Macau, China (August 13, 2008) /China Newswire/ — Live a magnifique experience! Macau's first and only French luxury hotel - Sofitel Macau At Ponte16 – has made its debut in August 2008 in the heart of Macau's most significant and historic waterfront precinct.

The hotel has been developed by Pier 16 – Resort Hotel Management Limited as part of an estimated HK$3.2 billion (US$400 million) total investment that involves the development of a combined hotel, casino, retail, restaurant and entertainment complex.

Sofitel Macau is set to become one of Macau's most prestigious deluxe hotels. Built around the remaining façade of Pier 16, the 20-storey Sofitel Macau has 408 rooms (all with Sofitel's renowned 'MyBed'), Mistral restaurant and Rendezvous the lobby lounge, swimming pool, business centre and a 460 sqm multi-function banquet room plus additional meeting rooms. The hotel will also have Club Sofitel floors as well as The Mansion at Sofitel designed especially for the casino's high rollers.

The Ponte 16 is located in the Inner Harbour of Macau's Pier 16, one of the oldest financial hubs in Macau.
The development echoes the Inner Harbour's heritage, and protects landmarks such as the Old Clock Tower, the focal point of the project. Sofitel Macau is located on the right side of the Clock Tower, while the left side houses the casino complex, which is planned to include retail shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities. Cobblestone streets connect the different sectors of the project site, a promenade will be built along the Ponte 16 waterfront to provide a venue for outdoor performances and other recreational activities.

Sofitel Macau is within walking distance to the 'Historic Centre of Macau', a World Heritage Site enlisted by UNESCO and a living representation of the city's original settlement. The area is characterised by a myriad of narrow laneways and piazzas, which provide a link to over 20 historical monuments, including the Ruins of St. Paul's, sections of the Old City Walls and the Mount Fortress.

Sofitel Macau General Manager, Robert Rippon, said that Sofitel Macau was unique amongst Macau's luxury hotels in that it combined modern style and design with a stunning heritage location.

"Many travellers coming to Macau want to be part of the heritage and character of old Macau, while still seeking the luxury of a contemporary 5-star hotel – and that's exactly what Sofitel Macau offers," he said.

"Ponte 16 is an outstanding development that revitalises one of Macau's most distinctive heritage areas. When the development is fully completed, the precinct will be one of Macau's most vibrant areas, with an excellent range of restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and retail outlets to complement the peninsula's historic attractions, which are on Sofitel Macau's doorstep."

"The vast interest in historic cities bodes well for Macau, and with Ponte 16's commitment to maintaining the historic integrity of the waterfront district, we believe Sofitel Macau will attract strong interest from visitors around the world, including discerning leisure travellers and high-end conference and incentive groups."

The opening of Sofitel Macau is expected to continue Macau's tourism momentum, which will be realised through Sofitel's global distribution channels.

Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 is the 22nd Sofitel to open in China, and follows the highly successful launch of Sofitel Wanda Beijing last year. Sofitel hotels and resorts are to be found in China's most important commercial and resort destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi'an, Xiamen and Hangzhou. The network will grow to 25 hotels by the end of 2008, making it one of China's largest and fastest growing networks of luxury hotels.

Opening rate for Sofitel Macau starts from HKD1,350++ and can be booked via rsvn@sofitelmacau.com or visit www.sofitel.com

Sofitel: re-inventing French elegance in luxury hotels

Sofitel creates unique luxury hotels in the world's most attractive destinations, by the artful blending of its French origins with the very best of local cultures. Sofitel forges a privileged bond between its staff of devoted service professionals and its cosmopolitan guests who expect and appreciate beauty, quality and excellence. Sofitel offers the best of French elegance, from food and wine rituals to bedding, design and personal care products. Hotels where life can be savored, shared with others, lived in harmony with oneself;
transforming every stay into a unique and unforgettable experience.

The Sofitel brand portfolio will offer clear and attractive options adapted to today's more demanding and more versatile consumers.

Sofitel Legend: a collection of legendary luxury properties, defining a renewed way of living heritage and palace hotels for inner luxury driven travellers.

Sofitel: World-class hotels, with French elegance, blending relationships and pleasures for today's discerning travellers in the upper-upscale segment.

