STORY: Türkiye, China pledge to boost cooperation in tourism
DATELINE: Aug. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:50
LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Istanbul city in Türkiye
2. various of the Shangri-La Hotel in Istanbul, Türkiye
3. various of meeting
4. various of Elif Balci Fisunoglu, vice general manager of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency
5. various of Wei Xiaodong, China's Consul General in Istanbul
6. various of meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye
7. various of Chinese tourist group in Istanbul

STORYLINE:

Turkish and Chinese officials recently vowed to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector.

"China is one of our priority markets, and we look forward to working together to develop our existing relationship further," Elif Balci Fisunoglu, vice general manager of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, told a tourism promotion meeting in the largest Turkish city of Istanbul on Aug. 17.

Fisunoglu said the number of Chinese tourists to Türkiye surpassed 426,000 in 2019, adding that Türkiye aims to raise the yearly number of Chinese tourists visiting the country to 1 million in the upcoming years.

"At this point, our active promotion, advertising, and marketing activities in the Chinese market will continue to increase," Fisunoglu said.

Speaking at the meeting, Wei Xiaodong, China's Consul General in Istanbul, said that Türkiye, home to ancient civilizations, has been luring many tourists from all over the world, including China.

"We believe that more Chinese tourists will come to Türkiye in the near future," he said. "And they will experience the historical and cultural beauties of Türkiye and the hospitality of the Turkish people."

The Chinese envoy underscored the importance and huge potential of expanding the China-Türkiye cooperation in the tourism sector.

"From now on, we will continue to work together with other organizations to ensure that Chinese tourists can travel safely, smoothly, and enjoyably in Türkiye," he added.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Istanbul, Türkiye.
(XHTV)