2019年CRI China and Russia to deepen cooperation on tourism

 

Authorities from both China and Russia have revealed plans to increase cooperation in tourism.

Russia attracts millions of Chinese tourists every year.

Yan Xiao is the public affairs manager at China's largest online travel agency Ctrip.

She says older Chinese tourists remain interested in Russian 'Red Tourism.'

"In Moscow, tourists can see Soviet-era architecture. They can also pay tribute to Lenin Mausoleum at Red Square. Travelers can go to Lenin's former residence and Lenin square in Ulyanovsk. In Saint Petersburg, they can see Aurora¹ Cruiser, where the first shot of the October Revolution was fired. It attracted tourists from China and other parts of the world."

China's younger generations are more attracted by Russia's natural resources, including ice and snow, as well as the aurora borealis.

Wang Xiaoyi from Shenzhen went to a northern Russian village on the shores of the Arctic Ocean together with some of her friends.

There she was able to see the aurora borealis for the first time in her life.

"We went there to see the aurora. And suddenly it appeared. We can see it clearly with our eyes. It's very huge and was fluid. We were so excited and kept taking photos for a long time."

Various activities such as the 'Year of Tourism' have been held in recent years to promote cooperation in tourism between China and Russia.

Both sides have also taken steps to make it easier for each other to get visas.

Tihnenko Aleksey with the Moscow Tourism Bureau says steps have been taken in the Russian capital to accommodate Chinese tourists.

"We build some infrastructure² specifically for Chinese tourists. We also provide pamphlets named 'Chinese friends', which contains information about stores, restaurants, hotels and museums in Moscow. We are learning about Chinese culture and their interest. We are also learning how to communicate with them in a better way."

Chinese and Russian cooperation in tourism has been expanding in recent years.

The exchanges and communication have expanded from national-level to city-level, with a number of secondary cities now involved as well.

Li Jiangang with the Chinese Ministry³ of Culture and Tourism says the tourism cooperation between China and Russia has a bright future.

"We will work to create a more favorable tourism environment. We will continue to deepen connection and facilitation. We will also strengthen cooperation and communication on infrastructure and service standards. We will encourage market entities⁴ and commercial institutions get involved in China-Russia cooperation on tourism."

China is Russia's largest source of tourists, with data showing more than 2 million people from China obtained a Russian tourism visa last year.

Over 2.4 million tourists from Russia also made their way into China last year.

1 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。