THREE NEW ACCOR GROUP HOTELS SLATED FOR BANGKOK

SUCHAT SRITAMA

Accor will open three new hotels in Bangkok this year, in response to the travel industry's expected return to pre-political-crisis levels.

The group has confirmed the opening of the Novotel Bangkok Fenix Silom with 225 rooms, Novotel Bangkok Fenix Ploenchit with 380 rooms and budget hotel Ibis Bangkok Riverside with 272 rooms.

"These three hotels will add to the existing network of 43 hotels throughout the country. Novotel and Ibis are two of Accor's core hotel brands," said Oswald Pichler, vice president for operations in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

He said the challenge was to continue supporting the return of long-haul tourists to complement the strong numbers for short-term visitors. Last year was clearly a challenge for the local hotel industry, but Accor's hotel network outperformed the drop in arrivals, thanks to several factors.

One main factor was Accor diversifying its brand portfolio by repositioning its five-star Sofitel and Pullman brands, upper-mid-scale Novotel and Mercure brands and trendy economy brands All Seasons and Ibis.

Pichler said Accor took advantage of last year's business drop-off to organise several familiarisation trips for media personnel from foreign countries, in order to ensure Thai tourism remained visible.

"The group has refrained from entering into price wars, because the long-term effects of this will often outweigh the short-term drops in trading. Instead, selective regional sales have been conducted to stimulate business needs," he said.

The group yesterday officially launched its Yim's Kids Foundation, a registered foundation operated by Accor to raise funds and find ways to improve children's education, health and well-being throughout Thailand.

Yim's Kids Foundation is involved in several existing projects and will initiate four more this year.

THE NATION
28 January 2010

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