Impact to open budget hotel, building

Managing director Paul Kanjanapas said yesterday that the company was adding facilities and improving services to meet the diverse demands of customers from Thailand and other economies, including the Asean Economic Community.
The three-star, 587-room Ibis Bangkok Impact Hotel is being developed at an estimated cost of Bt1 billion. It is located in the Impact Muang Thong Thani complex and will be managed by AccorHotels Group, the same company managing the Novotel Bangkok Impact Hotel, which averages occupancy of 90 per cent. 
It is confirmed that the Ibis will be completed and ready for service in March.
Because of the growing demand for exhibition space, Impact has set aside Bt500 million for the extension of the Sky Bridge that will connect Impact Challenger and the four-storey commercial building, The Portal, via Impact Arena. 
The 8,000-square-metre building will house shops, restaurants, a food court and brand-name outlets, serving as a meeting point for those attending concerts at Impact.
The Sky Bridge went into service in May, while construction of its extension linking Impact Arena and The Portal will be started after the completion of The Portal. 
The Portal is 80 per cent complete, with structural works done and building construction in progress, followed by interior and exterior decoration. 
The Portal is expected to be completed and open its doors in February.
Recently, the lobby of Halls 1-8 was refurbished at cost of Bt200 million with newly painted white walls and ceiling, black flooring and decorative lights. 
The corridors of Hall 3-7 are under renovation, with 80-per-cent completion.
Impact introduced the “Impact Speed Park”, a first for Thailand, with a fleet of 30 standard Sodi RTX electric go-karts. 
The Bt600-million Speed Park is targeted at Impact’s corporate clients and is expected to be a venue for product launches, team-building activities and large group events.
The company is taking part in the growing MICE (meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition) sector with the largest exhibition and convention centre in Southeast Asia and the third-largest in Asia. 
Impact hosts an average of 800 events and serves more than 10 million visitors per year. 
Over the past 17 years, the centre has played host to more than 8,000 events and attracted more than 100 million visitors from all over the world.
Its business remained in growth mode over the past months as government agencies and existing clients organised events during the past quarter. 
Occupancy at the Impact Forum Building rose to 28.5 per cent, while occupancy at Impact Exhibition Hall 1-8 surged to 69.1 per cent. 
This drove average occupancy to 56.1 per cent during the July-September period, improving from 52.5 per cent during the same quarter last year.