Together with its owners and shareholders, Jin Jiang International, Radisson Hotel Group has unveiled its “Guan Xin” (Welcome China) program, which includes expanding its co-branded hotels and launching a new bespoke amenity program to create a home away from home for Chinese travellers.
Following the initial launch in 2019, Radisson Hotel Group will be launching eight additional co-branded properties in 2024 in EMEA across select Radisson Blu and Radisson Collection hotels, aligned with the full return of Chinese outbound travel.
Industry experts predict that 2024 will be a key year for outbound Chinese tourism to grow exponentially on the heels of the boom in domestic tourism in 2023. According to Skift, “2023 was the year of China reopening to the world, while 2024 will be the year of consolidating and growing outbound tourism.”[1]
Wealthy Chinese travellers are showing a keen interest in EU destinations (13%)[2], in particular France, UK, Germany, and Italy vs other short-haul destinations in Asia, and will be travelling in 2024 with the expectation of bespoke amenities catering to their requirements, tastes, and cultural preferences.[3]
Following the initial co-branding launch at Radisson Blu Hotel, Frankfurt in 2019, Radisson Hotel Group will be launching eight additional co-branded properties in 2024 in EMEA across its Radisson Collection and Radisson Blu brands in key markets in France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, including Radisson Collection Grand Place, Brussels; Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo; Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel, Trondheim; Radisson Blu Hotel, Tromsø; Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel, Stockholm; Radisson Blu Hotel, Amsterdam; Radisson Blu Hotel, Milan; and Radisson Blu Hotel, Nice.
At each of these co-branded hotels, Chinese guests will find a range of features and amenities specifically designed and curated for them, providing them with a bespoke guest experience to make them feel at home.
These new amenities will cover the entire guest experience, from Chinese menus and welcome cards to guests having the ability to pay with Chinese Union pay cards.
WeChat Pay and Alipay will also be available at the end of 2024 for online payments. In the guest rooms, personalised touches like the provision of tea kettles, a selection of exquisite Chinese teas, and Chinese television channels will be included at co-branded hotels.
The co-branded hotels will also feature a range of new food and beverage options for Chinese-speaking travellers, including the addition of traditional dishes like congee and noodles, as well as a curated selection of dishes available as part of the daily breakfast service.
These offerings, specifically tailored for Chinese travellers, will be added to the rich existing amenities for other international travellers and communication in English and multiple foreign languages.
“We have already started to see a strong increase in demand from Chinese outbound travellers in 2024 searching for unique international experiences over the Lunar New Year. With foreign visas gradually becoming more accessible and increased international flight routes, we are hoping to see the long-awaited return of outbound Chinese travellers to EMEA continue to grow.
“We look forward to welcoming more Chinese travellers with our new Guan Xin program to make them feel right at home,” says Eric De Neef, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at Radisson Hotel Group.
In addition to the hotel co-branding program, Radisson Hotel Group will be rolling out the “Guan Xin” amenity program to other Radisson Hotel Group properties in EMEA that wish to opt-in based on the hotels’ guest needs and expectations. Currently, nearly 20 hotels across EMEA offer the standard “Guan Xin” program to Chinese guests.
References:
[1] https://skift.com/2024/01/05/analyzing-chinas-travel-reopening-exactly-a-year-in/
[3] https://skift.com/2024/01/05/analyzing-chinas-travel-reopening-exactly-a-year-in/
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