Aiden Darling Harbour will mark the brand's debut in Australasia from December.

BWH Hotel Group has embarked on a more aggressive development strategy in which it plans to build greater scale for its 17 operating brands and boost its soft-brand independent portfolio, the company says.

The company is now in market with a new team comprised of Director of Business Development, Jeanelle Witton-Smith, who will generate opportunities for the luxury Worldhotels brand, which BWH Hotels acquired in 2019. She will be supported by Director of Development (Partnerships), Simon Eddy, who will liaise closely with investors, developers and brokers.

BWH Hotel Group’s new Director of Business Development, Janelle Witton-Smith.

Also featuring in the team is Development Performance Manager, Elena Martiniuc, who will look after market gap analysis, feasibility and forecasting. BWH is also finalising the recruitment of a new Director of Brand Development, who will look after the flagship Best Western Hotels and Resorts brand along with the Economy label, SureStay Hotels.

BWH Hotel Group Managing Director, Australasia, Graham Perry, said the company’s new additions are timely in the current climate and the strong potential for expansion.

“Along with the new team comes a new and invigorated strategy and business plan where investment dollars and management capability are added to complement BWH’s trusted brand and distribution proposition,” Perry said.

BWH Development Performance Manager, Elena Martinuic.

“We are now primed and set to build greater scale throughout the region encompassing our 17 brands from economy through Luxury and with both hard and soft brand options.”

The new team begins its quest at an exciting time, with BWH Hotel Group preparing to open a number of new properties including the Australasian debut of the Aiden by Best Western Brand, which will begin to welcome guests in Darling Harbour from July. The brand debut will be complemented further for the group with its new Best Western Plus Camperdown opening doors along with Best Western Queen Victoria in Melbourne.