Starwood Continues Expansion In China

WHITE PLAINS, NY— Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has become the operator and manager of the 492-room Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Hotel in China after inking an agreement with Sichuan Xinchengxin Industrial Co. Ltd. The property, first opened in October 2000 as Jiuzhaigou International Hotel, will be managed by Starwood effective June 1 and be rebranded. . Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Hotel will be the first international upscale resort in Jiuzhaigou, an area serving both leisure and incentive travelers. The resort will offer six food and beverage outlets, 4,000 square feet of meeting space and extensive recreational facilities, including an indoor pool and a theater seating 500 persons. The resort destination is accessible from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. The Jiuzhaigou International Airport is scheduled to open in September, which will allow direct flights from Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.