So by Sofitel: a new kind of boutique hotel, with style and soul, reconciling design and pleasure for trend conscious consumers.

Discover Sofitel's new website www.sofitel.com with new reservation features.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Phyllis Sio
  Marketing Communications Manager
  Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16
  Rua do Visconde Paço de Arcos, Macau SAR
  Direct Line +(853) 8861 7116
  Email marcommngr@sofitelmacau.com

Technorati Tags:
Sofitel Macau | New Opening

Britain (August 4, 2008) /China Newswire/ — It's 'oar-aboard' for Britain's Olympic rowers as they and the rest of the UK's Team GB medal hopefuls prepare to set course for the Beijing Olympics.

The 43-strong team fly out today (July 30) on a British Airways Boeing 747 named 'Pride' after Team GB's lion Olympic mascot.  BA is the official carrier for the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Hundreds of BA staff have been working tirelessly to make sure the athletes, and their kit, reach Beijing fully prepared for the games, as well as taking care of their particular dietary requirements.

The airline laid on a special healthy tea in the lounge at Terminal 5 of nutritious fruitcake, sandwiches and fruit juice, to ensure they were in prime shape ahead of the ten-hour flight.

On board, the aircraft was stocked with a range of high-energy snack foods, following consultation with the British Olympic Association, so each athlete receives an extra three litres of water, two pieces of fruit, two bananas, two Fruesli bars, two packets of cereal and two yoghurts.

Willie Walsh, British Airways CEO, said: “As the official airline partner of the British Olympic and Paralympic Teams, we are proud to be carrying Britain's Olympic hopefuls to Beijing.  Team BA has put in a winning performance to ensure Team GB's 2008 Games get off to a flying start.”

Special headrests wishing Team GB 'Good Luck' have been placed on 'Pride' and will feature on every seat on all British Airways flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong until the Paralympic Games end in September.

A 'Good Luck' message wall in Terminal 5 will also spell out the airline's well-wishing for those going to the games, while the ornamental horses in the terminal's FIRST lounge will be dressed in Team GB horse blankets.

Teams from across the airline, involving more than 700 people, have worked for months on the Olympic-sized challenge to transport both the teams and their kit.

More than 700 pieces of Olympic equipment; everything from state-of-the-art aerodynamic bicycles to prosthetic limbs, from canoes to tennis balls have been carefully packed and relayed to the Chinese capital.

Customer service staff in the UK and China have received special training ahead of the arrival of the British Paralympic team.

British Airways has also set up a dedicated customer service helpline to provide assistance to the athletes and their support teams while they are in China.

A core team of representatives from the airline's sales, marketing, flying crew, operations, cargo and diversity departments will also personally oversee all British Olympic and Paralympic Teams during July, August and September.

Fast Facts

BA is flying 4,600 individuals involved with the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing

40,000 headrests wishing Team GB 'the best of British' will be placed on every seat on all BA flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong until the Paralympic Games end in September

700 staff and 15 dedicated BA teams have been involved in preparing for the Games

BA is carrying 28,000 spectators to and from the Games during August and September

The Boeing 747-400 has a maximum speed of 608 mph.  If a human could run this fast, it would take just four minutes to run a long-distance marathon (26 miles and 385 yards)

If you were to line up pole vaults between London and Beijing nose to nose, you'd need 1,593,200 in total

The Boeing 747-400 has a maximum speed of 608 mph. If a human could run this fast,it would take just four minutes to run a long distance marathon

About British Airways

British Airways was recently awarded best transatlantic and best business class airline by frequent travellers from across the world at the Official Airline Guide (OAG) Airline of the Year 2008. British Airways is one of the world's largest international airlines carrying approximately 36 million passengers around the world every year. British Airways commenced services to China in 1980. British Airways offers seven flights per week (6 flights a week in winter) from Beijing to London Heathrow Airport and five between Shanghai and London. British Airways has a worldwide route network that covers more than 150 destinations in 75 countries. British Airways' new home at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 opened on March 27, 2008. The new terminal is capable of handling 30 million customers a year. The airline's move to Terminal 5 will be complete by October 2008. When all flights have moved into Terminal 5 we will be handling approximately 510 flights every day. For further information on British Airways visit ba.com.

