The China International Travel Mart(CITM) 2010 was successfully held at Shanghai New International Expo Center from November 18 to 22, 2010. Mr. Shao Qiwei, Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration(CNTA) gave keynote speech during the gala dinner and opened the event together with Vice Major of Shanghai and Vice President of the Civil Aviation Authority of China.

Vice President of CAAC, Chairman Shao Qiwei (Middle) and Vice Mayor of Shanghai at the Opening Ceremony and Welcoming Banquet

CITM is an annual event that is held in Shanghai and Kunming alternatively. As the largest professional travel mart in Asia, CITM has drawn the attention of people in the tourism industry worldwide. China Business Network (CBN) and World Travel Online (WTO) have been supporting the event by not only attending but also inviting foreign tourism authorities and other incoming service providers that wish to attract Chinese visitors as well as inviting Chinese outbound tour operators and corporate travel organizers coming to CITM to meet invited foreign exhibitors. The increasing number of foreign exhibits attending the CITM confirmed the fast growing outbound market of China as well as the increasing weight the CNTA is attaching to support outbound travel from China. 

During the keynote speech Chairman Shao of CNTA confirmed that within the first three quarters of 2010 the number of inbound visitors to China reached 41.58 million representing 11% increase over the same period last year; outbound visitors from China reached 42.28 million which showed even more impressive increase of 21%; the number of domestic visits reached 1.59 billion with an increase of 10%, which generated US$142.8 billion representing an increase of 24%, therefore, China achieved growth in all three aspects of the travel and tourism industry.

Chairman Shao Qiwei, Vice Mayor of Shanghai Municipal People's Government Zhao Wen together with foreign guests visited CITM	Chairman Shao thanked Dr. Wu, COO of CBN Travel and MICE for the great supports that CBN provided to CNTA at WTM and CITM

During the four days of CITM 2010, dedicated senior officers and staff CBN and WTO promoted many foreign destinations such as Barbados; Bhutan; Croatia; Galicia; Jamaica; Madagascar; Slovenia; Trinidad and Tobago, Tanzania Tourist Board and Zanzibar Commission for Tourism and more,  as well as many incoming service providers such as Aberdare Safaris Hotels; Adria DMC; African Regent Hotel; British Museum; Central Hall Westminster; City Cruises; FITUR 2011; Jambo Travelhouse Safaris, Private Charter Cruises and many more.
 

The Stands of CBN Travel and MICE as well as World Travel Online were very popular and visited by many travel trade professionals as well as Chinese visitors

CBN staff helped Mr. Alfonso Tandazo, president of  Surtreck - incoming operator from Ecuador, talking to interested Chinese tour operators	The beautiful and popular stand of Trinidad and Tobago
Jamaica, the home country of Usain Bolt – the fastest man on earth,  led the Caribbean pavilion	The famous honeymoon destination – Barbados had Chinese peaking native advising Chinese visitors how to “live” life to the full in the relaxed environment

Despite the on going financial and economic crisis in many parts of the world, CITM 2010 still attracted 2,243 exhibitors from 95 participating countries and regions worldwide and covered  57,500 square meters of exhibition area.

Attractive stand decorated by CBN attracted many interested Chinese travel trade professionals and visitors alike	Spain stand is one of the biggest at CITM 2010 which accommodated quite numbers of tourism promotion authorities and commercial companies
Newly “approved” destination Canada brought a range of exhibitors with very special stand design and attracted many interested Chinese tour operators and visitors	Known for traditional culture, Sri Lanka showed itself again as a country of diverse culture and beauty

After over 10 years development, CITM has become the biggest travel fair  in Asia  for travel trade and consumers alike and plays an increasingly important role in promoting inbound and outbound travel to and from China hence contributing to the recovery and further development of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

Relevant news in Chinese:
2010中国国际旅游交易会（CITM）：“后世博”的辉煌，95个国家参展，10多万人观展