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Newstrack
Amari to launch a new brand for its management arm
SANJEEV BHAR - New Delhi
Peter Henley |
Thailand based domestic hotel management company, Amari, is
gearing up to reach beyond its shores and is looking at India as a proposition
market for its growth. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, at the side lines of
a press conference to announce its India plans, Peter Henley, president &
CEO revealed that the group is looking to create a brand identity for its management
company in order to leverage the opportunities. "We are managing properties
under the brand Amari, but by April 2010, we are going to launch a new brand
identity that will encapsulate our management expertise as a mother brand for
the company. Under this, we plan to create newer brands as well as manage mid-market
to luxury hotels in addition to the existing brand Amari positioned in the four
star upscale category," Henley said. With a new brand identity set to be
launched by April this year, two more additional brands will come into its fold
that will be used for managing mid market and luxury properties. The group harbours
international ambitions and in all probability, India might turn out to be the
first one if its negotiations with developers here work out in its favour.
Revealing its plans for India, Henley said, "By 2018, we expect to operate
51 properties in the Asia Pacific region with at least seven properties in India."
Back in Thailand, the company owns four hotels and has two on long term lease
out of the 11 properties that it manages. Since it is now looking at the opportunity
in India, it is even looking to invest substantially. "We will look actively
to invest 15-20 per cent of the project only if the project is very lucrative
in terms of location. In fact, Amari has allocated USD 44.1 million for various
comprehensive programmes to enhance our growth proposition and about 15 per
cent is allocated for the India market," he stated.
| Amari has recently undergone a brand re-launch wherein
it has adopted a new logo and changed its tagline from Hotels and Resorts
to Colours and Rhythms. The new logo of Amari is a parasol keeping in mind
the cultural traits of South East Asia. Music, specially designed for Amari
properties has also been introduced. An amount of USD 2 million has been
allocated for consumer and travel trade marketing of the newly revamped
brand. |
The company has outlined key metro cities of India to create its brand presence
by managing properties and bring in the aspect of Asian hospitality that it
vouches to serve. At the same time, it is also looking at India as a vital market
in terms of inbound opportunity to Thailand, as Amari scored 90,000 room nights
with guests visiting for both business and leisure from India. The company has
appointed a sales office in New Delhi to tap both the inbound and outbound opportunities.
It has diverse interests from condominiums, service apartments and mixed-used
developments as well back in Thailand.
(With inputs from Gayatri Vijaykumar)
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