NEWS FLASH Three New International Hotel Brands Open Today

High season is here and today marks the opening of three international branded hotel launches with global chain ACCOR's IBIS Kata with 258 rooms, Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas 68 units and Best Western Sawaddi Patong adding in 144 rooms. There is a rash of branding activities in the market with Golden Tulip tying up last week with Mangosteen, InVision Hospitality for the boutique upscale B-Lay Tong and news in the works for two other deals expected to be announced within this month.
While tourist numbers are well up over last year, it remains a buyer's market rate wise for the coming season and perhaps beyond. This will be the first year we see a hotel chain with Outrigger starting to penetrate the traditional hotel supply with non traditional vacation pool villas. This looks to start being a competitor for the institutional hotels on the island as the value offering of a pool villa over a premium hotel room is certain to woo away visitors. Stay tuned for more competition in this sector and increasing conversions of residential units into hotel managed pooling arrangements