China Travel News, January 2013

Keep putting the word out about what we do, and
all that this wonderful country has to offer

China National Tourist Office (CNTO), through PhoCusWright, fielded a survey of 30,513 individuals, targeting U.S. adults who have traveled to Asia in the past two years or who are likely to travel again in the next two years. As promised, we will continue to share the results of this survey over the course of this year. This month we focus on factors of revisiting China.

Interpretation: Visiting China is an overwhelmingly positive experience for American travelers.Among past visitors to China who are likely to visit again, 55% report enjoying their previous trip(s) and wanting to repeat them, while 44% would like to visit places they did not see on previous trips

72-Hour Visa-Free Stay in Beijing and Shanghai for American Travelers

Both Beijing and Shanghai have announced that, effective January 1, 2013, transit passengers from the U.S. and Canada will be permitted to stay in these cities for 72 hours without a visa. In Shanghai, transit passengers holding third country visas and plane tickets can enter Shanghai through the city’s two airports, Hongqiao (SHA) and Pudong (PVG); in Beijing, transit passengers can enter only through Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).

Recommend Features China as a “Time Tested Destination” in January 2013 Issue

For over 43 years Recommend has been helping travel agents sell travel by providing them with in-depth destination and product information. Its editors travel the globe previewing, reviewing, and crafting experiential articles that make for some of the most informative and engrossing destination content available today. The January issue was no exception, as they delved into the country of China. States Recommend, “Of all the spots in the world that stimulate the yearning for travel, China traditionally stands head and shoulders as the premiere Asian destination since it opened its gates 40 years ago. This comes as no surprise, as it offers variety as wide as its borders and allurements unlike anything on earth. It’s also not surprising that travel agents consistently pick China as their top-selling destination, constantly tweaking and adjusting their menus to meet the rapid changes within China.” A digital version of the entire article can be found at: http://www.nxtbook.com/worth/recommend/january2013/index.php?startid=110

World Travel Market Ranks China as the Most Important Emerging Economy for the Tourism Industry

The World Travel Market 2012 Industry Report asked 1,310 exhibitors and leading buyers from the Meridian Club to rank the BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) – in order of importance for both inbound and outbound tourism. China was the most important outbound market for 26% of the respondents, and the second most important for a further 24%. Furthermore, it also topped the tables for inbound importance, reflecting a global interest in visiting China. Some 28% felt that it was the most important inbound market of the five, with 26% putting it in second place.

40 Beautiful Places to Visit in China
CNN Travel has featured 40 of the most beautiful places to visit in China. These are not the man-made attractions that so many visitors flock to – these are dynamic visual and geographical places that virtually take your breath away. If you are planning a trip to China, make sure and go beyond that Great Wall and delve into some of these beautiful environs. http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/life/40-beautiful-places-visit-china-943929

February 2013 Nanjing International Plum Festival Showcases the plum blossom garden on Purple Mountain in the eastern part of Nanjing, and nearby attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Ming Emperor Tombs, the Red Chamber Artistic and Cultural Garden, and the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum.

February 2013 Beijing Changdian Temple Fair (Beijing) Strolling around the Chandian Temple Fair during the Spring Festival has always been a custom for Beijing people – it is not only a party for the local snacks but also a party for Chinese traditional culture show. Here, tourists can enjoy the lion dance, traditional flower fair, and folk handicraft exhibition etc.

February 2013 Baiyun Temple Fair The Baiyun Temple Fair is famous for its popularity and its long duration. During the Temple Fair, tourists can attend many folk activities, enjoy the local snacks, folk handicrafts, and exhibition of paintings.

February 1, 2013 Mianzhu New Year Picture Festival (Sichuan) During the festival, an organized series of acts and performances will be held, such as the New Year Picture cruises, Spring Festival performances, Folk sings and dances, Dragon and lion dances etc.

February 15, 2012 Labrang Thangka Festival (Xiahe) The Labrang Thangka Festival is an important festival at the old Labrang Monastery that was one of the six leading monasteries of the Geluk tradition of Tibet. Every year, warmly dressed people ascend to the high-elevation monastery to pray and get blessed. When the monks carry out the thangka, thousands of people assemble in front of the big slope and the vividly woven thangka is displayed. It is a major highlight of many a Tibetan Buddhists’ year.

February 24, 2013 Qinhuai International Lantern Festival (Nanjing) In 2011, there were about 200 large and medium sized lanterns displayed, and about half a million people visited on the main festival night.

February 24 – 25, 2013 Chengdu Lantern Festival (Chengdu) During the Lantern Festival, the folk art show and acrobatics are held in parks. People can also have a taste of a variety of local flavor snacks.

Air China to Launch Non-Stop Service Between Houston and Beijing

Starting July 11, 2013, Air China will commence 4-times-weekly service between Houston’s George Bush Airport (IAH) and Beijing, China (PEK). In 2011, an estimated 77,000 passengers travelled between Houston and mainland China, up 6.8 per cent on the previous year and more than double the figure from just five years ago.

Chinese New Year is called Lunar New Year because the holiday begins on the first day of the lunar calendar. It is considered the beginning of spring, so it is also called Spring Festival. Chinese people celebrate the 15-day holidays with most activities taking place the day before (New Year's Eve), the first day (New Year's Day) and the last day (Lantern Festival), when families have reunion meals with traditional Chinese food such as dumplings and Tang Yuan (black sesame rice ball soup), among other delicacies.

 

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is the Year of the Snake signifies steady progress and attention to detail. The Snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal Signs. It is the intuitive, introspective, refined and collected of the Animals Signs. Ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house is a good omen because it means that your family will not starve.