Venezuela improves strategies to boost tourism from China, Japan

CARACAS -- Venezuela's top tourism official met Wednesday with his nation's ambassadors to China and Japan to try to boost the number of visitors from those two Asian countries.

"This morning we worked together with the ambassador of Venezuela in China to improve strategies to receive tourism from China and we also worked with our ambassador in Japan about the possibilities of Japanese investment in tourism," said Tourism Minister Andres Izarra via Twitter.

Izarra explained that Venezuela wants to become a tourism destination for the Asian market by opening an Office of Tourism Promotion in Tokyo.

In September, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Beijing, where bilateral agreements were signed on tourism, including easing mutual visa requirements.

Also, a collaboration agreement was signed between the Venezuelan State Tourism Operator (Venetur) and a Chinese tour operation, to steadily increase the flow of Asian visitors to the South American country.

Both countries also agreed to promote Chinese investment in Venezuela's tourism sector, such as in hotels, campsites, maritime terminals and airports.