Hotel and restaurant operator FDC International Hotels Corp (雲品國際) yesterday said that it is aiming for its banquet business to generate 15 percent of revenue next year, with its new Palais de Chine Collection seeking to grab market share in the wedding banquet, private party and corporate gathering sector.
The company made the remark after announcing that a 60-year-old mansion in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水) had been added to its list of banquet sites together with the Red House Theater (西門紅樓) in Taipei’s Ximending (西門町) area and a restaurant near Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園).
The company launched the collection in March and has taken more than 100 banquet bookings, with events scheduled until October next year, FDC general manager David Ting (丁原偉) told reporters in Tamsui.
FDC is cooperating with local and overseas suppliers, including foreign hotel brands Ritz-Carton Hotel Co, Bulgari SPA and Four Seasons Hotels Ltd, to create unforgettable occasions for customers, mainly newlyweds, he said.
Banquet catering has a favorable profit margin of more than 20 percent, more than double the average of normal restaurant operations, as it does not require fixed real-estate assets, rental or depreciation costs, Ting said.
An overnight party at the Tamsui mansion, a former Chia Hsin Cement Corp (嘉新水泥) guesthouse for up to 150 guests costs NT$1.2 million (US$38.4 million) including food and beverage, with the choice of holding an outdoor wedding by the swimming pool and a banquet in the greenhouse, FDC said.
“Conventional wedding receptions at five-star hotels no longer satisfy the needs of newlyweds... They want a more fun and unique experience, as well as good food, drinks and service,” Ting said.
FDC posted revenue of NT$167 million for last month, an 88 percent year-on-year increase.
Cumulative revenue in the first eight months was NT$1.54 billion, up 65 percent on the same period last year, company data showed.
The company owns the five-star Palais de Chine hotel near Taipei Railway Station, luxury resort Fleur de Chine (日月潭雲品酒店) near Sun Moon Lake and independent dining facilities.
It is an affiliate of L’ Hotel de Chine Group (雲朗觀光), which runs the Maison de Chine (兆品酒店), Chateau de Chine (翰品酒店), Chinatrust Hotels (中信旅館) and hotel brands in Italy.
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