Participating hotel name list:
Intercontinental Beijing Beichen
Intercontinental Beijing Financial Street
Crowne Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing
Crowne Plaza Beijing International Airport
Crowne Plaza Sun Palace Beijing
Crowne Plaza Beijing Zhongguancun
Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town
Holiday Inn Beijing Focus Square
Holiday Inn Beijing Temple of Heaven
Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Holiday Inn Chang An West Beijing
Holiday Inn Beijing Downtown
Holiday Inn Beijing Deshengmen
Holiday Inn Beijing Haidian

About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global company operating seven well-known hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites . IHG also manages Priority Club Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with 58 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms and IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, a portfolio of over 4,400 hotels and more than 652,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.

IHG has more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline and expects to recruit around 160,000 people worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com.

About IHG Project Hope Fund
In November 2007, IHG set up the IHG Project Hope Fund and became an official partner of the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF). The transparently managed fund is dedicated to supporting young dropouts in poverty-stricken areas through Hope Schools, vocational education and scholarship for college/university students. As the first charity fund in China connecting hotels, guests and donors, it not only prolongs the mission of IHG to fulfill its corporate social responsibility, but also promotes the concept of social responsibility among a wider group of people. The creative approach of "donating RMB 5 upon check-in" provides hotel guests with easy opportunities to contribute to worthy causes. The programme has won great support from the nearly 150 IHG hotels in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

As of 31st May, 2011, RMB 10,380,698.47 has been collected for IHG Project Hope Fund, with which, 13 IHG Hope Schools in 10 provinces have been built or are currently under construction. Other charity activities by the fund include donating Earthquake Relief Schools with 'Happy Music Classrooms' in Sichuan, establishing IHG Service Classes in BN Vocational Schools in Beijing, Chengdu and Sanya, and launching scholarship programmes in 17 IHG Academies.

The China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) is a national non-profit and non-governmental organization founded in March 1989 in Beijing. The CYDF works to develop Chinese youth through education, science and technology, culture, physical education, health and environmental protection. The CYDF is best known for launching and managing its largest programme to date, "Project Hope" . Project Hope has sought to help school dropouts in poor remote regions return to school and complete at least an elementary education.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing
  Marketing Communication Manager Katherine Fang
  Tel: 86 10 6481 7039
  Email: Katherine.Fang@ihg.com
  

This year the IHG Beijing Cluster Hotels will host their 7th Charity Golf Tournament on the 3rd of September at the Oriental Pearl Golf Course. The event will commence with an 18-hole round of golf, with snacks and refreshments served on the course. The game will be followed by a gala dinner and charity raffle at the wonderful clubhouse.

We appreciate your support and look forward to your continuous generosity.

Participating Hotels (by brand)
Intercontinental Beijing Financial Street
Intercontinental Beijing Beichen
Crowne Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town
Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace
Crowne Plaza Beijing Parkview Wuzhou
Crowne Plaza Beijing Zhongguancun
Crowne Plaza International Airport Beijing
Holiday Inn Beijing Focus Square
Holiday Inn Down Town Beijing
Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Holiday Inn Temple of Heaven Beijing
Holiday Inn Beijing Deshengmen
Holiday Inn Beijing Chang An West
Holiday Inn Beijing Haidian
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Temple of Heaven
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Minzuyuan
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Zhongguancun
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Wangjing
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Huacai
Holiday Inn Express Beijing Shangdi Beijing

About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, over 4,500 hotels and more than 650,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club Rewards with 52 million members worldwide.

IHG has 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 160,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media

About IHG’s School Project with the China Youth Development Foundation
The China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) is a national non-profit and non-governmental organization founded in March 1989 in Beijing. The CYDF works to develop Chinese youth through education, science and technology, culture, physical education, health and environmental protection. The CYDF is best known for launching and managing its largest programme to date, "Project Hope" . Project Hope has sought to help school dropouts in poor remote regions return to school and complete at least an elementary education.

By the end of 2009, Project Hope had raised over RMB 6 billion in donations, helped 3.5 million children from poverty-stricken rural families continue their schooling, built 16,355 Hope primary schools, presented the Hope mini-library series to 14,636 village schools in remote areas and trained over 60,000 village primary school teachers. As a result of consistent effort by staff and supporters alike, Project Hope has become one of the best-known and most successful charity programs in the country.

In November 2007, IHG set up the IHG Project Hope Fund and became an official partner of the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF). The transparently managed fund is dedicated to supporting young dropouts in poverty-stricken areas through Hope Schools, vocational education and scholarship for college/university students. As the first charity fund in China connecting hotels, guests and donors, it not only prolongs the mission of IHG to fulfill its corporate social responsibility, but also promotes the concept of social responsibility among a wider group of people. The creative approach of "donating RMB 5 upon check-in" provides hotel guests with easy opportunities to contribute to worthy causes. The programme has won great support from the nearly 150 IHG hotels in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

As of December 1st, 2010, RMB 6,582,229.38 has been collected for the IHG Project Hope Fund, and RMB 5,920,000 has been used or slated to be used. The 11 IHG Hope Schools in Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Guangdong, Sichuan, Shanxi, Gansu, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Shandong provinces have been built or are currently under construction, with four out of 11 officially in use. Other charity activities by IHG include donations to Hope Classmate for Earthquake Relief Sichuan, investment in vocational education and the IHG Academy Scholarship.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Feng WANG
  Marketing Communication Manager of Holiday Inn Beijing Focus Square
  Tel: 86 10 6473 3333 – 6909
  Email: feng.wang@ihg.com 

On July 7, 2011, the 7th IHG Annual Charity Cooking Competition was held at Crowne Plaza Beijing International Airport. Chefs from 15 hotels of InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands competed in seven categories: Sweet Coffee Break, Cold Appetizer, Laksa, Cocktail, Coffee Barista, Black Box and Chinese Cold Dish 6 Combinations (which is a new competition item of this year’s event.) The most exciting part is "Black Box" competition, where every participating team cooked one dish with the materials given by the organizing committee within one hour. Judges scored by criteria of presentation, creativity and team effort.

