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Shiji’s hotel tech acquisition spree: a closer look

2019/8/12 9:56:23
Shiji has been on an acquisition tear. A look at its financial filings shines a light on how the Beijing-based hospitality technology company has been spending its money abroad. But the strategy remains convoluted to some observers. Shiji has collected and built a set services for hotels and restaurants with a sprawling and seemingly unfocused ambition.

Shiji has only a small foreign business. In 2018, it generated only $36 million in operating income outside of mainland China. That was merely 8 percent of its total operating income of $412.9 million (2.84 billion yuan).

But Shiji has been investing abroad. Since January 2016, it has spent at least $141 million on acquisitions and equity investments in travel tech companies outside of China, according to Skift’s review of its financial filings.