Beijing Looks To Select Hotel Companies To Manage Ethnic Villages

The Beijing Tourism Bureau has designated the Beijing Youth Hostel Association and Super 8 China as the first two hotel management companies to participate in a trial of managing ethnic villages.

The two companies will select several ethnic villages from the 21 recommended by Beijing's districts and counties' tourism departments and manage them under the models of commission operation and management consultation. According to the plan, the two companies will complete the spot investigations and project negotiations with selected villages and sign management contracts by July 2008.

The pilot project with hotel management companies managing ethnic villages is regarded as one of the most important measures for the further improvement of the management level and service quality of rural tourism. Beijing Tourism Bureau says that it will summarize the lessons learned in order to attract more hotel management companies to join in this work in the future.