After 6 years of enormous success in our charity drive, and having opened 5 schools which in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Hebei province, IHG hotels in Beijing had joined hands once again to provide funding support for "Project Hope" , which is a public welfare undertaking, initiated and organized by the CYDF (China Youth Development Foundation).

During the awarding celebration gala dinner, Mr. Roland Steiner, Regional General Manager, on behalf of IHG Beijing Cluster donated the RMB400,000 check to CYDF to build the 6th Project Hope school. "IHG BN Love Choir" , which is title sponsored by IHG Beijing hotels, also came to the stage and performed charity songs to express their appreciations to all the generous sponsors.

Participating hotel name list:
Intercontinental Beijing Beichen
Intercontinental Beijing Financial Street
Crowne Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing
Crowne Plaza Beijing International Airport
Crowne Plaza Sun Palace Beijing
Crowne Plaza Beijing Zhongguancun
Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town
Holiday Inn Beijing Focus Square
Holiday Inn Beijing Temple of Heaven
Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Holiday Inn Chang An West Beijing
Holiday Inn Beijing Downtown
Holiday Inn Beijing Deshengmen
Holiday Inn Beijing Haidian

About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global company operating seven well-known hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. IHG also manages Priority Club Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with 58 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms and IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, a portfolio of over 4,400 hotels and more than 652,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.

IHG has more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline and expects to recruit around 160,000 people worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com. For our latest news visit www.ihg.com/media, Twitter or YouTube.

About IHG Project Hope Fund
In November 2007, IHG set up the IHG Project Hope Fund and became an official partner of the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF). The transparently managed fund is dedicated to supporting young dropouts in poverty-stricken areas through Hope Schools, vocational education and scholarship for college/university students. As the first charity fund in China connecting hotels, guests and donors, it not only prolongs the mission of IHG to fulfill its corporate social responsibility, but also promotes the concept of social responsibility among a wider group of people. The creative approach of "donating RMB 5 upon check-in" provides hotel guests with easy opportunities to contribute to worthy causes. The programme has won great support from the nearly 150 IHG hotels in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.

As of 31st May, 2011, RMB 10,380,698.47 has been collected for IHG Project Hope Fund, with which, 13 IHG Hope Schools in 10 provinces have been built or are currently under construction. Other charity activities by the fund include donating Earthquake Relief Schools with ' Happy Music Classrooms' in Sichuan, establishing IHG Service Classes in BN Vocational Schools in Beijing, Chengdu and Sanya, and launching scholarship programmes in 17 IHG Academies.

The China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) is a national non-profit and non-governmental organization founded in March 1989 in Beijing. The CYDF works to develop Chinese youth through education, science and technology, culture, physical education, health and environmental protection. The CYDF is best known for launching and managing its largest programme to date,  "Project Hope" . Project Hope has sought to help school dropouts in poor remote regions return to school and complete at least an elementary education.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Margaret Li
  Marketing Communications Manager
  Crowne Plaza Beijing International Airport
  tel (86) 10 5810 8888
  e-mail margaret.li6@ihg.com
  

Sichuan, China (May 25, 2011) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — A high-powered delegation of Marriott International executives led by President Arne Sorenson recently visited the Pingwu County of Sichuan Province in China to see for themselves the first-year performance of its "Nobility of Nature"
programme – an ambitious fresh water conservation programme. The Marriott senior executives acknowledge that it is essential to build on the project's current success and provide bigger support to the fresh water conservation endeavors of China.

Announced in Spring 2010 at the World Expo Shanghai, the "Nobility of Nature" is a collaboration between Marriott International and Conservation International to support fresh water conservation and assist rural communities with sustainable business that put less stress on the environment.

Marriott International has been investing USD500,000 seed money to the "Nobility of Nature" programme. The fund is used to provide grants, training, resources and community development for local villages in Sichuan Province where the world's largest water source is located. The Guanba Village in Pingwu was one of the first sites to receive the support of "Nobility of Nature". The funding helped provide bee hives, state-of-the-art bee farming knowhow and other infrastructure for the Guanba Bee Farming Cooperative.

Heritage of Serving Communities
The members of the Marriott delegation include Arne Sorenson, Asia Pacific President and Managing Director, Simon Cooper; Asia Pacific COO Craig Smith; Regional Vice President – Marketing, Dominic Sherry; Executive Vice President Global Communications & Public Affairs, Kathleen Matthews and Managing Director of JW Marriott Hotel Beijing Robert Fabiano, as well as eight associate representatives from the Marriott hotels in mainland China and Hong Kong. The group visited the Guanba Village as well as the Wanglong wild panda conservation park in Pingwu.

"As I travel the world, I see how important social responsibility is to our guests, customers, associates and of course to our communities," said Sorenson. "The Nobility of Nature programme in China is a great example of this approach. Marriott International extends its 'Spirit to Serve' concept practiced in our hotels for some eight decades, to embrace the integration of social responsibility and sustainability in our business strategies."

Sorenson added that it was important to engage eight associates from Marriott hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Guangzhou and Hong Kong in this visit. "They will become the ambassadors of the Nobility of Nature to promote the importance of water conservation to their colleagues, guests, family members and friends," he continued.

Sweet Taste of Success
For generations the bee farmers of Guanba village adopted the traditional methods of bee farming which were not very efficient. For instance, a bee hive could only produce 10 kg of honey a year. In addition, the farmers could only sell the honey to local wholesaler at a cheap price of about RMB16 per kg because of a lack of marketing know-how.

With the assistance and grant offered by the "Nobility of Nature" programme, the Guanba Bee Farming Cooperative replaced most of the old-fashioned one-piece type of bee hives with the advanced multi-slide ones. The new hive can produce 20 to 25kg of honey every year.

The Cooperative has also appointed a full-time patrol inspector to ensure that the water resources nearby are well protected. According to its farmers, clean water is pivotal to the well-being of floral plants which in result will lead to quality honey. The Guanba honey is made from some 15 different kinds of flowers and is sweeter than those produced in other areas.

In order that the Guanba honey can be marketed at a price that matches with its exceptional quality, Marriott International advised the Cooperative to apply for organic food certification last summer. It also invited Wuxi Chengbao Foods Co. Ltd, Marriott International’s preferred juice vendor in China, to support this initiative. Chengbao offered the Cooperative with counsel on certification application and helped design a trendy packaging for the Guanba honey for free.

In October 2010, the Guanba honey in a brand-new outlook was available for retail sale in the entire hotel network of Marriott International in China. The newly designed packing of Guanba’s honey features a stylish jar, a wrapping strip highlighting its 100% organic nature, as well as a tag that details the story of Nobility of Nature and the Guanba Bee Farming Cooperative.

"Marriott International has an enormous network of some 60 hotels in China, more importantly, our guests also support sustainability. Through marketing the Guanba honey in our hotels, this helps ensure our first Nobility of Nature project a huge success," said Simon Copper. "It turns out that our guests are very pleased to take part in this meaning initiative, and enjoy this sweet, 100% organic and quality honey."

The proceeds of selling the Guanba honey in Marriott hotels are used to provide further support to the development of the Cooperative. When meeting the Marriott International senior executives, the Guanba villagers had a nice surprise as they were told that part of the proceeds would be used to purchase a truck for them. The truck will bring a lot of mileage in increasing the operation efficiency of the Cooperative.

Marriott International and Conservation International are now reviewing the application of a second project target to be supported by the "Nobility of Nature" program.

About Marriott International, Inc
Marriott International is a leading lodging company with more than 3,400 lodging properties in 70 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, the Autograph Collection, 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, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; licenses and manages whole-ownership residential brands, including The Ritz-Carlton Residences, JW Marriott Residences and Marriott Residences; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA and had approximately 137,000 employees at 2009 yearend. It is recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the best companies to work for, and by Newsweek magazine as one of the greenest big companies in America. In fiscal year 2009, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $11 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com For the latest company news, please visit www.marriottnewscenter.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Rachel Liu
  Paradigm Communications
  Tele：10 – 85800783 – 16
  Fax：10 – 85800753
  Mobile：13810518539
  Email：rachelliu@paradigm.com.hk

Awarded by the National Green Hotel Committee and China Hotel Association, which are the highest official entities for recognizing a hotel's contribution toward environmental conservation, greening programs, food safety and hygiene, and energy efficiency, the award reflects Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa's long standing commitment to the environment. In order to reduce, reuse and recycle, in the last five years the popular beach resort has:

Installed more than 10,000 low energy light bulbs to save electrical energy.

Introduced an environmentally friendly irrigation system that has provided 300,008m3 of recycled water annually which is used for watering its spacious landscaped tropical gardens.

Taken advantage of Sanya's sunny climate to generate 30,227m3 of hot water from Solar Water Heaters, equal to an18 ton reduction in carbon emissions.

Purchased as much local produce as possible from companies that champion sustainable business practices and are environmentally friendly organizations.
Firmly committed to Marriott's 'Nobility of Nature' initiative which was launched globally on 24th May 2010.

About Marriott International 'Nobility of Nature' Program: Marriott International will invest $500,000 (approximately 3.4 million RMB) in seed money over the next two years to support a vital water conservation program that helps protect the largest source of fresh water on the planet, located in the mountains of Southwest China. The program will focus its work in Sichuan Province, the area hit hard by the 2008 earthquake. Concurrently, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels throughout China have committed to reducing their water and energy use by 25 percent by 2017.

Marriott International will release further updates as the Nobility of Nature program develops.

