Finding The Latest Travel Promotions In China
Apple Lee is from LG Chem China Investment Company Limited Guangzhou Branch. She is responsible for administrative affairs and supervision of corporate travel and meeting planning.
Are there any standards for your company when selecting hotel and MICE destinations?
When selecting hotels, our company selects branded ones close to destinations. For MICE venues, we would select hotels with unique décor and well-appointed entertainment facilities; and for business banquets, we select hotels at the center of a city with meeting rooms on a relatively high floor, and good F&B services.
What are your favorite domestic hotels?
We generally choose Jianguo Hotel, Guangzhou (previously Tianlun International Hotel Guangzhou) and Grand International Hotel. Both of these hotels in Guangzhou are close to our company, with a stylish décor and good and courteous service. In other cities: The Ascott Beijing, Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center, and New World Mayfair Hotel Shanghai.
Which hotels impress you most in China and why?
Chime Long Hotel Guangzhou and Guangzhou Asia International Hotel. Chime Long Hotel is a safari park themed convention hotel with a unique decor. The White Tiger Western Restaurant is located surrounding the White Tiger Atrium, guests can have fun viewing the white tigers through the windows. On the left of the lounge bar, there is a Flamingo Atrium with several flocks of flamingos, giving guests the feeling of being in Shangri-la with a stunning view. Guangzhou Asia International Hotel is located in the business district of Huanshi East Road, and is positioned as a business convention hotel. It has spacious and comfortable guest rooms; and Sky Cafe, the highest revolving restaurant in Guangzhou, features a series of delicacies from all over the world. Plus panoramic city views, allowing customers to see a number of nature sights included Lu Lake and Baiyun Mountain, such a romantic atmosphere certainly gives you a memorable dinning experience.
What problems do you meet when using hotel products and service? What would you like to say to hotel general managers and sales directors?
According to the feedback from our guests, many hotels offer the ordinary options of foods and beverages without differentiators although food and beverage has become an important department for most of hotels. The quality of F&B services and products still is an important criteria when guests decide whether to stay in a hotel or not, this concerns the hotel's existence and development. But many hotels have not done their best in this aspect and it still needs to be improved. I believe that if the hotel could offer special foods and beverages, this would attract bookers to patronize the hotel again. This also is an important point in improving the occupancy and booking rates for meetings and banquets.
Which information channels do you use when choosing a hotel or MICE site?
Our company selects the meeting venues through the promotion from hotel sales, the feedback from employees, location of the hotels, location (floors) of meeting rooms, and the quality of F&B services.
What kind of meetings or events does your company hold annually? And which cities do you choose?
We have franchisee meetings, annual kick off meetings, and seminars on finance. These are generally held in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing.
What do you think about our bilingual products, China Hospitality News and its website? Which part do you focus on more and why?
I like the promotion section most, enabling us to know about the latest promotions from hotels around China.