On November 26, the China Hotel Overseas Investment Conference , hosted by Sunmei Hotels Group, was successfully held at the Mövenpick by Accor Qingdao Sunmei. During the conference , Sunmei Hotels Group made an announcement on the establishment of the Sunmei Group International (SGI) division and officially launched the three core brands SHANKEE, PENRO, and LANOU for overseas markets, fully opening a new chapter in overseas business expansion.The conference was attended by Mr Budi Hansyah, Trade Attache from Indonesia Embassy China; Mrs. Evita SANDA, Director of Indonesia Investment Promotion Center, and Mr. Margulan YEDIGE, Advisor to the Chairman of the Board from Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, along with other distinguished guests.
The SGI Division was Established; Three Core Brands Officially Entered Overseas Markets
In 2018, Sunmei Hotels officially launched its globalization strategy, with Hong Kong as its headquarters, primarily targeting the markets in Japan, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Currently, SGI has set up dedicated offices and development teams in Indonesia, Japan, and Hong Kong, and has entered five major regions: Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Japan-Korea. Brands like SHANKEE, LANOU, and MIDI Hotel have signed and launched more than 20 projects in eight countries including Japan, the UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan.
At this conference , SRI officially released the latest overseas versions of the logos and products for the three core brands: SHANKEE, PENRO, and LANOU. The Group's Chairman and CEO Ma Yingyao stated, "Hotels are the most suitable industry for globalization." Following the establishment of the SGI Division, SGI will focus on business development in core regions such as Southeast Asia,Middle East,and Central Asian.
Indonesia's tourism industry is growing rapidly, with Mordor Intelligence predicting that the market size of Indonesia's hotel real estate will reach 1.84 billion US dollars in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.07% from 2024 to 2029. Kazakhstan's tourism industry is booming, with fixed asset investment in the first seven months of this year almost double that of the same period last year. Meanwhile, the UAE is attracting a large number of international tourists with its proactive tourism development policies, and the number of Chinese tourists is also showing significant growth.
It is reported that SGI has signed the latest SHANKEE Dubai project in the Middle East is about to open.
Digital intelligence is a crucial pathway for hotels to expand internationally
Ma Yingyao pointed out: "Digital intelligence is the core competitive advantage for Chinese companies leading in the global hotel industry." In recent years, as the digital intelligence overseas layout of Chinese enterprises accelerates, smart hotels are seeing new development opportunities. Through technological innovation and service upgrades, they can provide guests with a better lodging experience and bring higher efficiency and competitiveness to hotel operations, holding broad development prospects in overseas markets.
On the operational side, SGI empowers overseas hotels with a 57.63% contribution rate of guest sources through the "Xinlimei" member direct booking platform. By leveraging big data for precise location selection, modular renovation accelerates the preparation process, and smart operations enhance service efficiency and quality.
On the user side, Sunmei Hotels focuses on seamless check-in, smart living spaces, and intelligent experiences. It integrates room smart controls and intelligent robot services to create a brand-new smart accommodation experience for global customers.
Opening directly operated properties, building a brand, and covering 30 countries with 1,000 properties in 10 years.
Speaking about the overseas expansion plans for the next decade, Ma Yingyao stated: "We are committed to steadily opening 100 hotels that earn twice the revenue of the Chinese market, rigorously managing 1,000 outstanding and high-quality hotels, covering 30 countries, and establishing an international image for Chinese brands."
Given the particularities of overseas hotel investment, Sunmei Hotels has abandoned the traditional model of large-scale domestic expansion and adopted a carefully selected direct operation strategy. Through meticulous preparation and stringent selection, the company ensures competitiveness in location, positioning, and service, achieving high-profit returns.
