International hotel groups gradually resume full operations in China

The InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is the world’s first underground hotel built at the site of an abandoned quarry. WeChat account: sheshanlvyoutopnews via China Daily/Asia News Network

SHANGHAI — International hospitality groups are gradually resuming full operations in China as the country has entered the phase of regular epidemic prevention and control.

As of Friday, all of Hilton’s 250 hotels in China’s mainland have resumed business, said Qian Jin, area president for Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, adding that there were 150 Hilton hotels temperately closed to new bookings during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Reopening all our hotels in the Chinese mainland is the first step in a measured global recovery process,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton. “We are confident that there are brighter days ahead.”

More than 98 percent of over 470 hotels of InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) in China had been in operations since May 5, even though nearly one-third of them were once temporarily closed due to the epidemic, according to Jolyon Bulley, chief executive officer of IHG Greater China, adding that hotels in the pipeline have also resumed construction work.

“China is IHG’s second-largest market and the fastest growing one. We’re confident of the long-term outlook of China’s hospitality industry,” he said.

According to Bulley, the development of urbanization, increasing disposable income of residents, and the improvement of tourism infrastructure and other factors will promote the continuous growth of China’s hotel market demand.