The 14th China-US Tourism Leadership Summit, scheduled for May 2024 in Xi’an, China, is eagerly awaited by the Chinese tourism industry. Industry insiders view the event as a prime opportunity to further strengthen people-to-people exchanges and revitalize inbound and outbound tourism markets between the two countries.
According to a news agency, the summit will focus on enhancing cooperation and improving travel convenience. Chinese travel agency Spring Tour has emphasized the crucial role visas play in facilitating mutual visits and cultural exchanges. The company notes concerns over extended waiting times for visa interview appointments to travel to the US, which require tourists to plan trips and schedule interviews months in advance.
Guan Jian, spokesperson from GZL International Travel Service, highlights the potential benefits of streamlining the US visa process. Holding a US visa would grant visa-free entry to numerous countries in the American continent, boosting travel throughout the region.
Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, anticipates the summit will promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and the US. He stresses the importance of resuming flights between the two countries and urges the US to create a more favorable environment for Chinese tourists by de-politicizing the issue of tourism.
Shaanxi tourism administration officials emphasized the significance of the summit in implementing the consensus reached by top leaders of the two countries at the China-US San Francisco summit. They further noted that it is the largest and highest-level event organized by the tourism industry in both countries in recent years.
