Swiss luxury hotel chain Movenpick is preparing itself for success in the Chinese market. The brand has developed a new Chinese name and logo, and a website in Mandarin to enable local customers to book easily. It has also established an executive team that will be based in Shanghai.
Movenpick, which will be known as Riu Xiang in China, has two hotels in the pipeline that are on schedule to open next year – the 300 room Jiading hotel in Shanghai (see online news October 2010) and a 380 room resort and spa on Phoenix Island in Sanya. Development of a project in Inner Mongolia is also underway and on track to open in 2015.
The brand is keen to take advantage of the success that Swiss products are having in China at the moment. Exports to China and Hong Kong from Switzerland increased 19 per cent in 2011, according to the not-for-profit Swiss Centre Shanghai.
The managing director of the organisation, Nicolas Musy, explained that high living standards in Switzerland and quality products were very popular with aspirational Chinese citizens. “With quality positioning and fast development, Movenpick Hotels and Resorts has the opportunity to capitalise on the excellent Swiss image,” he said.
For more information, visit moevenpick-hotels.com.
Report by Lucy Douglas
