Last Friday, eight prestigious Bangkok Hotels located along the Chao Praya River officially launched a new marketing initiative for the promotion of the area.
BANGKOK – The most stunning part of Bangkok – the Chao Praya River– generates also a lot of misperceptions. “Many people think that we are far away from Bangkok commercial centre around Sukhumvit and not that easily accessible. We have to change this wrong perception”, said during a press conference Katja Henke, General Manager of the Peninsula Hotel. The conference held on Friday at the Shangri La Hotel Bangkok was all about the official launch of the Bangkok Riverside Marketing Partnership. Its main aim is to promote the Chao Praya River which is, according to Mrs Henke, the “Bangkok historical and heritage heart”. The initiative has also been endorsed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, TCEB (Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau) as well as TICA (Thailand Incentive and Convention Association).
Eight hotels joined hands together comprising the Anantara Bangkok Riverside & Spa, Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, The Peninsula Bangkok, Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside, Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers and the Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok.
“We have already been active until today to promote the River and its surroundings as well as implementing CSR. But they were a lot of individual initiatives which needed to be structure. Our aim is over all to promote the River as a destination on its own and a primary leisure and MICE destination in Bangkok. We are totally open to any other business along the River and we certainly look to include in the future shopping malls or other institutions”, said Dirk de Cuyper, Regional General Manager Thailand and GM of the Millenium Hilton.
They are in fact more hotels planned in the area and their integration would definitely turn Bangkok Riverside as an independent destination. The eight hotels already have a combined inventory of 4,512 rooms and suites, plus 43 restaurants, 17 bars, 112 meeting rooms and 13 ballrooms.
The first step of Bangkok Riverside Marketing Partnership is for now a website which highlights hotel offers as well as describe all possible activities and events taking place along the Chao Praya.
“We will soon announce other initiatives as well as highlight a calendar of our own events”, promised Dirk de Cuyper. “We see our strength particularly for attracting MICE business. Our facilities are able to easily accommodate conferences up to 4,000 people and create spectactular events. We can compete on par with other MICE destinations”, added Mr de Cuyper.
The properties want to use their location on Bangkok’s up-and-coming waterfront to attract more groups and events.
Their common marketing will also help to coordinate more properly MICE groups by offering a global product.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
