A national fair showcasing the country's tourism commodities in largest scale, with an aim to promote traveling services and lure businessmen, is to open in East China's Anhui Province on December 16.
Anhui Vice-Governor Zhang Ping said the 2000 China (Wuhu) Tourism Commodity Exhibition Fair is expected to draw more than 5,000 home exhibitors, and about 1,000 overseas participants.
The four-day show, expecting at least 50,000 businessmen and visitors, will help promote the design, development, production and distribution of tourism commodities in China, he said at a news conference in Beijing.
Businessmen can get visit www.ctptc.com to know more about the fair to be launched in Wuhu, known as the Pearl of the Yangtze River, Zhang noted.
Zhang Xiqin, deputy-director of the National Tourism Administration (NTA), affirmed that as China's tourism facilities are coming to a perfect stage, the design and development of tourism commodities are now the first priority.
He said he was sure the making and distribution of tourism commodities "have no problem at all" now that China's tourism business is booming with more travelers.
As they tour some 10,000 fine scenic spots in China, more buyers are awaiting for tourism articles, crafts and souvenirs besides nice food and boarding, he said at the news briefing.
The launching of the forthcoming fair is one of the strategies helping elevate China to a "tourism power" and expand tourism income, the deputy-director said.
Meanwhile, Wuhu vice-mayor Wu Keming also disclosed that during the exhibition, the competition of the designs of the tourism articles of arts, crafts and souvenirs made all over China, National Tourism Commodities Work Forum and discussion on WTO and trend for development of China commodities will also be held.
All sorts of articles of arts and crafts with collection value, tourism souvenirs, cultural relics duplicates, local produce, folk custom and nationality articles, religion articles, tourism food, drink, tea, clothing for tourism, publication, electronic information products and hotel articles will all be on display, he added.
The 2000 China (Wuhu) Tourism Commodity Exhibition Fair was co-organized by NTA and Anhui Provincial Government.
(China Daily 11/30/2000)
