Photo Exhibition Showcasing Beijing's Attractions as a World-class Tourist Destination Held at Ottawa Convention Centre

OTTAWA, June 24, 2013 /CNW/ - The Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development kicked off a week-long photo exhibition showcasing Beijing as a must-see destination for leisure travelers at the Ottawa Convention Centre in Ottawa, Canada's capital, on June 23, 2013.

The photo exhibition is the first of its kind initiated by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development in Canada and also the first exhibition focusing on the tourist attractions of a city to be held in the lobby of the Ottawa Convention Centre, Level 1. The exhibition has on display 50 photos depicting scenic spots around Beijing, already one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The pictures on display capture both the richness of Chinese culture as well as how both the traditional and the modern coexist cohesively in the Chinese capital. The show, with an emphasis on four themes: world cultural heritage, the city's ancient charms, fashion and style, and glamour and enchantment, has received a warm response from all attendees.

The photo exhibition has been a huge success. Chinese ambassador to Canada Zhang Junsai and chairman of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada Michol Crockatt attended the opening ceremony, where they each delivered a speech.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development also gave a talk on Beijing's 72-hour visa-free stay policy for passport holders from 45 countries, including Canada, during the photo exhibition.

Canada is an important overseas market for Beijing, according to Zou Weinan, an official with the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development. Over the last few years, the number of both business and sightseeing travelers from Canada to Beijing has increased year by year, with an annual average of between 150,000 and 180,000 arrivals, while the numbers of those from Beijing to Canada have also likewise grown. The event was designed to further showcase to Canadians the wide array and the richness of tourist attractions in Beijing while raising the visibility of not only Beijing but the whole of China as a not-to-be-missed leisure travel destination. The event is expected to enhance Beijing's stature as one of the world capitals that every traveler needs to visit within their lifetime, as the city's government continues its work to make it an ever more attractive one.

In September 2012, several tourist destination cities led by Beijing and Ottawa jointly set up the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF). Ottawa is one of the first members of the Federation. Beijing and Ottawa, as the respective capitals of China and Canada, will work ever more closely as they continue to enhance their cooperation in the tourism sector.

SOURCE: Beijing Tourism Development Committee

Zhang Jing, [phone]