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s especially to the central reservation system offered by foreign hotels, which helps advertise and simplify access to the hotel for international tourists. Meanwhile, domestic economy hotel chains take the advantage of local business knowledge and are making progress in adapting the foreign hotel chains’ operation model. Trends in Economy Hotel Development, Financing, and Management Currently, economy hotels represent just 10% of the overall hotel industry in China, but forthing events signal the potential for far greater suffusion. Demand from leisure and mercial sectors is expected to increase with China’s continuing economic development and legislative enactments, thus positively affecting travel. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai represent titanic impetuses for economy hotel development. According to the CASS Tourism Research Center, the government is supporting this development to meet the acmodation needs of the enormous inrush of tourists. Economy hotels have sprouted most densely in China’s eastern, northern, and southern regions. In 2006, 46% of economy hotels were distributed in eastern China, 19% in northern China, and 16% in southern China. The fastest growth has been in the suburban areas of firsttier cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, secondtier cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing, business centers such as Shanghai Pudong New Zone and Tianjin Hightech Industrial Park, and tourism destinations such as Sanya and Tsingdao. New petitive hot spots will appear in regional markets such as the central China region. Moreover, vacant land in such areas proves fertile soil for new economy hotel development, and many existing hotels are ripe for conversion from dated to modern acmodations. Mergers and acquisitions will bee the future trend following the massive development. The trend began with the aforementioned acquisition of Top Star by rival Home Inns in October of 2007. This event forecasts the fate of many smallscale brands and independent properties in the economy hotel sector, which are likely to be subsumed by the larger brands. Capital operations have bee the most significant means of brand petition within China’s hotel industry. In the current market climate, economy hotels are engaging in external financing through various channels. In October of 2006, Home Inns became the first Chinese hotel listed in NASDAQ, and Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co. Ltd. is listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Guangzhoubased hotel chain 7 Days Inn received a US$10 million investment from Warburg Pincus in October of 2006。 and Top Star39。 Hotels Management, Inc. Home Inns amp。 Hotels Management, Inc.s domestic economy hotel chains, such as Home Inns, Jin Jiang Inns, and Motel168, have been rapidly developing, as have foreign economy hotel brands such as Super 8 and GreenTree Inn. The following table lists the top ten economy hotel groups in China in 2006:Economy Hotel Development Trends in Mainland ChinaSince the first opened in 1997, economy hotels in mainland China have spread far and wide, filling a need for millions of business and leisure patrons seeking a convenient, economical, and increasingly fortable place to rest.Demand for Economy Hotels in Mainland China China