SANYA YALONG BAY MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA: Nestled on the pristine white-sand beaches of China's only tropical island, Sanya Yalong Bay Marriott Resort & Spa is the perfect choice for a relaxing escape. The exclusive beach resort is conveniently located just a 35-minute drive from Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

Designed with vibrant colors, natural stone and warm woods to reflect its spectacular surroundings, Sanya Yalong Bay Resort & Spa offers 452 well-appointed rooms and suites. Multiple swimming pools, a Clubhouse, Fitness Centre and signature Quan Spa combined with a comprehensive range of meeting facilities, including an Ocean Front Chapel, make it the perfect choice for holidays, meetings and celebrations of all kinds. The tranquil ocean and tropical mountain views beckon guests to sit back and relax in peace. It is the place that you have always wanted to go and never wanted to leave!

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Joanna Lin – Director of Marketing Communications
  Sally Yuan – Marketing Communications Assistant Manager
  Tel: (86 898)8856 8888
  Fax: (86 898)8856 1049
  Email: joanna.lin@marriotthotels.com
  sally.yuan@marriotthotels.com
  

This is the first time that Starwood has this high level meeting outside North America. It is also the first time that some of the senior leadership from other regions have come to China. How to create a memorable meeting experience as well as cultural journey for them is crucial for the hotel to make this event a success.

Highlights of the event:
The hotel incorporated Starwood’s different hotel brands' initiatives as well as local cultural performance to the coffee break design, like Westin Heavenly Spa Experience during the coffee break to help guests refresh, Sheraton Fitness's body stretch etc. It took the hotel six months working with vendors renowned in the industry to come up with innovative menus and programs specifically for this event.

There is also a traditional Beijing themed cocktail reception for which the hotel turned the entire hotel garden to old Beijing food street under an “honorific arch” with the company's name on top. Guests got freshly made food from each stall. Traditional Chinese dances and "face changing" from Sichuan opera founded on the nine hotel brand images of Starwood were selected as performances at the cocktail party.

The unique experience was complete with a dinner at the Summer Palace where guests enjoyed the dinner in the imperial environment. The hotel took over the historic venue for everything from food to service. The menu exquisitely written on a fan, a Peking Opera performance, and royal F&B service team created an unforgettable experience for the guests.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Jane Ji
  Director of Marketing Communication
  10-66068866
  jane.ji@westin.com

  Jing Wang
  Public Relations Manager
  10-66297528
  wang.jing@westin.com

Being the first international luxury hotel in Nan'an district, Chongqing, Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an offers some of the finest facilities in the city, with 319 refined rooms and suites featuring unique art pieces and showcasing views of vibrant Chongqing city. Built within Chongqing's newest residential, shopping and entertainment destination-Wanda Plaza, on the upper Yangtze River, the hotel is an 8-minute walk to the new Chongqing Convention & Exhibition Centre and 10-minute drive away from the Liberation Square a central business district area of Chongqing.

Incorporating the largest ballroom in town at 1,093 square meters, the hotel meeting and function space exhibits a contemporary, understated decor that is enhanced by the personal and forward-thinking service of our banquet team, laying the perfect groundwork for a transformative event. With a total of 1,694 square meters encompassing nine meeting and function rooms, creative and innovative themes, menus, and function space set-ups are limited only by your imagination.

The hotel offers a variety of restaurants where you can indulge your senses. Latest Recipe, all-day dining restaurant, is located adjacent to the lobby and offers an international buffet breakfast and dinner as well as an a la carte menu throughout the day. For a taste of local culture, Le Mei serves Sichuan-style Chinese fare, complemented by a selection of signature Cantonese options interpreted with a modern "New Chinese" flair. The Japanese Akebono provides a lively and interactive dining experience with its Teppanyaki and Robatayaki menu. Latitude 29 offers a sophisticated social setting for enjoying unique cocktails, coffee, tea and other beverages with entertainment from chill-out sounds.

About Le Meridien
Le Meridien, the French-born hotel brand currently represented by 105 properties in more than 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. Since then, Le Meridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included appointing a full-time Cultural Curator – French arts-provocateur Jerome Sans – and transforming numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique and interactive experiences to its guests.
With close to 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Meridien brand provides a strong international complement to Starwood's primarily North American holdings. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Meridien hotels and resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Meridien Hotels recently opened new hotels in Chongqing, Qingdao and Panama City and will open in Xiamen and Philadelphia in the coming months, and has recently signed new hotel deals in Taipei and Saigon, Mahabaleshwar, and Lonavala in India. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Celine Feng
  Marketing Communication Manager
  Le Meridien Chongqing, Nan'an
  Tel: +86 23 8638 8888
  Email: celine.feng@lemeridien.com

"Westin is all about personal renewal and preserving wellness in travel," said Sunny Heng, the General Manager of The Westin Tianjin. "With innovative services and distinctive Westin culture, we are confident The Westin Tianjin will set a new standard of hospitality in Tianjin and our guests will leave feeling rested, energized, enriched and renewed."

Rising above the historic and business districts of the city, The Westin Tianjin is part of a new landmark building in the heart of Tianjin. The hotel's spacious and contemporary rooms, sophisticated function facilities and elegant restaurants and bars provide an unparalleled urban sanctuary in one of China's fastest growing cities. In the centre of Tianjin's business district, The Westin Tianjin is on the doorstep of international business offices and nestled amongst the city's historic concession precincts, renowned for their unique architecture and picturesque tree lined streets.

Endless Possibilities: All of The Westin Tianjin's 275 guest rooms provide a luxurious place to retreat from the bustle of the city. Spacious, light filled accommodation with sophisticated furnishings from Herman Millar and the Westin's signature Heavenly Beds are complemented by plush bathrooms featuring decadent rainforest showers.

