BWH Hotels drives growth and sustainability in Asia Pacific
In an exclusive interview with ITB Asia Daily News, Olivier Berrivin, Vice President of APAC at BWH Hotels, discussed the hotel group’s extensive reach across Asia Pacific, its expansion projects in the region, and commitment to sustainability
With 4,300 hotels throughout the world under its 18 brands, BWH is pursuing growth in Asia with a strategic focus on Thailand Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia.
What is BWH presenting at ITB Asia this year?
ITB Asia gives us the opportunity to showcase our hotels and resorts throughout the region under our three companies: WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and Surestay Hotels, along with our pipeline properties in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Australia, and Pakistan.
With 4,300 hotels globally, our regional teams are showcasing our existing properties, new openings, and latest pipeline to accommodate the requirements of the various markets and segments from leisure and corporate travellers to MICE groups.
What sets BWH’s offering in Asia apart?
Under our three hotel companies we offer a comprehensive collection of 18 brands ranging from economy to luxury. Because of this, BWH Hotels has the unique ability to meet the needs of developers, investors, owners, and guests in every market segment.
These brands also embrace industry trends, including a series of “soft” brands such as BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection, and boutique brands like Aiden by Best Western and WorldHotels Crafted. This extensive collection has enabled us to speed up our expansion in Asia Pacific, and our growth will continue to accelerate in the future.
How has the launch of new properties in Bangkok reaffirmed BWH’s position as one of the city’s leading international hotel operators?
Bangkok is the location of our Asia regional office and one of our key markets. With 13 hotels now operating in the Thai capital under seven distinct brands, the variety and success of our portfolio have also enabled us to expand into emerging districts, reinforcing our position.
What other expansion plans does BWH have in Asia Pacific?
Our Development Team is highly active across the region, but we have a strategic focus on Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. We have a considerable pipeline of projects in Vietnam, the majority of which are in the upscale and luxury segments, including our first luxury branded residences. In Thailand, we are reinforcing our leadership position in several key markets, while entering new destinations.
Japan is another key focus, offering immense potential for both our existing and new brands. We are looking to expand our presence in key cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya, while also tapping into emerging destinations.
We are also keen to expand in Malaysia and the Philippines. The benefit of our expanded portfolio is that we can accommodate the requests of owners and developers in every market, including key gateway cities, popular resort areas, emerging destinations, transport hubs, industrial centres and more.
Another interesting market for us is Pakistan. The launch of two new Best Western hotels in Quetta and Rawalpindi in Q4 2024 will double our portfolio there.
Sustainability: An integral part of BWH Hotels’ strategy
According to Mr Berrivin, sustainability is a fundamental component of the hotel group’s strategy. Not only has BWH launched its global sustainability initiative focusing on Earth, People and Community (EPC), “Because We Care,” the group has also adopted environmentally friendly practices across its hotel properties. “We have integrated eco-friendly solutions into all aspects of our properties, including initiatives to reduce our waste, carbon emissions, and water usage.” These practices have led Caravelle Saigon, a member of WorldHotels Elite, to became the first hotel in Vietnam to achieve EarthCheck gold certification.
BWH is also taking its sustainability efforts a step further by adopting the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) criteria for sustainable travel and tourism. “With these criteria as our guidelines, we are aiming to ensure that every aspect of our operations has a minimal impact on the planet and a maximum benefit for the destination,” Mr Berrivin asserted.