Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with ASV Investment Co. to introduce the first DoubleTree by Hilton brand to Japan in mid-2012 with the opening of the 228-room DoubleTree by Hilton, Naha. DoubleTree will be the third Hilton brand represented in Japan – the Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brands make up the balance of Hilton’s 10-property portfolio there.
Naha is the capital city of Okinawa. The DoubleTree that will bear its name will be situated in the heart of the city’s business district, directly opposite the Okinawa Monorail station in Asahibashi, 11 minutes away from Naha Airport by monorail and 500 meters away from the local ferry terminal.
While the information technology industry is a core driver of economic growth, tourism is Okinawa’s largest industry and the prefecture hosts nearly 5.9 million visitors a year. It has also seen increasing incentive trips from mainland Japan and surrounding countries thanks to strong support from the Okinawa government for the promotion of the prefecture as a meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) destination, as evidenced by the recent establishment of the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau.