China's Greater Bay Area Cities Building World-class Tourism Destination and Boosting Tourism Economy

(Source: asianetnews.net)

On December 12, Guangdong Tourism and Culture Festival 2017 kicked off in China's Zhuhai, the city of hundred islands. The Tourism Federation of Cities in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was launched, upgrading the festival to an important engine for tourism economy.

The launch of the Tourism Federation of Cities in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area at the Guangdong Tourism and Culture Festival 2017

Members of the federation include special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and nine cities in Guangdong, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Efforts are to be made to build the Greater Bay Area into a world-class tourism destination by further coordinating policies, upholding the alliance's new responsibilities, and integrating its tourism market and resources, and thus ensure a thriving tourism sector of the Area or even China.

At present, the construction of the Greater Bay Area is underway, bringing about a new round of opening-up with integrated transportation, financial services and industrial structure. Building on the positive momentum, Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province has fostered new highlights in expanding tourism market share and building up its brand on a regional basis.

In recent years, the Administration has been promoting the internationalization strategy of its tourism brand, bringing the tourism and culture of Guangdong to the international stage.

Foreign guests, including Theodoros Pangalos, the then Deputy Prime Minister of Greece and representatives from the World Tourism Organization, were invited to the festival as early as in 2011.

As the 2018 China-EU Tourism Year, jointly set by China and the European Travel Commission, is coming soon, efforts were also made to attract more tourists from both sides. Over 100 foreign guests from 21 countries and regions, including officials of consulate generals in Guangzhou, government representatives of friendship cities and leaders from foreign tourism businesses, were invited to field trips of this festival to have a glimpse of the abundant premium tourism resources in Guangdong.

On top of that, representatives from Niue and Cook Islands, two countries in the South Pacific Ocean, were invited to promote their own tourist destinations. The festival has indeed channeled new ways for communication of international tourism markets.

Being the 10th session since 2005, the festival has developed gradually from a simple tourism promotion event to an intensive tourism and culture platform, connecting the world with Guangdong and China and boosting cooperation and economy.