Technorati Tags:
British Airways | 2008 Olympic

Shanghai, china (July 29, 2008) /China Newswire/ — Under the supervision of Shanghai Information Services Association, "Asia Connected Family 2008″ will be held between 1st and 2nd of December 2008 in Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel, China. It is organized by Global Leaders Institute.

Having experienced a downtown of Digital Family which was first impelled in cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, nowadays, China is dramatically becoming the largest market on Digital Family business. It's estimated that by 2010, China's Digital Family market will have reached CHY 80 Billions. While enjoying a high speed development period, it also presents various problems, for instance: What makes an effective business model for China's Digital Family industry? How Telecom operators carry out value-added business under Digital Family Era? How much broadband technology can accelerate 3 network's convergence?

Asia Connected Family 2008 will invite government officials, industry leaders and experts to share their perceptions and expertise in order to cope with those problems and gain sustainable development of enterprises within the industry as well as the industry itself.

For further information about Asia Connected Family 2008, please visit: www.asiaconnectedfamily.com. For the full agenda, to register for the summit, or to inquire about the sponsorship & exhibition opportunities available, please feel free to contact us.

Technorati Tags:
Asia Connected Family 2008 Conference | China's Digital Family market

Shanghai, China (July 28, 2008) /China Newswire/ — The Ethnical Profit Case Business Unit (www.EPCBU.com) is a new online knowledge service provided by ChinaCSR.com.

Online Case Library for Corporate Social Responsibility is now available to public until August 15th. Website will be shifted to members' exclusive area from August 15th.

In a fast changing era when Sustainable Development and Ethical Business is defined as a must look in to criteria for global business, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has successfully established its strategic role in the business world. As an answer to increasing need for understanding CSR, ChinaCSR.com, the only media channel in China dealing with CSR, launched its new Ethical Profit Case Business Unit (EPCBU) to start a new qualitative service to its corporate/individual members.

EPCBU aims to help member companies understand where they are, to facilitate in implementation strategies, and to eventually serve as the platform for Responsible Business in and out of China.

"EPCBU's main readers are corporate executives and CSR managers. Our Case library will provide live practical examples in a story telling format for readers to easily understand and conceptualize the business strategies behind other leading companies/organizations' contribution to the society, revealing the secret behind Doing Well Doing Good." - Sam Lee, Director of EPCBU

EPCBU currently has more than 60 Case Analysts working in and out of China and numerous CSR experts as Board of Advisory members. EPCBU will initially provide two cases per week initially for its members, and will provide single case per week day by the end of the year.

EPCBU Website: www.epcbu.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Linda Ho
  Linda.ho@epcbu.com
  TEL: +8621 6247 9331
  FAX: +8621 6247 9332

Technorati Tags:
Ethical Profit Case Business Unit | EPCBU.com | ChinaCSR.com

Beijing, China (June 20, 2008) /China Newswire/ — Qatar Airways will fund two schools to educate children affected by the recent earthquake in Sichuan province, which caused massive devastation and loss of life. At a signing ceremony held at the offices of China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) in the Chinese capital of Beijing today, Qatar Airways formally committed funds towards the project.

The undisclosed donation to CYDF's Project Hope will facilitate the building of new education facilities that will accommodate up to 500 children, whose schools were destroyed in last month's earthquake. The donation will also support the erection of prefabricated buildings to be used as temporary classrooms (will accommodate up to 1000 children) while the permanent school is constructed, said by Ms. Gu Xiaojin, the Executive Chairman of CYDF.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, deeply touched by the level of destruction caused by the quake, approached CYDF with an offer to provide financial support for the affected children.

"The devastation in Sichuan province has occurred on a massive scale," he said. "It was a terrible tragedy and many thousands of people lost their lives. But the survivors are also affected, as whole towns and villages were completely destroyed and people now have to re-build their lives from nothing.

"Over 7,000 classrooms were destroyed as a result of the earthquake, leaving those children who survived with nowhere to learn. We decided the best way the airline could help with the rebuilding efforts was to fund the construction of a school for children who have been left stranded," added Al Baker.

"We can offer hope to those children who are in desperate need. Education is their key to the future and it is our responsibility as compassionate humanitarians to do what we can to help."

