Thailand’s leading hotel operator has set its sights on opening at least 20 new hotels over the next five years, according to a recent statement.
Sites earmarked for development projects include Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Haiphong, along with several other high-growth areas like Danang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh and Hoi An. The group have also identified strong potential in southern coastal areas such as Vung Tau, Ho Tram and Mui Ne, due to new road and air links improving infrastructure.
Business is booming in Vietnam right now, following another record-breaking year for the tourism sector in 2019. Boosted by an increase in intra-Asian travel, more relaxed visa policies and impressive improvements to transport infrastructure, many experts are projecting big things for Vietnam in the years ahead. It is this wealth of potential that has encouraged Centara to invest.
“Vietnam’s tourism industry enjoyed a great year in 2018 and we expect this to continue for many years to come,†said Centara Hotels & Resorts Chief Executive Officer, Thirayuth Chirathivat in a recent statement. “With our collection of hotel concepts, global hospitality expertise and local market experience, we are well placed to achieve our targets in Vietnam,” he added.
Centara is an award-winning international hotel group that operates under a series of leading brands with a portfolio of hotels and resorts throughout Southeast Asia. The Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld is one of the world’s top conference venues, while the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort in Pattaya has been ranked the best family resort in Thailand five years in a row by TripAdvisor. In Vietnam, Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang is a popular upscale beachfront, while the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin was recently named one of the best heritage hotels in Asia by CNN.
Centara currently has 71 hotels and resorts worldwide, representing a total of more than 13,000 rooms. The group has revealed an overall goal of doubling its total hotel portfolio by 2022 and has made Vietnam central to its expansion plans. With development already underway, Centara is expected to become a feature of the nation’s up-market hotel landscape over the next five years.
