Brand Communications of Asian Hotels: A Strategic Analysis

This report examines the brand communication strategies of Asian hotels, with a focus on the DusitThani brand. The report begins with a literature review on brand promise, identity, and positioning within the Asian hospitality industry, highlighting the emergence of Asian brands and their competition with Western brands. It analyzes the brand positioning of various hotels, including the Peninsula and Lebua groups, and explores their differential targeting strategies. The methodology involves a descriptive research design using secondary sources. The findings detail the name and meaning of DusitThani, the significance of its logo, and its brand extension strategy. The report also includes a gap analysis, identifying areas for future research. It concludes with an overview of the brand's commitment to Thai culture and its efforts to provide customers with luxury experiences. The report also mentions the DusitThani's brand extension into various categories like Dusit D2 and Dusit Princess and its expansion in key locations. The report also highlights the significance of the hotel's logo and its brand extension strategy.

Running Head: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS OF ASIAN HOTELS
Brand Communications of Asian Hotels
Student’s Name
University Name
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Literature review..............................................................................................................................3
Emergence of Asian hospitality industry as a brand....................................................................3
Room for a growth in sharing proper brand Positioning.............................................................4
Gap analysis.................................................................................................................................7
Methodology....................................................................................................................................7
Findings...........................................................................................................................................8
Name and meaning.......................................................................................................................8
Significance of logo.....................................................................................................................9
Brand extension strategy..............................................................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
Reference List................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
This report paper has three different segments. The first part undertakes a literature review
regarding brand promise, brand identity, brand positioning and other aspects of brand
development including brand communication. There is an analysis of the unit concepts, practice,
style, design as well as approaches used by the hospitality industry of Asia in managing the
hospitality business. Exercising on the brand, DusitThani which is the Thailand based hospitality
organisation,, the various Strategies and approaches for brand positioning have been explored
and the extent up to which the organization has been successful in establishing the brand name is
evaluated in this report paper.
Literature review
Emergence of Asian hospitality industry as a brand
There is really any scope in Europe as well as North America for the functioning for growth of
any popular boutique hospitality brand. That is why hospitality brands are choosing Asia as their
Battleground and exhibiting relentless expansion in this region dubbed as the most lucrative
hospitality market.
However, in this respect we observe that the Western brands coming into this region are facing
severe contest with the local brands. Along with the hotel group that is taken for research study
in this report paper, other brands like the Shangri-La hotels and resorts, six senses resorts and
Spa, Banyan Tree Holdings, Peninsula hotels and others are not only defending their business
domain and the task of hospitality in Asia but also expanding so aggressively that the popular
Western hospitality brands and not able to settle their foot so easily on the Asian ground (Liu et
al. 2017). We can easily talk about the South Asian market with the popular hospitality

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destinations like Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka and so on. In this regard it means
mentioned that a large number of Asian brands starting from Indonesian brand Aman to Shangri-
La of Hong Kong to Banyan Tree Holdings of Singapore do have already made their facilities in
this travel and and still expanding to set up their empire in hospitality. However now the
floodgates are opening up with brands like Peninsula, Dusit, Lebua coming to the scene
(Bihamta et al. 2017).
The question arises if the flood Gates are really open up letting in the popular Asian hospitality
change, there should be some factor of growing interest among the consuming section of Asian
population because of which these Hotel groups are getting in roads. This is where the context of
brand popularity, brand positioning and brand awareness come in. These brands are not simply
developing hotels but also feverishly wooing the outbound Asian travellers to their property sites
which are scattered across Asia, Europe as well as North America. Many of these Hotel groups
have also set their step into the Western markets following the Asian travellers. This section, as
identified by Lam, Ho and Law (2015), is predominantly Chinese with 77 million of Chinese
people travelling overseas each year. Hence a major section of the travelling in group in Asian or
in western market is constituted by the Asian population and this is the reason why why it is
expected that the Asian hospitality brands are growing so severely. In connection to this,
research Scholars including Tasci and Guillet (2016), identify that the hospitality brands have
developed a perception that which proper brand statement and brand positioning the Asian
tourists will like to be served better by the hospitality brands of their own land.
Room for a growth in sharing proper brand Positioning
For a Boutique Hotel to emerge as a brand it needs Limited competition, presence of resources as
well as business prospect in any business domain. The presence of these resources also helps in

