NEW YORK— Kempinski Hotels & Resorts is “looking very hard” for a North American hotel partner to cross market its properties abroad. Currently, it offers a collection of 26 luxury hotels in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. About 16% of Kempinski’s hotel guests are Americans, and the company plans to raise that number to 25%. According to Chris Hartley, vp/marketing for Kempinski Hotels, the company has had initial talks with several U.S.-based lodging firms, and is hopeful that a partnership will be inked shortly. By forming a joint venture with an established North American lodging company, Kempinski hopes to increase its brand awareness among Americans and promote travel to its European destinations, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The agreement, according to Hartley, would consist of a strong marketing promotion of both companies’ brands, as well as a possible link in reservations systems and customer recognition programs, said Hartley. Kempinski launched its own loyalty program last month, called the Private Concierge Program, which rewards frequent guests with room upgrades, complimentary laundry and dry cleaning service and one pay-TV movie per night of stay, among other benefits. To help strengthen its marketing efforts in the U.S., Kempinski executives recently completed a press tour, which included stops in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The company also plans to grow its sales office here to bolster the Kempinski name via additional sales efforts, said Hartley.
