(BEIJING, December 28) -- Friday afternoon at Beijing International Hotel, Executive Vice-President Liu Jingmin of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) conferred official plaques to 132 contracted hotels from Beijing and the six Olympic host-cities on behalf of BOCOG. The plaques identify each contracted hotel as a "Member of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Official Accommodation Network."

　　In a speech, Liu pointed out that the official member hotels would receive Olympic client groups from various countries and international guests. The hotels will serve as an important window through which the international society will participate in and experience the Olympics -- a platform for the world to judge the Beijing Olympic Games, he said.

　　He further added that these official member hotels would be responsible for offering the best lodging and reception services, as doing so would give the world a good impression of Beijing's hotel industry and of Beijing citizens.

　　At present, there are 120 official Olympic member hotels in Beijing, including 38 five-star hotels, 45 four-star hotels, 22 three-star hotels and 15 hotels yet to receive a star rating. Among these hotels, 97 have received the Beijing Tourism Authority's Golden Leaf or Silver Leaf Awards for environmental friendliness.

　　In 2007, some 40 Olympic member hotels served the 26 "Good Luck Beijing" sport events.

　　The official Olympic member hotels were selected by BOCOG to meet the lodging requirements of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Sports Federations (IFs), officials and guests of the various National Olympic Committees (NOCs), accredited media, sponsors and their guests, and both international and domestic guests and client groups.