Shangri-la wins Asia-Pacific’s Best Business Hotel Brand

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, has been awarded as the Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia-Pacific for the ninth consecutive year at the 2009 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific’s 18th Travel Awards, which was held in Hong Kong on Sep. 25.

Shangri-la also won other titles at the annual Business Traveller Asia-Pacific’s Readers’ Poll, which is regarded as one of the travel industry’s most anticipated events, the company said in a statement.

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, Makati Shangri-La, Manila and Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei all received awards for Best Business Hotel, in their respective cities.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-la, parent of luxury hotelier Shangri-La Asia, currently owns and manages 65 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-la and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of more than 28,000.

Shangri-La’s profit attributable to equity holders dropped 50.43% year on year to US$67.26 million in the first half of the year, due to decreasing demand and losses from foreign exchange.