The Caribbean Heads to China for BITTM
The Beijing International Travel and Tourism Marketplace (BITTM), scheduled for April 3-5, has announced the participation of exhibitors from 40 countries including South America and the Caribbean.

The event, which will enable overseas destinations to identify partnership opportunities with tourist organizations, will attract attendance from tourism ministers and ambassadors from Mexico, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

South America and the Caribbean are becoming important destinations for Chinese tourists. In January 2006, China opened its first air route to South America, from Beijing to Sao Paulo.

Brazil and China are working closer together to identify opportunities for economic and trade cooperation. The Cuban Tourism Ministry is planning to open a representative office in Beijing to provide better services to Chinese travelers.

The Caribbean is also opening up to China and in February 2006, the Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong, visited Jamaica for a three-day China-Caribbean economic and trade forum.

China recently added Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, and St. Lucia to its approved travel destinations, promising the region a bigger piece of the Chinese tourist market.

The show is expected to attract over 300 hosted buyers and 2,000 visitors. Last year, BITTM´s first event welcomed over 120 exhibitors from 31 countries.