2017 International Forum on Chinese Outbound Tourism and the Release of World Tourism Cities Federation Research Result

Song Yu, Secretary-General of World Tourism Cities Federation

January 9th, 2017

[15:35] Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

[15:35] Good afternoon!

Welcome to the Release of the World Tourism Cities Federation Research Result and the 2017 International Forum on Chinese Outbound Tourism. Today’s event attracted more than 200 guests including officials from embassies in China and senior leaders of Chinese travel agencies, representatives from Shanghai Cooperation Organization, WTCF and other international organizations. On behalf of WTCF, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the distinguished guests and express our heartfelt thanks for your great support.

[15:35] World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) is an international tourism organization voluntarily formed by well-known tourism cities and tourism-related institutions around the world under the initiative of Beijing. WTCF consists of 6 branches including Expert Committee, Committee of Civil Aviation, Committee of Tourism-Related Businesses, Committee of Media Organizations, Committee of Cruise Industry, and Committee of Investment. With the support of members and organizations, and guided by its core vision of “Better City Life through Tourism,” we have built the “Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit” brand successfully. We actively participate in international cooperation ventures, carry out tourism academic discussions, promote exchanges and cooperation between members, and have achieved many milestones.

[15:36] In the context of the global economic downturn and decline in trade, the global tourism industry stands alone as an important driving force for boosting the global economy and promoting employment. In recent years, the rapid development of China's outbound tourism market has been contributing to the world's tourism economy and has been attracting attention from destination countries and tourism departments. President, Xi Jinping, said during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Beijing on Nov 9th, 2016, that the number of outbound tourists from China will exceed 700 million within the next five years. The Chinese outbound tourist market will provide cooperation opportunities for destination countries and tourism cities.

[15:36]After experiencing 20 years of high-speed growth in China’s outbound tourism market, it has now approached a new stage of transformation. There are many new changes within the outbound tourism market and demands are ever changing. In order to assist the world tourism organizations and tourism enterprises and provide a better understanding of the new trends and characteristics of the China outbound tourism market, thus promote the cooperation between tourism organizations domestic and abroad, WTCF and Ivy Alliance Tourism Consulting joined hands again to co-host the 2017 International Forum on Chinese Outbound Tourism (IFCOT). The IFCOT will focus on the China Outbound Tourism Price Index and Analysis of Tourism Source Market, China Outbound Tourism Quality Service Certification Program and 2017 China Outbound Tourism Market Changes and Development Trends. Representatives from excellent outbound tourism operators in China are invited to share their professional opinions on the development trend of China’s outbound tourism market from different perspectives, hoping to help us gain a better understanding of the China outbound tourism market.

[15:38]Meanwhile, WTCF will release two new research results, the Annual Report on Development of World Tourism Cities 2016 and the Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2017). The Annual Report on Development of World Tourism Cities 2016 is a research result based on the elements and creative measures such as online tourism and sharing economy which promote the development of tourism. The Annual Report on Development of World Tourism Cities 2016 provides an improved version of the World Tourism Cities Development Index, which provides a criterion for evaluating 104 cities. WTCF hopes that by introducing the evaluation method of the development index, it can provide intellectual support and services for the development of world tourism cities. The Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2017) is a special research aimed at providing predictions and suggestions for the development of the world tourism economy. It forecasts the world tourism economic aggregate in 2017 based on core statistics such as the overall scale of world tourism economy and the role in which tourism play in the world economy. This report will provide a beneficial reference for everyone.

[15:39]Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen, in 2016, during the Chongqing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, faced with the new trend and challenges, WTCF released the announcement of “shared economy will leading a new voyage of world tourism,” We will make the Sub-committees, such as Committee of Civil Aviation, Committee of Tourism-Related Businesses, Committee of Media Organizations, Committee of Cruise Industry, and Committee of Investment play an important role and enhance the communication and cooperation of the industry chain of tourism, thus promoting the development of industry chain of tourism. Under the guideline of “Belt and Road” initiative, we will also help to strengthen the cooperation between tourism cities to achieve mutually benefit arrangements between cities. We believe that with concerted efforts of us all, the cooperation between world tourism cities and tourism enterprises will be more efficient and receive better opportunities.

[15:41]In two weeks’ time, it will be our traditional Chinese Spring Festival. I wish to take this opportunity to extend our new year's greetings to you and your family and wish everyone good health and happiness. Finally, I express my wishes that this event will be successful!

[15:41]Thank you.