An award of 5,000 yuan waiting for you
The press conference for the online contest "Beijing Travel Spin 'Foreigner's Choice: Top 10 Tour Routes around Beijing'" was held on Tuesday.
"Travel Spin" hopes to reinvent tours around China's ancient capital by inviting expats and tourists alike to share their favorite travel experiences. Last year, the grand prize winners were invited on a free trip to Suzhou, one of China's most popular travel destinations. This year, there will be more than 100 prizes given away, with the top prizes worth about 5,000 yuan.
"The contest not only helps foreign tourists get to know Beijing, but it also helps us know what we should improve," Yu Lintang, director of the Information Office of the Beijing Tourism Administration, said in his welcoming speech.
Ambassadors from 19 countries attended the meeting, including Ambassador of Maldives Ahmed Latheef, who expressed his support for the event in a speech. The ambassador said he is amazed at how historical relics are perfectly preserved in today's Beijing, which has become a dynamic and modern metropolis.
Officials from the tourism bureaus of six districts in Beijing introduced the top attractions located in their respective districts. They discussed the efforts they have made to make the sites more foreigner-friendly, such as establishing bilingual signs and travel Web sites.
The contest is co-hosted by the Beijing Tourism Administration and the Information Office of the Beijing municipal government. It is also supported by portal media such as CRIENGLISH.com, China.org.cn, China Daily and People's Daily online.
The contest was launched in early March and runs through August 2010. Several entries have already been received, in the form of text, photos and videos. Participants can log on to the official Web site of the event, http://english.visitbeijing.com.cn, to upload their work or cast their votes. The chosen routes will be displayed on the contest's special coverage page.
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