GREENTREE Inn, one of country's top ten budget hotel chains, said yesterday it planned to more than double its China presence in the coming 12 months.

The company, which ranked No. 7 in terms of room numbers by the China Hotel Association in October 2007, will increase its domestic portfolio to 500 hotels, from 200, next year.

The hotel chain, which has already opened facilities in major cities in the eastern, southern, northern, northwestern and southwestern parts of the country, finally aims to expand its presence to about 1,000 facilities globally in ten years, the company said.