GREENTREE HOSPITALITY GROUP LTD.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
2. | SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) |
Revenue recognition (continued)
obligations, including the assistance to the franchisees in property design, leasehold improvement, construction project management, systems installation, personnel recruiting and training, which is generally when thefranchised-and-managed hotel opens for business. The ongoing management and service fees are recognized when the underlying service revenue is recognized by the franchisees’ operations. The CRS usage fees are recognized when the services are provided.
In addition, the Group designates hotel managers to certain hotels and accounts for hotel manager fees related to the hotels under the franchise program as revenues. Pursuant to the franchise-and-management agreements, the Group charges the franchisees fixed hotel manager fees to compensate the Group for the franchised-and-managed hotel managers’ salaries, social welfare benefits and certain other out-of-pocket expenses as incurred. The hotel manager fee is recognized as revenue on a monthly basis. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017, the hotel manager fees that were recognized as part of franchised-and-managed hotels revenue were RMB64,013,110, RMB70,433,507 and RMB83,482,652 (USD12,831,049), respectively.
One-time fees from the sale of membership cards under the Group’s paid membership program are recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the membership, which is3-6 years depending on membership level, based on the Group’s historical membership data. Revenue recognized from membership fees were RMB31,972,224, RMB42,439,476 and RMB53,365,279 (USD8,202,093) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The Group monitors its membership activity patterns to re-assess the estimated lives of memberships at each reporting period.
Business tax and related tax surcharges
The Group is subject to business tax, education surtax and urban maintenance and construction tax, on the services provided in the PRC until April 2016. Business tax and related surcharges are based on revenues at rates ranging from 5% to 5.65% and are recorded as a reduction of revenues.
On March 23, 2016, the Ministry of Finance of China and the State Administration of Taxation of China jointly issued the Circular on the Nationwide Implementation of Pilot Program for the Collection of ValueAdded-Tax Instead of Business Tax, or Circular 36, which became effective on May 1, 2016. Subsequent to the effectiveness of Circular 36, most of the Group’s PRC subsidiaries’ business will be subject to value-added tax, or VAT, at a rate of 6% and they would be permitted to offset input VAT by providing valid VAT invoices received from vendors against their VAT liability.
Advertising and promotional expenses
Advertising related expenses, including promotion expenses and production costs of marketing materials, are charged to the consolidated statements of comprehensive income as incurred, and amounted to RMB10,252,064, RMB10,379,012 and RMB11,369,822 (USD1,747,510) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Government subsidies
Government subsidies are received from provincial and local governments for operating a business in their jurisdictions and compliance with specific policies promoted by the local governments. Such subsidies allow the
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