Radisson Hotel Group aims to double its portfolio to over 150 hotels within three to five years, mainly driven by expansion in Thailand, where the tourism industry remains robust.
"Thailand represents the biggest opportunity for us right now in Southeast Asia," said Tim Cordon, chief operating officer for the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia Pacific at Radisson Hotel Group.
He said hotels in Thailand last year recorded 20% year-on-year growth in revenue per available room (RevPar), outperforming other destinations in the region, and the momentum is expected to continue in 2025.
He said the attractiveness of Thailand includes natural destinations, visa-free policies, and new activities and events, including the Jurassic World attraction which is slated to open in Bangkok in the coming months.
At present, the group operates nine hotels in four locations; Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Phuket. The latest property -- Radisson RED Phuket Patong Beach -- was launched in December 2024, while four new hotels are expected to open this year.
In Southeast Asia, Radisson has 34 hotels in operation and 38 in the pipeline, tallying 72 hotels under eight hotel brands.
The group aims to double the size of its portfolio within the next five years, with Thailand being the main location, Mr Cordon said.
It would also look for opportunities to import two brands that have not yet expanded into this region: a luxury lifestyle brand -- art'otel -- and an economy brand -- Prize by Radisson.
Since Radisson's main owner is China's Jin Jiang International, the brand is already widely recognised among Chinese travellers, so it can attract people from that market to visit other properties in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia, said Mr Cordon.
The group has also invested over €150 million (5.23 billion baht) over the past couple of years in digital transformation, particularly in terms of its website and applications to elevate the guest experience.
Mr Cordon said that despite a competitive environment in the hospitality industry, Radisson has the strength of being more youthful, offering more flexibility in terms of the business model and requirements for owners, compared to legacy international brands.
As more independent hotels were converted to branded hotels post-pandemic, the group also offers affiliate brands such as Radisson Individuals, under which independent operators can enrol for a certain level of distribution and commercial support from the company.
Mr Cordon said that while some global challenges persist, such as geopolitical uncertainty, the travel industry is still resilient as people continue to travel.