An overview of Hospitality education, training and expertise needs in China

Rebecca Li is a force to be reckoned with and some of the many hats she wears include entrepreneur, hospitality expert, investment banker and educator.  Rebecca was born into a Chinese hotelier family and left China in 2003 to pursue her studies in England and China.  In 2011 she became an investment banker and returned to China in 2014.  In this podcast, Rebecca shares her educational and career path choices and how she juggles her career with having two young children.

Rebecca also describes her family’s hotel business and how it has evolved over the years.  As an entrepreneur, Rebecca is constantly looking for ways to grow and improve her family’s businesses and she recently visited Switzerland to discover Swiss hospitality and Swiss hospitality education.  After commenting on her impressions of Switzerland, she describes the hospitality sector in China and how China is meeting the ever-growing hospitality needs through education, technology and innovation.

Finally, Rebecca discusses some of the challenges that the Chinese hospitality market is currently facing and conveys the need for more hospitality education and training. She addresses the ever-changing travel and hospitality market and how hoteliers can better meet these challenges.

Rebecca Li is a seasoned hotelier with a rich background in the hospitality industry, stemming from her family's heritage business. She grew up in Beijing and was immersed in the hospitality sector through her family's 140-key Palace Hotel in Lijiang, China. 

Under her leadership, the Maple Palace Hotel Group has expanded to own and operate 16 properties across Yunnan, Hainan, and Thailand, encompassing various types of accommodations, including business hotels, resort hotels, and boutique hotels.

Rebecca pursued her education abroad, studying in the UK and Canada. She began her professional career as an investment banker in Toronto before returning to Asia to contribute to her family's business. To further enhance her expertise in hospitality management, she obtained a master's certificate from Cornell University.

As the Chief Director of Corporate Development for Maple Palace Hotel Group, Rebecca is dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the hospitality industry. She co-founded InnCube, a co-working space in Beijing, and Les Petite Ecuries, a French fusion restaurant in Yunnan, while also expanding operations to Thailand.

In addition to her role in hospitality, Rebecca serves as the Executive Director of the Yunnan Association for International Science and Technology Cooperation. In this capacity, she supports regional development initiatives in her hometown and has established an international innovation and entrepreneurship platform (YiiEC) with a presence in countries such as Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, France, Canada, and the US.

Driven by a passion for hospitality and a commitment to innovation, Rebecca Li continues to build upon her family legacy while exploring new opportunities for growth and collaboration in the industry.