Raymond Greene: Belt and Road initiative bringing new opportunities for Yunnan tourism

“Southeast Asia is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Americans. Yunnan, the Chinese province most accessible from South and Southeast Asia, should introduce more targeted cross-border tourist routes to the American people,” said Raymond Greene, the US Consul General in Chengdu, at a press conference in Yunnan on June 29. United States politicians and business people, as well as tourism professionals, are increasingly recognising Yunnan’s important position as a pivot of China’s opening up to South and Southeast Asia. The launch of a “U.S.-China Tourism Year” for 2016 promises a large space for tourism cooperation between Yunnan and the United States, said Raymond Greene.

Among other factors, the two countries’ ten-year visa policy, and the increasing number of flights and air routes between them are making it easier for Yunnan tourists to travel to the United States. Meanwhile, the US Consulate General in Chengdu and the Yunnan Provincial Commission of Tourism Development are seeking to attract more American visitors to southwest China through various activities.

 “Many American tourists choose to visit the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an and other traditional tourist attractions in China, just as Chinese tourists would travel to New York and Los Angeles,” Greene said. Actually, Yunnan boasts unique tourism resources, including excellent natural landscapes and diverse minority cultures, he observed. In 2015, according to the Yunnan Provincial Tourism Commission, American tourists paid nearly 200,000 visits to Yunnan.

 “Many Americans do not know that Yunnan is geographically and culturally close to Southeast Asian countries. Yunnan should step up publicity efforts in this regard and enhance the development of high-quality cross-border tourism,” Greene was quoted as saying. He also expressed the hope that the two peoples can discover more destinations worth visiting in each other’s countries.

In his view, there is huge potential for cooperation between Yunnan and the United States in cold-chain logistics, the processing of agricultural products, cultural products, the elder care industry and other areas. He believes that the continuous implementation of the Belt and Road initiative will bring more opportunities for cooperation between the two sides.

Raymond Greene: Belt and Road initiative bringing new opportunities for Yunnan tourism

Southeast Asia is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Americans. Yunnan, the Chinese province most accessible from South and Southeast Asia, should introduce more targeted cross-border tourist routes to the American people, said Raymond Greene, the US Consul General in Chengdu, at a press conference in Yunnan on June 29. United States politicians and business people, as well as tourism professionals, are increasingly recognising Yunnans important position as a pivot of Chinas opening up to South and Southeast Asia. The launch of a U.S.-China Tourism Year for 2016 promises a large space for tourism cooperation between Yunnan and the United States, said Raymond Greene. Among other factors, the two countries ten-year visa policy, and the increasing number of flights and air routes between them are making it easier for Yunnan tourists to travel to the United States. Meanwhile, the US Consulate General in Chengdu and the Yunnan Provincial Commission of Tourism Development are seeking to attract more American visitors to southwest China through various activities. Many American tourists choose to visit the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors in Xian and other traditional tourist attractions in China, just as Chinese tourists would travel to New York and Los Angeles, Greene said. Actually, Yunnan boasts unique tourism resources, including excellent natural landscapes and diverse minority cultures, he observed. In 2015, according to the Yunnan Provincial Tourism Commission, American tourists paid nearly 200,000 visits to Yunnan. Many Americans do not know that Yunnan is geographically and culturally close to Southeast Asian countries. Yunnan should step up publicity efforts in this regard and enhance the development of high-quality cross-border tourism, Greene was quoted as saying. He also expressed the hope that the two peoples can discover more destinations worth visiting in each others countries. In his view, there is huge potential for cooperation between Yunnan and the United States in cold-chain logistics, the processing of agricultural products, cultural products, the elder care industry and other areas. He believes that the continuous implementation of the Belt and Road initiative will bring more opportunities for cooperation between the two sides.