The Kempinski Group has unveiled an ambitious expansion strategy in which it plans to have 100 hotels in operation around the globe by 2021. 

Next year, nine new hotels with a total of 1,961 rooms and suites will open their doors, with three in the Caribbean and one each in Tel Aviv, Tbilisi, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Brazzaville and Almaty. 

A further seven hotels with a combined 2,404 rooms are currently under construction. 

The Kempinski Hotels portfolio will also benefit from a hotel in New York for the first time in the company’s 122-year history. 

The latter forms part of a recent partnership with the 12.18. Investment Group, which will develop and open 20 7Pines Kempinski Hotels together with Kempinski until 2022. 

Kempinski said it plans to focus on the acquisition of hotel properties as well as management contracts, favouring properties which can be renovated and repositioned under the group’s own brands.

To date, the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski in Munich is the only property owned by the company. 

"By acquiring real estate, we benefit from the increase in value instead of paying money for management contracts," said Martin R. Smura, chief executive and chairman of the management board. 

"We have set ourselves ambitious goals to expand the portfolio of Kempinski Hotels with additional flagship hotels.

“This selective growth is focused on acquiring highly regarded hotels that will make a valuable contribution to our brand. We therefore select only those hotels that meet our brand values and thus the highest quality standards of our guests."