Asia Pacific Daily News - Focus on Asia-Pacific Development, Daily News Express, Scholar Creation Center

When the group of 39 Americans arrived at the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou, Jiangsu province on Sept 13, some of the local visitors stopped in their tracks in amazement.

But judging by the success of the group's week-long visit to the East China city, tourists from the US could soon be an everyday sight in Suzhou.

This was no ordinary tour group. All of the visitors worked for US travel companies, and they had come to size up Suzhou's potential as a tourist destination for American holidaymakers.

The travel professionals were given a two-day tour of the 2,500-year-old city from Sept 13 to 14, including visits to famous sights like Tiger Hill and Shantang Street, as well as chances to experience traditional Chinese art forms such as paper cutting, silk-making and Kunqu Opera.

They also attended the 2017 China-US Travel Trade Conference on Sept 15, where they had the opportunity to meet with 38 Chinese travel professionals to discuss potential ways to cooperate on vacation packages and tours.

The visitors learn the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting in Tongli, an ancient water town in Suzhou on Sept 14. [Photo/ chinadaily.com.cn]

The visitors were impressed by what they saw. "I believe that here clients will find the 'China' they're looking for, the authentic connection with the past that makes the trip worthwhile, unique and unforgettable," said US travel agent Lori Lannuzzo in her keynote speech at the conference.

Suzhou has rapidly emerged as an international tourist destination in recent years. Just 30 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai, the city's centuries-old architecture and laid-back atmosphere offer a refreshing contrast to its ultramodern neighbor.

It was this marriage of authenticity and convenience that US travel magazine Travel + Leisure cited when it included Suzhou in its 50 Best Places to Travel in 2017 list, the only Chinese destination to feature.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Suzhou is also on the rise. Inbound tourism to the city rose 6.5 percent year-on-year in 2016 to reach 2.1 million, according to government statistics, with visitors from the US accounting for 1.3 million of the 1.6 million overnight guests.

Travel industry professionals from China and the US hold talks during the 2017 China-US Travel Trade Conference in Suzhou on Sept 15. [Photo/ chinadaily. com.cn]

Organized by Suzhou tourism bureau, the China-US conference is expected to help push these figures higher still.

"The exchange activity can promote the reputation and popularity of Suzhou among overseas tourists and help more foreigners get familiar with Suzhou, which will stimulate Suzhou tourism in the American market and improve the quality of Suzhou tourism products," said Lu Feng, deputy director of Suzhou tourism bureau.

The US side offered a series of valuable suggestions on how Suzhou could improve its tourism facilities to make the city even more attractive to US tourists, from clearly labeled English menus and museum exhibits, to hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses and cold water and beer.

But Lannuzzo made clear that these were just small issues compared with Suzhou's many attractions.

"From elegant gardens to stunning temples, picturesque canals, interesting museums, delicious food and welcoming people, Suzhou and its surroundings are definitely destinations we will recommend to our clients," she enthused.