Song Ming, deputy director of Sichuan tourism development commission, met with Iran Curryer, chief executive of Nottingham city council, on May 17.

Song introduced the tourism development strategies of Sichuan, which boasts rich tourism resources as the natural habitat of giant panda and home to many World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites.

In 2017 the 22nd general assembly of the World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, was held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, which helped raise worldwide awareness of Sichuan as an appealing tourism destination in southwestern China.

Song hoped that the two sides will enhance cooperation in tourism development to bring actual benefits to tourists from China and the UK.

Curryer said that the deeper integration of tradition and modernity is a strong appeal, other than giant panda, of Sichuan to British tourists. He expressed the hope to open more air routes between the two sides, especially direct flights, to promote bilateral exchange in tourism, culture and trade and economy.

Accompanied by Song, Curryer met with Sichuan’s travel agencies targeting the European market to introduce Nottingham’s tourism resources and discuss business opportunities.

Cui Hong, deputy director of the exchange and cooperation office, also attended the meetings.