Best Western sets its Asian aims high

The Best Western hotel chain has set out to expand its Alexander-like conquest of Asia, which already has it set as the fastest-growing hotel chain on the Asian continent and beyond. The company says that it aims to become the biggest hotel chain in Asia within three years time.

Since Best Western first expanded into the Asian market in 2001 with 6 hotels, it has since blossomed its corporate lotus to include 106 hotels today. The bloat doesn’t stop there either, with the company aiming to open 200 new hotel properties by 2010.

This is a truly Pan-Asian effort, with branches set to appear in countries all over Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, India, South Korea, Vietnam and China. President and CEO of Best Western Hotels David Kong says, ‘As the world’s largest hotel chain, we bring scale, reach and a billion-dollar reservations system to our international partners.’

The new hotels will be marketed as upscale 4-star affairs, while their North American predecessors are known more as a middle of the road sort of experience in accommodation.

www.bestwestern.co.uk