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8/26/2016 |
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China Trip Vital to Local Tourism |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2016
China Trip Vital to Local Tourism
Brad Dean and John Rhodes to take part in leadership summit
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, China is the number two country for inbound international tourism to the U.S., with 2.2 million visitors spending an estimated $23.8 Billion in 2014. Travel from China to the U.S. is expected to grow more quickly than any other country in the next five years.
These are among the reasons Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, and Myrtle Beach Mayor, John Rhodes will attend the invitation-only 10th Annual China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit in Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. The summit takes place September 7 through 9, with optional events through September 12.
“The U.S., led by its promotional agency Brand USA, is seeking a record level 100 million annual international visitors by 2020, and a key part of that goal is the projected increase of visitors from China, making them an important contributor to revenues generated by international travel,” said Dean. “So it’s a privilege to be at the table with roughly 60 delegates representing the United States to discuss ways to grow travel between the two countries.”
Last September, the United States and China announced the U.S.-China Tourism Year for 2016 to celebrate the reciprocal extension of visa validity and to support increased travel and tourism exports. The two sides work toward expanding and shaping U.S.-China travel and tourism, along with strengthening the bond between the two nations.
Throughout the year, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), in collaboration with Brand USA and other partners, design and host events and activities to promote and increase travel between the United States and China, expand market access, and advance initiatives that ensure a quality visitor experience for increasing numbers of travelers to and from both nations. The annual summit, which rotates between U.S. and China locations, is one such event.
“China’s outbound traveler numbers are growing fast, and that offers a unique opportunity for the Myrtle Beach area,” said Dean. “But one of the specific goals we have for this trip in particular is to encourage the CNTA to bring the summit to a southeastern city such as Charlotte or Atlanta, so that the delegation can experience southern hospitality and maybe even make their way here to Myrtle Beach, and ultimately share that experience within their travel networks.”
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About The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Since 1938, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has stood as the unified voice of the Grand Strand's business community. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the MBACC its five-star accreditation, one of only several chambers in South Carolina to earn this distinction. The MBACC serves Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Little River, Atlantic Beach, Garden City Beach, Loris, Conway, Aynor, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. For more information, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is the proud recipient of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ “2015 Chamber of the Year” award.
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