Will China become the next combination of New York, Miami, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas? Major hotels, including Marriott and Hilton chains, are developing a string of literally hundreds of glitzy hotels throughout the nation.

Despite the recession in the United States and Europe, China’s economy is booming and the world’s largest nation is fast becoming the world’s richest.

The success of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, enormous growth of their world trade and significant upturn of tourism, have all added to the building hotel boom. Visitors to the two glitziest cities in China, Shanghai and Hong Kong, can see by the brightly-dressed people and modern skyscrapers that business and pleasure are booming. 

It seems the Chinese have finally dumped Communism and embraced capitalism. These days, instead of waving their little red Mao books, they’re waving their checkbooks.

For more information about visiting China, go to www.tourismchina.org and check out schedules and promotions with your favorite hometown and online travel agency.