IHG signs Two New Hotels; 1,300 Rooms in Wuhan, China

InterContinental Hotels Group has signed deals to manage two new hotels in Central China’s gateway city of Wuhan, taking a huge step in its strategic expansion into the Central and Western China market. With a total of 1,300 rooms, the two hotels are expected to open in 2012.

The two hotels, InterContinental Wuhan and Holiday Inn Wuhan New City, will be located at the Wuhan New City International Expo Centre, the largest facility of its kind in Central China, covering 1,000,000 square metres.

Edmond Ip, chief operating officer, IHG Greater China said, “Wuhan is a growing base for the automotive industry, and this, combined with its rising status as a regional business centre will drive demand for the meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition market and provide a solid revenue stream for both new hotels.”

The two new hotels are owned by Wuhan New City International Expo Centre Co., Ltd, a joint venture between Wuhan Urban Construction Investment & Development Group Co., Ltd and Chengdu Convention and Exhibition Group, a long-term partner of IHG in seven other hotels. IHG’s previous co-operation with Chengdu Convention and Exhibition Group includes the deal signed in February 2006 for six hotels in the Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou area, a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization) World Natural Heritage site and the 1,500-room Crowne Plaza Century City Chengdu, the world’s largest Crowne Plaza hotel.

Wuhan is strategically located on the Yangtze River and many of China’s major railways and highways linking east and west China converge on the city. Wuhan New City, which is still under construction, is like Pudong in Shanghai and will become an economic powerhouse of Wuhan as well as Central China. It includes large exhibition and convention facilities, office buildings, high-technology zone, hotels and residential apartments. Wuhan New City International Expo Centre, where the two hotels will be located, is expected to be at the heart of this new city.

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