ShanghaiDec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2014 Global Tourism Investment Forum and the Global Tourism Gold Award Ceremony, jointly organized by Hotel Professional Managers Magazine, Global Tourism Investment Network, and the Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance, were held on November 5-6 at the Galaxy Hotel Pudong in Shanghai. The theme of this investment forum was "Innovation Achieves Dreams, Vision Opens the Future." During the forum, the 5th International Hotel Investment Forum and the Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance Council Joint Meeting were also held concurrently. On the afternoon of November 5, the Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance Council Joint Meeting took place, where Mr. Li Jianjun, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance, gave an introduction to the development of the alliance and announced its council members. Representatives of the Co-Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the alliance delivered insightful speeches. The Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance Wisdom Sharing Session featured a speech by Mr. Meng Qingde, Vice President of the Commercial Management Division of Zhifu Group, on "How Hotels and Complexes Can Develop Synergistically," as well as an introduction by Mr. Lü Shaochang, founder of Lü Shaochang Hotel Design Firm, on "Innovative Development Models for Hotels." These sessions shared a wealth of case studies with attendees. Additionally, the meeting included a signing ceremony for cooperation among several Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance member entities.
On the morning of November 6, the 2nd Global Tourism Investment Forum was ceremoniously inaugurated. In his opening remarks, Mr. Li Jianjun, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Hotel Preparatory Alliance, said: "China's tourism and hotel enterprises will become increasingly interconnected with the world in the future, and Chinese tourism and hotel businesses will gain more international discourse power. At the same time, we also see that the introduction of China’s official consumption policies has led tourism and hotel enterprises to seek new development pathways. Transformation, innovation, and product upgrading have become key terms in the pursuit of change and development. New hotel products—including themed cultural hotels, boutique hotels, design hotels, creative hotels, and personalized hotels—are highly active in the market, and China’s domestic hotel brands have entered a period of rapid growth. Of course, we also observe that in some regional markets in China, there is an oversupply of hotel enterprises, outdated products, and serious declines in hotel profits. Future investments should be made more rationally and cautiously."Mr. Shan Ping, founder of the International Royal Golden Butler Organization, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Mr. Shan said: "Currently, our hotels have an excess of material civilization but a lag in spiritual civilization, so a decline in business is only natural." He emphasized the hope that "hotel investments should take spiritual civilization into greater consideration, making it more precise, accurate, and convenient. I also hope that Chinese hotels going global will not just bring material civilization, but more of our Chinese nation’s spiritual civilization."
During the speech session, Ms. Hu Xiaoying, General Manager of the Tourism Real Estate Division at CRIC, presented on...2014"The Annual Report on the Development of China’s Tourism Real Estate in the Past Year and2015Outlook for the Coming Year"Ms. Hu Xiaoying stated: "From the perspective of the land market,the national land market performed relatively weakly last year, with the completed construction area of operational land transactions totaling2014million square meters, a year-on-year decrease of12589square meters, or41%.2014The area of tourism land transactions in key tourism cities was706.8million square meters, among which Qingdao had the largest tourism land transaction area, reaching244.4million square meters. In terms of commercial housing sales,2014in the first half of the year, both the sales area and sales amount of commercial housing nationwide showed a contraction, with a clear trend of declining growth rates and slowing momentum. On the policy level for tourism real estate, following the introduction of the Tourism Law last year, the tourism industry continues to be viewed optimistically." She believes that crowdfunding is one of the future trends in tourism real estate development, and that in the future, there will be more enterprises focusing on operations in the field of tourism real estate development. Additionally, the concept of elderly care will occupy an increasingly significant proportion in the tourism resort industry or the development trends of tourism real estate, and its integration with tourism and vacation will become ever closer.
