Asia Pacific is providing hotel chains exponential opportunities for growth, within which China is one of the main focus for the business development efforts of hotel chains. According to HVS research in January 2012, among the top five hotel chains in Asia Pacific by number of rooms, Home Inns tops the list with 147,524 rooms across 174 cities in China; followed by Jin Jiang Hotels Group with 93,520 rooms; Europe-based giants, IHG and Accor, and Nasdaq-listed 7 Days Inn. Three of the five - Home Inns, Jin Jiang and 7 Days Inn - are all China homegrown hotel chains.

Notably, Home Inns and Jin Jiang Hotels have adopted the merger and acquisition strategy to expand. Jin Jiang Hotels acquired a stake in Interstate Hotels & Resorts(IHR) in March 2010, while Home Inns successfully completed its acquisition of Motel 168 International Holdings Limited in September 2011. Is merger and acquisition a sustainable viable expansion strategy for hotel chains? At the China Hotel Investment Conference (CHIC) 2012, Yang Weimin, Chairman, Jin Jiang International Hotels (Group) Company Limited will present a case study review of its successful acquisition of InterState Hotels & Resorts; and David Sun, CEO, Home Inns will also share insights into the Motel 168 transaction.

Among the five abovementioned hotel chains, the three China-based firms (Home Inns, Jin Jiang Hotels, 7 Days Inn) have focused largely on the economy and mid-tier segments, which gives an indication of the potential and size of this segment. The hotel chains are also taking it one step further to create organic growth by diversifying their brand portfolio. Senior decision-makers will share topics discussed in the boardroom on brand strategy and profile. CHIC 2012 welcomes Xu Shuguang, Chairman & CEO, GreenTree Inn Chain; Chen Han, CEO, Super 8 Hotel (China) Co Ltd; Christopher Zhang, Vice President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; and other leaders from the sector to share their insights.

Within the exponentially growing market, hotel chains are pursuing the essence of a new breed of hospitality brand required for China. Join James Stuart, Founder, The Brand Company, at CHIC 2012 as he shares on topics such as: What are the critical success factors for such brands? Which are the most successful Navigator hospitality brands in China today? Where will we see such brands emerging in the future? What are the likely advantages of being global versus local, new versus established in becoming a Navigator hospitality brand in China and for Chinese travellers elsewhere?

Organised by HVS, co-hosted by China Tourism Academy and Beijing International Studies University, the 8th China Hotel Investment Conference will be held on 18 to 20 April 2012 at Grand Hyatt Shanghai. For registration and more information, please visit www.chinahotelconference.com, or call +86 21 5171 7003.

Shangri-La Asia Limited has announced the development of its second hotel in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province in China. Scheduled to open in 2015, the 44-storey, 566-room hotel will be located in Songbei District, the city's new economic development zone and a well-established tourist area, which is a 15-minute drive to the city centre and 45 minutes from the international airport. The hotel's guestrooms range from 484 square feet for a standard room to 2,422 square feet for the Shangri-La Suite, with most rooms offering river views. Forty-three one-bedroom to three-bedroom serviced apartments ranging in size from 969 to 2,422 square feet will also be available for long-stay guests. The hotel's signature Chinese restaurant will offer 18 private dining rooms and the property will also feature a Japanese restaurant, and specialty restaurants such as an all-day dining café, a lobby lounge and a bar on the top floor. Meeting facilities include the city's largest ballroom at 25,836 square feet.