Travel briefs

Travel briefs

The Holiday Inn Lido Beijing is offering weekend room rates for Yn588 per night per
person. Valid on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the offer is for a minimum stay of two nights.

Accor of France is to move into China’s economy hotel sector, with Ibis hotels to open
in Tianjin in October and in Chengdu next September. The hotels will target Chinese businessmen
and will cost about Yn180 per night. The group is also planning to open five new
five-star hotels on the mainland and two four-star properties.

Air India is to initiate services to China from early December, with a two flights-aweek
service to Shanghai from Mumbai, via Delhi and Bangkok. China Eastern Airlines currently
operates one flight a week between Beijing and Delhi.

China’s foreign minister Li Zhaoxing said that China plans to waive visa requirements
for Japanese passport holders on short-term visits from September 1.

Air China is to jointly market flights with United Airlines on routes between China and
the US, reported Bloomberg.

China Eastern Airlines’ passenger traffic in July rose 7 per cent year-on-year to 1.04m,
showing a rapid recovery in business from the Sars crisis. Passenger numbers on international
flights were down by more than a third, but increased 19 per cent on domestic routes.

The consultancy firm High-Point Rendel is to help in the concept planning of a new
hotel resort in Sanya, Hainan province. The project involves the development of a harbour
and small offshore island. The development will include hotels, a passenger service between
the two sites and a marina at Xiaoqi Harbour.

Japanese visitors to China no longer require visas for stays of up to 15 days.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement with Hainan First Investment
Group to open a 40-storey hotel in Haikou, Hainan province. The 364-room property will
complement a beach resort on the south of the island that the group will open in 2005.