Mr. Chen Xianwei, President of Shuguang Hotel Group, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of "Development Choices in the Era of Hotel Evolution." Mr. Chen said: "Issues such as deep categorization of hotels, application of new technologies, and adaptation to new environments have emerged, bringing new breakthroughs to the hotel industry. Many years from now, Chinese hotel professionals will see that the transformations and consolidations resulting from various forms of deep categorization and innovative applications in the field of hotel development will be another crucial choice determining the fate of China’s hotels." He believes that "the environmental drivers of hotel evolution are reflected in two aspects: first, the push of social media and mobile internet on the progress of the hotel industry, and second, the unavoidable policy environment of the hotel industry. Future development choices need to grasp five key points: in new opportunities, hotels will face tourism dividends more prominently; under current opportunities, innovation and upgrading of hotels are essential; the closure of over-invested hotels in certain regions is an inevitable trend; mid-range hotels are becoming a new highlight; new media and new channels are continuously emerging, disrupting the marketing channels and business models of hotels."
Additionally, Mr. Lu Qiu, Deputy General Manager of United Design Group (UDG) - W+H International, introduced content related to "Themed Hotel Design." He said: "The success or failure of cultural-themed hotels hinges on three factors: first, how to make guests feel extraordinary pleasure at every stage of their stay and willingly pay the corresponding fees; second, how to stimulate customers' excitement about distinctive culture and the natural environment; third, the quality of cultural resort hotels is reflected not only in their architectural appearance or interior decoration but also in the experience design." He provided detailed introductions using projects such as the Qinfudujiaren themed boutique hotel in Qufu and the Qiyun Water Town in Huangshan as examples.
During the guest dialogue session, Mr. Wang Qiang, President of Huarui Yide Hotel Management Consulting Co., Ltd., moderated a discussion on the theme of "New Challenges in Cooperation Between Real Estate Companies and Hotel Management Companies." The panelists included Mr. Meng Qingde, Vice President of the Commercial Management Division of Zhifu Group; Mr. Wan Fang, hotel owner representative of Hongyi Group; Mr. Liang Feijian, General Manager of the Hotel Management Center of Yango Group Hotel Group; and Mr. Cai Shuo, Vice President of China Business Development at Regent Hotels Group. Mr. Wang Qiang mentioned: "Owners are now increasingly squeezing the operational cost space of management companies and want to get more involved in the operational management of hotels." Mr. Cai Shuo emphasized that whether a hotel can achieve sustainable development is very much related to its initial positioning; if the initial positioning is not well established, it is normal for the hotel to become unsustainable in its operations later on. Mr. Wan Fang believes that innovation is needed in hotel project planning, whether domestic or international; there are also certain issues in areas such as interior decoration and technical service fees that still need improvement. Mr. Meng Qingde believes that there are three main conflicts between owner companies and management companies: first, the conflict between the continuous growth in the supply of hotels and the weak growth in demand; second, the conflict between the decline in hotel performance and the increasing demands of owners. If a hotel cannot make a profit, it should at least break even, and not continuously drain the owner company. Third, the conflict between the rapid expansion of hotel management company projects and the decline in operational performance. Mr. Liang Feijian said: "Currently, the position of overseas management companies is relatively strong, and owners lack bargaining power with management companies. More real estate developers still think about hotels with a real estate investment mindset. We call on real estate developers to approach this matter rationally. But when investing in hotels through real estate, the return on investment will inevitably be closely linked to the hotel’s profit."
Mr. Wu Jie, Vice President of City Celebrity Hotel Group, moderated a discussion on the theme of "How Hotel Management Companies Can Innovate Models to Help Owners Increase Revenue." The panelists included Mr. Chen Xianwei, President of Shuguang Hotel Group; Mr. Hua Deming, General Manager of the China Region of French Kyriad Hotel Group; Mr. Qian Li, Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang Travel Hotel Management Group; and Ms. Hua Qun, General Manager of Wuxi Ruiya Grand Hotel Co., Ltd. Mr. Chen Xianwei said: "Currently, most boutique hotels in the industry do not hire management companies, and most have not formed chains. Some that are entirely tailored to regional characteristics have very low replicability, and there are several key points we must now focus on, such as their design, regional characteristics, design style, local cultural background, product packaging, and design creativity." Regarding how hotel management companies can enhance benefits for owners or hotels, Mr. Qian Li said: "I think it may need to be explained in three steps: first, remind owners to have an accurate market from the early design and positioning stage; second, with the support of group management companies, help owners improve through human resources, technology, and product procurement; third, enhance benefits for owners and projects through management." Mr. Hua Deming, speaking from the owner’s perspective, shared two insights: "On one hand, we must carefully choose a brand—the most suitable one is the best. On the other hand, the selection of the management team is also something owners must be very cautious about." Mr. Qian Li emphasized that the key in hotel planning, renovation, and construction lies in the guest experience. Ms. Hua Qun suggested that investors choose a distinctive concept or theme based on the local culture when designing hotels.
