Beijing, April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- From April 8 to 10, 2015, the 11th CHAT Beijing (formerly known as the "China Hotel Development and Investment Forum"), the leading forum in China’s hotel and tourism industry, was grandly held at the Nuo Hotel Beijing. The event was jointly organized by Horwath HTL, STR Global, and the China Tourism Hotels Association.
NoUnlike previous editions that emphasized "hotel development and financing," this summit took "Reorganization" as its theme. It featured eight keynote speeches and nearly 30 salon sessions, covering the entire lifecycle of hotel and tourism operations from development to management. With its innovative format and highly interactive nature, the event attracted nearly 700 distinguished guests, including hotel owners and developers, senior executives from hotel management companies, lawyers, architects, designers, and other industry experts.
Stay True to the Mission, Compose a New Chapter – The 11th CHAT Beijing Forum Concludes Successfully
HorDai Xueying, Director of Horwath HTL, stated: "For years, the CHAT forum has been committed to advancing the development of China’s hotel and tourism industry. Especially now, during this critical period of transformation for China’s hotel sector, CHAT aims to create an exchange platform that is both in-depth and open, driving industry progress and stepping forward together into the new normal.".”
Multiple Resources, One Reorganization
Over the past eleven years, CHAT has earned widespread acclaim and respect within the industry for its commitment to quality and rigorous work ethic.
In line with this year’s theme of "Reorganization," five industry leaders—[Name Missing], Managing Director of Horwath HTL; Lin Cong, Senior Vice President of Hotel Business Development for Marriott International in China; Sun Jian, Greater China Chief Development Officer of InterContinental Hotels Group; Wang Xin, Deputy General Manager of Kaiyan International Hotel Management Co., Ltd.; and Yan Qingguang, Chief Vice President of Real Estate and Development at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts—were specially invited by the organizers to deliver a spectacular Peking Opera opening performance. This star-studded lineup marked the first of its kind in the industry, delivering a grand and thrilling show that fully showcased CHAT’s signature innovative spirit. Robert Hecker [Name Missing]
Additionally, the Nuo Hotel Beijing, known as the flagship property of "China’s first high-end ethnic hotel brand," made its debut appearance exclusively at the 2015 CHAT Beijing. The collaboration between top-tier domestic and international companies, the meticulous attention to "quality," the perfect interpretation of international standards with localized experiences, and the rich, multi-dimensional details on display all offered attendees a comprehensive preview. The presentation also highlighted the rapid progress of China’s domestic hotel brands in their pursuit of high quality and international standards.
Upholding a pragmatic approach, the CHAT forum, after thorough and detailed evaluation, presented the "CHAT Outstanding Asset Award" to the Rosewood Beijing this year. Furthermore, in recognition of Mr. He Cao, Chairman of Franshion Properties (China) Limited, and Chairman and CEO of Jinmao Investment and Jinmao (China) Investment Holdings Limited, for his outstanding contributions to China’s hotel industry over the years, the organizers also awarded him the "CHAT Lifetime Achievement Award."
Compelling Content, All in One Place
For years, CHAT has strived for content depth while keeping pace with the latest industry trends, leading the way in sector development. This year, over a hundred speakers attended, engaging in dynamic discussions and insightful sharing across four major topics: asset management, destination case studies, brands and products, and the O2O revelation. Both the depth and breadth of the content surpassed previous years and received unanimous praise from attendees.
During the main session, [Name Missing], Director of STR Global Asia Pacific, presented authoritative data on "China’s Position in the Global Hotel Industry Landscape," reflecting on the past year’s performance of China’s hotel sector in the global market through real data. Shan Dawei, CEO of Beijing Phoenix Tianbo Network Technology Co., Ltd., renowned as "the most knowledgeable figure in China’s real estate industry," also attended the CHAT forum. Drawing on his deep understanding of China’s real estate sector and unique insights into future trends, he delivered a strategically significant keynote speech titled "The Transformation of China’s Real Estate and Investment Opportunities in the Hotel Industry," closely aligned with the conference theme of "Reorganization." The speech received an enthusiastic response. Jesper Palmqvist [Name Missing]
Stay True to the Mission, Compose a New Chapter – The 11th CHAT Beijing Forum Concludes Successfully
Additionally, Lin Cong, Senior Vice President of Marriott International, led a panel discussion on "Stepping into the New Normal" alongside Cheng Erjun, President of Wanda Hotels & Resorts; Sun Jian, Greater China Chief Development Officer of IHG; Yan Qingguang, Chief Vice President of Real Estate and Development at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts; and Zhang Rungang, Chairman and General Manager of BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd. Mr. Lin remarked: "This is the internet era, where everyone needs to share and participate. Everyone should be an opinion leader, expressing their views and engaging in vibrant debate. The openness of the CHAT forum makes such interaction possible." The five industry leaders shared their insights through WeChat interactions, spontaneous Q&A sessions, and news analysis, achieving truly high-quality, close-range, and unscripted communication.
