Starwood Hotels & Resorts is continuing to expand its portfolio in China with plans to open 20 new hotels in the region this year.

Having doubled its footprint in the country in the last three years, Starwood has 120 hotels open and more than 100 in the pipeline, making China the company’s second largest hotel market behind only the United States, and its fastest growing.

Starwood is also looking to double its luxury footprint in the country with plans for new flagship W Hotels in Beijing and Shanghai as well as hotels in, Suzhou, Changsha and Chengdu.

St. Regis, Starwood’s ultra-luxury brand, will build on its presence in markets including Beijing, Shenzhen and Sanya with new hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Lijiang, Qingshui Bay, Zhuhai and Nanjing while Starwood’s Luxury Collection will expand in Dalian, Hangzhou, Nanning, Xiamen, Nanjing and Suzhou.

According to the UN World Travel Organization, China is now the world’s number one tourism source market in terms of spending, surpassing Germany and the United States. In 2012, China’s expenditure on travel abroad reached US$102bn (£65.7bn, €77bn).

Starwood President and CEO Frits van Paasschen said: “Whether it’s growing our hotel footprint as part of the country’s massive infrastructure development, or aggressively building our loyalty program in the world’s fastest growing domestic and outbound travel market, we are focused on taking every advantage of our important first-mover position in China.”