LHG launches Ying'nFlo on Chinese mainland

Great Eagle Group, which owns Langham Hospitality Group (LHG), is bullish on the business prospects in China and is ramping up efforts for growth with the planned debut of its Ying'nFlo hotel brand on the Chinese mainland, a senior executive of the company has said.

"We are a Hong Kong-based group aiming to serve as a 'super connector' between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world," said Lo Ka-shui, chairman of Great Eagle Group and executive chairman of LHG, during an exclusive interview with China Daily.

LHG operates various other hotel and resort brands such as Langham, Cordis and Eaton.

With plans to open five Ying'nFlo hotels in China in 2025, starting with Hangzhou, the brand aims to tap the mid-scale hotel market on the Chinese mainland.

"We aim to provide a unique experience for mainland consumers, especially those of the millennial generation and Gen Z," Lo said.

The group's confidence in the Chinese mainland market is evident in its three-year investment plan of at least 1.5 billion yuan ($205 million) for Ying'nFlo's development in the market.

"As the Chinese economy recovers, the tourism market will naturally expand more rapidly due to the huge potential in consumption on the Chinese mainland. We are very optimistic about the spending power and consumption habits of young people," Lo said, adding that the Chinese market is "the most crucial one for the company's hotel brands".

"I envision growing Ying'nFlo to become the largest among our four hotel brands, because I believe the scale of the Chinese mainland tourism market is poised to become the world's largest," he said.

Lo highlighted the growing number of inbound tourists visiting China from around the world due to supportive policies for the tourism sector.

"We believe that inbound and outbound travel to and from China will continue to increase, becoming a major driver of global tourism," Lo said.

The group chairman also said he was impressed with how Chinese hotel players utilize technology and artificial intelligence to enhance hotel management. "Their costs are significantly lower than what we experience elsewhere in the world," he said.