The Peninsula Hotels Group Bans Shark Fin Products From Its Menu

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited – the parent company of The Peninsula Hotels chain – today announced that it will stop serving shark fin products on its menu.

AsianScientist (Nov. 21, 2011) – In recognition of the threat facing the global shark population and in line with its sustainability vision, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) today announced that it will stop serving shark fin at all of its group operations, effective January 1, 2012.

HSH is the parent company of The Peninsula Hotels, and the ban covers the Chinese restaurants and banqueting facilities at its hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, Bangkok, and Chicago.

However, HSH will still honor banquet bookings involving shark fin products made prior to November, 21 2011, but taking place after January 1, 2012.

“By removing shark fin from our menus, we hope that our decision can contribute to preserving the marine ecosystem for the world’s future generations,” said Mr. Clement Kwok, CEO of HSH.

“As Asia’s oldest hotel company, we also hope that our decision will inspire other hospitality companies to do the same and that our industry will play a role in helping to preserve the bio-diversity of our oceans,” he urged.

These significant steps made by a top Chinese hotel chain follow a public campaign by Chinese basketball star Yao Ming asking for a ban on shark fin soup in China.

Yao Ming stopped eating shark fin soup in 2006 after learning of the cruel and wasteful practice of ‘finning’ and the threat of extinction facing many shark populations as a result of demand for their fins.

Led by international conservation organization WildAid, Yao has joined forces with leading Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yue and British entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson and his non-profit foundation Virgin Unite, in a global campaign to urge others to stop consuming shark fin products.

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Source: The Peninsula Hotels; WildAid.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.