Shanghai, China, September 20, 2016 /Xinwengao.com/ - This 5th edition of Wine Days will provide the opportunity to illustrate Sofitel’s commitment to wine by means of a variety of events that will enable everyone to make daring new discoveries or deepen their knowledge of the world of wine.

On the occasion of its wine days, Sofitel commissioned a study in 2015 with the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) about the art of wine. This exclusive study in two parts (Image and Imaginary of Wine in 2015 and Wine Consumption in 2016) had a study sample from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Russia, and the United States). Last year, the study revealed compelling findings about the image and imaginary of wine. This year, Sofitel has focused on how wine is currently consumed. Brand new graphics will be unveiled on social media under the hashtag #SofitelWineDays.

From Australia to India as well as the United States, the desire to know more about wine is everywhere. This goes hand in hand with the general increase in the number of consumers. According to a study presented by Sofitel, 34% of those surveyed define themselves as wine novices but are keen to know about French wines. Furthermore, 45% of those surveyed – across all nationalities – expressed a desire to further their knowledge of French wines. “This confirms that France is a world leader in this field, with an undeniable image of excellence that is recognised all over the world.”

Sofitel Wine Days tastings represent a unique experience for wine lovers, providing the ideal framework to benefit from the brand’s know-how, thanks in particular to its 50 years’ experience that has allowed it to refine its expertise, its master sommeliers, a high quality wine library and exceptional wines served at the event.

Now in its fifth year, the common theme of this celebration is to pay tribute to wine. In Greater China, the 2016 edition offers guests a dazzling programme of events, which have been specially designed for the occasion. Numerous tastings, events, discoveries and meetings will be held at Sofitel hotels, offering diverse wine-oriented experiences to guests. The First Master of Wine in Mainland China, Fongyee Walker, has been invited as a guest sommelier. She will conduct wine master classes and participate in opening and closing wine events at Sofitel Wanda Beijing and Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Hotel Xian, as well as creating a wine dinner menu with French Chef de Cuisine Fatela Yohan at Heritage French restaurant at Sofitel Wanda Beijing.

Sofitel Kunming will host a “Dining in the dark” event, featuring a creative menu with wines and cocktails, on 28th and 29th October. At Sofitel Nanjing Galaxy, on 14th October, guests will be able to explore the pleasurable experiences hidden in the less familiar world of French organic wines including Gérard Bertrand and Château l’Hospitalet. Customers can also attend “After-work Wine & Saxophone” evenings, savour wine-based cocktails and enjoy gastronomic meals.

Sofitel Wine Days in Greater China will delight guests with a number of other surprises, for the enjoyment of amateurs and aficionados alike!

The complete study 2015 – 2016 « Sofitel Wine Days » is available on request.

The press release The “Art Of Wine” Is Celebrated In China Through End Of October comes from Xinwengao.com press release distribution and journalist media database service in China.

Paris, France, July 22, 2016 /Xinwengao.com/ - After three years of transformation that have resulted in the development of two well- structured, strategically related business lines with record performances, AccorHotels is pursuing its strategy of continuous improvement and significant expansion by initiating a project to create a dedicated subsidiary for its HotelInvest operations.

The aim of the project is to strengthen AccorHotels’ financial resources in order to accelerate growth, while also providing a legal structure that will ultimately enable third-party investors to hold the majority of HotelInvest’s capital. AccorHotels would use the additional financial leeway to develop its two business lines and seize new growth opportunities, thereby maximizing the Group’s overall value.

Initiated in 2013 and based on a new organizational model, the restructuring of the HotelInvest portfolio has significantly increased the value and profitability of the Group’s assets.

Between 2013 and 2015, gross asset value increased from €5.5 billion to €7 billion and the profitability of the portfolio improved significantly, with operating margin standing at 7.8% in 2015 (versus 4% in 2013). As a result, HotelInvest is now Europe’s leading hotel investor.

The project would enable HotelInvest to initiate a new phase of dynamic growth, by consolidating its existing asset portfolio through renovations, extensions and repositioning, expanding its network through acquisitions and hotel construction, and implementing an assertive asset turnover strategy.

At a time when the hotel and travel industries are changing profoundly, this project would give AccorHotels significant room for maneuver and greater financial flexibility to implement new initiatives, develop new products and services and, in doing so, capitalize on growth opportunities in the travel and digital spheres that would strengthen the Group’s competitive edge.

Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AccorHotels, commented: “As the restructuring begun in late 2013 comes to an end in line with the initial timeframe and objectives, turning HotelInvest into a subsidiary is the new step that offers a wealth of opportunities for AccorHotels. By making it possible to bring in new investors for part of our business, this project will significantly increase the resources available to the Group to consolidate the respective leadership positions of HotelServices and HotelInvest, while also enabling us to continue to leverage synergies between the two business lines. This way, each business will be able to continue to grow within the Group based on a valuation that reflects its specific business model and growth outlook. At the same time, all of our teams will remain under the AccorHotels umbrella brand.”

