MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) will propagate its upscale Avani brand across Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the next few years to meet strong demand for “affordable luxury” hotels.
At a meeting with the Singapore media yesterday, MHG’s marketing communications and public relations vice president, Marion Walsh-Hédouin, said Avani will grow the quickest amongst the group’s other brands in the near future.
Walsh-Hédouin said the group has noted a growing demand for the four-star brand, which positions itself as offering “affordable luxury with contemporary living space for leisure and business”.
Currently, there are five Avani properties in operation – two in Vietnam, two in Sri Lanka and one in Malaysia.
Walsh-Hédouin told TTG Asia e-Daily that more Avani properties to come up include two in Bangkok, one opening next year and the Amari Atrium Bangkok which will be rebranded in about two months’ time; a property in Seychelles Barbarons, late this year; and one in Bali, late next year.
Overall, MHG properties have attracted about 60 to 70 per cent leisure travellers, she said, with a growing corporate segment. For instance, both the Avani and Anantara properties have welcomed incentive business for the “destination experience” they offer, no matter city or resort locations.
Asked about the performance of MHG’s Thailand properties in recent months, she said: “Business suffered quite a bit especially in the last six months (due to the political chaos), but it is on the quick rebound now, especially from the region where there is good air access.”
She added that Singapore and Hong Kong are the group’s biggest markets in Asia.
MHG currently has 110 hotels across 14 countries. In 2012, it announced its plan to double in size over five years, from about 80 hotels to 150.
