Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BWH) brought together around 150 hoteliers, owners and licensees for its first Pan-APAC Regional Conference, held at the Carlton Hotel on Sukhumvit.

The Carlton, an independent property within BWH’s WorldHotels collection, formed part of the group’s expanded luxury portfolio following its 2019 acquisition of the brand.

Opening the event, regional vice president Olivier Berrivan highlighted the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific market and urged delegates to focus on controllable business factors amid wider global challenges.

Carlton Bangkok general manager Mark Bulmer outlined the city’s continued strength as a tourism hub, citing more than 30 million arrivals in 2025 and strong repeat visitation rates. He described Bangkok as a highly competitive market, with more than 1,200 hotels and 150,000 rooms, but said its broad appeal across price segments continued to support new development.

Bulmer also detailed Carlton’s post-pandemic positioning, noting the hotel’s ability to compete with branded operators by targeting key markets and maintaining a consistent product offering.

BWH board chair Victor Patel encouraged delegates to adapt to industry change, referencing the increasing influence of technology and innovation.

 

President and CEO Larry Cuculic said artificial intelligence is reshaping guest behaviour, particularly in how travellers research accommodation, but stressed that core hospitality principles remain unchanged.

“AI will never replace being a gracious host,” he said, adding that strong community connections and personalised experiences remain central to driving guest loyalty.

Cuculic also pointed to continued expansion, with BWH targeting 5,000 hotels globally, supported by newer brands such as Aiden and @Home, developed in response to evolving customer preferences.

Ron Pohl, president of international operations and president of WorldHotels, identified APAC as a key growth region, noting that more than half of the world’s population resides there and travel demand continues to increase.

He highlighted shifting demographics, with younger travellers increasingly influencing booking decisions and driving demand for experiential travel and locally immersive experiences. Secondary destinations, including Chiang Mai and Langkawi, are also gaining traction alongside established hubs such as Bangkok.

BWH’s marketing chief, Joelle Park, previewed a revamped loyalty programme, due to be announced at the group’s annual convention in Phoenix in October and rolled out in early 2027. The update is expected to simplify redemption and improve the overall guest journey.

Park said travel is increasingly viewed as a primary discretionary purchase, overtaking traditional luxury goods, and that loyalty programmes must reflect this shift by focusing on ease of use and meaningful experiences.

The conference concluded with an update from Chad Fletcher, senior vice president of worldwide sales, outlining enhanced sales support initiatives to drive growth in both emerging and established markets.

 

by Roderick Eime – (c) 2026.

Read Time: 3 minutes.

 

About the Author.

Widely published, multiple award-winning specialty travel and tourism journalist and photographer with a broad general knowledge.

Rod’s experience in professional media spans four decades, giving him a firm grounding in traditional media as well as an insight into the evolution of digital and online communications.

A natural storyteller, Rod seeks to entertain, inspire and engage readers as well as inform and educate. Whether it is an adventure travel story amongst reindeer herders in Siberia or a potentially stodgy end-user account for an industrial lubricant manufacturer, Rod believes a reader should be enriched and motivated.

His photography has won several awards, including a rare double ‘Travel Photographer of the Year’ gong from the Australian Society of Travel Writers in 2011 and 2013.

An early adopter of digital and online publishing, he first published web pages in 1994.

Learn more at www.traveloscopy.com or contact him at [email protected].

 

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