than one-off, checklist-style trips. This shift is fueling strong demand for hotels that serve as gateways to the destination rather than simply places to stay.

Building on these evolving preferences and the region’s fast-rising middle class, we are expanding our presence across South East Asia, with 13 new hotels opening this year across our portfolio. This includes continued growth in the luxury and lifestyle segments, with more experience-driven, design-forward brands in both established and emerging destinations that thoughtfully reflect and celebrate each locale’s character and uniqueness.

2. Hilton is betting on emerging destinations and secondary cities. What makes a secondary city ready for branded hotel investment, and what needs to be in place for demand to be sustainable beyond the initial surge?

Secondary destinations are gaining momentum for two main reasons. Travelers are actively seeking more authentic, less popular destinations, and governments across the region are encouraging tourism beyond traditional gateways to support more balanced economic development. We assess various external factors to determine if a city is investment-ready, such as government support, including public sector incentives that foster regional development and promote alternatives to major gateway cities. Thailand is a good example, with recent measures such as tax incentives for companies hosting meetings in secondary provinces and subsidies for hotel upgrades.

Connectivity is equally important. Infrastructure improvements that enhance connectivity to major economic hubs, airports, and regional transport networks can change the viability of a destination. In Phu Quoc for instance, its airport expansion and new airline capacity are making the island far more accessible, strengthening its appeal beyond peak leisure seasons.

Sustainable demand, however, goes beyond leisure travel alone. A destination needs to generate year-round activity, and this is where business travel and the MICE segment play a key role. In Indonesia, emerging economic districts like Bintaro Jaya may not be traditional tourism hubs, but they support consistent corporate demand. By introducing trusted brands like DoubleTree by Hilton, we can cater to local corporate demand and domestic business travelers, ensuring our properties remain active throughout the year.

What’s encouraging is that traveler behavior is already reflecting this shift. Searches for secondary destinations in Asia are growing meaningfully faster than top-tier locations. This growing demand, combined with fiscal incentives and infrastructure enhancements in secondary cities, creates a promising environment to bring our signature hospitality to a new generation of travelers.

3. You mentioned design-led lifestyle stays and locally rooted experiences across price points. How do you scale a consistent brand promise while still allowing each property to feel genuinely connected to its local culture and community?

Across our brand portfolio, our customer promise has always remained consistent: better and brighter stays delivered through friendly, attentive, and reliable service. What changes is how that promise comes to life in each destination.

Our properties are designed to reflect a sense of place in both architecture and guest experience. Each property is distinctive, inspired by its destination and guided by local influences.

KROMO Bangkok, Curio Collection by Hilton is a good example. Opened last September, the hotel is designed as a curated gallery that reflects the city’s cultural richness and contemporary energy. Working with local artists and creatives, Thai craftsmanship and storytelling are embedded throughout the property, from illustrated guest rooms to subtle design details, to spark curiosity and foster connection.

Equally important is how hotels engage with their communities. Since 2004, Conrad Bangkok has been collaborating with local organizations in Chiang Mai to create handmade elephant silk dolls as welcome amenities for its guests. Guests can also take part in workshops that explore the craft behind them, creating a meaningful cultural exchange rather than a transactional interaction.

4. With new brands entering the region, including NoMad in Singapore and Hampton by Hilton in Phuket Town, what role does brand diversification play in capturing changing traveller needs, and how do you decide which brand fits which market?

Across our portfolio, each brand has a clear identity and compelling proposition, enabling us to deploy the right brands in the right markets at the right time. We continuously review the marketplace to ensure our brand mix reflects how people are travelling today, while also delivering strong, sustainable returns for our owners.

At the heart of this approach is the customer. Today’s travelers are choosing brands that align with how they want to travel and how they want to feel, whether that’s immersive luxury, design-led lifestyle stays, or reliable, value-driven options in emerging destinations. South East Asia’s diversity means a single-brand strategy simply doesn’t work, which is why brand diversification is key in this region.

