Hotel Online  Special Report


advertisement
..
..
Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific Secures Two Management Contracts for New Radisson Branded Hotels
in Fiji and Shanghai

.

Minneapolis, Minn. - May 12, 2005 - Radisson Hotels & Resorts, an industry leading, full-service hotel brand of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, today announced its first hotel in Fiji - Radisson Resort Fiji, Denarau Island. Denarau Island is the largest integrated resort in the South Pacific. 

The development of the Radisson Resort Fiji, Denarau Island will be funded by Westpac, one of Australia's leading commercial banks and built by Fletchers, the premium construction company of New Zealand and Fiji.

Developed by Tabua Investments Limited, the Denarau Beach Resort will be managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific.  The 135 dual-key apartment resort will be designed with distinctive Fijian features, spread around an impressive swimming lagoon, featuring one of the largest swimming pools in the South Pacific. 

Scheduled to open in May 2007, with construction currently underway, the hotel will be a first for Radisson and its parent company Carlson Hotels Worldwide in Fiji and the second Radisson resort in the South Pacific.  Radisson Resort Fiji, Denarau Island will be located twenty minutes from Nadi International Airport on a prime 10-acre beachfront site, providing the best beach frontage on the resort, which includes an 18-hole championship golf course, hotels, residences, a marina and port. 

This announcement follows the recent opening of the Radisson Resort Tahiti in 2004. 
"We are very fortunate to have a partner such as Tabua Investments, whose reputation, experience and commitment to development in Fiji is second to none," said Paul Kirwin, president of Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific. 

Tabua Investments is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based BIL International Limited who acquired its interests in Denarau Island in 1996.  Tabua Investments Limited has successfully developed several high-profile hotel, residential and retail projects on Denarau Island. 

Martin Darveniza, chief executive officer for Tabua Investments Limited said: "Fiji is the major tourism destination in the South Pacific, experiencing a period of strong growth, particularly from the Australian, New Zealand and North American markets."
In 2004, Fiji achieved 18 percent growth in visitor arrival numbers and confirmed its position as the South Pacific's top tourist destination.  The South Pacific Tourism Organization has forecast 8 percent growth for the region in 2005. 

Darveniza added, "Additional air capacity to Fiji is expected to further increase leisure and conference business and there is a need for additional quality accommodations in the market. Radisson, an internationally recognized and trusted name by leisure and business travellers, is the ideal brand to meet this need.  It is very positive to see Fiji attracting global hotel brands and operators the calibre of Radisson and Carlson Hotels."

"The strategic location, innovative design and high level of facilities make the resort an excellent addition to the Radisson portfolio of quality resorts worldwide," said Bjørn Gullaksen, executive vice president and brand leader of Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Carlson Hotels Worldwide Full Service Hotels. "Radisson branding will bring a distinctive experience to the resort and introduce innovative services and amenities commensurate with the quality of the destination."

Suited to leisure, incentive and conference travellers, the luxurious apartments will feature a two-bedroom, two-bathroom design.  The versatile dual-key system will allow each apartment to be used as a separate hotel room and one-bedroom suite or as a two-bedroom suite.  Each apartment will feature a separate kitchen, dining area and lounge room plus two separate balconies with views of the ocean, pool or golf course.

The centrepiece of the resort will be the spectacular swimming pool complex, comprising a series of individual pools including a family pool, a children's pool that is protected with an ultra violet (UV) canopy, and five private beaches for adults only. 
Unique waterfalls, boardwalks and other landscaped elements will be incorporated, along with a spa facility built on a private island within the pool complex. 

Resort facilities include a conference center, business center and banquet space, and a main restaurant and pool bar will seat 250 guests and offer magnificent sunset views. 

Also today, Radisson Hotels & Resorts announced the planned development of the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park in Shanghai on Yingchun Road, in the Pudong district.  Due to open in early 2006, the hotel will have 362 guestrooms, including 81 suites, with 80 percent of the rooms more than 430 square feet in size. 

The Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park will be located in close proximity to Century Park, the largest dedicated parkland in Shanghai; the Shanghai International Exhibition Centre; and the world's first Meglov terminal   the world's fastest train, connecting Pudong to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Developed by Shanghai Zendai Commercial and Tourist Investment and Development Company, the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park will be managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific.  The hotel will encompass three podium levels connecting to the Forum Centre and Museum as well as an 18-level tower containing 362 guest rooms.
"We are looking forward to working with the Shanghai Zendai Commercial and Tourist Investment and Development Company to make the project a great success."

Mr. Dai, Chairman, Shanghai Zendai Commercial and Tourist Investment and Development Company said: "We are very pleased to be on board with Radisson for this exciting new development and I am confident that the facilities and location of the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park will attract both business and leisure travelers." 

Adjacent to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre and close to the Pudong financial district, the Radisson Hotel Shanghai Pudong Century Park will be perfectly suited to corporate guests and leisure travelers, who will benefit from the commercial and residential Thumb Square adjacent to the hotel.

"As the economic capital of China and a major regional gateway city, Shanghai's demand for quality accommodation continues to grow," said Bjørn Gullaksen, executive vice president and brand leader for Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Carlson Hotels Worldwide full-service hotels.  "The strategic location and innovative modern architecture of the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park make the hotel an excellent addition to the Radisson portfolio of quality hotels worldwide," he added.

The hotel will be integrated into the adjoining Thumb Square commercial and residential development, connecting it to retail shops, large supermarkets and restaurants as well as the Zhengdu Museum of Modern Art.  As part of an agreement, the hotel will partner with the museum to exhibit various artworks from exhibitions held throughout the year.

The hotel will offer conference facilities, a grand ballroom, beauty salon, outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court and food and beverage facilities.  The interior design of the hotel will be simple but elegant, blending cutting-edge design with Chinese artifacts and artworks.  The conference facilities will include a multi-functional ballroom that can be divided into two breakout rooms and two executive boardrooms.  Food and beverage facilities will include an all-day-dining restaurant, Italian restaurant, uniquely designed business Internet deli, a lobby lounge bar, an art gallery bar and a Chinese restaurant with private dining rooms. 



Singapore-based Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific is the regional headquarters for Carlson Hotels Worldwide in the Asia-Pacific region and is supported by reservations, sales and development offices in Tokyo, Shanghai, New Delhi and Sydney. 
.
Contact:

Joan Cronson
Director of Public Relations
Radisson Hotels & Resorts
Tel: 763-212-1418
[email protected]

Also See: The Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti Providing Three-week Intensive Training Program Prior to Resort�s Opening / June 2004
Interview with Paul Kirwin Head of Carlson Hotels in Asia Pacific and Update on Raffles International and Taj Hotels Marketing Alliance / Murray Bailey / February 2005
Air Pacific, Fiji�s International Airline, Upgrades Denarau Island Resort Project from Novotel Brand to Sofitel / Aug 2004


To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search

Home | Welcome! | Hospitality News | Classifieds | Catalogs & Pricing | Viewpoint Forum | Ideas/Trends
Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.