专访武汉锦江国际大酒店总经理Theo Pauly
2007年开春，美丽的西北湖畔将诞生武汉又一座五星级商务酒店——武汉锦江国际大酒店。它坐拥金融大道，依湖而立，弧型的外观有着与众不同的高贵气质。是什么让它选择了武汉？它又将以怎样的姿态给武汉带来惊喜？
一个暖暖的午后，《武汉旅游》特别采访了武汉锦江国际大酒店总经理Theo Pauly，他言谈中的自信和温暖的眼神，流露着一个领导者独有的魅力，而全新的武汉锦江国际大酒店的风采和国际化的风范，也在他热情的描述中让人无限憧憬。
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《武汉旅游》：锦江国际酒店管理有限公司（“锦江酒店”）在今年10月刚被宣布荣获“2006最佳本土酒店集团”。在过去的三年中，“锦江酒店”已经从全球300强酒店集团排名的49位上升至22位。为什么“锦江酒店”会选择在武汉投资兴建五星级商务酒店？
Theo Pauly：武汉是华中地区最大的城市，这也是为什么锦江酒店集团选择武汉，作为由中部向外延伸发展的重要基地的原因。当中国建设银行向我们提供位于武汉商业中心这个令人激动人心的项目时，我们怎能拒绝。在发达城市，这样一个绝好的地理位置是很难得的。
《武汉旅游》：武汉锦江国际大酒店位于西北湖畔，与他临近的武汉香格里拉大饭店相比，武汉锦江国际大酒店有哪些不同之处吗？
Theo Pauly：毫无疑问，在亚洲乃至世界，香格里拉都是知名酒店品牌之一。武汉香格里拉开业已有八年，而我们有着最新最现代的设施及产品，并且都是按照当前酒店客人的需求建造的，这些能帮助我们很好地进入武汉市场。我们的餐饮就是很好的例子。与新加坡同乐餐饮集团合作，联手打造中餐厅“锦庐”。同乐集团除了在其本国新加坡以外，在北京、上海及东京的餐厅的经营都非常的成功，在曼谷和印度的餐厅也即将开业。另外，作为酒店大堂吧的一部分，雪茄吧Cohiba，在武汉五星级酒店中也是独一无二的。我们酒店与其它五星级酒店不同之处的专访中可以予以更详尽的介绍。
《武汉旅游》：听说武汉锦江国际大酒店即将于2007年3月开业，它的开业对武汉酒店业将带来怎样的影响？
Theo Pauly：2007年，除了我们武汉锦江国际大酒店，还有三家以上的豪华五星级酒店即将开业。五星级酒店的客房将增长50％，客人也将有更多入住好酒店品牌的选择。与此同时，各家酒店将在服务质量上展开竞争，进而提高武汉酒店业的整体水平。随着武汉引进的投资项目越来越多，以及天河机场的扩建，有质量的国际酒店将加强城市的定位。
《武汉旅游》：您对武汉的印象怎样？
Theo Pauly：武汉繁荣稳定，当地人对外国人非常亲善友好。当我走在街头，经常会有小朋友向我挥手，并用英语向我打招呼。目前我们已从2500多名的求职者中挑选出第一批300名员工，他们那种积极向上的工作态度给我留下了深刻的印象。他们看到中国的发展正迈向一个光明的未来，选择酒店业作为职业发展是个不错的选择，因为在未来15年到20年，中国的酒店业将发展成为世界第一大行业。
《武汉旅游》：您是如何达到今天的成就的？能谈谈您的经历吗？
Theo Pauly：我的酒店职业生涯是从学徒生活开始的。两年的学徒生涯中，我参加了一个培训计划，被派到十个不同的部门工作，随后我决定选择餐饮部作为发展的目标。随着在国际酒店如幕温披克和凯宾斯基工作经验的积累，我的职业生涯也一步步发展。我为洲际酒店集团工作过16年，大部分时间是在德国和东欧担任总经理及区域总经理。加入锦江酒店集团之前，我在中东巴林岛重新装修后的最大的一家五星级酒店担任总经理。
《武汉旅游》：您将如何带领您的团队在武汉酒店业树立锦江的国际品牌？
Theo Pauly：我们目前的首要任务是挑选合适的人才。每位员工最后都是由我们的驻店经理林俊雄先生或者是我进行最后的面试。我们对员工的挑选是非常严格的，目前仅有10％的员工签订了合同。元月份，我们将设近20个培训教室在酒店周围，对员工进行大量的技能培训，让他们了解酒店的文化。我坚信，要成为一家领先的五星级酒店，令客人向往的酒店产品和好的地理位置是远远不够的，同时需要武汉当地的居民及来访客人的认可。现在越来越多的人出行旅游，这是前所未有的。客人的期望越高，酒店的竞争就越激烈。我们希望为员工创造一个良好的工作环境，让他们有更大的上升空间，与此同时，我们也希望我们的客人对我们的服务感到满意。
Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel—Highlight of the City
An interview with Theo Pauly, general manager of Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel
In the spring of 2007, a five-star business hotel — Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel, will open on the lakefront of Northwest Lake. Its arch shaped facade embodies a noble style. What makes it choose to set up in Wuhan? What surprises are in store for Wuhan?
