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Beijing plans to attract more overseas visitors by bidding for more opportunities to host international events after the 2014 APEC meetings.
"After 10 years of development, Beijing's business tourism under MICE, or tourism related to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, ranks first in China and second in the Asia-Pacific region," said Zhou Zhengyu, head of the the Beijing Tourism Development Commission.
"Tourism, especially business tourism, is very important in terms of industrial integration and economic development," Zhou said.
China CYTS MICE Service Co Ltd, which is helping government agencies and associations to bid for international conventions, confirmed that more international conventions are expected to be held in Beijing after the APEC events.
According to the company's work calendar, programs are booked to 2021, including the 2015 World Hydropower Congress in Huairou and the 2021 General Assembly of the International Union of Physiological Sciences.
Zhang Guangrui, honorary director of the Tourism Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said undertaking international events will help Beijing to boost inbound tourism.
"APEC, for example, can itself bring a lot of overseas visitors, and the venue of the meetings can become a scenic spot.
"The improvement of facilities and services from the APEC preparations will also make Beijing more attractive and friendlier to overseas visitors."
Huairou district said that after the APEC meetings, it expected to accept 20 million MICE visitors every year, which will provide jobs to about 50,000 people.
Beijing and the rest of the country are facing the challenge of dwindling inbound visitor numbers.
"Since the first quarter of 2012, the number of inbound tourists has been down for nine consecutive quarters both on an annual and quarterly basis, and there is no sign that it will bounce back soon," said Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy.
Yang Jinsong, a professor specializing in international tourism with the China Tourism Academy, said tapping the potential in business and MICE tourism is essential to boost inbound tourism.
As the severe smog, which might not ease in a short period of time, has deterred many foreign visitors from the country, the government should target business tours and exhibition tourism to further develop its inbound tourism, Yang said.
"There is potential for MICE visitors from abroad to become one of the leading growth areas for the country's inbound tourism," he said. "The country, especially the MICE destinations including Beijing and Shanghai, can come up with more incentives to further attract foreign businessman and exhibitors."
Contact the writer at suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn
