Designs for China

Lui believes that Chengdu is on the cusp of exploding as a tourist destination, and the firm has a JW Marriott and Swissotel in the final stages of construction there.

"I love the lifestyle of Chengdu," Lui says. "There is a strong tea culture, and its opera, landscape and cuisine will attract visitors. Unlike Chongqing, which is chaotic right from when you arrive at the airport, Chengdu is very civilized. Quality is respected there and its citizens want to do things well.

"I feel that Chengdu will catch up with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Sichuan is not really close to any special economic zone, so development there has been slower and more organic. Chengdu is proud of its history and culture, and that is clearly visible. Chengdu is special.

"For JW Marriott Chengdu, our concept is silver silk - a unique Chengdu craft." HBA also worked on Shangri-La Chengdu, one of its most successful projects in the city.

Despite the buzz around Dalian and Xiamen, Lui feels that these two Chinese cities are limited when it comes to development.

"We used to have more projects in Dalian about 10 years ago," Lui notes. "Then, the property market was booming and we had a lot of enquires. Dalian was in a financial bubble: there were many local firms lacking experience and who didn't have solid financial backing."

In general, Dalian's economy is good and there is a lot of Korean and Japanese investment in the city, he says. It's popular in summer. But there aren't many tourist or sightseeing spots for domestic travelers.

"The same for Xiamen. It's popular in the summer since it's close to the sea. And it's famous for its seafood."

"I personally like Zhejiang province for its amazing and inspirational landscapes. Ningbo, Suzhou and Hangzhou all have lots of potential for further development. The city of Suzhou is like one giant garden."