Service basics are still what matters most

Profile | Paul Cunningham

"When I first came, this was an industry where if you asked for something extra you were more than likely to get 'mei you' as a reply," says the general manager of St. Regis Tianjin. Paul Cunningham, a British hotelier with more than 11 years of experience in China's luxury hotel sector, was remembering the days when he first came to China in 2001.

Since then, many other hospitality brands have also been quick to respond to this market opportunity.