6 I Check-in
I
’ve just returned from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and though I’ve been travelling in China for more than 25 years – and during that time have watched the country’s rampant industrialisation and economic explosion with a combination of awe and unease – on this trip I was bowled over by the speed of change in the southwestern city. Positioned as the gateway to western China and a major hub in the new Eurasian Land Bridge that the Chinese government has promoted vigorously, Chengdu is growing so fast that soon it will be mixing it with the economic big boys of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. A few years ago the only international hotels with a
presence here were Shangri-La and Sofitel Wanda; today there are literally dozens, with more launching all the time. You may say this is par for the course in China, but an interesting side story to the influx of international hotel brands was highlighted to me during my stay in Chengdu. The room prices of these properties are not much higher than the local “luxury” brands, but domestic travellers and tourists have been quick to see the huge gulf in service quality and are often willing to spend a bit extra to experience “Western” levels of service. It’s been a rude wake-up call for local hoteliers, who are now scrambling to regain their customer base and try to compete in what is a much-changed hospitality landscape. On a different note, for those of you expecting to see our annual Charity Auction begin in this issue’s pages, fear not – this year the auction will begin in December, so watch out for it in our next issue, and take the opportunity to bid for one of the many generous packages offered by our sponsors. Finally, I would like to express my sadness at the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, and offer my condolences to the Thai people during this difficult time. The king was a stabilising and positive force not only for his people but also for the entire Southeast Asian region throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond. An exemplar of high moral standards, he will be sorely missed.
READ MORE ONLINE
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Jeremy Tredinnick Editor
NOVEMBER 2016
businesstraveller.com
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