PUTTING its foot to the pedal is Fujita Kanko, set to open two new overseas offices in Bangkok and Jakarta this month alone.
The 60-year old company, which operates the Washington and Gracery hotel chains in Japan, as well as Hotel Chinzan-so Tokyo, is gunning for ambitious 25 per cent growth in overseas guests by 2019.
It also hopes to build international awareness of its brands among travellers.
“Adding Bangkok and Jakarta bases is a critical step in our business plan,” said Akira Segawa, Fujita Kanko’s president and CEO.
“South-east Asia is a strategically important market – an increasingly strong inbound market for Japan, and also a very popular destination for Japanese travellers.”
Fujita Kanko currently has offices in Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei and Singapore, and its Singapore operation was merged with its Jakarta office last month. The consolidated office will oversee business in Malaysia as well.
Last year, the company also announced it will open a hotel in Seoul in 2018, its first overseas property since 2002.
Segawa said: “We’ve built a broad range of hospitality expertise, and offer some of Japan’s most upscale, exquisite properties. We’re eager to welcome more international travellers, and to build local businesses, including opening hotels, in other Asian markets.”
