PATA 60th Anniversary and Conference

April 9 - 12, 2011

China World Hotel

Beijing, China

QuickFacts

Venue:  
PATA 60th Anniversary & Conference will be held at China World Hotel in Beijing, China, below is the venue’s location.

China World Hotel
No 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue,
Beijing, 100004
China
Tel: (86 10) 6505 2266
Email: cwh@shangri-la.com
Website: www.shangri-la.com         

Dress Code:
Business attire is the official dress code during PATA 60th Anniversary & Conference. Dress code for evening social functions, unless otherwise specified within the program, is smart casual attire or national costume.

Airport Transfers:
Airport transfers from Beijing Capital International Airport to PATA 60th Anniversary & Conference official hotels will be made available to all registered delegates arriving on April 07-10, 2010 and departure transfer will be from April 12-14.

Getting Around:
The PATA 60th Anniversary & Conference hosts will provide coach shuttle services for connections between PATA 60th Anniversary & Conference official hotels and all official conference sessions and social events. The official shuttle schedule will be made available at a later date.

Pre- and Post- 60th Anniversary & Conference Tours:
Pre and post tours will be advised shortly.

About Beijing:
Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. It is the striking metropolitan core of a country with one of the world’s oldest civilizations.   

Official Language:
The official language of Beijing is Mandarin Chinese. However, English is widely spoken and understood and usually used in trade, tourism and commerce.

Weather:
Beijing has a climate ranging from very warm during the summer-28C to 38C (82F to 93F)-to extremely cold during the winter--10C to 10C (14F to 50F).  April is the month of winter/spring season which is the best time to be in Beijing.  The temperature can be 7°C - 20°C

Temperature Chart for major cities in the Month of April

              (Figures in Degree Centigrade)    

Money Matter:
The official currency in china is the renminbi (rmb) or "people's currency". The basic rmb unit is the yuan (also known as "kuai"), which equals 10 jiao (or "mao"), which is then divided into 10 fen. Rmb is available in both paper notes and coins. The denominations of paper notes are 100, 50, 10, 5, 2 and 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao; and 5, 2 and 1 fen. The denominations of coins are 1 yuan; 5 and 1 jiao; and 5, 2 and 1 fen. The symbol of china yuan (cny) is ￥.

Exchanging the Money:
The exchange rate as of December 1, 2010 is RMB 6.7 = US$ 1. It is possible to exchange traveler's checks or cash at most banks, and hotels always have a money exchange counter. Cash advances are available on most common credit/debit cards e.g. American Express/Visa/MasterCard, but this facility is available only from the main branch of the Bank of China in most Chinese cities. A fee of 3%-4% will apply. The Bank of China has an ATM network that will allow cash advances from major credit / debit cards and ATM cards. Check you credit card provider for this information before leaving your home country. You are required to present your passport to change money/travelers checks etc. Hotels will usually only allow you to change money if you are guest at the hotel. The RMB is not easily convertible on the international market so it is only usable in China. It is advisable to change only the money that you need for you trip as it may be difficult to change back to you preferred currency. RMB is now readily convertible in Hong Kong. You can convert unused RMB to another currency in China by producing the receipts for your original purchase of RMB in China. This exchange is done at the airport as you leave China.

Credit Card:
Major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, JCB and American Express are accepted in major hotels and department stores. Check on the acceptance of your credit card before you purchase. Credit cards cannot be used in most restaurants or small convenience stores. Air Travel could be purchased with credit cards. Credit cards can be used to get a cash advance in the main offices of the Bank of China.

Drinking water:
Potable water is available only at a few best hotels, so visitors should always ask to make sure. Bottled mineral water is widely available in all stores and street kiosks and sometimes provided free by the hotel.

Electricity:
Most luxury hotels have built-in converters in bathrooms for shavers, hair dryers, etc. Otherwise, come equipped, because an amazing variety of plug types are in use. The voltage is 220 volts; thus you may need a 220-110 adapter.

Photography:
Taking photographs or videos of military installations is prohibited. As in other countries, some museums, palaces, or temples will not allow photographs to be taken, or will charge fee. At other times, photography is allowed, but without using flash lights.
No special permit is necessary for video or movie cameras, as long as it is clearly not for professional use.

Time difference:
Despite China being a vast country geographically spanning 5 time zones, the whole of China operates to a single Standard Time all year round. China Time Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+8) and China Time does not operate Daylight-Saving Time.

Making phone Calls:
Apart from calling IDD from your hotel room, there are various phone cards available in post offices inside hotels or at most newsstands on the street.

The following is how to dial international call from China:

00+country code + region code + phone number

The country code for USA and Canada is 1, for the other countries; please check the instruction book in the hotel room.

Mobile Phone Service: China is using GSM mobile system for mobile phone services. Check your mobile phone service provider to see if your mobile service is usable in China

Internet Services: Most of hotels provide wired or wireless Internet services. Some hotels may charge fees for using of Internet services.

Visa:Visas are required by all international visitors  excepts: National of Singapore, Brunei & Japan can enjoy free visa access to china up to 15 days. The ordinary visas consist of eight sub-categories, which are marked with Chinese phonetic letters (D, Z, X, F, L, G, C, J-1 and J-2 respectively). Please visit  http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ljzg/3647/3648/ for a brief Introduction to Chinese Visa and the Procedure for Visa Application.