Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/3108
Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 113 ThE SLEEPinG GianT aWaKEnS BY NORMAN MAYERS China is forever linked to its ancient civilization, friendly people, and many of the world's most revered treasures, such as The Great Wall, Terra-Cotta Warriors & Horses and the Yangtze River. It is the third largest country in the world behind Russia and Canada. Today, one can also find spectacular architecture and tower- ing skylines in Shanghai and Beijing (site of the 2008 Summer Olympics), a wealth of luxury accommodations – and as always – exquisite cuisine. As one of the world's fastest growing economies, China is coming into its own as a global superpower. Now is the time to discover this ancient destination and all it has to offer. As the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing is also a dynamic and magnificent city with all socio-economic index among top cate- gories in China. With more than 200 cul- tural attractions open to the public the city attracts millions of visitors each year. Thanks to its ancient charm and modern infrastructure, 196 out of world's top 500 multinational corporations have set up their operations in Beijing either for investment or for showcasing their own achievements to the rest of China. The implementation of China's Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) ushered China's economic construction into a new phase. The advance of high tech- nologies, the development of informa- tion industry and the expansion of domestic and foreign trade combined put new requirement for the develop- ment of MICE. China's admission into the World Trade Organization and Beijing's successful Olympic Games bid- ding also injected impetus to the MICE segment in the city. The development of MICE (Meetings Incentives Convent- ions Exhibitions) will not only accelerate the construction of urban facilities, telecommunication, transport network and sport venues, but also consolidate Beijing's leading position in China's tourist industry. As one of the international metropol- itan cities, Shanghai is readily accessible by sea, land and air. It is connected with more than 400 cities in the world by air links and ocean shipping routes. It is also a very safe city, conveniently laid out and a compact destination with one of the world's easiest and least expensive pub- lic transportation systems. Everything in Shanghai is within reach via taxis, buses, metros, trams and ferries. Due to the dynamic growth of the past decade, mil- lions of dollars have been pumped into local infrastructures, and Chinese tourism officials are understandably proud that almost every famous hotel brand name has a property in Shanghai, and that the airport, convention and exhibition centers as well as other new facilities are of world standard. Professional service standard, con- venient transportation networks, varied travel activities and modernized commu- nication systems have helped Shanghai organize and receive regional and inter- national events of all levels. The success- ful hosting of events such as Fortune 500, APEC and ADB have put Shanghai on the map for the MICE market in the world. In 2001, the city received more than 2 million international tourists among which 50% are overseas meeting arrivals, who attended over 200 meetings in Shanghai. When traveling to China, it is easy to convert your US dollars to Chinese cur- rency at a Chinese bank. Most interna- tional travel is through Beijing, which can be reached from 54 cities in 39 coun- tries around the world. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? China National Tourist Office (818) 545-7507 www.cnto.org AREA GUIDES China Old Chinese buildings contrast with the modern high rises of Wuhan, China. Photo Credit: Hugh MacDougall