A visitor dressed in traditional Chinese costume at the Beijing International Cultural and Tourism Consumption Expo that was held at the Beijing Exhibition Center from Nov 1 to 3. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Du Chunxiao couldn't take her eyes off the stamps on display at the Philatelie Liechtenstein booth during a recent visit to an exhibition in Beijing.
Produced by the official postal authority of the Principality of Liechtenstein, the stamps celebrate the culture, history, nature, as well as significant events of the country tucked between Switzerland and Austria. They were on display during the Beijing International Cultural and Tourism Consumption Expo at the Beijing Exhibition Center between Nov 1 and 3.
The visitor from Shunyi district says she was immediately drawn to the stamps for their depictions of murals, oil paintings and court culture.
"I've never collected stamps before, but they are exotic, and are carriers of art and culture," says Du, in her 40s.
She bought a set of stamps for 180 yuan ($25.3) for her nephew, who has just started primary school.
"I think it will make a nice present and a good early introduction to exploring and understanding the cultures of different countries," she says.
Du was among more than 20,000 visitors to the expo on the opening day.
The three-day event was hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and attracted around 300 exhibitors from China and abroad.
According to the organizers of the event, the aim is to aggregate resources, introduce the latest developments in the cultural and tourism market, and offer an international platform for the exhibition and trading of cultural and tourism products.
A visitor checks stamps from the postal authority of the Principality of Liechtenstein at the expo. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]
In addition to exhibitors from across the country, cultural and tourism institutes from 16 foreign countries took part, including from Algeria, Canada, South Africa, Thailand and Russia, all hoping to win a bigger share of the Chinese market.
"In addition to those carrying elements of the national paintings of the royal family, we are displaying stamps featuring laser-dot and woodblock printing technology, and paper-cut patterns," says Shi Chunhong, who works with the Philatelie Liechtenstein in China.
The booth had a magnifying glass that enabled visitors to see details like the eyelashes on the figures on the stamps.
Shi's team also came up with decorative items highlighting the stamps, such as paintings and porcelain, to appeal to visitors to the expo.
"The Chinese market shows relatively stronger demand, since it has a larger number of stamp collectors," Shi says, adding that an increasing number of non-philatelists are also showing interest in the stamps.
The expo is a popular attraction. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]
Next to the Liechtenstein booth, a booth was selling toys from Peru made of alpaca wool, which is known for its softness, warmth and vibrant dyes.
"The wool is incredibly fine and luxurious, and the toys are not only cuddly but also durable," says Wang Yuxi, a manager with Nuna Alpaca, a trade company working with the commercial office of the Peruvian embassy in China. "All the stuffed animals and dolls were handmade by artisans, and incorporate designs and patterns that reflect Peruvian culture."
Her company has been promoting the wool products for four years in China, including on occasions such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services.
"Our stand is a hot spot at the services trade fair, and an increasing number of Chinese customers have followed our products over the years, especially women and children," she adds.
The toy-making process involves dyeing the wool using natural pigments, then felting or knitting it into different shapes. "Each toy is one of its kind, a demonstration of the artisans' skills and creativity, and they are lightweight, and hypoallergenic," Wang says.
The toys use wool shed from 3-month-old alpacas. "The shedding is good for future wool growth, so our business is also built on a sustainable link in the local industrial chain," she explains.
Wang says that she introduced the toys to China not only to improve sales, which would help support makers in Peru, but also to help Chinese visitors better understand Peru's culture, and motivate them to visit the country.
"We also brought in instruments like panpipes, which are popular in rituals in a number of South American countries," she adds.
Cultural, creative items, featuring the Temple of Heaven, a landmark in Beijing. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]
Cheng Hao, a commercial representative for the Sri Lankan embassy in China, took part in the Beijing expo to boost the numbers of Chinese travelers to the country.
"We displayed Sri Lankan black tea and cultural and creative products related to distinctive elements of Sri Lanka, such as refrigerator magnets and postcards of landscapes and tourist attractions," Cheng says.
"The sites on those items are all worth visiting, and prove popular with Chinese travelers to Sri Lanka," he says.
Several travel agencies have shown interest in working with Cheng to develop customized tours for the Chinese market.
Sri Lanka received more than 68,000 visits from Chinese travelers last year, making the country its fifth-biggest source of inbound tourists, according to Sri Lankan authorities. In the first quarter of this year, that figure topped 39,000, about seven times that of the same period last year.
Sri Lanka plans to step up efforts to promote what it has to offer and give Chinese visitors greater access to its tea, gems and handicrafts by working with Chinese business players, according to Cheng.
Like Sri Lanka, Algeria is also aiming for a bigger slice of the Chinese outbound tourism market.
The Algerian booth is a top draw. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]
Hani Djaballah, a 42-year-old ceramicist and painter, displayed his work at the expo, drawing many curious Chinese visitors. Djaballah was invited by the Algerian authority to give Chinese travelers a taste of what the northern African country has to offer.
"I painted my country's signature flowers and plants on a variety of porcelain items that I fired myself," Djaballah says. "You can also find some typical Algerian decorative items."
This was his first visit to China, and Djaballah was excited that so many Chinese showed interest in his work, some buying items from the booth.
Having studied traditional Algerian arts with his grandfather and father since he was a teenager, Djaballah says that he also wanted to interact with Chinese artists during his stay.
Tahar Arezki, president of the Algerian National Office of Tourism, says the Chinese market potential is huge, especially since there have been few Chinese travelers to the country.
Yi Jiao, an officer with the organizers of the expo, says that more cultural and tourism authorities were present this year, compared to the first session last year.
"There's a significant improvement in the quality and variety of what they displayed at the expo," Yi says.
