Over the next four years, Hyatt plans to double its presence in China with 60 hotels and 22,000 more rooms in the pipeline, representing nearly one-third of Hyatt's global development pipeline.
Hyatt opened its first hotel in China in 1969 and today has grown to 58 hotels, seven brands and more than 19,000 rooms in Greater China.
Stephen Ho, President of Greater China Global Operations, shared his insight on the Chinese traveler and how Hyatt hopes to win them over.
How is Hyatt positioning itself in China? Are you focusing more on luxury or non-luxury travel?
We are focused on caring and exceeding our guests’ needs. So, each of our brands are positioned at the high end of every segment in which we operate, be it luxury, full service, select service or all-inclusive. Currently, we have seven brands presented in the Greater China region, including Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Hyatt Place and Hyatt House. As the fast-growing commercial classes in China travel at an accelerated rate, we have successfully expanded our Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands, allowing us to serve more business and corporate travelers.
What are your plans for the Park Hyatt brand in China?
The Park Hyatt brand continues to grow in tandem with the nation’s growth along with the evolving consumer consumption patterns in China. We definitely see opportunities to expand the Park Hyatt brand and build on its reputation as a cultivator of unique experiences and knowledge sharers.
Our next Park Hyatt hotel to open will be Park Hyatt Shenzhen in 2019, It will be an important part of the mixed-use development project comprised of the hotel, luxury shopping mall and upscale offices. There are Park Hyatt hotels in Suzhou, Nanjing and Taipei already.
How are Chinese travelers different from Americans when it comes to expectations for technology and mobile platforms?
Connected devices, social media, e-commerce, online payments and digital advertising have become a staple in the everyday lives of a Chinese traveler. Thus, Chinese travelers have adopted technology and mobile platforms at a much greater speed as they have bypassed desktops and jump straight into mobile.
Here in China, we have invested in building a highly specialized local digital team who understand the Chinese eco-system very well– the team is tasked with enhancing Hyatt’s technology infrastructure and digital capabilities, working towards inculcating a digital-first culture throughout the Hyatt ecosystem.
Read Original Article
