Dusit Thani to take over management of Sheraton Krabi in July

Suvait Theeravachirakul, MBK Group chief executive officer, said yesterday that the hotel’s current management contract with Sheraton would end on June 30.

Under the new agreement, Dusit International will be responsible for marketing and activities. Currently, Dusit manages two hotels jointly owned with MBK: Patumwan Princess in Bangkok and Dusit Thani in the Maldives.

“The tourism business in Krabi will grow because of over-development in Phuket, so MBK is looking to take advantage of that growth,” he said.

Chanin Donavanik, Dusit International’s managing director and CEO, said Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort would serve the firm’s core markets, particularly China and the emerging Middle East markets.

Earlier, Dusit inked a joint sales deal with the giant Japanese hospitality firm Prince Hotels and Resorts, which is expected to bring more Japanese customers into southern Thailand. Currently, Dusit operates two hotels in Phuket: the Dusit Thani Laguna and DusitD2.

“It is a natural fit for the brand, complementing our well-established Dusit Thani resort properties here in Thailand. This signing underpins our confidence in the country, and in the high potential of Krabi as a growing destination. Dusit continues to pursue international expansion, but Thailand definitely plays a role in our growth plans,” Chanin said.

The resort will offer 240 guest rooms, three restaurants, one bar, two beachfront swimming pools, meeting facilities, a spa, a gym, a club lounge and a children’s club.

“This is an exciting new project between long-standing partners, which brings the best of each company to the table,” he said.

Chanin said Dusit was eyeing further expansion in China, the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. The group is also seeking opportunities to enter the European and Japanese markets – competition would be tough but the returns on investment could be huge.