Louvre Hotels Group Enters Partnership with Jin Jiang Inn Co

　　Louvre Hotels Group, the second largest hotel services group in Europe, today announced the official signing of a partnership with Jin Jiang Inn Co., Ltd., a Chinese leader in tourism listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Its Jin Jiang Hotels subsidiary has 1,000 hotels, 800 of which operate under the Jin Jiang Inn trade name.

　　This partnership covers 15 Campanile hotels in the five French cities most frequently visited by Chinese tourists (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Nice) and 15 Jin Jiang Inn hotels in the three Chinese cities most popular with French tourists (Shanghai, Xi"an and Beijing).

　　Jin Jiang Inn customers will be able to make reservations for Campanile hotels in France, and Campanile customers will be able to reserve rooms in Jing Jiang Inn hotels in China. This reservations process will be facilitated by an alliance of the websites of the two trade names and the sharing of reservation channels.

　　The alliance between the two brands will be manifest in several ways in the 15 Campanile hotels that will participate in the partnership:

　　Each hotel will display both trade names at its entrance

　　The hotels will be equipped with Chinese-­‐language brochures and signs

　　Telephone assistance for guests will be available in Chinese

　　The Campanile breakfast buffet will include Chinese foods and dishes

　　Green tea will be available in hotel rooms

　　Hotel room televisions will offer access to Chinese channels

　　Likewise, the Jin Jiang Inn hotels participating in this partnership will offer breakfast buffets that include French products, brochures in both French and English, and telephone assistance for guests in French and English, among other services.

　　This partnership will also enable Louvre Hotels Group and Jin Jiang Inn Co., Ltd to share management experience and expertise between the alliance"s key representatives. Certain employees from both groups will be given the opportunity to participate in an 8-­‐week exchange programme between China and France At a press conference, Pierre-­‐Frédéric Roulot, Chairman of Louvre Hotels Group, stated: "We welcome this partnership that will enable Louvre Hotels Group to actively participate in the rapid expansion of Chinese tourism in France. It provides a formidable opportunity to share our expertise with a major player in the hotel industry in China, a strategic region for us that offers strong growth potential in both the leisure and business travel segments. Louvre Hotels Group is determined to pursue its expansion in the Chinese market, where we plan to open two to five midscale or luxury hotels a year."

　　Xu Zurong, Chairman of Jin Jiang Inn Co., Ltd, added: "Our French partner Louvre Hotels Group is the second largest hotel group in Europe. It is the owner of a comprehensive brand portfolio which includes the famous budget, hotel brand Campanile, which is at the heart of our partnership. We are proud to become a partner of Louvre Hotels Group to introduce Jin Jiang Inn in France through a brand alliance, which is a new model for the overseas expansion of Chinese budget hotel brands. By adapting to the habits of the respective customers of our two brands, we will further improve customer experience".

　　On this occasion, Mr. Frédéric Lefebvre, Junior Minister of Tourism, pointed out that: "The visits of tourists from emerging countries and particularly China are increasingly rapidly. Similarly, tourism within China is seeing rapid growth. In this context, it"s essential to encourage cooperation to support French operators in China and to improve the welcome of Chinese tourists in France."

　　About Chinese tourism

　　Altogether, 57.39 million Chinese tourists travelled abroad in 2010, a 20.4% increase from the previous year, placing China in fourth place worldwide according to the World Tourism Organization. (Source: UNWTO 06/09/11)

　　Chinese tourists and France

　　France is the number one destination for Chinese tourists visiting the European Union, ahead of Italy and Germany. In 2010, France hosted 907,000 Chinese tourists, a 23% increase from the 2009 figure. The majority of Chinese tourists visit France in organized groups, accompanied by guides. Art, culture, food and luxury goods are the country"smain strengths.Although Paris is the top destination, Chinese tourists are progressively discovering other French regions.

　　We can also see the development of a new clientele increasingly interested in activities like wine tourism, skiing, golf and ecotourism in a growing number of regions in France, including the French overseas territories.