Starwood's 50th property in China
Looks like China is showing much love to Starwood these days. The company just opened its 50th property in China, the Sheraton Jinan Hotel, which boasts 410 guest rooms and five restaurants/lounges. Where the hell is Jinan though?
In the past 10 months, Starwood has signed 18 new hotel deals, and that’s not even the end of the party. The company expects to have 100 properties in China by 2012. 2010 will also see the first W Hotel in Shanghai! It’s about damn time.
And to think in 1985 Starwood was the only international hotel chain in China with the historic Great Wall Beijing Sheraton.
The Chinese have totally bought into Starwood’s Preferred Guest Program as well. Reports indicate that China is SPG’s biggest source of new members, with enrollment jumping 50% in 2009 over last year. China has now become the fourth largest member base of active SPG members, behind only the US, Canada, and the UK.
Starwood CEO, Frits van Paasschen said, “In a few short years, China will be one of the world’s largest outbound tourism markets with the Chinese generating more than 100 million trips a year. And when the Chinese do travel, they are going to stay in the brands that they know from home, which will have a meaningful effect on our business globally and underscores why we are investing so heavily in this critical market now.”
From a Starwood press release:
China is currently home to the largest number of Starwood hotels outside of North America, and it has the largest pipeline of new hotels outside of the United States. So far this year, Starwood has opened three hotels in China: Sheraton Jinan Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Guangzhou-Dongpu and Sheraton Shunde Hotel. Through the remainder of the year, Starwood is expected to open four additional hotels: Le Meridien Qingdao, Le Meridien Chongqing-Nan’an, Four Points by Sheraton Lianyungang and The Westin Tianjin.
Source: Conference and Incentive Travel
