Radisson group launches expansion plans as tourism bounces back

The Radisson Hotel Group is on the march across the country, with a significant expansion plan that will see it add at least another 50 properties to its portfolio through joint ventures and new management agreements.

RHG is the second-largest hotel chain globally behind the Marriott brands and has identified gateway cities and regional areas in Australia, India, Thailand and New Zealand as the prime growth sectors.

In Australia for the HICAP hotel conference, RHG chief development officer Ramzy Fenianos said the group wants to add 1,700 hotels and resorts to its Asia Pacific portfolio by 2025.

Radisson operates under brands including the Collections; Blu; Red; Park Plaza; Individuals, which is a franchise model; Park Inn and the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.

The group will expand all these brands through joint ventures with property developers, and smaller operators that want to use the large-scale back office facilities of the Radisson business.

“Australia is a key pillar of this plan in terms of growth,” Fenianos said.

“We have four main growth areas, India, Thailand, Vietnam and Australasia. So from a strategic perspective, Australia is really one of the key focus, I would say, for us in terms of potential growth.”

He said the focus in Australia would be on Radisson Individuals, a brand conceived during the pandemic in response to the needs of owners with assets that they operate, but have a desire to be part of a global group.

During the past two years of the global pandemic, the hotel and tourism sectors were hit hard as border closures and lockdowns forced people to stay at home.