Qatar Airways Senior Manager Commercial Operations East Asia & South West Pacific Marwan Koleilat and Qatar Airways Regional Manager Greater China Paul Johannes attended the ceremony held to recognise the airline's efforts. Koleilat spoke of Qatar Airways' pledge to help the needy as part the airline's social responsibility role.

"We are committed to the rebuilding process taking place in Sichuan Province. I hope that this gesture will change the lives for the better, as many children have been affected by the devastation, "said Koleilat.

The State of Qatar and People's Republic of China are celebrating 20 years of diplomatic relations in 2008. Warm bilateral ties between the two nations have seen increases in trade and industry in recent years.

Qatar Airways currently operates 21 scheduled flights a week from its hub in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, to China. The capital Beijing is served four times a week; Shanghai five weekly; Hong Kong daily; and Guangzhou with five flights a week.

In March the airline launched services to the southern industrial port city of Guangzhou. CEO Akbar Al Baker led a delegation on a tour of China, where he officially opened Qatar Airways' new sales and reservations offices in Beijing, Shanghai as well as Guangzhou, rounding off launch activities in Guangzhou, where he briefed a packed press conference on the airline's development in China.

Qatar Airways is one of an elite group of carriers with a Five Star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry research company. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways' cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fifth year running in 2007 following a survey of more than 15 million passengers. During the 2007/08 financial year, Qatar Airways expects to have carried around 10 million passengers worldwide. For more information, log onto www.qatarairways.com

Qatar Airways will operate a fleet of 110 aircraft by 2013 – almost double the existing size. During 2007, Qatar Airways ordered 80 Airbus A350s, together with 60 Boeing 787s and 32 Boeing 777s. The airline has ordered five of the twin-deck Airbus A380 ‘super jumbos' for delivery from 2010. Qatar Airways moves to the New Doha International Airport in 2010, when the first phase of the new facility opens. For more information, visit www.ndiaproject.com

The China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF), a non-governmental and non-profit organisation, was founded in Beijing in March 1989. The CYDF has devoted itself to the well-being and development of Chinese youth, primarily with regards to education, science and technology, culture, physical education, health, and environmental protection.

The CDYF's main programme, Project Hope, seeks to help China's poverty-stricken rural children continue their schooling. Project Hope has been involved in the building of over 3,000 schools since it was established.

Technorati Tags:
Qatar Airways | Fund Rebuilding Efforts In Earthquake

Beijing, China (June 19, 2008) /China Newswire/ — United Airlines, the world's largest trans-Pacific carrier, helped make history today when the airline flew the inaugural groups participating in the Approved Destination Status (ADS) program from China to the United States. United facilitated flight arrangements for groups departing from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to the U.S. after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to open up the group leisure travel market last year.

Each group comprised of around 80 people, with China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) Chairman, Shao Qiwei, leading the inaugural PRC tour group on United's Capital-to-Capital service from Beijing to Washington, D.C. today.

"United Airlines is proud to be part of this historic occasion and views today as yet another step in our on-going effort to connect the cultures and commerce of China and the U.S," said Sidney Kwok, director, People's Republic of China, United Airlines. "2008 has been an eventful year for United in China, and we look forward to one of most exciting and eagerly anticipated summers ever with the Summer Olympic Games in August."

On December 11, 2007, during the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Beijing, CNTA and the U.S. Department of Commerce signed The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United States of America to Facilitate Outbound Tourist Group Travel from China to the United States. Under the MOU, PRC travel agents will be able to work with U.S. companies to organize and market packaged group holidays to the U.S. In addition, U.S. travel and tourism authorities will be able to market their states and individual destinations in China.

"United is proud to be able to provide more service between China and the U.S. than any other U.S. carrier with a total of five daily nonstop flights departing Beijing and Shanghai each day," Kwok continued. "We will continue to invest in this market by providing the best available products and enhancing our services."

2008 has been a very busy year for United. In March, United moved into Beijing Terminal 3 to remain close to its Star Alliance codeshare partner, Air China. Similarly, in April, the airline moved into Shanghai Pudong Airport'sTerminal Two along with Star Alliance partner, Shanghai Airlines.

