Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced that its Westin brand expects to open its 200th hotel in 2013, driven by robust international demand and the outstanding success of the brand’s distinct wellbeing positioning. Westin will open 11 new hotels this year, the overwhelming majority outside america in fast-growing markets including China, India, Singapore and Panama.
In line with global growth trends, the Westin brand is experiencing a surge in new hotel openings across Asia Pacific. Seven new Westin hotels will open in Asia Pacific in 2013, increasing the brand’s portfolio to just about 50 hotels inside the region by year’s end. Fuelling the brand’s growth inside the region is the rapid economic growth in China’s second and third-tier cities. New Westin hotel openings in China this year include The Westin Haikou, The Westin Sanya Haitang Bay Resort, The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square and The Westin Qingdao. Westin may even make its return to Singapore with the hole of The Westin Singapore Marina Bay in late 2013.
Demand for brand new Westin hotels in Latin America may be heating up. In exactly the past 18 months, Westin has grown its footprint in Latin America by nearly 50% as portion of the brand’s strategic expansion within the region’s fastest growing markets. This year’s opening of The Westin Panama increases the Westin portfolio in Latin America to 11 hotels, spanning five countries including Panama, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and Guatemala.
In North America, the Westin brand will add four new hotels to its portfolio this year. As well as the outlet of The Westin Birmingham, Westin may be attracting a growing share of conversion opportunities in cities around the USA, with The Westin Houston Downtown, The Westin Sacramento and The Westin San Jose all opening in 2013, following renovations.