SiteMinder, the channel management company, is planning to open a new office in Bangkok.

Speaking to Travel Daily today, the company’s Managing Director Mike Ford said that the move forms part of major push into the Southeast Asian market.

“We’ve had a BDM (business development manager) presence in Asia for about a year and a half, and we’re really starting to pick up traction in the market,” Ford said. “Our key markets are Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.”

Ford revealed that the company chose Bangkok as the base for its Southeast Asian operations as it is the “chunkiest hotel market” in the region.

The expansion was made possible by the recent investment of more than US$5 million in the company by venture capital firm Bailador Investment Management. At the time of the investment Ford said the additional capital would allow SiteMinder to “build on an already strong European presence”.

Since the company’s launch in 2006, SiteMinder has grown to a network of more than 6,000 hotels using its distribution platform. Of these, approximately 10% are in Asia, although this is expected to rise following the launch of the new Southeast Asia regional office.

The new Bangkok office, which is expected to be operational in the third quarter of this year, will house telemarketing and sales teams. It will be led by Glenn Andrews, SiteMinder’s Sales & Marketing Manager for Asia. Ford added that SiteMinder will continue to base business development managers in other key Asian markets, such as Bali.

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