Experts: Nation, rest of world can boost global tourism

Travel demand is seeing a robust recovery globally, and China and the rest of the world should collaborate more to further develop the global tourism market, officials and experts said during a conference at the five-day 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services, which concluded in Beijing on Wednesday.

Yin Yong, Beijing's mayor, said: "In the first half of this year, the city welcomed 150 million person-times of travelers, and tourism sales revenue surpassed 270 billion yuan ($37 billion), both double the respective levels seen in 2021 and basically back to the level before the (COVID-19) pandemic."

During CIFTIS, participating countries and regions showcased their tourism potential. For instance, the Irish Pavilion put on display a wide range of commercial, educational, cultural and tourism exhibits, including whiskey and dairy products. In addition, a band performance spiced up the proceedings.

"We are promoting Ireland as a tourist destination. Not only because it boasts beautiful beaches and incredible cliffs, but also because it's a good base for travel to the rest of Europe," said Derek Lambe, economic counselor of the Embassy of Ireland in China.

Data from the Central Statistics Office of Ireland showed that in April, the number of visitors to Ireland surged nearly 21 percent year-on-year, and those arriving in Ireland via overseas routes surpassed 1.7 million, up more than 4 percent from the level seen before the pandemic.

"This summer vacation, we saw an increasing number of Chinese visitors traveling to Ireland. Our feedback from Chinese tourists is overwhelmingly positive. Besides, we see huge potential for further growth," Lambe said.

At Malaysia's Sarawak Pavilion, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak's minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts, introduced local specialities to visitors, including pastries, black pepper, tuak (a Sarawak wine), bird's nest and Laksa or a noodle dish with broth made of herbs, spices, and coconut milk.

"Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, is a UNESCO city of gastronomy. Unspoiled jungles, clean river and Mulu, which is a national park and a UNESCO world heritage site ... we have so many (attractions) to offer."

Between January and July, 178,000 tourists from China visited Malaysia. Among them, 22,149 visited Sarawak in east Malaysia, which shares borders with Indonesia and Brunei. By the end of the year, the number is expected to swell to 40,000.

He said that boosted by the Belt and Road Initiative, the Sarawak region of Malaysia is ramping up efforts to enhance its connectivity with China.

"This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI. Under the initiative, there are lots of collaborations that we can do," the minister said.

Croatia's former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said the world should work together and tread a win-win path to promote global tourism.

Jose Luis Sanz, mayor of Seville, a southern city in Spain, suggested that countries should explore new consumption groups and offer diversified services to realize the sustainable development of the tourism market.

The 2023 World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development noted that in recent years, novel business modes of tourism consumption are stimulating new vitality, and the global tourism market is entering a fresh phase of development.

According to a report released during the CIFTIS conference, thanks to the gradual relaxation of COVID-related travel restrictions by countries around the globe, global demand for travel has rebounded strongly. In 2022, global tourism sales revenue reached $4.6 trillion, or nearly 80 percent of the level seen in 2019, with 9.57 billion travel person-times, or 66 percent of the 2019 level.