Banyan Tree in global expansion
Laptop Battery Operating several luxury boutique resorts and spas in Maldives, Phuket, Bintan, Seychelles and China, The Banyan Tree now has major expansion plans both in Asia and around the world.
Banyan Tree> Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts offer an intimate retreat experience featuring its own signature blend of romance, rejuvenation and exotic sensuality. Placing special emphasis on providing guests with a sense of place, each Banyan Tree property is designed to fit into its natural surroundings, using indigenous materials as far as possible and reflecting the landscape and architecture of the destination. The brand takes its name from the tropical banyan tree, known for its strong and graceful image. For centuries, the same elements upon which Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts has flourished. Furthermore, the tree shares the same Asian roots as the Banyan Tree group, which is steeped in Asian traditions and environmental consciousness.
Thinkpad Major activities in the expansion program include the development of properties in China, Middle East, Caribbean and South America, as well as North Africa and Greece.
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Microsoft BTN caught up with Bernold Shroeder, Business Development Director, Banyan Tree, at WTM to find out the companys plans for expansion in coming months and Bernold's predictions for the growing spa industry.
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Laptop Computers BTN: Why have you chosen to expand into these particular destinations at this time?
BS: Banyan Tree is a very exotic and romantic brand so we like to have a remote location. We need lots of land, so we cannot build in civilised environments. We also have a lot of staff, so we look for a low cost environment.
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Laptop Computer 50% of our customers are European but it is simply too far for those customers to travel to the Far East twice a year. We wanted to get closer to this customer base so we are building in Marrakech and in Greece where there is more space and flexibility within tourism development.
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Desktop Computer
Notebooks Also ten years ago, travellers could only go to Asia or the Caribbean. We have to stretch ourselves in the coming years because there are a number of new destinations on the map such as Dubai and Qatar. We have under construction The Banyan Tree Desert Spa and Resort at Al Areen, which is due to open in March next year.
Lenovo BTN: With over 12, 000 spas in the US are you looking to expand your spa offering in North America?
BS: The spa market in the US is still in an early stage with the trend for clinical spas. We have to bring the holistic spa to the US but they may not be ready for it yet. We are constantly looking at new markets for spa opportunities and new ventures.
Hard Drive BTN: During the past decade, spas have become an increasingly important offering for hoteliers. Can you comment on any emerging spa trends in the hospitality industry?
BS: The definition of spa is too loose therefore people dont know what to expect from a spa and the term spa tends to vary according to which region you are in. Consumers are so confused that they dont know what they are getting from a spa sometimes wellness, holistic or clinical. What has become important is brand affiliation. Another trend to come out of this is that some spas are more focused on selling products. I think we need better definition so that a consumer really knows what he is going to get.
Travelstar BTN: What does Banyan tree do to define the spa experience?
BS: We bring a very Asian flavour to our spas. All our therapists are trained through a nine month course, which is very important because it means we can offer consistency. It is not enough to just offer fantastic facilities with beautiful artwork.
Gateway BTN: What are your signature spa treatments and which products do you use?
BS: Some of our signature treatments are the Thai massage and Indonesian massage and the rain mist treatment.
Laptop Parts We are unique because we have our own product but it is not our core objective to sell it. At the moment we only sell the products in the hotels and spas, although we are thinking about selling in Harrods.
Software BTN: What are your predictions for the spa industry in the next few years?
BS: I think that in 2006 more operators will try to get into the upmarket segment with yields much higher on the spa treatment.
Hard Drives There is a major opportunity to offer a good four star spa experience. No-one has tackled it yet in the industry but I think there is a way of creating smart, contemporary spas which are still affordable. This is a way of bringing people in to the world of spa for the first time. Traditional hyper 6 star businesses would not do it because that is not their core business but I think there would be a lot of opportunity and demand.
Electronics BTN: You have been instrumental in assisting Tsunami recovery. As a business with significant presence in affected areas, what have been the short term and long term effects of the disaster?
BS: Most importantly we had no casualties in our hotel group We lost 30 guest rooms in total in our five properties in Phuket and this was due to water damage. In Sri Lanka we had a hotel that was under construction. It was near completion but the structure damage was so bad that we have to re-build it.
Canon Over all we were very lucky but people are very nervous in Asia because not there have been so many crisis including SARS and The Bali bombing. There are always things happening and I think that is quite uncomfortable. If it had just been the Tsunami after five years it would have been okay, but now people are so nervous they are expecting the worst.
Desktop Pc On the other hand it just takes another disaster somewhere else in the world for people to forget and come back, for example, the hurricanes in the Caribbean.
Desktop Computers As a niche market brand, Banyan tree is a price maker rather than a price taker. Our travellers are so sophisticated they do the research and they know the brand. This is our advantage and we have to leverage it, but we can no longer just be in Asia. There are too many regional risks.
Think Pad BTN: What sets Banyan Tree apart as a hotel brand?
BS: We have very innovative design by our in house architects. We have a different approach in terms of service delivery. We try to create a lot of experiences, for example private catering in your villa.
Repair BTN: Why have you chosen to be a member of both the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the Leading Small Hotels of the World?
BS: They both do great jobs for us and they are both long term affiliates we are happy with both.
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