New waterfront luxury hotel to be part of integrated complex incorporating Olympic sailing venue, international conference centre, international cruise terminal, shopping, entertainment and recreation.

InterContinental Hotels Group will be introducing InterContinental Hotels & Resorts' unique brand of luxury to Qingdao in China's Shandong province in 2008. InterContinental Qingdao, a 438-room new-build waterfront hotel, will be part of the 45-hectare integrated Olympic Water Sports Centre at Fushan Bay, which will host the sailing events of the 2008 Olympics.

The complex will feature an international conference centre and cruise terminal, marina and yachting club and extensive shopping, entertainment and recreation facilities. InterContinental Hotels Group will manage the hotel on behalf of Qingdao Dong'Ao Development & Construction Group, developer of the Olympic Water Sports Centre.

InterContinental Qingdao will be the only hotel in the centre and will open in 2008, before the Olympic Games. Complementing the nearby international conference centre, the hotel's state-of-the-art meeting facilities will be able to accommodate up 2,000 guests.

Edmond Ip, InterContinental Hotels Group's chief operating officer for North Asia, said: "Qingdao will play host to the 2008 Olympics sailing events and we couldn't have asked for a better time and place to introduce InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, our flagship luxury brand, to this beautiful city, which has traditionally attracted scores of leisure and business travellers. This is truly an Olympic win for InterContinental Hotels Group and we are indeed privileged to be working with Qingdao Dong'Ao, one of China's top property developers and a driving force behind some of the most significant 2008 Olympic construction projects."

Wang Dong Chu, general manager of Qingdao Dong'Ao Development & Construction Group, added: "We are excited to be embarking on this landmark development with InterContinental Hotels Group. Their extensive hotel management expertise, global scale, proven operating systems and internationally renowned hotel brands will bring unparalleled success to this exciting hotel development. We are confident that our expectations for InterContinental Qingdao will be exceeded."

The city of Qingdao, located on the northeast coast of China, is well-known for its picturesque scenery, pristine beaches, colonial European heritage, fresh seafood and the internationally renowned Tsingtao beer. Strategically located near Korea and Japan, Qingdao is also an important international trading centre and one of China's top 10 economic and tourist destinations.