译者注：中美旅游合作谅解备忘录的签署，将有力地推动两国在经贸、文化、航空等各领域的广泛交流与合作，扩大中国公民赴美旅游人数，使两国旅游业真正迈入客源互动、资源互享的新的历史阶段。
美国商业部上月与中国签署了旅游合作谅解备忘录，允许中国公民组团赴美旅游。
中国政府对度假游的限制是必须组团，目的地也仅限ADS（中国公民出境旅游目的地国）。
根据双方商定的谅解备忘录，该备忘录亦被视为ADS的授权书，08年春开始生效，美国公司将获准与中国旅行社共同组织推动中国公民组团赴美旅游。
另外，根据谅解备忘录，美国目的地和私人公司有自由向中国消费者开展营销，但如果中国游客逾期居留的人数过多，美国将撤销该项条款。
市场潜力很大
2006年有超过32万的中国人访问美国，但其中约70%是因公干而来，这就意味着度假游市场有着巨大的潜力可以挖掘。
据Euromonitor International预测（译者注：Euromonitor公司是1972年成立于英国的一家著名跨国市场调研和咨询公司），到2011年，中国出境游人数将达80万，花费逾520亿美元——中国将成为最大的客源地。
开放航空政策的步骤
2007年春，中美两国修订了2004年的协议，把美国每天飞往中国的航班限制为10个，这些航班分别飞往上海、北京、广州三个城市。
新协议还商定在今后五年内增加13个航班，并允许另外三家美国航空公司增设飞往中国的航班。至此， 美国达美航空、美国联合航空、美国航空、大陆航空、西北航空和全美航空都被获准直航中国。
由于此次谅解备忘录的出台，不但刺激了这些航班的上座率，还对其他公司将来增设来华航班作出了限制，上面这几家公司还真是受益颇多。
然而，到2010年，中美两国将重新商定一个时间表，航空完全开放。
未达成该谅解备忘录之前，尽管营销受限，美国的一些州、市，包括旧金山，洛杉矶，纽约市，内华达州和夏威夷在内，已然在中国设立了旅游办事处，现在，他们终于可以自由地推广他们的目的地了。
因为强大的营销举措，这些美国目的地都会获利，其中，旧金山、洛杉矶和纽约市则更胜一筹，因为它们有直飞航班。
拉斯维加斯也能直航中国，还可以在北京、上海组织游客包机，直接跟澳门展开竞争。
八月的夏季奥运会给这些目的地（主要是美国公司）在中国进行推广提供了大好的机会。
挑战还在前面
除了要有能协同中国旅行社销售度假产品组合的能力，美国的旅游经营者还必须了解中国游客。
比如很多中国游客更愿意在购物和住宿上花钱，而且多数人是在三大黄金周外出旅行。
另外，所有的旅游机构都必须保证相应的基础设施到位，比如导游会讲普通话。
然而最为重要的是，一定要让所有的中国游客都感受到，从申请签证直到离境，美国始终让他们宾至如归。
原文来源：travelmole.com
The US and China strengthen tourism ties - what's the industry impact?
The US Department of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China last month which permits group leisure travel from China to the US.
The Chinese government restricts leisure travel to groups and only to destinations with Approved Destination Status (ADS).
The MOU serves as a proxy for ADS and under the MOU, effective in the spring of 2008, US companies will be allowed to work with Chinese travel agencies to organise and promote organised, leisure tour groups to the US.
Additionally, the MOU gives US destinations and private companies freedom to market themselves to Chinese consumers. One caveat is that if too many Chinese visitors overstay their visas, the US will withdraw from the understanding.
The market potential is great
In 2006, over 320,000 Chinese visited the US. However, about 70% came for business, meaning there is great potential to increase the number of leisure travellers.
By 2011, Euromonitor International forecasts that 80 million Chinese travellers will go abroad and spend $52 billion—making it the largest source of departures.
Steps to a liberalised air policy
In the spring of 2007, the US and China amended their 2004 agreement that limited US carriers to only 10 daily flights from the US to three cities: Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
The new agreement adds 13 daily flights over the next five years and allows three additional US airlines to fly to China over the same time period. As a result, Delta, United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines and US Airways were awarded direct routes to China.
The MOU will likely boost demand for seats on those routes and these airlines will benefit from restrictions that limit the amount of capacity that can be added to the routes.
However, in 2010, China and US will reconvene to develop a timetable for completely liberalising the skies.
US destinations ready to pounce
Despite marketing restrictions, US cities and states - San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Nevada and Hawaii - opened tourism offices in China ahead of the MOU. They are now free to promote their destinations.
All are likely to benefit due to their strong marketing initiatives, but San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City are likely to benefit more since they are connected by direct flights.
However, Las Vegas is within direct flying range of China and could profit from tour operators using charter flights from Beijing or Shanghai, putting it in direct competition with Macau.
The Summer Olympics in August provides an ideal time for these destinations (and US companies in general) to promote themselves to the Chinese public.
Challenges lie ahead
With the ability to work with Chinese travel agencies to sell leisure packages, US tour operators must take care to understand Chinese travellers.
Many Chinese travellers prefer to spend more on shopping than accommodation and most travel during the three Golden Weeks.
Additionally, all travel and tourism players must ensure that the proper infrastructure is in place, such as tourist guides who speak Mandarin.
Most importantly, though, the US needs to ensure that all visitors feel welcome to the country from the visa application to the departure.
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