Thistle Hotels is taking its first steps outside the UK market by opening properties in Asia.
Recently-appointed chief operating officer Heiko Figge said the company was weathering the economic downturn well and felt it was the right time to test the brand abroad.
A 250 room hotel in Port Dixon, Malaysia will open this year, while work is underway to convert a Hyatt near Singapore into a Thistle Hotel.
Figge said: “We talk ourselves into doom and gloom and of course hospitality is suffering, but we have improved our market share and this allows us the opportunity to move further afield.”
Meanwhile, the mid-priced chain is currently a third of the way through a £100 million refurbishment of its existing 32 hotels in the UK.
Once the project is complete, all the hotels will have more a more contemporary look, new logo and improved service. The traditional Thistle emblem has been dropped and replaced with a simple typeface logo.
Mr Figge previously worked for the chain for ten years as manager of its Royal Trafalgar, City Barbican and Marble Arch properties in the late 80s and early 90s. He then worked for Paramount Hotels and Marriott.