Beijing targets US basketball fans

A short film showcasing Beijing's tourist attractions and sports events is broadcast on the big screen at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing tourism chiefs are appealing to US basketball fans to visit China, as experts say sporting events may be a drawcard for international visitors. May Zhou in Houston and Xu Lin in Beijing report.

Beijing tourism chiefs recently attended a basketball game in the United States as part of a bid to lure more tourists to the Chinese capital.

Fans attending the NBA San Antonio Spurs versus Utah Jazz game in San Antonio, Texas, on March 16 received a small gift package, containing a towel, party favors and a tour map of Beijing. A short film showcasing Beijing's tourist attractions and sports events was broadcast on the big screen in the arena during breaks.

At half time, one fan, Andrew Gomez, was the winner of a lucky dip offering a free trip to Beijing. He received the big prize - a six-day trip from Houston to Beijing for two - from Wang Yue, vice-chairwoman of Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, and Yang Song, cultural consul from the Consulate General of China in Houston.

"I can finally visit Beijing. It's like a dream come true!" Gomez said when he accepted the prize.

The small Beijing tourism delegation, led by Wang Yue, consisted of deputy director of BMCTD Liu Jing'an, vice-president of China CYTS Tours Holding Co Ltd Guo Xiaodong and secretary general of the World Tourism Cities Federation Ding Peng. They joined thousands of fans at the arena to promote Beijing.

BMCTD regularly advertises its tourism attractions with the NBA games and has its ads constantly displayed on the most prominent hometown score boards.

Wang says BMCTD has been working with the NBA games to promote Beijing tourism in the US since 2009 and held similar promotional events during games in New York and Los Angeles in the past. "Our primary goal is to utilize the NBA's platform to promote Beijing as a travel destination," Wang says.