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Capital Welcomes World's Tourists

BITE 2007 organised by Beijing Tourism Administration, opened at the Beijing Exhibition Hall on June 21, with 700 organizations from 81 countries and regions taking part in it.

BITE is the only official marketplace, proudly supported by Beijing Tourism Administration, where the global and local tourism professionals converge. It serves as a vital link between the booming Chinese industry and the influential needs of the global industry.

High travel demand and growth potential present boundless opportunities for those wishing to tap into this dynamic industry. For buyers, BITE is the perfect platform to make deals with global suppliers providing a plethora of exciting and diverse range of tourism-related products and services.

Almost from the moment that Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan officially received the Olympic flag from the president of the Athens Games’ organising committee in 2004, the world’s eyes began to turn to the Chinese capital both as the host of the 2008 Olympics. From a world perspective, it is still early, yet the tempo leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games is quickening in line with people’s rising expectations about the Chinese capital’s Games plans.

Not that Beijing, nor its Olympics organising committee, BOCOG, are letting anything important pass by as they make their plans to stage a truly memorable Games. Some plans are already known, others are in the pipeline. Venues have been chosen, changed, cancelled, redesigned, built or whatever. And some are now nearly finished, in some instances well ahead of schedule.

Indeed, such has been Beijing’s preparatory progress that the International Olympic Committee (IOC), while awed at the speed with which Beijing and BOCOG operate, have asked that they slow down a bit in their preparations. This is the first time in the history of the Modern Olympiad that such a request has been made. Usually, the IOC finds itself urging host cities to speed up, lest the Games fail to open on time. Athens was a good example of this, though it made it in the end and hosted an excellent Games.

But Beijing’s preparatory pot needs to be kept on the boil; hence the official decision is to “Experience Beijing, Embrace the Olympics” in 2007. Under this theme, a series of activities will be held, starting this month.

In the 2007 expo, tourism guides of Beijing, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin, the seven Olympic cities, were brought to buyers and visitors; Olympic-themed tourism is on its way.

BITE 2007 attracted more than 700 exhibitors, 675 of whom are from 80 foreign countries. Also the PSA (pre-schedule appointment) system was brought for buyers who wish to make appointments with exhibitors online (www.beijingbite.com).

Today, China has one of the world's largest domestic tourist markets and an outbound market growing at a rate unequalled anywhere. According to the World Tourist and Travel Council (WTTC), China’s travel industry may grow by 10.4 percent per year over the next 10 years. It also predicts that by 2020 China will be the world’s top tourist destination, and fourth in outbound tourist numbers with 100 million Chinese people travelling abroad every year.

In 2005, 81 countries and regions were cited by the Approved Destination System (ADS). By the end of 2006, an estimated 100 countries and regions had attempted to join ADS.