Since its introduction in 1999, The Heavenly Bed has earned glowing reviews and loyal fans. Comfortable and stylish, the all-white Heavenly Bed includes a custom designed pillow-top mattress set, a cosy down blanket, three crisp sheets, a comforter, duvet and five plush pillows, guaranteeing a blissful night's sleep. Guest rooms also boast the very latest in technology. High speed wireless internet, giant LCD TV screens and iPod docking stations helps guests stay connected.

While all accommodation provides the room to relax, The Westin Tianjin also offer a selection of Westin Executive Club rooms, Renewal Suites and Presidential Suites ranging from 80sqm up to 220sqm in size.

Elevate Your Appetite: The Westin Tianjin promises to become the city's new destination for wining and dining, with a variety of restaurants and bars offering unparalleled ways for patrons to enjoy world cuisine in elegant surroundings.

From traditional Chinese fare with a contemporary edge and classic Italian dishes to a Latin inspired hot spot, where the sizzling music matches the menu and cocktails, The Westin Tianjin will set the city alight.

Seasonal Tastes offers an innovative combination of Asian and international cuisine-select from the contemporary buffet, chat to the chefs in the open kitchens while they prepare dishes to order or dine from the a la carte menu. Traditional Chinese cuisine is given a contemporary edge at Zen5es. Mouthwatering dishes inspired by Sichuan, Hunan and Huaiyang traditions are served with flair and emphasis on sights, sounds and aroma as well as taste. Lively, fun and passionate, Prego is The Westin Tianjin's modern Italian restaurant serving classic, home style fare. Qba promises to become one of Tianjin's hot spots. Latin inspired décor sets the mood for an evening of shared tapas style food or specialty items from the char grill. After dinner, get set for sizzling sounds from live Cuban music and mojito style creations at the bar. Exchange is the ideal place to unwind or connect with friends over coffee, signature teas, a glass of wine or specially created cocktails while specialty cakes, pastries, pies, delectable hand-made chocolates and sandwiches are all on offer at Daily Treats – a smart mini bakery in the heart of the hotel. The perfect way to complement a visit to the Heavenly Spa or gymnasium is a visit to Splash – the poolside bar where menus are designed with health and wellbeing in mind.

Urban Retreat: Developed exclusively for Westin Hotels & Resorts, the Heavenly Spa by WestinTM is a retreat for guests to renew, relax and be pampered. The Heavenly Spa will offer the chance to discover moments of beauty, serenity and peace with unique experiences and products exclusive to The Westin Tianjin.

The Heavenly Spa fuses modern spa therapy with ancient Chinese traditions. Calming natural colours, tranquil lounges and 6 well-being private rooms, luscious scents, restful lighting matched with attentive therapists and sumptuous treatments will ensure the hotel's new spa becomes the place to renew and recharge in bustling Tianjin. "We've created a day spa that's not only about great design but focused on elevating the five senses," says The Westin Tianjin's General Manager, Sunny Heng.

Westin Hotels & Resorts have developed the travel industry's most extensive wellness initiative to help guests continue their fitness and wellbeing regimes while travelling. The Westin Tianjin provides a state of the art Westin WORKOUT gymnasium with complimentary 24 hour access to hotel guests and features the latest advanced cardio and strength equipment by Technogym and work out regimens designed with travelers in mind.

Services of a "Running Concierge" are also offered at The Westin Tianjin. Guests can be partnered with a "running buddy" from the hotel's staff to jog through routes that also take in the city's attractions.

Inspire Your Event: Promising to set a new benchmark for meeting facilities in Tianjin, The Westin's elegant function rooms combine modern décor and state of the art technology with innovative menus and intuitive service.

The Westin Tianjin's dedicated floor of 7 exceptional meeting and event facilities caters for a range of functions – from an intimate board room meeting to a grand reception for over 600 guests.

The highlight of the banquet facilities is The Grand Ballroom – a vast, light filled room with flexible configurations to suit up to 600 guests. Boasting stunning chandeliers and stylish colour scheme, The Grand Ballroom will no doubt become a sought after venue for elaborate banquets, formal dinners, cocktail parties and weddings. The Grand Ballroom is accompanied by the stylish pre function area set against the backdrop of The Westin Tianjin's dramatic lobby.

An outdoor terrace area also provides another unique option for event and meeting planners along with the VIP Room – a private and exclusive lounge perfect for pre meeting discussions, smaller meetings and receptions or wedding rooms to host the bridal party.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 169 hotels and resorts in more than 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with over 980 properties in more than 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Media Contact:
  tungsten zhang
  director of marketing and communications
  tel: 86-22-2339-0670
  fax:86-22-2334-3309
  mail:tungsten.zhang@westin.com
  

Beijing, China (February 08, 2010) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — Care for Children was one of the first international NGOs on the scene to help with various relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Sichuan in May 2008. As part of a long-term commitment to support child welfare development in the region, Care for Children agreed to fund a re-building project in the city of De Yang.

The project plans are for a training and resource centre for the management and development of foster care, special education needs, and support for street children in the region. The project plans received local government approval in April 2009, following which Care for Children made an initial deposit of RMB 1,500,000. In November 2009, the project received national approval from the City Planning & Construction Bureau. Tenders to contractors have been submitted, and construction work will commence following Chinese New Year holiday period, 2010.

