[photopress:Qingdao_Declaration.jpg,full,alignright]The tourism ministers of China, South Korea and Japan have signed the Qingdao Declaration on exchange, cooperation and the common development of the tourism industry.
Under the declaration, a mechanism will be introduced to allow non-governmental tour agencies to meet, exchange ideas and implement their governments’ decisions.
Cooperation on tourism in the region was formerly limited to talks between governments, and there was no platform for tour companies to have their say. Bringing it down to the lower, commercial, level probably means that there will more meaningful co-operation.
The ministers also agreed to develop tour packages that would encompass leading attractions in the three nations. At the inaugural ministers’ meeting in Japan last year, it was agreed to try and boost tourist traffic within the three countries from 12 million in 2005 to 17 million by 2010.
Steady progress has been made, with the figure last year reaching 13.8 million, up 11% on 2005. Statistics show that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan and South Korea has grown rapidly in recent years.
Source: China Daily