Hotel chain intends to expand China portfolio

By Ananth Krishnan  |   2008-6-21  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE Swiss?tel Hotels and Resorts chain, which recently opened a property in Shanghai, is planning an ambitious expansion in the Chinese mainland and hopes to launch 15 to 20 hotels in the country in the next three years.
Meinhard Huck, president of the chain, told Shanghai Daily that the group, which has 27 properties worldwide, is focusing on the Chinese market and is eager to expand its presence beyond the four properties in Shanghai, Beijing, Kunshan and Foshan that the group currently runs.
"Now that we have established a presence in Beijing and Shanghai, the two key cities in China, we want to expand to other cities and have 15 to 20 hotels here within the next three years," Huck said on the sidelines of the World Travel Awards ceremony that was held in Shanghai on Thursday.
Hotel's success
The Swiss?tel Grand in Shanghai, which opened in April, was judged 'China's Leading New Hotel' and 'Asia's Leading City Hotel' by the WTA. Huck said the success the Shanghai hotel has enjoyed since its opening has prompted the group to even consider opening a second property in the city and negotiations were under way.
"There is certainly space for another Swiss?tel in Shanghai," he said. "We have a number of projects in China that we are looking at, and we are also considering cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.''
The Swiss?tel group will shortly be opening its fifth China property in Macau. Huck said the group will launch a hotel training center in Kunshan in association with the Lausanne Hotel School before the end of the year.
The Swiss?tel group is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International.