Following a visit to De Yang in May 2009, Ms. Zhang Ziyi expressed her personal interest in supporting long-term, sustainable initiatives for the development of child welfare in the region and pledged her foundation's support at that time.

With the approval of the local government to begin work, Ziyi Zhang Foundation has committed to donate US$400,000 towards the construction of the De Yang Children's Centre, and becomes one of the biggest sponsors of this project.

Care for Children is very pleased that the Ziyi Zhang Foundation has committed to financially support the De Yang children's re-building project with a donation of US$ 400,000. The donation will be transferred to Care for Children within three weeks of the ground-breaking ceremony.

Care for Children is excited about the potential this project has to transform thousands of children's lives, and make a positive impact on the development of child welfare in De Yang, Sichuan, and the surrounding region. Care for Children is very grateful for the significant contribution of Ziyi Zhang's foundation to make this project possible.

About Care for Children
Care for Children exists to relieve hardship, distress and sickness in abandoned and orphaned children in China by the introduction of strategic initiatives in child care practice, at the request of, and in cooperation with, the Chinese national and local children welfare authorities. To date, Care for Children's National Foster Care Project has trained staff from over 220 orphanages across 38 project sites in 27 provinces, and has helped place thousands of Chinese children into local Chinese long-term foster families as an alternative to institutional care.

About Ziyi Zhang Foundation
Ziyi Zhang Foundation is a non-profit charity organization, created in May 2008 by Chinese actress Ms. Zhang Ziyi to respond to the needs of her community in the wake of the Sichuan Earthquake. It is a 501(c)(3) charity registered under the laws of California, USA.

Wirtgen China, the Chinese arm of the German-headquartered Wirtgen Group, has been actively supporting the kindergarten in Tiantai Town, Qionglai, Sichuan which was a victim of the May 12, 2008 earthquake. Right after the earthquake disaster happened in Sichuan, on May 12, 2008, many Wirtgen China employees spontaneously donated in cash to express their wish to help the people there. And, at the same time, the managing director of Wirtgen China, Ulrich Reichert, and the deputy managing director, Thomas Hagspiel, decided that something should be done in the name of the company. As a result they made a joint donation of CNY500,000. On hearing about the kindergarten one of Wirtgen China's customers, Mr. Tong Wei, the president of , spontaneously sponsored a 200-square-meter playground with a donation of CNY30,000.

Attending the opening ceremony were local dignitaries including Mr. Li Xianjun, the deputy mayor of Qionglai City; Madam Wang Hua, the chairlady of the Women's Federation of Qionglai City; Mr. Wu Chengwu, the director of Qionglai Education Bureau; Madam Chen Xia, the chief executive of the Tiantaishan Township Government; and Mr. Li Ziguo; the principal of Wirtgen Tiantai Kindergarten and of Tiantaishan Primary School. Wirtgen China was represented by Mr. Ulrich Reichert, the CEO and managing director of Wirtgen China; together with his wife, Mrs. Miranda Reichert; and Shirley Zhu the public relations manager and assistant to the MD of Wirtgen China. Also present was Mr. Tong Wei, the president of Fuhuashengye Road Machinery Co., Ltd., who sponsored the new playground for the kindergarten.

The new 480-square-meter kindergarten building has three classrooms, a function room, an office for the teachers, a kitchen, a cloak room, and a guard's room. For recreation the kindergarten has a new 200-square-meter playground. Currently the kindergarten has five teachers and 50 pupils and they expect to have more than 60 pupils after Chinese New Year 2010.

Wirtgen decided to help Tiantai because it was not as well-known as places that were being mentioned again and again by the media in the aftermath of the earthquake, and it was therefore getting less attention. Rather than give to places that could get help from other sources, the company and its employees preferred to give aid where aid was lacking. The reason for selecting a kindergarten was similar. Primary schools are included in China's nine-year compulsory education system, so the standard primary school buildings in this location had obviously fared much better. Thus helping with the kindergarten building became the first priority for Wirtgen.

Wirtgen decided that rather than just making a donation it was preferable to have the whole process under their control as much as possible, since they wanted to be sure where and how the money was used, who they had helped, and when the kids could benefit from this project. Advice from Ms. Gisela Wirtgen in Germany, who has extensive experience of charity projects confirmed this approach. The action group "Kinder in Not" (KiN) "Children in need" was founded in 1983 at the initiative of Gisela Wirtgen, wife of Wirtgen Group founder Rainhard Wirtgen. The objective of KIN is to help under-privileged children in the Third World, without charge or profit. This is achieved through projects, which are always based on the concept of "Help through self-help". The action group is independent of all political or religious organizations and carries out its work regardless of the political or religious situation in the developing countries concerned.

About the Wirtgen Group
The Wirtgen Group is an internationally operating group of companies in the construction machinery sector incorporating four traditional brands: Wirtgen, Vogele, Hamm, and Kleemann. As a technological leader, they offer their customers mobile machine solutions for road construction and road rehabilitation, as well as for mining and processing minerals

The Wirtgen Group has been present in China for more than 20 years and, since 2004 , has operated an assembly factory in Langfang, Hebei Province. With more than nine branches and 200 employees, Wirtgen China are always close to their customers.

For more information :www.wirtgen-china.com.cn

At the same time, the managing director of Wirtgen China, Ulrich Reichert, and the deputy managing director, Thomas Hagspiel, decided that something should be done in the name of the company. As a result they made a joint donation of CNY500,000.

