Wanda Hotels & Resorts has become the first Chinese hotel management company to export its luxury hotel brands overseas, following an agreement signed today in Shanghai with Mar Yapi to build Wanda Vista Istanbul.

As the first brand marketed overseas by the Chinese hotel management group, Wanda Vista Istanbul is expected to open by the end of 2018.

The project is funded by Mar Yapi, designed by the prestigious designer Philippe Starck. Located in a bustling business district featuring many office buildings, apartments and shopping malls, the new hotel is just a short stroll from the biggest shopping district in Istanbul, five-minute drive from Ataturk International Airport and 25 minutes away from the city center.

Its 150 luxury guest rooms and suites will feature modern and local elements, complemented by Wanda's high-quality services, to offer unique experiences to local and international travelers.

Wanda Vista Istanbul Signing Ceremony. Signing - Mr. Qian Jin, President of Wanda Hotels & Resorts (front right). Mr. Munir Ozkok, Chairman of Mar Yapi (front left)Wanda Vista Istanbul Signing Ceremony group photo (management team of Wanda Hotels & Resorts, and Mar Yapi)Wanda Vista Istanbul

"Wanda Vista Istanbul is more than just the first Wanda hotel to be opened overseas; it is also the first brand we have marketed overseas. It marks another significant step toward our goal of becoming a respected international luxury hotel company from China," said Qian Jin, president of Wanda Hotels & Resorts.

Munir Ozkok, chairman of the Turkish company, Mar Yapi, said: "We are delighted to be working together with Wanda Hotels & Resorts, who has a clear competitive edge among hotel brands. Among 50 major cities in China where Wanda hotels operate, more than 50% of them have achieved outstanding performance, being the lead in the market. As China and Turkey move toward closer economic cooperation, I am confident Wanda Vista Istanbul will successfully offer oriental services that delight guests not only from China but from many other countries globally."

By the end of 2016, the number of luxury hotels owned and operated by Wanda Hotels & Resorts had reached 104 in China. Also, the company has re-launched its own brands, including the ultra-luxury brand Wanda Reign, luxury brand Wanda Vista, deluxe brand Wanda Realm, and lifestyle hotel brand Wanda Jin.

As China's largest luxury hotel company, Wanda Hotels & Resorts believes that a greater goodness in life is achieved by treating each other with great respect and sincerity. An established industrial leader in China, Wanda Hotels & Resorts works to spread a hospitality approach that is embedded in Chinese culture. Today, Wanda Hotels & Resorts has six international projects, including those in the Gold Coast, Sydney, Chicago, Los Angeles and London.

These international hotels are under the same brand, Wanda Vista, positioned as a luxury hotel brand for distinguished guests who relish extraordinary services in oriental elegance that seamlessly blends with local culture. Wanda Hotels & Resorts believes that hotel brands deeply rooted in China's cultural legacy will achieve wide recognition among international markets and global travelers.