Guangzhou,located at ther north the Pearl River Delta,is an important trading center as well as a busy port and the capital city of the province of Guangdong.The city has an ara of over 16,000 square kilometers and a population of 6.7 million.

Like Athens of Greece and Rome of Italy,Guangzhou also has a history of more than 2,800 years.

There are a lot of interesting legends concerning its past.One of the beautiful stories which gives the city its name Goat Town says that five gods riding on five goats brought the firest grain to the city.So,Guangzhou is also known as the City of Five Goats.Besides tales and stories,here and there stand monuments of the city’s democratic and revolutionary past.The monument to against a British invading force.The Huang Hua Gang Park Keeps alive the spirit of the 72 martyrs killed in an uprising in 1911 against the Qing Dynasty.The National Peasant Movement Institute is the former cadre-training school founded and run by Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai in 1925-1926.The Guangzhou Memorial Garden is in memory of those who lost their lives during the Communist Uprising in 127.

The climate of Guangzhou is sub-tropical.August is the hottest month and January is the coldest month.The rainy season falls between April and August.The average annual rainfall is 1,720 mm.

Guangzhou is a beautiful city with an ever-green scnery and blooming flowers all the year round.The city boasts many tourist attractions,among which the highlights are White Cloud Hill Scenic Spot.Yuexiu Park,Gyuangzhou Zoo,Six Banyan Temple and Flowery Pagoda,Dr,Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall,etc.Inthe Suburbs,there are such scenic spots on Conghua Hot Springs,Xiquao Hill Scenic spot,Seven Star Crags,and Foshan City.Lots of tourists to Guangzhou like to visit one or two of them for out-of-city pleasure.

Guangzhou is also one of the most important centers of foreign commerce in South China.The Chinese Export Commodities Fair has been held twice a year in the city since 1957.

It is also a cultural center.There are several universities,the Zhongshan University.the South China University of Technology,the Ji-nan University and other higher educational establishments.The city is renowned ofr its arts and crafts,namely the GuangDong embroidery,ivory-carving and ceramics.

“Eating in Guangzhou” has become a popular saying both at home and abrad.Guangzhou ranks first in the number of restaurants and tea-houses in the country.Cantonese cuisine is good in color,fragrance,taste and presentation.In addition,the delicate Cantoness pastry is also well-known for its wide range of varieties,delicious flavor and beautiful color.Cantonese cuisine is among the most famous four in the country.

Guangzhou used to be part of the so called “Maritime silk Road” that linked sounthern China with India,South_east Asia,the Middle East,and Africa. As a result of the lnks with the Middle East,a mosque was established in the city in 627,and a small Muslim community has lasted to this day.Furthermore,because the sixth patriarch of Zen Buddhism was born in Guangzhou where he taught the famous Platform Sutra and established a monastery in the north of the city,Guangzhou has maintained a strong conection with this school of Buddhism.

Hainan Province, also called Qiong, is located in the southernmost part of China. The main island is Hainan Island, which is the second largest island in China, and consist of Xisha, Nansha, Zhongsha and its sea areas. The province covers an area of 34,000 square kilometers and has a population of 6.7 million.

The Hainan Island is like a circle island. From the center spread outward, the rugged hills, plains and sea were linked one after another. The plain area covers more than 60 per cent of the total island. The main rivers are Nandu River, Wanquan River and Changhua River. It enjoys a tropical monsoon climate and has no frosting period all year round. Those islands in the South Sea are flat and small. Zengmuansha is the hottest place in the southwest. Iron ore and some other gold ore materials account for 70 percent of the nation’s mine resource. Reservation of oil and natural gas are strong. And there are rich tropical sea and fishery resources as well.

Continue Reading »

Baogong Memorial Hall,a special memorial hall to commemorate Bao Zhen in the Northern Song Dynasty,is located in Fragrant Flower Mound of Bao he Park,Hefei.

It was first built in the period 1488 to 1505 of the Ming Dynasty.These buildings were rebuilt in 1882 and 1946 respectively.Fangrant Flower Mound used to be the place where Bao Zhen studied.During the Ming Dynasty,Song Guangming,the governor of Hefei,saw this scenic spot and the ancient temple into Baogong Academy.In the memorial hall display the statue of Baogong,stone carved image,cultural relics and relevant materials.By the side of the memorial hall,there is a pavilion with a well in it.

The well is named Honest and Clean Well.Legend has it that those officials who have not been honest and clean dare not to drink the water from the well.Bao Zhen,popularly known as Bao Gong,was prefect of Kaifeng,capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.He was famous in popular legend as an upright and capable official and fearless,impartial judge with a knack of passing true verdicts in all the cases he tried. The people called “Just Judge Bao” in the Northern Song Dynasty.

by Ozgur Tore

On May 16, Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd was awarded “2008 Most Investment-Worthy Local Management Company of China” at the Forum for Development Opportunities and Challenges for China Hospitality Industry & the fifth Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels.

Sponsored by China’s leading financial media “21^st Century Business Herald” in association with China’s top business travel magazine “Business Travel” in 2004, the Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels is the most prestigious award for the hospitality industry in China and even in Asia, in an aim to provide more business consulting for global business travelers as well as provide authoritative and advisory opinions for the development of China’s hospitality industry.

Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd is the largest hotel management company in China. It dedicates itself to quality hotel management, boasting professional management teams with rich experience. And the Jin Jiang brand is highly reputed in China. The company has the corporate website in four languages, i.e., Chinese, English, Japanese and French, and a new brand identification system as well as a sophisticated central reservation system. The company is poised to launch its Loyalty Program in 2008 amongst its over 100 star-rated member hotels across China.

Mr. Chen Hao, CEO of Jin Jiang International Hotels Development Co., Ltd, the parent company of Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd said, “The staff of ‘Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd feel great honored to receive such a prestigious award. We appreciate the recognition and encouragement from the hospitality industry and customers for our work. Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd will continue moving toward its “going global” strategic goal.”

Accor has been chosen as “The Best Hotel Management Company of 2008 Selected by Investors” at the “5th Golden Pillow Award of China Hotels” award ceremony, held recently in Shanghai. Simultaneously, Robert Murray, Accor’s Senior Vice President - Greater China, was also recognized as “The Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008”.

The “Golden Pillow Award of China Hotels”, recognized as one of the most prestigious hotel evaluations in China and the Asia region, has been hosted yearly by 21st Century Business Herald since 2004. The professional award utilizes first-hand knowledge of a panel of senior industry experts and business people along with field investigations by editors and reporters of the newspaper, to gain a comprehensive look at China’s hotel industry, supply travel news to the extensive Chinese business community and offer suggestions and directions for the industry’s development.

“China is welcoming a new era of rapid development in the business travel industry. High-end business customers have demanded more rigorous requirements for both high-end business and luxury hotels. Factors such as the environment, facilities, services and brand expertise are crucial in their consideration when selecting a hotel. The Golden Pillow Award endeavors to providing professional advice while identifying the best choices for business travelers,” said Mr. Murray. “We appreciate the professionalism of the award and it is an honor for Accor to be named as “The Best Hotel Management Company of 2008” in China.”

As one of the pioneer international hotel management companies to enter the China market, Accor China currently operates 61 hotels (over 17,000 rooms) in 29 cities with approximately 80 projects under development.

All Accor hotels in China are situated in major metropolitan areas, gateway cities, popular resort destinations, and are developing fast into tier two and tier three cities under 6 different brands: Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis, covering a full spectrum of markets from luxury to economy.

“The accolade endorses Accor’s reputation in hotel development and management in China, and will certainly raise the confidence of our associates and attract more investors to partner with Accor,” Mr. Murray added.

Accor’s Senior Vice President for Greater China named “Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008”

Meanwhile, at the same award ceremony, Mr Murray was honored with “The Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008” award. Mr. Murray’s stint in China commenced in 2005. He has over 25 years management experience in the hotel and tourism industry. His primary focus is on improving the performance of the existing Accor hotels network within China, while ensuring that the company infrastructure is capable and ready to feed the development pipeline.

Michael Issenberg, Accor Asia Pacific Chairman and COO, said, “Accor is delighted with this accolade for our senior manager, Robert Murray. These two awards are an acknowledgement not only of Robert’s leadership but is also an endorsement of Accor’s innovativeness, entrepreneurial flair and dynamism as a company.”

Read more on AsiaTravelTips

(70 winners)

一、 Main Awards ：( 52 winners)

(一)Hotel Brands (4 winners)

2008 China’s Most Favorite International Hotel Brand

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Domestic Hotel Brand

New Century Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Serviced Residence Brand

Ascott

2008 China’s Most Favorite Economy Hotel Chain Brand

Home Inn

(二)Hotel Management Companies (4 winners)

2008 China’s Most Investment-worthy International Hotel Management Company

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide， Inc.

