Fosun targets Greater Bay Area’s ‘creative’ tourists with Thomas Cook resort on Zhuhai’s Guishan island

Chinese conglomerate Fosun International has chosen Guishan island in Zhuhai for a boutique hotel that will target, among others, creative tourists from Hong Kong. The launch will coincide with improving ties between the two cities, which are part of Beijing’s Greater Bay Area development zone.

Casa Cook Guishan Island will be developed by Fosun Tourism, the leisure business of the conglomerate, which is chaired by billionaire Guo Guangchang. It will partner with Visun Group, the organiser of the country’s biggest yacht show, on the project, which is expected to open in 2023. Visun owns the property and land, while Casa Cook will operate the hotel.

“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,” said Katharine Wang, the general manager of Casa Cook.

Casa Cook, a new hotel brand under Thomas Cook, was launched in 2015. It is aimed at younger tourists and focuses on services such as yoga and meditation, as well as local culture. It operates two hotels currently, one each in Greece and Egypt. Another will be launched in Greece next year and Casa Cook Guishan Island will be its fourth destination.

The company is betting on the bay area plan, which aims to attract a new breed of tourist to Zhuhai, with its natural beauty and marine resources.

“[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,” Wang said.

The launch is expected to coincide with closer relations between Hong Kong and Zhuhai. The capacity at Zhuhai’s airport is expected to increase thanks to a closer relationship with Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), which operates the facility. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong’s leader, said last week that the operator will inject more equity into the small mainland airport to “achieve greater synergy between the two airports”. The plan is to use Zhuhai as a “fourth runway” once the Hong Kong airport adds another runway to its current two landing strips.

Guishan itself is no strange territory for Hongkongers, having been proposed as a site for more homes for the city’s residents recently. A guild of developers and real estate professionals proposed in September that 60 square kilometres of land be reclaimed on three sets of islands around Guishan to free up the equivalent of 500 hectares of land for housing 800,000 residents.

The property will have more than 100 rooms, as well as vast space for parking yachts. The hotel, under the 178-year-old Thomas Cook brand, plans to attract creative travellers from across the world, but particularly those seeking a getaway from the concrete jungles of cities such as Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau.

“We are building a lounge on the sea of the Greater Bay Area,” Wang said. “Being close to Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen, and with breathtaking coastal scenery and natural resources, Guishan Island will be our strategic centre in the area.”

Although the details of schemes for the city have yet to be fully revealed, Zhuhai is certainly expected to welcome more tourists. As of now, its main attractions is the popular Chimelong International Ocean Resort on Hengqin island, which has penguins, polar bears, white whales, dolphins and thousands of rare fish.

“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,” Wang said.