The recent Beijing International Tourism Expo 2005 was the toast of the tourism industry in Beijing last month, the fair’s organizers said in a recent press release. The success of BITE 2005, the second in the series, has clearly established the exhibition as the premier tourism event in China.
Organized by the Beijing Tourism Administration and Conference & Exhibition Management Services of Singapore at the Beijing Exhibition Center from 22-24 June, BITE 2005 boasted of some 476 Chinese and international exhibitors from 51 countries and regions, occupying a gross area of 15,000 square metres. BITE 2005 also hosted some 100 Chinese and foreign buyers from 28 countries.
Since its inception last year, BITE 2005 had grown in grandeur with an increased number of participating exhibitors and countries. Amongst some 24 national pavilions and group participations was Greece, which was offered the status of Partner Country for BITE 2005 for taking up some 800 square metres of net exhibit space.
Led by its Minister for Tourism, Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos, the delegation comprised more than 100 high-ranking officials, members of the mass media and numerous leading players of the travel and tourism industry from Greece.
Other countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Scandinavia, Slovakia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zimbabwe had also brought in their tour operators, attractions and tourism offices under the individual Country Pavilions.
The BITE 2005 was kicked off with much fanfare by the Guest of Honour, Mr Sun Anmin, the Vice Mayor of Beijing on 22 June 2005 in Hall 2, witnessed by 28 ambassadors together with 56 accompanying diplomatic staffs from 51 embassies. Members of the local and international press were also in attendance.
According to the organizers, the number of international and domestic exhibitors this year had increased from 27 to 47 countries, a hike of 74% over BITE 2004. An estimated 8,000 trade and public visitors attended the show over the three-day period.
Most of the hosted buyers and trade visitors were seen crisscrossing the exhibit halls for their pre-scheduled appointments arranged through the organizers during the first two trade days.
With the success from BITE 2005, the organizers are planning to have the show billed as the most professionally organised travel and tourism event in China within the next three years. |