Our edge comes from being deliberate about fit. We don't employ a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, we carefully assess which brands are best suited to each market and location. For instance, an independent-minded luxury brand like LXR Hotels & Resorts would be an ideal fit for a culturally rich location like Phuket, while Conrad’s bold design sensibility works well in a resort destination like Koh Samui. We also offer flexible management and franchise models to support the region’s diverse asset and ownership profiles, enabling sustainable, high-value growth alongside our partners.

Strategic acquisitions and partnerships also play a key role. The addition of brands like NoMad accelerates our growth in the fast-growing luxury-lifestyle segment, particularly in gateway cities like Singapore where design, food and beverage, and highly personalized service are increasingly important to travelers. NoMad brings a distinctive point of view that resonates strongly with experience-seeking guests.

At the same time, our partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World allows us to serve travel needs we previously couldn’t. It expands our luxury footprint into off-the-beaten-path destinations, gives owners access to Hilton’s global network effect, and unlocks new earning and redemption opportunities for Hilton Honors members. Today, members can earn and redeem points at nearly 400 small luxury hotels globally, including more than 30 across South East Asia.

We’re also seeing multigenerational travel become a defining feature of the region. Our 2026 Trends Report found that 60% of families across Asia Pacific have either taken, or are planning to take, a skip-generational vacation where grandparents and grandchildren travel together, driven by a desire to create shared experiences. To support this, we offer confirmed connecting rooms, family-size suites and villas, and experiences designed for all ages. At Conrad Koh Samui in Thailand, families can participate in hands-on activities such as the Iris Farm Tour, where they can harvest their own ingredients, collect eggs, and plant herbs while learning about sustainable agriculture. Other properties, such as Hilton Garden Inn Nusa Dua Bali in Indonesia and Hilton Kuching in Malaysia, have a Hilton Kids Club on-property, providing engaging activities for children when they holiday with their parents.

Overall brand diversification gives us the flexibility to grow with intention across South East Asia. It allows us to meet evolving guest expectations, support owners with the right product for each market, and ensure we can serve any guest, anywhere, for any travel need, while keeping the guest firmly at the center of everything we do.

5. Well-being is becoming central to the stay experience, from restorative sleep to nature-immersive retreats. Which amenities or operational choices do you believe will define the next chapter of guest expectations, and where do you see hotels needing to be more intentional than they are today?

We can expect wellness tourism to continue its strong growth trajectory. Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report shows that more than half (56%) of travelers plan to prioritize rest and rejuvenation in the year ahead, and will seek destinations that support renewal and wellbeing. What’s evolving is the definition of wellness. Guests are increasingly valuing quiet, simplicity, and seamless experiences, whether that’s carving out personal time on group trips, reducing digital friction, or seeking moments of genuine stillness.

To that, hotels must take a more deliberate approach to embedding wellness throughout every stage of the guest journey. Technology plays an important role. The Hilton Honors app leverages contactless technology that enables guests to check in, select their room, and access it using Digital Key. At selected hotels, we also have in-app messaging that allows guests to make special requests easily before arrival.

Beyond the room, we’re curating wellness experiences that are intentional and place led. At Conrad Singapore Orchard, the Sleep-to-Wake Ritual, combines an in-room sound bath and calming pre-sleep tea infused with native botanicals for a deeper rest. At Conrad Bali Resort, guests can join forest bathing and foraging experiences that reconnect them with nature, ending with a locally sourced meal beside a waterfall.

Our focus is on intention, where our hotels are making thoughtful choices at every stage of the stay, so guests leave feeling genuinely rested and reset.

Conclusion

The through line in Murray’s perspective is intent. Demand is rising, but travellers are also becoming more selective, looking for destinations that feel less scripted and stays that deliver both ease and meaning. For Hilton, this translates into growth that is shaped by connectivity, year-round demand drivers, and a brand portfolio that can flex across markets without losing its service promise. From secondary cities to design and wellness, the interview suggests that the next phase of South East Asia hospitality will be defined less by scale alone and more by relevance, local rootedness, and the ability to help guests slow down, connect, and return.