“Beautiful China, more than pandas,” a campaign sponsored by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and organized by Sichuan Tourism Development Commission to market China’s tourism resources overseas, kicked off officially in Berlin on September 2.

The campaign was declared open as Li Jinzao, CNTA Director, and Jochen Szech, President of the Association of Independent Travel Agencies and Tour Operators in Germany, painted eyes of a model panda in the presence of some 150 participants from the tourism industry, cultural circles and media organizations of China and Germany.

Zhang Junhui, an official from the Chinese Embassy in Germany, said at the opening ceremony that as China and German celebrate the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year, the two countries will roll out new measures to boost tourism cooperation, including the China-Germany Tourism Year.

Jochen Szech, who has been to China, recommended Sichuan’s unique natural sceneries, history, culture, and gourmet food to tourism professionals of Germany.

The combined number of German tourist arrivals in China and the other way around exceeded two million for the first time in 2015, said Li Jinzao.

Among EU member states, Germany is the biggest source of tourist arrivals in China, whereas China is the biggest source of tourist arrivals in Germany among Asian countries.

Li pinned high hopes in bilateral tourism cooperation as tourism resources in the two countries, he said, are very complementary, generating huge cooperation potential.

Li?expected the “Beautiful China, more than pandas”campaign to inject vigor?in bilateral tourism cooperation.

Sichuan Province, the hometown of giant pandas, is a highlight of the campaign. Representatives from competent government agencies and local travel agencies, including Hao Kangli, Director of Sichuan Tourism Development Commission, all took advantage of the opportunity to introduce Sichuan’s tourism resources and products.

Sichuan travel agencies signed cooperation agreements with their German counterparts on exchanging tours.

An art performance, featuring Panda dance and Sichuan Opera’s face-changing show, stunned German participants.

The “ Sichuan,more than pandas”campaign are scheduled to take place in South Korea, Japan, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Thailand later this year.

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