Guangzhou, also known by its older name of Canton, is situated on the Pearl River. It is the capital of Gunagdong province in southern China, with a population of almost 10 million. The two-hour rail journey from Hong Kong city to Guangzhou equally provides panoramic views of southern China’s countryside which a group of Saudi and Middle East journalists saw recently. The city is only 120 km northwest of China’s thriving business capital, Hong Kong.
A number of starred hotels are in the city. We, however, were among the first guests at the Ritz-Carlton when it opened earlier this year with 351-rooms and 91 serviced apartments. Its premier location is enhanced by nearby luxury residential and commercial landmarks that include Guangzhou Opera House, Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou TV Tower and the new Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, where the China Import and Export Fair is held twice a year. The area also reflects the city’s rapidly growing hotel and lodging market.
The Museum of the Nanyue king, which opened in 1988, is a big attraction for both tourists and business travelers. The tomb of the Nanyue king was discovered in June 1983. The museum also has a collection of over 400 ceramic pillows. The pillows range from the Tang dynasty to modern times, with the majority produced during the Song and Jin dynasties. The collection of ceramic pillows is unparalleled at home and abroad in terms of quantity, variety and places of manufacture. As a typical representative of modern buildings in the south, the museum has won several awards at home and abroad on its building style for its perfect combination of the essence of Chinese culture and modern architecture.
Among the tourist attractions of the city, which boasts many modern skyscrapers, are the tall pagoda at the more than 1,000-year-old temple of Six Banyan Trees, the large laughing Buddha statue at Guangxiao temple, also called ‘Bright Filial Piety Temple’, and the night skyline of the brightly lit city.
This is a city with a unique culture and heritage and is famous as the birthplace of both Cantonese cooking and the Cantonese language. “It has a rich history and an incredibly bright future because of its unprecedented commercial growth,” says Simon F. Cooper president and chief operating officer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC.
Guangzhou remains China’s manufacturing powerhouse and is the third biggest city in China. With international companies having representative offices in the city and with billions of dollars of foreign investment, Guangzhou is the economic success story of southern China. Rapid industrial growth has brought in its wake problems related to pollution. “Efforts are being made to move some of the factories causing pollution from the heart of the city to its outskirts,” says our guide.
Food is taken very seriously in Guangzhou. The city has a variety of dining options in keeping with the traditions of a city that made Cantonese food widely known throughout the world. Dining options include authentic Cantonese specialties in an elegant Chinese setting, and also Western-style cuisine, and the richest traditions of tea and evening parties.
With the growing importance of traffic to Guangzhou, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker cites the Doha-Guangzhou route, launched on March 31, as an example of the airline’s commitment to introduce flights to key cities in countries with thriving economies.
Guangzhou is Doha-based Qatar Airways’ fourth destination in China and 82nd overall worldwide. The airline, which hosted the media tour to Guangzhou via Hong Kong, now operates a total of 20 scheduled flights a week to China from its hub to Beijing (four flights), Shanghai (five flights), Hong Kong (daily) and Guangzhou (4 flights). Beginning May 1, the carrier added a fifth to Guangzhou — Qatar Airways’ 15th destination in the Far East.
Qatar Airways’ Jeddah-based Area Manager for Western Province in Saudi Arabia Ahmed M. Al-Idrissi said: “Guangzhou will complement the airline’s daily services to Hong Kong, offering business and leisure travelers an exciting opportunity to visit two key Chinese cities in such close proximity to each other. China is, and will continue to be, a strategically vital part of Qatar Airways’ expansion plans,” he said.
China’s tourism market has become a magnet for international investment, raising about 150 billion yuan ($21.8 billion) annually over the past few years, according to a senior Chinese tourist official.
Some high-end international tourism products have made their way into the Chinese market, such as port calls by luxury liners and a booming business for limousine and yacht rentals, says a top executive of National Tourist Administration. Despite this, he says, the country still faces great hurdles even though it is poised to become the world’s largest tourist destination by 2015.
He said the industry still lacked large companies to take a leadership position in comprehensive tourist development. Public service in tourism, from tourist consultation to toilets in scenic spots, has been substantially improved.
Project approval has been given to five-star hotels on a monthly basis, and more project applications are on the waiting list. Tianjin, for example, has a total of 45 five-star hotel projects planned between now and 2010. This will draw investment of up to 83.8 billion yuan.
Last year, China welcomed 54.7 million inbound overnight tourists, the fourth highest in the world. Their number is expected to be higher this year.