Chinese conglomerate drives tourism with Thomas Cook resort

Fosun International aims to attract tourists from Hong Kong via boutique hotel on Guishan island in Zhuhai

Chinese conglomerate, Fosun International, has partnered up with Visun Group in developing Casa Cook Guishan Island, which is expected to launch in 2023. The development is presumed to aid in boosting closer relations between Zhuhai and Hong Kong.

According to South China Morning Post, Fosun Tourism, the leisure business under Fosun International, will build Casa Cook Guishan Island. In partnership with Visun Group, a leading Chinese real estate company, the project is anticipated to be available in 2023.

Casa Cook, launched in 2015, is a boutique hotel brand under Thomas Cook Hotels & Resorts. The hotel targets creative, younger tourists, offering services such as meditation, yoga, and local culture. The brand currently manages hotels in Egypt and Greece, and Casa Cook Guishan Island will be its fourth branch.

General manager of Casa Cook, Katharine Wang said, “tourists usually transit in Zhuhai on their way to Macau and Hong Kong. With Casa Cook Guishan Island – which we hope becomes an Instagram and WeChat check-in spot – these tourists, most of them big spenders, will hopefully stay longer in Zhuhai.”

As Hong Kong and Zhuhai are part of Beijing’s Greater Bay Area development zone, the company is hoping that the bay’s marine resources and organic beauty can drive new tourists to Zhuhai.

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Wang added, “[the concept of holidays] is still in its early stages in China. We have a vast network of business hotels in the country. But with the rise of a young middle class, who could be foodies, creators, trekkers, and beach buffs, a more creative way of relaxing and holidaying will be in demand.”

The project is also imagined improving ties between the two cities, as Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) operates Zhuhai’s airport and can help feed more capacity. HKIA will invest more equity into Zhuhai’s airport to “achieve greater synergy”, as well as develop the small mainland airport into HKIA’s “fourth runway”.

The land includes a vast space for yachts and more than 100 rooms for visitors. The hotel plans to magnetize global voyagers, but more importantly, travellers who are seeking an escape from metropolis like Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen.

Wang included, “Guishan island is a hidden treasure, where you feel that you own the island and the sea in front of you, when looking out or when taking your yacht out to the sea.”