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| Hilton San Francisco Financial District Team Members prepare for the launch of Hilton Huanying, a tailored experience for Chinese travelers. More than 50 hotels already are enrolled in the program, which debuts on 16 August in San Francisco. (From left to right: Nannette Morris, catering sales and convention services manager; Michelle Kong, housekeeper; Rachel Prasad, senior convention services manager, Hilton San Francisco Financial District |
McLEAN, Virginia—As hotel companies scramble to capture guests in burgeoning China, Hilton Worldwide also is casting its net in key locations throughout the world via an innovative program designed to accommodate Chinese outbound travelers.
The chain’s Hilton Huanying program launches tomorrow in San Francisco, with more than 50 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties throughout the world ready to roll out the red carpet in the coming weeks and months.
“As we continue to grow in China and enter second- and third-tier cities, Chinese consumers are becoming more familiar with our brand and also choosing Hilton when traveling abroad,” said Dave Horton, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, via email. “Within China, in fact, research shows we are the most recognized global hotel brand. This provides tremendous opportunity for us to build brand loyalty on a global scale, and Hilton Huanying is the connecting link that allows us to deliver a consistent and authentic welcome whether in Seoul or San Francisco.”
Huanying, which means “welcome,” offers Chinese travelers authentic amenity and service standards across three signature areas: the arrival; guestroom; and the brand’s Breakfast at Hilton experience.
The program represents Hilton’s more than 20 years of experience operating in China, along with internal and third-party, proprietary research.
“(We) also secured feedback from guests, agents, wholesalers and tour operators, which is always a key influencer for us,” Horton said.
A growing need
“The business side is clear,” Horton said of Hilton’s need for the Huanying program.
“Some of our hotels around the world have doubled the number of stays or roomnights, or even seen triple-digit increases in visits from travelers based in China, year over year,” he said. “Many hotels that are seeing this growth, ranging from Los Angeles to Australia and Austria, will introduce Hilton Huanying in August. The more than 50 hotels currently enrolled represent many top international destinations for Chinese travelers.”
China has emerged as one of Hilton’s top source markets, where the chain is experiencing significant growth. The company is on track to have 100 hotels across its portfolio of brands open in China within the next five years.
During 2010, Hilton Hotels & Resorts opened properties in Shanghai and Beijing. This year it will open new hotels in Chun'an County, Guangzhou and other emerging markets, according to Horton.
Staff
The company developed a Hilton Huanying Program Toolkit to ensure a consistent guest experience for Chinese travelers. The toolkit both educates hotels about the emerging Chinese traveler segment and communicates the brand standards/core elements of the program, Horton said.
Training requires “little or no added costs” to participating hotels, he added.
“We are providing owners with a strategic solution to help hotels understand this growing segment and meet its need,” Horton said. “Our brand marketing campaigns and Hilton Worldwide global sales efforts will aggressively market Hilton Huanying so that we can educate agents, operators, wholesalers, guests and key clients.”
Expanding the welcome mat
Hilton doesn’t have any other regional-specific travel programs in the works, though Horton said the brand is constantly evaluating areas to improve the guest experience.
“We never stop listening to our guests and responding to their needs. We make every decision through the lens of our customers and have a long history of recognizing emerging trends and responding with thoughtful products, services and amenities,” he said, pointing toward the My Little Hilton program for younger travelers and the Lady Hilton program that was launched in the 1960s when the company saw an increase in female business travelers.
“The Hilton Huanying program reflects this part of our brand promise, and we will continue to innovate in areas including programming, services, technology and growth as long as there is a compelling need,” Horton said. “Guests have high expectations for Hilton, and we recognize the impact we make each day by welcoming the world.
“The possibilities are limitless when, as a brand, you continue to innovate and listen to your guests.”