With the successful integration of its two brands under one business, a brand review with Interbrand and a focus on building its people capabilities in the last year, Pan Pacific Hotels Group is confident in its position in the global market. President & CEO A Patrick Imbardelli talks to RLI about the group’s strategy moving forward

Pan Pacific Hotels Group owns, manages and/or markets over 30 hotels, resorts and serviced suites in Asia and North America, including those under development. The group comprises the Pan Pacific and ParkRoyal brands, which have presence in 11 countries including the US, Canada, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan.
The Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts and ParkRoyal Hotels & Resorts brands are unique because they blend Asian hospitality with western sensibilities; they are international brands backed by decades of heritage, both deeply rooted in Asia Pacific. ParkRoyal had its beginnings in Australia in the 1960s and the first Pan Pacific was established in Jakarta in 1976.

Pan Pacific, with over 30 years history has won esteemed industry accolades such as World Travel Awards, AAA Four Diamond Award, Condé Nast Gold List and Readers Choice Awards. Most recently, Pan Pacific Singapore and Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport garnered top honours in the World Travel Awards, nabbing Asia’s (fourth year running) and the World’s ‘Leading Business Hotel’ (third year running) and Asia’s and the World’s ‘Leading Airport Hotel’ (second year running) respectively.
The group currently has seven ParkRoyal properties across the region, in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Penang, Saigon and Myanmar, and will see an additional ParkRoyal Serviced Suites property opening in Kuala Lumpur in May.
While Pan Pacific’s hotels offer premium, modern and elegant accommodation with a creative blend of Asian and Western cultures, ParkRoyal features upscale, modern, comfortable accommodation with good connections to each local destination.
“2009 saw us undertaking an important brand refreshment project; we hired global brand strategist Interbrand to review both brands, with a view of strengthening them, and priming them for further growth,” explains A Patrick Imbardelli, President & CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group. “Currently, we are still looking how we may refresh our propositions before embarking on a comprehensive brands refreshment that could start a year on.”

The Pan Pacific Xiamen was opened in August 2009, strategically located in the heart of Xiamen’s financial and entertainment district, and featuring 387 contemporary rooms and suites that offer magnificent views of the sea, lakes and mountains. Pan Pacific Suzhou followed in January 2010.
“This is part of the Group’s strategy to build a strong presence in China, a key overseas market for us,” says Imbardelli.

We also opened the first extended stay property under the Pan Pacific brand, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites in Singapore in 2008 – it is the only serviced suites accommodation where residents can rely on round-the-clock Personal Assistants to provide them with instant local connections to the city.”
The second Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, in Bangkok, Thailand, also opened in January.

For the full article please see the RLI March 2010 issue