Corinthia Hotels hosts annual Press Breakfast in New York
24 September 2008
Tony Potter, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CHI Hotels & Resorts, the exclusive developer and operator of the luxury Corinthia Hotels brand worldwide, was the keynote speaker at Corinthia Hotels’ annual media business breakfast held at the Tavern on the Green in New York City. During the event, Tony revealed major developments concerning the luxury Brand’s new positioning on the market and gave details on its rapidly expanding portfolio of luxury hotels.
Mr Potter also announced that the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Dr Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Superior Council of Antiquities, were the nominees for this year’s World Tourism Awards, which Corinthia Hotels co-sponsors in collaboration with American Express, International Herald Tribune and Reed Travel Exhibitions. The award is now in its 11th year.
Addressing the media present at Tavern on the Green Mr. Potter stated “More than ever, the Corinthia Hotels brand is poised to play an increasingly prominent hospitality role worldwide. As CEO of its exclusive operator, CHI Hotels & Resorts, I can confirm that we will be operating a stunning 296-bedroom luxury Corinthia Hotel soon to be opened in Whitehall, central London. And this is just the beginning. We are also looking at properties in other leading destinations, such as Paris, Moscow, Rome and New York. “
This represents a strategic move for the luxury Corinthia Hotel brand, which to-date has been steadily building a five-star portfolio in key European destinations and the Mediterranean basin.
“At the same time,” Mr. Potter noted, “expansion and redesign in our traditional markets is also underway, and remains an important source of future growth for Corinthia Hotels. The existing upscale portfolio of Corinthia Hotels in Prague, Budapest, Lisbon, St. Petersburg (Russia), Tripoli (Libya) and Malta has recently seen the addition of the new Corinthia Beach Resort in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. This property comprises the five-star Corinthia Resort Hotel and other facilities, to be operated by CHI Hotels & Resorts.”
In keeping to the Corinthia Brand’s positioning in the luxury market, Mr. Potter points to the recent re-opening of the main entrance, lobby and public areas of the five-star Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia. “The entire renovation of the existing hotel and the extension of the property into the adjoining buildings includes the creation of a conference center with a capacity of 1,000 – the largest, most advanced and most opulent in St. Petersburg,” he states. “On the other side of the hotel, an elite commercial center with retail and office space will be built. Scheduled to open in 2009, the cost of the initial renovations alone will be $142 million dollars.” With new energy and excitement invigorating Corinthia Hotels, many more changes are underway.
Mr. Potter summarized some of the developments:
• The joint venture with Wyndham Hotel Group has expanded and globalized CHI Hotels & resorts’ sales and marketing activities, and continues to provide a broader reach worldwide as well a pipeline for development flow.
• Ongoing upgrading and refurbishments of the Corinthia Hotels properties, particularly the Corinthia Hotel St. Georges Bay and the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Malta, the Corinthia Lisbon Hotel in Portugal, and the Corinthia Nevskij Palace Hotel in St. Petersburg are proceeding at a steady pace.
• Increased and renovated Spa offerings, including those at the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal in Budapest, Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa and Corinthia Hotel St. Georges Bay in Malta, and the soon-to-be opened Spa at the Corinthia Hotel Lisbon, will offer even more luxurious ambience and services.
• The ascension of Corinthia Hotels as a top choice for the Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) market, as well as the corporate travel sector, has achieved peak performance through marketing and the specialized Events@Corinthia program. Newer conference centers such as the one in St. Petersburg, Russia, are predicated to maintain Corinthia’s edge.
• Re-branding: the Aquincum Hotels in Budapest and the Khamsa Hotel in Tunisia have now been incorporated into the Ramada Plaza portfolio.
• Complete livery re-designs will be updated and consistent in all Corinthia Hotels properties. An entirely new Corinthia Hotels website is also being launched in the coming weeks.
While retaining the Warm Smiles - exotic flavours - pleasant surprises of its Maltese heritage, Corinthia Hotels is clearly entering a new era in five-star hotel choices and amenities.