For a company well into its third decade before launching its first property outside Thailand, Centara has certainly made up for lost time. The December 2009 opening of the Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives represented the first step in an ambitious international expansion that has, in the span of just 34 months, taken Centara’s overseas presence to nearly 20 hotels and resorts.
Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing, looks back at a remarkable three years and offers a preview of plans for the future. "The intention to expand overseas was always there," says Chris. "Our feeling was that we had a brand identity that was strong and continuing to grow in our home country; and if we focused on overseas locations …show more content…
Two resorts on the island Bali are already online, and the third will soon join them.
Along with the second Maldives resort, Centara’s first beach resort in Mauritius will welcome its first guests before year’s end, and work on a second resort is well underway. Not to mention two resorts soon to open in Sri Lanka, an agreement with an Indian developer has so far seen stand-alone restaurants open in Goa, and hotel properties are due to open there in 2013.
Today, the mix of the Centara group is about 80% resorts and 20% city hotels. "Most of our city hotels are located in Thailand, and integrated with convention centres," notes Chris. "Our aim is to carry that over into our overseas expansion, and we have great confidence in the MICE market."
With a wide footprint spanning Southeast Asia and a growing presence in the Indian Ocean region, China is set to become the company’s third major development initiative. "Our growth strategy covers the main tourist destinations and gateway cities in Asia, including the member nations of the ASEAN Economic Community, which comes into being in 2015," he
Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing, looks back at a remarkable three years and offers a preview of plans for the future. "The intention to expand overseas was always there," says Chris. "Our feeling was that we had a brand identity that was strong and continuing to grow in our home country; and if we focused on overseas locations …show more content…
Two resorts on the island Bali are already online, and the third will soon join them.
Along with the second Maldives resort, Centara’s first beach resort in Mauritius will welcome its first guests before year’s end, and work on a second resort is well underway. Not to mention two resorts soon to open in Sri Lanka, an agreement with an Indian developer has so far seen stand-alone restaurants open in Goa, and hotel properties are due to open there in 2013.
Today, the mix of the Centara group is about 80% resorts and 20% city hotels. "Most of our city hotels are located in Thailand, and integrated with convention centres," notes Chris. "Our aim is to carry that over into our overseas expansion, and we have great confidence in the MICE market."
With a wide footprint spanning Southeast Asia and a growing presence in the Indian Ocean region, China is set to become the company’s third major development initiative. "Our growth strategy covers the main tourist destinations and gateway cities in Asia, including the member nations of the ASEAN Economic Community, which comes into being in 2015," he