Tourism official touts allure of Anhui province

To boost US tourism to one of China's most scenic areas, Anhui province, a Chinese tourist official was in Los Angeles on Monday to promote the area. Anhui, with a population of over 59 million, is an inland province in southeast China and stretches over the Yangtze and Huai rivers.

It is best known for Mount Huangshan, a World Heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and one of China's major tourist destinations.

Chen Lei, deputy director general of the Anhui Visitors Bureau, revealed that China Eastern Airlines is going to provide a direct flight from Los Angeles to the provincial capital of Hefei without indicating an exact date when the service will start.

"We are going to offer a tour to Anhui that will present the most original beauty one can find in China," said Chen. The Huangshan mountain range, known for its uniquely shaped granite peaks, is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings, literature, and modern photography. Anhui is home to the Huangmei Opera, which is one of the oldest operas in China, with a history dating back more than 200 years. The area is also renowned for its spectacular sunrises.

About 6.3 percent of foreign visitors to Anhui are from the US. Since 2013, American tourists have been the second largest group of foreign visitors to the region.

Once in China, Chen recommended three routes to Anhui, including a flight from Beijing to Huangshan, a high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou and then a bus to Huangshan, and a ferry from Chongqing to Huangshan.

Chen was joined at the presentation by Fred Latuperisa, director of international trade administration for the U.S. Department of Commerce, David Honda, chairman of Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), US Department of Commerce, Daniel Sieu, president of MBDA, Ling Sieu, manager of China Business and Relations in MBDA, Joshua Yoon, manager of Mergers and Acquisitions of MBDA, Ed Graham, mayor of City of Chino Hills, California, James Su, chairman of EDI media, Xing Lei, news consul at Consulate General of China in Los Angeles, Ye Zhengjun, deputy director of Management Committee of Mount Huangshan and president of Huangshan Tourism Group.

cindyliu@chinadailyusa.com