Beteta: China is a very important market
TOURISM promotion organisation Visit California recently led a trade mission to China, its first one in the country, as part of efforts to attract more Chinese travellers to the US state.
The 12-member team headed to the key cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
President and CEO of Visit California, Caroline Beteta, said: “With this market being so important and (with their businesses) being driven by relationships, we want to make sure to come over and establish relationships ahead of the others. This will be a regular practice.”
California is already receiving a good level of Chinese visitation, having recorded 1.1 million Chinese arrivals in 2014, but Beteta said she wants to better capitalise on the projected 60 per cent growth over the next four years.
She added that the agency’s global operating budget has been more than doubled from US$50 million last year to US$115 million this year, allowing it greater firepower.
Also expecting an increase in funds is Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, which would likely have its marketing budget bumped up from US$300,000 to US$500,000 in 2016-17.
“We’ll invest more in social media and plan to partner with other destinations like Santa Monica and Gateway to Death Valley in order to explore FIT itineraries,” said its president and CEO, Scott White.
The bureau, which sees meetings traffic dominated by domestic travellers, hopes to attract more MICE groups from China.
