According to China News Service, Shanghai Pudong tourism authorities have confirmed that Shanghai plans to hand out travel coupons worth 200 million yuan (US$29.28 million) at the end of May. The travel coupons will be sent to Citibank's credit card customers in Singapore, South Korea and other countries where people might readily accept the offer to come travel in China.

Li Zhengming, deputy director of the Convention & Tourism Office of the Pudong Economic Committee, said that it is the first time the Chinese mainland has issued travel coupons specifically to overseas consumers.

The goal of the coupons is to attract more visitors to the main venues of the Shanghai World Expo, which is set to be held between May 1 and October 30 next year. Pudong has already handed out discount vouchers worth about 900 million yuan (US$131.8 million) to residents of Shanghai and its two neighboring provinces, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The tourism authorities hope to attract more overseas visitors by offering travel vouchers to Citibank's credit card customers who have previous consumption records in the Chinese mainland.

Overseas tourists who receive the coupons can enjoy 20 to 40 percent off in 12 scenic spots, 32 restaurants, 29 hotels and 9 travel agencies. The coupons are valid anytime between May and August next year.

According to Li Zhengming, the Pudong New District government will also organize a series of promotional activities to distribute more tourist coupons in Taiwan and Macao.

(China.org.cn May 26, 2009)