This year marks the Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia. China hopes to further strengthen tourism cooperation with Russia in order to bring the total number of mutual tourists to 5 million by 2015.

 

　　Wang Xiao has more.

 

　　Tourism has played an important part in Sino-Russian exchanges, helping to boost mutual understanding regarding culture, society and history.

 

　　Zhanna, a young Russian, is one of those who have visited China for travel.

 

　　"As cooperation on tourism between Russia and China continues to grow, more Russian tourists are choosing China as their vacation destination. Some even seek out business opportunities when traveling in the country."

 

　　Olga Vasilyeva, a Russian, used to study Mandarin in China. Now she is the Senior Manager of the Shanghai China International Travel Service. She says that traveling is the best way for people to learn about other countries.

 

　　"The number is increasing…many people are interested in China…"

 

　　To attract more tourists, many travel agencies have developed tourism products especially for Russian tourists. Zhai Ning, General Manager of the Hainan Chen Da International Travel Agency, says that health maintenance trips which provide customers with access to traditional Chinese medicine have proven very popular among Russian tourists.

 

　　"Traditional Chinese medicine treatment is very popular among Russian tourists. I cooperate mainly with standard hospitals. Treatments such as scraping, massage and acupuncture are well received, because many people have minor health ailments. So we should develop products utilizing Chinese culture; that's what attracts Russian tourists the most."

 

　　This year marks the Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia. More than 160 events throughout the year will be launched, including self-drive tours from Moscow to Beijing and exchange programs among students.

 

　　China and Russia enjoy good relations in political and culture spheres and in people to people exchanges. Zhai Ning believes that the tourism market between these two countries will become prosperous in the future.

 

　　"I look to further increases in this market. China and Russia have been brothers since the 1950s. We have a good impression of Russian people. Ever since singing the old songs together in the 50s, the distance between our two peoples has become shorter. Thanks to our long-term friendship, the tourist market will certainly boom in the future."

 

　　Today, China's president Xi Jinping begins his Russian visit and he is due to attend the inauguration of the Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia when he visits Moscow.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Wang Xiao.