Northstar

FEATURE www.travelweeklyweb.com 27 properties in the pipeline in the next two years. Based on the current commitments, more than 55 per cent will be in the Mainland. Fellow Singapore hospitality Beijing National Indoor Stadium. Wong, vice president, Development for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "And critically, as the Chinese travel more frequently within the country and around the world, they'll look for a brand they already know, and can trust. Our goal is to make Four Seasons the number one choice of travellers to, from and within the country. The importance of China as both an inbound and outbound market cannot be underestimated, and we believe that the current rapid growth in travel will continue, encouraged in part by more accessible travel visas," noted Wong. For Minor International PCL (MINT), the brand owners of Anantara, its development plans continue on the path that they have taken over the past few years. Said Michel van der Hoeven, senior vice president Development, Minor International PCL (MINT), "Building on Anantara's current portfolio (fi ve properties in various stages of construction / development), the brand has three growth objectives. Firstly, with its current presence in Yunnan (Xishuanbanna), Anantara aims to grow further in the province and establish a comprehensive tourism circuit in Yunnan, which will complement its locations in the great Mekong Region (Luang Prabang Laos as well as Golden Triangle, Thailand). Secondly, with China's major cities witnessing exponential GDP growth, Anantara will continue to develop destination resorts on sites of natural / historical signif icance (especial ly considering the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China) within a short distance from some of the major metropol ises in China. Anantara's final and third growth objective is to establish the Anantara brand in some of the key feeder cities in China and build upon our resort presence by establishing urban resorts in cities, which can sustain a luxury life style brand." Anantara's keen rival, Singapore's Banyan Tree, has plans of 15 resorts in China by 2013, with three opening this year, eight resorts opening in 2012, and the final two poised to open in 2013. Of the 15 Banyan Tree properties, fi ve will be under the Angsana brand, while the rest belong to the Banyan Tree brand. According to Arthur Kiong, managing director, Hotel Operations (Asia Pacif ic) & Group Marketing Services of Banyan Tree, the group has www.travelweeklyweb.com 21 JUNE 2011 | TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA ■ | 5 group, Pan Pacific is also hot on its heels. With the opening of Pan Pacific Xiamen in 2009 and Pan Pacific Suzhou in 2010, the group has seen a lot more interest in its brands from Chinese investors. Under development are Pan Pacif ic Ningbo and Pan Pacif ic Ningbo Serviced Suites (2012), Pan Pacific Tianjin (2013), as well as PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Green City, Shanghai (2012) and PARKROYAL Taihu Resort, Suzhou (2014). As China gears up to be the largest feeder market in the world and as it continues to open its properties, its visibility in China will defi nitely benefi t Pan Pacifi c's other properties, and its expansion efforts in other parts of the world. Said Eric Levy, senior vice president, Development, Pan Pacific Hotels Great Wall of China. Group, "Pan Pacifi c Hospitality Group hopes to establish a presence in Beijing and Shanghai, and emerging cities like Chengdu, Shaoxing, Guangzhou and Dalian, believing in the hub and spoke regional approach in China. For example in the greater Shanghai area, in addition to being proactive in Shanghai itself, we are active in the surrounding cites of Suzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Hangzhou as well as resort destinations in this area. Thus, we are focusing our growth in China around the four major areas of Shanghai, Beijing, The West (Chengdu) and Southern China (Shenzhen/Guangdong)." As this report is being done, more hotel management contracts are signed, with many more being currently in different stages of negotiations. Will this breathtaking pace of hotels sprouting up all China, ever show signs of abating in the coming years? Watch this space.

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