Out of the 32 hotels operated by the Marriott group within continental Europe, the JW Marriott hotel in Bucharest is among the top five contributors to the group's turnover, says Kurt Strohmayer, general manager of the hotel.
"Contrary to the general opinion, the most profitable hotels are not those in Western Europe. The hotels that contribute the most to the group's business, with the exception of the American market, are those in Russia, followed by those in Eastern Europe", Strohmayer says.
Last year, the five-star hotel posted 38.5 million-euro turnover and 16-million euro profit. On the local market, JW Marriott leads the ranking of most profitable hotels, according to financial information provided by Societatea Companiilor Hoteliere Grand, the company managing the hotel. The hotel ended 2006 with a 41% profit margin, topping the ranking of Romanian hotels in terms of turnover.
According to Strohmayer, the hotel's main activity, the renting of rooms, accounts for the bulk of JW Marriott's business, 60%, while the remaining 40% comes from the catering and hospitality segment.
"We serve around 1,750 guests a day (54,000 a month) in our restaurants, bars, coffee shops, as well as during events and banquets. Most of them are businessmen from Bucharest," explains the hotel's general manager. On average, around 80% of the hotel's clients using the catering and hospitality services are Romanians, while the remaining 20% are expats or foreign customers.
"Of course, it remains important to fill the rooms, to ensure the occupancy rate and generated revenues are competitive with the market," adds Strohmayer.
JW Marriott is one of the biggest hotels in the American group located in Europe. The hotel has 402 rooms and suites, six restaurants and coffee shops, 12 event and conference rooms, a business centre and a casino.
Out of
