International hotel chain operators continue to take an aggressive approach to expand portfolios on the Chinese mainland.

 

They are sparing no efforts to extend their brands in key business and tourist destinations around the country.

 

Europe's largest hotel group, Accor SA, this week signed management contracts for its first two hotels in Dalian, in northern Liaoning Province, granting the company a strong base in the important commercial and holiday destination.

 

The two hotels, the Grand Mercure Guorong Dalian and Mercure Guorong Dalian, both scheduled to open in September, will form an integrated hospitality complex which will be able to provide two levels of comfort in the same location.

 

Accor, which has developed great expertise in operating integrated hotel complexes offering up to three levels of accommodation at the same location, said the idea is particularly beneficial for the conference industry.

 

For instance, in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Accor manages a hotel complex that offers a Sofitel, Grand Mercure and Mercure, as well as a convention center that all three hotels share.

 

Game plan

 

Paris-based Accor announced earlier this year that it plans to increase its China portfolio to more than 100 over the next three years.

 

Hilton Hotels Corporation, one of the earliest overseas hotel groups to enter the China market, has signed agreements to manage the Doubletree by Hilton in Beijing and Kunshan, eastern Jiangsu Province.

 

The two properties, both scheduled to open next year, are responding to the growing demand among corporate and leisure travelers for quality accommodation across the country, both in primary and secondary cities, according to Koos Klein, president of Hilton Hotels Asia Pacific.

 

"We've seen great potential to introduce several more of our Hilton family brands to Beijing, which will host the 2008 Olympics, from luxury through to mid-market and economy accommodation," said Klein. "The Doubletree by Hilton hotel is the first step on that roadmap."

 

About 30 more Hilton hotels will open for business soon, the United States company said.

 

(Shanghai Daily May 24, 2007)