A foreigner takes pictures while visiting China. [Photo/IC]

China made up of 2.9 percent of total international arrivals in the US in 2014, with an estimated 2.2 million travelers, a more than 20 percent jump over 2013. America's great outdoors are a significant attraction for Chinese visitors to the US, with 40 percent of Chinese tourists saying they had been to a national park while visiting the US, according to the Commerce Department.

Overall, international travel to the US generated $220.6 billion in 2014, supporting 1.1 million American jobs.

Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, told China Daily recently that the group's hotels have seen a 20 percent annual growth in the number of Chinese tourists and the hotels are staffing people with Mandarin language skills to better serve this group.

Sorenson was excited by the group's survey that Chinese travelers have chosen the US as their top destination.

That optimistic mood has been further elevated with President Xi Jinping announcing in Seattle on Sept 22 that China and the US will hold a China-US Tourism Year in 2016. The rationale behind it is to increase people-to-people exchange, as lack of understanding and mistrust are often cited as major challenges between the two nations.

According to both the US Department of Commerce and the Chinese National Tourism Administration (CNTA), efforts will be made to ensure a quality visitor experience for travelers to and from both nations.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com