Lights that only turn on by motion sensors in the hallways can be a bad idea if the guests are Chinese. The lack of light causes them fear and insecurity.
As many of these clients apply the ancient art of Feng Shui, light is always energy, whether natural or artificial. And the search for that balance and harmony also applies to the rooms and common areas distribution of a hotel.
And disconcerting may also be for the unprepared receptionist the result of not knowing the Chinese basic beliefs, like that episode in which a group didn’t want to go to the fourth floor of the hotel. The reason? That number represents bad luck, and even pronouncing it sounds like death. This type of error can cause many disadvantages in the relationship with the oriental visitors. You have to know that it is also good to give them rooms that contain the number 8, since the pronunciation sounds like “earning a fortune”.
The experience of Miguel Estévez, from the Barceló Sevilla Renaissance, one of the first hotels in the world to achieve Chinese Friendly certification, can give several clues to approach the tourist coming from the Asia giant. The following is a summary of their recommendations.
The importance of food
The Chinese believe that their gastronomy is the best in the world and is very important because it is part of their daily conversation. That is why it is recommended in the menu to give them the option of alternating local and Chinese dishes.
In this matter, we must pay attention to the presence of hot water in the place, which must be permanent. They use it to make some kind of noodle soup and to make their famous Chinese tea. Why not also add tea and soup at the grocery store so they do not have to carry it from their country?
As well, you can place water boilers so they have it without leaving their room, a simple way to adapt to the culture and needs of the Chinese visitor.
Regarding the restaurant, the best is that is located it next to a lake, surrounded by green vegetation and designed it with oriental architectural style. And aim to a menu with typical Chinese dishes, which is a healthy cuisine and has shown that provides longevity to those who follow.
And if we talk about breakfast, which will be the main food that visitors have during their stay in the hotel, because most of the day they will be for a walk or shopping, the buffet should be adapted with products that are fundamental for them, such as rice, soy, soy milk and Chinese tea. With these small details we will make them feel, even with the distance , closer to home.
Know more to serve better
As we said, water plays a fundamental role in the Chinese culture. They need to be close to her. When you book a room you will be asked to have a bath. It’s funny, the first thing travelers do when they get to their room is to fill the bathtub with water and leave it that way throughout their stay. They will have in mind selecting a hotel the presence of spaces with water, lakes, fountains and swimming pools.
Another factor we should focus on is the language. It is true that it will be difficult for hotel staff to learn Chinese in a short time. But you can take some steps in the meantime. For example, adapt the signs to make it easier to communicate data and messages to our tourists. In this case the room elements, the restaurant menu and the business cards can be translated.
It is also advisable to hire specialized providers who offer basic Chinese language learning services for tourist use. This is an important point to work on, especially in cities or destinations that have potential to receive tourists from China and from where Berry Whale can be of great help given the existing agreements with the Chinese Friendly platform an the China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification.
For a good hotel service will be important that our staff know how to differentiate the Chinese tourist from Japanese or Korean. In this it is necessary to take the precautions to not offend the client. And for this it is necessary to know their habits.
And do not fail to meet our visitors shopping needs , whom are very interested in going to the mall and shopping products with high-end brands. To respond to this demand the hotel reception can create a route with the best shops in the city. Moreover, an agreement can be made with stores or malls in particular, to achieve benefits such as discounts or promotions for customers from China.
As well as the Chinese Friendly certification or the adhesion and implementation of the China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification Program (QSC Program), program whose objective is to be able to recommend to travel agencies and tourists those service providers who guarantee a quality, comfort and trust experience for the Chinese tourist, help to give value to a hotel, tourist attraction, airline or restaurant; at the marketing level the fact of being the first adapted to the Chinese client can generate notes in the media, and therefore promotion and positioning associated with innovation for the establishment.
To learn more about how your establishment can become a “Chinese Friendly” establishment please contact:
Victor Pizarro
victor@berrywhale.com