One On One: Abigail Tan, Head of St. Giles Hotels-Europe, U.K. And U.S.

Tan: “We celebrate the individuality of each hotel while unifying our collection with the most sought-after locations.”

It’s a brand that now has nine hotel properties in the United States, U.K., Malaysia, Australia, and the Philippines, but it may not be one that U.S. travel agents are quite as familiar with. St. Giles Hotels is out to change all that by launching a new global campaign titled “Be Central, Be St Giles” to redefine the brand and educate consumers on its expanding collection of nine hotels.

This new brand campaign also serves to set the stage for portfolio growth, with the goal of 20 owned and operated or managed hotels by 2020.

Key to St. Giles’ strategy is a having a central location in major cities around the world, which just happens to be the focus of the “Be Central, Be St. Giles” campaign. A 45-second film at the cornerstone of the campaign explores what it means to “Be Central” for the St. Giles guest; it shows how being in the center of a destination enables them to enjoy the most enriching travel experiences.

St. Giles also has enriched its digital presence with the re-launch of www.stgiles.com. The redesigned website is easily navigable and mobile-friendly. TMR spoke with Abigail Tan, head of St. Giles Hotels in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

What is the St. Giles brand? What category of hotels does it represent and what are the brand attributes?
St. Giles offers a global collection of centrally and strategically located hotels with individual characters, brought together by the signature St. Giles experience. Our growing portfolio includes three-star, four-star, and signature hotel properties in Asia, Australia, the U.K., and America. We celebrate the individuality of each hotel while unifying our collection with the most sought-after locations and warmest of service for a fulfilling, inspiring St. Giles experience.

Who owns St. Giles and do they own any other hospitality or travel companies?
St. Giles is an owned subsidiary of Malaysian property development group IGB Corporation, which has 19 hotels currently under its ownership, and two other hospitality brands, Cititel and MiCasa.

How has the brand grown over the past few years and how much does it intend to grow in the future? What cities is it targeting?
We recently expanded to nine properties with The Wembley, a 415-room hotel in Penang, Malaysia, and The Tank Stream, an all-inclusive, 280-room hotel in Sydney’s central business district. Our plan is to grow to 20 hotels by 2020.

We are actively pursuing new properties centrally located in key hub cities that have established or growing transient business and leisure travel. We are looking at Madrid and Barcelona, Rome and Milan, and Berlin in Europe; Vancouver, Toronto, Miami, Washington, New York, and Los Angeles in North America. Asia is still a major part of our growth strategy, and Cuba is in high focus at the moment in the Caribbean.

What is the strategy behind the new “Be Central, Be St. Giles” campaign and what do you hope to achieve? What is the St. Giles “experience”?
The “Be Central, Be St. Giles” campaign was designed to establish St. Giles as a global brand; define to travelers what it truly means to be central in a destination; and show how St. Giles Hotels, through a laser-focused location strategy and a distinct guest service, enables them to have a most enriching travel experience, be it for leisure or business. Our objective is to demonstrate to travelers how St. Giles Hotels put them center-stage in their destination and make their stay rewarding and memorable beyond checkout. We aim to achieve this through engaging content that visually conveys the St. Giles experience (our anthem video) and provides value to their travel experience (The St. Giles Insider).

How have you changed and updated the St. Giles website as part of this new campaign?
StGiles.com has been revamped as part of the “Be Central, Be St. Giles” campaign. Brand identity and user experience is consistent and unified across all hotel pages and the new website features a responsive design to accommodate today’s mobile environment. Navigation has been streamlined for an enhanced user experience and booking process, and the map was revamped to better highlight the centrality of the hotels.

What are the different categories of hotels within the St. Giles brand and how do you differentiate them?
There are currently three categories of hotels within the St. Giles brand—St. Giles Blue, St. Giles Red, and The Signature Collection.

The St. Giles Signature Collection is the gold standard of our portfolio of hotels and offers travelers a carefully curated group of unique properties with superior design, spacious accommodations, and impeccable service to guests seeking more from their hotel experience—more style, more amenities, more comfort, and more convenience. When guests book one of our centrally located St. Giles Red properties, whether for business or vacation, they will find stylish accommodations and special perks that are as memorable as the cities in which they are located.

St. Giles Blue properties are the smarter choice for travelers who understand the value of friendly service, central location, and modern amenities at a fair price. From Europe to Asia, our hotels provide business and leisure guests with quality service at competitive rates.

What are the signature experiences and local partnerships you plan to roll out this spring at your two New York properties, The Tuscany and The Court-a St. Giles Hotel?
We have been busy exploring and solidifying partnerships with local retail and F&B businesses and entrepreneurs. These include working on specialized in-room amenities using local craftspeople, breweries, coffee houses, and restaurants. Some examples include Brewery Ommegang, ACE Coffee, and Agavi Juice. We’ll continue to roll out additional partnerships with new brands throughout the year so guests receive a continuous stream of unique, localized experiences.

How are you making U.S. travel agents more aware of the St. Giles brand?
While we have not created a specific travel agent program as yet, our sales team actively engages with U.S. travel agents through various touch points, including consortia partnerships, fam experiences, trade shows, and in-agency visits and training. We also extend a special rate to agents. Our Asian properties often partner with Malaysian Airlines and EVA Airways to offer fam trips. Agents interested in learning more can contact Eric Tan, our North American representative for Asian hotels, and Marco Berna, director of sales for our New York properties.

What do you want to communicate to U.S. travel agents about the St. Giles brand and why they should consider booking it for their clients?
At St. Giles Hotels we value the trust travel agents place in our brand when they book their clients to our growing collection of hotels in New York, London, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Manila, and Sydney. St. Giles is not a chain and no two hotels are alike; each offers something unique and intriguing as we stay true to each hotel’s heritage and location. Agents can be assured that each hotel will welcome their clients to a warm and friendly atmosphere, creating a sense of family, while enhancing their city experience with a central location and great value.