BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin in Moscow has witnessed the launch of "Tourism Year of China" 2013, which will look to help boost the travel industry for both China and Russia.Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, attended the opening ceremony. Analysts say the attendance of the two countries' presidents will hopefully provide a boost for the tourism business.Xi said tourism is the best way to enhance the sense of neighborhood and Putin warmly introduced China to all Russians.This year's campaign will involve 382 activities, 235 hosted by China and the rest by Russia."Only travelers can tell how the bilateral relationship is going," said Xing Guangcheng, an expert on Russia research with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.According to Russian tourism official data, 343,000 trips were made from China to Russia in 2012, up 47 percent year on year.Diao Shuang, manager of European businesses with China Youth Travel Service, said younger tourists are also heading to Russia."In 2011, 70 percent of tourists to Russia were elderly," Diao said, "but this year 40 percent are younger than 45."Meanwhile, the number of Russian tourists to China is the third largest in the world and has been since 1997. Some 2.43 million trips were made in 2012 and another 172,700 trips from Russia to China in January, up 27 percent year on year."Tourists from Russia has outnumbered any other European or American countries in the last two years." said Cheng Jie, deputy general manager of European businesses in China Travel Service.In border cities in northeast China, shops and stall holders carry out business making deals in Russian and many Russian tourists visit local Chinese people, living peacefully and happily.Renowned as "Twin Cities," Heihe of China's northeast Heilongjiang Province neighbors Russia's Blagoveshchensk. More than 7,000 Russians each day go shopping in Heihe during the busy season.Zhang Guangqiang, Far East Travel Service executive general manager in Russia's neighboring Jilin Province, said traditional Chinese medicine like acupuncture as well as beautiful scenery attracts many Russians."Many Russians have mistaken Chinese people as wearing grey or blue suits," an experienced Russian guide Nikolay Amurov said, "but they have found China to be such an attractive country."He said China's coastal cities like Beidaihe of north Hebei Province and Sanya of south Hainan Province fascinate Russians besides cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.In 2011, Hainan Province accommodated 220,000 trips from Russia, up 51.9 percent year on year, according to the China National Tourism Administration.Zhu Shanzhong, deputy director of the administration, said the country aims to attract more Russians to southwest Yunnan and Sichuan provinces."Surging costs become the biggest problem in developing tourism between the two countries," Cheng Jie said, "airline, hotel and catering all face price increases which hinder tourists."The lack of experienced and professional tour guides posed another challenge for Chinese enterprises to explore the Russian tourism market, which long for opportunities created by the "Tourism Year" to tackle this plight.Source: Xinhua

News 2013-03-25 00:42 View：1143

On March 20th,a snow dressed up tianjin very beautiful. In the morning, the tourism and service college in nankai university had the awaken thick spring,zhangjiajie tour guide groups had a happy communication with the students,opened up a new marriage era of famous mountains and famous university.On communication field, zhangjiajie guide groups performed zhangjiajie Yang opera,lanterns,folk songs, so many national nonmaterial culture of folk custom programs,showing the world natural heritage zhangjiajie beautiful scenery,and giving souvenirs and gifts of the zhangjiajie tourism propaganda. Activity got the positive response of the teachers and students of nankai university, tourism professional students said that the exchange had a guiding significance to further understanding of tourism. They expected to have the opportunity to go to zhangjiajie to carry out social practice activities.Translated by Sophia

News 2013-03-24 00:47 View：1018

On March 18th, knowing from 2013″zhangjiajie tour guide ten thousand-mile walking” shijiazhuang introduction meeting, shijiazhuang to zhangjiajie flight will be opened on March 31st. Combined with the opening of the beijing-guangzhou rail, at the end of last year, hebei tourists will have a more convenient travel to zhangjiajie.Shijiazhuang to zhangjiajie flight is grasped by the spring and autumn airlines. It will be resumed on 31st this month. It will be on Monday and Thursday. Shijiazhuang to zhangjiajie flight number is 9C8549. It starts off at 15:55off from shijiazhuang, and arrives in zhangjiajie at 17:55. Zhangjiajie flight number is 9C8550 to shijiazhuang, starting off at 18:40 in zhangjiajie, and arriving in shijiazhuang at 20:35 points.Translated by Sophia

