China: Worth a Holiday in the Post-Olympic Year?

Based on predictions of tour operators, China will have a bullish post-Olympic year especially in the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi’an. Additional destinations in China are under consideration as tourists are beginning to come forward and book with companies offering 2009 tours to China.

Shanghai, one of the top places to visit, no doubt

Shanghai is being marketed as the place to be on July 22, 2009 when a total eclipse of the sun will cover this highly populated city. In addition, Shanghai will host Expo 2010 during the months of May to October when thousands of tourists are expected to pour into the city.

Not the start of Heroes, but Shangahi in July

Tour operators are placing their bets on tourists to forgive and forget the negative reactions surrounding the 2008 Olympics. Many tourists refused to go to the Beijing Olympics because of apparent tripled accommodation rates and high costs of food and other products. The apprehension, which surrounded the 2008 Olympics, appears to be a concern of the past. Perhaps seeing the Olympics on television opened the eyes of potential tourists worldwide who realized China is not so different from other countries when it comes to marketing, and using creative means to boost their tourism dollars.

According to some tour vendors, bookings on tours offered to China are increasing regularly. Some tour companies expect many individuals who join tours to China in this post-Olympic year will return as individual tourists in the future. Tours are always fun and interesting, however living on someone else’s time schedule is not the best way to travel for some tourists. Travelling at your own pace and visiting sites on your own time schedule often makes holiday breaks more enjoyable. While there is safety in numbers, there is sometimes frustration over an escort’s strict adherence to a pre-designed schedule.

Sometimes getting off that track is excellent

One of the main results of the 2008 Olympics is evidenced in the improvements related to China’s infrastructure. Beginning in early 2007, China built 23 brand new facilities for the Olympics and made major improvements to many of their roads. The desire for self-improvement, which motivated China to put their best foot forward for 2008 Olympics, remains as a motivator. China continues to strive toward much needed improvements in many areas especially improved health standards and better roads. The post-Olympic year 2009 is a year of hope for many tour companies.

Although some tour operators offering trips to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics did poorly, others doubled their number of tourists over the previous year. However, many of these tourists were from the retired community and could afford a trip to Beijing because they saved for such a trip for many years. The present world inflation rate is affecting many areas of people’s lives. However there are many who can, and are, scheduling tours to China in this post-Olympic year.

Many people who watched the magnificent Torch Parade and the pageantry of all the medal ceremonies on television saw China as a vibrant, populace country with much to offer visitors. It seems according to some tour companies the world has a new view of China. In this post-Olympic year, tour companies are launching new tours to China and focusing on July 22, 2009 as their strongest marketing tool. Who would not want to see the longest total eclipse of the sun over Shanghai amidst this city’s natural beauty?

Marketing China’s capital city and home of the 2008 Olympics, tour companies are focusing on the many new hotels built to accommodate those who poured into Beijing for the Olympics. Tourists today want to see up close and in person the home of the Olympics they saw on television. They want to see and stand in the magnificent structures where the athletes of the world competed for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

The Birdsnest is cracking

Xi’an is the third of the three cities tour companies market as the triangle cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an. The main attraction in Xi’an is the Terracotta Army exhibit. The British Museum exhibited about 140 pieces of the exhibit in 2008. The exhibition drew more visitors to the British Museum than the King Tutankhamen exhibit of 1972.

The Terracotta Army is a marvellous display of funerary statues representing the army of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. Accompanying the soldiers remains were warriors, horses, chariots, officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians. While digging in the soil farmers discovered the remains in 1974 in Xi’an located in the Shanxi province, near the mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor of China. Many of the remains are still in the pits where they were discovered.

The Terracotta Army is a huge draw

Some tour companies are taking a realistic look at the condition of the world economies and therefore have lower expectations than do others. However, it appears overall the tourism industry is counting on a successful post-Olympic year of China tours. Attractions such as the Chengdu Panda Bear Sanctuaries and Jiuzhaigou – referred to as the Nine Village Valley – are on tour itineraries.

There are Yangtze River cruises to the Three Gorges Dam project and stops in Guilin to view the Li River area with its new five-star accommodation. The tropical beach at Sanya has new luxurious hotel accommodation. Lijiang offers beautiful mountain scenery and an introduction to the minority cultures of China. Tibet now welcomes visitors via the luxury train from Beijing.

The three-dam project is amazing and enourmous

The post-Olympic year tourist season in China shows promise and a check of tourism websites reveals many companies are now booking tours and cruises into China. In general, post Olympic holidays to the large cities of China are as safe as holidays to other large cities of the world.  Visitors, adhering to the rules, keeping a low profile, avoiding the use of drugs and out of the way areas can have a safe and enjoyable stay.

Travellers can enjoy a lovely holiday in China if they are careful. Being careful means protecting your passport, visas, money and other valuables at all times. It means never going out alone day or night, or to out of the way shops, markets and other places of business.

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