Raffles International enters into Marketing Alliance with Blue Tree Hotels & Resorts of Brazil

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and Blue Tree Hotels & Resorts in Brazil have signed an agreement for a joint marketing alliance to cultivate cross-promotional opportunities. The signing of the alliance allows the two groups to harness each other's strengths in their respective stronghold markets.

Under the alliance, both Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and Blue Tree will develop reciprocal and joint marketing activities. These include joint participation in trade shows, sales events, culinary promotions and niche marketing programmes.

The geographical distribution of hotels under both Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and Blue Tree Hotels & Resorts is complementary. Blue Tree Hotels & Resort is a Brazilian hotel chain with 21 properties in the most prominent cities across the country, including hotels in Brasilia, beach resorts in the northeast and large convention hotels in Sao Paulo. Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is able to leverage on Blue Tree Hotels & Resorts' strong client network in South America to bring inbound traffic into its hotels, particularly to Swissôtel in New York City, Chicago and Atlanta and in Lima and Quito in South America. Blue  Tree Hotels & Resorts on the other hand, can tap major feeder markets through Swissôtel's presence in key cities in North America, Europe and Asia including New York, Chicago, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Singapore, and Beijing.

Mr Meinhard Huck, Managing Director of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, said, "The marketing synergies that can be derived from this alliance are substantial. The combined network of both Blue Tree and Swissôtel will allow us to strengthen our position in markets that would otherwise have been costly for either company to venture in on its own."

Added Ms Jennie Chua, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Raffles International, "Through the two hotels we have in South America, Swissôtel Quito and Swissôtel Lima, the Swissôtel brand is known in some parts of the continent. However, given the geographical size of South America, this alliance is valuable in enhancing the brand's reach especially in Brazil which is the largest country and an important one in South America."

Mrs. Chieko Aoki, President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Tree Hotels, added, "The increased exposure for our sales force when attending global trade shows will be an exceptional opportunity to attract the clients who may already be familiar with the Swissôtel or Raffles brand, but unaware of ours. At the same time, we believe that Blue Tree's established reputation of high quality in service and presence in South America, especially in Brazil, will be a positive advantage for Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts to strengthen its presence in this growing market. This alliance will make it possible to build a global network and offer greater convenience and benefits for our existing customer base."