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Experts on Attracting Chinese Tourists Add 'Future' Focus to WTM

eTN

At ChinaContact Forum, industry experts will share knowledge on tapping world's largest emerging source market

Wang Yongan wants to take his family vacation in the USA next year. Last month the Chinese entrepreneur spent $15,000 in six days in Germany, largely in destinations that cater to Chinese guests. With the knowledge that US Consulates in China have begun to issue individual tourism visas, Wang hopes to take his family to New York, Washington DC, and Florida in 2008.


To learn more about the archetypical Mr. Wang - and the environment where thousands of Chinese like him make their travel plans - there is an event at World Travel Market dubbed China - The Future of Travel (November 14, 2007, London. Info: www.future-of-travel.org. Registration: http://future-of-travel-/ usa.eventbrite.com/). Experienced practitioners from tourism boards, hotels, attractions, tour operators and travel associations join Chinese travel media and tour operators to network and share practical knowledge.


WTM delegates pressed for time can choose to attend a one-hour or two-hour block during the daylong workshop.


The 500,000 Chinese visitors who came to the USA last year are the slender tip of a powerful trend. The US Dept of Commerce expects the number of arrivals to grow 20%-30% annually, even in the absence of a US-China group visa deal.


"Knowing how to welcome Chinese tourists will be a core competency in the next decades. Now is an important time to bring the industry together and compare notes," says Roy Graff, Managing Director of ChinaContact and organizer of the forum.


Speakers include Sandie Dawe, Director of Strategy and Communications for VisitBritain; Professor Wolfgang Arlt, Director of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute; and Dr. Kevin Lin, interpreter to Tony Blair. Opening the forum, the President of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) will discuss how Chinese outbound tourism has impacted Asia's tourism sector. With the Beijing 2008 Olympics a year away, a sub-set of speakers will focus on the links between sports and tourism


"Americans have enjoyed visiting China for decades. Tourism builds much- needed goodwill and understanding," says Janet Carmosky, a China business specialist who is the forum's USA contact. "Ideally, Chinese visitors to the USA will feel welcome. Further, until we make it easy and fun for visitors from China to shop, play and explore in the USA, we're missing opportunities."

 Printable Version  | published Sep 04, 2007