On May 25, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of Beijing Municipal Committee of CPC Liu Qi met Chairman of World Travel & Tourism Council Geoffrey Kent, Secretary General of World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai and Chairman of Asia Pacific Tourism Association Hiran Cooray.

On Behalf of Beijing Liu Qi expressed his warm welcome to the principals from the three important tourist organizations to attend the 10th World Travel & Tourism Conference. He said that the conference boosted the exchange and communication between Chinese and global tourism industry, and inspired a deeper understanding of the world’s tourism industry in the prospect and potentials of China.

Following an introduction to the economic and social development of Beijing to the guests, Liu Qi said that Beijing has a solid foundation and rich resources for the development of tourism industry. After the Olympics, Beijing set a global  of becoming a global city and hoped to develop into an important tourism destination city of the world and exhibit its cultural charisma as the capital of China. All international tourist organizations are welcomed to open branches in Beijing and will be provided with superior service by the city. 

“The first time I came to Beijing in 1979, I believed Beijing would become the top-class tourism city in the world,” said Geoffrey Kent, Chairman of World Travel & Tourism Council, “the Chinese government has accorded great importance to tourism industry and China has made great contributions to world’s tourism industry. I hope this conference would push for exchange and cooperation and contribute to the development of world’s tourism industry.”

Present in the meeting were member of the Standing Committee of CPC Beijing Committee, Director of Publicity Department of Beijing and Vice Mayor of Beijing Cai Fuchao, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Beijing Committee and General Secretary of CPC Beijing Committee Li Shixiang, Vice Mayor of Beijing Ding Xiangyang and Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration Wang Zhifa.