Heuze spearheads Coco Collection’s global expansion

FORMER Emaar Hospitality Group CEO, Patrick Heuze, has been appointed CEO of Sunland Hotels in the Maldives, a newly created position designed to steer the group’s expansion of its Coco Collection in South and South-east Asia, Africa and Europe.

Heuze, who previously oversaw the development of Emaar’s luxury projects in key global cities and worked closely on expanding The Address brand, is now in charge of Sunland Hotels’ assets and spearheading Coco Collection’s rebranding and strategic development.

In an email interview with TTG Asia e-Daily, Heuze explained that Coco Collection would be “a house of brands” incorporating resorts, retreats and hotels associated as five-star and above properties. A new brand for four-star properties is also in the works.

Primary countries being targeted for expansion are Zanzibar, Kenya, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The common denominators for these destinations include natural beauty, seclusion, rich cultural and historical heritage, and that they offer “holistic” and “lifestyle” choices, said Heuze.

“There is space for a brand that delivers a new offering and level of services in a market which is presently either covered by a large brand or individually owned properties,” he said.

“The timing of this expansion is based on the emergence and continued growth of new feeder markets such as China, Brazil, India and Russia, and the anticipated growth of Africa as a leisure and corporate destination.”

When queried about what was driving the expansion, Heuze said: “Opportunities are ripe for evaluating distress assets, but also (as a result of) the recent trend for developers and owners to consider alternative brands instead of relying on the big brands.”

– Full report in TTG Asia, January 27 issue, 2012

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