California Tourism Delegates Visit China on Governor's Mission

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. October 14, 2008

SACRAMENTO, CA, November 15, 2005. Eleven delegates representing California's top travel destinations, accommodations and attractions are in Beijing today, and Shanghai and Hong Kong later this week, as part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's China Trade and Tourism Mission.

Working with the Governor's office to help coordinate the trip is the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC), a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs in partnership with the state's travel industry that keep California top-of-mind.

"Tourism is big business for California generating $82.5 billion in direct travel spending and producing $5.2 billion in direct state and local revenues," CTTC Executive Director Caroline Beteta said. "International visitors are a key component to California tourism, generating nearly 16 percent of total travel spending while representing less than three percent of total visitation. These visitors tend to travel during shoulder periods and stay longer than domestic visitors."

According to the World Tourism Organization, China is ranked among the world's top 10 outbound tourism nations. Figures from the China National Tourism Administration indicate that the number of travelers outbound from China reached 16 million in the first seven months of 2004, soaring 63.7 percent from the same period last year. By 2010, the Travel Industry Association of America predicts China to be the largest outsource of outbound travelers in the world.

"The latest figures from D.K. Shifflet and Associates indicate that in 2004 California welcomed 101,000 visitors from China with another 57,000 from Hong Kong," Beteta said. "Although modest compared to the U.K. (693,000 visitors) and Japan (630,000), China is important to California because it offers a much more significant potential for growth. Travel in China is starting to become liberalized and this, together with the expansion of the Chinese middle class (estimated to be from 175 to 250 million people), growing economic and social ties with the rest of the world, and improved transportation access (U.S. carriers to China are expected to double by 2010) has launched the beginning of a travel boom of major proportions. For these reasons California is increasing its marketing efforts in China to better compete with other destinations aggressively promoting to Chinese travelers."

The delegation includes a variety of California businesses, as well as convention and visitor bureaus representing some of the state's most popular destinations, including the CTTC, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, LA INC. The Convention and Visitors Bureau, Citypass, Inc., SeaWorld San Diego and Hornblower Cruises & Events.

The tentative tourism delegation schedule includes a Chinese tour operator luncheon, media blitzes, Governor's private welcome reception, American Chamber of Commerce luncheon hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, California reception, Shanghai tour operator luncheon, California reception and Hollywood showcase film premiere, Hong Kong tour operator luncheon and a private business delegation reception with the Governor.

California is currently ranked as the number one travel destination in the country, and its tourism economy is twice the size of New York and five times the size of Hawaii. As California's fourth largest employer, tourism supports nearly 900,000 jobs. Unlike manufacturing, information and trade sectors, these jobs can't be outsourced. Dining, shopping and entertainment-based activities are the most popular expenditure-based tourist activities in California. Sightseeing, followed by visiting theme and amusement parks and beach/waterfront activities are the most popular recreational pursuits.