Korean Job Discussion Forums

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

It will be interesting to what the turnout is for the Olympics ends up being. Given the recent stories about pollutions concerns and now tighter visa rules, low booking rats and terrorism, trouble could be brewing.

Beijing hotels slash rates ahead of Olympics

Some Beijing hotels have cut rates 30% as demand for Olympics hasn't materialized

Many two- to four-star hotels have cut their rates by 10 to 20% compared to May, June

Beijing has reduced estimate of 500,000 foreign guests for August 8-24 Olympics

China has tightened security, along with visa rules even for Olympics tickets holders

BEIJING, China (AP) -- Some hotels in Beijing have cut their rates by as much as 30 percent as expected high demand for the Olympic Games has not materialized, a travel agent said Tuesday.

Three-star hotels and those below have cut their room rates for lack of guest bookings during the Olympics.

Fan Runjun, an employee of the press department of popular travel Web site Ctrip.com, said many two- to four-star hotels have cut their rates by 10 percent to 20 percent compared to May and June. Some have cut rates by up to 30 percent, she said.

The Web site's English-language section deals with about 500 hotels.

Beijing was expecting 500,000 foreign guests for the August 8-24 Olympics, but has been scaling back that estimate. Some people have been scared off by high prices, while others have had trouble getting visas.

China has ratcheted up security for the games, tightening visa rules even for foreign travelers who hold Olympics tickets. Multiple-entry visas have also been restricted, causing a drop in business travel.

The government has said the games are a target of terrorism, and reported breaking up plots to attack the games by Islamic radicals in the western province of Xinjiang.

A man surnamed Wu from the China Hotel Management Association, who was unwilling to give his full name or position as is common in China, said most three-star hotels or below were cutting prices because occupancy rates were not as high as expected.

"The three-star hotels and those below might have seen the Olympics as a good opportunity to raise rates, and now that they found there aren't enough guests booking their rooms, they have to cut their prices," he said.

Most Olympic hotels that have been approved by the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee are four- or five- star, he said, and their rooms have already been booked.

Those hotels cater to Olympic officials, sponsors and national Olympic delegations. Their prices were set last year, by negotiation, rather than by market demand, he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/07/22/china.hotel.rates.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

It would be classic if nobody showed up. Not even foreign athletes or government envoys. Just a bunch of Chinese standing around looking at each other.

Absurd, but one can still dream.

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

There will be enough people. Here's the situation.

There are two classes of hotels. Some hotels have signed on with the Olympics sponsors. These hotels are 100% booked, in fact they were guaranteed booking. The downside is that they had to accept the Olympic's price plan, which was only about 2-3 times what their regular rates were.

Other hotels are outside this plan. They may charge any rates they want, but the Olympics sponsorship committee is not going to help them book any rooms. Many of these hotels are the ones with 50% occupancy. The problem is that they are gouging too much; people do not want to pay $1,000/day for rooms. So these hotels are beginning to lower their rates. This means that you can still get last minute rooms at decent hotels, as long as you pay the price.

Anyone who has a hotel, or even can prove they have a place to stay, will get a visa. The Western media is over-hyping this.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Kikomom · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:52 pm Post subject:

Then there's the good Congressman adding his own fuel to the fire:

Tjames426 · Joined: 06 Aug 2006

I had made plans through my travel agency to visit Qingdao this last week of July. I had wanted to see some Olympic venues and possibly some boating trials pre-Olympics.

I was pumped. I had very been to Qingdao, but was very excited.

I had booked the air ticket. I had Hotel reservations. I was going to get a China Visa. But, I found out at the last moment that the Hotel I booked raised my room price 300%.

So, once again, Japan is a nice place to visit for a short sweet vacation.

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004