As a domestic private capital’s upscale brand, BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd., (Jianguo) expands overseas presence and goes public jointly with Italy-based ATA Hotel.

Among all local Chinese hotel brands, “Jianguo” is a prestigious brand name. It was the first joint-venture hotel on the Chinese mainland after the Reform and Opening-up Program started. It now still enjoys the title of “the example-setter for hundreds of hotels” bestowed by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

As a domestic private capital’s upscale brand, BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd., (Jianguo) expands overseas presence and goes public jointly with Italy-based ATA Hotel. Recently, the reporter interviewed Fu Tianju, the CEO of BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd. to explore the future development of BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd.

Question: Why could you choose to cooperate with ATA Hotel? Does this cooperation mean that the overseas market will be the group’s development priority next year?

Fu Tianju: cooperating with ATA Hotel is an attempt to expand overseas market. Firstly, our group will open more overseas hotels, so we need the accumulation. We can acquire the advanced operation model and prefect management system. Secondly, with the development of china’s economy and enhancement of comprehensive national strength, more and more Chinese people go traveling abroad. They prefer to choose the brand which they are familiar to because of consumption habits and cultural identity. As a national hotel, we hope to seize this opportunity.

Q：Is it a good time for Chinese local brands to expand overseas market?

Fu Tianzhu：China’s hotel industry has a thirty-year history. International Hotel Groups entering into Chinese market brought many challenges to Chinese local hotel brand, while taught us some advanced experience and cultivated many excellent hotel professional managers. Now, it is necessary and capable for our local hotel brands to "go out". However, we should realize our weaknesses, especially the operating level, so we still have got a long way to go.