Chinese boss takes 6,400 employees on holiday in France: 7 reasons this is the ultimate package tour

Li Jinyuan, chairman of Chinese company Tiens Group, parading in the French Riviera city of Nice. The company invited 6,400 of its employees to celebrate its 20th anniversary in France. -- PHOTO: AFP
Li Jinyuan, chairman of Chinese company Tiens Group, parading in the French Riviera city of Nice. The company invited 6,400 of its employees to celebrate its 20th anniversary in France. -- PHOTO: AFP

SINGAPORE - China's Tiens Group Co Ltd treated 6,400 employees to a holiday in France in an outsize tour package.

CEO Li Jinyuan, 57, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the international conglomerate with businesses in biotechnology, health management, e-commerce, hotel and tourism among others.

The generous boss is the 24th richest person in China, according to the 2014 Hurun China Rich List, and has an estimated net worth of US$5.8 billion (S$7.7 billion).

1. All expenses paid

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Tiens Group president Li Jinyuan booked up 140 hotels in Paris and more than 4,700 rooms in Cannes and Monaco for the May 5-13 trip.

2. Private shopping time

The luxury department store Galeries Lafayette closed its doors to all other shoppers for one morning, just for the Chinese visitors.

3. Special museum visit and cabaret show

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In the capital Paris, the group visited the Moulin Rouge cabaret show en masse, and had the famous Louvre museum to themselves for a private visit on May 6 before heading south to Nice.

4. Being flown and driven around for free

About 5,400 of the group arrived on 84 commercial planes from China, and 146 buses were hired to drive them around.

5.VIP treatment

Christian Mantel, head of the French tourism development agency Atout France, said: "We have mobilised public services as well as tourism professionals, hotels, restaurants, shops and designer brands. So far everything has gone smoothly, the feedback has been extremely positive."

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As for Mr Li and the company senior management, they had a meeting with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

6. Broke a world record

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They formed the "longest human-made phrase" on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice - "Tiens' dream is Nice in the Cote d'Azur". Guinness World Records inspectors were on hand to watch the feat.

7. Millions spent

The group spent at least €33 million (S$49 million) in Paris and the south of France, and that's not including shopping.

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