DUSIT International announced 2013 as their “Year of Expansion” at the recently concluded ITB Berlin.
Dusit International has over seven properties scheduled to open over the next 12 months and a further 16 projects in the development pipeline. Dusit International has already made waves with a number of announcements over the last two months, starting with the management agreement for dusitD2 nairobi. It is the company’s second location on the continent, but its first in sub-Saharan Africa.
This was followed by the announcement of a joint venture agreement in China, which will see a minimum of 10 properties developed over the next five years. The joint venture agreement resulted in the creation of the Dusit Fudu Hotel Management Company, Ltd., a partnership between Dusit International and local partner, Changzhou Qiao Yu Group. Cities to be targeted for development by this agreement include Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing and Hainan. By 2020, over 5,000 hotel rooms will come under the Dusit brand name.
The company also announced the signing of a dusitD2 hotel in Khao Yai, scheduled to open in Q4 2014. Also set to open this year is the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi in Q2 2013. This opening, in addition to upcoming projects in Dubai, Doha and Jeddah, represent the company’s intention to strengthen its presence in the Middle East region where it has been operating for over 11 years.
“This is an important year for the company’s future,” said the company’s managing director and CEO, Chanin Donavanik.
“Five years from now, Dusit will own and manage more than 50 hotels in popular destinations across three or four continents, and our brand recognition will grow and be stronger as well. I believe Thais are naturally very strong in the hospitality business, and our aim is to be able to export this by continuing to launch quality hotels under the Dusit brand,” he added.