2nd International Forum on China Hotel Brand Development to be held in Guangzhou from 9 - 10 May, 2008

Anticipating the need to help develop Chinese hotel chains to gain international reputation, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University will host the 2nd International Forum on China Hotel Brand Development together with the School of Business of the Sun Yat-sen University. Sponsored by K Wah Group, the Forum will be held in Guangzhou, China, from 9 to 10 May 2008.

To be staged at The Garden Hotel Guangzhou and the Sun Yat-sen University, the Forum will be an opportunity for industry leaders, academics and government officials to exchange views on the development and management of hotel branding in a rapidly developing market. The forum will provide impetus to the management and continued success of such hotel brands in China.

The Forum features keynote presentations, panel discussions and concurrent sessions by leading experts in the hospitality industry, including:

- Dr Anna Mattila, Professor-in-Charge of Graduate Programme, School of Hospitality Management, The Pennsylvania State University 
- Professor Daniel Quan, School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University
- Mr Frank Hou, President, Jinling Hotels Management Co
- Mr James Lu, Executive Director, Hong Kong Hotels Association
- Mr Symon Bridle, Chief Operating Officer, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
- Mr Lin Cong, Vice President of Hotel Development (China), Marriott International
- Mr Stephen Ho, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Development, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels and Resorts
- Mr Sunny Sun, Vice President of Thistle Hotels
- Professor Dai Bin, Vice President, China Tourism Academy, China National Tourism Administration
- Mr Calvin Mak, Founder and CEO, Rhombus International Hotels Group Inc
- Mr Chen Miaolin, CEO, New Century Tourism Group
- Mr Sun Jian, CEO, Home Inns and Hotels
- Dr Tim Gao, CEO, HNA International Hotels & Resorts
- Mr Peng Jianjun, Vice President, Evergrande Real Estate Group / General Manager, Evergrande Hotel Group
- Mr William Lin, Chief Operating Officer, LNH Hospitality Co Ltd
- Dr Youcheng Ray Wang, Assistant Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
- Professor Ma Yong, Hubei University
- Professor He Jianmin, Director of Department of Tourism Management, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
- Professor Gu Huimin, Beijing International Studies University
- Mr Pengshu Ting, Deputy General Manager, White Swan Hotel
- Professor Mike Davidson, Head of Department of Tourism, Griffith University
- Mr Yang Rongsen, Director, Tourism Bureau of Guangdong Province
- Mr Yang Xiaopeng, Vice Chairman, China Tourist Hotels Association
- Professor Zheng Xiangmin, Dean, College of Tourism, Huaqiao University
- Professor Kaye Chon, Chair Professor and Director, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Professor Li Xingchun, Dean, School of Business, Sun Yat-sen University

In the keynote presentations, Dr Anna Mattila will talk about “Branding of Services” whilst Professor Daniel Quan will share his thoughts on “Decisions for Investment in Brands Using Lodging Property Derivatives”. Professor Mike Davidson, on the other hand, will deliver a speech on “Internal Marketing a Foundation for Hotel Branding”. Panellists will also be engaged in discussions on the topics “Developing International Hotel Brands in China”, “Strategic Brand Development” and “Developing Asia Hotel Leaders”. The Forum will also feature English and Chinese concurrent sessions.

Professor Kaye Chon, Chair Professor and Director of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, said, “due to our location and history, our school is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in facilitating the development of China’s hospitality industry. I’m certain that the Forum will facilitate dialogue and provide impetus to the further development and management of branding particularly for hotel chains in China.”

PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management is a leading provider of hospitality education in the Asia Pacific Region. It is ranked No. 4 among the world’s top hotel and tourism schools based on research and scholarship, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research in 2005. With 55 academic staff drawing from 18 countries, the School is also the only training centre in Asia recognised by the Education and Training Network of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

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