Chinese billionaire takes 2500 employees on holiday to Spain

2,500 Chinese workers have been enjoying the sights of Madrid after their boss stumped up €7m (£5.5m) to take them on a Spanish holiday. Li Jinyuan, the billionaire owner of direct-sales firm Tiens Group, chartered 20 planes and booked 1,650 hotel rooms for the party. After their Madrid visit, the workers will board four specially reserved high-speed trains to Barcelona.
 “We chose Spain because the people are warm, friendly and passionate,” said Li Zongmin, the magnate’s son and a Tiens vice-president. “Furthermore, the food is delicious.”
France rolled out the red carpet for Li Jinyuan last year after he decided to send more than 6,400 of his employees there in what was reputedly the biggest tour group ever to visit the country. For that mass holiday, Li, who is worth at least $5.9bn and has been ranked as China’s 33rd richest person, splashed out on 84 planes, 200 hotels and a private tour of the Louvre. Even as China’s economy slows, the trend of sending planeloads of staff on all-expenses paid excursions has continued to grow.

Li Jinyuan, the billionaire owner of direct-sales firm Tiens Group

The motivation to pay for these industrial-sized tour groups appears to be in part a ruse by extravagant billionaires to please their staff, and in part a marketing technique. The Global Times, a Communist party tabloid, heaped praise on Li’s Côte d’Azur treat, describing such trips as proof of China’s rise.
“By carrying out the collective France trip in a lavish manner, Tiens killed two birds with one stone, both motivating its staff members and publicising the company,” the newspaper’s editor said. “Thanks to the market economy, many Chinese have gotten rich and Chinese firms have accumulated strength.”