Thailand-based hotel group, Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open two more properties in Maldives.

The group’s vice president for business development Suparat Chirathivat told Bangkok Post that the company will invest more in the Maldives. Two projects will be signed this year including one management contract and one investment in the Maldives, he added.

“Competition in the Maldives is high but we were there quite early. Our team understands this resort market quite well so the hotel performs quite nicely and the brand reputation is quite good,” he said.

Centara, which has 65 hotels in total, operates in 10 countries with 22 properties outside Thailand in locations including Vietnam, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Two hotels are under development in China and 10 others are planned in various countries, including three investments and seven management contracts.

Centara runs two resorts in the Maldives; the Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa and Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa. The two resorts have won several international awards, including the ‘Leading All Inclusive Resort’ from South Asian Travel Awards 2016 and the ‘Guest Review Award 2016’ from Booking.com for Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa.