United States-China Tourism Leadership Summit Xi’an Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Email: publicaffairs@trade.gov
Phone: 202-482-3809

WASHINGTON - From May 21 - 23, 2024, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Analysis, Grant T. Harris, participated in the 14th annual United States-China Tourism Leadership Summit in Xi’an, People’s Republic of China. Delivering on Secretary Raimondo’s travel to the People’s Republic of China in 2023, the Summit brought together key leaders from the respective governments and industry. During the event, participants highlighted the importance of working together to strengthen and expand travel and tourism and people-to-people exchanges, which will support increased jobs and economic growth in the United States.

Assistant Secretary Harris is the highest-ranking United States official ever to lead the American delegation to the Summit, underscoring the significance of this occasion, and commemorating the full reopening of travel between the United States and China that occurred in August 2023.
During the Summit, Assistant Secretary Harris met with both State Councilor Shen Yiqin and Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli to discuss how the United States and China can strengthen travel and tourism exchanges between the two countries. The Assistant Secretary advocated for United States interests—supporting U.S. destinations and pushing for greater market access and a level playing field for U.S. industry in China.

“Travel and tourism is a key sector for the United States economy, supporting 9.5 million jobs in communities across the nation,” said Assistant Secretary Grant Harris. “President Biden and Secretary Raimondo understand the industry’s importance, which is why the Department of Commerce continues to foster opportunities to enhance tourism to the United States. The United States-China Tourism Leadership Summit is an important vehicle to further this mission. Our work, including attending the Summit, will increase the number of visitors experiencing our beautiful nation and will benefit communities across the country.”

As part of his opening remarks, Assistant Secretary Harris read a letter from President Biden describing the importance of the Summit in leveraging the power of travel and tourism to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and promote economic prosperity. 
Several U.S. destinations also signed agreements at the Summit as a signal of their readiness to reengage in travel and tourism with this critical market.

Participants included state, provincial, and city level destination marketing organizations, industry association leaders, tour operators and online travel agents, attractions, transportation companies, and more. In addition to Assistant Secretary Harris, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism Alex Lasry and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft attended as part of the U.S. Government delegation.

The Summit is an important step forward in restoring travel and tourism between China and the United States to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, nearly 3 million Chinese visitors spent $33 billion experiencing the United States, accounting for 14 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports—more than any other country. Restoring Chinese visitation to 2019 levels would add over 50,000 direct American jobs. Including indirect jobs and students studying in the United States, that number increases to an estimated 400,000 American jobs. According to the latest data from Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), the United States is starting to see the return of Chinese visitors. In 2023, the United States welcomed 1.1 million Chinese travelers. The number is expected to increase 150 percent from 2023 to 2025—4.7 times faster than the rise in overall overseas visitation to the United States during this time.

Travel and tourism is a critical industry in the United States and an engine of prosperity and opportunity in communities across the country, supporting 9.5 million jobs through $2.3 trillion in economic output. That is why the Department of Commerce is leading the implementation of the 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which establishes a five-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors who will spend $279 billion annually by 2027. By working across the public and private sector, the Strategy will help to further economic opportunity and job creation for communities of all sizes across the United States.

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