Asia Expats Forum

Wocca · Scribe Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 970 Location:

With the opening of the airline from Kunming (China) to Calcutta (India)on 29th October 2007, the tourism bureaus of Chengdu, Guilin and Kunming held a travel routes promotion conference to dozens of Indian travel agencies. To attract more Indian tourists to travel in the southwest cities of China, the promotion conference especially introduced to Indian guests the new tourist products,“West China”, which especially targets at Indian tourists. The establishment of“West China”does not only mark that the tourist routes in west cities of China stride to the international tourist market, but also means that the regional cooperation among the three cities make great progress.

Three Cities Jointly Explore Indian Market

To further the exploration of the international tourism market and upgrade the international influence of the tourist routes in west China, the tourism bureaus of Chengdu, Guilin and Kunming this May jointly established the West China Tourism Marketing Alliance. Afterwards, the three cities have begun to jointly promote local fine travel routes to foreign travelers, meanwhile, the three cities will integrate tourism resources to target at the tourists from Europe, America and India.

On October 30th, the three cities promoted the first fine route, Kunming-Chengdu-Guilin, to the Indian travel agencies. According to an official of The Chengdu Tourism Bureau, in the past years, there were not so many Indian tourists traveling in Chengdu, Guilin, and Kunming because of the long voyage. Statistically, from this January to September, the Indian tourists receipt of the city only stands at about 2500 persons, while 1000 persons in Kunming. Before, Indian tourists who wanted to travel in Chengdu had to firstly fly to Beijing and then transfer to Chengdu from Beijing. It would take tourists 8 hours to get through such single side aviation and would cost each tourist about RMB17 thousand.

The open of the airline Kunming- Calcutta shortens the voyage from India to Chengdu and cut the travel expenditure. It takes only 2 hours to fly to Kunming from India and no more than 1 hour from Kunming to Chengdu, therefore, 5 hours aviation will be cut down for Indian tourists. The“West China”is a 12-day special travel route targeting at Indian tourists. They can fly to Kunming directly, and then transfer to Chengdu, then Guilin, and fly back to India form Kunming after finishing the tour. During the journey, Indian tourists can visit all the famous scenic spots in the three cities, experiencing various customs. A more attractive point is that the total expenditure of each person will be no more than RMB8 thousands. It is such a big potential market that inspired the three cities allied.

Indian Tourists Expected to Rise

As the three parties have reached a cooperation agreement, more than 10 thousand of brochures about“West China”will be distributed to every Kunming-Calcutta flights of China Eastern Air to strengthen the promotion to Indian passengers. Recently, the three cities are planning to hold a travel fair in India, to further the influence of“West China”among Indians.

According to an Indian attendee who presented the promotion conference held in Kuming, he knew little about Chengdu’s tourist resources before, the promotion conference enabled him to have an access to know more about the city’s delicious food and leisure culture which are also popular with Indian people.“I will investigate in Chengdu recently and will introduce various tourist items to Indian people, and bring more Indians to travel in Chengdu,”he said.

It is expected that, Indian tourists’receipt of the city will rise by 20% in the next year.

Chengdu Weekly news Thanks

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