With relatively limited geographical range, Tokyo-based Fujita Kanko wants to gain international clout and has partnered with Korean construction company Haesung Industrial Co. to produce a new 330-room hotel in Seoul — its first overseas expansion since 2002. With construction beginning in April and an opening planned for 2018, President and CEO Akira Segawa told HOTELS the international endeavor will be the start of a trend for the 60-property company.
“We’ve had a vision for a long time of expanding our portfolio globally and have simply been looking for the right opportunities,” Segawa said. “By opening a hotel there, we intend to further raise our brand’s visibility with not only Korean travelers, but also international travelers.”
Segawa said Fujita Kanko intends to expand its portfolio in its home Japanese market as well as in Asia within the next few years. To that end, Fujita Kanko will open new business-development offices in Bangkok and Jakarta within the next few months. Segawa added that with the company’s expansion, Fujita Kanko would still not own properties, but rather manage and operate hotels with franchise and management contracts.
Although its not setting a concrete number of properties, Fujita Kanko aims to expand aggressively while also redeveloping several of its resort properties. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are also influencing its growth plan.
In addition to the upcoming Seoul property, Fujita Kanko will open Hotel Gracery Shinjuku this April and the Hotel Gracery Okinawa and Hotel Gracery Kyoto Teramachi in 2016.