Mantra sets out Asia growth plan

Mantra sets out Asia growth plan
By admin


Mantra has set out plans to open 15 to 20 properties in Indonesia alone over the next three to four years with the hotel group revealing that Phuket is also in its sights.

It also emerged that Mantra will open two hotels in Papua New Guinea while Australian growth is also on the cards.

The blueprint was unveiled to Travel Today after Mantra yesterday announced plans to open its first hotel in Asia, the 172-room Mantra Nusa Dua in Bali, in December (Travel Today, yesterday).

Another Mantra will open in Seminyak, Bali mid next year while on Lombok, a 34-room Peppers is scheduled to open in the second half of 2014.

Mantra chief executive Bob East said the company now had the scale, profitability and consumer awareness levels to expand internationally.

“We want to go where there is a high component of Australians, such as Bali, Phuket, Fiji and PNG. ” he said. “But we don’t want to have 20 hotels in 10 countries. Our target is to have 15 to 20 properties in Indonesia alone.”

One Peppers property is also "coming out of the ground” in Fiji – on an island linked to the mainland by a bridge – with two new-builds in PNG set to open in late 2014 and 2015. They will have 190 and 90 rooms respectively with a third hotel a possibility.

East revealed Phuket was also on the radar although a search for a suitable venture has so far proved elusive. “I would like to have one or two there,” he said.

East revealed that the group had “walked away” from as many as 20 potential deals before settling on an agreement with Michael Burchett, managing director of MJB Hoteliers, for its Nusa Dua property.

“We had to get the right product and the right partner,” East said. “There is no room for error when you’re so young in the market.”

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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