Jinling Hotel still standing tall

Jinling Hotel, in Jiangsu province's capital of Nanjing, was formerly the country's tallest building and epitomizes China's booming economy and rise as a tourist destination in the past 30 years.

In 1978-79, former leader and reformer Deng Xiaoping reiterated the need to fast-track China's tourism industry and granted permission for foreign capital to build hotels.

Around the same time a Singaporean Chinese, Tao Xinbo, returned to Nanjing, his hometown, in the hope of cashing in on the new economic policy.

He zeroed in on Xinjiekou Street, a rundown area with two large squatter settlements. This is where he decided to build a world-class hotel.

The idea of setting up a luxury hotel did not seem sustainable. In the immediate aftermath of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), traveling was still, largely, necessity-driven.

Tao used his influence to get a $40 million loan from HSBC in Hong Kong, and invested $8 million himself.

Construction began in March 1980, and Jinling Hotel was ready for a trial run by March 1983. Its operation was noted by the United Kingdom's The Guardian as a symbol of China's arrival in the world tourism industry - a signal that dramatic reforms were being implemented.

The going was not smooth all the way. The move to import furnishings and other items to give the hotel a world-class look drew criticism from the public.

After a year, a Canadian newspaper complained that Jinling Hotel was being run like a government guesthouse and that its management was outdated.

Partly as a result, 12 staff members were sent to intern at the Excelsior Hotel of Hong Kong, to brush up on their management ideas. They took 40 days to complete a course designed to run for six months and returned to Nanjing as seasoned professionals, conversant with modern management methods.

Jinling Hotel matured and later served as a window, showcasing China's achievements since 1978, in the hotel industry, economy and culture.

More big buildings appeared in Nanjing, but Jinling Hotel was the tallest for 10 years, until the Golden Eagle International Plaza broke the record and taller structures followed.

Twenty years ago, the appearance of Jinling Hotel surprised Nanjing residents. It marked the beginning of change in the country.

(China Daily 01/02/2010 page10)