Luxury Hotel Chain Plans To Nearly Double Locations in Next 36 Months#
Reuters reports this week that the luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental announced this week that the company plans to nearly double its international presence over the next three years (from 24 to 42 locations), with future growth in high-end demand in the domestic China market as a driving factor.
Much like other luxury hoteliers that have recently outlined intensive expansion plans for China, such as the Jumeirah Group and the Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental is betting on strong future demand for upscale accommodations among the country's fast-growing middle class -- and also wants to ensure they choose Mandarin Oriental when traveling overseas.
As Reuters notes, outbound Chinese travelers are a major focus:
The hotel chain is also turning its attention to a small but growing group of high-income Chinese travelers.
"We are aware of how important China is going to become," said Kluge, adding that hotels in Taipei, Milan, Moscow and Costa Rica are all under development.
The company has yet to provide details on the exact locations it's eyeing, but it's safe to say that Mandarin Oriental still has its eyes set on Beijing, where a fire in spring 2009 destroyed the location that had been slated to open last fall.