AccorHotels courts Chinese tourists
With more than one million Chinese visitors coming to Australia, AccorHotels has targeted this market as its next big growth sector.
It has launched its newly enhanced and rebranded 'Optimum Service Standards' program Hao Ke Ya Gao.
What’s the significance? 'Hao Ke' is hospitable, friendly or treat guests well in Chinese and 'Ya Gao' refers to AccorHotels.
It’s all highlighted with bold brush strokes including a roof sign in Chinese "⼈人" telling travellers that AccorHotels offers Chinese hospitality and service and is welcoming to guests.
The Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge is the latest hotel accredited to the AccorHotels Hao Ke Ya Gao program. To show it’s fully on board, it has translated its local website www.kilodge.com.au into Mandarin. The website www.accorhotels.com/chinaoss has a full list of accredited hotels and special Chinese New Year accommodation offers.
The Hao Ke Ya Gao program includes translated welcome kits and maps in Mandarin, television channels, electrical adaptors, UnionPay, Chinese newspapers menu items and teas. Visitors will also find twin room configurations and internet access with a simplified Chinese character map.
To train its staff, AccorHotels has developed a partnership with independent and globally recognised China Ready & Accredited certification organisation. It delivers vital training and greater cultural understanding of Chinese travellers' service expectations, preferences and sensitivities
AccorHotels Australia is the first global accommodation provider that’s received accreditation with China Ready & Accredited.
Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer AccorHotels Pacific said one in eight Chinese travellers stay at an Accor hotel an average of 3.5 nights and that is across both major cities and regional areas.
"While group bookings are still the core of our business, we're keeping close to China's new breed of middle class traveller who is seeking individual tourism experiences outside of the traditional tier one cities and are venturing to provincial and coastal parts of the country," Mr McGrath told hospitalitynet.
by Leon Gettler, May 19th 2016
