China Newswire

Marriott International To Add 18 More Properties To Its China Portfolio Through 2012, 9 Announced Today

englisheditor — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:26:24 +0000

Additions will bring Marriott International's China presence to 59 properties, 22,489 rooms

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.

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Marriott International | China portfolio

Dramatic Entrance for Hyatt's Guangzhou Debut

englisheditor — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:27:11 +0000

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Guangzhou, China (April 16, 2008) /China Newswire/ — From the moment a visitor steps through its theatrical threshold, there is very little about the new Grand Hyatt Guangzhou that does not pique the visual sense. A huge slab of sandstone forms one wall and is set with warmly illuminated windows; a wall of glass looks out over a park, a green oasis in this neighbourhood; and an indoor bamboo garden is strikingly intersected by a glass bridge above it. It is not merely hype when the renowned California-based architect responsible for the hotel, Peter Remedios, calls his latest project, scheduled to open in spring 2008, "an architectural tour de force".

Situated in Guangzhou's new central business district of Tianhe – whose English name is Pearl River New Town – Grand Hyatt Guangzhou is located in one wing of a brand new streamlined twin-tower building. The hotel's understated façade contains cutting-edge new architectural features and interior design devised by Remedios, who has won accolades for his work on Grand Hyatt Tokyo, among other hotel projects. This is the first international hotel in Guangzhou to feature a "sky lobby" located 22 floors up; like many other areas in the hotel, it offers expansive views across the Pearl River and Tianhe CBD.

But it is the South China-inspired lobby area that creates such a dazzling first impression. "I wanted the feeling to be as if you were walking into a traditional Chinese village at dusk – so lighting glows," explains Remedios. "There is a sense of bringing the outside indoors with the bamboo, and a dramatic use of materials with the rocks and glass. This all creates a metaphysical sense of welcome."

The hotel's 375 guestrooms have been designed with simplicity of line, colour tone and function, while using luxurious materials and textures. One immediately noticeable feature in the rooms is the bathroom island – incorporating a separate soaking tub and rain shower – which is a focal point. "It can be open and as sexy as you want, or closed off for privacy," Remedios says. "Good design is all about having choices."

Work stations incorporate high-speed broadband Internet access and universal adaptors, and an in-room iPod docking station is also standard. A specially designed inset wall frame allows a 37-inch multi-channel LCD flat-screen TV to be neatly stored flush with the wall and swung out when required for viewing from certain angles.

Premium personalised service is offered at The Grand Club, located on the 20th floor. Here, privileges include express check-in, complimentary continental breakfast, European high tea, evening cocktails, as well as soft drinks, tea and coffee and other refreshments served throughout the day in its exclusive lounge.

All restaurants and bars feature magnificent sweeping city views. The Penthouse, Grand Hyatt Guangzhou's signature Chinese restaurant, perches high above street level over two floors. Here, 13 luxurious, residential-style private dining suites, each with dedicated butlers, offer authentic Cantonese cuisine.

Then there is G, a restaurant and bar where Western fare focuses on premium seafood and meat cooked in wood-fired ovens. Its dynamic top-tier show kitchen and quality menu make it another Guangzhou benchmark.

The Market Cafe features live kitchen stations where diners get to stroll through a stretch of international food stalls and choose their made-to-order personal selection. Chinese, Japanese and European cuisine is prepared fresh and served directly to the diner from the cooking stations. Additional fresh buffet selections are also available.

The Guanxi Lounge located on a suspended bridge that connects the building's two towers serves cocktails, tea and coffee, and light dining and tea-time menus.

On the third floor, the hotel's three interconnecting sections of the Grand Ballroom can be augmented by fully enclosed VIP and bridal rooms. Six function rooms have been given a residential feel, and a boardroom and Business Centre are also on the same level.

Vibrant artwork here, sourced by reputed Hong Kong-based consultant Sandra Walters, is as striking as elsewhere in the hotel, and reflects aspects of both traditional and modern Southern China.

Beyond stylish looks and cutting-edge comfort, though, Grand Hyatt Guangzhou puts a firm emphasis on service. "Grand Hyatt Guangzhou's vision is to have the warmest, friendliest and most gracious employees of all the hotels in Guangzhou," declares general manager Paul Hugentobler.

Grand Hyatt Guangzhou will be the fourth Grand Hyatt hotel in mainland China, following Grand Hyatt hotels in Beijing and Shanghai.

