More than 400 representatives from about 30 countries and regions have arrived in the city of Guilin, a renowned tourist destination in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to attend the conference, due to open today.

The representatives include national leaders and former political dignitaries, tourism ministers, and international organizations such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) , the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Tourism Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council, as well as tourism experts and industry representatives.

The official said the world tourism center had shown a gradual eastward shift to Asia, now a recognized market with big potential.

Statistics from the World Tourism Organization Secretariat show international tourist arrivals amounted to 693 million in 2001, or 400 million less than in 2000 owing to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Arrivals to America and the Middle East declined 5.9 percent and 3.1 percent respectively. Meanwhile, arrivals to Africa and East Asia and the Pacific somewhat rose in 2001 from 2000.

China's tourism industry has maintained its rapid growth. Figures from the China National Tourism Administration show that China received more than 89 million international tourists last year, 6.7 percent more than in the previous year. China's tourism earned US$17.8 billion, ranking fifth in the world.

Thanks to the development of the Asian economies and improvements in Asian living standards, Asian countries boast huge potential for their tourism industries.

Bui Hong Phuc, Vietnamese ambassador to China, said that tourism a priority development industry in Viet Nam. Last year Viet Nam received about 700,000 Chinese travelers. At the conference, Vietnamese officials and tourism professionals will seek more cooperation with other Asian countries.

According to the organizers, over 100 journalists from about 40 countries and regions, including Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China Central Television, and reporters from India, Viet Nam and Singapore, have registered to cover the conference.

Jason Leow, a Singaporean reporter, said that the tourism business opportunities among Asian countries were many and such a conference could be a good selling-point for his readers.

(eastday.com November 18, 2002)