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Centara Hotels & Resorts celebrated 40 years with significant growth, new properties, brand refreshment, and multiple prestigious awards.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Centara Hotels & Resorts is reflecting on a highly successful year that saw it celebrate several major milestones and achievements. 2023 marked 40 years since Centara first introduced its family-centric Thai hospitality to the world, and this year was also one of the most significant in the company’s history. With three new hotels, including its inaugural property in Japan, a newly refreshed brand, a key executive appointment and multiple awards, Centara has advanced its five-year goal of becoming a top 100 global hotel operator by 2027.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Centara created a series of mega marketing campaigns to thank guests for their support and stimulate demand. This was not the only milestone for Centara in 2023; Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin turned 100 with a special centenary offer to help commemorate this iconic, century-old Thai heritage hotel.
Centara opened three new properties comprising 899 keys in 2023, taking its total portfolio to 95 hotels and resorts either open or in the pipeline. These included Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, a 33-storey urban landmark which marked the group’s debut in Japan. With its stylish and spacious rooms, modern MICE venues and five-star facilities, including eight world-class bars and restaurants, this hotel has already become popular among business and leisure travellers alike. Centara also reaffirmed its leading position in Thailand with the launch of two new properties: Centara Ubon, its first hotel in the northeastern gateway city of Ubon Ratchathani, just steps from the Central Ubon lifestyle mall, and Centara Ayutthaya, a new all-in-one leisure and lifestyle destination located next to the Central Ayutthaya mall and less than 15 minutes from this historic city’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed temples.
To accelerate its future growth, the company has rebranded Centra by Centara as Centara Life, revealing a fresh and exciting new brand identity. Centara Lifewill retain its core concept of “Elevating the Essentials” to help guests travel and stay seamlessly. The rebranding process will involve the complete and vibrant refresh of the brand’s visual identity which will permeate the brand’s physical and digital presence, plus a series of new signature guest experiences such as extra sleeping comforts, complimentary local delicacies, flexible breakfast hours and more!
To help drive the growth of its six diverse brands, Centara recently announced the appointment of Michael Henssler as its new Chief Operating Officer.
A hotel industry expert with almost 30 years of experience, most recently as Kempinski’s Chief Operating Officer for Asia, Henssler will help Centara to move into dynamic destinations and exciting new international markets.
Centara also achieved a series of prestigious awards. Brand Finance’s annual Thailand 50 report named Centara Grand, the flagship five-star brand, as the “Strongest Brand in Thailand,” based on factors including its brand equity, trust and value, while the Investment Analysts Association (IAA) Awards for Listed Companies 2022-23 presented the “Outstanding CEO” award to Centara’s Thirayuth Chirathivat, the “Outstanding CFO” prize to Gun Srisompong, and the “Best Investor Relations” award to Central Plaza Hotel PCL (CENTEL), Centara’s parent company. Centara was also named as the “Best Employer – Thailand 2023” in the Kincentric Best Employers Awards, and to achieve sustainability certification by Vireo SRL, which means that Centara’s corporate office and 12 of its hotels are now GSTC certified, as it strives to reach full certification by 2025.
Three of Centara’s hotels were honoured in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023. Roukh Kiri Khao Yai, a member of Centara Boutique Collection, was chosen as one of Thailand’s finest “Upcountry Hotels,” Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives won second place in the “House Reefs” category for the Maldives, and Centara Reserve Samui was selected as one of the best “Beach Island Resorts” in Thailand.
“2023 was an exceptional year for Centara. As the travel and hospitality industry returned to full strength, we took several important steps to position our company for a strong and sustainable future. With the addition of multiple hotels, the refreshed Centara Life brand and the arrival of Michael Henssler, we are perfectly placed to accelerate our development. To also win a series of prestigious awards reaffirms our confidence that we are moving in the right direction,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Centara’s CEO.
George, in his capacity as an intern, diligently oversees the flow of news, assists in the publication of content, and delves into the strategies of social media distribution. He is currently pursuing his studies in Business Administration at the Athens University of Economics and Business.