After the luncheon, Mr. Cheng Yong, Co-Founder of Lexiang Club and General Manager of Beijing Zijing Information Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a speech on the theme of "Building a High-End Hotel Membership Marketing Alliance to Achieve Member Sharing." Mr. Cheng believes: "The future marketing alliance platform for high-end hotels in China is mainly aimed at providing hotel management personnel with a variety of promotional tools, effectively increasing customer return rates and per-visit spending. All member hotels on this platform can achieve points accumulation and sharing." He also introduced the alliance’s preferential policies for hotel members and the win-win cooperation model, followed by specific cases illustrating the e-commerce platform included in the interconnected system. By building the platform to better serve the hotel industry and leveraging big data to achieve precise marketing in the hotel sector.
Mr. Zhang Jingbang, President of Junyu Hotel Group, moderated a discussion on the theme of "Creating a New Landscape in the Markets for High-End, Mid-Range, and Economy Hotels." The panelists included Mr. Shan Ping, founder of the International Royal Golden Butler Organization; Mr. Ye Taishan, Vice President of Yuanzhou Hotel Group;Mr. Chen Gang, Group Vice President of Majia Hotel Investment Management Co., Ltd.;Mr. Luo Xudong, General Manager of Gonghe Hotel in Changde City; and Mr. Ren Jiahe, Deputy General Manager and General Manager of the Operations Center of Fuyi Hotel Group.
Mr. Zhang Jingbang first raised the topic: "Currently, everyone feels that economy hotels have reached a state where they can’t get any hotter. First, costs are gradually increasing, especially in human resources and energy, and then there has been a succession of new brands, as well as the phenomenon of economy hotels seeking to move up to mid-to-high-end segments, while the high-end is also exploring downward." Regarding the current status of mid-range and low-end hotels in China, Mr. Ye Taishan believes that China’s urbanization is accelerating, and the demand for economy hotels remains very high. But for economy hotels, it is also a challenge. Because their business model is relatively single, and both labor costs and property expenses are rising, the squeeze from both sides has greatly compressed the space, so Mr. Ye believes it is an issue of profit models and profit margins. Mr. Chen Gang said: "Economy hotels also have their spring. For example, Home Inns upgraded their products, and the gaps they left often require our vigorous attention and development. There are still a large number of people in China who need a travel accommodation product that suits their own price or product positioning, giving them a chance to change their lives. I believe the future of economy hotels will not change but will gradually expand with the increase in demand." Mr. Luo Xudong shared his company’s hotel marketing experience, emphasizing new media marketing. From his experience, new media marketing in third- and fourth-tier cities is still in the cultivation stage. Mr. Ren Jiahe emphasized that companies should attract customers by shaping corporate culture. Mr. Shan Ping believes that "the scene is the market; character is the product, and reputation is the brand"—these three points are very important.
