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| Post－SARS visitors tour Great Hall of the People |
| CCTV.COM 2003-07-05 10:07:55 |
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 A group of overseas visitors have been given a surprise welcome to Beijing. The tourists were the first group from overseas to come to Beijing since the WHO took the city off the list of SARS affected regions. On Friday, they attended a welcome banquet at the Great Hall of the People. The dinner was part of the city's attempts to attract back visitors following the virus scare.
It was one of the biggest surprises for this group of overseas travelers. No ordinary welcoming ceremony in a downtown restaurant. But a first class banquet at one of China's most famous halls. The whole deal was put on by the Beijing municipal government.
The visitors were also treated to a traditional Chinese performance in a gesture of hospitality and welcome. A top official from the Beijing tourism industry thanked the guests for coming to the city and wished them a special time in China.
The banquet was only part of what the Beijing Tourism Bureau has planned for this group of visitors. Since the lifting of the SARS travel advisory, interest in visiting China has been picking up, especially from South Korea, Japan and Australia. Beijing tourism officials believe that visitors to the city will return to pre－SARS levels by September.
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Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
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