Hotels sell Indonesia

More hotels in Indonesia are joining international marketing organisations to promote their properties to travellers and in the process, sell the destination.



The most recent one is Hotel Mulia Senayan, which became a member of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts in September. Properties that are members of Preferred and Select also hold the distinction of falling under the luxury category. For example, the five-star Hotel Mulia Senayan property offers 996 rooms, with easy access to the adjacent 18-hole Senayan golf course despite its central urban setting.



Nihiwatu Resort from Select has won several accolades including one for its eco-friendly practices, boosting its bookings. Another Select property in Bali is Pitu Maha Resort & Spa, owned by the royal family of Ubud. Another recent member of a hotel marketing company is Bintan Lagoon Resorts. It joined WORLDHOTELS in September as a First Class Collection member.



Said Richard Roseberry, CEO, Select Hotels and Resorts, “As a marketing company we promote the experience of Pitu Maha that in turn sells the experience of Bali. This also worked for Nihiwatu which most people did not even know was in Bali until its rustic fame spread.”



The enticing shots of the properties on the websites of reputable marketing companies are attracting travellers to Indonesia’s shores compared to drawing bookings on their own websites.



“Select is a marketing platform not a reservation company. Our promoting is done on a destination basis,” said Roseberry. Thus hotels foot the bill not just for their own promotion but also for the location, especially in Indonesia that has problems accessing marketing funds. Shots of the properties in Bali have proven to be more appealing than on an official site.



“We also considered sales, marketing and distribution channels advantageous for better penetration into the global markets. Preferred membership is to attract international business and leisure travellers to experience Hotel Mulia Senayan as the hotel of choice in Jakarta,” said the hotel’s director of marketing, Jacinta Townsend.