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the development of brand identity of unique business groups which are hospitality groups in this
case. We have already spoken about the brand promise that the Asian Hospitality brands promise
to the Asian and the Western Travellers as well. In this regard, we will be speaking about the
brand Positioning of various popular Asian Hotel groups to identify the growth line they have
followed.
Graph 1: Business growth of Asian Hotels
(Source: Wong and Wickham 2015)
In the first place we can talk about the top brass from Peninsula hotels, a luxury brand from
Hong Kong, as well as Shanghai hotels which is one of the oldest hospitality companies of Asia.
The brand positioning of this hotels is exercised through a clear exchange of message with the
travellers which is an integral part of their brand communication strategy also. As observed by
Huang and Cai (2015), It is evident that the the chief operating officers as well as the executive
staff at all facilities of search hotel groups emphasize on how the traveller can make their visits
more luxurious and fulfilling. There are aware about the individual needs of customers from the
hospitality brands. This is why, based on the demographic demand and consumption trends, they
emphasize on some travellers to spend money on luxury and thereby ascertain that their able to
make out the maximum value for money. Considering the Asian Group of customers, there are

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popular segments of the new generation Travellers who looking for experiences without having
to spend excessive amount of money. Hospitality group has packages for such Travellers also
(Barreda et al. 2016). By providing the Travellers with customised solutions according to their
needs they point out how they can enjoy travelling in the same way by staying at their facilities
at other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo as well as Paris.
Recently, Indian sites like New Delhi or Mumbai has become prospective locations for the Asian
hospitality brands to emerge. We can observe that the Dusit International hotel group is
establishing their brand position by strengthening the brand communication, brand appeal and
brand equity by collaborating with local luxury hospitality brand, the Ankur Bhatia group.
Luxury groups like the Dusit International Group is is maintaining majority stake at the
partnership and creating bus in hospitality circles bye arresting the responsibilities like
promotion, campaigning and customer attraction on the local hospitality group. Evidence we can
speak about the facility of Dusitdevranawhich is a facility to be opened up very soon a New
Delhi, the capital of India. Another popular Hotel chain, Lebua is trying to capitalise on the
famous Hollywood hangover scene to enable there new openings in Asia.
Differential targeting strategy for brand communication
The Asian Hotel groups are not only setting up premium travelling and Hospitality destinations
where the customers can get all forms of luxury if they are willing to pay the price. Radha, they
are utilising the still unexplored beauty of Asian travelling destinations to attract customers. As
observed by Lee, Oh and Hsu (2017), these Hotel groups are setting up a new trend where Asian
customers are not looking up for the European or American travel destinations for a premium
travelling experience. The luxury, serenity and beauty of travelling can be experienced with
Asian travel destinations as well, courtesy to the new branding strategy of these Hotel groups.

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On one hand where they develop in strongly position premium hospitality facilities, on the other
hand they are also developing boutique resorts in various unit as well as of we travel locations of
Asia, where the middle and upper middle class segments of customers can also enjoy the basic
facilities provided by the brand. Besides, these Hotel groups are also capitalising on a travel
tendency of Asian customers, who love to associate themselves with big brands during the
course of their travel. That is why it is observed by researchers like Kim et al. (2017), states that
although they are sending less on activities on their trip, they choose to stay and dine out at
popular and established brands.
Gap analysis
The research evidences highlighted in this literature study mainly emphasizes on expansion of
Asian Hotel groups. However the analysis helps the researcher to state that there is still ample
scope of future research on the basis of strategic differences between the hospitality and
marketing approaches of the Western and the popular Asian hospitality brands. So far and so
long the Asian market of hospitality has not been saturated, however Vin saturation hits the
market, the way in which the approaches of Asian hotels might change or the market dynamics
might alter should also be taken as a topic of research and study in the future research works.
Methodology
Descriptive Research Design has been chosen here for the secondary research study undertaken
by the researcher. Research has also undertaken adaptive research approach for this research
study. The finding of this research study is based upon acceleration of secondary research
sources like online articles, company Publications, newspaper articles which are published online
regarding the brand development of DusitThani and so on.

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Findings
Name and meaning
There are two special connotations of the name Dusit which adds value to the brand proposition
of DusitThani hotel. In the first place the name implies the fourth layer of the seven layers of
heaven. Again, King Rama VI took this name along with the name Thani in order to emphasize
on his Kingdom describing it as a model city of democracy where everybody can stay with
happiness and esctacy.
Image 1: Diversification strategy of Dusit Hotels
(Source: )

