Centara aims to open 20 new hotels in Vietnam by 2024.

As a member of Central Group – a renowned diversified conglomerate from Thailand, Centara is an award-winning international group that owns numerous hotels and resorts across Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam), the Middle East, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. It also operates a range of leading brands including six hotels, Cenvaree SPA – a Thai wellness brand, and COAST – a beachfront F&B establishment.

Many of the company's hotels consistently rank among the best in the market, such as Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld – one of the world's leading convention venues; Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, voted the best family resort in Thailand by TripAdvisor for the past 5 years; and Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin, named one of the best heritage hotels in Asia by CNN.

The group demonstrated its deep understanding of the Vietnamese market by successfully transforming Centara Sandy Beach Resort Da Nang into a renowned luxury beachfront resort in central Vietnam. Central Group operates a range of leading retail brands across Vietnam, including GO! (formerly BigC Vietnam), LanChi Mart, B2S, Robins, SuperSports, Home Mart, and Nguyen Kim.

Building on this success, Centara is now pursuing a large-scale nationwide growth strategy, aiming to open at least 20 new hotels and resorts across Vietnam by 2024. Targeted destinations include key economic hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hai Phong, as well as high-growth cities like Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, and Hoi An. The group also sees strong growth potential in southern coastal areas such as Vung Tau, Ho Tram, and Mui Ne, thanks to new road infrastructure connecting to Ho Chi Minh City and the development of a new airport in Dong Nai province.

Centara sees significant potential for all six of its brands in Vietnam, including: Centara Grand, Centara, Centara Residences & Suites, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, and its newest brand, COSI – aimed at serving independent and tech-savvy travelers.

Mr. Thirayuth Chirathivat, CEO of Centara Hotels & Resorts, said: “Vietnam’s tourism industry had a fantastic 2018 and we expect this to continue for many years to come. Thanks to the tourism boom in the Asian market, flexible visa policies and improved transport infrastructure, Vietnam is on the right track to realize its goal of welcoming a record number of tourists in 2019. With our diverse hotel segments, global expertise and local market experience, we are well-positioned to achieve our goals in Vietnam.”

In 2018, Vietnam's tourism industry set a record by welcoming 15.5 million international visitors, mostly from Asian countries where the Centara brand is widely known. This trend continued into 2019; data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) showed that nearly 6 million international visitors came to Vietnam in the first four months of 2019, and the vibrant economy is also boosting domestic tourism.

Positive travel trends are creating demand for new hotels and resorts. According to analytics firm STR, over 23,000 new hotel rooms are currently under construction in Vietnam, reflecting the continued growth of this global travel hotspot. This presents opportunities for Centara, which has already achieved considerable success and established strong partnerships in Vietnam.

Centara in Vietnam will play a crucial role in the group's global strategic vision, including the overall goal of doubling its hotel portfolio by 2022. Currently, the group operates 71 hotels and resorts with over 13,000 rooms, both operational and under development, worldwide.

For the past 30 years, Centara has been renowned for its Thai-style hospitality combined with world-class accommodation and exceptional amenities. Now, Centara is leveraging the expansion of several innovative brands to introduce the group's new hotels and resorts across Vietnam.

About Santara

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand's leading hotel operator with 71 properties spread across all of Thailand's popular tourist destinations, as well as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, China, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE. Centara's portfolio comprises six brands: Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, Centara Residences & Suites, and COSI Hotels. The group also operates state-of-the-art convention centers and has the award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree.

Over the next five years, Centara aims to double its investment portfolio through real estate in Thailand and emerging international markets, while expanding its presence across continents and new markets. As Centara continues to expand, a large base of loyal customers will find the group's unique hospitality in more places. Centara's global loyalty program, Centara The1, reinforces customer loyalty with rewards, priority benefits, and member-exclusive pricing.

Learn more about Centara atwww.CentaraHotelsResorts.com

The Phong