U.S., Chinese industry leaders advocate for stronger people-to-people exchanges through travel, tourism

A woman takes pictures of a folk product at an event promoting culture and tourism for China's Shaanxi Province in New York City, the United States, on Feb. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- In a vibrant display of cross-cultural solidarity, industry leaders from the United States and China gathered here to champion the pivotal role of travel and tourism in fostering stronger people-to-people exchanges.

At an event promoting culture and tourism for China's Shaanxi Province on Tuesday, Du Jin'gen, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, extended a warm invitation to U.S. tourists and leaders in the tourism industry to explore the wonders of Shaanxi.

"The fact that the United States has long been among the top three in the inbound tourism market in Shaanxi fully demonstrates the great love that the American people have for Shaanxi," said Du.

"People from the two countries are increasingly eager to strengthen our communication and exchanges," he said.

Terry Dale, president & CEO of the United States Tour Operators Association, echoed the sentiment.

"Today, we celebrate the Year of Dragon. The dragon creates a bond that transcends culture and borders and represents strength and mission, goodwill, and all the things that we represent in the tourism industry. This particular year is special for us to celebrate," said Dale.

He said tourism helps build bridges and promote people-to-people exchanges, bearing the responsibility of bringing people together.

"It helps foster compassion and recognition that we are the same. We're all humans," he said.

Bob Nederlander, Jr., president and CEO of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment, said that over the past 23 years, his company has cultivated deep partnerships within the Chinese cultural industry, leading to groundbreaking collaborations and joint ventures.

Most recently, his team co-produced a large Broadway-style musical, Sound of the Silk Road, with the Shaanxi Tourism Group, which premiered at Shaanxi Grand Theater in the province's capital city of Xi'an in 2021.

"In my over two decades of experiences in China, Shaanxi and Xi'an have been an important part of our work and of personal interest," Nederlander said, "not just because of the province's rich cultural heritage but its openness to cultural collaboration."

Shang Jiyuan, cultural counselor at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, said there is tremendous potential in China-U.S. cultural and tourism exchange and cooperation in the future.

"Both China and the United States are rich in cultural and tourism resources. Thanks to the solid foundation laid in the past decades, bilateral cultural and tourism cooperation have seen strong recovery after the pandemic," said Shang, citing recent visits by prestigious American arts and culture institutions to China and promotional efforts by Chinese cities in the United States.

People attend an event promoting culture and tourism for China's Shaanxi Province in New York City, the United States, on Feb. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)