Dusit International is planning to take over at least two hotels in southern Thailand, following its recent Bt2.6-billion acquisition of Phuket Laguna.
A representative at Dusit Inter-national said one hotel would be on Samui Island in Surat Thani province. The group will take over an existing property and convert it into the Dusit Samui. Another property will be in Phuket. Details of that acquisition are still being negotiated.
Dusit International announced last week that it had bought Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket for Bt2.6 billion from Laguna Resorts & Hotels, a local unit of Singapore-based Banyan Tree Group.
Dusit has been managing the Phuket Laguna for 23 years, ever since the opening of the complex on the resort island, which now hosts several luxury hotel brands, including Banyan Tree, Sheraton, Outrigger and Best Western Alamanda.
The group has been opening more hotels at home while also spreading out in overseas markets. However, some overseas projects, such as in India, have been postponed due to business reasons. Chief executive officer Chanin Donavanik said the group had spent a few months sealing the first deal.
It had entered an intensive bidding process among a strong field of competitive players. Dusit Group will control management and the status of Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket as before.
Chanin said Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket had been one of the group's best-managed hotels for more than two decades, and had never seen a decline in performance despite the many challenges over this period.
A hotel industry source said foreign investors, including Malaysia-based Petronas Group, which also runs a hotel chain, are seeking to buy existing resorts and properties in Bangkok, Phuket as well as in Samui.
Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, senior executive vice president of Airports of Thailand, said the number of arrivals at Phuket International Airport had increased by 20 per cent compared to the political crisis period in April and May. He said arrivals on the island and nearby attractions such as Krabi and Phang Nga would increase in the coming high season.
An international passenger terminal has been built and the domestic terminal expanded to meet demand.
Greg Duffel, president of Pacific Asia Travel Association advised operators in Phuket to do their own marketing and reposition themselves separately from the national package at this year's World Travel Mart, set to take place in London in October.