People in this forum often have a European/American-centric perspective, which sometimes lacks an Asian viewpoint. Compared to the modest benefits provided by American and European hotels for IHG Diamond members, such as breakfast, IHG Diamond status is highly valued in Asia, particularly in non-tier 1 Chinese cities. Hotels there go to great lengths to ensure a remarkable experience for Diamond members. More often than not, they automatically offer all three welcome gift choices (free breakfast, welcome drinks + fruit plate + points) instead of the standard operating procedure of choosing one. Regarding upgrades, by simply requesting a suite the morning before or the night before, my success rate for suite upgrades this year with IHG in the China region is close to 100% when available. Early check-in is also easily granted. Being a Diamond member in China with club lounge access is truly amazing. The introduction of credit cards or status matching to attain Diamond status could undermine these benefits, similar to how Hilton's loyalty system declined in China. A few years ago, more than half of the hotels offered lounge passes to Gold members, but now, with the significant increase in Gold members through status matching, fewer hotels do so. Moreover, Diamond suite upgrades with Hilton are almost non-existent.