China and Greece announced in Beijing Wednesday that the two nations will cooperate in Olympic tourism promotion.

Greek Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, who arrived here with the torch relay delegation, said he hoped bilateral tourism growth would be as lasting and vibrant as the flames of the torch.

He said the 2004 Olympic Games will be held in Athens soon, and in four years time the Games will be held in Beijing. For two ancient nations which have a long history and splendid culture, the Olympics is significant.

During the Games, how to increase the number of inbound tourists and provide quality service to them are common concerns of the two nations, said Avramopoulos.

He said the two sides will send experts to the other nation andcarry out related training programs. Greece will also provide assistance to Beijing's Olympic tourism promotion campaign in Athens in the coming August.

The two governments will also encourage their travel agencies and other enterprises and organizations operating in the tourism sector to have direct contact in order to establish a partnership for increasing the bilateral tourist flow, as well as for investing and establishing joint ventures in the field of tourism of the two nations.

Avramopoulos added that the two sides will also persuade airlines to open direct flights between the two capitals as soon as possible. He hoped Athens would become a gateway for Chinese tourists who want to visit other European Union nations, and that Beijing would become a gateway for Greek tourists who want to visit other countries in the East Asia-Pacific region.
 
(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2004)