BITTM, the Beijing International Travel and Tourism Market taking place 3-5 April this year, is delighted to announce the BITTM Student Awards that will be presented on 4 April. The BITTM Student Awards are organised in conjunction with several of the most important universities in Beijng.

 

BITTM is the only dedicated outbound travel event in China, the fastest growing travel market in the world, offering international tourism organisations the chance meet Chinese travel professionals with a view to creating partnerships and international alliances.  For the future development of outbound tourism in China, well-educated managers are needed who are able to organize varied and customized tours to Chinese travellers.  In a quickly maturing and diversifying market, knowledge of the customers’ needs, as well as benefits of the various destinations, is essential to guarantee customers satisfaction.  To help achieve these goals, and to complement BITTM’s continuing investment in the Chinese travel industry, the BITTM Student Awards will recognise the brightest tourism students in Beijing and further their career progress with substantial monetary prizes.

 

Karen Taylor, BITTM Event Director, said, “We are absolutely delighted to be involved in organising the BITTM Student Awards 2006.  Supporting possible future leaders in China’s outbound tourism is a very important feature of the show - and the BITTM Student Awards 2006 are a sign of the growing cooperation between the Chinese tourism industry and worldwide destinations.  May I be the first to wish all the eligible tourism students the best of luck for winning an award and we look forward to the Awards Presentation on the middle day of the show.”

 

 

 

 

1.   BITTM is the only dedicated B2B outbound travel event in China.

 

The show creates an annual platform where global and local industry professionals meet, discuss and contract the upcoming seasons.  Dedicated exclusively to business-to business, BITTM provides the essential link between the rapid development of the Chinese travel and tourism industry and the dynamic needs of the global industry.

 

For further information regarding BITTM, please see www.bittm.com

 

2.   The BITTM Students Awards are the final instalment of the ECTW Awards (European Chinese Tourists Welcoming Awards) - that are supported by UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) and the Global Refund Co.

 

On the first day of BITTM, a Press Conference will take place for all ECTW Award Winners.

 

The ECTW Awards will be held during the ITB Tourism fair in Berlin.  The ECTW Award has been recognized in China and Europe as the most important quality sign for the European Chinese Inbound market, with wide coverage in trade media both in Europe and in China.  The award is presented for best practice examples in Chinese tourism.

 

The 2005 award ceremony was attended by more than 120 international guests with Mr. Xu Jing, Asia-Pacific Representative of the UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organization, giving the keynote speech.  Winners have used the Award logo on their PR materials and on their name cards to signal their commitment to the Chinese market. Information about the ECTW Awards 2004 and 2005 can be found on www.china-outbound.com/award.htm

 

3.   The BITTM Student Awards winners will be chosen according to their achievements in international tourism studies by a jury of tourism experts from around the world.  

 

4.   Facts:

-     China is the most exciting and promising new travel market in the world.  Travel and tourism is still a relatively young industry, but it has become one of the most powerful and dynamic parts of the Chinese economy in the past few years �C with the total revenue of China’s tourism industry reaching $67.3 billion in 2002, and accounting for 5.44% of the GDP.  

-     Outbound departures from China have been growing by more than 25% each year, reaching 20.22 million in 2003.  The market is predicted to grow to 100 million departures in 2020.

-     The industry employs over 13.6 million people �C 1.9% of the country’s total population.

-     China is the fifth most important travel and tourism market worldwide, and has the sixth largest share of global Gross National Income, following the USA, Japan, Germany and the UK.

-     The Chinese are the second highest spenders on tourism in the world �C spending on average $175 per day per person when abroad.  Interestingly, a recent survey in Australia also shows that on average the Chinese spend four times what the Japanese spend.

 

BITTM is organised by Tarsus Group plc, the international media group with interests in exhibitions, conferences, publishing and online media.  For further information on Tarsus and BITTM please see www.tarsus-group.com