Hyatt currently operates 10 hotels in Greater China, including Grand Hyatt Beijing, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Grand Hyatt Shanghai, Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai, Grand Hyatt Taipei, Hyatt Regency Dongguan, Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, Hyatt Regency Jing Jin City Resort and Spa, Hyatt Regency Tianjin and Hyatt Regency Xian. An additional 12 hotels are under development.

Global Hyatt Corporation, one of the world's premier hotel companies, offers today's travellers more than 750 hotels and resorts (more than 140,000 rooms) in more than 45 countries. The company's affiliates own, operate, manage and franchise Hyatt-branded hotels and resorts under Park Hyatt™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Resorts™, Hyatt®, Hyatt Place™ and Hyatt Summerfield Suites® brands, as well as the company's newest global luxury brand, Andaz™, which recently opened its first property in London. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. operator of Hyatt Vacation Club and fractional residential properties and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc, which franchises Hawthorn Suites and Microtel Inns and Suites. Reservations for any Hyatt hotels worldwide may be obtained by calling your local Hyatt hotel, Hyatt Worldwide Reservations Centre or logging onto www.hyatt.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Veronica Wong
Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +86 20 83961234
Email: veronica.wong@hyatt.com

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Grand Hyatt Guangzhou New Opening

The St. Regis Shanghai Donates RMB 16,108 to Pudong Special Education School

englisheditor — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:12:53 +0000

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Shanghai, China (April 11, 2008) /China Newswire/ — The St. Regis Shanghai presented a RMB16,108 donation to Pudong Special Education School. The donation was raised through the "Delight Your Everyday" Charity Art Exhibition in December last year. Seen in picture: Mr. Chris Tsoi (3rd from right), Hotel Manager of The St. Regis Shanghai presented the check to Ms Huang Hui-juan (2nd from left), representative of Pudong Special Education School.

It is the third year of The St. Regis Shanghai partnering with Pudong Special Education School for annual charity project. "Delight Your Day" was the theme of last year. 20 students who have hearing and speaking disabilities together with 20 St. Regis volunteers worked together through several workshops and created a wonderful selection of "tie-dye"art pieces. All those items of the "Delight Your Everyday" Charity Art Exhibition were displayed for sale at the hotel during the Christmas and New Year season. A total of RMB16,108 was raised during the whole event.

ABOUT ST. REGIS HOTELS & RESORTS
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts includes the most celebrated properties in the world. Founded by John Jacob Astor with the landmark St. Regis Hotel, New York over a century ago, the company will unveil highly anticipated St. Regis properties in Mallorca (2007), Punta Mita, Mexico (2008), Anguilla (2008), Bali (2008), Costa Rica (2008), Mexico City (2008), Atlanta (2009), Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico (2009), Bangkok (2009), Deer Crest (2009), Macao (2009), Bal Harbour, FL (2010), Lhasa (2010), Osaka (2010), Buenos Aires (2010), Baha Mar, The Bahamas (2011), Jakarta (2011), and Tianjin, China (2011) that will further enhance the brand's legacy. Personalized service and amenities, enviable locations and luxuriously localized design are recognized worldwide as hallmarks of the St. Regis experience. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.stregis.com

ABOUT STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points®, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Joan Pan
Tel: (86 21) 5050 4567
Fax: (86 21) 5820 7603
Email: joan.pan@stregis.com

Technorati Tags:
The St. Regis Shanghai | Pudong Special Education School | Donation

China Now Clubfootball Exchance

englisheditor — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:42:51 +0000

Beijing's first grassroots sports ambassadors train to travel to Britain

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Beijing, China (April 8, 2008) /China Newswire/ — ClubFootball, Beijing's biggest football network, is teaming up with CHINA NOW, the UK's largest ever festival of Chinese culture, to promote grassroots football and give 16 football-loving Beijing youngsters the tour of a lifetime to Britain in the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games.

The China Now ClubFootball Exchange is a unique opportunity for children in Beijing to participate in the same after-school and weekend football activities enjoyed by millions of kids in Britain. The Exchange will also allow a select number of children to engage with UK children face-to-face in a series of matches on a UK football tour across England and Scotland.

