Park Plaza Hotels in North America, Europe and India unify to one brand

Park Plaza hotels, part of Minneapolis-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide, today announced an agreement with its brand partners — London-based Park Plaza Hotels Europe and Sarovar Park Plaza Hotels of India — to unify many areas of the company, including global distribution systems, marketing and brand management.

While the entities will continue to operate within their current leadership structures, each has agreed to work in tandem to create global consistency in reservations, operations, marketing, and employee development. Specific points of the agreement include creating unified graphics standards, sales collateral, website booking capabilities, and signage. In addition, they will work together to establish a global corporate rate program and marketing consortia to pool marketing resources worldwide.

"This agreement simplifies the process for booking Park Plaza hotels around the world by offering one-stop shopping," said Jetse Pottinga, executive vice president, Park Hospitality, parent organization of Park Plaza. "The inventory of all hotels are now listed in our 'Curtis-C' reservation system, making booking and finding information on all Park Plaza hotels a seamless process for clients."
The organizations are Park Hospitality, a division of Minneapolis-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide; London-based Park Plaza Hotels Europe, owner and operator of the Park Plaza brand in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and Sarovar Park Plaza Hotels, master franchisor of Park Plaza hotels in India. Similar agreements were signed in 2001 with partners in Asia-Pacific and Canada. 

"It is important for us to create a high level of brand consistency worldwide to ensure that guests have a comfortable stay whenever and wherever they call Park Plaza their home away from home," said Boris Ivesha, president of Park Plaza Hotels Europe. "The unified goal of Park Plaza is to enable our guests to experience first-hand a consistent, comfortable accommodation and good value accompanied by first-class service by employees who genuinely care."

He added, "We expect significant growth in key European countries during the next few years thanks to the joined effort to develop Park Plaza globally." 
The agreement was also supported by Anil Madhok, managing director for Sarovar Park Plaza Hotels.

"The global unification of Park Plaza hotels under the Carlson umbrella has special significance for India," Madhok said. "It will further accelerate the rapid pace of development of the brand in this part of the world. We have added 15 properties in the past seven years, and are confident that a proactive multinational system will significantly spur growth. We view this as one of the most dynamic developments in the hospitality sector in India today, and look forward to Park Plaza being best in its class in India and around the globe," he added.

For travel agents, this agreement means they will book the global Park Plaza brand using the chain code "PK" for Park Plaza locations. Also, the inventory for all Park Plaza hotels will be listed in the award-winning "Curtis-C" reservation system which increases the booking and earning potential for travel agents who participate in the Look To Book travel agent relationship program.

Look To Book, the travel industry's premier patented on-line travel agent relationship program, rewards points to travel consultants for every reservation booked and consumed at a Carlson-branded hotel, including Park Plaza. The points can be redeemed for valuable travel and merchandise awards.

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Park Plaza is part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, a global leader in hospitality services, encompassing more than 1,615 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise ship operations in 82 countries. In addition to Park Plaza hotels, specific brands include: Regent International Hotels; Radisson Hotels & Resorts; Country Inns & Suites By Carlson; Park Inn hotels; Radisson Seven Seas Cruises; T.G.I. Friday's and other restaurant brands; and Provisions, a worldwide procurement division.

Park Plaza Hotels Europe is the master franchisor of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide for the four-star Park Plaza brand in 55 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Park Plaza Hotels Europe is one of Europe's fastest growing hotel management companies with 26 hotels open and under development in nine countries, including the four-star art'otel brand.

Sarovar Park Plaza Hotels (SPPH) operates the extensive network of Park Plaza and Park Inn hotels & resorts across India. SPPH is a leader in the region in managing and marketing the Park brands. In a short period of time, five Park Plaza and nine Park Inns are operating throughout India in the cities of Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad, with several new projects underway. The company is headquartered in Mumbai and operates its management and marketing activities from a network of regional offices.