Thai hotel brands eye the dragon

THAILAND’S established hospitality companies are displaying a great interest in the Chinese market with robust expansion strategies outlined for the next few years.

Centara Hotels & Resorts, group director of sales – China & Northeast Asia, Jason Lu, said: “Following Centara’s aggressive expansion drive in the last couple of years, the company is now ready to launch an office in Shanghai, which will officially begin operation in November this year. Previously, we used the services of a marketing representative in China.”

The Mandarin name for Centara is not firmed up yet, as discussions with investors and owners are still underway, said Lu.

The first Centara hotel is likely to open by 1Q2014, either in Shanghai’s Sheshan or Hainan’s Sanya, while MoUs with other Chinese cities are now underway.

“China’s hospitality sector has seen a lot of competition in recent years while secondary cities also offer great potential, so we do not have any particular strategy to launch resorts in first-tier cities only; second-tier cities will be considered too – wherever the opportunities are,” Lu remarked.

He added: “We are likely to roll out resort-style properties or convention hotels – where Centara’s strengths lie. We will likely push for the Centara Grand or Centara brands to be launched, depending on available investment opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Dusit International has entered into a joint venture agreement with China-based Changzhou Qiao Yu Group to establish Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts to spearhead Dusit International’s expansion in the country.

“China is set to become the largest hotel market and is currently Thailand’s largest feeder market, with 3.2 million visitors to Thailand from January-August 2013, up a staggering 88 per cent year-on-year,” said Lim Boon Kwee, president of Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts.

Lim expects to roll out four hotels in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hainan provinces in 2014, with at least 50 Dusit-branded properties to be launched across China within the next five years.

Other leading Thai hotel chains have also forayed into the Middle Kingdom. Onyx Hospitality Group will open Amari Huidong in Guangdong and Amari Dali in Yunnan by 2016.

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