China International Travel Mart (CITM), jointly sponsored by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Shanghai Municipal People’s Government/ Yunnan Provincial People’s Government, and Civil Aviation Administration of China, has been successfully held 11 times, six such travel marts were held in Shanghai, and the other five in Kunming, Yunnan Province.
The CITM 2009 in Kunming was a huge success-over 50,000 sq m was used involving 2,749 booths. A total of 180 exhibition delegations and 3,984 exhibitors from 94 countries and regions participated in the 2009 event, including 2,792 domestic exhibitors and 1,192 overseas exhibitors. Exhibitors from Asia made up 71.32 percent; Europe, 16.43 percent; Oceania, 0.74 percent; America, 10.68 percent; and those from Africa, 0.83 percent.
In terms of the classification of exhibitors, travel services made up 28.39 percent; hotels or hotel management groups, 16.15 percent; government tourism agencies, 35.97 percent; tourist attractions, 8.94 percent; airline companies, 1.28 percent; cruise companies, 1.04 percent; computer reservation systems and others, 0.48 percent; and other tourism enterprises, 7.75 percent. The CITM 2009 had the following characteristics:
Special background and special significance
While the CITM 2009 was being held, global tourism was seriously influenced by the international financial crisis and Influenza A (H1N1). But despite these obstacles, the CITM 2009 attracted 94 countries and regions, a number that exceeded 2007 event totals. Additionally, the space used totaled 50,000 square meters, exhibition delegations totaled 180, booths numbered 2148, and more than 1,000 overseas buyers participated.
The figures are a testament to the restoration of the confidence in global tourism and the promotion of international tourism exchanges.
Not only has China’s economy stabilized, but a pick up has been noticed as well. Tourism in China has also remained stable, as the international tourism market pays more attention and shows more enthusiasm toward China’s tourism.
Over 20 honored ministerial guests or above from 18 countries and regions attended the CITM 2009, including one vice-premier and nine ministers. Moreover, the leaders of the WTO, PATA, SPTO and CTO (Caribean Tourism Organization), and 1,192 overseas exhibitors participated in the CITM. It is of special and great significance to strengthening the cooperation between China and other countries in tourism, expanding exchanges and sharing the development opportunities.
Concentrated large-scale activities and media promoted momentum
T he opening ceremony, China Tourism Night: Visit China & World Expo 2010, Taiwan Tourism Night, Sino-South Korea Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, Sino-Japan Friendship Tree-planting Activity, China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Forum and Self-driving Relay of the Kunming-Bangkok Friendship Tour were among the events and activities carefully coordinated to impress participants. Relevant international organizations, tourism departments and tourism enterprises held more than 20 presentations, such as the Caribbean Tourism Presentation; and domestic and overseas exhibitors sponsored more than 50 theatrical performances to vividly promote and display local tourism characteristics.
The CITM 2009 and various large-scale activities attracted extensive attention from Chinese and overseas news media. Over 400 news organizations bringing nearly 800 journalists attended the event, including correspondents from CCTV, People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, Economic Daily, Guangming Daily, Central People’s Broadcasting Station, China Radio International and other mainstream and overseas specialized media, in addition to news groups from Yunnan and other provinces and municipalities. Eleven media groups in attendance set up booths at the CITM; and Xinhuanet.com, Sina.com.cn and China.travel set up live broadcast rooms and service zones on the spot to broadcast reports from the CITM, and promote the achievements of China’s tourism industry.
Bringing forth the new through the old, and strengthening famous brands
During the CITM, new tourism-related products sprung up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. All provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and exhibitors attached great importance to the promotion and cultivation of their tourism-related products; and the new types of tourism products represented by ecological, rural, red and seaside tours accounted for a fairly large proportion on display. The top tourism products-with convention and exhibition tours, golf tours and cruise tours as the representatives-became hotspots at the event. And the self-driving tour, independent tour, outdoor exploration, network tour and other new tourist forms were the focus of promotional efforts.
All localities paid attention to creating famous tourism brands and integrating their regional tourism resources, and took great efforts to promote various tourism products, each showing its own characteristics and having high brand value.
Improvement of the organizational level and marketization
Despite the negative influence of the international financial crisis and H1N1 pandemic, the CITM 2009 still attracted 94 countries and regions, proving the effectiveness of the organization efforts behind the event. The Organizing Committee of the CITM learned from the advanced international experiences, and deepened the marketization operation in terms of organizing the mart, receiving guests and making promotion through media. It also actively imported the system for large-scale activities and further improved the comprehensive abilities for holding the CITM through effective operations.
Along with the constant expansion of the CITM’s influence, the work on soliciting exhibitors, advertisements and news reports has become a relatively smooth process. The welcoming banquet, opening ceremony, China Tourism Night: Visit China & World Expo 2010 and other large-scale activities held by the Organizing Committee have been met with nothing but success. Now Chinese and foreign departments in charge of tourism, tourism organizations, tourism enterprises and colleagues of the tourism circle take the CITM as an important opportunity and platform for making exchanges and looking for cooperative partners.
