Hyatt chief confident of China's continued growth

The world's largest private hotel company Global Hyatt Corporation owns, operates, manages and franchises more than 365 hotels and resorts in 45 countries worldwide under the Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Resorts, Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Summerfield Suites and Andaz brands. With three new hotels opening this year in China - Grand Hyatt Guangzhou, Park Hyatt Beijing and Park Hyatt Shanghai, Hyatt now operates 13 hotels in the country and plans to open 15 more in the next few years. The Park Hyatt Shanghai, which occupies the 79th to 93rd floors of the 492-m Shanghai World Finance Center, opened for business on Sept 1, making it the highest hotel in the world.

Mark S. Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Global Hyatt Hotel, recently talked to China Daily's Ma Zhenhuan and Qian Yanfeng about the company's development strategy in China, where it now has the second largest number of Hyatt hotels after the company's home market in the United States.

Q: With 13 luxury hotels already open and 15 more in the pipeline, Hyatt is poised to embark on a rapid expansion in China. What led you to make such an ambitious decision?