A delegation from Wirtgen China including Anny Zhang, from marketing cold recycling technologies, and Shirley Zhu, the assistant to the managing director, sought local contacts and visited the kindergarten in Tiantai.

A spokesman for Wirtgen said that they selected Tiantai when there were so many children in different places who needed help, because although this area also suffered from the earthquake. It was not as well-known as places that are mentioned again and again in the media and was therefore not so eye-catching. He added that in his understanding this place was, to an extent, forgotten. So Wirtgen's idea was that they should offer help not as "more flowers on the brocade" but as "fuel for snowy weather". Rather than give to places that could get help from other sources, they preferred to give aid where aid was lacking.

The reason for selecting a kindergarten was similar. Primary schools are included in China's nine-year compulsory education system, so the standard primary school buildings in this location had obviously fared much better. Helping with the kindergarten building became the first priority for Wirtgen. Wirtgen decided that rather than just making a donation it was preferable to have the whole process under their control as much as possible, since they wanted to be sure where and how the money was used, who they had helped, and when the kids could benefit from this project. Advice from Gisela Wirtgen in Germany, who has extensive experience of charity projects confirmed this approach. The action group "Kinder in Not" (KiN) "Children in need" was founded in 1983 at the initiative of Gisela Wirtgen, wife of Wirtgen Group founder Rainhard Wirtgen. The objective of KIN is to help under-privileged children in the Third World, without charge or profit. This is achieved through projects, which are always based on the concept of "Help through self-help". The action group is independent of all political or religious organisations and carries out its work regardless of the political or religious situation in the developing countries concerned.

KiN currently maintains or supports a total of 21 projects in the Philippines, India, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. The basis for this work is provided by several thousand sponsorships of children, schools and projects provided by individuals, families, schools, clubs, businesses etc., as well as individual donations for the various activities.

The founder and president of the KiN action group, Gisela Wirtgen, has been awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Rheinland-Pfalz as well as the German Federal Order of Merit for her work. These prestigious awards are also an expression of thanks to all the unpaid helpers who have supported her in her endeavours to provide humanitarian aid over a period of many years. Top sportsman Georg Hackl (three times Olympic Champion and World Champion, Sportsman of the Year 1998) is a committed international ambassador for our action group.

After two visits and many telephone calls and email discussions, a contract was finalized in March 2009. The communication and coordination was done among three parties: Wirtgen China (as the donor) the Women's Federation of Qionglai, Sichuan Province (as the Money Receiver, officially assigned and accepted in both China and internationally) and the Education Bureau of Qionglai, Sichuan (as the Project Owner). The kindergarten, which was set up in 1981, has 64 pupils. The principal of the kindergarten, as well as the town's primary school, is Li Ziguo.

Guangzhou, China (January 12, 2009) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2009 (GITF 2009) will grandly open in Guangzhou Jinhan Exhibition Center from March 26-29 next year. Lasting 4 days (last edition: 3 days), the GITF 2009 is set to open to the trade visitors on 26-27 and to the public on 28-29. Exhibitors will also enjoy one more day (from 23 to 25) for booth construction on-site. GITF 2009 is expected to cover 15,000 sq m, accommodating 460 exhibitors with 45 percent from overseas.

Succeeding the great success of the 2008's edition co-organized by Hannover Fairs, GITF 2009 will be once again showcasing a lineup of tourism products from different countries of the world, providing rich travel packages featured by exotic character. The fair, with its unique character of "Professional and International", will present an excellent tourism display for both exhibitors and visitors.

With the rapid development of domestic economy in recent years, Chinese tourism industry is booming by leaps and bounds. According to the National Tourism Administration, China is one of the countries with huge potential and fastest growth in outbound tourism market, what's more, Guangdong Province ranks one of the most important tourism destinations and visitors sources in China. 2008 first half year's statistics show that Guangzhou is head on the top list among other tourism cities of China in terms of all the key index on tourism industry: welcoming a total of 52.858 million guests (+3.14%), including 2.917 million from overseas (+4.53%). These figures once again prove that Guangzhou, the South Gate of China, still enjoys huge potential in tourism market, thus propelling the good development of GITF.

IFEMA joins in for a higher level of professionalism
From 2009, Spanish Feria de Madrid (IFEMA) as the co-organizer will join hands with Hannover Fairs Shanghai to operate GITF jointly. Founded in 1980, IFEMA is now the largest exhibition company in Spain, also taking a lead in Europe. Its organized FITUR is one of the three largest and most influential travel fairs in the world. FITUR 2008 held this February witnessed a turnout of over 13,300 exhibitors from 170 countries and regions on the net show area of over 100,000 sq m with visitors totaling up to 260,000.

Relying on Hannover Fairs worldwide network, great appeal to international visitors and exhibitors as well as IFEMA's successful experience in organizing FITUR, the both parties will team up to enhance the international influence of GITF." Through the collaboration with IFEMA, we will definitely build a more professional travel show further promote its rapid growth and establish a unique platform providing global professionals with latest travel information and opportunities to seek potential business." remarks by Mr. James Fu, General Manager of Hannover Fairs China.

