One year ago, a MICE-dedicated team was set up to promote the global arena, Yang says. "The potentially massive MICE-market is enticing, especially as the 2008 Beijing Olympics is approaching," he says.

The Beijing Olympics is expected to attract more leisure and business travellers, which would promote sectors such as airlines, hotels, exhibition and convention facilities.

Many are concerned with stalled business growth in China's hospitality industry after the Olympics, partly due to having too many new hotels competing for too few customers.

But Yang is positive: "We cannot predict the future, but we can create the future."

Right people, doing the right things

Power comes from the people, Yang says. "People make a difference. No matter how many hotels there may be, it is the team that makes a hotel distinct," he says.

Currently most of his work is spent on communicating with staff members, getting their ideas about how to better serve guests, and making them feel at home.

Yang also asks department managers to have lunch or dinner with their staff in the hotel's dinning hall as often as they can. "This was unheard-of before. He himself goes there often, talking and exchanging ideas with everyone," says a staff member on condition of anonymity.

"If we could delight guests, make them feel special and recognized, it's easy to get them back time and again," Yang says.

During the China-Africa Summit held last month, high-level officials from Angola, Libya, and Djibouti stayed in Kerry Centre. The hotel, fitted-up with colourful fabric and flowers, specially acquired prayer mats, guest-tailored menus, beverages and fruit, and more importantly, trained staff, scored more than 10 thank you letters soon after the event. Despite the Kerry Centre's successes, there is still room for progress, according to the GM.

"The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement," he says.

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