Sheraton Set For Record-Breaking Growth

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. reports that its largest and most global brand — Sheraton — is poised for record-breaking growth over the next 12 months with 35 new hotels expected to open.

Nearly half of the new Sheraton hotels will open in China. Enhancing its reputation as a global powerhouse, Sheraton will also enter numerous new markets including Samoa, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, and return to Iraq.

“Sheraton continues to grow at a phenomenal pace by leveraging its first-mover advantage in markets across the globe,” said Hoyt Harper (pictured), Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. “Asia Pacific continues to drive the brand’s future pipeline growth, but we are also experiencing strong demand in other emerging markets including Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In addition, the resounding success of our brand-wide revitalization and multi-billion dollar investment to enhance the brand over the past several years has led to a growing number of conversion opportunities in more mature markets.”

After topping 100 hotels in Asia Pacific in 2013, Sheraton continues to build momentum in the region with 23 openings expected over the next 12 months. Sheraton will open approximately one hotel every three weeks in China alone. The brand will launch in Wuhan, Shaoxing, Nanchang, Zhengzhou, and Qingdao, while adding its third hotel in Beijing and fifth in Shanghai. More than 13 additional Sheraton hotels are slated to open in China by 2017.

Sheraton is also gaining momentum in India, where it will add three additional hotels to its portfolio over the course of this year and 2015, with openings slated for Bengaluru, Noida and Chandigarh. In addition, Hilton will enter several other new markets in Asia Pacific in the next 12 months including New Caledonia, Samoa and Sri Lanka.

Sheraton will also add two new hotels in key emerging markets across Europe over the next 12 months. Openings will include Sheraton Rostov-On-Don Hotel in Russia and the Sheraton Ismayilli Resort & Spa in Azerbaijan. Last month, Sheraton opened Sheraton Zurich Hotel, marking the brand’s second hotel in the financial capital of Switzerland.

In the Middle East, Sheraton will open seven new hotels, increasing its portfolio to 23 hotels by February 2015. In Africa, Sheraton continues to strengthen Starwood’s position with new hotels slated to open in Mauritania, Guinea and South Sudan by 2017.

(http://www.starwoodhotels.com)