Swiss hotel chain, Swissotel, is experiencing the benefits of its merger with Fairmont Raffles Hotels International last year, as the brand begins to expand its global portfolio.
Fairmont Raffles Hotels International was created by Los Angeles-based investment company, Colony Capital and major shareholder, Kingdom Hotels International (KHI) ” a Dubai-based investment firm owned by a trust for Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Speaking to ABTN in London at the Swissotel Road Show last night (25 April), vice president sales and marketing, Petra Goetting said: ”Partnering with Raffles and Fairmont is a perfect fit for Swiss”tel as all three are five-star brands and as a small chain we benefit from being part of a larger organisation.
”In terms of future developments we wonder what will happen next, as KHI is also a heavy investor in Four Seasons and Movenpick hotels. The Prince travels around buying properties ” he really buys a lot ” and it is up to the company”s business development people to decide where we fit in.”
Goetting also explained that research conducted by Fairmont into which brands are suited to the markets and individual hotels within the group”s portfolio, threw up some interesting results.
”We were surprised to find that the US is a suitable fit for Swiss”tel, and we have now re-signed our management contract for our Chicago property for the next 15 years,” she said.
The brand will also continue to expand in Eastern Europe, with properties in Tallinn and Turkey opening in November this year, as well as China with Shanghai, Kunshan and Foshan all set for 2008.