MÖVENPICK Hotels & Resorts has announced an aggressive expansion plans for the company with 11 new hotel projects across nine countries bringing the company’s total number of operating and planned hotels worldwide to 100 by 2015. The new Mövenpick hotels will be located in in France, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Thailand. The company’s portfolio currently has 69 hotels in operation and 31 in development of which nine will open this year.
Speaking to SHALU CHANDRAN, Jean Gabriel Pérès, president and chief executive officer of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts says, “We have always believed is sustainable growth. In every region from Europe and Africa to the Middle East and Asia we have carefully consolidated our developments to maintain a balanced portfolio distribution that ensures decision-making is effective, resources are efficiently utilised and development is sustainable.”
In today’s challenging environment, Pérès believes that the upscale Mövenpick brand has come to be known as a reliable, efficient yet fresh. “We are not a chain of hotels, but are a collection of hotels that have a strong personality and character that is integrated very well in our local environment.”
“We often work with local designers to create a upscale yet not necessarily luxury product. Our difference lies in our service and our exceptionally strong offer of culinary delights brought by some excellent chefs. At each of our properties, we also pride ourselves on the passion and warmth of our general managers. They are true hosts. These added touches that make us unique and upscale” says Pérès. As the hotel plans its 100th property Pérès is extremely proud of this milestone. “Such a landmark is a credit to the hard work of everyone at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. We are careful not to overstretch and have chosen some unique destinations to add to our portfolio, including locations like Dharmsala in India and Jimbaran in Bali. We will continue to then bring about changes whether it is through training programmes and constant internal dialogue or through guest feedback and the development of innovative new processes.”
As part of its growth, the hotel brand remains committed to sustainability by introducing a series of new concepts across all its European hotels, “We want to be the first hotel company to achieve full Green Globe certification with all our hotels and the corporate headquarters by the end of 2012. Sustainability at Mövenpick will have a human dimension in its efforts. We believe in sustainability that respects communities in which we work and showing respect for ourselves as well,” says Pérès.
Starting this month, Mövenpick will begin a slew of openings as it takes over a 298-room Red Sea property in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. In Morocco the company will reopen a new 380-room hotel in Marrakesh in 2014, two properties are set to open in Tunisia in 2013: a low-rise hotel in the oasis of Tozeur and another in Djerba island in Tunisia. A new 350-room hotel in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China will open in 2015 while the Mövenpick Resort & Spa, Phoenix Island, Sanya, will open in 2013. The 270-room Mövenpick Resort & Spa, Jimbaran, will be the company’s first hotel in Indonesia when it opens in 2014. In Malaysia, a 250-room resort will open on Pantai Pandak Beach on the South China Sea coast while the company makes its entry into Bangladesh with a resort in Cox’s Bazar. Towards the end of this year, a 26-villa boutique-style resort will open in Samoeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand and the much awaited property in Paris’ exclusive suburb Neuilly will open in January 2013.
“With these openings, we have taken a brand that was well known in Europe and expanded successfully into the Middle East and Asia without compromising on authenticity. We have seen success in markets like Middle East and look forward to achieving the same in Asia,” adds Pérès.