Intercontinental Hotels announced the launch of its “China Ready” programme in its hotels in over 100 countries and promoted its “Welcome Chinese” China Tourism Academy outbound tourism collaboration in a launch ceremony in Beijing on April 13 2015.
The China Ready programme includes customized services to better meet Chinese guests’ needs, such as Union Pay support, Chinese reception manuals, Chinese television channels, free Wi-Fi, Chinese-speaking front desk staff and 24-hour Chinese service line, Chinese tea and Chinese-style dining as well as additional training on Chinese customs and culture.
A participant in the event told Chinese media that this was the first time he’d come across a campaign that focused on Chinese guest needs in his more than 30 years catering to foreign guests in the hotel industry.
IHG China regional CEO Kenneth Macpherson said the group’s 10,000 staff in some 100 IHG hotels have already gone through the Chinese cultural awareness training and up to 250 hotels will join the China Ready programme this year.
China Tourism Academy director Bin Dai said first-time Chinese travelers made 109 million trips last year and this figure will likely reach 200 million trips this year.(Translation by David)
