DEL.ICIO.USAtlanta pushes to become great y’all of China
Effort aimed at attracting Asian nation’s tourists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Officials from Atlanta and the state of Georgia have rolled out the red carpet to 17 representatives of Chinese tour operations.
Over the past four days, hospitality leaders have provided them with private tours of top attractions like the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. They’ve taken them to dinner at local restaurants, from the modest on Buford Highway to the elegant in Buckhead.
Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com
Jeff Gao, owner of Galaxy Tours in Los Angeles, visits the World of Coca-Cola while learning what Atlanta offers Chinese tourists.
Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com
Chris Lee, president of ChinaPlus in Irving, Texas, was one of 17 representatives of Chinese tour operators to visit Atlanta.
Over the past four days, 17 representatives of Chinese tour operators were given the red carpet treatment in Atlanta. The impact of their stay could mean millions if they decide to bring Chinese visitors to the city and state. Their tour included:
• Attractions: Margaret Mitchell House, Martin Luther King Center, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola
• Shopping: Phipps Plaza
• Restaurants: Silk, Oriental Pearl Seafood
• Hotels: Twelve Hotel Atlantic Station, Hyatt Regency
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And promoters from across the state have come to Atlanta to spend a little one-on-one time with them, pitching their communities.
“Georgians are very friendly,” said Sam Zhang, tour operator for China CYTS Tours USA, as he followed a group through the 1996 Summer Olympics exhibit at the Atlanta History Center. “Atlanta is No. 1 in the South. Dr. [Martin Luther] King is very popular in China.”
Why so much attention to one small group? Because the 17 represent tourism operators sanctioned by China to bring visitors to America.
And time is of the essence. Every U.S. city is appealing to the Chinese tourists. The same outreach Atlanta is making is being repeated around the country.
If the visitors find Atlanta and Georgia compelling destinations, it could mean millions in new tourism dollars and potentially make the city and state a hot spot in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Because of the weakness of the dollar, the United States is a travel bargain for the
Chinese, hospitality leaders said. That gives U.S. cities a chance to grab their business at a time when American travelers are cutting back.
“We have a tremendous opportunity to create a perspective on Atlanta” for the Chinese visitors, said the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Bill Howard. He said the city and state have a three-tier plan, which includes bringing the tour operators here first, then the Chinese media and then traveling to China to make a pitch.
“Atlanta has not been a top-of-mind destination for Chinese operators,” Howard said.
The Chinese are most familiar with three American cities — New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, said Stella Sixing Xu, China project manager for the state’s department of economic development.
But she said Atlanta has a following. Coca-Cola, arguably the world’s No. 1 brand, is closely associated with its hometown. And the Chinese have heard a lot about the city because of the 1996 Summer Olympics during the run-up to their own games this past summer in Beijing.
Their knowledge of Atlanta could grow greater soon. The proposed merger of Delta and Northwest airlines, if approved, would open up more of the Far East to the city. And Atlanta acts as a catalyst for the rest of the state, said Joseph Marinelli, president of the Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Savannah’s international visitors often come after they have already toured other U.S. cities, he said.
“They come to us on their fifth, sixth, or seventh trip to America,” said Marinelli, who participated in outreach to the Chinese tour operators. “Our slice of the market is offering that authentic Southern experience.”
Jackson Tse, chairman and president of U.S. Discoveries, a division of China Pacific Consulting, said Atlanta is very popular with the business executives he represents. Atlanta is appealing because of its high-end restaurants, hotels and Fortune 500 businesses, he said.
Standing outside the Swan House in Buckhead on a mild 80-degree day, he said, “Atlanta is right for us because we conduct executive level tours and our clients are upscale. They are looking for American history and the modern at the same time.
“They are looking to invest, to get a share of the American marketplace,” he said. “They want what we call ‘special-interest’ tours. They are not just tourists. And Atlanta is perfect for that.”
