Mario Ho, Chairman and co-CEO of the Nasdaq-listed esports company NIP Group, has announced strategic plans to launch over 100 eSports hotels across mainland China within the next three years. The first location is set to open in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
Speaking at the 5th BEYOND Expo in Macau, Ho detailed the company’s strategic move into China’s expanding eSports hotel market. He revealed that 95 percent of the planned hotels will operate under a franchise model to ease asset pressure and accelerate growth.
Ho stressed the intense competition in the Chinese market, stating that companies failing to grow quickly face elimination. He also acknowledged that the eSports industry is currently in a “winter” period, requiring stakeholders to engage in reflection.
“NIP Group has built an ecosystem covering various vertical business segments in the eSports and gaming fields, and is further extending its business scope outward,” Ho explained at the technology expo.
According to previous reports, NIP Group has formed a strategic partnership with Home Inns Group to jointly develop new eSports hotels. Before NIP Group’s announcement, in May 2024, the two companies jointly established “Shanghai Ru Jing Player Hotel Management Co., Ltd.” with a registered capital of RMB5 million ($692,000). NIP Group holds a 60 percent stake, while Home Inns Group holds 40 percent.
Since the first eSports hotel opened in Zhengzhou in 2017, the industry has steadily grown in Chinese cities like Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Xi’an. The number of eSports hotels nationwide is increasing, with a presence in all 31 provinces and municipalities. The “2024-2030 China Esports Hotel Industry Market Operation Status and Development Prospect Research Report” by Zhiyan Consulting indicates that in 2023, the number of eSports hotels in China reached 24,149, an increase of 5,357 from the previous year and 13,130 from 2020.
The NIP Group’s expansion strategy extends beyond mainland China. Ho highlighted recent growth in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He noted that an entire eSports city is currently under construction in Abu Dhabi, with a new partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office positioned to accelerate the company’s regional development.
Ho predicted that current eSports capital investment in the Middle East will produce world-class competitions and top-tier teams from the region within five years.
Southeast Asia also features in NIP Group’s expansion plans, with Ho exploring opportunities in Thailand and Vietnam. He identified these countries’ large young populations as key drivers of their market potential.
