Chinese tourists ‘critically important’ for America

CHINA has always been a critically important market for the US tourism industry, a US business leader has said, expecting the partnership between the two countries’ tourism sectors to strengthen.

China is the largest outbound tourism market in the world, buoyed by a growing portion of the nation’s population that has both the ability and the propensity to travel, Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the organization’s Marketing Committee Meeting in Minneapolis.

“For all of us who are marketing around the world to grow our international market share, China is critically important,” he said.

Thompson, who has more than 30 years experience in the travel and tourism industry, noted that robust Chinese tourism had benefited the US economy for many years. Once tourists hit the ground, there is direct and indirect spending from their exploration of US destinations.

“It’s a big number,” said the US tourism expert. He said spending by the Chinese tourists in the United States last year reached some US$35 billion.

Great potential

According to a report released by the United States Travel Association in March, the travel and tourism sector supports 15.7 million direct and indirect American jobs, with 1.2 million of them directly associated with international inbound travel.

While feeling confident about the great potential for US-China tourism collaboration, Thompson said that “we’ve shown some decline in (the number of arrivals by Chinese tourists) the current year, and it was down last year.”

Statistics from competent authorities showed that tourists from China to the United States dropped for the first time in 15 years, despite the fact that the total outbound trips of Chinese tourists rose significantly. Latest data from the US National Travel and Tourism Office showed that the number of Chinese tourists traveling to the United States fell 5.7 percent to 2.9 million in 2018.

Calling the collaboration in US-China tourism industry “a really good relationship” over the years, the experienced US tourism expert said he hopes the healthy and stable ties will be sustained and strengthened.

The US tourism industry has enjoyed strong ties with Chinese partners and “we’re looking forward to continuing to nurture those,” he said.

Commenting on the possible impact of US-China trade tensions on the US tourism industry, Thompson said: “We are always watching it and looking at it, because those things tend to have an impact, particularly related to travel policy.”

(Xinhua)