(Yicai) April 18 -- Shares of Shiji Information Technology rose after the Chinese developer of software for hospitality and catering firms said its next-generation hotel management system has secured its first order from a large resort group.

Shiji [SHE: 002153] closed 1.1 percent higher at CNY6.45 (90 US cents) a share in Shenzhen, after moving up by as much as 3.8 percent earlier in the day.

A subsidiary of Melco Resorts & Entertainment penned a five-year agreement with a Shiji unit allowing brands its owns and manages to use the Shiji Enterprise Platform, payment solutions, and support services, the Beijing-based firm announced yesterday.

Shiji did not disclose any revenue expectations from the deal, but said enterprise management systems used by large resort groups often represent the performance peak of similar products.

The deal should establish a good benchmark for SEP entering the global field of big resort chains, Shiji said, adding that it is expected to be positive for the brand and bring considerable financial returns in the long run.

SEP is a cloud platform that is already used by several global hotel brands such as Peninsula Hotels, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, and Langham Hotels and Resorts. Hong Kong-based Melco operates luxury resorts with casinos in places such as Macao, Manila, and Cyprus.

Editor: Emmi Laine