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Hence, it is the responsibility of all the DusitThani facilities to provide their customers with the
best in class amenities. The luxury and specialties of Thai culture should also be reflected in the
service of their hospitality business.
Significance of logo
The logo of the hotel reflects their pride for the Thai heritage. Again, their brand name and
positioning statement shows that they have taken the responsibility of conveying the Thai culture
to the Global Travellers on their shoulder.
Brand extension strategy
DusitThani Hotel is developing their brand into four categories. The first and most popular
category in the segment of premium resorts and hotels is the DusitThani hotels and Resort for
five star hotel. The other categories includes, Dusit D2, as well as the Dusit princess and xxx.
The five star hotel alliances of DusitThani includes popular locations like Dusitdevrana, Dusit
Thani Pattaya and so on (Dusit.com 2019). This hotel provides exclusive booking opportunities
over the website and special discounts for customers booking any Dusit facility for the first time
(Kim, Moon and Choe 2016). This is an integral part of their brand positioning in the new
markets where the customers are charged less. In the first place this implies one of the primary

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Dusit values which is to make the hotel facilities for popular among the customers by reflecting
original values of hospitality and luxury. The Thai culture is selective about premium services
and the Oriental approach of the royal family of king Rama vi who adopted the name DusitThani
is reflected in the product offerings of the DusitThaniPattaya Hotel beach resort (Chen 2019).
This 5 star beachfront hotel is convenient and located adjacent to shopping destinations, dining
venues of Pattaya city. Welcome the significant positioning of the hotel near the majestically
carving Gulf of Thailand sets a different value to the DusitThaniPattaya facility (Dusit.com
2019). The Oriental Thai preposition is enhanced by the development of the facility a made a
tropical Garden along with boasting stunning panoramic views of the Pattaya beach. The
proposition develops significant appeal for a Getaway in the private Resort facilities of
DusitThani in Pattaya for all kind of travellers.
Graph 2: Comparison among premium hotel groups in Asia
(Source: Çifci et al. 2016)
They have both High Budget as well as low budget rooms at this facility as well as the other
important facilities like D2 in Nairobi, Devrana in Singapore and so on. This is a representation
of the democratic culture and state of happiness of of all people in the Thai kingdom.

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This is why the organization has regrouped themselves into the four brands and has not only
focus on the five star customer segment but also gives equal value to the three star segment
although this might dilute the perception of the brand in the mind of the premium customers
(Dusit.com 2019).
In this respect we should also talk about the Dusit D2 which is the facility develop for providing
premium services of five star Alliance standards to the budget customers.
The group has also developed various facilities without the brand name Dusit in the hotel name
and instead including xxx. Ganesh Associates this hotel brands with the Dusit brand name at
corporate level: xxx (Dusit.com 2019). This helps in reducing confusion at brand level, however
ensuring the incorporation of strength at corporate level. These facilities communicate with a
customer who wants to experience proper benefits of Hotel stay at various levels along with the
accompaniment of the high standard of service that is provided at all the Dusit facilities.
Conclusion
The brand development strategies of Dusit Thani are associated with the Oriental service
philosophy of the Dusit group. In regard to this strategy, it can be highlighted that the
organisation creates value for their brand by providing the best value for money of the
customers. In spite of being a premium hospitality brand, they have a large and diversifying
target customer base and tries to fulfill the travelling means of all sorts of customers.

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Reference List
Barreda, A.A., Bilgihan, A., Nusair, K. and Okumus, F., 2016. Online branding: Development of
hotel branding through interactivity theory. Tourism Management, 57, pp.180-192.
Bihamta, H., Jayashree, S., Rezaei, S., Okumus, F. and Rahimi, R., 2017. Dual pillars of hotel
restaurant food quality satisfaction and brand loyalty. British Food Journal, 119(12), pp.2597-
2609.
Chen, L.F., 2019. Hotel chain affiliation as an environmental performance strategy for luxury
hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 77, pp.1-6.
Çifci, S., Ekinci, Y., Whyatt, G., Japutra, A., Molinillo, S. and Siala, H., 2016. A cross validation
of Consumer-Based Brand Equity models: Driving customer equity in retail brands. Journal of
Business Research, 69(9), pp.3740-3747.
Dusit.com, 2019. About the Company. Available at: https://www.dusit.com/ [Accessed: 24th
August 2019]
Hsu, C.H., 2015. Brand performance of Chinese domestic vs. international hotels: Perceptions of
operators as well as domestic and foreign guests. Research in Hospitality Management, 5(2),
pp.123-133.
Huang, Z.J. and Cai, L.A., 2015. Modeling consumer-based brand equity for multinational hotel
brands–When hosts become guests. Tourism Management, 46, pp.431-443.
Kim, S., Moon, J. and Choe, J., 2016, October. Comparison of destination brand equity models
of competitive convention cities in East Asia. In Journal of Convention & Event Tourism (Vol.
17, No. 4, pp. 318-342). Routledge.