Commencing in April 2008, at selected areas around Beijing, over 1,000 children aged between 11-16 years will train for three months under the guidance of FA-qualified coaches from the UK. A tournament will take place at the end of May where 16 children will be selected to become Beijing's first grassroots sports ambassadors to Britain with an exciting tour of the country in July 2008 as the special guests of CHINA NOW.

All Beijing boys aged 12-13 who are enrolled in ClubFootball courses in Beijing this Spring will have the chance to win a place on the CHINA NOW tour. The tour will take place in late July and will include training sessions at Charlton FC (captained by Zheng Zhi), visits to Old Trafford (the home of Manchester United), Hampden Park (the home of the Scottish Football Association), lunch at the FA Headquarters, and a series of friendly games against British youngsters. The project is also being supported by the Middle School Times, and, students on the tour will contribute stories and photos about their trip and what they learn about British football culture.

Welcoming the launch of ClubFootball Spring Courses, ClubFootball Chairman Rowan Simons said, "The CHINA NOW ClubFootball Exchange provides a rare chance for ordinary kids to take the centre stage in this Olympic year. By providing young British coaches with the chance to share their love of the game with Chinese kids, the project perfectly suits the growing sporting links between Britain and China at the community level and the true spirit of the Olympic Games".

Speaking about the selection criteria for the CHINA NOW tour, ClubFootball COO David Niven stressed that the aim is to encourage and reward those kids who have most enthusiastically embraced football as part of their regular lives. "In addition to their football skills, the judges will also be considering English language ability, how they work in a team and their sense of fair play. Successful teams at the grassroots level require many different characters with different strengths and all these factors will be considered when we make our final selection in May".

ClubFootball runs courses for kids between 4 and 18 years old at several locations in Beijing and more information can be found at www.wanguoqunxing.com (Chinese) and www.clubfootball.com.cn (English)

CHINA NOW has been welcomed by both the British and Chinese government's, with both Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister and Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People's Republic of China endorsing the initiative.
About ClubFootball:
ClubFootball is Beijing's first joint venture football club and has broken new ground in developing the game of football in China through a variety of high - profile and grass roots projects and initiatives that have earned the company recognition throughout the business, sporting and wider community. http://www.clubfootball.com.cn

About CHINA NOW:
CHINA NOW is an independently funded, non-profit organization which aims to build awareness and forge relationships between artists, cultural leaders, schools, businesses and communities across UK and China by building a vibrant, dynamic festival that showcases the very best aspects of modern Chinese society and culture.

CHINA NOW was conceived by the UK business community and is chaired by Stephen Green, Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings plc. With over 800 events nationwide, CHINA NOW will showcase the very best of modern Chinese society and culture advancing the public’s education and understanding of China and capturing the attention of the UK.

The CHINA NOW website can be viewed at www.chinanow.org.uk

About Middle School Times:
Middles School Times is part of the Beijing Youth Daily group. The newspaper was founded by the Education Committees of Beijing and Tianjin. It is circulated in all of the capital's Middle schools and has the largest circulation for a newspaper of its type. For more information go to: http://zxss.ynet.com

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China Now | Clubfootball

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China closely monitors the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

englisheditor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:10:15 +0000

Beijing, Shanghai (March 5, 2008) /China Newswire/ — Given the many challenges China faces in planning the next stage of its economic and social reforms, this year's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are of particular importance. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China will be closely monitoring the 'two sessions' and hopes that issues concerning China's investment climate will be addressed constructively and effectively.

Joerg Wuttke, President of the European Chamber said, "European companies hope that the 'two sessions' can focus on concrete and detailed measures concerning China's economic growth mode transformation, and come up with feasible solutions to issues affecting China's investment climate, such as protection of intellectual property rights, environmental protection, energy efficiency, the development of a fair and open market and the enforcement of laws and regulations".

Turning to expected reforms in government organisation, Mr Wuttke said, "Our members look forward to seeing some new structures and functions that can improve government service levels, ensure the consistency and continuity of policies, drive China's economic and social reforms forward and help provide a better and more sustainable environment for everyone".

