GTA signs deal with ONYX Hospitality Group to increase its presence across Asia

BANGKOK - Bangkok is the most visited city in the world led by a surge of tourists from China and Southeast Asia, drawn by its relative affordability and shopping.

International visitors to Thailand reached over 6.8 million in the first quarter of the 2013 – up 20% – with 16 million projected for 2013.

Agreement gives Onyx enhanced distribution opportunities through GTA Businesses selling accommodation and travel will have even more choice from beach and city hotels, resorts and serviced apartments, spanning economy, mid-scale and luxury budgets

As Asia’s popularity as a destination continues to grow, GTA the global wholesaler for fully independent travel, has signed a new partnership with Onyx Hospitality Group to offer 34 hotels in Thailand, as well as Hong Kong and Qatar. The deal will help ensure that GTA meets increasing global demand for Thailand as a destination.

Bangkok – home to seven of Onyx’s 21 Thai properties – is now the most visited city in the world by international tourists, according to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index1. International visitors to Thailand reached over 6.8 million in the first quarter of the 2013 alone – up nearly 20% on the same period last year – and 16 million are projected for 2013. The Thai capital’s popularity is being driven by a surge of tourists from China and Southeast Asia, drawn by its relative affordability and brand name shopping.

In line with its ambition to ‘grow where the future is’, GTA is already capturing this opportunity. GTA’s business to Thailand from mainland China is growing by a third year on year, while that from Hong Kong has more than tripled in just two years. Southeast Asian source markets are also important with increasing numbers of Cambodian, Indonesian, Singaporean and Vietnamese travellers discovering Thailand.

Says Martin Jones, GTA’s Senior Vice President for Global Sourcing & Product Development: “Offering beach and city accommodation, the Onyx brand portfolio spans budget, mid-scale and luxury hotels, resorts and serviced apartments, ensuring that GTA continues to suit the differing needs of fully independent travellers. As the popularity of Thailand continues to increase, travel sellers around the world will welcome this new partnership and our ever-expanding variety of hotels.

“GTA makes it easy for hoteliers to successfully market and sell their rooms to even more consumers worldwide. Our technology, privileged relationships and wealth of experience means travel businesses trust us to help them profit.”

Onyx Hospitality Group is a leading hospitality management company with a pipeline of properties planned in China, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka in addition to its existing locations. The agreement gives it enhanced distribution opportunities through GTA’s wholesale and retail HTML and XML systems, its expertise and a global network of over 2,300 local professionals. Hotels gain access to previously untapped marketplaces and, with tens of thousands of travel bookings daily, potentially many more guests.

Onyx benefits from GTA’s new Margin Agreement contract which means hotels can promote their Best Available Rates to businesses selling accommodation to millions of holidaymakers and business travellers around the world. Given the rapid pace of change in travel and hospitality, Margin Agreements are an increasingly attractive option for many of GTA’s partners.

The new partnership is announced as Onyx unveils its first OZO property in Hong Kong, with more in the pipeline in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Among the properties being added to GTA’s portfolio:

Signing the contract, Debrah Pascoe, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for Onyx Hospitality Group, says: “We are very excited to sign with GTA. With Thailand’s popularity taking off and our profile as a leading hospitality group in the country, I believe that our global partnership will bring us positive results. With GTA, we look forward to welcoming more international visitors from new markets as well as continuing to build on our existing business.”

Sourced: TravelDailyNews