Vacation Agent Magazine - Destination - California Tourism Makes Inroads into Chinese Travel Market

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California Tourism Makes Inroads into Chinese Travel Market

The California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) is leading a delegation on a Chinese trade and media mission, Nov. 17 to 20, including participation in the 2009 China International Travel Mart in Kunming. The mission comes on the heels of hosting a group of nearly 30 Chinese tour operators and national media. “We’re very excited to be gaining momentum in China,” said Caroline Beteta, CTTC president and CEO and chair of the U.S. Travel Association. “Since launching our offices in China early this year, we’ve been highly visible in the market, building long-term relationships with Chinese officials, travel professionals and journalists. Although we saw a record 273,000 visitors from China in 2008 ($398 million in visitor expenditures), this lucrative market has enormous potential for California. And, with their strong economy, this is the perfect time to remind Chinese consumers that California remains their dream destination.”

CTTC and partners will meet with over 200 travel trade and media professionals, updating them on new products for the Chinese market and the latest destination developments. The delegation will also meet with Beijing Tourism officials, as a follow-up to CTTC’s signing a memorandum of understanding with the bureau earlier this year. A dinner event will build relationships with key government officials and educate the delegates on the latest outbound tourism policies. The California delegation includes representatives from LA Inc. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau, San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, Palm Springs Desert Resort Communities Convention and Visitors Authority, and the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau.

During the travel mart, CTTC will launch new California tour packages, called California Travel Meals -- multi-theme, menu-style travel itineraries developed in cooperation with China’s tour operators and airlines. The new tour packages offer Chinese tourists a selection of diverse travel experiences across the Golden State, including nature, theme parks, California lifestyle, student and family fun, arts and culture, scenic drives, and entertainment.
“With these new travel packages, California is leading the way for American tourism products in the Chinese market,” said Beteta. “California Travel Meals can range from half-day to 10-day itineraries, depending on theme. This flexibility supports tour operators with itinerary development and satisfies the growing demand among experienced Chinese travelers for personalized packages. Between this and our other aggressive marketing efforts, we are gaining momentum in this important market, which will pay dividends for years to come.”

Since its China offices opened this spring, CTTC has participated in travel trade shows such as GITF in Guangzhou, WTF in Shanghai, PATA in Hangzhou, American Tourism Promotion in Changzhou (Jiangsu Province), and American Tourism Road Show in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The China office also just unveiled an official Chinese language web site at www.china.visitcalifornia.com . With less than a year of operation, CTTC’s China office was named “Innovative Outbound Tourism Bureau” in 2009 by Voyage, one of the most influential travel media in China. For more information, visit www.visitcalifornia.com.