Accor targets 30 operational hotels in Vietnam by 2013

Accor is striving to realize its new ambitious goal to operate 30 projects in three years’ time, or almost three times higher than the current number of hotels the group is managing in Vietnam.
“Our first realistic objective is to have 30 hotels and we think we shall be able to have this network of hotels already open by the end of 2013,” said Patrick Basset, Accor vice president of operations for Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea.
Basset told the Daily after a press conference in HCMC on Tuesday to introduce the Pullman brand that Accor now operated 14 hotels under the Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, and Mercure hotel brands in Vietnam. The rest of the projects under construction will be up and running in the next three years.
“The 30 hotels will have a quite balance of Accor brands,” Basset said, adding that Accor would have about four Sofitel and five Pullman hotels, and six to seven properties under each of Mercure, Novotel and ibis.
The biggest international operator of hotels in Vietnam told reporters that it had just signed contracts to manage two new Pullman hotels, bringing the total number under this upscale brand in this fast-growing tourism market to five.
All the five Pullman hotels will be put into service by 2013, and the Pullman Haiphong Flamboyant Island Resort and Pullman Danang Beach are the two new developments committed to Accor.
“We are very excited to announce Pullman Haiphong Flamboyant Island Resort,” he said.
The hotel in Haiphong is the latest commitment for the brand in Vietnam. Situated on Flamboyant Island in Do Son District, this 300-room hotel will cater to the increasing number of travelers to the northern industrial and seaport hub of Vietnam, as this upscale hotel has a ballroom, meeting rooms, three restaurants, two bars, swimming pools, an entertainment center, spa and an amphitheater.
Due to open in mid-2011, the Pullman Danang Beach will feature 207 guest rooms, four restaurants and leisure facilities including three swimming pools. The other Pullman projects scheduled to go online next year are in the southern city of Vung Tau and in Hanoi.
The 360-room Pullman Vung Tau, the first Pullman hotel planned for opening in Vietnam, will have a ballroom for 500 guests at a time, smaller functional rooms and other business and leisure facilities.
The 250-room Pullman Hanoi Horison under renovation will have event facilities able to accommodate up to 1,000 guests among others. Accor will operate more Pullman hotels to take advantage of the demand for upscale business and leisure facilities, he said.
“With sustained economic growth and significant investment in infrastructure leading to increased volumes for business travel and continued international and domestic leisure strength, opportunities continue for quality upscale hotel developments in Vietnam,” Basset said.
Evan Lewis, Accor vice president of communications for Asia Pacific, told reporters that increasing foreign investment flows into Vietnam and continued economic growth would fuel strong demand for international quality upscale hotels in this country. This is why Accor introduces the Pullman brand to this emerging market.
But Basset predicted ibis would grow slightly bigger than the other Accor brands in the years to come because of the larger need for the hotel under this economy, new-concept brand in Vietnam.
Earlier this month, Viethan Hotel Joint Stock Co. started work on the first ibis hotel project in Vietnam. The company, founded by B.B. Dai Minh Corp., will inaugurate this three-star hotel in HCMC’s Saigon South in about 20 months’ time.
The US$11-million property in District 7 will have 160 rooms as well as café, restaurant, gym and conference facilities.