Face-to-Face: Samir Wildemann, General Manager, Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn
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1) Your new Radisson Hotel opening late in 2009 on Sathorn Road will be your third in Thailand. What is your rationale for this expansion of capacity at the present time?
In late 2008, Carlson Hotels Worldwide-Asia Pacific announced its dynamic expansion of its hotels across Thailand during the next two years. The planned move makes Thailand one of the largest, most strategic markets in the region for CHW-AP, and a key component in its overall plans to more than double its current hotel portfolio in Asia Pacific over the next four years. Thailand’s hospitality market remains buoyant despite a number of challenges and continues to hold enormous potential for accelerated growth.
2) Do you see the current Thai political impasse as an obstacle or as an opportunity for the future of Radisson in Thailand?
The past political and economical instability has triggered a price war in the city’s hotel sector, with corporate and MICE traffic having suffered the most. There has been a move in the tourism market to offer ‘value for money’, as hotels look for innovative strategies and new partnerships. The additional supply of new hotels and serviced apartments, combined with declining demand, is obviously a challenge however it is now all uphill from here even though it will take one to two years to reach 2007 levels again. Thailand’s underlying market fundamentals remain strong and our hotel should be well poised for it.
3) Your new Sathorn Road property will be close to both business centres and key leisure amenities in the city. Who do you anticipate as being your main target audience?
Sathorn is a corporate hub in the city and the area houses top multinational firms. Our primary source market will be Corporate as well as Residential Meetings. The property is designed to cater for every businessman’s needs from our offer of complimentary internet access, to packaging of our accommodation with work space area and suitable leg room that allows for the business traveller to stay in comfort while doing business. Our average room size of 82m
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