Indonesia’s CT Corp has signed an MoU with AccorHotels for the addition of 30 hotels and 6,000 rooms across Indonesia, amid intensified efforts to bolster the holding company’s travel subsidiary, AntaVaya Group.
AccorHotels had begun its partnership with CT Corp with the management of the 568-room ibis Bandung Trans Studio, located at the first integrated Trans Studio Bandung complex, adjacent to a shopping mall and indoor theme park.
Under the new strategic agreement, both parties will work together on similar integrated complex of hotels and lifestyle properties, one of which will be in Cibubur, east of Jakarta.
Garth Simmons, COO, AccorHotels for Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, said: “Today’s partnership agreement marks another milestone in accelerating of AccorHotels’ robust expansion in strengthening its position as the leader of hospitality industry in Indonesia.”
Chairal Tanjung, president and CEO of CT Corp, said: “Our longterm partnership with AccorHotels shows our commitment to develop integrated theme park hotels in strategic locations to provide more entertainment options for travellers and families.”
The collaboration will also pave the way for CT Corp to access AccorHotels’ distribution network, digital platform, loyalty management and brand portfolio.
The deal comes in the midst of big changes at CT Corp’s AntaVaya Group, which last weekend soft launched Antavaya CBT, a corporate booking tool, and its leisure online channel Antago.com.
Bagus Priatna, corporate service director of AntaVaya, said: “A few years ago we lost some key accounts to move to OTAs, due to the convenience of self-booking with instant confirmation.
“However, what the OTA could not do was the compliance to corporate policy and at the end of year, companies found that spending was higher than expected.”
He expects that adoption by corporate clients will reach 30 per cent in the first two to three years, before accelerating to 70 per cent thereafter.
Speaking on the online travel booking tool, Andreas Sulaiman, vice president business development and marketing of AntaVaya, said the soon-to-launch Antago.com is to respond to the booming online travel trend, especially among the Gen Y and Gen Z.
“While we will sell air tickets, hotels, and the combination of the two, we will be more focused on selling tour programmes.
“What will also distinguish us from the existing OTA is that while others offer seasonal discounts, we will offer discounted prices all year round, thanks to our sister (Bank Mega),” he touted.
On whether AntaVaya would one day become a fully online business, Ratih Prabandari, director of the company, said: “We have a business events division, which will always need the human touch to create and prepare tailor made products. However, we will basically follow what the market want. If and when the market demands totally online, we will (make the transition).”
AntaVaya’s Bali-based inbound business is also undergoing a revamp.