Highly featured with fascinating events
To further stimulating the domestic tourism market, National Tourism Administration will carry out a series of new measures at the beginning of 2009 including more investment in tourism infrastructure, public service facilities, country side tourism and domestic recreation plan. In line with the market demand, the organizers therefore work out GITF, which features "wide spectrum of exhibits, clear division of exhibition area, rich concurrent events", benefiting exhibitors and visitors to the utmost extent.

GITF 2009 will cover 12 exhibition categories including National/Regional Travel Organizations and Tourist Association, Travel Agencies, Hotel, Hotel Group and Holiday Camps, Tourism Attractions such as Theme Parks, Resorts & Golf Courses, Airlines, etc and the organizer will divide the exhibition area elaborately according to the categories. National tourism administrations from over 20 countries and regions will attend the fair by group and bring visitors fancy tourism information at Oversea Group Exhibition Pavilion. Air Pavilion will present special customized service provided by air companies from home and abroad, whose new flight routes are sure to be popular among businessmen. International Travel Agency Pavilion, Hotel & Resorts Pavilion and Tourism Attraction Pavilion are all going to be eye-catcher of the tourism lovers who will get rich travel products and holiday information ranging from prosperous business area tour to fascinate landscape tour. What's more, local tourism administrations and group agencies from different part of the country will present various tourist resorts and routes in the Domestic Exhibition Group Pavilion that had proved very popular among domestic tourists in previous editions. Worth to mention, the organizer will cooperate with the tourism administrations and travel agencies of major tourism provinces and cities to launch special theme promotions, such as "Preferential Sichuan Tour", "Colorful Yunnan", and "Charming Shanghai with Wonderful EXPO", "Romantic Stay at Beautiful Sanya" and "Travel to Birthplace of Hero, Enjoy the Fancy of Grassland in Inner Mongolia", etc.

Under well preparation of the organizers, Guangzhou Forum 2009 – International Eco-Tourism Development, themed on ecological tourism, will be held in correspondence with GITF 2009 on 26th March 2009. Experts from governments, tourism and hotel industry, entertainment and other fields will take steps towards discussing the hot topics in tourism industry so as to promote the development of ecological tourism. Besides, a series of concurrent events will add to the wonder of the show, including: International Tourism Golf Game 2009, providing a wonderful opportunity not only for the leaders to learn from each others' golf skills, but also for them to discuss together the future development of tourist industry; Buyers Night will provide a platform for free conversation between buyers, exhibitors and relevant parties coming from afar.

GITF 2009 in preparation will welcome more professionals on-site. Hannover Fairs will also spear no efforts to expand the coverage of buyers' invitation from the resource of cooperation with IFEMA and strategic alliance with FIera Milano. Sponsored by Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration and Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality, two leading fair company's team-up will further help boost the internationalization of GITF, building the event as one of the most important international travel trade fairs in Asia-pacific region, providing an excellent platform for global insider to overview latest information on tourism market and to seek potential business opportunities.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Mr. Winson Wu / Ms. Karry Wang / Ms. Sarah Pan
  Hannover Fairs China Ltd. – Shanghai
  Rm. 301, B&Q Pudong Office Tower
  393 Yinxiao Road, Pudong
  Shanghai 201204
  Tel: +86 (0)21 – 5045 – 6700, Ext. 253 / 242 / 318
  Fax: +86 (0)21 – 5045 – 9355
  E-mail: karry.wang@hfchina.com
  E-mail: sarah.pan@hfchina.com
  E-mail: winson.wu@hfchina.com

Beijing, China (August 26, 2008) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — On August 25, Loong Palace Hotel & Resort welcomed the Irish delegation of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. The Irish delegation consists of 75 athletes. Special arrangements were made by the hotel to ensure all the needs of the delegates catered for and that their stay at Loong Palace was a memorable one.

Loong Palace Hotel & Resort

Loong Palace Hotel & Resort, a member of Worldhotels – deluxe collection is an international luxury five-star hotel with more than 900 rooms, suites and duplexes in the northern part of Beijing.

Landscaped besides "Badaling Expressway" and close to "Beijing Silicon Valley" – Zhongguancun, along with convenient access to the Capital International Airport, the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Olympic Village (25min). There are 9 restaurants and bars are featuring Cantonese, Sichuan, Dongbei, Japanese, Italian, and numerous international flavous from around the world. 30 meeting and function rooms including three ballrooms are ideal for either small meetings or larger events for up to 1,000 participants. A full range of fitness and recreational options ranging from in-door swimming pools, tennis courts, squash, bowling alley, shuffleboards and Majiang rooms. "My Spa" – the total wellness facility has 18 spa treatment rooms and suites. And 690 free parking spaces are available.

Loong Palace Hotel & Resort is unique and always exceeding the expectation of desiring business and leisure travelers.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• 317 Changping Road, Changping District, Beijing 102208, P. R. China
  Tel: +86 10 8079 9988
  Fax: +86 10 8079 8866
  Email: loongpalace @loongpalace.com
  Website: www.loongpalace.com
  Toll Free No.: 800 810 0098

[smpr_tags]Loong Palace Hotel & Resort, Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games [/smpr_tags]

Beijing, China (June 20, 2008) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — 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.

[smpr_tags]Qatar Airways, Fund Rebuilding Efforts In Earthquake[/smpr_tags]

Beijing, China (June 19, 2008) /ChinaNewswire.com/ — 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
  

[smpr_tags]United Airlines, Approved Destination Status program[/smpr_tags]