Pullman Bucharest hotel’s new manager aims to attract more leisure guests

Four-star Pullman Bucharest hotel aims to increase its business on the leisure segment this year, but business travelers still make over three-quarters of its activity, according to Belgian Patrick Carabin, the hotel’s general manager. “Aside from strengthening our position within the business travel market, which still makes for over 75% of our activity, we have initiated partnerships with leading travel agencies and local attractions, to further develop our leisure offering. We expect a 30% increase on this market segment for 2016,” Carabin said. Patrick Carabin took over as general manager of Pullman Bucharest in September 2015, after more than 8 years in Poland, where he managed two five-star hotels from the Sofitel chain: Sofitel Warsaw Victoria and Sofitel Grand Sopot. He is responsible for the overall management of the hotel, food & beverage operation and property maintenance. “Our permanent goal is to diversify our offering on the food & beverages segment and enhance the positioning of the hotel as a social destination for both the business and leisure clientele,” he said. Pullman Bucharest is part of the AccorHotels group and managed by Orbis Hotel Group, AccorHotels’ strategic partner in the Central and Eastern Europe. The hotel has 203 superior rooms and 15 suites on the upper floors. Its food and beverage offering includes a premium steakhouse – Barbizon and a fresh pastry restaurant – La Galette. The hotel also has conference rooms and a wellness area. It is located near the Romexpo exhibition center and Herastrau Park. World Trade Center Bucuresti, the Romanian company that owns the hotel and the World Trade Center conference center, had a turnover of EUR 6.9 million and EUR 1.5 million losses. The company has been in insolvency since 2011. Its main shareholders include French group Bouygues and Swiss firm Debarth, and Romanian investment fund Fondul Proprietatea. editor@romania-insider.com