IHG’s China Ready program, which was rolled out in April, is already in full swing at various properties around the world, reports TTG Asia.

InterContinental Hotels Group is one hotel company that is taking steps now to ready itself for what is panning out to be years and years of Chinese travel and arrivals. IHG's China Ready program, which was rolled out in April, is already in full swing at various properties around the world, reports TTG Asia.

China Ready currently covers 85 hotels in more than 24 countries to date and includes "hiring trained Chinese chefs, providing cultural awareness training to staff, adding a UnionPay payment option, tailoring F&B offerings and bringing in Mandarin-language television channels in hotel rooms."

As TTG Asia points out, one-third of employees at the Holiday Inn Resort Waikiki Beachcomber are fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. Meanwhile, the InterContinental San Francisco publishes Mandarin-language brochures and its area creative director, Connie Perez, said: “We target Chinese MICE groups opting for destination outside Asia as they want new experiences and something different in U.S. and Europe.”

IHG also launched Hualuxe Hotels and Resorts in 2012, which it plans to introduce to 100 cities across Greater China over the next two decades and to key international destinations, said IHG Greater China, CEO, Kenneth Macpherson.

A new sales office was opened in Taiwan last month to serve its properties in Greater China and increasing outbound demand from the region.

Other hotel companies, including Hilton, with its Huanying program, are also gearing up for Chinese travelers.