Information Center Boost for Tourists

ine tourist information centers have recently opened around Beijing, representing an important step in the move towards creation of a truly international tourism city. In an exclusive interview with Beijing This Month, Yu Changjiang, director of Beijing Tourism Administration (BTA), said a further nine such centers will be opened this year, covering all districts and counties.

"The lack of efficient tourist-information centers has both hindered the development of Beijing's tourism and affected its image as an international tourist destination,"he said. "I am very happy that Beijing has finally opened some centers. They are very useful to tourists, Chinese as well as foreign."

Yu observed that an important criteria in judging a city's tourism industry is the presence of such centers. "On one hand, Beijing lagged behind many foreign cities, but on the other we can now gain more experience from other cities in making our information centers much better."Already, it is understood, the centers have been widely welcomed by visitors because of the quality of information provided about Beijing and the best ways to enjoy it.

Staff at the centers are required to speak at least one foreign language, preferably English or Japanese. All centers are equipped with "Touch"screens which provide visual guides to all 320 tourist sites in Beijing. Center computers are linked to the homepage of Beijing Tourism Administration: www.bjta.gov.cn

BTA statistics show the city hosted 2.85 million overseas tourists in 2001, while domestic visitors numbered 7.52 million. Revenues from tourism totaled 113.2 billion yuan. Tourism officials are confident that services provided by the centers will further the growth of Beijing's tourism industry as a whole in the future, while boosting the number of visitors to individual tourism sites.

The centers' services include consultation, emergency assistance, sales of souvenirs and the handling of complaints. There are other services for F.I.T tourists.

Said Yu: "Along with building new information centers in Beijing, the BTA will continue to improve the services of their established counterparts, including for example the English level of staff and the web-site targeted at foreign tourists.

 

Beijing Tourist Information Center

www.bjta.gov.cn

Haidian District

Tel: 6262-2895; 6257-6688, ext. 6127, 6118

E-mail: haidian@bjta.gov.cn

Address: South lobby, Dangdai Shopping Center, 40 Zhongguancunnan Dajie

 

Dongcheng District

Tel: 6512-3043

E-mail: dongcheng@bjta.gov.cn

10 Dengshikou

 

Xijie Xicheng District

Tel: 6616-0108; 6612-0110

E-mail: xicheng@bjta.gov.cn

1/F, Xidan Science and Technology Plaza, 131 Xidanbei Dajie

 

Xuanwu District

Tel: 6351-0018

E-mail: xuanwu@bjta.gov.cn

3 Hufang Lu

 

Shijingshan District

Tel: 6868-6201; 6868-6202

E-mail: shijingshan@bjta.gov.cn

22 Shijingshan Lu

 

Fangshan District

Tel: 8936-0123

E-mail: fangshan@bjta.gov.cn

Haotian Holiday Hotel, 1 Gongchenbei Dajie, Liangxiang

 

Mentougou District

Tel: 6985-3974

E-mail: mentougou@bjta.gov.cn

35 Xinqiao Dajie

 

Changping District

Tel: 8974-0051; 8974-0061

E-mail: changping@bjta.gov.cn

Opposite Changping Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Activity Center for Retired Workers, Dongguan Nanlu, Changping

 

Yanqing County

Tel: 8119-1011

E-mail: yanqing@bjta.gov.cn

2A Weihe Nanlu, Yanqing