Location a key success factor for CHM Hotels in Penang

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KUCHING: Location plays a great part in the success of hotels such as Cititel Penang, The Wembley, and Cititel Express, managed by Cititel Hotel Management (CHM Hotels), a subsidiary company of IGB Corporation Bhd (IGB).

Business and leisure travellers to Penang often take advantage of these strategically located hotels within the city centre. Notably, the group’s two newer hotels – the Wembley and Cititel Express – are adjacent to each other on the same site, offering 415 and 234 guests rooms respectively.

Mark Trevor de Souza, director of sales and marketing for the Wembley and Cititel Express, explained that one benefit for both hotels being adjacent to each other is the ability to capture a larger market due to shifting customer preferences.

While the Wembley was designed with the business segment in mind, CHM Hotels observed a growing trend of budget business travellers who tend not to spend too much on accommodations and opt to stay at cheaper options.

“Price wise, Cititel Express is about 40 per cent less for what we charge at the Wembley, and so it caters to the price that they are looking for in hotels when they come for business as well as leisure,” shared Souza with The Borneo Post.

With both hotels adjacent to each other, more prudent business travellers need not worry as they can enjoy a cheaper rate while still be able to attend any of their meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events held at one of the Wembley many function spaces.

This includes the Wembley Grand Ballroom, with a seating capacity of more than 1,000 persons, which has been a preferred venue for many successful annual dinners, corporate meetings, seminars and weddings.

The four-star Cititel Penang – the flagship hotel of CHM Hotels –stands at  16-stories, commanding a view of the city, the north and south sea channels as well as the iconic Penang Bridge.

Offering 451 comfortable and well-appointed guest rooms of various categories, and function spaces able to hold up to 850 people, guests will be able to appreciate its strategic location within easy access to the commercial and government establishments, favourite historical and cultural sites, key shopping malls and other tourist destinations.

Notably, the Wembley and Cititel Express are also located on a historical site previously known as the Wembley Park.

In total, CHM Hotels commands a 1,100 rooms, the largest offering of all hotel groups within Penang.

Souza opines that this gives CHM Hotels an edge over other hotels in Penang as it allows them to be able to better collaborate with travel agencies, and event planners.

“As we carry a demand of 1,100 rooms, we have the option of offering us as a group, whenever any agents attempt to make a booking with us, allowing them to be able to work with three hotels at one time. So it actually gives them the leverage of having more availability of rooms in one sitting,” said Souza.

Currently, the Wembley and Cititel Express command an occupancy rate of 60 and 75 per cent, respectively. On that note, Souza noted that the recently opened Penang-Kuching direct flight route by Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) would definitely boost their occupancy rates it will not only increase the leisure segment within Penang but also the business segment.