Thorsten Kirschke.
Although the new brand, first launched in China, is slanted towards millennials, Thorsten Kirschke, president Carlson Rezidor Asia Pacific, says it would be wrong to assume that Radisson Red is a brand developed to embrace a specific generation.
Radisson Carlson believes that in Radisson Red it has the right brand for the right time and for the right people.
And although the new brand, first launched in China, is slanted towards millennials, Thorsten Kirschke, president Carlson Rezidor Asia Pacific, says it would be wrong to assume that Radisson Red is a brand developed to embrace a specific generation.
The tech-heavy hotels, of which up to 10 in Asia Pacific are under negotiation, make a feature of art, modern design, music and quick food service.
When you arrive at a Radisson Red you enter a “gallery” art space, which flows into a bar and deli area open from morning coffee to evening cocktails.
A mobile app will allow guests to do everything from skipping the check-in desk to calling room service to calling a taxi to take them to a restaurant.
In a time of personalisation of a guests’ experience, Kirschke concedes that too much tech may be a turn-off for those guests who seek high-touch from a hotel stay.
My view of millennials is that they have to earn the money before they can become a significant economic force.
“We’re mindful that technology cannot replace human interaction but we give options to our guests. Some want high-tech and low touch; others want the reverse of that. The challenge for us is to meet the ever-changing kaleidoscope of guests’ preferences.”
Kirschke said Radisson Red is aimed at a type of person, not an age group. “My view of millennials is that they have to earn the money before they can become a significant economic force. It’s still the bay boomers with the time, the motivation and the bigger wallets.
“It’s not as if anyone beyond the age of 25 cannot stay at a Radisson Red, quite the reverse,” Kirschke said. “The DNA of Radisson Red is geared to the millennium-minded, not an age group. People who enjoy more communal spaces, art and design, those who embrace a certain lifestyle will be attracted to Radisson Red.
“I read a statistic about the number of people who would prefer to have their mobile phone next to them rather than their spouse. Radisson Red is a lot about work-life integration and keeping people connected 24/7.”
Carlson Rezidor expects to develop between 30 and 50 Radisson Red hotels across Asia Pacific in the next decade.
The company is also keen to expand its Quorvus brand, currently restricted to three properties: G & V Royal Mile Edinburgh, The May Fair Hotel, London, and The Symphony Style Hotel, Kuwait. Development of the brand is likely to be maintained at one new property per year.
Carlson Rezidor says every future Quorvus Collection property will be chosen based on its ability to offer something new and aesthetically inspired in its respective market. Properties joining the brand will keep their own identity and legacy, but will benefit from Carlson’s distribution and marketing muscle.
“They will be a curated collection of individual properties. We won’t force rigid standards and features on these hotels,” said Kirschke.
Some will be modern, some will be traditional, and “all of them will be designed to bring the local culture into the heart of the hotel, which we know is what the modern luxury consumer is really looking for today”.
Carlson Rezidor believes the Quorvus Collection will appeal the next generation of luxury travellers at the top end of the millennial bracket.
What’s special about Radisson Red?
Carlson Rezidor says it offers owners lower construction and operating costs than traditional full-service hotels due to a multi-functional approach to design and efficient space planning.
What’s special about millennials?
The company’s internal research shows that “13% of all luxury consumption is done between the ages of 18-33, and it’s growing significantly”.
What’s happening with Radisson Blu?
In Australia Carlson Rezidor is re-designing the flagship five-star Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Sydney. The first phase of this initiative began with the meeting and conference rooms, to be followed by the re-design of all 364 accommodation rooms. “The tourism outlook is positive, especially in Australia where the forecast is for continued growth and where demand for rooms is projected to outstrip supply,” Kirschke said.