June 13th, 2013, China National Tourism Administration（CNTA） organized tourism officials and industry representatives from provinces and cities along the beautiful Yangtze River such as Tibet, Qinghai, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, etc. to come to New York City with Yangtze River tourism enterprises to introduce the Magical Journey of the Yangtze River to North America. The event was moderated by Li Li from Sino-American Friendship Association.

Representatives from the tourism industry in China presented the tourism resources in the Yangtze area through speeches and video clips, enticing more and more tourists from the U.S. to visit China. Mr. Zhu, Mengming, the head of Chinese delegation, said that since February 2013, China National Tourism Administration announced “the Beautiful China” as the new campaign for Chinese Tourism. The administration aims to broaden the campaign’s influence across the globe from now on.

The Yangtze River originates in the mountains of Tibet, in the world’s highest plateau, and flows east, covering almost 4,000 miles across China, flowing through the Qinghai, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces before it opens at the East China Sea in Shanghai. Many cruise ships travel down the Yangtze and offer visitors a chance to see China from a new perspective, all while traveling in luxurious style.

Mr. Xue, Yaping, Director of China National Tourism Office in the United States, conveyed that the office had hired top research firms in the States in order to study American public’s interests in travelling to China. He invited senior representatives from these firms to share their results with the guests. In his speech, Cees Bosselaar, director of PhoCusWright, stated that the results shows 92% of American tourists would like to recommend China as a travel destination to a friend, which is a very high percentage. In addition, 40% of American tourists would like to visit China within the next 2 years. For American tourists, the Forbidden Palace, the Great Wall, and other scenic places are all amongst their favorites.

“The Beautiful China” is a great opportunity for China and U.S. to the cross-promote their own tourism industries together, especially inviting more American to visit and experience the beautiful nature, friendly locals, and the charm of modern China.