Zhang Ling, chairman of HNA Tourism Group; Li Tie, chief executive of HNA Tourism Group; Bai Haibo, president of HNA Hospitality Group; and Federico Gonzalez Tejera, chief executive of NH Hotel Group during the unveiling of the joint venture
SPAIN’s NH Hotels is set to make its Asia debut through a joint venture with China’s HNA Hospitality Group to develop a chain of upper category properties in China, including the largest NH hotel yet on the island of Hainan.
The Beijing-based joint venture company, NH China, has created the new Nuo Han brand with the aim of running a chain of 120 to 150 hotels in China by 2020.
The first two hotels in the chain are scheduled to be opened by the second half of this year on the island of Hainan. The two properties are namely the NH Sanya Phoenix International Airport with 334 rooms, and the NH Haikou Meilan International Airport with 1,001 rooms, set to be the biggest NH-branded hotel in the world.
As well, the company hopes to increase its portfolio of management contracts to between 10 and 20 hotels by the end of the year.
“The establishment of the joint venture is a key milestone in the international development of HNA Hospitality Group together with NH Hotel Group to build a portfolio of brands in the midscale, upscale and luxury segments,” said HNA Hospitality president, Bai Haibo.
At present, NH operates nearly 400 hotels with some 60,000 rooms across 30 countries in Europe, the Americas and Africa.
HNA became NH’s biggest single shareholder in 2014 when it raised its stake in the company to 29.5 per cent.
