Courier July 2016 | Page 22

2016 marks the official U . S . -China Tourism Year

NTA provides resources , programs to help U . S . companies reach Chinese operators , visitors
WHEN THE U . S . AND CHINESE governments designated this as a special tourism year between the countries , there was much enthusiasm . So far , so good , according to the U . S . National Travel and Tourism Office ’ s Executive Director Kelly Craighead .
“ The National Travel and Tourism Office , the China National Tourism Administration and their private-sector partners , including NTA , have been fully engaged in carrying out the 2016 U . S . -China Tourism Year ,” says Craighead . “ The year of events and activities is promoting and further helping open travel between the United States and China , expanding market access and advancing initiatives to ensure a quality visitor experience for the increasing numbers of travelers to and from both nations .”
NTA ’ s focus remains on equipping its U . S . -based members to welcome the large influx of Chinese visitors . Through its China Inbound Program , the association coordinates the list of domestic tour companies that are registered to work with Chinese travel agencies and their customers . NTA is more than just a clearinghouse , though , as it also provides resources , coordinates programs , and designs events and Fam tours to help members across the U . S . better engage the market .
The rest of this section takes a look at just some of the different resources that can help you gain your share of the inbound Chinese business .
NTA hosted an event in May at OUE Skyspace Los Angeles that brought some 250 travel professionals from across the U . S . and China together for an evening of networking and socializing . The group heard remarks by Julie Heizer of the U . S . National Travel and Tourism Office ( second from right ), Sun Lunshan of the Consulate General of the People ’ s Republic of China in Los Angeles ( middle ) and Catherine Prather of the National Tour Association ( second from left ).
YUAN-XUAN LI / ICN-INFORMATION CULTURE NEWS
In May , NTA members saw the drive-through Chandelier Tree , a 276-foot coastal redwood , as part of a tour in northern California .
Destinations big and small welcome NTA groups
As part of its mission to connect tour operators from the China Inbound Program with destinations across America , NTA has offered more than a dozen Fam tours and shopping events in the past 21 months . Thanks to the generosity of many national
and local travel industry partners , these trips have given operators a firsthand look at a wide range of destinations including both smaller cities and major metropolitan areas .
Previous tours / events :
September 2014 October 2014 October 2014
January 2015 August 2015
Fam tour in Arizona Fam tour in Park City , Utah Fam tour in Galveston Beach and Houston , Texas Fam tour in New Orleans , Louisiana Fam tour in Savannah , Georgia September 2015 Fam tour in National Harbor ,
October 2015
October / November 2015 February 2016 April / May 2106
May 2016 May 2016
May 2016
Upcoming tours / events :
September 2016
October 2016
Maryland Luxury shopping event at New York City ’ s Madison Avenue Fam tour in Guam Fam tour at Tanger Outlet in Atlanta Fam tour in Utah ’ s five national parks Fam tour in South Dakota Social / networking event in Los Angeles celebrating the U . S . - China Tourism Year Fam tours to five different areas of California
Fam tour in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania Fam tour in an eastern state
NTA also has coordinated trade missions to Chinese destinations , usually in conjunction with local tourism shows , that introduce operators to new partners and regions throughout China .
JAMES DU
20 July 2016