UK travellers picky on price

LONDON, 12 June 2013: UK holidaymakers, age 25 and older are expected to spend £27 billion on hotel stays this summer, whether it be in the UK or long-haul destinations in Asia.

The average traveller is planning to book an average of 10 room nights during the main summer holiday period, July through to August, according to a new survey released today by Room Key.

Though nearly three-quarters (74%) said price will drive their hotel decision, location was a close second at 66%, and over half of travellers (52%) said that facilities will play a significant role in their decision. Hotel brands (24%) and the family friendly nature of the properties (21%) are two further factors that will influence hotel choice, according to the survey.

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Register for table-top sales chat

BANGKOK, 11 June 2013: Thai Hotels Association is inviting members to join a table-top sales session called Hotels Meet Domestic Agents Market, 1300 to 1930, 19 July, at Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom Hotel.

The event will be open to 50 hotels to showcase their products. Applicants must be members of the THA, while the deadline for confirmation is 14 June.

Hotels Meet Domestic Agents Market will feature a seminar on market trends and promotional plans for domestic agents presented by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. A summary on market conditions will also be given by the Association of Domestic Travel. Following the tabletop sales THA will host a cocktail party.

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Sleeky, bold Best Western

BANGKOK, 7 June 2013: Best Western Premier Sukhumvit, has won two major awards for excellence in interior design, the hotel group reported Friday.

Considered the group’s flagship property in Thailand, the hotel is located in the centre of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit tourist strip.

It won the titles ‘Best Hotel Interior: Thailand’ and ‘Best Hotel Interior: Asia Pacific’ at the prestigious Asia Pacific Hotel Awards.

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Meritus offers free Wi-FI

SINGAPORE, 4 June 2013: Meritus Hotels & Resorts announced, Monday, the roll-out of free Wi-Fi service across the group’s properties in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, parting company with the majority of hotel groups that continue to charge for Wi-Fi services.

The announcement said that guests could expect straightforward access to the complimentary amenity throughout their stay, not only from rooms, but also at any location in a Meritus hotel.

The service offers guests sufficient bandwidth to exchange data across virtual private networks and social media channels, as well as download and upload reasonably-sized files, including rich media formats. For heavy bandwidth users looking to stream high-definition videos or download movies, a premium bandwidth package is available at competitive rates.

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Tax holidays for SME hotels

BANGKOK, 29 May 2013: Thai Hotels Association urges the government to adopt a clear policy to support hotel investors particularly those in small to medium size enterprises.

THA president, Surapong Techaruvichit, said measures were needed to encourage SME hotel owners to upgrade, renovate and raise standards.

“The government should offer  loans with lower interest rates, or a tax holiday, to allow them to renovate and invest in imported equipment….if the government supports, it will help hotels to compete with neighbouring countries.”

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THA: Training is a priority

BANGKOK, 29 May 2013: Hoteliers in ASEAN will need to build a higher level of cooperation to cope with a shortage of human resources that will hit the hotel industry soon.

As ASEAN’s hotel industry expands at a rapid pace, staffing problems will become more critical, Thai Hotels Association president, Surapong Techaruvichit, said at the association’s monthly meeting Tuesday.

“During the latest meeting with ASEAN members, both  representatives from Myanmar and Cambodia urged other member countries to supply professionals in the hotel segment to play a training role as well as fill vacancies in mid to top management,” he told members.

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Chinese bid for Club Med stake

PARIS, 28 May 2013: The two main shareholders in upmarket holiday group Club Mediterranee, including a Chinese firm, said on Monday that they would make a bid for the company, driving Club Med shares up over 20%.

The two bidding companies, AXA Private Equity and Chinese conglomerate Fosun, said that their bid would be friendly and involved top Club Med managers.

The bid would be pitched at 17.0 euros per share, representing a premium of 28.4% on the average share price over a month, the two bidders said in a statement.

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Centara tops atoll pack

Bangkok, 17 May 2013: Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, which opened 15 April, gained the number one ranking from TripAdvisor out of a total 31 resort hotels in North Male Atoll.

The adult-focused resort has gained most of its reviews from couples, and averaged four-and-a-half stars out of five.

“For a resort to have been open for only six weeks, and to have already hit the top spot among all the other resorts in North Male Atoll, is amazing,” says Centara Hotels & Resorts senior vice president for sales and marketing Chris Bailey.

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Accor opens first Phuket Pullman

PHUKET, 15 May 2013: Pullman Phuket Arcadia opens as Accor’s first upscale, lifestyle resort in Phuket, Thailand.

Accor announced the opening of Pullman Phuket Arcadia, Monday, at its Naithon beach location on Phuket’s western coastline, just a 15-minute car transfer from the airport.

“A newly-built resort that will showcase the brand’s new ‘lifestyle’ identity, … it sets the benchmark for the rest of Pullman hotels and resorts to come,” says Accor Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines senior vice president, Patrick Basset.

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Centara upgrades Grand website

BANGKOK, 10 May 2013: Centara Hotels & Resorts has completed a revamp of its five-star Centara Grand brand website that offers easier navigation and quick access to view 360º tours and HD Video showcasing the products of each property.

Centara also released recently an app for users of Android phones and will shortly release an app for iPhones, ensuring that the site can be browsed easily be  most smartphone users.

“Our portfolio of Centara Grand hotels and resorts is growing quickly, and we felt this was the moment to create a section of our corporate website that reflects the five-star image and the extremely high quality of the individual properties, while also giving them a distinct presence within our selection of seven brands” says, Centara Hotels & Resorts senior vice president for sales and marketing, Chris Bailey.

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