SHANGHAI, April 22, 2014 — On 18 April, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between two leading hospitality groups, Jin Jiang International Hotels and Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, was held at Jin Jiang’s flagship business hotel, Jin Jiang Tower in downtown Shanghai. The signing of the MOU on behalf of the respective organizations were Mr. Simon Zhang, Chief Executive Officer at Jin Jiang International Hotels and Mr. Won-Ki Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts and Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group.
The MOU will commit the two parties to collaborate closely together as business partners and to work towards achieving common strategic goals and objectives to ensure the successful performance of both companies. The MOU will provide frameworks for new and potential opportunities for cooperation between the corporate offices and selected hotels. Each side will pursue significant activities and actively cooperate to strengthen the competitiveness of its products and services through various marketing alliances and business collaborations. The top priority items in the MOU agenda include the cross cooperation between the global sales and PR teams, the offering of special rates to both companies’ members and clients, promoting of the companies’ loyalty programs, hotel operational support including employee cross training and exchange programs, and affiliate food and beverage promotional programs.
The signing of this MOU represents Jin Jiang International Hotel’s continued efforts in establishing formal links with strategic travel and hospitality partners overseas in order to enhance the development of the groups’ operational and marketing efforts for the benefit of its staff and guests.
“This cooperative partnership with Hanwha Hotels & Resorts is of great significance to us, and we look forward to this close cooperation, I am confident that through our joint efforts and commitment, we will be able to build a prosperous future and develop a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between the two companies. The Korean market is an important one to us and this opportunity is a chance to broaden our brand awareness and expand our activities into this new and exciting market ,” stated Mr. Simon Zhang, Chief Executive Officer at Jin Jiang International Hotels.
China and South Korea are popular and important travel destinations for both countries. Korea has recently seen a rapidly increasing growth of Chinese inbound travelers and last year alone Korea had over 4 million visitors from China, making them the country’s largest inbound tourist market. Conversely, Korean tourist arrivals to China last year had reached almost 4 million.
Vice Chairman of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Won-Ki Hong commented, “Considering the Korea-China relationship as a strategic partnership, this cooperation between these two leading hospitality companies within their respective countries, Hanwha Hotels & Resorts and Jin Jiang International Hotels, is a significant and valuable one .” He adds, ” Through the agreement, Hanwha Hotels & Resorts will closely cooperate with Jin Jiang International Hotels to grow together as the world’s best leisure service provider and will also take the opportunity to expand its presence into the Chinese market .”