Following the tragic earthquake in Sichuan, the airline called upon its customers and employees for donations and has successfully raised more than US$1.3 million in cash donations for earthquake relief. United gave 500 bonus miles to Mileage Plus customer that donated US$50 or more to the American Red Cross through united.com up to 5 million frequent flyer miles. United's charity Foundation also matched employee contributions.

Later this year, United will provide travel to the US Olympic team for U.S. athletes to compete at the summer Olympic Games. United has provided air travel for America's Olympic-hopeful athletes to training events, international and national competitions, as well as to the world's biggest sporting events, since 1980.

About United
United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) operates more than 3,200* flights a day on United and United Express to more than 200 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With key global air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America, United is one of the largest international carriers based in the United States. United also is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides connections for our customers to 965 destinations in 162 countries worldwide. United's 55,000 employees reside in every U.S. state and in many countries around the world. News releases and other information about United can be found at the company's Web site at united.com.

*Based on United's flight schedule between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2008.

About United in China
United Airlines, the world's largest transpacific airline, celebrates more than 20 years of flying to the Asia Pacific region. Commencing service to China in 1986, United was the first U.S. carrier to launch nonstop services between China and the U.S. United currently offers five daily transpacific flights between mainland China and the U.S. with easy connections to more than 160 cities in the U.S.

United's China services include daily nonstop flights from Beijing to Washington D.C., Chicago and San Francisco, from Shanghai to Chicago and San Francisco. In 2007, United carried almost a million passengers between China and the U.S.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Ogilvy Public Relations Beijing
  Contact: Shawn Huang
  Tel: 86-10-85206539
  Email: shawn.huang@ogilvy.com
  

Technorati Tags:
United Airlines | Approved Destination Status program

Shanghai, China (June 19, 2008) /China Newswire/ — China has a new online dating site. www.yuanlaishini88.com is uniquely bi-lingual and targets the busy over 25 working professional who has limited time to meet new people.

The bi-lingual Yuanlaishini88 (English and Chinese) breaks down communication barriers and provides a unique online dating service that brings Chinese and Foreigner professionals together in a safe and sophisticated environment.

The owner of Yuanlaishini88, China's newest and exclusive dating site had a vision; to provide a unique environment where busy Chinese and Foreign professionals can meet new people online anytime and from anywhere. 'China is in the midst of an economic boom, and is fast becoming the World's most powerful economy,' said Eve La Rosa, founder and CEO of Yuanlaishini88. 'Chinese and Foreign workers alike are finding they have less and less time available for dating and meeting new people. Yuanlaishini88 provides an anonymous and secure environment for these busy people to meet,' Ms La Rosa concluded.

According to the 2006 China Online Social Networking Research Report released by iResearch, China's online social-networking market reached RMB175 million in 2006, up 169.2% from the year before. At the same time, it is expected that the market will reach RMB1.2 billion by 2010, with a compound annual growth rate of 84.7%. With the rapid development and maturity of Internet users, the market size of online friends-making will continue to grow and is estimated to reach 991 million RMB in 2008 (USD $127 million).

Why Is www.yuanlaishini88.com Different?
Not only is Yuanlaishini88 bi-lingual and focuses on the over 25 professional worker, but in creating a sophisticated environment, Yuanlaishini88.com decided not to allow advertising or sponsorships. 'Many internet users find flashy advertising distracting and annoying,' Ms. La Rosa said, 'we don't have advertising or sponsorships so our site is clean, sophisticated, and easy to navigate. To encourage growth we are offering free 1 year VIP memberships to the first 20,000 members.'

'Customer retention is an on-going challenge facing all internet dating sites. We plan to continually add innovated services and exciting programs over the year to meet this challenge.'

Safety
Safety is a major concern for all users of online dating sites. Each www.yuanlaishini88.com member uses an anonymous Profile Avatar that protects their identity until they are ready to reveal their true identity. 'Protecting our member's safety and anonymity is paramount', Ms. La Rosa commented. 'To achieve the highest level of security, Yuanlaishini88's programmers built a proprietary multi-level security system to protect member's personal information. In addition, all photographs are reviewed and must be approved by the administrators before they are uploaded to ensure appropriateness,' Ms. La Rosa concluded.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.yuanlaishini88.com

Company Background
www.yuanlaishini88.com is owned by Yuanlan Business Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., a WFOE. Yuanlan Business Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd. is based in Shanghai and is owned and operated by its CEO and Director Eve La Rosa.

