“Song of Eternal Sorrow,” a live show depicting royal love, was one of the attractions that captivated American delegates at the 14th China-US Tourism Leadership Summit in Xi’an, Shaanxi province. (Photo courtesy of China Daily)
Both countries are optimistic that bilateral cooperation and face-to-face exchanges will attract more tourists to Japan.
Vincenzo Perretta, CEO of New York-based travel agency Volatours, said during a recent visit to Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi province that he hopes to see more favorable tourism policies implemented.
“The number of visitors from China to the United States is very low, in part because there aren’t enough flights, so there isn’t enough air traffic to sustain a large number of passengers,” Perretta said recently at the 14th China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit in the city.
“But there is definitely potential for the two countries to generate more business,” he added.
Perretta has visited China many times.
“I love China and I think it’s a wonderful place for Americans to discover,” he said, adding that many Americans have a very different concept of China today and he would like more people to explore what the country has to offer.
“Everyone welcomed us so warmly. The food and beverage arrangements were great. The transportation and all the services were great. It was just incredible,” Perretta said of her experience at the Xi’an summit.
“What I saw in Xi’an was amazing. I visited the city 20 years ago to see the Terracotta Warriors and it was great to see them again,” he said.
His company signed a cooperation agreement with the Shenzhen city government in southern China’s Guangdong province during the summit.
“We will promote each other’s countries and work together to fill in each other’s needs and gaps,” he said.
Perretta’s wish may come true as government officials and tourism industry players proposed travel facilitation at the summit, where 400 industry representatives discussed boosting bilateral tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the world’s two largest economies.
They expressed high hopes for concrete action to improve visa application procedures, access to tourism information, transportation and payment methods in order to remove tourism barriers between the two countries.
“The Chinese government has taken various measures to improve convenience for inbound tourists, such as making payment procedures more accessible, streamlining visa procedures and optimizing the service environment for international tourists,” Gu Huimin, a professor of tourism science at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said at a forum focused on promoting inbound travel and diversifying experiences.
“Moreover, China is actively working on its inbound tourism promotion plan, with the government and businesses working together to provide greater convenience for international guests and convey the beauty of China,” Gu added.
