FDC International Hotels Corp (雲品國際) yesterday said that first-quarter revenue rose 14 percent thanks to a continuing business recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and that it expects growth to be sustainable this quarter.
Revenue last quarter was NT$623 million (US$20.46 million), the second-highest in the company’s history for the period, despite the temporary closure of its flagship resort Fleur de Chine Hotel (雲品溫泉酒店) near Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), the New Taipei City-based hospitality service provider said in a statement.
The closure from March 5 to 17 was due to renovations to add an executive lounge and upgrade its amusement, spa and fitness amenities, it said.
Photo courtesy of FDC International Hotels Corp
The renovations are to continue until late June, but they would have a minimal effect on normal operations, it said.
The 13-day closure led to the hotel’s sales falling by 15 percent year-on-year and 27 percent month-on-month, it said. That weakened the group’s consolidated revenue by 15 percent year-on-year.
FDC is positive about business this quarter, which should get a boost from the government’s distribution of tax rebates of NT$6,000 tax each to Taiwanese and eligible foreign residents.
Occupancy rates at the Palais de Chine Hotel (君品酒店) near Taipei Railway Station exceeded 80 percent ahead of the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, the company said, adding that a carbon tax promotion campaign helped.
The conglomerate has invited guests to help reduce the nation’s carbon emissions by paying an extra NT$29 carbon tax, with its properties matching the donation.
In addition, FDC is to open a new banquet facility, Palazzo Colonna (圓觀), in Taichung on May 20 to boost its food and beverage sales, it said.
It has received reservations for more than 70 banquets between next month and December next year, it said.
Sunny Buffet at Illume Taipei (茹曦酒店) is to improve its revenue contribution when it launches an afternoon tea service next week, it said.
FDC is to hold its annual shareholders’ meeting on May 30 at its banquet facility Gala de Chine (頤品大飯店) in New Taipei City.
Merida Industry Co (美利達) has seen signs of recovery in the US and European markets this year, as customers are gradually depleting their inventories, the bicycle maker told shareholders yesterday. Given robust growth in new orders at its Taiwanese factory, coupled with its subsidiaries’ improving performance, Merida said it remains confident about the bicycle market’s prospects and expects steady growth in its core business this year. CAUTION ON CHINA However, the company must handle the Chinese market with great caution, as sales of road bikes there have declined significantly, affecting its revenue and profitability, Merida said in a statement, adding that it would
RISING: Strong exports, and life insurance companies’ efforts to manage currency risks indicates the NT dollar would eventually pass the 29 level, an expert said The New Taiwan dollar yesterday rallied to its strongest in three years amid inflows to the nation’s stock market and broad-based weakness in the US dollar. Exporter sales of the US currency and a repatriation of funds from local asset managers also played a role, said two traders, who asked not to be identified as they were not authorized to speak publicly. State-owned banks were seen buying the greenback yesterday, but only at a moderate scale, the traders said. The local currency gained 0.77 percent, outperforming almost all of its Asian peers, to close at NT$29.165 per US dollar in Taipei trading yesterday. The
RECORD LOW: Global firms’ increased inventories, tariff disputes not yet impacting Taiwan and new graduates not yet entering the market contributed to the decrease Taiwan’s unemployment rate last month dropped to 3.3 percent, the lowest for the month in 25 years, as strong exports and resilient domestic demand boosted hiring across various sectors, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday. After seasonal adjustments, the jobless rate eased to 3.34 percent, the best performance in 24 years, suggesting a stable labor market, although a mild increase is expected with the graduation season from this month through August, the statistics agency said. “Potential shocks from tariff disputes between the US and China have yet to affect Taiwan’s job market,” Census Department Deputy Director Tan Wen-ling
UNCERTAINTIES: The world’s biggest chip packager and tester is closely monitoring the US’ tariff policy before making any capacity adjustments, a company official said ASE Technology Holding Inc (日月光投控), the world’s biggest chip packager and tester, yesterday said it is cautiously evaluating new advanced packaging capacity expansion in the US in response to customers’ requests amid uncertainties about the US’ tariff policy. Compared with its semiconductor peers, ASE has been relatively prudent about building new capacity in the US. However, the company is adjusting its global manufacturing footprint expansion after US President Donald Trump announced “reciprocal” tariffs in April, and new import duties targeting semiconductors and other items that are vital to national security. ASE subsidiary Siliconware Precision Industries Co (SPIL, 矽品精密) is participating in Nvidia
RSS