Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, the regional headquarters for Carlson Hotels Worldwide, plans to open more than 40 hotels on China's mainland in the next five years under the brands Regent, Radisson and Park Plaza.
Carlson also plans to bring its economy brand, the Park Inn, to China, a senior company official said yesterday.
"Our expansion is based on the demand from China - the fastest growing hospitality market in Asia," said Joe Sita, the company's vice president for development.
"Shanghai is a strategic market for us - nearly all international hotel brands have a presence in the city. It is also time to enter mid-sized cities."
Sita said that by 2009 China will see 10 more Regent hotels, 15 to 20 new Radissons and 15 to 20 new Park Plazas.
He listed Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Tianjin and Ningbo as candidate sites.
"These hotels will be positioned mostly as five-star hotels, or at least four-star hotels, as the premium segment is more lucrative," Sita said.
"It also serves our purpose to bring the full management and service expertise to China.
"In three to five years, when we have a firm foothold, we will bring Park Inn, our economy hotel brand, to the mainland."
China has five hotels managed by Carlson, two of which are in Shanghai.
A third Regent hotel will open in Shanghai by the late spring of next year, a Ningbo Regent is scheduled to open in October of next year and a Beijing Regent in 2006.
The US-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, the parent of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, has more than 1,700 hotel, resort, restaurant and cruise-ship operations. In Asia, it manages more than 43 hotels.
Other major hotel groups also plan to expand on the China mainland.
Accor plans to open four new Sofitel hotels by the end of 2005.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc, which owns Westin, Sheraton and St Regis, will open a W hotel in Shanghai, but the date has yet to be decided.
And the Ritz-Carlton group is considering a plan to open another premium hotel in Pudong New Area.