Worldhotels Announces Strategic Partnership with Antoitalia
August 25, 2011 - Worldhotels, one of the leading groups of independent hotels worldwide, recently announced a strategic partnership with Antoitalia Hospitality, an Italian real estate advisor and management firm specializing in the hospitality industry.
Worldhotels' executives said Antoitalia experience in operating and managing hotels as well as its connections to hotel operators in Italy makes the company a perfect partner in Worldhotels' drive to develop its newly launched branding solution in the EMEA region.
Worldhotels is expanding its current affiliation business model in the EMEA region by adding a full-licence model for hotels seeking a brand solution with global recognition at a fraction of typical franchise fees. With 43 Italian hotels under its affiliation model, Worldhotels will focus on acquiring full-licence hotels in strategically important cities such as Rome and Milan. Antoitalia will support this growth by providing guidance and valuable contacts in the Italian hotel sector as well as hotel management services for full-licence properties.
“Our partnership with Antoitalia is a very significant part of our development strategy in the EMEA region, and Italy in particular is a very important country that will play a crucial role in the development of the full-licence model worldwide,” said Ingo Gürges, Vice President of Global Hotel Development of Worldhotels.
Piergiorgio Mangialardi, head of Antoitalia Hospitality, said, "Antoitalia is seeking significant growth in the hotel management sector in Italy by setting up specific operating companies and establishing high-level partnerships. Being able to count on the commercial and international capacity of Worldhotels enables us to have a top-level player in the domestic market. In addition to four-and five-star hotels, we are keenly interested in hotels and golf resorts in leisure destinations."
With this agreement, several projects are in the works including a prestigious five-star luxury hotel in Turin, which will be re-branded a Worldhotels property by the end of 2011. Worldhotels will support the repositioning of the hotel in the market and provide a 360° service to the hotel through the group's new branding solution.