Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which now operates 40 hotels and resorts in China with more than 40 in the pipeline, yesterday launched its fully integrated Chinese-language Websites, complete with a real-time booking engine for all its nine brands.

"In 2006, the market size for hotel bookings in China reached US$121 million, among which 40 percent of the revenue was contributed by five-star hotels," said Oliver Bonke, senior vice president, sales & marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific. "By 2010, the market size for hotel online booking will hit US$347 million."

(Shanghai Daily December 26, 2007)