Major hotel brands are bending over backward to cater to theneeds of the world’s most sought-after traveler: the Chinesetourist.Now arriving on American shores in unprecedented numbers thanks to a streamlined visa processand a rising Chinese middle class, Chinese tourists are being treated to the comforts of home whenthey check in at the front desk. That means hot tea in their rooms, congee for breakfast andMandarin-speaking hotel employees at their disposal.Chinese “welcome programs” at reputable chains like Marriott and Hilton even address delicatecultural differences: No Chinese tour group should be placed on a floor containing the numberfour, which sounds like the word for death in Mandarin.“They’re very relieved, like finally somebody’s doing these things that make sense,” said RobertArmstrong, a sales manager who handles all bookings for incoming Chinese travelers at theWaldorf-Astoria in New York. “Finally somebody’s catering to them.”

More than a million Chinese visited the U.S. in 2011, contributing more than $5.7 billion to the U.S. economy. That’s up 36 percent from 2010, according to the Department of Commerce. By 2016, that figure is expected to reach 2.6 million Chinese.In a striking departure from the traditional Chinese business traveler, a growing number of themare simply coming to America for fun with lots of cash on hand. (The average Chinese visitorspends more than $6,000 per trip.)And so hotels are openly competing to win the hearts of the Chinese, who generally travel in largegroups and stick to a tight itinerary, often packing multiple cities into a two-week American tour. What they’re looking for is a hotel that makes them feel at ease with their surroundings, said RoyGraff, a travel consultant who educates hotels in proper Chinese culture and hospitality.That may take the form of slippers and a tea kettle in the hotel room or a Mandarin-speakingemployee at the front desk or all of the above.

新闻资讯：据美国《星岛日报》报道，从卷着舌头学说普通话，到架起炉子学煮中式粥，全美酒店业今夏将陆续推出贴心服务，迎接中国游客这棵摇钱树。业者形容，中国游客将是他们有史以来“最大的商机”。报道援引华尔街日报消息指出，希尔顿和喜达屋(Starwood)这两家酒店集团，分别定于11日宣布专为中国游客而设的新服务，其中希尔顿特地以汉语拼音把计划命名为“希尔顿欢迎”选择加入计划的旗下酒店，需在前台派驻一名通晓中文的接待员，房间要有中文电视频道，早餐也必须有点心、粥和炒面等传统中式食物。计划将在8月开始，目前已有30间酒店加入。