Eve La Rosa wanted to create a fun, and feature-rich website that targets a small but exclusive market of the over 25 professional Chinese and Foreign worker who have little time to meet new people, date and who are seeking a life partner. 'In a world where dating websites are commonplace, and cater to the mass market, this new bi-lingual dating website caters to a niche-market and provides them with services that increase their chances of finding Mr. or Miss Right,' she said.

www.yuanlaishini88.com is the first of 5 sites planned for release this year. 'Each site will be dedicated to small underrepresented niche markets,' Ms. La Rosa commented.

Eve La Rosa has lived in Asia for over 34 years, and has worked in China on and off for over 21 years. Ms. La Rosa has primarily worked in marketing, public relations, and the communications industry. Ms. La Rosa's main experience lies in the areas of strategic marketing plans, public relations and media relations strategy development, event planning and management, change management, business development, direct marketing and market research and analysis.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Eve La Rosa
  Founder and CEO, Yuanlan Business Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd.
  Building 3, Suite 919, 1486 Nanjing Lu, Shanghai
  Tel: (21) 63841523
  Mobile: 138186474
  Email: evelarosa@yuanlaishini88.com

Technorati Tags:
Yuanlaishini88 | Bi-lingual Dating Site

Beijing, China (June 11, 2008) /China Newswire/ — Marriott International (NYSE:MAR) will expand its China portfolio with 18 new hotels now through 2012, nine of which are being announced today.

When all 18 hotels are opened, the Marriott International portfolio in China will encompass 59 hotels providing a total 22.489 rooms, spanning five lodging brands—JW Marriott in the luxury tier, Marriott and Renaissance in the upscale segment, Courtyard by Marriott for the upper-moderate segment and Marriott Executive Apartments for upscale extended stay travelers. The company's The Ritz-Carlton Hotels division also has three hotels under construction in China. All properties operate under long-term management contracts.

"We are thrilled by the continued growth of our hotel portfolio in China,"said Ed Fuller, president & managing director of international lodging for Marriott International. "In just 11 short years, we have been able to significantly grow our presence in mainland China in primary urban centers and now we are expanding our reach into secondary markets and territories throughout the country. Thanks to our diverse brands portfolio, we are providing consumers with a wide choice in accommodations in terms of the type of hotel travel experience selected and the price paid."

Announced today are nine properties which will open in Nanjing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Huizhou, Suzhou and Beijing. Additional hotels are under construction in the following Chinese cities and territories: Shenzhen, Beijing, Hangzhou, Macao, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

Marriott International's global pipeline of hotels in development or under construction stands at just over 130,000 rooms. Of those, 55,000 are already under construction; over 60 percent of the company's pipeline of full-service rooms is located outside of North America.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.marriott.com

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 3,000 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., and had approximately 151,000 employees at 2007 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best companies to work for by FORTUNE®, and has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2007 Sustained Excellence Award and Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2007, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $13 billion.

Technorati Tags:
Marriott International | China portfolio

Shanghai, China (May 23, 2008) /China Newswire/ — marcus evans Strategic Category Management training will be held on the 18th and 19th August, at Renaissance Pudong Shanghai Hotel in Shanghai. This workshop will provide a clear and practical approach to finding better category understanding and perspective to enable more relevant, category strategies to be formulated.

Increasing complexity in the retail industry has led to many companies taking a closer look at their category management efforts. Retailers and manufacturing companies are seeking higher levels of insights to drive category management, in order to effectively reach consumers who have more choices than ever in terms of channels, stores and products.

Those companies that are bringing to bear greater insights into their category management processes are finding that what began as simply as survival strategy is providing them with an improve competitive edge. Category management insights can help companies move away from using price as the sole motivator in dealing with their customers - both retail customers and consumers.

The course will be facilitated by international expert Mr. John Dranow who is the President and CEO of SmartRevenue, also Co-founder of New England Culinary Institute and Past chair of American Institute of Food and Wine. Also featuring are Alison Chaltas (Principal of Interscope), Louis-Michel Barbotin (President Global Shopper Insights of Information Resources Incorporated) and Dard Neuman (Ph.D.) (Senior Consultant of SmartRevenue).

