Business clients drive up Sofitel's revenues

Bucharest’s Sofitel four-star hotel has changed its strategy with a view to becoming affiliated to the Pullman four-star brand, focusing on business traffic. “Revenues per room have risen by around 5-6% this year, to 84 euros, because we’ve changed our customer mix,” said Bruno Vinette, general manager of Sofitel, which will become Pullman Bucharest World Trade Center in January. The hotel’s representatives planned to change the brand of the hotel as early as two years ago, as Sofitel hotels around the world will become five-star hotels. “(…) We chose Pullman brand because it’s centred on business traffic and we have 85% business traffic, while in the case of Sofitel brand the ratio is 60% business and 40% leisure,” said Alain D’Addio, a sales & marketing manager with Sofitel. The hotel rebranding involved some facilities being added, with investments having been started several years ago. “We started renovating the hotel three years ago and investments have so far amounted to some 1.5m euros (…),” said D’Addio.