American hotel chain Best Western Hotels & Resorts is expanding its portfolio, launching new brands in Thailand to capitalise on the growing tourism market.
Olivier Berrivin, managing director for international operations in Asia for the group, said this year it launched two new brands in the region -- BW Premier Collection and SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western.
SureStay Plus by Best Western, with 28 superior and 57 deluxe rooms, opened in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area this October. The group also plans to open BW Premier Collection Pattaya, featuring 174 rooms, in 2019.
Following deals to open eight new hotels in three Asian countries -- Japan, Thailand and Vietnam -- in 2017, Best Western's regional pipeline now offers 24 hotels with over 1,000 rooms.
"We are planning to introduce more new brands in emerging destinations all across Asia," he said.
Next year, five Best Western brands are on track to open their doors. These include Best Western Sapporo Odori-Koen and Best Western Yamagata airport in Japan; Best Western Hotel Metro Clark in the Philippines; Best Western Ahlone in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon; and Vib Sanam Pao in Bangkok.
The new 89 room Vib Sanam Pao, designed specifically for the millennial market, will mark the debut of Best Western's new Vib hotel concept in Asia.
Another 11 new Best Western-branded hotels are then scheduled to launch in 2019 and 2020, including five in Thailand, where demand for accommodation continues to surge.
Among new projects, Best Western Prime Square (48 rooms) will mark the company's first entry into Chiang Mai. Best Western Chatuchak (168 rooms) will serve local and international shoppers visiting the popular weekend market, Chatuchak Market, and Best Western Nada Don Mueang is set to serve rapidly expanding low-cost carrier terminal at Don Mueang airport.
"These new hotels, a number of which come from Best Western's new generation of hotel brands, diversify the hotelier's offerings across the region and appeal to travellers of all types," said Ron Pohl, senior vice-president and chief operations officer.
The company's Asian expansion will start immediately, with two new hotels scheduled to open in Indonesia before the end of 2017 -- Best Western Kamala Jimbaran in Bali and Best Western Kindai Hotel in Benjamasin.
Since 2015, Best Western has launched eight new global brands, increasing its portfolio to 11 brands covering almost every section of the market, from economy SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western to the upscale BW Premier Collection. The hotelier is also catering to millennials with its Vib and GLo concepts.
Best Western has a portfolio of 55 hotels and resorts all across Asia, providing more than 7,400 rooms and suites. The company operates nine hotels in Thailand.