Furthermore, Mr. He Cao, Chairman of Franshion Properties (China) Limited and a highly respected figure in the industry, was invited to engage in a unique dialogue with his longtime friend Mr. Dai Yi, Chairman of Shanghai Guangcheng Catering Management Co., Ltd. Unlike conventional stiff interview formats, Mr. He and Mr. Dai shared captivating stories and valuable experiences from their years of working side by side in a more heartfelt, nostalgic manner. They also offered their hopes for the future of China’s hotel industry. Their profound reflections and genuine emotions provided attendees with much food for thought.
Beyond the enriching main session content, the salon sessions at the 2015 CHAT Beijing forum were equally remarkable. This year’s event historically featured 21 interactive salon sessions, covering a wide range of current topics such as hotel asset management, the development of hotel REITs, possibilities for new tourism destinations, attempts by the hotel industry to drive change in the internet era, and the expansion of niche hotel markets under the new normal.
In the theoretical segment on hotel asset management, [Name Missing], Director of Horwath HTL; Li Zhi’u, Project Director; and Wang Lihua, Partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm, shared their expertise and insights in three key areas: macro strategy, micro operations, and legal risks in hotel asset management. Their presentations helped investors and owners cut through the fog and clarify strategies for managing hotel assets. In the practical segment, which followed the same theme, three speakers—He Liangyu, Managing Director of China United Nations New Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd.; Liu Yali, Assistant General Manager of the Hotel Division at China Resources Land Limited; and Shen Gang, Director of Hotel Operations at Yanlord Land Group Limited—shared real-life cases. Speaking from the perspectives of asset management experts and hotel owners, they provided a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics and pain points of China’s hotel asset management, along with practical and effective solutions. These discussions further deepened the theoretical themes while offering greater practicality and feasibility. Nigel Summers [Name Missing]
Additionally, CHAT Beijing specially included a session on the "Emergence of Hotel Industry REITs," inviting three heavyweight guests: Chen Miaolin, Chairman of New Century Tourism Group; Kang Hong’en, Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Rongqiao Group Co., Ltd.; and Dr. Liu Peng, Tenured Professor at Cornell University. Through academic theory and practical operations, these experts provided a comprehensive analysis of the feasibility and best practices for implementing REITs in China’s hotel industry. Many attendees expressed that they gained valuable insights. Similar to asset management, the forum also featured an advanced REITs session, where three capital operation experts further enriched the discussion on REITs concepts through case sharing. This marked not only the first time REITs were introduced at CHAT but also a groundbreaking attempt that set a new trend in the industry, earning widespread acclaim from participants.
Interactive Innovation, A Single Experience
Throughout its journey, CHAT has not only pursued excellence in content quality but has also consistently innovated in format. Following the success of last year’s mobile internet-enabled app coverage and the convenient use of instant social tool Poken, this year’s CHAT Beijing continued to surprise with fresh and exciting innovations.
Building on the popularity and benefits of previous lucky draw sessions, this year replaced the dull method of random screen scrolling with the more engaging and participatory WeChat Shake game. This approach freed participants’ hands and received an enthusiastic response.
Stay True to the Mission, Compose a New Chapter – The 11th CHAT Beijing Forum Concludes Successfully
In addition, three distinctive activities closely tied to this year’s theme — the CHAT Puzzle, CHAT Imprint, and CHAT Micro-Moment Photo Challenge — ran throughout the conference. Participants not only earned generous rewards by collecting logos and taking photos to share instantly on their WeChat moments, but also had the chance to leave their handprints on the CHAT backdrop as lasting memories. The diverse range of activities not only helped alleviate fatigue from the professional sessions but also added more fun and engagement, earning unanimous praise from attendees.
Executive Director of Horwath HTL Robert Hecker noted: “Over the past decade, CHAT has witnessed the vigorous growth of China’s hospitality industry. In the new normal era ahead, CHAT will stay true to its original mission, continuing to accompany hoteliers in uncovering new opportunities and creating an even brighter future.”