Accor is planning a major expansion of its luxury Sofitel brand in Asia Pacific over the next few years.
According to the Sofitel’s Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific, Markland Blaiklock, who outlined the plans at a media event in Singapore this week, the luxury brand plans to be present “in all of the world’s major cities”, with a target of 150 hotels by 2015.
“Sofitel went through a major repositioning from 2007 to 2010 and over the last two years, our focus was really to increase the value of the brand,” said Blaiklock. “We have signed 30 new management agreements in the last two years worldwide and are on track to have at least 150 properties in operation by 2015 in key capital cities and major tourist destinations.”
In Asia Pacific Accor has opened four new Sofitels over the past year, including the Sofitel Mumbai BKC, Sofitel Auckland Viaduct, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit and the first Sofitel So in Asia – Sofitel So Bangkok.
This expansion will continue next year with the launch of the Sofitel So Singapore in June 2013. The group also plans to open two new hotels in India by 2014 – Sofitel Mumbai Mulund and Sofitel So Mumbai Mulund – as well as another nine properties in China by 2015; Sofitel Sanya Haitang Bay Resort & Spa (2013), Sofitel Shanghai Jing’An Huamin (2013), Sofitel Foshan (2014), Sofitel Haikou Tiantuo (2014), Sofitel Guiyang (2014), Sofitel Kunming Kunsteel (2014), Sofitel Wuxi Lihu (2014), Sofitel Changsha Huachuang (2015) and Sofitel Lianyungang Suning Galaxy (2015).
