Taiwanese hotel and restaurant operator FDC International Hotels Corp (雲品國際) has signed a contract with Taiwan Cement Corp (台灣水泥) to run a boutique hotel in the cement maker’s headquarters complex in Hangzhou, China, the hotelier’s first foray into overseas markets.
FDC chairman Emile Sheng (盛治仁) inked the deal with Taiwan Cement president John Li (李鐘培) in Taipei on Wednesday.
The new hotel is expected to start operations under the Fiore Della Cina brand in 2024. Taiwan Cement started construction on the property in December last year.
FDC won the management contract by beating other international contestants, Sheng said.
The planned hotel represents FDC’s first overseas expansion after resolutely growing its wedding and banquet business in Taiwan even though its hotel arm is taking a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.
FDC runs luxury resort Fleur de Chine (日月潭雲品酒店) near Sun Moon Lake, Palais de Chine (君品酒店) near Taipei Railway Station, as well as independent banquet facilities in Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan.
The collaboration with Taiwan Cement, which is to continue 25 years after the hotel’s opening, comes after FDC’s search for a new growth engine in a competitive industry, Sheng said.
“Our banquet business should rebound from the effects of the outbreak in the second half of this year, aided by pent-up demand and government stimulus measures,” Sheng said, adding that more than 250 bookings have been made.
Shareholders on Wednesday approved the company’s plan to distribute NT$2.5 per share in cash and stock dividends based on last year’s net income of NT$184 million (US$6.13 million), or earnings per share of NT$2.8.
FDC is using cutthroat discounts to attract guests to its facilities.
Shareholders of My Humble House Hospitality Management Consulting Co (寒舍餐旅) on Thursday gave their go-ahead to distribute a NT$1 cash dividend after net profit of NT$113 million last year, or earnings per share of NT$1.02.
My Humble House Hospitality chairman Wilhelm Tsai (蔡伯翰), who retains his seat at the helm, said that he would help the company rebound from the pandemic.
The company — which operates Le Meridien Taipei (台北寒舍艾美酒店), Humble House Taipei (寒舍艾麗) and Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel (台北喜來登大飯店) in Taipei, and the hot spring resort Mu Jiaosi Hotel (礁溪寒沐) in Yilan County — is offering guests NT$6,000 in gift vouchers for a NT$4,999 per night stay. The offer is good until the end of August.
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