Hilton Thailand expansion: 2000 rooms in 24 months
Hilton Conrad Bangkok Premium Guest Room (image supplied)
Hilton Thailand has begun work on a major expansion program that will see it add up to 2000 rooms in 24 months across the country.
The additional properties taken over by Hilton will be converted to Hilton flagship brands including, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn.
Following the unprecedented events in 2020, Hilton’s recent full year 2020 results showed signs of optimism in development activity, with the number of properties being converted to Hilton brands across the globe increasing by more than 30% versus the prior year.
Industry experts have predicated it could take up to three years for tourism to return to pre-pandemic levels in Thailand, while the demand for contactless interactions and digitisation is expected to be a lasting legacy of COIVD-19.
These factors have prompted many independent hotel owners across the global to partner with global hotel groups in order to leverage strong commercial operations and industry-leading technology solutions.
“We are encouraged by the recognition our brands continue to receive within the industry, most recently in a report by leading market intelligence company Smith Travel Research, which placed five of our brands amongst the Top 15 in the global pipeline,” said Guy Phillips, Hilton’s senior vice president, development, Asia and Australasia.
“The strength of our portfolio and commercial engines have helped preserve and optimize value for our owners throughout one of the most challenging years the industry has ever faced. The trust we see from our partners in our award-winning brands gives us confidence that steering our focus onto rebranding opportunities would allow us to help independent hotel owners in Thailand maximize the potential of their assets.”
Hilton currently operates across five locations in Thailand – Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin and Pattay. The country is home to Hilton’s largest portfolio in South East Asia with 11 hotels and an additional eight in the pipeline.