The 2019 WTCF Training Program on International Tourist Destination Promotion and Marketing Begins

From April 15 to 18, 2019, the “2019 WTCF Training Program on International Tourist Destination Promotion and Marketing” organized by WTCF was held in Beijing. Those who participated in the training program include WTCF’s city member representatives from Belgrade, Riga, Victoria, Washington DC, Rabat, The Hague, Berlin, Belfast, and Tallinn; representatives from the embassies and consulates of Panama and Ecuador; and representatives from French airports. The training program courses focused on the topics of interests to WTCF’s international city members, in order to boost the member cities’ promotion in the Chinese market into a fast track.

WTCF Deputy Secretary-General Yan Han delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony of the training program

At the opening ceremony of the training program, WTCF Deputy Secretary-General Yan Han delivered a welcome speech and welcomed the WTCF member representatives participating in this year’s training program. He introduced the development history and achievements of WTCF, development situation and trend of the global tourism market, and the member services of WTCF.

The lecturers in the training program

The courses of the training program focused on tourism promotion, the needs of Chinese tourists, MICE tourism, as well as WTCF’s academic research results, and took place in such forms as class-teaching, seminars, case studies and field visits. The training program features different class themes: China's Tourism in the Global Perspective; Status Quo and Development Trend of Chinese Outbound Tourism; How to Attract and Serve the Chinese Outbound Tourist; The Characteristics and Development Trend of OTA Sector in China; Marketing Destinations to Outbound Chinese Travelers - Methods, Channels, Trends and Case Studies; Key Elements of Reception Services for Chinese Tourists; China’s Tourism Market from the Big-data Perspective; Marketing Tools and Planning for China’s Tourism Market; MICE; and The Introduction to Market Research on Chinese Outbound Tourists (City) Consumption.

The lecturers in the training program

The lecturers in the training program

The lecturers that WTCF has invited for this training program are professionals of the industry and include Professor Song Rui, Director of the Tourism Research Center, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); Mr. Gao Tianming, contract research fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a visiting professor at Nankai University; Mr. Cao Zhigang, Dragon Trail team leader, with rich experience in hotel management; Mr. Qiu Weijun (Roger QIU), General Manager of Destination Marketing in Europe, Middle East & Africa Region of Ctrip; Mr. Zou Tongqian, Deputy Director of the WTCF Expert Committee; He Shengkang, Counselor of World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) Secretariat; Ma Xiaoqiu, Co-founder of Grand China MICE; Chang Hong, Regional Director, China, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board; Ms. Yue He, Senior Researcher, Trainer ; and Mr.Xin Shoudong, General Manager of the Overseas Business Department of Tuniu.com.

Learning and communication activity for the training participants

Dinner party with renowned industrial media representatives

Aside from to the thought provoking classroom lessons, WTCF also organized a dinner party for the program participants and the renowned media of the industry on April 15. This was organized to help the participants have a more systematic understanding of the Chinese market and strengthen their connections with the Chinese market. Ms. Pan Luo of CCTV 2; Ms. Zhang Lei of The Travel Channel; and media representatives from Tencent, Sina, Chinese National Geography, and CRI Online, exchanged their views in the harmonious and relaxed atmosphere, providing a novel and unique perspective for WTCF’s member cities to market themselves in the Chinese market. In addition, WTCF has also specially arranged for the participants of the training program to visit travel agencies, internet companies to explore the tourism resources of Beijing, and conduct different forms of communication with WTCF members, tourism industrial professionals, and media.

The training program

Idea exchanges between the training participants after class

Different from last year, this year’s participants paid more attention to practicability and timeliness. They were more interested in the big data case analysis lessons, and proactively communicated with the professors and lecturers after class, in order to boost the long-term development of their relevant business in the Chinese market. These participants said, “This is a training opportunity that we cannot miss. In only a few days, the training lessons have helped us learn a lot about how to conduct marketing and promotion in the Chinese market.” Among the participants are also several “China Hands” who speak Chinese. They also used their experiences in China to drive other participants to learn China, Chinese culture and the tourism concept of Chinese people.

A group photo for the training participants 

World Tourism Cities Federation provides the training service with the aim of satisfying the expanding demand of its members’ Chinese tourist destination city marketing channels, improving the service quality of the international market when it receives Chinese tourists, learning the cultural differences of each other, and strengthening understanding and mutual trust. It is the fourth time that WTCF has held the “Training Program on International Tourist Destination Promotion and Marketing” in Beijing. This training program is held 2-3 times annually.

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