Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Visitors will soon be able to choose from a greater range of high-end hotels, as the Hilton, InterContinental, and Hyatt are to debut in Xiangzhou District by year-end.

The Hilton at the Wanzai Sky Line residential complex, and the InterContinental at Gongbei Renheng Coast Center are both being furnished. Meanwhile, construction of the Hyatt at the Silver Bay residential complex in Qianshan was recently completed.

A branch of the St. Regis chain is also expected to open this year in the Shizimen Central Business District in Wanzai near Hengqin Island.

Rendering of the Hilton at Wanzai Sky Line [Photo courtesy zh.focus.cn]

The new accommodations bring to 10 the number of luxury hotels in Zhuhai. Other local high-end brands include Chimelong, Sheraton, Pullman, and Marriott.

The hotels are designed to satisfy the requirements of an increasing number of high-income tourists from around the world. Tourism from the Hong Kong and Macao SARs also is expected to rise significantly after the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opens.

Hotels inside the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center Complex such as the St. Regis will also benefit from a growing number of high-profile events taking place there and at embedded concert halls and opera houses, according to a representative from the hotel.

A Sheraton spokesperson said they are eyeing opportunities offered by Zhuhai's growing status as a venue for events such as the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai and Airshow China.

According to Professor Liu Yunde from the tourism department at Zhuhai College of Jilin University, the influx of high-end hotels is having a profound effect on tourism and urban development, as the new hotels are raising standards across the industry.

Zhuhai aims to add nearly 10 further international brand hotels by 2020, with a view to gradually forming hotel clusters. These would be mostly located with various features in Hengqin New Area, Shizimen Business District, Xiangzhou Central Urban Area, Pingsha West Zone, and Wanshan Archipelago, according to a recent report by the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau.