Radisson Hotel Group has unveiled a new initiative aimed at encouraging Chinese travellers.
The “Guan Xin” or Welcome China programme is an extension of the group’s co-branding initiative with its owner Jin Jiang International, which launched in 2019 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Frankfurt.
At the time Radisson said the hotel was the first of 1,100 hotels set to be co-branded by the groups.
An additional eight Radisson Blu and Radisson Collection properties across the EMEA region will now be co-branded, with Chinese guests able to benefit from bespoke features and amenities “to create a home away from home”.
These will range from Chinese menus and welcome cards, in-room touches including the provision of Chinese television channels, tea kettles and Chinese teas, and the ability to pay with Chinese Union pay cards (with WeChat Pay and Alipay being made available at the end of 2024 for online payments).
Co-branded hotels will also offer new food and beverage options for Chinese speaking travellers, including the addition of traditional dishes like congee and noodles, “as well as curated selection of dishes available as part of the daily breakfast service”.
The following hotels will take part in the expanded programme:
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
Outside of the co-branding programme the group intends to roll out its “Guan Xin” amenity initiative to other EMEA properties that wish to opt-in – around 20 hotels across the region currently offer a standard “Guan Xin” service to Chinese guests.
The group said the move followed industry predictions “that 2024 will be a key year for outbound Chinese tourism to grow exponentially”, with data from McKinsey & Company showing that “wealthy Chinese travellers are showing a keen interest in EU destinations”.
Radisson was sold to a consortium led by multinational hospitality company Jin Jiang International in 2018.
Commenting on the news Eric De Neef, EVP and chief commercial officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said:
“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 programme to make them feel right at home.”
