‘Premium brand’ opportunities: Groupe GM looks to further conquer APAC market with Australasia expansion

At present, Groupe GM representation in the region is already well-established, in markets including Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Most recently, the firm expanded its presence in Asia with a new subsidiary in Hong Kong and Macau.

“After our recent expansion in Hong Kong and Macao, we are now thrilled to be further developing in the Asia Pacific region. Australia and New Zealand are one of the world’s top travel destinations and thus represent great opportunities for our group,”​ said Laurent Marchand, president of Groupe GM.

The expansion also fits in the group’s strategy to strengthen its international development beyond the current network, which already comprises more than 70 countries across all continents.

New opportunities

Jason Williams will head Paris Groupe, along with business partners Brian Tuia and Daren Manks.

Williams told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that there are plenty of opportunities for Groupe GM in Australia and New Zealand.

“Tourism in Australia and New Zealand is growing quite steadily for the past few years. A lot of new developments are going on in the major cities at the moment. I think there are good opportunities for Groupe GM in the region.”​

Australian and New Zealand Hotel sectors continue to perform strongly with record levels of international visitors and domestic overnight travel last year.

The company estimated that Australia’s international visitor trips will grow by 6.2%, and visitor nights by 5.9%.

More than 7,100 new Australian hotel rooms were added in 2018 and growth in new capacity is forecast to continue, with another 33,000 new rooms expected to be added over the next three years. Half of these are expected to be hosting guests by the end of 2020.

Williams added that Groupe GM’s portfolio of well-known brands and its commitment to developing eco-responsible products would be “a good fit”​ for the market.

“It's all about creating a customer experience for the hotels. Clients want to see premium brands. they know and are familiar with. It's an opportunity for us to present these brands to them.”​

Williams added that there is an important and growing need for “quality and bespoke”​ amenities in the Australasian region.

He believes brands such as Jo Malone London, Clarins and Algortherm will resonate with hotel guests in the region.

Groupe GM has also expanded its beauty amenity portfolio in recent months through new partnerships with Frédéric Malle and Perricone MD.

Future plans

Williams said the company had received positive feedback on its offerings during the NoVacancy Conference held recently.

In the next 12 months, the firm will be targeting hotels in major cities in Australasia – Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It is currently talking to a few hotels, which include large chains, said Williams.

After that, the company will target the next tier of cities such as Perth and Adelaide.

“We have a portfolio of brands that are well-recognised worldwide that we can present to hotels over here. It’s about helping them find solutions using our premium brands to reflect their brand.”​