By LI Rujia

Global hospitality service provider Marriott International revealed Tuesday that it has plans to open 47 new hotels in China with a total of 12,000 rooms.

By the end of this year, Marriott expects to have more than 500 properties in China. That’s a total of more than 150,000 rooms. For the hotelier, China is by far the most significant country in the Asia-Pacific, with over half of Marriott’s rooms located there.

Exotic sanctuary

Most of the planned new hotels will be more-affordable, boutique Marriott brands including Courtyard, Four Points by Sheraton and Fairfield Inn.

Marriott International’s portfolio of luxury hotels will be strengthened by the anticipated addition of high-end properties including?Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve near Jiuzhaigou valley in Sichuan Province. Jiuzhaigou was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. The tourism area is classified AAAAA by the China National Tourism Administration.

Set in a nature reserve, the exotic sanctuary will feature 87 private villas and immersive experiences rooted in the history, culture and natural beauty of the destination.

Holiday in the sun

The company’s 2022 financial report showed that globally, Marriott is recovering from the worst of the pandemic. Revenue last year grew 50 percent to US$20.7 billion (140 billion yuan).

Net profit for the group?more than doubled to US$2.4 billion, but it is important not to forget how bad things were in 2020. In Q2 that year, revenue was down almost 60 percent, and the world’s second-largest hotel chain posted a loss of US$234 million, compared with a profit of US$232 million, in Q2 2019.

Tremendous resilience

But business in China is yet to pick up. In Q4 last year, RevPAR?- revenue generated per available room, whether or not they are occupied - in China was down year on year. In the rest of the world, it has returned to pre-2020 levels.?

MAO Yibing was appointed president of Greater China at Marriott International in February. Mao is responsible for strategic growth and overall operations of the company's portfolio in China. She believes that a bounce back is just around the corner.

“Our domestic travel base has proven tremendously resilient and we expect that to continue and to evolve positively along with international travel dynamics,” she said. “We look forward to a quick recovery and hope the international tourism boom will also boost the domestic market.”

‘Poised for strong growth’

Other international hotel giants are also expanding in China.

IHG Hotels & Resorts is to expand in both popular and emerging destinations across the country. Managing director of IHG China Daniel Aylmer said:?“With multiple domestic travel incentives and the steady recovery of the tourism industry, we believe that the Chinese market is poised for strong growth.”

IGH has more than 1,000 hotels operating or under construction in China. The forthcoming expansion will see the group cover more than 200 of China’s cities. The group’s flagship brand, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts will concentrate on resorts near upmarket areas.

Hilton Hotels’ goal is to have 1,000 hotels by 2025.