The "Hello, Beijing" cultural and tourism exchange event, hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, was successfully held in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, on November 8, 2024.Yang Tong, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, Sun Jian, Deputy Director-General of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and James Kenny, Industry Manager -Emerging markets, Tourism Ireland attended the event and gave speeches.Nearly 100 participants attended the event, including Eileen Coleman, Senior Executive Officer of the Limerick City and County Council and City Tourism Bureau, Irish friendKevin Kerry, Wang Xuezheng, General Manager of Hainan Airlines Dublin Branch, as well as representatives from the Ireland-China Culture and Tourism Association (ICTTA), Irish travel agents, and media outlets.

In his speech, Yang Tong, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland,stated that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. Over the past 45 years, both countries have sought win-win cooperation based on mutual respect. In particular, in recent years, the mutually beneficial partnership has steadily developed, with fruitful results in areas such as culture and tourism. In January, during Premier Li Qiang's visit to Ireland, China unilaterally announced a visa exemption policy for Irish citizens, saving time and costs for Irish travelers to China. Beijing and Dublin have maintained a sister-city relationship for the past 13 years, engaging in constructive cooperation in areas like trade, culture, tourism, education, and urban management, benefiting not only the two cities but also the development of bilateral relations.

Sun Jian, Deputy Director-General of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, expressed his honor in hosting the "Hello, Beijing" cultural and tourism exchange event in Dublin. He introduced Beijing as an ancient yet modern and charming city, emphasizing the convenience of the visa-free policy for Irish citizens, effective from March 14, 2024. With China expanding its visa-free network, Beijing's inbound tourism is recovering, and more Irish visitors are expected. Sun also stressed the importance of fostering two-way, mutually beneficial tourism cooperation between Beijing and Ireland. He expressed hope that professionalsin the tourism industry from both sides would work closely together to drive sustainable growth in bilateral tourism.

James Kenny, Industry Manager -Emerging Markets, Tourism Ireland, expressed his honor at attending the "Hello, Beijing" exchange event. He noted that 2024 marks the 13th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Dublin and Beijing, the 45th anniversary of China-Ireland diplomatic ties, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. He conveyed his joy in celebrating these milestones with friends from Beijing.Today's event showcased Beijing's rich and diverse cultural and tourism resources, and he believes it will contribute positively to deepening exchanges and cooperation in tourism between Ireland and China. Tourism is a very important industry for Ireland, and with Hainan Airlines launching year-round direct flights, the UK-Ireland visa program, and China's 15-day visa exemption policy for Irish citizens, there is great confidence in mutual visits between the two countries' tourists in 2025 and beyond.

Irish friend Kevin Kerry, as a special guest, shared his connection with China. Kevin Kerry is one of the earliest Irish people to "explore" New China. As early as 1976, three years before the establishment of China-Ireland diplomatic relations, Mr. Kerry visited China for three weeks with the University of Dublin football team, and after returning to Ireland, he introduced his trip to China in the newspaper. This spirit of exploration and openness remains a driving force in the development of China-Ireland relations.

Paula Kilgarriff, through her work and life experiences in China, used humor to vividly describe Beijing's rich cultural and tourism resources. She highlighted topics such as New Beijing, intangible cultural heritage journeys, the dual Olympic city, and cultural heritage museums. Her engaging presentation won enthusiastic applause from the attendees.

Wang Xuezheng, General Manager of the Hainan Airlines Dublin Branch, gave a comprehensive introduction to Hainan Airlines' Dublin-Beijing route and travel products to the Irish tourism industry professionals present. The opening of the year-round direct flight route has promoted tourism, economic, and cultural exchanges between Ireland and China.

The exchange event entered the lucky draw segment, where the atmosphere reached a climax with a grand prize of a four-day, three-night Beijing tour from Beijing Spring Tour and a special prize of two return tickets from Dublin to Beijing provided by Hainan Airlines.

The photo exhibition themed on "Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" and the interactive activities featuring Beijing's intangible cultural heritage were well received by Irish guests. The exhibition presented over 40 exquisite images showcasing sites from the Drum Tower to Yongdingmen, highlighting the traditions of ancient Chinese city planning, illustrating the evolution of Beijing's urban development, and emphasizing the beauty of traditional Chinese architecture.Irish guests actively engaged in the interactive projects, enjoying Beijing's cultural creations and delicacies, including the Twelve Zodiac from Jitufang, the silk figures from Tangrenfang, the Sanchili (three-inch carp)stationery set from the Forbidden City, the jasmine tea from Wuyutai Tea, and Yulong Songfu(royal dragon sending blessings) pastry gift box from Yuchashanfang, or Imperial Butterfly. These cultural experiences captivated the guests, leaving them enchanted and reluctant to leave.

During their time in Dublin, the delegation also held discussions with the Ireland-China Culture and Tourism Association (ICCTA) to exchange insights on the China-Ireland tourism industry. They explored the development prospects under the favorable policy of China's unilateral visa exemption for Irish citizens. ICCTA expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with Beijing in areas such as business, study tours, and training. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism extended an invitation to Irish travel agents to visit Beijing and attend the 2025 Beijing Inbound Tourism Development Conference.

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism will take this exchange event as an opportunity to conduct more cultural and tourism exchange activities. By collaborating with professionals in the China-Ireland tourism and culture sectors, the bureau aims to enhance mutual understanding, deepen friendship, and promote cultural exchanges, making a greater contribution to the further development of China-Ireland tourism cooperation and people-to-people ties.