Organisers of China's leading travel and tourism market event, the Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) announced here today the venue  for the 2009 presentation- the Beijing Exhibition Center (BEC), with new dates set on 18 to 20 June 2009 (Thursday to Saturday).

"Moving back to BEC will provide a more convenient and efficient business environment for participating exhibitors and visitors.  Its location is strategically right in the middle of Beijing's business traffic, providing easy access to important buyers who want to attend the show", said Mr. Edward Liu, Managing Director of Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS).

Famous for its period-piece Russian-style building landmark, the venue's signature red star-topped spire and an entrance lobby festooned with massive, multi-layer crystal chandeliers promise an advantage not shared by most of the city's other trade and commerce exhibition facilities.

Most productive business platform of its kind

Being the most productive business platform of its kind in the region, BITE 2009 in its sixth edition has already secured the participation of various international groups, taking up an impressive 80% of the 22,000-square-meter two-hall exhibit space.

Countries like Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Cuba, Egypt, Fiji, Great Britain, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, The Marianas, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Sharjah, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States of America have all confirmed international representation and are expected to bring along with them their country's best attractions in this most-awaited three-day interactive showcase of travel and tourism.

Local and international travel agencies and tour operators from across continents are also coming in to showcase attractive travel packages to China's growing inbound and outbound tourists. 

With strong support from Beijing Tourism Administration (BTA) as the main organiser and the Beijing Relation, Conference & Exhibition Services Co., Ltd. as domestic organiser, BITE 2009 is all geared up and headstrong to provide high-profile and quality business match-making opportunities for both local and international industry players in the midst of the trying times.

China's thriving tourism industry

China's tourism revenue registered steady growth for the past years.  Prior to Beijing Olympics in 2008, the whole year of 2007 welcomed a total of 1.783 billion tourists reaching a record high of RMB1.9 trillion on the total tourism revenue, posing increases of 15% and 22.6% respectively over the previous year.  In this year, China hosted a total of 132 million inbound tourists including 54.72 million arrivals who stayed at least one night in the country, representing growth rates of 5.5% and 9.6% respectively compared to the previous year.  The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) reports that its inbound revenue had increased 15-fold from US$2 billion in 1990 to almost US$34billion  in 2006.

"The Chinese are coming"

In a press report released by China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), it presented how "The Chinese are Coming" authored by Steve King corroborates World Tourism Organizations (WTO) sound prediction on some 100 million Chinese who will be travelling overseas by 2020. 

In King's article, he asserts that hoteliers are seeing the significant influence of Chinese travelers in their industry.   Citing the views of Christopher Norton, General Manager of the George V in Paris (part of the Four Seasons portfolio) regarding the emergence of a new class of upscale Chinese travelers, King mentions that the Chinese, just like the Japanese, Arabs and Russians before them, are subtly transforming the services offered by high-end hotels.  Hotels have started to employ Mandarin-speaking personnel seeing how the language "will become mandatory among front-of-house staff at top hotels".  The article concludes that the prevailing growth trend in outbound tourism is accounted to Chinese's increasing interest to understand the brilliant modernity of the West as well as other foreign destinations like Europe, South East Asia and Australia.

Boundless benefits

The organizers are seeing a forecast of US200 million on-site business transactions from targeted turnout of more than 30,000 trade visitors and professionals coming from different parts of the globe. 

Moreover, an online business matchmaking service is also provided for exhibitors to network with potential new business alliances as well as buyers prior to the

event.  This guarantees them an efficient time to interact and do business together once the scheduled meeting at the exhibition site takes place.

Originally scheduled on 23 to 25 June 2009 (Tuesday to Thursday), organizers are moving the event on 18 to 20 June 2009 (Thursday to Saturday) to encourage more throngs of visitors to the event while extending their stay in Beijing for a weekend city tour.