Upfront

Carlson in alliance with Lotus Hotel Investment Fund

Carlson Hotels has entered into a major strategic alliance with the Lotus Hotel Investment Fund - a new US$1 billion private equity fund which is being set up to target hotel development opportunities in high-growth markets across the region including China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. The alliance will take advantage of a surging demand for world-class hotels in the major business and leisure markets across Asia. Martin Rinck, president and MD of Carlson Hotels Worldwide (Asia Pacific) said, "Over the last five years, Carlson Hotels Worldwide has built a fantastic foundation in Asia and with this new alliance, we are poised to accelerate rapidly into the future." Arun Amarsi, CEO of London-based Lotus Hotel Investment Fund, added, "This is a true meeting of minds, because we share the same business philosophy and desire to seize the exciting opportunities which we see in markets such as China and India, in particular."