Maritim Hotels is planning to open two new hotels in Hangzhou and Hefei, in the eastern part of China, next year.
The Germany-based company already has three hotels in China: the Maritim Hotel Shenyang, the Maritim Hotel Changzhou and the Maritim Hotel Wuhu.
Located in the capital and largest city of the Zhejiang Province, the Maritim Hotel Hangzhou will have 300 guestrooms. In recent years, Hangzhou has become a new industrial hub focused on medicine, technology, electronics and food processing.
The Maritim Hotel Hefei is located in the capital of Anhui Province. Focusing on business travelers, the hotel will have 335 rooms.
“The Chinese market is hugely important to Maritim Hotels," Mark Spivey, director of international sales at Maritim Hotels, said in a statement. "As one of the world’s largest economies and a renowned international business destination, expansion in China is an integral part of the company’s strategy.”
The initiative is also important for raising brand awareness in an ever-increasing demographic. “In Europe, whilst Chinese visitor numbers were down generally in the first quarter of this year (January to April), we experienced significant growth with 22,000 overnight stays; an increase of 67 percent compared to last year’s figures for the same period," Spivey said. "With trade groups accounting for a large majority of the bookings, followed by leisure travelers, China is the third biggest source market for Maritim Hotels, particularly since the recent relaxation on rules regarding visas.”
Both hotels are scheduled to open next year. The Maritim Hotel Hefei is expected in July 2017, and the Maritim Hotel Hangzhou is slated to open in December 2017.