Rubin is one of the most sought-after tour operators in China for luxury travel, a field that has changed dramatically in the 16 years that he’s been in the industry. He exhaustively researches new openings—the Banyan Tree Shanghai; the Mandarin Orientals in Guangzhou and Shanghai—and cultivates local contacts that lead to insider experiences: a helicopter ride from Beijing to the Great Wall, instruction in the game of weiqi, or a private calligraphy lesson.  » Read more »

  This past June, Guy and I were fortunate enough to be invited by Shangri-la Hotel to their new hotel in Lhasa as a part of their Advisory Board meeting (Guy is on the board).  I hadn’t been to Lhasa in almost ten years and the last time we were there, the Lhasa Hotel was the best on offer.  Since then, both the Shangri-la and St. Regis hotels have opened,  » Read more »

Guy – Why was Beijing Tourism Administration (BTA) changed into Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BTD)? Vice-Director Gao – Thanks Guy for inviting me to do this interview. It is my pleasure to introduce Beijing to the travel community. To answer your question – in the Beijing government structure a “Commission” ranks higher than an “Administration” and a “ Commission” has yet more coordination power and a bigger budget than an  “Administration ”.  » Read more »

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