The owner of Hong Kong’s iconic Peninsula hotel plans to invest HK$2.1 billion (US$268 million) to renovate its flagship hotel in the city and its Tokyo property, betting on the long-term strength of the luxury travel market despite geopolitical uncertainty and volatile consumer demand.Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH), which owns and operates The Peninsula hotel chain, announced the renovation plan on Wednesday alongside interim results showing a return to profit after stronger performances from its hotels in Greater China and the United States.The board also approved the capital expenditure programme for The Peninsula Hong Kong and The Peninsula Tokyo, which accounted for most of the group’s total HK$2.5 billion in outstanding capital commitments.Preserving the heritage and character of the building is a key considerationLynne Mulholland, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels“These capital expenditure programmes reflect our confidence in the long-term value of our owned portfolio,” CEO Benjamin Vuchot said in the group’s statement on Wednesday.“Preserving the heritage and character of the building is a key consideration,” said Lynne Mulholland, HSH general manager, group corporate affairs.While the timeline for the renovations was yet to be finalised, the hotel would aim to minimise disruption during the works, Mulholland added.The investment comes as Hong Kong’s tourism sector continues to recover, with international visitor arrivals supporting a rebound in luxury hospitality.For the six months ended June 30, HSH posted a profit attributable to shareholders of HK$23 million, compared with a loss of HK$289 million a year earlier. Excluding property revaluation gains and other non-recurring items, its underlying loss narrowed from HK$216 million to HK$17 million.