He emerged in the early 1990s, lay dormant for several years, then flourished vigorously; he has journeyed through both the warm embrace of sunlight and the refreshing caress of wind and rain, always diligent and tireless. Greenland — is not just a thriving venture in the hands of dream-driven entrepreneurs, but also an ever-blooming flower in the hearts of many.
Many believe that the Greenland Group has already reached a considerable height in the real estate industry, and that venturing heavily into the hospitality sector may be overly ambitious. But without ambition, how can one be called a tycoon? This so-called “king of Shanghai real estate,” as many call it, is quietly diving into the hotel industry, growing robustly in this vast field.
Creating Unlimited Value
Upon entering the hospitality industry, the “king” made a stunning debut. In addition to its usual bold display of financial might, with substantial investments, a commanding entrance was essential. Teaming up with prestigious partners helped showcase its stature. For example, the renowned InterContinental Hotels Group. Together for several years, they have successfully developed a number of outstanding hotel projects. Additionally, major international hotel management groups such as Marriott, Starwood, Howard Johnson, and Langham have also collaborated with Greenland International Hotel Management Group. Big hands holding big hands, striding forward confidently. While undergoing major adjustments, Greenland revealed a massive hotel asset portfolio worth over 20 billion yuan, sparking endless imagination.
Releasing Unlimited Dreams
Of course, collaboration is for development. “On the basis of our existing hotel projects in first-tier and central cities, we will gradually expand into second- and third-tier city markets and broaden the geographical coverage of our hotel projects,” Zhang Yuliang, Chairman of Greenland Group, told reporters. Among the continuously increasing hotel projects, Greenland will consistently adhere to a holding strategy, managing them under its own brands — a move that has secretly irked foreign investors.
Nowadays, foreign hotel brands are making bold advances into China, with competition intensifying. Yet Greenland Hotel Management Group fearlessly stepped into foreign territories. Its independently developed high-end hotel brands, “Plaza Royale” and “Plaza Premium,” are now successfully operating in European cities such as Frankfurt, Madrid, and Barcelona. Zhang Yuliang stated that priority will be given to investing in countries and regions with a high concentration of Chinese investors, expatriate communities, Chinese tourists, and international students, ensuring stable project operations. “The management rights exchange model aligns with market demand and trends, leverages corporate advantages, and offers controllable risks.”
Achieving Unlimited Possibilities
It is reported that since 2012, the Greenland Group has been expanding at a rate of 15 four- and five-star hotels per year, fully leveraging its comprehensive real estate development strengths, aiming to grow its hotel portfolio to 100 properties by 2015, becoming China’s largest hotel property holder.
It remains to be seen what kind of waves this real estate industry “aircraft carrier” will create as it sails into the deep waters of the hospitality industry — let’s wait and see.