Mr. Jianping Wei and his son visited the Business School at the University of Colorado Denver on July 14. Mr. Wei, the chairman of Beijing Intercontinental Hotel, toured the new Business School building with Dean Sueann Ambron and other CU officials. Mr. Wei gained a first-hand exposure to the new Business School building while learning about the wide range of the educational programs offered at the CU Denver and Anschutz Medical campuses.

Lawrence Cunningham, Accenture Professor of Marketing at the Business School, hosted Mr. Wei’s visit to Denver and facilitated discussions with CU Denver officials.

During Mr. Wei’s visit, there were discussions of emerging trends in the international hotel industry, especially in China. During these discussions, Professor Cunningham observed that Western hotel chains have traditionally emphasized Western visitors in China as a source of their business. However, these chains have increasingly targeted upscale Chinese businessmen who are seeking a luxury experience. This trend is particularly relevant to Professor Cunningham as part of his ongoing research into the area of international luxury markets.