BWI to increase portfolio to 350 hotels

During a celebratory event entitled ‘Oriental Reflections: Passage to the Next Decade’ held in Bangkok, Best Western International (BWI) outlined its expansion plans for the next decade that include increasing its portfolio to 350 hotels in Asia and the Middle East.

Specifically the company plans to add at least 15 new hotels in Indonesia and 10 in Saudi Arabia, while doubling its portfolio in Malaysia and the Philippines, opening its first hotels in Nepal, Iraq, and Sri Lanka and becoming the largest international hotel operator in Bangladesh.

Best Western vice president of international operations – Asia & Middle East, Glenn de Souza said: “The last 10 years has been an extraordinary period of growth for Best Western International. When we opened our Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Bangkok in 2001, we had just a small handful of hotels. Now, 10 years later, we have more than 200 properties either operational or in the pipeline, from Bangkok to Beijing, Bali to Bahrain.”

Speaking at the event de Souza also outlined plans to enter the Myanmar hospitality market, which would mean Best Western International will be present in nine out of the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).