The project was given the go-ahead by the AccorHotels’ Board of Directors at its meeting on July 12. It will be presented to the appropriate employee representative organizations and submitted for approval to AccorHotels’ governing bodies, including the Board of Directors and Shareholders’ Meeting. It is expected to be completed by the end of first-half 2017.

ABOUT ACCORHOTELS
AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,000 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 2,500 of the finest private homes around the globe. Benefiting from dual expertise as an investor and operator through its HotelServices and HotelInvest divisions, AccorHotels operates in 95 countries. Its portfolio comprises internationally acclaimed luxury brands including Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel Legend, SO Sofitel, Sofitel, onefinestay, MGallery by Sofitel, Pullman, and Swissôtel; as well as the popular midscale and boutique brands of Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter and Adagio; the in-demand economy brands including ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and the regional brands Grand Mercure, The Sebel and hotelF1.

With an unmatched collection of brands and rich history spanning close to five decades, AccorHotels, along with its global team of more than 240,000 dedicated women and men, has a purposeful and heartfelt mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome. Guests enjoy access to one of the world’s most rewarding hotel loyalty programs – Le Club AccorHotels.

AccorHotels is active in its local communities and committed to sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.

Accor SA is publicly listed with shares trading on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY) in the United States.

The press release AccorHotels initiates project to turn HotelInvest into a subsidiary to accelerate its transformation and growth comes from Xinwengao.com press release distribution and journalist media database service in China.

Nice, France, May 11, 2016 /Xinwengao.com/ - Huawei unveils Cloud Transformation solution at TM Forum and proposed that “clouds” will be the new engine that drives carriers’ digital transformation. The cloud-and-network synergy solution brings carriers’ existing network advantages into full play so as to help them carry out digital transformation.

The Internet is a massive part of people’s lives and work, bringing today’s individual and enterprise users the urgent need for Internetized ROADS experience (Real-time and on-demand, all-online, DIY and social). Carriers are now under great pressure of increasing competition. However, they are still incompetent in terms of agile innovation and operational efficiency due to a rigid and closed IT infrastructure. In contrast, Internet companies’ cloud-based IT architecture is more agile for service innovation.

Huawei believes carriers should prioritize cloudification during digital transformation. Cloudification empowers carriers in two ways

1. Expanding the B2B Cloud Service Market and Enabling Agile Service Innovation

With the Internetization of B2B and the maturing of cloud technologies, many forward-looking carriers such as DT, Telefonica and China Telecom have set their eyes on the government and enterprise cloud service market. Huge customer base, vast network resources and localized services are just some of the advantages carriers would need to exploit in order to gain a head start in the cloud service blue ocean market.

2. Smooth Evolution to Cloudified IT Architecture Improves Operational Efficiency and Reduces Management Costs

Huawei helps carriers evaluate the cloudification maturity of their operational systems in three phases. In the Cloud 1.0 phase (virtualization), software and hardware are decoupled. In the cloud 2.0 phase (cloudification), virtualized resources are centrally managed and scheduled. In the cloud 3.0 phase (native clouds), software can be independently developed, deployed and managed on clouds. Most carriers are evolving from Cloud 1.0 to Cloud 2.0. Their greatest challenge is implementing unified management for heterogeneous virtual resources and datacenters scattered in different places to enable agile service provisioning and boost resource utilization.

Huawei’s Cloud Transformation Solution Based on “Cloud-and-Network Synergy” Helps Carriers Build the Customized Networks for Clouds

Based on OpenStack’s unified open architecture, the integrated resource pool supports unified management in 4 aspects: unified management for multi-datacenters, cloud and non-cloud resources, heterogeneous virtual platforms, and unified O&M. The solution supports smooth network evolution and allows customers to use a variety of devices from different vendors. The solution can be deployed in a “geographically distributed, logically centralized, resource-sharing and on-demand service” way. It dynamically meets the customized service requirements of both government and industry customers, while adapting to their existing datacenters, significantly boosting resource utilization.

With this solution, networks are reconstructed centered on datacenters and deployed in a hierarchical manner (within datacenters, between datacenters, from datacenters to terminal users). Carriers can offer customized networks to meet customer requirements. Network as a Service (NaaS) increases business revenue, enhances customer loyalty and brings the value of “cloud-and-network synergy” into full play.

Huawei’s cloud transformation solution has been successfully deployed in more than 200 cases by global carriers. It has built more than 10 open labs worldwide for joint innovation and fast commercial deployment of new services, thereby helping carriers excel through digital transformation.

The press release Huawei Unveils Cloud Transformation Solution at TM Forum comes from Xinwengao.com press release distribution and journalist media database service in China.