News 2013-03-24 00:45 View：1125

A delegation of more than 40 Hong Kong businessmen visits Hunan for economic exchange from March 21 to 25.The Hong Kong delegation aims to have a better understanding of the economic situation in Hunan Province as well as central China, and acquire information about Hunan's new business-friendly policies after the 18th CPC National Congress. The tour in Hunan sets out to explore more business opportunities for Hong Kong businessmen and help mainland entrepreneurs go global.Followed by an inspection of key investment projects at the Changsha Pioneering District on March 22, the delegation held its first exchange meeting with over 80 successful local entrepreneurs about strengthening economic and cultural cooperation between the two sides. The delegation will visit Yiyang City and Zhangjiajie City later.Hong Kong has become Hunan's largest export market and largest source of actual investment. As of October, 2012, the contracted investment of the 107 Hunan-based enterprises in Hong Kong had amounted to 2.057 billion USD, accounting for 16.2% of the province's total.Translator: Xiao JuanSource: Hunan Official Web Portal

News 2013-03-24 00:40 View：946

On March 18th, wulingyuan promotion groups in hubei wuhan, held a tourism communion meeting, with the theme of “being away from the fog, and traveling zhangjiajie”.Around with the problems, such as “big traffic in and out of zhangjiajie “, “scenic spot ticket prices”, “market promotion”, “tourism train”, “marketing follow-up”, “packaging product design” and so on. Each group had a face to face talk with wulingyuan scenic area administration leaders, puting forward a series of ways to solve the tourism “bottleneck” restriction.With the closed distance to the zhangjiajie, wuhan had a large population, which became one of the important tourism group to zhangjiajie. Wuhan tourism departments and the traveling salesman also said the product in wulingyuan is very unique and mature. With the improvement of traffic and reception environment, zhangjiajie will attract more wuhan citizens.Translated by Sophia

News 2013-03-23 00:45 View：988

HONG KONG, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong International Airport was awarded the Airport Carbon Accreditation "Optimization" certificate Friday, which turned it to be the first and only airport in the Asia-Pacific to achieve this standard.The certificate was awarded by the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific's Regional Director Patti Chau to Airport Authority Chairman Marvin Cheung at a ceremony here.Officiating at the ceremony, Secretary for Transport & Housing Prof Anthony Cheung said the accreditation is an important milestone towards a sustainable future."Environmental protection has always been an integral aspect of the airport's development, and this is also one of the policy priorities of the new government, so it is rewarding to see the airport become a pioneer in the Asia-Pacific region and an exemplar of environmental excellence," he said.The Airport Authority said the airport reduced carbon intensity by nearly 14 percent in the last two years, and is on track to meet the goal it set in 2010 of a 25 percent reduction by 2015 on 2008 emission levels.Airport Carbon Accreditation was initially launched in June 2009 and expanded to the Asia-Pacific in November 2011. As the only institutionally-endorsed carbon management certification standard for airports, the program independently assesses airports with four progressive levels of accreditation, including "Mapping", "Reduction", "Optimization" and "Neutrality".Source: Xinhua

News 2013-03-23 00:10 View：910

On March 14th, “ZJJ Charming of Xiangxi” Performance won the appreciation of Zhouhui who is the national level actors.Zhou Hui believed that “ZJJ Charming of Xiangxi” Performance impressed him with three aspects. Firstly, the rich ethnic customs. From the performance hall chairs, tujia building and all kinds of decoration, to the stage sets, costumes, it all showed national wind,and let people be intoxicated. Secondly, the characteristic of song and dance show. The mysterious xiangxi corpse, humorous crying marriage of folk songs were all attractive and very local characteristics; Finally, a superb actor. Zhou Hui said the entire performance team is very professional,with superb techniques.Translated by Sophia

News 2013-03-22 01:31 View：1087

Along with the increasingly frequent economic cooperation and cross-strait tourism market, in order to meet the market demand, further promote exchanges and cooperation in zhangjiajie area with Taipei region, southern airlines will open zhangjiajie scheduled flights to Taipei.The maiden voyage of the flights will be on April 15th, models for A320 / A321, flight number for CZ3025/3026. The flight starts from Taipei in 11:35, after about 3 hours flight, it arrived on zhangjiajie at 14:40. The flight from zhangjiajie to Taipei is at 15:30 to 18:30.Translated by Sophia

News 2013-03-22 01:30 View：1021