TravTalk India Online Magazine
Realising India’s tourism potential, the China National Tourist Office (CNTO) is actively promoting China to travellers in the country and planning to woo Indians to explore the country, says Director Tian Xin.
Inder Raj Ahluwalia
Q. What exactly is the function of CNTO office in India?
CNTO in New Delhi aims to promote China tourism in India and strengthen cooperation and communication on tourism between the two countries.
Q. Would you agree that India’s core strength lies in its fast-growing middle-class?
The CNTO absolutely feels that India’s real strength in terms of sending visitors to China lies in the country’s rapidly growing middle-class. This is a huge business segment, and one which is regularly growing and becoming more adventurous every year. We feel this segment would like to visit China and see the country’s vast list of attractions.
The number of Indian tourists visiting China were 7.99 lakhs and 8.19 lakhs in 2016 and 2017 respectively
Q. Are the numbers of Indian tourists visiting China annually increasing?
The number of Indian tourists visiting China were 7.99 lakhs and 8.19 lakhs in 2016 and 2017 respectively. There has been a positive trend which has shown steady growth. The growth registered in the past two years has been 9.4 per cent and 2.5 per cent.
Q. What are China’s strongest selling points for Indians?
The major tourist attractions in China for Indian tourists are linked with Chinese history and heritage. The most popular symbols are the Great Wall in Beijing, the Bund in Shanghai, and the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. Apart from these, China also has colourful cultural and natural landscapes, the famous Silk Road, modern cities and a variety of shopping opportunities.
Q. Is there anything new being introduced in China to attract foreign tourists?
China is constantly evolving and expanding its tourism infrastructure. The most recent such case involves high-speed trains. Over 25,000 kilometres across the country are already being covered by high-speed trains as of 2018, making China’s system the world’s largest high-speed network. The highest speed can reach 350 kilometres per hour.
Obtaining Visa
- Indians can apply for a Chinese tourist visa at the visa application centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. So it is easy to get a tourist visa for Indians visiting China
