5 September 2018 –The 2nd Beijing International Travel Mart (BITM) 2018 opens today at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC), Beijing, with Morocco’s inaugural appearance as a country partner in a travel tourism exhibition in China. In attendance were representatives from close to 30 Embassies and National Tourism Organisations.
The opening ceremony was graced by Mr John Amararathunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Sri Lanka; Dr Karunasena Kodituwakku, Ambassador of Sri Lanka; Mr Mohammed Abass, General Director of Planning and Projects, Head of Chinese Tourist Desk, Ministry of Sudan Tourism Antiquities and Wildlife; and Mr Adel El Fakir, Chief Executive Officer, Moroccan National Tourist Office; and members of the diplomatic corps.
(From left to right, Mr Mohammed Abass, General Director of Planning and Projects, Head of Chinese Tourist Desk, Ministry of Sudan Tourism Antiquities and Wildlife; Mr Adel El Fakir, Chief Executive Officer, Moroccan National Tourist Office; Mr Edward Liu, Group Managing Director, CEMS; Mr John Amararathunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Sri Lanka; Dr Karunasena Kodituwakku, Ambassador of Sri Lanka.)
“Morocco’s participation in BITM 2018 marks the country’s inaugural appearance as a country partner in a travel and tourism exhibition in China, which is a great event for us.” Says Mr Adel El Fakir，Chief Executive Officer of Moroccan National Tourist Office. With more than 100 international exhibitors from over 20 countries, BITM 2018 spans across a gross area of 4,400 square metres. In addition, the event is expected to attract some 400 local buyers and is projected to attract 3,000 trade and public visitors from the MICE industry, OTAs, Travel Agents, Corporates and Trade Associations.
“BITM 2018 is honoured to host some 400 Chinese Buyers to meet with more than 100 exhibitors from across the globe who have travelled here for the China’s outbound tourism market and most importantly to develop potential business opportunities.” says Mr Edward Liu, Group Managing Director of Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS), the organiser.
BITM 2018 will also include tourism-market-focused forum, panel discussions, business networking luncheon, buyers-sellers meetings, exhibitions and workshops.
Beijing, the capital of China, is the world’s third most populous city and is ranked one of the top three cities of China’s outbound generating markets for year 2017. By 2022, the number of Chinese outbound tourists will be more than double that of the outbound tourists’ number in 2017.
As China’s ever-growing outbound travel market is becoming increasingly diverse and dynamic, BITM 2018 provides a globalised one-stop sourcing platform for exhibitors, quality buyers, international and local media, as well as other stakeholders within the tourism industry to effectively reach out to the Chinese travel market.
Exhibitors could also look forward to enriched business matchings through one-on-one meeting interaction technology to maximise the efficiency of their pre-scheduled appointments with the preferred local buyers. There would also be specially curated workshops running concurrently with the exhibition to provide attendees with relevant industry updates.
BITM 2018 is held at CIEC, from 5 – 7 September 2018. The three-day event is open to hosted buyers and trade visitors on the first two days and to public visitors on the last day.
For the record, CEMS had launched the Beijing International Travel Expo (BITE) series in Beijing in 2004 and was involved in 13 editions. Overall, CEMS is accountable for over 15 years of continued success in organising tourism exhibitions in China.
Cumulatively, CEMS has a track record of 29 successful professional international tourism exhibitions such as BITE, CGITE, XSRITE, and CITE, with participants from across 80 countries over the last 15 years.
For more information on the 2nd Beijing International Travel Mart 2018, please visit www.BITMChina.com.
