Webinar on China’s Outbound Tourism attracts more than 12,000 participants from more than 100 countries

China’s outbound tourism, which will pass the 100 million border crossing mark in 2014, is generating interest around the world. The recent Welcome China Global Webinar organised by COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, GBTIMES, and Dragon Trail Interactive, confirmed this fact in an impressive way by offering over twelve hours of interviews, panel discussions, statistics, and best practices examples.

The webinar drew probably the biggest-ever audience for such an event, with more than 12,500 logins to the webinar from more than 100 different countries. Questions were sent via Twitter, Facebook, and email, some of which were answered during the webinar live from the TV Studio of GBTIMES in Tampere/Finland.

24 countries were covered during the broadcast including both major destinations like France, Australia, and the USA, but also countries like Iran, Kenya, or Finland. The online event, chaired by the director of COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, was sponsored by COTTM China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market, TripAdvisor China, and Global Destination Brand. Mr. Xu Jing, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), spoke live during the webinar about the ongoing importance of the Chinese outbound market. Mr. Eduardo Santander, CEO at the European Travel Commission, sent a message of support via video. Other supporters included the ETOA European Tour Operators Association and the PATA Pacific-Asia Travel Association.

Prof. Dr. Arlt: “The goal of the webinar has been to look carefully at the different situations and developments of China’s outbound tourism in different countries and regions during a twelve hour non-stop travel around the world, from New Zealand to the USA. From the feedback received it seems that we were able to reach this goal and interest a huge number of people.”

As most participants were not able to follow the whole twelve hour broadcast and others missed the webinar altogether, its parts have been made available for free download at www.gbtimes.com/webinar.

Due to the webinar’s success, the next Welcome China Global Webinar is already in the pipeline and will be broadcasted live from the COTTM China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market in Beijing in April 2015.

sourced:traveldailynews.asia