Pullman Bangkok King Power a model for Accor s Asia Pacific expansion

As France-based hotelier Accor multiplies its Pullman brand throughout the Asia-Pacific, Thailand’s Pullman Bangkok King Power will be the model for the region.

Bangkok, Thailand, 15 May, 2008 – Accor has big Asia-Pacific expansion plans for its newest high-end hotel brand, and the first Pullman in the region will set the standard, the company says. Pullman Bangkok King Power, the French hotel giant’s first Pullman hotel in Asia, opened its doors in the Thai capital in October 2007. The favorable response from clients so far has ensured it will be the benchmark for an array of Asia-based Pullman hotels on the horizon, Accor says. By the end of 2008, the Pullman network will consist of 56 hotels and more than 13,000 rooms in 23 countries in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and South America. Five new Pullman hotels will be launched in China alone by 2010 to strengthen the group’s position. “With economies throughout Asia continuing to grow strongly, and with the corporate and meetings sectors being particularly fast growing markets, the Pullman hotel brand is being launched to meet a clear market demand,” says Accor Asia-Pacific Chairman and COO Michael Issenberg. “In the Asia-Pacific region, the Pullman brand will expand rapidly in the next 12 months, particularly in China. Further extensive development is planned throughout the region over the coming years.” Pullman Bangkok King Power’s experience in Asia will be a development model. Thailand's Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) market is booming and Pullman has quickly secured its share. A 573-seat theatre is available for corporate summits, and a 400-guest capacity ballroom has the versatility to accommodate large incentive function events or small private dinner parties. As a prestigious name in hospitality, the Pullman name derives from the opulent Pullman railway carriages that changed the face of overnight railway travel in America – and later in the UK and Europe from the 1860s. Pullman, specifically designed for business travelers, is the upscale portfolio brand of Accor. Typically located in the heart of large regional and international cities and close to major airports, Pullman hotels provide creative services and excellent meeting facilities that distinguish the hotels from other brands in the market. In the medium to longer term, Accor’s ambition is to develop a worldwide chain of 300 hotels by 2015, with 100 hotels in Asia-Pacific, growing at a rate of 25 new hotels a year. For more information: http://www.pullmanbangkokkingpower.com/