International outreach

A guestroom of Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. Provided to China Daily

Hotel profile | Guangzhou

Qiu Quanlin discovers the new website by Guangzhou's Garden Hotel is attracting more foreign guests despite the global economic downturn.

More international guests are staying at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital city, since it launched a website in February that allows foreign customers to book rooms and get more information.

Before the famed China Import and Export Fair began on April 15, up to 55 percent of guests who made reservations at the hotel were foreigners, said Tan Huawei, e-commerce marketing director of the hotel.

"Our hotel is closely linked with the fair. We introduced state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to attract foreign guests before the opening of each session of the fair," Tan said.

With the largest number of foreign buyers and domestic exhibitors of any trade fair in China, the biennal expo is considered a gauge of industry. It will continue until May 5.

Hotel reservations are a reflection of the number of foreign buyers at the fair, also known internationally as the Canton Fair, Tan said.

"Our business is closely linked to the global trade situation. The number of guests would decline if the domestic and world economy is on a downward trend," Tan told China Daily.

Following the launch of the hotel's new website, the number of bookings by potential buyers has increased greatly from emerging markets including Southeast Asian countries, Brazil, Russia, the Middle East and South America, Tan said.

"Participation of more foreigners from emerging markets at the fair illustrates that a growing number of Chinese exporters have shifted their focus from traditional markets in Europe and the United States," Tan said.

The number of Japanese guests is also increasing in part because of the reconstruction work to repair the damage left behind by the deadly earthquake that hit the country in March last year.

"They are coming to China to buy more construction materials," Tan said.

Citing an analysis report that looked at room reservations, Tan said the number of foreign guests from nature markets is on the decline.

"In the current global economy, in which Europe and the US are still recovering from the financial crisis, foreign companies are more willing to sell their products in China than to buy goods at the fair," he said.

Founded in 1985, the Garden Hotel is a prestigious platinum five-star business hotel in South China, which began operations in the early stages of the country's reform and opening-up.

Serving one of the nation's top manufacturing and trade hubs, Guangzhou's hospitality industry has registered robust development in recent years.

It now has seven new five-star level hotels that provide 3,000 more rooms.

Eight more five-star hotels are also expected to start operation this year, adding to the already fierce competition in the local hotel industry, according to Tan.

"With such rapid development of luxury hotels, we have to work out more tailored services, for example allowing easier online access to our potential foreign guests," Tan said.

The hotel's occupancy rate is expected to slow down in the short term due to new rooms in the market and the number of foreign business people declining, he said.

"But we believe improved services and advanced facilities will help attract more guests," Tan added.

The hotel's new website that can also be accessed by mobile phone fuses modern technology with simple designs and intuitive navigation, he said.

It also has a feature called e-Concierge that enables guests to make special arrangements prior to arrival. The hotel's social media communities can also connect to their micro blog and Facebook accounts through the new website and make bookings through its Facebook page.

The Garden Hotel, the first and only platinum five-star hotel in Guangzhou, was the lead hotel for the 16th Asian Games held in November 2010.

Contact the writer at qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn.