S'TOMO FUDOSAN VILLA FONTAINE REFITS HOTEL FOR CHINESE TOURISTS

Sumitomo Fudosan Villa Fontaine Co., the Japanese business hotel operator in the Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. (TSE:8830) group, will open a hotel in September that has been specifically designed to accommodate travelers from China.

The annex building of the Hotel Villa Fontaine Kayabacho in central Tokyo will be used to house Chinese visitors. The televisions in all 70 rooms will be equipped to receive broadcasts from China, and brochures detailing hotel information and local tourist attractions will be written in Chinese. The double beds in 10 of the rooms will be replaced by twin beds, which are more to the liking of Chinese people, and the breakfast menu will be changed as well. The front desk will be staffed at all times by Chinese-speaking employees.

Visitors will be able to book rooms through travel agents in China and via the Internet. The nightly room charges will be the same as those for Japanese guests: 9,500 yen per person.

Demand for business hotels in Japan has hit a lull, and the 15 Hotel Villa Fontaine business hotels have an occupancy rate of less than 80 per cent. In July, it became possible for wealthy Chinese to visit Japan on tourist visas, and luring these customers is seen as an opportunity to boost business. If the Hotel Villa Fontaine Kayabacho Annex proves successful, the company will provide the same service at some of its other hotels.

(Nikkei) rw

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