Forbes Travel Guide to boost Asia-Pacific presence

Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake in Hangzhou, China, receives a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Forbes Travel Guide

Forbes Travel Guide announced Tuesday that it will strengthen its Asia-Pacific presence in Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia by 2017.

Originator of the prestigious Five-Star Rating system, the guide said it plans to include cities such as Seoul, Kyoto, Osaka, Manila, Melbourne and Sydney in its ratings and reviews of hotels, restaurants and spas next year.

It will mark the first time for the guide to include Korea in its rating system in its entire history of providing the travel industry’s most comprehensive ratings dating back to 1958.

An industry analyst said the Forbes move reflects the increasing significance of the Asia-Pacific market.

He added that the plan to include Korea in the ratings will have a positive effect on the local tourism industry which is focused on attracting more foreign travelers.

Forbes Travel Guide has also announced its 2016 Star Rating Awards list.

This year saw 154 winners of the top Five-Star rating, the largest number in the guide’s history, Forbes said.

The list includes 42 new Five-Star hotels, 101 new Four-Star hotels and 57 new hotels in the Recommended category.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts dominated the awards list with its 26 hotels and resorts across the globe receiving a Five-Star rating.

Paris was this year’s biggest winner, with nine new Five-Star hotels. In Italy, eight hotels earned the highest star rating.

In Asia-Pacific, the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Hangzhou, China, debuted as the first-ever Five-Star hotel in the newly rated destination. China now has 10 top-ranked hotels.

Palace Hotel Tokyo became the first Japanese-branded hotel ever to win Five-Star recognition.