Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts celebrates a homecoming of sorts with the opening of a new 259-room flagship hotel in Toronto, Canada, where the company was founded more than 50 years ago. The opening is a significant milestone in a growth strategy that includes expansion in every corner of the world. “The new Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is a showcase for the next generation of Four Seasons experiences, helping to exemplify where we’re headed in the future,” says President and Chief Executive Officer Katie Taylor. “It gives us all a sense of pride to display the very best of Four Seasons, right here in our hometown.”
The global footprint of Four Seasons spanning five continents and 36 countries is the result of a development strategy with focus on the destinations its guests want and need to travel. In 2011, Four Seasons signed 14 letters of intent, more than any other year in the company’s history. Each new hotel that results from this process brings to life the best of the local culture, aesthetic and experiences, making each Four Seasons stay distinct and memorable.
China is one of the largest areas of focus for the company going forward, representing more than 20 percent of projected openings for the next four years. A new property in Guangzhou opened in July 2012, and additional hotels are set to open in Beijing and Shanghai Pudong in the coming weeks, as well as a hotel in Shenzhen in the near future. Four Seasons first entered Asia with the acquisition of Regent Hotels in 1992. After refining the Asian portfolio and rebranding Regent Hotels to Four Seasons, the company focused on opening branded hotels in major city centres and exotic resort locations throughout the region.
This Autumn, Four Seasons will also enter Sub-Saharan Africa, with the opening of the first of three properties, Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania. Four Seasons Safari Lodge will be a unique opportunity for the brand in an exciting new destination. Located within Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site covers 14,763 square kilometres (5,700 square miles). The landscape features the largest concentration of plains animals in Africa, and is acclaimed for the best game drives and abundant year-round wildlife. Additional new properties are planned in Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on the island of Zanzibar.
