Starwood
Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (announced that its Westin brand
expects to open its 200th hotel in 2013.
Westin
will open 11 new
hotels this year, the vast majority outside
the United States 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 nearly 50 hotels in the region by
year's end. Fueling the brand's growth in 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
will also make its return to Singapore with the opening of The Westin
Singapore Marina Bay in late 2013. In India, The Westin brand will
add one hotel to its portfolio this year - The Westin Chennai
Velachery.
Demand
for new Westin hotels in Latin America is also heating up.
In just the past 18 months, Westin has grown its footprint in Latin
America by nearly 50% as part of the brand's strategic expansion in
the region's fastest growing markets. This year's opening of The
Westin Panama will increase 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, including The Westin Birmingham - a
new-build property located within the city's sleek, new mixed-use
development. Westin is also attracting a growing share of conversion
opportunities in cities across the United States with The Westin
Houston Downtown, The Westin Sacramento and The Westin San Jose all
opening in 2013, following renovations
