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Top tourism fair opens in Hungary with China in focus

Xinhua, March 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Travel 2016, Hungary's largest tourism fair, opened here on Thursday.

The opening was addressed by Zhang Lizhong, director of the Tourism Promotion and International Cooperation Division of China's National Tourism Administration, and Hungary's National Economy Minister Mihaly Varga.

Zhang pointed out tourism between China and Hungary had grown in recent years as Hungary had become a leading destination for Chinese tourists.

He noted tourism was an important way to promote mutual understanding among peoples. "We encourage more Chinese citizens to travel to Central and Eastern Europe," he said, adding that tourists in Central and Eastern European countries are also welcome to visit China.

Zhang said that 2016 is "Year of Silk Road Tourism" in China. China's booth at the fair will present rich tourism resources and tourist routes along the Silk Road to Hungarian people, he added.

Varga said according to the UN World Tourism Organization, international arrivals to Hungary had grown by 19.1 percent in the first three-quarters of 2015, which was four times more than the global average. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, tourism accounted for 10.3 percent of Hungary's GDP.

The fair runs from March 3 to 6, with 28 countries and regions represented. Programs include a China Tourism Information Day conference and a professional workshop. Enditem