THE NEWLY-opened Buritara Resort and Spa in Bangkok is looking to boost its business from travel agents and tour operators.

Buritara group CEO, Tite Chinsomboon, said the resort, which opened on June 3 and is located on Rama 9 Road in the heart of Bangkok, was mounting sales missions to build relationships with travel agents and tour operators.

According to Chinsomboon, the property, which features 68 tented glass houses scattered throughout a 1.76-hectare landscaped organic garden and petting zoo, would be able to offer something different from the city’s other four-star accommodation options, most of which are of the high-rise variety.

The resort’s highest building is a two-storey, clubhouse-style bistro, which overlooks a raised pool deck and a man-made lake. For functions, it has a 450-seat event hall, as well as eight 10-pax breakout rooms.

Tite said the resort had been running at about 30 per cent occupancy in its first month of operation, with the majority of bookings coming from walk-ins and its own seven-staff sales team.

“We are now running at an average daily rate of just above 2,000 baht (US$66), but we will eventually be moving towards a standard rate of about 4,000 baht, to reflect our four-and-a-half-star product and service standards,” he added.

Meanwhile, business from local residential meeting groups is growing. Last month, the resort hosted a three-day/two-night meeting for Dhipaya Insurance and Lotus Thailand - the latter has also signed a deal to hold a monthly two-night residential meeting at the property.