More Ritz glitz in China

Friday, 06 Dec, 2007 0

BEIJING — Ritz-Carlton expects to open seven hotels in China and triple the country’s share of its total revenue to almost 20 percent by 2010, according to the company’s president and chief operating officer, Simon Cooper.

The luxury hotel operator, owned by Maryland-based Marriott International, is opening its fourth China property in Beijing next week, marking the start of a major expansion in mainland China and Hong Kong.

The Wall Street Journal said the expansion comes as hotel companies race to grab a share of China’s travel market ahead of the Olympics next year.

The number of domestic trips taken by Chinese in 2006 rose 15 percent from 2005, to 1.2 billion, according to London-based market researcher Euromonitor International. The firm estimates that number will reach two billion by 2011.

In addition to the Beijing location, Ritz-Carlton plans to open hotels in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and the southern resort city of Sanya in the next three months.

New properties in Shanghai, Macau and Hong Kong are to follow.

Cooper said Ritz-Carlton’s growth strategy isn’t only to fill its new hotels with domestic travellers but to build the Ritz-Carlton brand within China so the rising number of outbound Chinese tourists will stay at Ritz-Carlton properties abroad.

“I think you’re going to find a very sophisticated outbound Chinese traveller who is going to seek out luxury hotels wherever they go,” he said. “As people acquire wealth [and] sophistication, they will graduate from staying at low- to midprice hotels.”

Ritz-Carlton’s new hotel in Beijing is fully booked for the Olympics.

Ian Jarrett

Travel Outlook, the premier hotel call center™ Travel Outlook is an innovative, custom off-site central reservations office (CRO) service that...

Our Mission Ecommerce has transformative powers, and we believe everyone should be able to take part. But outdated solutions and...

AXA Assistance specializes in best-in-class cost containment, health and travel services. Over 60 years of experience combined with a US and...

Queensland – where it’s rude not to stare Here in Queensland, there’s plenty to do. But there’s even more to...

Here at Elegant Resorts, luxury travel is in our DNA. True pioneers in the industry, we were the first specialist...

Palladium Hotel Group is a renowned Spanish hotel chain that first emerged towards the end of the 1960s. Currently present...

We are a small-group adventure travel operator offering more than 750 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. Our...

Take your clients’ vacation to the next level at Universal Orlando Resort™. With three amazing theme parks – Universal Studios...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

Arival advances the business of creating amazing in-destination experiences. We provide events, insights, and community for creators and sellers of...

Blue Diamond Resorts consistently goes above and beyond guest expectations by delivering groundbreaking vacation experiences through our exceptional collection of...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...