An incident has reignited debate over emergency preparedness in hotel gyms, where AED installation remains encouraged rather than mandatory in many cases.
The unexpected death of musician Tu Ying last year on a treadmill at the Four Points by Sheraton Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center Yuexiu Hotel, a Marriott-affiliated property, has drawn widespread public attention.
Recently, Tu Ying’s family members Feng Lingyi and Tu Heng, together with Rolling Stone (Beijing) Culture Communication Co., Ltd., issued a “joint statement on the unfortunate incident involving Mr. Tu Ying,” addressing Marriott and the hotel involved.
In the statement, the family and Rolling Stone alleged seven major issues in the hotel’s handling of the incident, including inadequate cushioning on the gym floor, the absence of an AED (automated external defibrillator), the fact that the first hotel staff member arriving at the scene was an intern, hotel personnel allegedly taking photos instead of providing immediate assistance, and the lack of first-aid measures such as bleeding control during the emergency response. They called on Marriott and the hotel to upgrade safety equipment, issue an apology, and urged the wider industry to review potential safety hazards and improve emergency response protocols.
In response, the Four Points by Sheraton Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center Yuexiu Hotel issued a statement on the evening of June 30, saying the incident occurred in November 2025. The hotel stated that its staff immediately activated emergency response procedures after discovering the situation, contacted medical emergency services, and actively cooperated in on-site handling and subsequent hospital transfer. Since the incident, the hotel has maintained communication with the family and their legal representatives and proposed specific condolence arrangements.
The hotel said it remains willing to continue communicating with the family and their legal representatives in a sincere and responsible manner to properly handle follow-up matters. It also noted that it has conducted regular internal reviews of facilities, emergency equipment, response procedures, and staff training in relevant areas to ensure proper operation, while continuously strengthening safety management and emergency response mechanisms. The hotel emphasized that guest safety remains the most important bottom line in its operations and that it will continue to handle the matter based on respect for life, facts, and active communication.
Hotel industry insiders noted that even in overseas markets including Europe and the United States, there is no unified mandatory requirement for hotels to be equipped with AED devices or dedicated emergency medical personnel.
Against this backdrop, emergency preparedness in hotel gyms appears to be a regulatory gray area. Due to the lack of clear, unified, and mandatory standards, most hotel gyms do not install AED devices or employ dedicated emergency response staff.
According to the Guangzhou Social Emergency Medical Services Regulation, AEDs are mandatory in places such as airports, railway stations, metro stations, stadiums, and large shopping malls. Hotels, however, are not included in the mandatory list and are only encouraged to be equipped with such devices.
“Equipping hotels with first-aid devices and trained personnel would increase costs, including equipment procurement, salaries, and training expenses. At the same time, the probability of serious incidents in hotel gyms is relatively low. Hotel operating costs are already high, while overall occupancy rates and room rates have declined in recent years amid intensifying market competition. Under such circumstances, most hotels are unlikely to proactively install AEDs or assign dedicated emergency staff in gyms, mainly to control costs,” said a hotel manager with over 10 years of experience in the high-end hospitality sector.
