The Letter of Thanks from Rob Lang, President of China-Ready Initiative

Edinburgh Tourism Action Group
Scottish Enterprise
Apex House 9
9 Clifton Terrace
EDINBURGH EH12 5HD

UK

12 April 2016

Dear Secretary-General Song Yu,

On behalf of the City of Edinburgh, I would like to thank you for welcoming, educating and inspiring us at the recent WTCF International Tourist Destination (Cities) Promotion and Marketing Training event in Beijing.

Please pass on our thanks to all the coordinators, contributors and supporters for managing a hugely relevant, informative and engaging event and for looking after us so warmly. We have returned to Scotland's capital with a deeper understanding of WTCF's important role and full of information and ideas that will help us develop Edinburgh's strategy for Chinese tourism.

China's importance across the global tourism, talent and trade agenda has already seen Edinburgh's businesses, universities and festivals forge strong trade, academic and cultural links. It is now an important area of focus for Edinburgh's tourism and destination leaders, who have developed a China-Ready plan for Scotland's capital.

Our aim is to increase the volume and value of Chinese visitors through industry familiarisation and collaboration and to attract Scotland's first direct flight from China. Edinburgh is the second-most visited destination in the UK for Chinese visitors and over 100,000 Chinese nationals visit Edinburgh Castle every year.

We will be in touch with your office about further opportunities to collaborate with WTCF. I hope to see you again in China in the future, but please do let me know if you are in the UK soon. It would be our pleasure and honour to meet you again, hopefully in Edinburgh, to welcome you to Scotland's capital and to continue to strengthen the links between our organisations.

Yours sincerely,

Rob Lang

PRESIDENT, CHINA-READY INITIA