• Growth in emerging markets is key to the Spanish multinational's growth strategy
  • Meliá Chongqing, to open in 2015, is the first hotel for the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand in China

Meliá Hotels International, the first Spanish hotel to operate in China, announced further growth in the country with the signature of a management agreement for a new hotel in the city of Chongqing, the result of an intense globalisation process that defines the growth strategy of the company, and in which Asia-Pacific plays a prominent role.

The Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, said from Asia that the company "will continue to advance in the coming years in positioning its brands in China, to become one of the tourist development leaders in this gigantic market and strengthen its leadership position among the major international hotel chains, in parallel with the consolidation of other world-class destinations such as Spain or the Caribbean".

The new Meliá Chongqing will be the third Meliá hotel in China, adding to the current portfolio of the Gran Meliá Shanghai, open since 2009, and the Gran Meliá Xian, whose opening is scheduled for 2013. In addition, the hotel is the first for the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand in China, after a long history in the Asia-Pacific region and a successful presence for more than two decades in destinations such as Bali or Vietnam.

The hotel, developed by MCC Hong Chen Real Estate, will be the first international 5 star hotel on the mountain of Tie Shan Ping and will be fully integrated with its beautiful natural environment, following the Leed Gold standard, the leading certification for sustainable construction in China. The Meliá Chongqing Hotel will have 280 rooms and three restaurants and will provide the growing business travel segment with the first opportunity to hold events and conventions in a privileged environment, just 20 minutes from the centre of Chongqing, located in central China and with 7 million inhabitants.

About Melia Hotels International

Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International has more than 400 hotels open or in the process of opening, in more than 40 countries, and a portfolio of ten brands: Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Paradisus by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Meliá, Falcon's Resorts by Meliá, Sol by Meliá, and Affiliated by Meliá. The Company is one of the world's leading hotel chains in the leisure segment and its experience in this area has allowed it to consolidate itself in the growing market of urban hotels inspired by leisure. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led it to be recognised as the world's most sustainable hotel in 2022 according to S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment, as well as being a "Top Employer 2023" brand in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Italy and Germany. Meliá Hotels International is also part of the IBEX 35. For more information, please visit www.meliahotelsinternational.com