The European Chamber's more than 1300 members and 28 Working Groups have a keen interest in some of the hot topics which are likely to be discussed in the 'two sessions'. These include reforms in health insurance and social insurance, housing policies, inflation, social responsibility, and employment issues. Following the 'two sessions', the Chamber plans to hold a series of discussions for members to reflect on the new directions and policies set by China's leadership, and to consider the implications for European investors.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.europeanchamber.com.cn

About the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China
The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China was founded by 51 European member companies on 19th October 2000. The European Chamber was established to give European businesses a common voice across different business sectors, nationalities and regions of China. Seven years after its foundation, the European Chamber now has more than 1300 members and operates from eight offices supporting seven chapters: Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Pearl River Delta, Shanghai, Shenyang and Tianjin. The Chamber is recognised by the European Commission and the Chinese authorities as the authoritative and independent voice of European business in China.

The Chamber is built around 28 Working Groups, bringing together senior executives who engage in strategic discussions ranging from market access to the evolution of the business environment in China. Through regular dialogues with both the Chinese and European government, the Chamber conveys the operational business concerns of European companies and makes suggestions for improvements to policy-makers.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Grace Yao, Press Officer of the European Chamber
Phone: +86 10 6462 2066 - 30
Mobile: +86 1367 1168 084
E-mail: gyao@euccc.com.cn

Technorati Tags:
The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China | NPC | CPPCC

ClubFootball and MasterCard Join Forces For Amateur Football

englisheditor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:33:46 +0000

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Beijing, China (January 30, 2008) /China Newswire/ — China's first independent football network, ClubFootball (Beijing Wanguo Qunxing FC) has joined forces with MasterCard Worldwide to kick off MasterCard ClubFootball Junior Football Winter Courses. The project is organized in association with Sina Qinzi Zhongxin and the Middle School Times and not only offers Beijing youngsters free and discounted football coaching courses but is also a step towards a brighter future for amateur football.

The Winter Courses mark just one part of a campaign by ClubFootball and MasterCard Worldwide to support amateur football, which over the last 3 years has seen ClubFootball build a fully fledged league and a number of coaching academies to broaden the appeal and scale of amateur football for men, ladies and children, all of which have been backed by MasterCard Worldwide.

According to Rowan Simons, Chairman of ClubFootball, "in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when so many will be focusing on professional sport, MasterCard have seen the real light in coming out in support of amateur football/sport to help demonstrate that sport really is for everybody!"

MasterCard's sponsorship of the Winter Courses allows for 88 free places and over 350 discounted places which are available to more than 500,000 students through a prize competition with Sina and the Middle School Times. Other prizes on offer courtesy of MasterCard are 2008 ClubFootball Memberships bringing discounts at 120+ locations around Beijing and worth RMB100.

Willie Fung, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Greater China and Korea, MasterCard Worldwide, wished the courses every success, believing that this co-operative project between ClubFootball and MasterCard is one of the most exciting to date. "For China, the year 2008 is really a year marked out by sport, and we hope that that through our co-operation with ClubFootball that we can help the local amateur football scene to develop and through this allow more people to participate and use football as a means of keeping fit and healthy, having an enjoyable time and making new friends, What's more this kind of activity is exactly the priceless experience that makes for a better life!"

ClubFootball regards the development of junior amateur football with particular importance and the club's General Manager, Keith Bradbury stated that "we have established these engaging and unique coaching courses at more than 10 locations in Beijing, all of which open to boys and girls of all ages and ability levels. We especially welcome more Chinese youngsters to get involved and experience the courses that we've established at numerous international schools, to practice their football and English, and to make new friends.

The MasterCard ClubFootball Winter Junior Football Winter Courses take place from January 28 - February 1 and from February 11-15. All ClubFootball courses feature experienced, professional coaches and are open to boys and girls of all nationalities from 5-18 years old.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.mastercard.com
http://www.clubfootball.com.cn
http://baby.sina.com.cn
http://zxss.ynet.com

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes over 16 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.

ClubFootball is Beijing's first joint venture football club and has broken new ground in developing the game of football in China through a variety of high - profile and grass roots projects and initiatives that have earned the company recognition throughout the business, sporting and wider community.

Sina Qinzi Zhongxin is part of the online giant Sina. It is the largest, most authoritative, and most comprehensive Chinese website devoted to parental education. It provides a wealth of specialized knowledge, services and information for parents and parents-to-be designed to cover every possible aspect of their child's life.

Middles School Times is part of the Beijing Youth Daily group. The newspaper was founded by the Education Committees of Beijing and Tianjin. It is circulated in all of the capital's Middle schools and has the largest circulation for a newspaper of its type.

Technorati Tags:
MasterCard | ClubFootball | Amateur Football