Thailand’s Centara Targets Larger Hotel Partners to Speed Up Growth

Photo Credit: Centara Hotels & Resorts Thailand’s Centara Hotels & Resorts plans to accelerate international expansion through partnerships with large property investors rather than individual hotel deals. Chief Operating Officer Michael Henssler told Skift that Centara is “going more into [an] asset-light” strategy, managing hotels owned by outside investors rather than financing properties itself. Centara is part of Thailand’s Central Group, the retail conglomerate controlled by the Chirathivat family. Its brands span luxury resorts, upscale hotels and more affordable accommodation, including Centara Reserve, Centara Grand, Centara, and Centara Life. Its operations extend beyond Thailand to markets including the Maldives, Japan, and the Middle East. As of August, Centara operated 52 hotels, including 23 owned or joint-venture properties and 29 managed hotels, with another 41 properties in its development pipeline, according to the company's latest figures. Looking For Larg