SHANGHAI: Hong Kong-based Plaza Premium Group (PPG), an airport hospitality services provider, is strategically expanding its business in the domestic market in line with recent policies promoting the growth of international aviation hubs and the opportunities presented by 144-hour visa-free transit policy.

The expansion encompasses the establishment of hotels, VIP lounges and related services in key cities.

“The hardware facilities in the Chinese mainland are quite impressive.

“As a Chinese individual, I hope to bring our accumulated experience to this very significant market and offer our signature hospitality services for all travellers,” said Song Hoi-See, founder and chief executive officer of Plaza Premium Group.

“It is my aspiration that all visitors to China not only encounter attractive facilities, but also experience exceptional software services that evoke a sense of warmth and hospitality.”

On Oct 18, PPG solidified its expansion plans by signing an agreement with Shanghai Airport Group Co Ltd to debut an Aerotel hotel in Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2025.

This endeavour follows the recent openings of airport lounges in the Macao Special Administrative Region and Chongqing.

Song noted that the upcoming Aerotel Shanghai Pudong Airport Hotel will serve as an integrated hospitality facility.

With 82 hotel rooms, the new development will stand out through flexible hourly booking, competitive room rates and a convenient location for travellers seeking short intervals of rest and comfort.

“As one of China’s three major hub airports, Shanghai Pudong International Airport boasts robust international passenger traffic, offering favourable conditions for us to establish a new Aerotel.

“We are confident that the new Aerotel will further elevate the airport experience and make a great in-airport accommodation option for passengers,” Song said.

In 1998, PPG pioneered the world’s first independent lounge brand in Hong Kong, driven by Song’s personal challenges during business trips in finding quiet and private spaces to attend to his work tasks.

Through years of attentive observation and addressing travellers’ needs, PPG has evolved into a comprehensive service platform offering lounges, hotels, dining and related services in 80 airports across 30 countries and regions, with 1,600 touchpoints catering to 20 million travellers annually.

Since entering the Chinese mainland market in 2019 with Aerotel at Beijing Daxing International Airport, PPG has expanded to include six Plaza Premium Lounges, two Aerotels and three DragonPass x Plaza Premium Lounge high-speed railway lounges.

A guiding opinion jointly released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the National Development and Reform Commission emphasised enhancing the comprehensive and compound functions of three international aviation hubs – Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The opinion, released in August, also stressed boosting the compound functions of seven hubs in Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi’an, Urumqi and Harbin, and focusing on specialised development of other key regional aviation hubs.

“The country’s current focus on civil aviation and airport development revolves around enhancing international and regional hubs.

“As integral components of our strategic plan for the Chinese mainland, these hubs will be the focal points for our efforts in penetration and development in the coming years, serving as leverage to elevate the quality of our domestic services,” Song added.

- China Daily