Minor Hotels to Target the U.S. in Growth Push: ‘The Final Frontier’
Photo Credit: A guestroom at NH Collection New York Madison Avenue with all new furnishings. Minor International
Skift Take
Minor Hotels talks a persuasive game about breaking into the U.S., even though that market is notoriously difficult for foreign entrants.
Minor Hotels is mapping out a strategy to enter the U.S. market with a narrow geographic focus, a few key brands, a franchising push, and an unusual financing model for development.
The Bangkok-based company, which runs 566 open hotels in over 50 countries, has just one open hotel in the U.S. market: the NH Collection New York Madison Avenue.
“North America is the last place,” said Genna Panagopoulos, vice president of development for the Americas, regarding Minor's potential growth areas. “It's the final frontier, in my view. If you look at dots on the map, we're coming at it from all sides now.”
Panagopoulos joined the group in October to lead its regional push after serving as director of brand development at IHG.
Multi-Front FightAmerican hotel owners and franchisees know the big U.S. flags intimately and have deep lending relationships built around them. Panagopoulos
