ChineseandAmercianstudentsperformattheopeningceremonyofthe14thChina-U.S.TourismLeadershipSummitinXi'an,northwestChina'sShaanxiProvince,May22,2024.(Xinhua/ShaoRui)XI'AN,May22(Xinhua)--HighexpectationsignitedcallsataChina-U.Shigh-leveltourismsummitonWednesdayforconcreteactionstoremovetourismbarriersbetweenthetwocountries.The14thChina-U.S.TourismLeadershipSummitdrewnearly400representativesofthegovernments,institutions,andtourism-relatedenterprisesoftheworld'stoptwoeconomiestotheancientChinesecityofXi'an.ChineseStateCouncilorShenYiqinreadamessagefromChinesePresidentXiJinpingattheopeningceremony.ShesaidPresidentXi'smessagefullydemonstratesthegreatimportanceattachedtotheChina-U.S.relationsandardentexpectationsfordeepeningChina-U.S.tourismcooperation.STRONGPENT-UPDEMANDHistoryhasproventhatChina-U.S.cooperationpotentialinthetourismindustryishuge.Annualbilateraltouristflowreachedamilestonein2016--surpassing5millionforthefirsttime.Notably,thenumberofChinesetouristsvisitingtheUnitedStatesexceeded3millionforthefirsttimethatyear,andtheirtotaltravelexpendituresurpassed30billionU.S.dollarsforthefirsttime,DaiBin,presidentoftheChinaTourismAcademy,saidatthesummit.EscalatinggeopoliticaltensionandthesuddenimpactoftheCOVID-19pandemic,however,havecombinedtoreducebilateralexchangesinrecentyears.Chinarespondedtotheebbingofthepandemicbysteppingupeffortstoboostitstourismsector.Fromresumingasteadilyincreasingnumberofinternationalflightsandimplementingavisa-freepolicyformorecountriesandcruisetravelers,tosimplifyingvisa-applicationproceduresandoptimizingpaymentservices,Chineseauthoritiespressedthe"accelerationbutton"tofacilitatetherecoveryofitstourismindustry.JulieDurazo,withPathwaysTravelbasedinLosAngeles,saidthevisaapplicationprocesstoenterChinaisnow"aloteasier,"comparedtowhatwasrequiredduringthepre-pandemicera.Durazo,whoisinXi'antoresearchtouroptions,isplanningtobringdozensofU.S.highschoolstudentstoChinathisfall."Irememberbeforeitwasatleastasix-monthwaitingprocess.Sowehadtohaveourstudentssignupclosetoayearinadvance,"shesaid,addingthatbothpaperworkandprocedureshavesincebeensignificantlyreduced.Durazo'shusband,PaulOrr,joinedherontheresearchtripandittookjustfourdaysforhimtogethisvisaaftersubmittingallnecessarydocuments.LatestfiguresreleasedbyChina'sNationalImmigrationAdministrationshowedthatthenumberofforeignersvisitingChinahadincreasedbymorethanthreefoldinthefirstquarterof2024,whencomparedwiththesameperiodlastyear.Meanwhile,approximately1.1millionvisitorsfromChinahadtraveledtotheU.S.in2023,representinga192.9-percentsurgecomparedwiththepreviousyear,accordingtodatafromtheU.S.NationalTravelandTourismOffice.Thetrend,however,isstillmoresluggishthanwhatinsidershadanticipated.AttendeesatthesummitinXi'anattributedthesedisappointingtravellevelstoalackofflights,visachallenges,crimeconcerns,andgeneralgeopoliticaltensions.Currently,thereare100directflightseveryweekbetweenthetwocountries,whichislessthanone-thirdofthepre-pandemiclevel."Beforethepandemic,wecouldflydirectfromLosAngelestoBeijingorShanghai,butnowwehavetomakeastopoverinSanFrancisco,andtheticketfareismuchmoreexpensive,"saidDurazo.Thereisalsoavisachallengethatneedstobedealtwith.DespitebeingoneofthemostdesiredoverseasdestinationsamongChinesetourists,theU.S.visaapplicationprocesshasdeterredmanyChinesefromplanningatriptothatcountry."TheaveragewaitingtimeforaU.S.visaappointmentiscurrentlythreemonths.Inaddition,theUnitedStatesonlyoffersindividualvisas,whichrequirein-personinterviews,andapplicantsfromXi'anhavetogotoeitherBeijingorGuangzhouforsuchaninterview,"saidPengShuping,chairmanofXi'anSpringInternationalTravelServiceCo.,Ltd."Wereallyhopethatthevisaapplicationprocesscanbesimplified,"Pengadded.AnotherobstacleisthatWashingtonhasissuedalevel-3advisoryconcerningtraveltoChina,callingonAmericansto"reconsider"suchtravels,whichhasdeterredmanyAmericanswhootherwisemayhavebeenmorelikelytovisitChina."Westronglyhopethattherelevantpolicieswillbeadjustedassoonaspossible,"saidZhouXiaoguang,presidentofChinaOdysseyTours.COMMONEXPECTATIONSTheU.S.CommerceDepartmentandTourismPolicyCouncilinJune2022releasedanationalstrategy,settinganambitiousfive-yeargoalofattracting90millioninternationalvisitorstotheUnitedStateseachyear,whichwouldgenerate279billionU.S.dollarstosupportAmericantravelworkersandbusinesses."AnimportantfactorinachievingthisgoalistheabilityoftheU.S.travelandtouringindustriestoattractmoreChinesetravelerstovisittheUnitedStatesforleisure,businessandeducationpurposes,"GrantHarris,assistantsecretaryofcommerceforindustryandanalysisattheU.S.CommerceDepartment,saidattheopeningceremonyinXi'an.HarrisalsoreadamessagefromU.S.PresidentJoeBidenatthesummit.China,whichwelcomedover82millioninboundtouristswhileitsdomesticresidentsmadenearly101millionoutboundtripsin2023,hasalsoputtourisminaprominentpositioninitsdrivetoencourageeconomicgrowth.AnationalmeetingonthedevelopmentofthetourismsectorwasheldlastweekinBeijing,highlightingthatitis"imperativetopromotehigh-qualitydevelopmentofthetourismsector,"andtheneedto"speedupbuildingChinaintoacountrystrongintourism."SeeingtheeventinXi'anasanopportunitytofurtherrevivethetourismmarket,industryinsiderswhoattendeditvoicedstronganticipationformorepro-tourismmeasurestoboosttheglobaltourismindustry."WeregardSino-U.S.travelasabarometer,sothetourismsectorhasgreatexpectationsfortherecoveryofSino-U.S.travel,"saidFengGaoxuan,generalmanagerassistantofXi'anOverseasTouristCo.,Ltd.TravelandtourismbetweentheU.S.andChinaisofgreatimportancenotjusttotheworld'stwolargesteconomies,butalsototheentireglobalcommunity,saidChrisClark,whoischairmanofVisaAsiaPacific,atthesummit."Theimportanceofculturalexchangecannotbeunderstated,"Clarkadded."Ithelpsusunderstandandappreciatedifferentcultures,values,andtraditionsthataredifferentfromourown,fosteringmutualrespectandunderstanding,andcanimprovecommunicationandbuildbetterrelationshipsbetweenpeopleandnations."■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.