Peter Hibbard, MBE, has a background in urban planning, sociology and tourism studies. Most of his time since 1985, when he was a visiting scholar from Britain at Hong Kong University's Centre of Asian Studies, has been spent in China. He has lectured on tourism in Beijing, travelled overland to every Chinese province and region, and escorted hundreds of visitors in his capacity as a tour director. Peter lives in Shanghai where he continues his research into China's tourism history and Shanghai's urban development since the 1840s. He has hosted many international business leaders and was founding president of the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai. He has produced a wide range of publications related to his interests, including The Bund Shanghai: China Faces West and Beyond Hospitality: The History of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited.