America’s Best has opened two mid-scale hotel properties in China. Both hotels are located in Yiwu, a city of about two million
people which is a major commodities center and regional tourist destination about 190 miles southwest of Shanghai.
The first hotel of the two is a Budgetel Inn & Suites with 70 rooms and suites, plus a café and meeting roomsThe second is America’s Best Inn & Suites with 90 rooms and suites. Again, plus a restaurant and meeting rooms.
Doug Collins, president and CEO of America’s Best Franchising said, “Rooms at these properties typically cost as little as $60 a night compared to $200 per night at a five-star hotel, so they’re very popular with both domestic and foreign travelers, whether those people are on business or on vacation.
“China, with a population that’s four times the size of the United States, has the potential to be the world’s largest budget hotel market – and we have four excellent economy brands that can compete very successfully.”
HotelWorld Network reports (but does not give the source of its figures) that currently, about one in 10 Chinese jobs is in the travel and tourism business – and the industry is expected to grow about 10% annually.