Best Western Hotels Showcases Asian Expansion at HICAP 2018

Singapore (Singapore) – April 10, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced its Asian development plans to key industry stakeholders and potential investors at the recent HICAP UPDATE conference in Singapore.

As the sister event to the popular HICAP (Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific), HICAP UPDATE is a mid-yearly forum that focuses on the latest developments in the region’s hospitality industry, from finance and investment to architecture and interior design.

This year’s HICAP UPDATE took place at the Pan Pacific Singapore on March 27-28, 2018, and Best Western proudly sponsored the conference for the second consecutive year.

Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia, took to the stage on the opening morning of the conference to participate in a high-level panel discussion entitled “The Industry Leaders Speak Out.” Held in front of a large audience, this session allowed Olivier to discuss the major opportunities and challenges currently facing hoteliers in the Southeast Asia region, specifically with regards to investments, developments and partnerships.

“HICAP and HICAP UPDATE are undoubtedly the leading events of the year for hoteliers in Southeast Asia, drawing large numbers of highly influential leaders and decision-makers from across the industry,” Olivier commented. “Best Western is delighted to be a sponsor of such a well-respected conference and we look forward to continuing our association with HICAP in future.”

Best Western also used HICAP UPDATE to reveal its latest Asian expansion plans – including its expanded selection of hotel brands. Having operated just three brands as recently as 2015, Best Western has undertaken a period of significant strategic growth and now offers a choice of 11 distinct global hotel concepts, including three so-called “soft brands”.

In Asia (Southeast Asia and Japan), Best Western now has no fewer than 30 new properties in the pipeline, covering five different brands: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb® and BW Premier Collection® by Best Western Once open, these new hotels will increase Best Western’s current Asian portfolio by more than 50 percent.

Thailand is a major area of expansion for the company, with 11 new hotels currently in the pipeline across the kingdom. Other key areas of development for Best Western Asia include Malaysia, where it currently has four hotels in the pipeline including a return to Kuala Lumpur; the Philippines, where Best Western sees significant potential in up-and-coming destinations; and Vietnam, which will welcome two exciting new Best Western properties in 2019.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for Best Western, as we expand further across Asia with one of the industry’s largest and most intuitive brand collections. From modern midscale and upscale hotels to cutting-edge millennial concepts, extended-stay options and soft brands covering three different market segments, Best Western has become a one-stop solution for hotel owners and developers across Asia,” Olivier concluded.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 11 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature CollectionSM by Best Western; as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 64 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2017, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, and Best Western receiving seven consecutive Dynatrace® Best of the Web awards for its leading hotel website. Best Western has also won nine consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 32 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson® provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google® Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.

– All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
– Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260
Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com
Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com