Launching of 2012 China Happiness & Health Tour and China-Russia Tourism Year

With ice and snow dancing in the air, the city looks as glamorous as an imperial palace; the firework flashes all night, making the dark sky splendid. On January 5th, the launching ceremony of 2012 China Happiness & Health Tour and China-Russia Tourism Year organized by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province was held in Harbin and Mudanjiang Municipality. Zheng Wantong, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, and Ji Bingxuan, Secretary of Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the CPC, attended the launching ceremony at Harbin main venue. Shao Qiwei, Chairman of CNTA, Wang Xiankui, Governor of Heilongjiang Province, and Gregory Sarishvili, Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, attended and addressed the launching ceremony at the main venue. Zhu Shanzhong, Deputy Director of CNTA, and Yu Shayan, Vice Governor of Heilongjiang Province, attended the launching ceremony at Mudanjiang sub-venue.

As expressed by Shao Qiwei in his speech, the joint declaration of the launching of “China-Russia Tourism Year” by Hu jintao, President of the People's Republic of China, and Medvedev, President of Russia, in their reciprocal New Year’s Greetings at the beginning of the New Year was an important decision made by the leaders of the two countries at the height of the comprehensive and strategic partnership featuring lasting friendship between China and Russia. As the key tourist sources and destinations for each other, the number of the exchanged visitors between the two countries in the last year was estimated to have reached 3.3 million. The cooperation mechanism of tourism between the two countries has been constantly improved with a continuously enlarged scope. It is believed that the successful holding of the China-Russia Tourism Year will further enhance the understanding, friendship and cooperation between our two peoples.

The 28th China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival was also opened at the same time. As delivered by Wang Xiankui in his speech, since its first launching in 1985, China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival has become a key window and platform for presenting the image of Harbin and Heilongjiang since the reform and opening up. The simultaneous holding of the opening ceremony of this year’s Ice and Snow Festival and the launching ceremony of 2012 China Happiness & Health Tour, China-Russia Tourism Year well demonstrates the great attention paid by CNTA to the tourism industry in Heilongjiang and will definitely promote the tourism of the whole province to a higher level. This year’s Ice and Snow Festival features five sections, namely “Ice and Snow Arts”, “Ice and Snow Culture”, “Ice and Snow Trade”, “Ice and Snow Sports” and “Ice and Snow Tourism”, including nearly one hundred programs. It will further deepen the good-neighborly friendship, strengthen the cooperation of mutual benefits and promote win-win development between China and Russia.

The reciprocal Tourism Year between China and Russia is another significantly themed annual event between the two countries after the reciprocal State Year and Language Year. It has been officially confirmed that the Russia Tourism Year will be held in China in 2012 and the China Tourism Year in Russia in 2013. In 2012, Russia will hold 16 major events in China, including the opening ceremony of the Tourism Year and the Cooperation Forum; more than 100 publicizing and promoting events will be held in China by various regions of Russia. Now, the 2013 “China Tourism Year” in Russia is also in the stage of busy preparation.