On a sunny afternoon, Wuhan Tourism interviewed Theo Pauly, general manager of Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel. His confidence and charm project his leadership qualities. While his enthusiastic description makes us look forward fervently to the opening of this elegant international hotel.
《Wuhan Tourism》：In Oct. 2006, Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Company (Jin Jiang Hotels) was announced as “The Best Local Hotel Chain for 2006”. Over the past three years, Jin Jiang Hotels has jumped from 49th to 22nd amongst the top 300 major hotel companies in the world. Why does Jin Jiang Hotels choose to build a five-star business hotel in Wuhan?
Theo Pauly：Wuhan is the biggest city in central China and was therefore identified by Jin Jiang Hotels to be the cardinal point of our central region. When the China Construction Bank offered us this exciting project right at the heart of Wuhan’s CBD, we could not refuse it. Such a prime location is rarely available in developed cities.
《Wuhan Tourism》：Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel is located at the lakefront of Northwest Lake. Compared with the neighboring Shangri-La Wuhan, how is Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel different?
Theo Pauly：Shangri-La is definitely one of the finest hotel brands in Asia, and as such in the world. Opening eight years later gives us the advantage to enter the Wuhan market with a fresh and modern product, designed to the changing and more demanding needs of today’s guests. A good example may be our Food and Beverage outlets. In a cooperative venture with Tung Lok Group, our restaurant The Chinoise Story brings to Wuhan an exquisite selection of contemporary specialties. Outside its home market Singapore, this concept has successfully launched in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and will open soon in Bangkok and India. As part of our lobby bar, we will feature our cigar lounge Cohiba, which will be the first of its kind in Wuhan’s five star hotels.
《Wuhan Tourism》：It is said that Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel will soon be opened in March 2007. How will the opening affect the hotel industry in Wuhan?
Theo Pauly：Apart from Wuhan Jin Jiang International Hotel, three more deluxe hotels will open their doors in 2007 and the five star room supply will grow by 50%. As a result, the customers will have a wider choice of branded hotels, which will compete in service quality and improve the general level of Wuhan’s hotel products. In light of all the upcoming projects and the expansion of Wuhan Tian He Airport, quality hotels on international service level are needed to strengthen the positioning of the city.
《Wuhan Tourism》：What is your impression of Wuhan?
Theo Pauly：For a city of this size, Wuhan is a safe place, and local people are very friendly and supportive towards foreigners. Frequently, children wave their hands when they see me or try to impress with their English language skills. We have already screened more than 2, 500 applicants amongst which we have hired the first 300 employees, and I am impressed by their positive attitude towards work. They see China moving into a bright future and want to be part of it. Our employees are very keen to learn and grow, and thankful, if I share my opinion with them. The Chinese hotel industry is an excellent choice for their career, as in fifteen to twenty years it is expected to be the biggest in the world.
《Wuhan Tourism》：How did you achieve today’s success? Could you talk about your experiences?
Theo Pauly：I started from scratch with a two years apprenticeship, during which I ran through a training program in ten different departments. Then I decided to get specialized in Food and Beverage and climbed up the ladder while working for international hotel companies like Movenpick and Kempinski. In total of sixteen years, I worked for the Intercontinental Hotels Group, most of that time as a general manager and regional general manager in Germany and Eastern Europe. Before joining Jin Jiang Hotels, I ran the biggest five star hotel in Bahrain, Middle East, which was to be renovated and repositioned in a more competitive market.
《Wuhan Tourism》：What will you do to lead your team to build the international brand of Jin Jiang in Wuhan’s hotel industry?
Theo Pauly：Our most important task at the moment is to hire the right employees for the right positions. Every potential employee is finally screened by either my Resident Manager, Mr. Philip Lim, or myself. We are very selective and only about 10% of the applicants are awarded the contracts. As of January, we will have almost twenty training rooms near the hotel ready, in order to familiarize new recruits with our service culture and conduct intensive training to equip them with the necessary skills. I do believe that an exciting hotel product in a prime location is not sufficient any more, to be recognized by the residents of Wuhan and its visitors as the leading five star hotel. Never before the people have had the opportunity to travel that much, which results in the continually increasing expectations of customers. The competitive edge to this challenge is to create a working environment in which employees like to improve their capabilities for their own advancement and at the same time to the benefit of our guests.
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