Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.8
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Azerbaijan is among top priority destinations for Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva, said the hotel’s general manager Thierry Lavalley in an interview with Trend.
“If we find a partner, we will absolutely participate in Azerbaijan’s tourism business, because we believe that there is a huge potential to grow. We never build our hotels. We find partners, who build hotels and manage their hotel on their behalf,” he said.
Lavalley pointed out that preferably, Kempinski would like to open a hotel in Baku.
“Baku is really becoming a mandatory destination for us. You have always to start with a capital. When you start with a capital, then you might think about expanding in the country,” he added.
The general manager went on to add that opening of a hotel in Baku is currently an idea.
“But I am sure that there is some potential behind,” he added.
Further, Lavalley talked about the prospects for opening of the hotel’s representative office in Baku.
He noted that in every single international company, Kempinski has a development department and this development department is actively working on the destination.
“We have to open a hotel in Baku first and then we will probably have one or two offices, for sure one sales office, because sales is mandatory if you want to be successful,” added the general manager.
Speaking about the prospects for expanding in the Caucasus region, Lavalley said that Caucasian destination is one of priorities for Kempinski.
“We believe very much in the development of the region. We would like of course in a not too distant future to open one hotel in Azerbaijan and why not in Georgia,” he said.
Lavalley noted that aside from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia are also among top priority destinations for Kempinski.
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