The Beijing Tourism Group and international hotel management group General Hotel Management (GHM) have formalized a joint venture partnership and announced plans to launch an upscale resort concept brand Ahn Luh. At the signing ceremony for the Ahn Luh Dujiangyan Dam, the partners, together with a third investor, the Great Ocean Group, announced that the group’s first properties will debut in the next two-tothree years.
　　Created by Duan Qiang, Chairman of Beijing Tourism Group, Duan Weihong, founder of Great Ocean Group, and resort visionary Adrian Zecha, the Ahn Luh brand will encapsulate the best while distilling the essence from the various brands that Adrian Zecha has successfully introduced over the years. Ahn Luh will cater to the world’s most discerning travelers, as well as the growing Chinese tourism market.
　　“The Ahn Luh brand aims to promote and practice the concept of ‘China services.’ This concept marries internationally accepted standards of quality with distinct, local features. The result is the fusing of old-world Chinese hospitality with contemporary elegance to create value-added products,” said Duan.
　　“The Ahn Luh Dujiangyan Dam is a combination of historical and cultural elements,”said Douglas Zhao, Executive Chairman of Ahn Luh Group. “We’re planning to build on China’s time-honored architectural traditions, and looking to exude China-specific enthusiasm innovative spirit,” he added.
　　Ahn Luh is charting future developments in major cities and tourism destinations throughout China. In the pipeline are hotels in Beijing, the Pearl River Delta and Southwest China. Ahn Luh’s hotels will come to market as 50-to-100-room and villa properties, featuring 60-square-meter rooms and 120-squaremeter suites.
　　Distinguishing features of the hotels include dianxin breakfast, an all-day Chinesestyle tapas bar, indoor and outdoor pools, a library and cigar lounge, airport concierges and a fleet of Wi-Fi cars. Each hotel will also house a retail shop selling regional goods as well as traditional Chinese medicine. Some Ahn Luh properties will include private villas and residences. All of these will feature meet- ing facilities that provide intimate spaces for executive retreats.
　　About the partners
　　Established in 1998, Beijing Tourism Group is China’s first provincial-level, wholly stateowned tourism enterprise, as well as the country’s largest tourism group, with investments and management enterprises extending to Europe and the United States.
　　General Hotel Management (GHM) is known for conceptualizing, developing and operating an exclusive group of hotels and resorts. The brand’s signature style melds contemporary interpretations of Asian designs and distinctive local touches to create inspired, memorable spaces.
　　Founded in 1996, the Great Ocean Group is a private holding company headquartered in Beijing. Having a special interest in innovative real estate projects and high-end consumer sector, the group maintains close strategic partnership with the most talented and experienced architects and real estate companies both at home and abroad.