Accor China

2008 China’s Most Investment-worthy Domestic Hotel Management Company

Jinling Hotels & Resorts Corporation

Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co. Ltd

(三)Individual Hotels (30 winners)

2008 China’s Top 10 Most Favorite Business Hotels

1.Pudong Shangri-La， Shanghai

2. The Ritz-Carlton Beijing， Financial Street

3. Jinling Hotel Nanjing

4. Grand Hyatt Shanghai

5. Grand Hyatt Beijing

6. InterContinental Shenzhen

7. InterContinental Hong Kong

8. New Century Grand Hotel Hang Zhou

9. Le Royal Meridien Shanghai

10. Marco Polo Shenzhen

2008 China’s Top 10 Most Favorite Resort Hotels

1. Sheraton Sanya Resort

2. Yalong Bay Mangrove Tree Resort

3. Banyan Tree Lijiang

4. Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa

5. Sheraton Suzhou Hotel & Towers

6. Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa

7. Sheraton Haikou Resort

8. Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai

9. Wuyi Mountain Yeohwa Resort

10. Hotel of Modern Art Libre，Guilin

2008 China’s Best New Opening Hotels

1. JW Marriott Hotel Beijing

2. The Ritz-Carlton， Beijng

3. Hyatt on the Bund

4. The Westin Guangzhou

5. The Interlaken OCT Hotel Shenzhen

6. Shangri-la Hotel， Guangzhou

7. Xiamen Seaview Resort

8. The Purple Palace

9. Shangri-La Hotel， Chengdu

10. Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel

(四)Figures in China’ Hotel Industry(14 winners)

2008 Best Hotel Managers (4 winners)

Mr.John Rice General Manager of Pudong Shangri-La， Shanghai

Mr. Claudio Nardini　 General Manager of Sheraton Sanya Resort

Mr.Jin Meicheng　 Board Director and Operation Manager of Jinling Hotels & Resorts Corporation

Mr. Janus Lee General Manager of Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai

Figures with Distingushed Contributions to China’s Hotel Industry In 2008 (3 winners)

Mr.Chen Hao Board Member and CEO of Jin Jiang International Hotel Development Co. Ltd

Mr. Chen Miaolin　 Chairman， Zhejiang New Century Tourism Group

Mr.Sun Jian　 CEO of Home Inn

2008 The Leader of China’s Hotel industry (6 winners)

Mr. Qian Jin Senior Vice President， Operations， China & Taiwan Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Mr. Robert Murray　 Senior Vice President ，China， Accor

Mr. Edmond Ip Chief Operating Officer， Greater China， IHG

Mr. Edward Tai　 President of Hyatt China

Mr. Angelini Giovanni CEO and Managing Director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Mr. Colin Lin Vice President， Hotel Development， China，Marriott International， Inc

2008 Lifetime Achievement Award in China’s Hotel Industry (1 winner)

Mr. Yuan Zongtang Former Director of Hotel Administration Department， National，Tourism Administration of China， Vice President and General Secretary of China Tourism Hotels Association， Chairman of International Hotel Leaders Organization

二、 Special Awards (18 winners)

(一) Special Awards for Hotel Brands (6 winners)

2008 the Most Influential International Hotel Brand in China

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Luxurious Hotel Brand

BanYan Tree Group

2008 China’s Domestic Hotel Brand with Most Development potential

Gloria Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Competitive Domestic Hotel Brand

HNA Hotels&Resorts

2008 China’s Most Competitive Serviced Residence Brand

Frasers Hopitality

2008 China’s Most Favorite Business Chain Hotel Brand

Green Tree Inns Hotel Management Group，Inc.

(二)Special Awards for Individual Hotels (12 winners)

A、Business Hotels (6 winners)

2008 the Most Favorite Business Hotel in Northeast China

Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel

2008 the Most Favorite Business Hotel in Southwest China

Green Lake Hotel Kunming

2008 the Business Hotel with Most Development Potential in China

Hua Ting Hotel & Towers Shanghai

2008 China’s Best Exhibition and Business Hotel

Songjiang New Century Grand Hotel Shanghai

2008 China’s Best Theme and Business Hotel

Crowne Plaza Shenzhen

2008 China’s Best Olympic Business Hotel

Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing

B、Resort Hotels (1 winner)

2008 China’s Most Favorite Recreation Resort

New Century Resort Qiandao Lake Hangzhou

C、New Opening Hotels (5 winners)

2008 China’s Best New Opening Luxurious Hotel

Sky Fortune Boutique Hotel， Shanghai

2008 Best New Opening Hotel in Western China

Shangri-La Hotel， Xi’an

2008 China’s Best New Opening Luxurious Hotel

Sofitel Wanda Beijing

2008 China’s Best New Opening Convention and Exhibition Hotel

InterContinental Century City， Chengdu

2008 China’s Best New Opening Boutique Hotel

PuDi Boutique Hotel， Shanghai

(by 21 Century Business Herald)