According to the National Bureau of Statistics, retail sales in China reached CNY2.94 trillion in the first quarter of 2009, a year-on-year increase of 15%.

Regal Hotels International and the Sichuan Master Investment Group have entered into a 10-year hotel management agreement in which Regal will manage a five-star luxury hotel in Chengdu.

Statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce showed that China's catering and lodging industry realized retail sales of CNY137.66 billion in November 2008, a year-on-year increase of 25.1%, but a decrease of 6.6% compared with that of October 2008.

Zhu Shanzhong, director of the marketing and communications department of the China National Tourism Administration, said in Shanghai that CNTA has proposed a national leisure program to encourage more Chinese citizens to participate in domestic tours and to promote the Chinese tourism market.

Ikea China's vice president for real estate purchasing Gao Feng and the vice governor of Hangzhou's Binjiang District Yu Xiao'an have signed a investment letter of intent for a new Ikea store in Binjiang District, Hangzhou.

According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce on October 27, 2008, in the first three quarters of 2008, the retail sales of China's dining and lodging industry increased by 24.8% to over CNY1.1 trillion.