OC Business Leaders Headed to China to Attract Tourists

A 15-person delegation of Orange County business leaders will go to China next month to spread the word that Orange County ought to be a destination for Chinese tourists.

The Orange County Visitors Association announced plans for a 10-day sales mission to China, where the organization opened an office in Shanghai earlier this year.

The delegation will be led by the association chairman Gary Sherwin and chief executive officer Ed Fuller and include representatives of the convention visitors bureaus of Anaheim, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa as well as Marriott Hotels of Orange County, Disneyland Resort Hotels, Red Lion Hotels of Anaheim and Where magazine.

"Everyone is eager to attract today's Chinese tourist," Fuller said. "With the easing of visa restrictions to the U.S. and the continued strength of the Chinese economy, an estimated two million Chinese visitors are expected to travel to the U.S. this year. This is a 25 percent increase over last year, and by 2017, the volume is expected to double to 4 million visitors.

"Chinese visitors to the U.S. tend to be experienced, affluent travelers," he said. "They love golf. They love to shop. They love attending events. Orange County has all this in abundance. Plus we've got great weather and natural beauty and we're centrally located to the best of what southern California has to offer. We can't afford not to take our message about Orange County directly to them."

– City News Service.