Mr. Xia Binbin, General Manager of the Greater China Region of Asia Hotel Boutique Hotel Group, served as the moderator for a discussion on the theme of "What Is Most Often Overlooked in Hotel Planning, Design, Preparations, and Engineering Management?" The panelists included Mr. Zhang Nan, Chairman of Jinzun Travel Industry Consulting Agency and Vice Chairman of Hotel Professional Managers Magazine; Mr. Li Guanyi, Vice President of Nanjing Woge Hotel Group; Mr. Lü Shaochang, founder of Lü Shaochang Hotel Design Firm; and Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Engineering Director of HK CTS Hotels Management Limited. Mr. Xia Binbin believes: "Boutique hotels must have at least three major elements: first, boutique hotels must have relatively or absolutely good geographical advantages and locations; second, the hotel must have its own characteristics; third, boutique hotels must achieve a certain level of compatibility with the relatively higher-tier four- or five-star hotels in the region." Mr. Li Guanyi, when talking about hotel design, said: "We can’t do high-end luxury, nor do we have so-called foreign-funded hotels, but what we do is personalized, boutique-oriented, and themed. We also implement the central government’s support for the cultural and creative industries into our hotels." Mr. Lü Shaochang emphasized that as a product serving people, the core concept is design. Mr. Li Xiaopeng said: "As a professional manager, one must have a strong sense of responsibility and also a very calm mindset to face market changes. At the same time, such project engineering can be very complex and involves a wide range of industries and specialties. At the same time, in the conventional project management experience, one must also constantly adjust thinking, have an innovative logical approach, and the original standards are not immutable. Our hotel industry must continuously adapt to future trends through experience." -- A guest dialogue on "What is the easiest to overlook," featuring guest speakers Mr. Zhang Nan, Chairman of Jinzun Travel Industry Consulting and Vice President of Hotel Professional Managers Magazine; Mr. Li Guanyi, Vice President of Nanjing Wooge Hotel Group; Mr. Lü Shaochang, Founder of Lü Shaochang Hotel Design Studio; and Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Engineering Director of CTS Hotels Management Co., Ltd. Mr. Xia Binbin stated: "A boutique hotel must have at least three key elements. First, it needs to have relatively or absolutely favorable geographical advantages and location. Second, the hotel must have its own characteristics. Third, a boutique hotel should achieve a certain level of alignment with local four- or five-star high-end hotels." When discussing hotel design, Mr. Li Guanyi said: "We may not be able to create something extravagant or rely on foreign investment, but what we do offer is personalization, boutique quality, and theming. We also incorporate the current central government's support for the cultural and creative industries into our hotels." Mr. Lü Shaochang emphasized that as a product designed to serve people, the core concept is design. Mr. Li Xiaopeng noted: "As a professional manager, one must have a strong sense of responsibility as well as a calm mindset to face market changes. At the same time, such project engineering can be very complex and involves a wide range of industries and specialties. Moreover, in terms of conventional project management experience, one must continuously adjust thinking and adopt an innovative logical approach. The original standards are not set in stone, and the hotel industry must constantly adapt through experience to future trends."
After the guest dialogue session concluded, a grand2014Global Travel Golden Awards Ceremony. This forum provided a platform for cooperation and brand showcase, bringing together nearly a hundred elites from the hospitality industry.2015In the coming year, we believe this gathering of industry leaders will play a significant role in fostering communication and integration within the hospitality sector, breaking through bottlenecks, and driving transformation.
Appendix:2014Global Travel Golden Awards List
Global Outstanding Hotel Management Groups Global Outstanding Hotel Management Group
New Century Hotel Group
Plateno Hotels Management (Chengdu) Co., Ltd.
Tianlun International Hotel Management Group
Shuguang Hotel Group
Global Outstanding Chain Hotel GroupsGlobal Outstanding Hotel Chain Group
Sichuan Junyi Hotel Management Co., Ltd.
Qingdao Shangkeyou InterCity Hotel Management Co., Ltd.
Global Outstanding Hotel Management CompaniesGlobal Outstanding Hotel Management Company
Plateno FnO Hotels Management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.
Galaxy Bay Hotel Management Company
Global Outstanding Mountain & Water Resort Tourism Real EstateGlobal Outstanding Landscape Holiday Tourism Estate
Nanjing Woge Hotel Group
Global Outstanding Boutique Hotels Global Outstanding Boutique Hotel
Han Yuan International Boutique Hotel
Wuxi Ruiya Grand Hotel
Dayu · Kaiyuan
Chiang Mai Larnsai Boutique Hotel
Shandong Qisheng International Hotel
Lifepie Hotel Investment Management Group
Global Most Ethnic Culture Themed Hotels Global Most Ethnic Culture Theme Hotel
Ningbo Shiqifang · Kaiyuan
Global Outstanding Leisure Resort Hotels Global Outstanding Tourist Holiday Resort Hotel
Wenzhou Golden Coast Kaiyuan Grand Hotel
Beihai Jinchang Kaiyuan Mingdu Grand Hotel
Kaifeng Kaiyuan Mingdu Grand Hotel
Yuyao Siming Lake Kaiyuan Mountain Villa
Changde Republican Hotel Co., Ltd.
