Gerhard R. Fasching, born in Austria and with a successful career in the world of hospitality, has been acting as GM of the Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park for twelve months. He is responsible for one of the leading hotels in Shanghai, China.
We asked him about his hotel and the situation:
Mr. Fasching: Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park is one of Shanghai’s hottest properties. You have now been managing this hotel for a year. Can you draw your conclusions after your first twelve months there? What encouraged you to take this job?
There are now numerous five-star hotels in Shanghai. Nevertheless, when I was offered to take this job, I was attracted by this hotel’s uniqueness. Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park combines a diverse set of features, design ideas, feelings and perceptions. This is just not an ordinary five-star hotel; it is a place where people come to enjoy a distinctive experience. My job here was to integrate this business-oriented art hotel into the Shanghai market, and we have done so well that Shanghai Daily crowned our property ‘Shanghai’s very own art hotel’. Everything you see and touch here draws inspiration from Chinese history and art.
Being GM of such a prestigious hotel is an outstanding achievement. What is the best thing about being a top hotelier?
The best part of my job is to discover and cultivate the talent in each staff member I have worked with. Often times, people realize they have abilities they were not aware of, and helping them to find out what results they can achieve is the best thing about this job. I’m not here to tell my staff what to do; I’m here to assist them and helping to do the best job they can, to integrate them into our team, and to enhance their expertise in areas where they need to grow. I always work with them closely. Being supportive and positive. In this way, you are able to guide them in the right direction.
Diversification is very important in the hospitality industry. Your hotel combines the design of an art hotel, the elegance of a business hotel and the strategic location of a city hotel. Can you tell us what makes your property so special?
First of all, we offer a great location. We have generous spaces, wide roads and green parks; these features result in an unrivalled feeling of freedom that our guests particularly appreciate while staying in one of the world’s busiest metropolises. As far as the design is concerned, the concept behind the hotel’s architecture is to reproduce an old Chinese lacquer box. The large lock at the lobby represents imaginary access to this virtual box, surrounded by cracked red paint motifs to further identify the ambiance with a lacquer box. Each room door is the entrance to a secret treasure chamber, and they welcome the incoming guests with floor-to-ceiling windows in contrast with the dark floor corridors. This is something that energizes jet-lagged business travellers and charms curious tourists – something no other hotel that I have seen can offer. We have modern artworks that draw inspiration from ancient Chinese art, including a 3-dimensional painting overlooking the lobby. We also exchange artworks with other Radisson hotels. Art is very beneficial to our body and soul, as it can regenerate a traveller after a long-haul flight, help them to adjust to the new environment and even improve our mood after a simple glimpse.
Your first year of tenure was very successful. Can you give us a little preview of what we can expect from your hotel in the near future?
We will strive to remain trend-setters in the industry. Being the first means being the best. If you just follow the rest, you can only end up picking what others have left behind. We are always going to be innovative and committed to find new ways to expand our business and improve our hotel. In the hospitality industry there is no space for followers: we have to always lead and quickly adjust to the changes in the market. I will keep a very flexible approach, as eventually our business will be subject to economic factors from China and overseas which we cannot control, and therefore our priority will be to read the market to best adjust to the trends.
As you might know, most of our readers are very successful businesspeople, and they are always eager to learn more from outstanding persons like yourself. Can you share the secret of your success?
No matter what you want to achieve, you must dream. Believe in yourself and in what you want to achieve. Do not listen to what people say and just follow your dream. Even if you ultimately will not succeed, working towards achieving your dream will make you happy. If you believe strongly in something, sooner or later you are going to achieve it. It’s all about the energy and effort you are willing to put in it.
