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At 8 minutes past 8pm on the 8th day of the 8th month in the 8th year of this new millennium the world will almost certainly witness the rise of a new superpower – China.
It's no coincidence that the Olympics will start on that date at that exact time. Number is 8 is considered to be one of the luckiest numbers in China representing wealth, fortune and prosperity and the timing of the opening ceremony for the Olympics has been arranged to give the athletes the luckiest possible start to this sporting spectacle. Already the fastest growing economy and, at last count, the third largest in the world, it is surely only a matter of time before we see a world dominated by one of the oldest civilisations on the planet. Economics aside, the opening ceremony of the 29th Olympiad in
Beijing’s ‘Birds Nest’ national stadium represents the beginning of a cultural renaissance on a par with attending the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London or President Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address in Washington D.C. Unlike those other defining moments of their respective centuries, ATP can arrange for you and your colleagues or clients to witness this fantastic event in person. ATP has now been involved with five Olympics since 1998 selling over 100,000 tickets in total to the world’s largest single sporting event.
Accessibility
Beijing is more accessible then you may first think; direct flights
from Heathrow on British Airways or Air China take just 10 hours. The timing
also helps as a late afternoon departure from London touches down around 9:30
the following morning in Beijing – the perfect excuse to upgrade to a flat bed!
Hotel choice
Accommodation is no longer a problem as Beijing now has excellent
4 and 5 star hotels to accommodate guests from both the leisure or business market.
The famous Peninsula Beijing Hotel is just minutes from Beijing’s historic landmarks
and a short stroll to “China’s No.1 Commercial Street” Wangfujing. The hotel
also offers a wide range of meeting venues all with the latest technology available.
The 4 star Jianguo Hotel, the first hotel in Beijing to accept foreign guests,
is just 10 minutes from Tiananmen Square and 20 minutes from Beijing’s Capital
Airport. Modern rooms overlook the small water gardens making for a tranquil
setting in this fast paced city.
Take in the sights
Of course, if you visit Beijing
to enjoy the spectacle of the Olympics you’ll be keen to watch your favourite
sporting events but there are some ‘must see’ places to visit whilst you are
there. Once in Beijing the top of everyones to do list is to see Tiananmen Square
which is at the very of heart of Beijing, in front of the entrance to the Forbidden
City, and although slightly less spectacular than might be expected it still
holds symbols of power from the past and the present. Next on the list must be
The Forbidden City, so-called as the area was off limits during the Ming and
Qing dynasties. It was once the home of the Emperor and the Royal Household;
today the vast network of restored buildings and courtyards has become a UNESCO
World Heritage sight, and home to an oddly placed Starbucks! A one hour transfer,
longer if you get caught in the heavy Beijing traffic, will bring you to the
Great Wall. The Great Wall of China was built over 2000 years ago and is one
of the largest building constructions ever completed covering over 5,000km and
famously is one of only two manmade structures that can be seen from space (the
other being Kinsai International Airport in Japan). Sensible shoes are a must
as it is quite a climb before you get to the wall itself. Beijing moves at a
hectic pace and the many tea houses are a welcome retreat giving you a chance
to be shown a traditional tea ceremony and learn about different Chinese teas.
If time allows it’s worth a visit to the 798 district where Chinese artists showcase
their work in what was once an area of large factories but is now home to studios
and galleries.
Fine dining
It’s not just great hotels and attractions that have put Beijing on the map of
must see cities but its host of new restaurants that would be equally at home
in London or New York. Modern Chinese food is served in amazing locations such
as the Philippe Starke designed Lan Club, the chilled vibe of The Green T House
or the exclusive members only China Club.
Amazing incentive
ATP has been able
to secure rooms at a number of leading hotels during the Olympics and is working
closely with China’s leading destination management company to offer an amazing
incentive programme for 10 or more of your colleagues or top clients. Flights,
accommodation, transfers and sight seeing have carefully been packaged into amazing
four or five day ‘waves’. Prices start from around £4,000.
For further information
please contact our ATP’s Olympic Specialists at beijing2008@atpi.com
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