ID :
12381
Sun, 07/13/2008 - 20:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/12381
The shortlink copeid
Hotel industry in China hopes boom in customers during Games
Beijing, Jul 11 (PTI) Prime hotels and home stay rooms in the Chinese capital are pinning hopes on a boom in customersas Olympics draws closer being less than four weeks away.
China expects up to 450,000 overseas tourists to arrive in Beijing in August, when the Games will be underway, including 120,000 for the sporting event. Beijing received420,000 visitors last August.
About 78 percent of the rooms at five-star hotels in Beijing have been booked at an average rate of 3,464 Yuan (USD 505.70), 3.6 times the rate a year earlier, Xiong Yumei,the Beijing Tourism Bureau's Vice-Director said.
At four-star hotels, 48.5 percent of the rooms have been reserved, at an average rate of 2,185 Yuan, 4.6 times higher that of a year earlier, while lower ranked hotels have lowerreservation rates.
Beijing has 5,790 registered boarding facilities, including 816 star-ranked hotels, with 339,000 rooms and 665,000 beds. Of the star-ranked hotels, 119 had signedcontracts with the Olympic authorities.
Most of the contracted five-star hotels have been largely booked out, Xiong, was quoted as saying by official Xinhuanews agency.
Xiong however said the hotel reservation rate was unlikely to change before the Games, and the priority was tobrace up for incoming guests.
More than 200,000 employees have received training aboutthe Olympics, international etiquette and foreign languages.
Many Western food chefs in contracted hotels also learned tospeak English or use body language.
Authorities have also selected 598 home stay households,offering 726 rooms for more than 1,000 potential guests.
Xiong said travel agencies from Japan, the U.S., Canada, Chile, Singapore and Taiwan have considered renting rooms fromthe families.
China expects up to 450,000 overseas tourists to arrive in Beijing in August, when the Games will be underway, including 120,000 for the sporting event. Beijing received420,000 visitors last August.
About 78 percent of the rooms at five-star hotels in Beijing have been booked at an average rate of 3,464 Yuan (USD 505.70), 3.6 times the rate a year earlier, Xiong Yumei,the Beijing Tourism Bureau's Vice-Director said.
At four-star hotels, 48.5 percent of the rooms have been reserved, at an average rate of 2,185 Yuan, 4.6 times higher that of a year earlier, while lower ranked hotels have lowerreservation rates.
Beijing has 5,790 registered boarding facilities, including 816 star-ranked hotels, with 339,000 rooms and 665,000 beds. Of the star-ranked hotels, 119 had signedcontracts with the Olympic authorities.
Most of the contracted five-star hotels have been largely booked out, Xiong, was quoted as saying by official Xinhuanews agency.
Xiong however said the hotel reservation rate was unlikely to change before the Games, and the priority was tobrace up for incoming guests.
More than 200,000 employees have received training aboutthe Olympics, international etiquette and foreign languages.
Many Western food chefs in contracted hotels also learned tospeak English or use body language.
Authorities have also selected 598 home stay households,offering 726 rooms for more than 1,000 potential guests.
Xiong said travel agencies from Japan, the U.S., Canada, Chile, Singapore and Taiwan have considered renting rooms fromthe families.
