The Erawan Group invests 1.8 billion baht to build Holiday Inn Pattaya, its biggest project yet

The Erawan Group Plc. further stresses its intention to tap the lucrative Pattaya’s hospitality market by announcing a Baht 1.8 billion investment in a 367-room Holiday Inn. The site is a 6.5-rai plot of freehold land, part of the 20.5 rais recently acquired, adjacent to Amari Orchid in Central Pattaya. InterContinental Hotels Group (“IHG”) has been signed on to operate this resort under its largest brand “Holiday Inn”. The grand opening is scheduled for the end of 2008. This investment completes an array of hotels in the company’s previously announced expansion plan, aimed to diversify its hotel portfolio from five-star deluxe to budget hotels in Thailand’s key destinations. All standard and suite rooms will feature unsurpassed panoramic views of Pattaya Bay. The resort’s leisure facilities will include two swimming pools: one infinity pool on the 4th floor, overlooking picturesque Pattaya Bay, and a kids’ pool with adjacent Kids’ Club. Food and beverages will be offered in four outlets, including a stand-alone beachfront restaurant and bar. For meetings and events, the hotel will offer over 1,000 sq. m. of function space including a 600-sq. m. grand ballroom and three breakout rooms. Mr. Kasama Punyagupta, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Erawan Group, said, “We see Pattaya as a key strategic destination with enormous growth potential. The new Suvarnabhumi airport will open a new era for Pattaya. With only an hour’s drive from the new airport, Pattaya will unquestionably provide great appeal to both leisure and corporate markets, given its close proximity to the fast-growing Eastern Seaboard and Thailand’s main deep-sea port. As the world’s most recognized brand in the mid-market segment, we believe that Holiday Inn is the perfect brand for Pattaya.” Mr. Jan Smit, Chief Operator Officer, Southern Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific, said, “InterContinental Hotels Group is very pleased that Holiday Inn will be part of the continuing growth of Pattaya. We look forward to introducing our award-winning Holiday Inn brand to Pattaya and are proud to be working with The Erawan Group, Thailand’s leading and fastest growing hotel developer, to manage this property. Holiday Inn is a well recognized mid-market hotel brand and we are confident that this property will be very successful.” About The Erawan Group Plc. The Erawan Group Plc., listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, owns two of Bangkok’s leading 5-star hotels – the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok and the JW Marriott Bangkok – and a 5-star hotel on Koh Samui, now known as the Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa as well as three retail properties: the Erawan Bangkok, Amarin Plaza and Ploenchit Center. About IHG IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms with 540,000 guest rooms and 3,650 properties in almost 100 countries. Holiday Inn is one of the world’s most recognized hotel brands, with 1,406 hotels and 261,785 rooms globally. For information, please contact: Patawee Chaipatana or Satida Sritunyatorn Aziam Burson-Marsteller Tel: 0 2252 9871 Email: [email protected] Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net

• ข่าวInterContinental Hotels
• ข่าวThe Erawan Group Plc
• ข่าวContinental
• ข่าวHoliday Inn
• ข่าวo:trav