I

nternational hotel chain operator Aston International says it plans to open 40 new budget hotels by 2013 to tap the growing number of business and leisure travelers in the country.

Aston corporate marketing communications manager Febry Anindita said that the hotel chain would open up to 20 budget hotels under its Favehotels brand by the end of the year and another 20 hotels
in 2013.

“Demand for budget hotels is getting stronger in the country, not only in tourism areas such as Bali, but also in business cities like Jakarta, Bandung and Balikpapan. Thus, we will build more budget hotels here,” Febry said in Jakarta on Monday on the sidelines of the official launch of Favehotels Kemang.

Favehotel Kemang became the 12th Aston’s two-star hotel to start operations this year. The company plans to open another Favehotel in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta, next week, she said.

The other Favehotels will be opened in strategic locations in Java and Kalimantan, such as in the Braga area of Bandung, West Java; Kuta Square, Bali; and Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

Construction of the firm’s hotels in those cities was 90 percent complete, Febry said.

“We have been focusing our expansion in Java and Bali for the past two years, but we are going to expand into Sumatra and the eastern part of Indonesia next year,” she added.

Febry said that the company would build hotels in second-tier cities in Sumatra such as Medan, North Sumatra; Jambi; Lampung; and Jayapura, Papua; next year.

She added that Favehotels would attract tourists and business travelers in Indonesia because of their four-star facilities such as free Internet access, meeting rooms, restaurants, in-room spa massages and swimming pools.

Monthly occupancy rates of the firm’s two-star brand has reached an average of 85 percent.

According to Tohir Ali, manager of the new Favehotel Kemang, 70 of the hotels 130 rooms have been occupied since it was opened on Saturday.

“It shows how strong the demand for budget hotels in Indonesia is, especially in a business center area like Kemang. On Saturday alone, 54 of the rooms were occupied,” Tohir said in a press conference.

To reach an 85 percent occupancy rate, the hotel has collaborated with travel agents and corporations,
he said.

Besides Favehotels, Aston International has another budget brand, Quest, a three-star concept, and plans to launch another brand, Neo, a boutique budget class type of hotel, next month, Febry said.