Discovering the Hidden Gems of Beijing: US Travel Agents Fall Under China’s Spell
Beijing Tourism Wins Praise from American Travel Agency Representatives
American travel agency representatives who recently experienced Beijing tourism firsthand have highly praised the city’s efforts in promoting ‘China Travel.’
During their visit from the 10th to the 12th, about 10 representatives from travel agencies in the Los Angeles area took part in various activities, including taking pictures of the magnificent Forbidden City, learning Tai Chi from a martial arts master at the Heavenly Altar, and using mobile payment methods like Bingtang Hulu.
Janet Melendez, a 25-year veteran of the tourism industry, expressed her amazement at the well-preserved historical and cultural relics, including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. “We felt like we had traveled back hundreds of years,” she said, adding that she hopes more people will travel to and understand China, given the country’s rich history.
Beijing, as seen through the eyes of a travel agency manager, is both an ancient city with a long history and an international metropolis. “Not only can you taste Beijing Kaoya (roasted duck) everywhere on the streets, but you can also find Western restaurants like KFC, McDonald’s, and steakhouses,” he explained. “American tourists can experience local specialties and enjoy their hometown food.”
China has recently expanded visa-exempt countries and international flights, and implemented measures to facilitate inbound tourism. As a result, ‘China Travel’ has rapidly risen as a popular overseas Internet search term, and Chinese tourism has recovered rapidly. According to statistics from the National Immigration Administration of China, the number of foreigners entering each trade port nationwide from January to July this year was 17.254 million, a 129.9% increase over the same period last year.
Mobile payment methods have also become increasingly popular, with over 5 million people using mobile payment in the first half of this year, a five-fold increase from the same period last year. The transaction volume was more than 90 million, and the transaction amount was more than 14 billion yuan, both of which increased eight-fold from the same period last year.
Joyce, who has already traveled to China several times, praised the convenience of mobile payments. “You can add your American credit card information to your WeChat or Alipay account and buy things with one scan,” she said. Joyce also expressed her optimism about the recovery and development of Chinese inbound tourism, citing the 144-hour transit visa waiver policy as a major convenience for American short-term tourists.
The delegation, which arrived in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province on the afternoon of the 12th, will move to the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and Shanghai to inspect accommodations, restaurants, tourist attractions, transportation facilities, and services such as airplanes and high-speed rail, and measures to facilitate inbound tourism in China.