Making room for development of digital-age hotels

When Chinese travelers were asked by a recent survey to name three hotel facilities most important to them, they put free Wi-Fi at the top. It received a weighting of 23 percent.

According to the Chinese International Travel Monitor 2016, conducted byHotel.com, an online booking platform, travelers’ preferences signal the growing significance of digital connectivity in the hotel industry.

Free wireless internet access is considered so important because almost all Chinese travelers stay in touch with family and friends while abroad.

For 73 percent of the 3,000 Chinese outbound travelers surveyed for the report, the top mode of contact is free Wi-Fi at hotels or public places. The report also surveyed 5,800 hoteliers globally inMay.

So, hotels now plan to offer a wide range of newservices and packages for Chinese travelers. Some 45 percent already provide free Wi-Fi. And, 46 percent more plan to offer it sooner than later, according to the report. Only 9 percent of the hotels surveyed said they are yet to finalize Wi-Fi plans.

Also, the survey found important differences in the needs of the guests in different regions.

For instance, free Wi-Fi is the most frequently requested service in all regions, but was particularly important in North and Latin Americas.

Jessica Chuang, regional marketing director, Hotels.com, Greater China, Southeast Asia and India, said: “Technology has become an essential part of travel, from planning, booking, to every moment of your journey.

“You can find more and more of our hotel partners have launched different technology elements in their properties, like self-check-in lobby, in-room digital control, so on.

of the 3,000 Chinese outbound travelers surveyed believe the top mode of contact is freeWi-Fi at hotels

of 108 coconut husks used to sell for over 5,000 yuan. Now, it is hard to even find sales of coconut husks in the market as demand has been tepid.

Liu Shuangzhou, a professor at the law school of the Central University of Finance and Economics, said: “Consumers should consider their income levels and decide how much they should spend on artworks. Artwork consump- tion should be transformed from an elite consumption to a mass-based business.

“Investors should assess the risks of investing in certain artworks and fine goods, rather than assess their value. And buyers must appraise artworks themselves. All this is consistent with the concept of supply-side reform, which emphasizes that goods should be priced cost-effectively and in line with their actual value.”

a sign that so-called uniquewalnuts are not really rare, hence not collectibles.

Demand dampened, bringing the soaringwalnuts back to terra firma. Prices have plunged about 90 percent since last year, causing heavy losses to hoarders.

Experts said currentwalnut prices aremore rational. They also urgedcollectors toavoid risky investments as better stocks of walnuts enter themarket every year, potentially devaluing the previousbatch, although truly rare walnuts retain their intrinsic value for long periodsof time.

Legend has it thatwalnuts as playthings have been popular in China for over 2,000 years. Since ancient times, Chinese people fromemperors to civilians liked collectingwalnuts. This gave rise to a culture ofwalnut collection. Walnutswere prized not just for their nutritious value and reputation of being a brain food but for their distinct features.

Chen Baocong, a renowned walnut collector fromZhejiang province, said: “The primary purpose of playing withwalnuts is to build a good body and improve health. Science shows that massaging the palms with walnuts could help slow aging and prevent cardiovascular disease and apoplexy.”

DONG NING / FOR CHINA DAILY A model stands beside a Ducati motorcycle during a recent motor fair in Beijing. Ducati is bringing more of its models to China.