Chinese travel agents to explore Vt. tourism options

A delegation of Chinese travel agents and journalists visited Vermont last week. The six-person delegation from the Shanghai region of China will travel around Vermont to learn about tourism options for Chinese residents. Juniper Hill Inn hosted a dinner for the delegation while touring Woodstock, Dartmount and Windsor.
During the five-day visit, the group will become familiar with Vermont so that the Green Mountain State can be added as a potential tourist destination on travel agents’ itineraries in China. Representatives from the Chinese media will also be writing feature articles about their visit for travel publications in China.
The Fam (or Familiarization) Tour, organized by the U.S. Commercial Service and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Shanghai office is part of an ongoing partnership with China that the Vermont Chamber has fostered since 1993.
“Chinese travel to Vermont has potential to become a great opportunity for the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in this state,” said Chris Barbieri, interim president and director of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce Asia Division.
The Chinese delegation will visit Ben & Jerry’s, Billings Farm, the Statehouse, Shelburne Museum and take a dinner cruise on Lake Champlain aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen.
Vermont is one of three stops the group will make in the United States. Before arriving in Vermont, they visited Orlando, Fla. and when they leave Vermont, the group will be going to Chicago before returning to China.
In November, a delegation of Vermont travel industry leaders will be going to China to take part in the China International Travel Mart Trade Show, the largest international travel trade show in East Asia.