STORY: U.S. tourism industry insiders encourage more travel between China, U.S.
SHOOTING TIME: May 23, 2024
DATELINE: May 24, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:16
LOCATION: XI'AN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): ZHANG NAN, Xinhua correspondent
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ADAM BURKE, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Vice Chairman of the World Tourism Alliance
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): FRED WESLEY DIXON JR., President & CEO, NYC Tourism + Conventions
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALLEN ORR, Board of Directors, Brand USA
5. various of China and the U.S.

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): ZHANG NAN, Xinhua correspondent
"China's tourism sector has increasingly grown into an emerging and strategic pillar industry which enhances people's wellbeing and sense of happiness.
And China has successfully blazed a path of tourism development with distinct characteristics."

At the just-concluded 14th China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit, U.S. representatives highlighted the allure of China's tourism resources for tourists, expressing great expectations for closer cooperation in the sector.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ADAM BURKE, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Vice Chairman of the World Tourism Alliance
"I think China already has everything it needs to attract U.S. travelers. It's just a function of finding the right bilateral partnerships to promote China as a phenomenal destination for outbound visitation. 
The reason I'm so optimistic about the future is we've been through challenging times before, but it's through the power of tourism and these types of conversations and dialogue that we always find a common path forward. 
We have to open our hearts and minds to be open to learning about other people, other cultures, but then that has to be matched by lived experiences. And that can't be achieved any other way than travel. So I think travel and tourism is the bridge that will help us move forward together. "

During the high-level dialogue at the summit, China and the U.S. held signing ceremonies, designating Xi'an and Los Angeles, Shanghai and New York, and Shenzhen and San Francisco as tourism city partners.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): FRED WESLEY DIXON JR., President & CEO, NYC Tourism + Conventions
"There's so much more to explore. And like our partnership with Shanghai, I think we need to tell each other's stories more. There's so much opportunity.
I think more cities should do partnerships the way we have with Shanghai. And we feel strongly that the people-to-people exchanges that travel brings are so important today more than ever. And we should encourage more travel between our two countries."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALLEN ORR, Board of Directors, Brand USA 
"I think tourism, first of all, is people to people. So it's an exchange of culture. It exchanges culture in a way that you submerge yourself and have an opportunity, language, foods, outdoors and environment. China and the United States are really not that different. Our continents are very large. We have a vast array of different places that you can visit to experience our culture very differently.
I think that we're already making the interest exist by showing the different opportunities between the two countries for tourists to come, not just once but several times."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Xi'an, China.
(XHTV)