Banyan Tree opens Macau resort

The high-end Banyan Tree Macau opened this week aiming to provide an urban retreat for the territory's weary gamers, amid increasingly fierce competition from other hotel names.

As more and more tourists head to China - the country is now the third-most visited destination on the planet behind France and the United States - major tourism operators are looking for new and improved methods to grab their share of the market. And that's certainly the case with the Banyan Tree Macau.

Located within the US$2 billion (1.4 billion euro) Galaxy Macau resort complex, the all-suite Banyan Tree offers such extras as a relaxation pool in every room and the brand's signature villas situated beside the resort's unique roof top wave pool. It is "designed to be the city's first five-star urban resort," according to Banyan Tree Holdings executive chairman Ho Kwon Ping.

Macau has in recent years seen massive casino-resort developments along its Cotai Strip establish the city as the world's undisputed gaming capital - and with 25 million tourists entering the city last year it has become one of the world's hottest destinations along the way. But the opening of the Banyan Tree marks a change in tact as the property promotes itself as being distinct from the casino experience.

"Banyan Tree Macau is designed for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the excitement of Cotai's entertainment district, but who still desire their own private sanctuary in which to relax," said Rudy Oretti, The Banyan Tree Macau's GM, in a statement announcing the official opening.

Hilton has meanwhile announced that it plans to have 100 hotels open for business in China by 2014 - four times the amount it currently has in a move that will make the country the company's biggest market outside the United States.

That follows the revelation from the InterContinental Hotels Group - which runs the Holiday Inn brand - that one in four of its new hotel rooms opened in the next five years will be in China.

A spokesman for the Hilton said the growth the Chinese tourism industry was now experiencing was a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity.

MS