Two international hotel companies have this month launched welcome programmes targeted specifically at Chinese travellers.
With the Chinese market predicted to reach 100 million outbound travellers by 2015, global giants Starwood and Hilton have introduced programmes to capitalise on this growing customer base.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts has launched Starwood Personalised Travel — a set of initiatives designed to serve the unique preferences of Chinese travellers.
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Guest rooms will feature in-room tea kettles, slippers and translated welcome materials, restaurant menus will be made available in Chinese and hotels will recruit an in-hotel Chinese specialist.
The initiatives are being trailed at 19 Starwood hotels in gateway cities.
Frits van Paasschen, president & CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said: “As Chinese travellers begin to travel beyond their borders en masse, they, like their Western counterparts before them, will gravitate to the hotel brands they know from home, and with Starwood’s leading footprint in China, this gives us a great advantage.
“Just as our hotels in China have historically catered to American and European travellers with familiar amenities from home, now our hotels globally will provide the same services to Chinese travelers.”
Hilton Hotels and Resorts has followed a similar philosophy with the launch of Hilton Huanying, a tailored experience for Chinese travellers which takes its name from the Chinese word for ‘welcome’.
Thirty hotels are already enrolled in the programme, which debuts on August 16 in San Francisco, and features three signature hospitality touch points for Chinese guests — at arrival, in-room and breakfast.
“Every experience we share with our guests begins with a welcome. Hilton Huanying is an extension of our brand promise to ensure every guest feels cared for, valued and respected,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
“As the world prepares to welcome the growing number of Chinese travellers, we continue to lead and give guests compelling reasons to choose Hilton.”
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