Marriott manages two more hotels

The company's director of marketing, Anthony Armas, said the operator would manage two hotels on the popular island in September.

The hotels are to be run under contracts with Marriott's biggest lodging brand, Courtyard by Marriott.

They will be the fourth and fifth properties in Thailand for the firm, following others in Bangkok, Phuket and Hua Hin.

The group is also planning to manage a second serviced-apartment complex in the capital, Marriott Executive Apartment in the business district of Sathorn Road.

The group is confident of the Thai market and expects to grow given the good potential in the tourism sector, Armas said.

The group yesterday introduced two newly opened hotels, Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Surin Beach and Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin at Cha Am Beach. Both are owned by hotel developer Destination Property, which also owns existing hotels under the Courtyard brand.

Theera Kanjana, general manager of the hotel in Phuket, said the property has 256 rooms and focuses on family markets, both local and international.

He expects to have an average occupancy rate of 50 per cent during the low-season introduction period. "Phuket fully recovered in 2007 and the number of arrivals is expected to increase this year," said Theera.

Richard Wallace, general manager of the Hua Hin property, said the number of tourists to Hua Hin had increased by 12 per cent in 2007 and would increase further.

The hotel has 10 meeting rooms, so it will be approaching corporate and meeting markets as well as general tourists.

Both newly opened hotels are offering Kidsworld, which is designed by Marriott to serve families.

Marriott Hotels (Thailand) opened the first Courtyard in Bangkok last year with 314 rooms. The company is so far satisfied with the response from tourist and business travellers.