French hotel group Accor announced on Tuesday that it plans to double its hotel presence in Pan-Pearl River Delta (PRD) region including Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong Province.

Michael Issenberg, Accor Asia Pacific's managing director, said at a press conference that Accor operated seven hotels in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Dongguan by early 2006. The number is likely to increase to at least 12 in the two places by 2008.

He said, Accor's expansion in Hong Kong and Guangdong is part of the company's rapid development in China that will see the company grow its network from current 34 hotels to over 50 hotels in the next two years.

He said Accor had targeted Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong because of their strong economic and tourism potential.

Last month, Accor's fifth hotel in Hong Kong, Novotel Citygate, opened, and this will be followed in October by the launch of the highly strategic Novelette at the new Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou.

He said, another Sofitel will open in Guangdong Province later this year and in the following year, the Sofitel Guangzhou will open in the heart of the city.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2005)