The Traveller: 'Don't Miss Out on China Over Politics'

Tour operator The Traveller has urged holidaymakers to resist boycotting China, over the recent political tensions.

According to the firm, there is "much ignorance" concerning China's political situation and culture, which will not be resolved unless people travel there and "make contact" with those communities outside their own.

Edan Harvey, product manager at The Traveller, said: "It would be a shame for people to miss out on these [attractions] as a result of political issues – the huge success of the recent Terracotta Warriors exhibition at the British Museum highlights the interest in Chinese culture."

He concluded that China is a "fascinating country" with a "host of cultural attractions" for holidaymakers to explore.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, China received around 230,000 international foreign tourists in 1978.

However, over recent years this figure has grown and in 2006 the nation was visited by 49.6 million international travellers, making it the world's fourth most visited nation.

Travel Industry News posted on 17/04/2008 10:43:36