With more hotels, resorts and private residences being added to its pipeline, the luxury hospitality company continues to expand its global footprint while introducing the acclaimed Four Seasons brand to new travellers around the world.
 
"The success of Four Seasons has been built on our unwavering dedication to the highest standards of hospitality, and that overarching principle remains at the forefront of our growth plans," says J. Allen Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
 
"The foundation of our development strategy is to identify the right locations, and to work with the right partners.  As a management company, it is critical that we find owners and investors who share our long term vision and values, and who will grow with us," continues Smith, noting that about one quarter of its investor/developer partners owns more than one Four Seasons.   
 
In the past three years, Four Seasons has unveiled a dozen new hotels and resorts in locations as diverse as Baku, Shenzhen, Baltimore and the Serengeti.   In the coming year, new properties will open in Moscow, Johannesburg, Orlando, and Dubai, among other destinations.
 
Growth Strategy
 
"Our strategy is multifaceted: we are targeting destinations where our guests want to go, as well as those markets where we want to establish a local presence to raise awareness and introduce travellers to Four Seasons," explains Scott Woroch, Executive Vice President Worldwide Development.  "At the same time, we continually explore options to enhance our position in destinations where we currently operate."
 
New openings in the near future include a luxury resort inside Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida; a strategic foothold in the African subcontinent; a second location in Russia following the brand's highly anticipated opening in St. Petersburg last year; increased presence in the Middle East with new locations in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates; new locations in India and the first in Korea; plus continued expansion into China's major business and leisure destinations.
 
A key source of growth opportunities is to reflag hotels that are currently established under another brand.  In 2012, Four Seasons converted the historic Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe, and this year the company will raise its flag above The Westcliff in Johannesburg. Another dimension to the company's plans is the continued focus on residential opportunities.  Two thirds of projects currently in development include a residential component, whether primary or secondary homes or vacation properties.
 
"Working with our owners, we are also looking at our existing locations with an eye to improving our market position, whether it's extensive renovations as we recently completed in Buenos Aires, Riyadh and Las Vegas; or the creation of destination-specific restaurant and spa concepts," says Woroch.
 
Planned New Openings in 2014/2015 and beyond

• Moscow, a rebirth of the historic Hotel Moskva and the company's second location in Russia, just steps from Red Square
• Orlando, a highly anticipated luxury resort inside Walt Disney World® Resort that will welcome families, couples and groups
• Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, the first Four Seasons in UAE, in one of the city's most prestigious residential districts, minutes from the central commercial district and key landmarks
• Johannesburg, a conversion of the existing Westcliff hotel to Four Seasons, in the subcontinent's gateway city and business capital
• Surfside, Florida, a revival of the legendary Surf Club in Four Seasons style, which will be the company's fourth location in the Sunshine State
• Seoul, the company's first hotel in Korea, located in a prime location in the city's Central Business District
• Casablanca, the second Four Seasons in Morocco, located on the city's oceanfront promenade
• Kyoto, the company's second destination in Japan, in the city's historic Higashiyama-ku district
• Bahrain Bay, the first Four Seasons in the country, in a bridged double tower development on an island in the Bay
• Tianjin, the first Four Seasons in this destination and the ninth in China, located at the apex of the city's motor and pedestrian thoroughfares
• Tanzania Safari Camp, the second of three projects in this country, located near the Ngorongoro Crater and UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Bengaluru, the second Four Seasons in the country, in southern India's IT hub
• Philadelphia, a new Four Seasons hotel in the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, which will be a new icon in the city's skyline
• New York, a new Four Seasons hotel in Tribeca, complementing the brand's landmark Midtown location

Four Seasons has also previously announced plans for new hotels and resorts in Taghazout Bay, Morocco; Madrid, Spain; and Delhi,  India.