Friday, April 15, 2016

Spreading the word about the beauty of the Flathead Valley

Working through the U.S. Commercial Services office in MT and Beijing, Diane Medler, Director of the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau, met with five of the leading China travel companies to discuss how Kalispell and Glacier National Park can be included in their list of US products.

Chinese frequent individual travelers (FIT) segment is growing dramatically. Many traditional travel agencies are opening new departments like customized and semi-FIT market to serve the significantly growing market. Due to the new U.S. visa policy and the rapidly developing sophistication of Chinese travelers, the shift away from package tours is accelerating, with long-haul Chinese travelers embracing fly and drive products, which have shown a remarkable year-on-year increase of 30%.

The companies currently offer itineraries to Alaska, Utah, Yellowstone and other similar western destinations. They are interested in including Kalispell and Glacier in their list of US products. The Kalispell CVB will work with the travel companies to provide images, packages and information, and assist local businesses to understand the needs and expectations of the Chinese traveler.


Diane Medler

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