ITB China News 2018 - Preview Edition

2 NEWS
PREFACE
Richard
Barnes
China:
No Experience?
No Problem!
The Right Partner,
the Right Time
Being Partner Destination of ITB China means more than
just having “branding” at the show. This year’s Partner
Destination for ITB China is Finland. From January to
November 2017, the number of overnights from China to
Finland reached 321,172 with a 34.3% growth compared
to January to December 2016, and Chinese nationals now
represent the fifth largest group of travellers to Finland.
As part of the country’s efforts to raise awareness and
create new business ties with outbound operators in China,
around 50 delegates from Finland will be representing the
country at ITB China.
WE ARE
VERY HAPPY TO
OFFER SUCH AN
INTERESTING ACCESS
FOR COMPANIES
FOCUSING ON CHINA
IN THE FUTURE
Michael Buller
CEO, Verband Internet Reisevertrieb (VIR)
Finland is running a multitude of visa centres in China,
working on e-visa solutions for Chinese tourists and has
opened up for Chinese mobile payment systems, adding a
lot of convenience for Chinese visiting Finland. Finland is
also taking part in the EU China Tourism Year, for which ITB
China is an official partner event. As David Axiotis, General
Manager ITB China, so rightly explains, Finland has proven
that it is attaching great importance in enhancing Chinese
tourists’ travel experience by “going the extra mile”.
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The ITB China Market Introduction
Programme is making its debut at ITB
China 2018.
The newly launched programme
is planned for international travel
industry professionals who have no
or little experience with the Chinese
travel market so far. Companies or
institutions who aim to gather first
experiences with the Chinese travel
industry, can easily establish first
contacts and get useful information
about this dynamic industry and
market at ITB China 2018.
The inaugural partner is the VIR
(Verband Internet Reisevertrieb),
Germany’s leading association for the
online travel industry, representing the
interests of the digital travel industry.
A large number of the most important
industry players have joined them as
members, such as Amadeus, HRS and
many more. Their members come
from online travel agencies, supplier
& tour operators, service & travel
technology providers as well as startups.
Each participant to the programme will
get an individual ITB China schedule
that is managed by a dedicated contact
person from ITB China and comprises
the following services:
Invitations to various networking
events during ITB China;
Guided tours and appointments with
selected Chinese key players at ITB
China;
Exclusive presentation sessions
organised and tutored by leading
Chinese companies giving first
impressions on how things work in
the Chinese travel industry as well
as guided attendance of selected
sessions of the ITB China Conference.
Michael Buller, CEO Verband Internet
Reisevertrieb (VIR) says that in
addition to Silicon Valley, the digital
travel industry looks more and more
also into the direction of China: “The
role as an important trend market will
increase tremendously over the next
years. Therefore, we are very happy
to offer such an interesting access for
companies focusing on China in the
future”
For more information about the ITB China
market Introduction Programme: contact@
itb-china.com or visit www.itb-china.com/
about-us/market-introduction-program/
ITB CHINA NEWS • Wednesday 9 th May 2018
www.itb-china-news.com