I. Overview of the International Hotel Industry Development in February
1. Latest Industry Developments
(1) To prepare for stronger global brand growth, the Le Méridien brand has recently repositioned itself across its global properties, expanding beyond its previous focus on contemporary art. [Details]
(2) In the fourth quarter of 2013, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide achieved leapfrog growth in the mobile sector. Mobile bookings during that quarter grew five times faster than PC-based bookings did a decade ago. In addition to the shift in bookings to mobile channels, a significant portion of website traffic also comes from mobile devices. Mobile channels accounted for 42% of traffic to Starwood’s official website, up from just 16% two years ago. [Details]
(3) On February 15, 2014, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its official entry into the Chinese market with an event in Beijing. Over the past 30 years in China, IHG has opened 200 hotels in Greater China, with another 180 under development. In the next three years, IHG plans to open 100 new hotels in China and elevate China to become one of its two major markets on par with the United States in terms of profitability within ten years. IHG currently employs 60,000 people and plans to create approximately 30,000 new jobs by 2015. [Details]
(4) Hilton Worldwide today announced that starting April 1, 2014, it will cease selling shark fin dishes and will no longer accept orders for such items. The ban applies to all restaurants and food and beverage outlets at Hilton’s 96 owned and directly managed hotels across the Asia Pacific region. [Details]
(5) In 2013, the total number of visits to AccorHotels’ website reached 6.3 million, a 23% increase from 2012. The group offered nearly 19,000 job and internship positions and received over 600,000 job applications. In 2014, Accor plans to recruit 10,000 people in the Asia Pacific region. [Details]
II. Analysis of the Influence of International Hotel Brands in February
1. Top 20 International Hotel Brand Rankings
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(1) Changes in Brand Index
In February, the InterContinental Hotels brand index was 87.34, an increase of 8.1 from the previous month, representing a growth rate of 9.28%. Detailed data shows that search index, sentiment index, operational index, and media index all rose, with the operational index seeing the largest increase of 5.82 compared to the previous month.
(2) Brand Analysis
On February 15, 2014, InterContinental Hotels Group officially celebrated the 30th anniversary of its entry into the Chinese market with an event in Beijing. Over the past 30 years in China, IHG has opened 200 hotels in Greater China, with another 180 under development. In the next three years, IHG plans to open 100 new hotels in China and elevate China to become one of its two major markets on par with the United States in terms of profitability within ten years. IHG currently employs 60,000 people and plans to create approximately 30,000 new jobs by 2015.
Having developed in China for over 30 years, IHG has achieved remarkable success in the Chinese market. Moving forward, IHG will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, seeking long-term development while bringing substantial employment opportunities through its rapidly expanding hotel portfolio. Talent is the cornerstone of a hotel’s successful development, and over the past 30 years, IHG has recruited, trained, and retained many outstanding talents in China.
IHG has always regarded attracting, training, and retaining talent as a top priority for development. To meet the rapid growth in China and the significant demand for human resources in the booming hotel industry, IHG established its first Academy for Talent Development in Shanghai in June 2006. Since then, this partnership model has rapidly expanded across the country. In early 2013, IHG held the signing ceremony for its 150th Academy for Talent Development globally in Beijing. It is believed that by consistently implementing these strategies, IHG’s talent development will enter a virtuous cycle.