The Power of Art
Our Head of Brand and Strategic Marketing Teresa is reminded of why art is such an important pillar for Swire Hotels, through the power of dance, tradition, culture and music.
As travel picks up around the world, it’s an exciting time to be in hospitality – particularly in Asia, where inbound travelers are returning at record speed from every corner of the globe. Heeding this call, I know our collective teams are excitedly searching for unique and memorable ways to welcome back visitors after a few years apart. Yet there is one pillar that keeps coming back to me as undeniably important and that is art and culture.
At Swire Hotels, art and the importance of self-expression flow through everything, and this is all done with great consideration: from the architecture, to food, to artwork, to interior design, to spa journeys, art is central to how we work at Swire Hotels. It inspires, creates joy, and evokes a sense of wonder and possibility that is incredibly central to travel itself. Within art, we believe the crossing of cultures is where creativity is best found, and our biennial art programmes Encounters Across Cultures is dedicated to telling these stories. Art is quintessential to the guest experience at Swire Hotels – step into any one of our spaces and you will see.
It was with this ethos that I approached the planning and execution of our most recent dance film, which was created to introduce The House Collective brand to our new friends in Tokyo, in anticipation of our new House opening there in FY 2027. With the help of Patsy Lo, Artistic Director of sml Dance, and Yuh Egami, Ballet Master of the Hong Kong Ballet, this film features five dance artists of different ages, nationalities, and dance disciplines. Together, an incredible dance narrative was told about cultural encounters, honoring tradition, modernity, harmony and new possibilities. Each dancer took to their narrative through expressions and movement in the form of traditional ballet, modern dance, classical Japanese theatre, hip hop and flamenco, birthing a collective experience that defied boundaries and classifications. To further celebrate our brand while connecting with the local culture, we filmed this story in the Tokyu Department Store, which is not only the future site of our House, but also a place that has brought Tokyo locals 55 years of memories.
Art will always be a big part of Swire Hotels: it gives us the opportunity to foster exchange and create memorable moments that stay with our guests and with us. And for a new adventure as exciting as Japan, our passion for art and culture seems a befitting way to celebrate this new start.