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Accor Adding Six New Properties in Thailand and Vietnam; New Southern Thai Resorts Show Confidence in Post-tsunami Recovery |
| BANGKOK, 3 June, 2005 - Accor announced today its most significant
expansion in Thailand and Vietnam since it entered the region's hotel market
more than two decades ago, with six new hotels and beach resorts added
to its fast growing regional network.
In Thailand, Accor will manage two new Sofitel hotels and two new Novotels
in key leisure and business destinations. The new hotels include the Sofitel
Phokeethra Krabi (250 rooms) on the Thai mainland and Sofitel Nang Yuan
Island (79 rooms) north of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. The group
also adds Novotel Tipviman Cha Am (240 rooms) in the popular resort area
near Hua Hin and Novotel King Power (400 rooms) near Bangkok's Victory
Monument Skytrain station and the city centre.
In neighbouring Vietnam Accor is adding Novotel Nha Trang (108 rooms) to a growing network of hotels in key leisure destinations following the announcement last week of La Residence Hue (122 rooms) in Vietnam's former Imperial capital. The move comes as Accor is poised to open several high profile hotels in both countries. Mercure Pattaya is opening this month, the first of two hotels in the Kingdom's oldest seaside resort followed by Garden Cliff Resort & Spa (managed by Sofitel) in August. The opening of Sofitel Phi Phi Resort & Spa will follow in early November in one of Asia's most stunning resort destinations. The resort will feature 147 individual villas elevated on a leafy hillside and was untouched by last year's tsunami. Next year Accor opens Novotel Ha Long Bay, the first internationally managed hotel in Vietnam's premier tourist destination. The hotel offers superb views across the legendary waters of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage area. Managing Director of Accor Asia Pacific, Michael Issenberg, said the new management contracts and hotel openings reflected the confidence Accor has in the region's future growth potential. "This year occupancies across our Thailand network of 19 hotels are running at 75%, with our hotels in Bangkok performing at over 85%. Our eight hotels in Vietnam are also achieving 76% occupancies. Encouragingly - from an operators' and owners' point of view, we have also been able to improve our rates in both countries. "Bangkok continues to grow in importance as a key gateway city to Southeast Asia and the new International airport, where Accor will manage Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, will help bring more visitors to the region. "We are very bullish on the future of Thailand's tourism industry, particularly in southern resort areas, and this announcement today reflects that. When Sofitel Phi Phi opens in time for next high season it will send an important message to the travelling public that southern Thai beach resorts are back in business less than one year after the tsunami. "These new Sofitel and Novotel hotels further enhances Accor's strategy of building a comprehensive network of four and five-star hotels in key resort destinations and commercial centres around Thailand and Vietnam," he added. Accor is the worldwide leader in hotels, tourism and corporate services, employing 168,000 people in 140 countries. |
| Contact:
Tom Racette
|
