Great Hotels Organisation, whose family of brands include Great Hotels of the World (http://www.ghotw.com)
Since January 2008, some 372 individual hotels worldwide applied for integration into the Great Hotels of the World and Special Hotels of the World alliances – an increase of 17% from 2007.
Of those applications, 33 hotels were added to the worldwide portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts. A total of 17 hotels were added to Great Hotels of the World and 16 were accepted into Special Hotels of the World.
The low acceptance rate of applications demonstrates GHO’s emphasis on quality control and specific entry requirements.
Among the new members include a number of new destinations. Highlights include Seoul Plaza in the heart of the South Korean capital; Hotel Splendid on the edge of the Adriatic Sea in Becici, Montenegro; M'AR De AR Aqueduto in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Evora, Portugal; the brand new Troia Design Hotel in Troia, Portugal; the intimate Coyaba Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica and the biggest conference and spa resort in Croatia, Valamar Lacroma Resort in Dubrovnik, which will open its doors in late 2009.
Carly Gotz, Group Director of Business Development, says: “In 2009 we will continue to add hotels from a range of new destinations that give consumers luxurious accommodation that is value for money. Recent surveys show that our consumers still plan to travel on holiday this year but they will be looking for new, more unique destinations in areas that will allow their money to stretch even further.”
GHO’s increasing number of applications reflects their diverse product offerings – ranging from MICE sales and events to booking engines and GDS connectivity. GHO is particularly focused on e-distribution where member hotels receive bespoke training throughout their membership on how to optimise revenue through various electronic channels.
