Chicago-based hotel marketing company IndeCorp Corporation has established its Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong to enlarge its regional portfolio.

IndeCorp's Managing Director of Summit Hotels & Resorts Richard Lewis said the company recognises there are enormous opportunities for growth in the Asia-Pacific region, and Hong Kong is the obvious place from which to launch its expansion strategy.

"We have already expanded our sales efforts in the region and are looking to add new hotels to the portfolio," he said.

InvestHK Director-General of Investment Promotion Mike Rowse said he is delighted the company has chosen Hong Kong.

"Since the SARS outbreak ended, the local travel industry has rebounded strongly. With more hotels under construction, there are great opportunities for IndeCorp to expand its network of hotels in Hong Kong," he said.

"Hong Kong is one of the key travel and tourism hubs in Asia. We have the fifth busiest airport in the world in terms of cross-border passenger throughput - with half of the world's population living within five hours' flight time. 

"Hong Kong is also one of the major hotel hubs in Asia. The average hotel occupancy in 2002 was 84%, and post-SARS, we appear to be returning to those levels with a steady growth in the influx of business travellers and tourists, particularly from the Mainland."

IndeCorp Corporation is the parent company of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Sterling Hotels & Resorts, and Summit Hotels & Resorts.

IndeCorp, through its three hotel brands, currently has properties on the Mainland, in Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Australia. IndeCorp's hotels in Hong Kong are the Park Lane, the Langham Hotel (Great Eagle) and Harbour Plaza.

Together, the three IndeCorp brands offer travellers and travel professionals more than 300 distinctive luxury hotels and resorts in 51 countries.