Home
» City specials
» Hangzhou
East Asian nations unite on tourism
August 25, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA, Japan and South Korea have agreed to cooperate further on tourism, which will include making visa applications easier for Chinese and adding more foreign language signs at scenic spots, reports Xu Wenwen.
The tourism ministers of China, Japan and South Korea signed a joint statement compiled at the Fifth Trilateral Tourism Ministers' Meeting last week in Hangzhou.
They agreed to cooperate further in promoting environmentally friendly tourism in East Asia.
A new target was included in the statement that aims to have 26 million people visit each other's countries in 2015, almost double last year's figure of 13.5 million.
Japan's Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara told a press conference after signing the statement: "It is significant that the three countries set a target and confirmed what must be done to that end."
Chinese National Tourism Administration Chairman Shao Qiwei said at the opening ceremony on Saturday that the three countries have witnessed tourism numbers grow 20 percent from January to May. Thus, this year's goal of 17 million tourist "inter-visitations" is expected to be achieved.
To encourage more Chinese to travel abroad, Shao said that foreign travel agencies may be allowed to sell services to Chinese tourists heading to other countries.
Policies are now under review by the China government, which will launch pilot projects in selected agencies once ready. Before, foreign-invested travel agencies in China have only been allowed to run inbound tourism.
Yet only agencies with strong economic capabilities and first-class management are qualified to be selected, said Shao.
"We expect the selected agencies to improve Chinese tourism since these large international agencies have good experience."
The trilateral tourism meeting started in 2006 and aims to boost tourism in the three countries as they gradually deepen cooperation, including extending the limitation of visas and providing more facilities to tourists, like language signs at scenic spots.
Maehara said that Japan's goal is to lure 6 million Chinese tourists every year and he was prudent about the extension of visas for Chinese tourists.
"Japan has extended the limitation since July, but it is necessary to observe for one year. We expect that we can meet the needs of tourists," Maehara said.
South Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon said South Korea has simplified visa procedures to Chinese travelers since August, and will continue to simplify other procedures.
The statement also said the three countries will promote developing health care, sports, movies, animation, and food and beverages as tourism resources.
The three ministers also decided to share information that affects tourism, including information on major natural disasters and the outbreak of infectious diseases, according to their statement.
It was the highest profile international tourism meeting held in the country this year. More than 160 domestic representatives and nearly 200 representatives from Japan and South Korea stayed at the Dragon Hotel and had a short trip at the most popular spots such as West Lake, Xixi Wetland and the Grand Canal.
Japan and South Korea are two leading sources of tourists to Hangzhou.
About 350,000 tourists from Japan and South Korea visited Hangzhou in the first five months of this year, accounting for 30 percent of the total.
"Hangzhou ranks in the top four on a list of Japanese visitors' favorite destinations in China," said Li Hong, director of the Hangzhou Tourism Commission.
To lure more South Korean travelers, Hangzhou rebuilt the Koryo temple and protected the former site of the Korean Provisional Government since they are "special attractions to Korean travelers," Li said.
"Zhejiang Province, Japan and South Korea are reciprocal tourism destinations," Lu Zushan, the province's governor said during the opening ceremony. He said last year nearly 70,000 Zhejiang people traveled to Japan while more than 40,000 people went to South Korea.
At the closing ceremony on Monday at Huzhou, Zhejiang, the three ministers signed the Low-Carbon Tourism Proposal.
"Low-carbon tourism is a trend and we plan to use 20 percent less energy at restaurants, hotels and scenic spots," Shao said. "The plan includes improving energy-saving facilities and popularizing new energy."
Japan's Maehara agreed. He said that Japan is encouraging tourism professionals to learn from the experiences in the countryside, where they are adept in ecotourism.
Maehara added that railways are the most effective means of transport since they release the lowest amount of carbon dioxide.
The tourism ministers of China, Japan and South Korea signed a joint statement compiled at the Fifth Trilateral Tourism Ministers' Meeting last week in Hangzhou.
They agreed to cooperate further in promoting environmentally friendly tourism in East Asia.
A new target was included in the statement that aims to have 26 million people visit each other's countries in 2015, almost double last year's figure of 13.5 million.
Japan's Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara told a press conference after signing the statement: "It is significant that the three countries set a target and confirmed what must be done to that end."
Chinese National Tourism Administration Chairman Shao Qiwei said at the opening ceremony on Saturday that the three countries have witnessed tourism numbers grow 20 percent from January to May. Thus, this year's goal of 17 million tourist "inter-visitations" is expected to be achieved.
To encourage more Chinese to travel abroad, Shao said that foreign travel agencies may be allowed to sell services to Chinese tourists heading to other countries.
Policies are now under review by the China government, which will launch pilot projects in selected agencies once ready. Before, foreign-invested travel agencies in China have only been allowed to run inbound tourism.
Yet only agencies with strong economic capabilities and first-class management are qualified to be selected, said Shao.
"We expect the selected agencies to improve Chinese tourism since these large international agencies have good experience."
The trilateral tourism meeting started in 2006 and aims to boost tourism in the three countries as they gradually deepen cooperation, including extending the limitation of visas and providing more facilities to tourists, like language signs at scenic spots.
Maehara said that Japan's goal is to lure 6 million Chinese tourists every year and he was prudent about the extension of visas for Chinese tourists.
"Japan has extended the limitation since July, but it is necessary to observe for one year. We expect that we can meet the needs of tourists," Maehara said.
South Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon said South Korea has simplified visa procedures to Chinese travelers since August, and will continue to simplify other procedures.
The statement also said the three countries will promote developing health care, sports, movies, animation, and food and beverages as tourism resources.
The three ministers also decided to share information that affects tourism, including information on major natural disasters and the outbreak of infectious diseases, according to their statement.
It was the highest profile international tourism meeting held in the country this year. More than 160 domestic representatives and nearly 200 representatives from Japan and South Korea stayed at the Dragon Hotel and had a short trip at the most popular spots such as West Lake, Xixi Wetland and the Grand Canal.
Japan and South Korea are two leading sources of tourists to Hangzhou.
About 350,000 tourists from Japan and South Korea visited Hangzhou in the first five months of this year, accounting for 30 percent of the total.
"Hangzhou ranks in the top four on a list of Japanese visitors' favorite destinations in China," said Li Hong, director of the Hangzhou Tourism Commission.
To lure more South Korean travelers, Hangzhou rebuilt the Koryo temple and protected the former site of the Korean Provisional Government since they are "special attractions to Korean travelers," Li said.
"Zhejiang Province, Japan and South Korea are reciprocal tourism destinations," Lu Zushan, the province's governor said during the opening ceremony. He said last year nearly 70,000 Zhejiang people traveled to Japan while more than 40,000 people went to South Korea.
At the closing ceremony on Monday at Huzhou, Zhejiang, the three ministers signed the Low-Carbon Tourism Proposal.
"Low-carbon tourism is a trend and we plan to use 20 percent less energy at restaurants, hotels and scenic spots," Shao said. "The plan includes improving energy-saving facilities and popularizing new energy."
Japan's Maehara agreed. He said that Japan is encouraging tourism professionals to learn from the experiences in the countryside, where they are adept in ecotourism.
Maehara added that railways are the most effective means of transport since they release the lowest amount of carbon dioxide.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
