Thailand: Major Thai hotel chain pursues Gulf expansion drive

A major Thai hotel chain is pursuing a drive to expand its presence in the UAE and other Gulf nations with plans to set up additional hotels and resorts following strong performance worldwide, the company said in its annual statement.

Minor International is focusing on the UAE, the second major Arab economy, and new projects would sharply boost its hotel and resort property in the country. The company said it as well has plans to enter Qatar and other Gulf oil producers as it is buoyed by expectations that 2013 would be an extra good financial year for the firm.

The statement, obtained by /hotelandrest.com/ this week, showed Minor could have in excess of 900 rooms and villas in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the same time as the projects are completed this year.

The projects in Abu Dhabi include Eastern Mangroves by its affiliate Anantara, Desert Islands, Qasr Al Sarab, Ananara Al Yamm, Anantara Al Sahel and Oaks Liwa. In Dubai, Anantara Palm Jumeirah will as well be ready later this year.

The statement said it is as well in process of building Anantara Doha Island in Qatar while three projects in Oman include Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqua (Blue City), Anantara Al Akhdar, and Anantara Salalah.

According to Mr. Dillip Rajakarier, Minor Group’s CEO, 2012 was an extra good year of expansion for the company’s hospitality management business.

He said Minor entered into China launching the Anantara brand opening Anantara Sanya Resort & Spa, located on the southernmost tip of Hainan Island, adding that China has become a key source market for both inbound and outbound travel.

Minor as well strengthened its presence in Bali, Indonesia with the opening of its second managed Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa, located on the secluded shores of Bali’s southern coastline.

“Finally, across the Indian Ocean we added our third Anantara in the United Arab Emirates, Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara is located along a stretch of the United Arab Emirates’s protected Eastern Mangroves District,” he said.

“For 2013, we are preparing to open an additional Anantara in Dubai inclunding China.

As part of our long-term strategy to drive a profitable portfolio of our own brands, 2012 as well underscored further expansion through our other hotel brands.”

He said Minor’s strategy and mission is to manage over 35 properties in additional than 12 nations across its various brands by 2017. “We expect to add an extra 8 hotels currently under development pipeline in 2013.”

In recent comments in Abu Dhabi, Minor International’s Chairman and CEO Mr William Ellwood Heinecke said the company’s push into the UAE is part of a strategic plan to expand its presence worldwide following a strong financial year.

He said the company is keen to boost its presence in Abu Dhabi and other parts of the UAE and to expand cooperation with the emirate’s tourism authorities in the next period.

He said Abu Dhabi is on the verge of a tourism boom following the launching of major hotels and relevant projects, inclunding museums on Saadiyat Island, adding that the Sheikh Zayed Museum and the Louvre would turn Abu Dhabi into “the capital of high level tourism in the region and the whole world.”

Mr Heinecke, who as well heads Anantara, said the company currently manages 91 hotels and 45 SPAs around the world, adding that Anantara would pursue plans to expand its presence in the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific region to encompass 50 properties by 2015. Currently with significant expansion in the Middle East, by the close of 2013, Anantara will have a portfolio of seven open properties in the region – five in Abu Dhabi, plus the initial property in Dubai and a new country of operation, Qatar.

He said the month of February saw the opening of the 21st Anantara and the second in China – Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa – and a total of seven additional properties are scheduled to join the Anantara portfolio in 2013 in Thailand, Vietnam, China, the UAE and Qatar.

Looking further ahead, Anantara will any minute at this time be debuting in additional new nations inclunding in the Indian Ocean on the islands of Sri Lanka and Mauritius, taking the total number of open properties by the end of 2014 to well over 30, he added.

In Abu Dhabi, Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villas will offer tranquil sea facing villas on the beautiful eastern shores of Sir Bani Yas Island, surrounded by natural sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

The thirty spacious villas will as well edge a peaceful lagoon rich with high mangroves, treating guests to stunning views of the elegant flamingos that favour this verdant sanctuary. The new villas will welcome guests in June 2013.

An extra project involves Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villas, which will be a incomparable addition to the destination of Abu Dhabi.

Thirty luxury villas, each with a private plunge pool, will be set in the heart of the Arabian Wildlife Park. Overlooking the rugged landscape and salt-dome hilltops, the villas will be surrounded by a lush grass savannah, affording guests’ uninterrupted views of the resident wildlife, inclunding grazing sand gazelles, Arabia’s elusive mountain gazelle and Oryx. Al Sahel Villas will open in Q3 2013.

As well in Abu Dhabi on Sir Bani Yas Island, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara recently opened a national-of-the-art Conference Centre and a WaterSports Centre.

In Dubai, Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa will be Anantara’s initial property in the emirate at the same time as it opens later this year.

Designed to reflect the brand’s Asian heritage, the luxurious new five star resort is located on the crescent of Dubai’s iconic Palm and will offer a total of 293 guest rooms and suites clustered in units of four to eight to maximise privacy.

130 guest rooms will feature direct access to 11,000 square metres of lagoon pools, whilst the 12 beach villas, 18 over water villas and three highly exclusive royal beach villas will give the resort an indulgent and exotic feel.

“I am proud to inform you that 2012 was a truly exceptional year for us as we managed to continue delivering outstanding operating and financial results. While we clearly benefited from robust domestic consumption and a significant increase in international tourist arrivals, our performance could not have been completed without well-planned strategies and commitment to operational, commercial and financial discipline,” Mr Heinecke said in a foreword to the company’s annual statement.

“We overcame the next-effects of widespread flooding at the end of 2011 and faced prevailing uncertainties in the world economy, from presently on we continued to go from strength to strength as a result of the skillful efforts of the management team and all our team members, inclunding a pool of strong brands in our portfolio.”

He said a surge in business boosted the company’s net profits by a whopping 78% to a record high of Baht 3,409 million ($110 million).

He said the hospitality business recorded a staggering 80% rise in net profit on the back of significant development in hotel operations together with stronger performance of mixed-use development projects.

The restaurant business completed a 35% increase in core net profit, underpinned not only by strong request for our services but as well by pro-active marketing efforts, economies of scale, enhanced cost efficiency and productivity, inclunding the strong operational excellence culture that Minor has instilled in its employees, he added.

“2012 was a transformative year for Minor, as a number of strategic initiatives were implemented that continued to lay the foundation for delivering profitable increase and creating long-term shareholder price,” he said.

“Looking forward we believe that our capable workforce and well-capitalized standing place us in an enviable position to take chance of next increase opportunities. We will remain committed to the same ideals and objectives that have steered our success over the completed year.”

The annual statement showed Minor’s total revenue peaked at Baht 32.9 billion ($1.06 billion) in 2012 compared with Baht 28.3 billion (912 million) in 2011. Total assets as well soared an all time high of Baht50.9 billion ($1.64 billion) at the end of 2012 from about Baht41.6 billion ($1.34 billion) at the end of 2011.

The statement as well showed the company’s hotels worldwide rose from 74 at the end of 2011 to 82 at the end of 2012 while the total number of rooms increased from 9,575 to a record high of 10,348 in the same period.