MTG’s executive vice-president Kevin Bristow said the company was planning to launch titles in Singapore and Shanghai next year, and Dubai and Tokyo in 2010. There is already a title covering Beijing.
“We have only now decided to expand outside of North America due to consumer demand and the buy-out of part of our digital business.”
Bristow added that the group’s online site, which was recently purchased by portal howstuffworks, attracted 25 million hits last month, building global awareness.
“We are cutting back on peripheral cities in North America to help finance our global expansion, which will include television travel shows via the Travel Channel and Discovery.”
The Mobil travel ratings are considered the most prestigious in North America.
The five-star recipients were Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and the Wynn Macau. Two spas, The Mandarin Spa, (Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong) and The Peninsula Spa by ESPA and Spa at Wynn Macau also received five stars.
“Out of 80,000 properties in North America, only 41 hotels have a five-star rating,” said Bristow, “so this is impressive.”