Xiamen's location in southeastern Fujian province, looking over the Taiwan Strait and bordering the cities of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, puts it squarely in the sights of domestic and international businesses. As one of the earliest special economic zones in China, its port of trade was first used by Europeans in 1541 because of its huge, deepwater, ice-free port that never silts up. In the past, Xiamen has also been voted China's cleanest city, and its surrounding countryside provides spectacular scenery and pleasant tree-lined beaches on which to build a vibrant tourism market.

Originally from Switzerland, Roger Mair is the General Manager at the Sofitel Plaza Xiamen. He joined Accor ten years ago at Sofitel in Thailand, then went on to Seoul and finally arrived in China in 2001. In January 2005, he moved to Xiamen, to prepare for the opening of the Sofitel Plaza in July the same year.

How is Sofitel Xiamen positioning itself in the local hotel market?
Being the first International 5 star hotel in Xiamen, we are now firmly positioned as the market leader and preferred corporate and high-end leisure hotel in the city.

The Sofitel Plaza Xiamen combines the most sophisticated hardware with friendly, attentive service. It also enjoys a prime location in the city.

What sort of changes have you implemented since taking over in your new position?
I joined the Sofitel Plaza Xiamen before its opening. I am responsible for its smooth and upward-bound progress thus far.

Thus far, the hotel's status as a preferred corporate hotel has come about because of a personal hands-on approach.

I have a wonderful team of associates that has in a very short time evolved into 5-star service professionals that perfectly complement the sophisticated hardware of the hotel.

What sort of qualities do you look for when hiring staff?
Its all about attitude, but passion and personality are equally important. Opening a new hotel, we were fortunate enough to hire the talent we were looking for and to infuse the Sofitel culture and values from day one.

What are some challenges to operating in southern China?
Xiamen is fortunate to have a healthy and strong business environment of over 6,000 international companies. On the workforce aspect, we can draw from a country-wide work force, similar to Shenzhen. 80% of Xiamen's workforce is from outside the city and Fujian province.

How does Sofitel Xiamen train and retain its staff?
A strong training department is indeed the key to success. Accor provides well defined training programs in all areas. In addition, the following aspects are also necessary factors that complement the training programs: the overall atmosphere in the hotel; each department's operational quality; and team spirit.

These factors contribute toward staff performance and bodes well for their development. On the overall, when staff realize they are in a good environment and are able to learn and develop with consistent training programs, it is an incentive to stay on.

Accor has also introduced a Succession Plan that allows us to groom associates into future managers in the wake of our group's aggressive expansion. This is an added attraction in encouraging staff to progress within the group.

What was the best advice you received when starting out in this industry, and what advice could you give to others just beginning their journeys in the hospitality sector?
I did not receive any advice upon my entry into this industry, but was warned about the long working hours and work on public holidays, evenings and weekends. There are no regrets though, I would do the same if I had to start all over again.

Advice? It is a very interesting industry to work in, but you must have the passion for it, otherwise you will not last long.

How do you integrate Xiamen's local attractions with your hotel's identity?
The Sofitel Plaza Xiamen is built to complement the growing trends of the city. Facilities are built to take advantage of the moderate weather conditions all year round. Xiamen's three golf courses are a great attraction while the famed ‘Gulangyu' or ‘Piano Island' is a novelty and a must-see for visitors.

How do you see Xiamen's hotel sector developing in the next 5 years?
As everywhere else in China, there is a solid supply of hotel rooms lined up with many International hotel companies coming in, while demand is expected to increase equally. Each year sees a strong growth in visitors. While the bulk has been from within China and from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, we see increased arrivals from other regions. The big factor is still Taiwan: when direct travel is created, demand will rocket. Accor itself has started the 300-room IBIS in a prime location near the Gulangyu ferry. There are also plans for other brands like Grand Mercure and Novotel to come on line.