America’s Wyndham Hotels eyeing eight Thai properties

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts of the United States said last week that it intends to sign management agreements for eight hotels in Thailand this year as its executives expressed confidence in the Kingdom’s tourism and economy.

The New Jersey-based international hospital group said it would sign deals this year to manage eight new hotels in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai with a total 2,000 rooms. Wyndham expects to have a total of 25 hotels with 5,470 rooms in the Kingdom within two years.

Wyndham owns or operates over 9,000 properties in 11 countries aside from the U.S. and Thailand, and has divided them into 20 brands serving different price points and types of travelers. Among them are Ramada and Days Inn.

David Wray, Wyndham’s vice-president of development and acquisitions for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, said Thailand’s tourism sector had displayed amazing resilience despite global economic crises, occasional changes, and other events that might give travelers pause.

“Despite the crises, tourist arrivals resume, and they always return in higher numbers,” Wray said. “Huge growth in the tourism industry will continue no matter who makes up the new government.”

Most recently, Wyndham signed an agreement to manage a luxury condominium project in Pattaya, the Irin De Sea Bangsaray Luxury Condominium, which was renamed the Wyndham Garden Irin Bangsaray Pattaya.

Irinraya Pattanawiranon, executive director of Irin Property, which built the project, said there is a gap in the market to develop guaranteed-return condo projects using hotel management in Bang Saray.

Wyndham joins other top-echelon global hotel brands such as Ritz-Carlton in managing luxury condominiums and executive serviced apartments in the Kingdom.