Haikou Hongzhou Edrick Royal Garden Hotel
Global Outstanding City Business Travel Hotel Global Outstanding City Business Travel Hotel
Chengdu Runhe Palazzo Hotel
Shanghai Jiuyang Binjiang Hotel
Beijing Hilton Garden Inn
Kunming Wanda Vista Hotel
Anhui Expressway Kaiyuan International Grand Hotel
Taizhou Kaiyuan Grand Hotel Co., Ltd.
Siyang Kaiyuan Mingdu Grand Hotel
Jiangsu Jurong Yukun Kaiyuan Grand Hotel
Zaozhuang Kaiyuan Fengming Mountain Villa
Global Outstanding Boutique Hotel Brand Global Outstanding Boutique Hotel Brand
Nanjing Woge Hotel Group
Global Outstanding Leisure Resort Hotel Brand Global Outstanding Tourist Holiday Resort Hotel Brand
Plateno Finno Hotel Management (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.
New Concept Mini Boutique Hotel The New Concept of Mini Boutique Hotel
Maijia Hotel Investment Management Co., Ltd.
2014Best Outdoor Wedding Hotel of the YearThe 2014 Best Outdoor Wedding Hotel
Langfang Gu’an Four Points by Sheraton Hotel
2014China’s No. 1 Trusted Hotel Transaction Brand of the Year The 2014 First Brand of Hotel Trade Honestly of China
Shenzhen Conac Hotel Information Co., Ltd.
Global Outstanding Vacation Rights OperatorGlobal Outstanding Timeshare Operators
HNA Huazhiyou Business Management Co., Ltd.
Global Outstanding Tourism Real Estate Planning and Design OrganizationGlobal Outstanding Tourism Real Estate Planning and Design Institution
United Design Group (WWW5A) · WEGO International
2014Outstanding Hotel Professional Manager of the Year The 2014 Outstanding Hotel Professional Manager
Ms. Zhang Nannan, General Manager of Han Yuan International Hotel Management (Xuzhou) Co., Ltd.
Mr. Ma Yanhui, General Manager of Xinhengheng Investment Group’s Single Store
Mr. Luo Xudong, General Manager of Changde Gonghe Hotel Co., Ltd.
Mr. Wang Ning, General Manager of Haikou Hongzhou Adria Royal Garden Hotel
Mr. Liang Feijian, General Manager of Commercial and Hotel Management Center, Yango Group
2014China Hotel Man of the Year The 2014 year China Hotel Mr.
Mr. Chen Xianwei, President of Shuguang Hotel Group
Mr. Chen Gang, Group Vice President of Maijia Hotel Investment Management Co., Ltd.
2014Outstanding Hotel General Manager of the YearThe 2014 Outstanding Hotel General Mamager
Mr. Yang Kehuo, Chairman of Han Yuan International Hotel Management (Xuzhou) Co., Ltd.
Mr. Meng Zunlin, General Manager of Kun Tai Jiahua Hotel
Mr. Li Jianbo, General Manager of Shandong Qisheng International Hotel
Mr. Chen Song, General Manager of Langfang Gu’an Four Points by Sheraton
Outstanding Hotel Owner Representative in ChinaChina Hotel Outstanding Representatives of the Owners
Mr. Wan Fang, Hotel Owner Representative of Hongyi Group
Outstanding Professional ManagerExcellent Occupation Managers
Mr. Cai Shuo, Vice President of Business Development, Regent Hotels Group China
Ms. Shu Juping, Global Development President of Plateno FnO Hotels
Mr. Ren Jiahe, Deputy Group General Manager and General Manager of Operations Center, Fuyi Hotel Group
Influential Figure in Global Tourism InvestmentGlobal Tourism Investment Influential Man
Mr. Chen Geng, Executive General Manager of Sichuan Junyi Hotel Management Co., Ltd.