Approximately 400 tourism industry delegates from China and the United States convened in Xi’an to discuss the future of tourism between the two nations at the 14th China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit. Adam Burke, president of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board and vice chairman of the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), shared insights on the pivotal role of tourism in bridging cultural and political divides.
“Despite some of the political challenges between the U.S. and China, tourism has always been the bridge,” Burke said. “People-to-people and cultural exchanges have been the way to find common ground going all the way back to the ’70s.”
Burke emphasized the importance of dialogues like the summit to address “pain points” that may be inhibiting recovery in the tourism sector. He noted a significant shift in consumer sentiment post-pandemic, with travel moving from a discretionary purchase to an essential one. “We are hard-wired to want to explore the world around us,” he explained. “Not being able to travel is actually creating depression. There’s something deeply embedded in our humanity about the need to travel.”
As vice chairman of the WTA, Burke highlighted the alliance’s mission to leverage tourism to elevate communities worldwide. “When you look at the member organizations, some of the work they’re doing in addressing poverty alleviation, sustainability, and climate change, and really using the power of tourism as a method to help improve the quality of life, it’s a privilege to serve in that capacity and to partner with people from around the world,” he said.
Reflecting on the longstanding relationship between Los Angeles and Guangzhou, Burke expressed optimism about the future. “For over 60 years, Los Angeles and Guangzhou have had a sister city relationship. Chinese Americans first settled in Los Angeles in the 1850s—we’re talking about two centuries worth of history between our peoples,” he remarked. “It’s through the power of tourism and these types of conversations and dialogue that we always find a common path forward.”
Burke concluded by referencing a Chinese proverb that encapsulates his perspective on travel’s significance: “We should read 10,000 books and travel 10,000 miles. We have to open our hearts and minds to learning about other people and other cultures, but that has to be matched by lived experiences. That can’t be achieved any other way than travel.”
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Humans 'hard-wired' to explore, says tourism industry leader
cgtn.com
