UPDATE: Carlson Announces Landmark Park Plaza Airport Hotel in Chengdu

BEIJING, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlson Hotels, one of the world's leading hotel companies, announces the signing of a landmark airport hotel in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The 254-room Park Plaza Chengdu South scheduled to open by the end of this year is ideally located just two kilometres or five minutes away from the Chengdu International Airport, central west China's most important air hub.

"This is Carlson Hotels' 14th Park Plaza property in Asia Pacific. It signals another step forward in continuing Carlson Hotels' expansion, supporting our Ambition 2015 growth strategy to grow our portfolio by at least 50 percent by 2015 to more than 1,500 hotels in operation," said Jean-Marc Busato, managing director, Carlson Hotels, Asia Pacific.

"The opening of this hotel will further strengthen our mid-market offering and address the demand for comfortable yet affordable accommodation amongst an increasing number of domestic and international travellers to China on business and leisure," added Busato.

Aligned with Carlson's plans to be a leader in Asia's key growth markets, the Park Plaza Chengdu South is the first of four signing announcements by the Group in China this week.

"We are very pleased to embark on this partnership with Carlson Hotels. The strength of the Park Plaza brand lies in its ability to bring convenience to guests by offering a premiere location with an engaging and warm style of service. We are confident that the hotel will be perfectly poised to cater to the needs of today's travellers," said John Hui, co-chairman, Century Hua Fu (Chengdu) Investment Management Co., Ltd., the hotel owner.

Located in southwest China, Chengdu is a major commercial, manufacturing and IT hub. It was recently voted one of the top four cities to live in the country. When the 254-room Park Plaza Chengdu South hotel opens at the end of this year, it will be a landmark airport hotel, combining the essence and energy of Chengdu city with Park Plaza's renowned smart, spirited service. The hotel will feature comfortable, stylish and spacious rooms, and facilities. Guests will be able to enjoy local and international cuisine at the all-day dining restaurant which will also comprise exclusive, private Chinese-style dining rooms, up to five meeting rooms, a lobby lounge and bar, business centre and a fully equipped fitness centre.

Situated in the northern part of Chan Nan Airport Road in the Konggang District, the hotel is surrounded by commercial, residential and educational facilities. The Park Plaza Chengdu South is a short 10 minute drive to the city centre.

About Carlson

Carlson is a privately held, global hospitality and travel company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Carlson encompasses more than 1,060 hotels, including Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM), Park Inn®, Park Plaza®, and Regent®;  more than 1,000 restaurants, including T.G.I. Friday's® and Pick Up Stix®; and a majority stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel®, the global leader in business travel management. Carlson operates in more than 150 countries and its brands employ about 150,000 people. http://www.carlson.com

SOURCE Carlson Hotels