Participants will gain insights in identifying the key elements of category management and its role within the value chain, Structuring and building the components of a coherent category strategy, Appreciating the benefits of what category management can and cannot deliver, Recognising trends, barriers and implementation issues to avoid common pitfalls and aid overall understanding and more.

Practical tools and tips from this course will help participants sharpen their skills in these areas. Regardless of the size or nature of an organisation this workshop will stimulate thoughts, ideas and new ways of working. It is a must-attend event for anyone involved in category management.

This event is supported by media partners: ChinRetailNews.com and ChinaNewswire.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.marcusevans.com

About marcus evans

marcus evans is the world's leading provider and promoter of business summits and congresses, conferences, professional training and business intelligence. The Group's international network of offices provides a one-stop shop for all a company's business intelligence, market analysis, learning and training needs. Our Mission: To provide our clients with the information and insights they need to sustain a valuable competitive advantage.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Amy Lim
  Marketing Assistant
  marcus evans
  Tel: +603 2723 6763
  Email: lima@marcusevanskl.com

Technorati Tags:
marcus evans | Strategic Category Management

Shanghai, China (May 9, 2008) /China Newswire/ — ChinaTechNews.com today announced an agreement with CNET Networks Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of CNET Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ; CNET) which currently operates CNET Asia, ZDNet Asia and CNET Direct, to deliver daily China-related technology news to ZDNet Asia. ChinaTechNews.com's English-language news is currently deployed and already available on ZDNet Asia.

ZDNet Asia is a comprehensive online resource for enterprise and SMB technology decision-makers in Asia, featuring 400 fresh pieces of original content per month from its Asia and global editorial teams, including tech news and insight with regional perspectives, and over 60,000 whitepapers, case studies and webcasts in its IT library. Business professionals in charge of technology rely on ZDNet Asia to deliver deep insight into IT planning, vendor consideration, and product selection.

ZDNet Asia reaches IT professionals and business influencers throughout South East Asia and Hong Kong. It also helps audience stay abreast of the latest technology developments, and provides marketers access to an engaged audience and opportunities to "interact" with them through effective online strategies and campaigns.

Operating online since 1999, ChinaTechNews.com distinguishes itself from other technology information providers through the diversity and accuracy of its IT and industry news briefs; contextual and background information; and expert commentary, all of which is processed on a daily basis. It has a registered subscriber database of over 30,000 readers — more than double any other similar technology publisher in Greater China — and over 150,000 hits each day. ChinaTechNews.com is the top destination for business executives, technology investors, and netizens who crave daily news about China's booming technology sector. ChinaTechNews.com currently has syndication agreements with many other information providers, including Dow Jones, China.com, iResearch, and the Internet Society of China.

ChinaTechNews.com is owned and financed by BDL Media, a Hong Kong-based multimedia direct marketing company owning dozens of online and offline direct marketing database assets.

"BDL Media is happy to partner ZDNet Asia, the leading online technology media house in Asia, to provide daily syndicated full-text news," said Danny Levinson, CEO of BDL Media and publisher of ChinaTechNews.com. "ChinaTechNews.com is the only independent English-language daily technology news source solely covering China, and we are confident of providing strong China-focused technology business news for ZDNet Asia's audience. This deal also extends ChinaTechNews.com's brand equity and will help grow BDL Media's marketing database. In our view, it is a perfect fit to work with ZDNet Asia because this deal highlights both companies' strengths."

In addition, ChinaTechNews.com will set aside a special section called "Asia Tech" on its own site to showcase technology news from outside of Asia that is provided by ZDNet Asia. This will broaden ChinaTechNews.com's ability to supplement its own China-focused research and news with ZDNet Asia's high quality news covering the rest of Asia.

ABOUT BDL Media
BDL Media (www.bdlmedia.com) is a leading China-based direct marketing company providing media, advertising, and technology services to companies who want to communicate with their stakeholders in China. The company's properties include over 30 different targeted Internet website platforms, service-oriented marketing services, and a large array of different databases, lists, and websites of consumers and businesses in and around China.

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ChinaTechNews.com | ZDNet | China-related Technology News