Virginia governor touts tourism on China visit

Updated: 2014-11-13 09:43

By Xu Lin(chinadaily.com.cn)

Pretty beaches in Virginia

Terry McAuliffe, governor of the US state of Virginia, visited China recently with his wife for the first time, hosting cocktail parties in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to promote the state as a destination for its good wineries, historic sites and picturesque scenery such as mountains and oceans.

For those who want to know about the history and culture of the US, Virginia is an ideal place to visit. It's where many battles of the Civil War were fought, and the first permanent English colony in the Americas was founded in 1607 in Jamestown.

Last year, Virginia's tourism revenue was $21 billion. In 2013, more than 22,000 Chinese tourists came to the state, an increase of 69 percent compared with 2012.

In June, Air China launched direct flights from Beijing to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, four times each week. So it's now more convenient for Chinese passengers to visit Virginia and they can drink Virginia wines during their flight.

The governor estimates that the new flight will bring 16,000 more tourists and business travelers and $14 million more consumption.

Because of Virginia's proximity to Washington DC, those who fly to Washington DC often spend their first night in the hotels of Virginia.

Guests can rent a car to enjoy Virginia's beautiful countryside, taste wines at more than 230 wineries, eat the region's famous oysters and visit cultural heritages such as Monticello, the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson.