加州出奇招吸引赴美旅遊的中國遊客大綱

COSTA MESA, Calif. — On a hot summer day, nearly two dozen Chinese tourists descended from a white shuttle bus for an afternoon of shopping at one of Southern California's signature upscale malls.

加利福尼亞科斯塔梅薩——一個炎熱的夏天，20多名中國遊客從一輛白色班車上下來，打算花一下午的時間，在南加州最具標誌性的一座高端商場購物。

One tourist conferred with a salesman at South Coast Plaza about a plum-colored, $610 Prada handbag while fellow visitors on the 10-day tour sauntered through the mall, each with their sole child in tow, after a morning of whale watching off the California coast.

一名遊客在南海岸廣場(South Coast Plaza)與售貨員談論一隻紫紅色的售價610美元（約合3754元人民幣）的普拉達(Prada)手提包，而其他參加這個10天旅程的遊客則在商場裏閒逛，每個人都牽着獨生的孩子。他們上午剛剛在加州海岸觀看了鯨魚表演。

It's a common scene at the popular destination in Orange County, which is doing what it can to keep buses filled with Chinese tourists coming. To make them feel at home, it accepts China's UnionPay card and provides Mandarin-speaking salespeople.

這在熱門旅遊目的地奧蘭治縣(Orange County)是常見景象。奧蘭治縣正在竭盡所能地讓滿載着中國遊客的大巴不斷到來。爲了讓中國人有賓至如歸之感，它還接受中國銀聯卡，並配有講普通話的銷售人員。

From the mall's shops to tourist spots that offer maps and brochures in Mandarin to hotels serving congee, or rice porridge, for breakfast, businesses in California are trying to entice the growing numbers of Chinese tourists coming to the U.S. to visit the state — and spend money.

從商場裏的商店，到提供中文版地圖和宣傳冊的旅遊景點，再到提供粥當早餐的酒店，加州企業正試圖把越來越多來美國旅遊的中國遊客吸引到加州——並讓他們花錢。

Tourism from China to the U.S. has soared since the countries signed an agreement in 2007 promoting travel. More than 1.8 million Chinese visited last year, a three-fold increase in five years. By 2018, the number is expected to surpass 4 million, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

自從2007年中美兩國簽訂一項旨在推動旅遊業發展的協議以來，前往美國的中國遊客就開始大量增加。去年共有180萬以上的中國遊客來到美國，在五年內增加了三倍。美國商務部(Department of Commerce)表示，這個數字預計到2018年將超過400萬。

California, the No. 1 destination, holds particular allure due to its proximity to China, theme parks and sunny weather. Nearly half of all Chinese tourists make a stop in the state.

作爲最受歡迎的目的地，加州因爲鄰近中國，再加上它擁有主題公園和陽光燦爛的天氣，所以極具吸引力。有將近一半的中國遊客都要在加州停留。

Haybina Hao, of the National Tour Association, which qualifies U.S.-based tour operators to receive Chinese tour groups under the 2007 agreement, said the tourists are keen to see how a relatively young country like the U.S. developed so quickly and became so prosperous.

美國國家旅遊協會(National Tour Association)是根據2007年的協議爲接待中國旅遊團的美國旅行社頒發資格證的組織。該組織的赫比娜·郝(Haybina Hao)說，遊客非常想看看一個像美國這樣相對年輕的國家爲何會發展得這麼快，又爲何會變得如此繁榮。

"Until they have visited U.S.A., they don't feel they have done their international travel yet," Hao said. "They need to see it and put themselves in the photograph, so they can prove they have done this."

“如果沒有來過美國，他們覺得自己好像沒出國旅遊過一樣，”赫比娜·郝說。“他們要親眼看看美國，然後把自己拍進照片，這樣他們才能證明自己做過這件事。”

During their travels, they each spend an average of $5,400, 21 percent more than the average for all overseas tourists.

在此次旅行中，他們每人的平均花費爲5400美元，比所有外國遊客的平均值高21%。

"We see tremendous potential," said Nick Hentschel, vice president of AmericanTours International LLC. He said 15 percent of the company's business now stems from China compared to virtually none a little more than five years ago.

“我們看到了巨大的潛力，”美國國際旅遊有限責任公司(AmericanTours International LLC)的尼克·亨切爾(Nick Hentschel)說。他說目前公司業務有15%都來自中國，而五年多以前幾乎爲零。

Hentschel said China is the only country where ATI, which originally focused on tourism from Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, has opened a local office. "But it is cutthroat," he said, adding that some tour operators slashed prices to vie for a place in the Chinese market.

ATI開始關注的是來自西歐、澳大利亞和新西蘭的旅遊業務。亨切爾說，中國是唯一一個ATI在當地設有辦公室的國家，“但是很殘酷，”他還說爲了在中國遊客市場爭得一席之地，一些旅行社大幅降價。

At first, tours from China mostly included older people, some who had saved for years to make the trip. But now more also include middle-aged parents bringing their only child to see America and school groups of teens who tour during summer break.

最初，中國來的遊客大多是上了年紀的人，其中一些人爲了一趟旅行積攢了很多年。但現在，遊客中帶獨生子女來見識美國的中年父母，以及放暑假的青少年組成的學校團體更多了。

Many are eager to visit Disneyland and snap photographs at landmarks such as the Hollywood sign and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. They enjoy trying American foods — steak is a favorite — and taking advantage of cheaper prices for designer goods.

許多人渴望去迪士尼樂園(Disneyland)，在好萊塢標誌以及舊金山的金門大橋(Golden Gate Bridge)等標誌性建築旁拍照。他們樂於嘗試美國食物——牛排最受歡迎——購買價錢更實惠的名牌商品。

"It's shopping paradise," said 35-year-old Cici Chen on a stop at Disney California Adventure. Chen said she planned to fill up her suitcases on her California vacation before returning to Shanghai.

“這裏是購物天堂，”35歲的陳琦琦（音譯）說。在迪士尼加州冒險樂園(Disney California Adventure)遊玩的她說自己打算在結束在加州的度假、回上海之前，把幾個箱子都裝滿。

In the early years, Disney officials traveled to China to try to explain to the elder generations what the park was about since many weren't as familiar with American stories and movies as are younger visitors today.

早年，迪士尼的員工前往中國，嘗試向老一代人解釋迪士尼樂園是怎麼回事，因爲許多人不像如今更年輕的遊客那麼熟悉美國的故事和電影。

"A challenge was many of our Chinese guests were not familiar with the Disney stories," said Nicky Tang, director of Asia Pacific sales for Disney Destinations, of the older generation of tourists. "They grew up not knowing who Snow White is or Cinderella or Peter Pan."

“當時的挑戰是，我們的中國遊客中許多都不熟悉迪士尼的故事，”迪士尼亞太地區銷售總監鄧慶玲(Nicky Tang)指的是老一輩遊客。“他們在成長過程中不知道白雪公主(Snow White)、灰姑娘(Cinderella)和彼得·潘(Peter Pan)是誰。

Many Chinese tourists see America from large tour buses, while some travel in smaller groups or rent cars to explore on their own. Others come on trips sponsored by employers as job-related perks, and travel in huge groups.

很多中國遊客從旅遊大巴上欣賞美國，還有一些則是跟着規模小一些的旅遊團，或是自己租車遊歷。其他一些人的旅行則是和工作有關的特殊待遇，由僱主出資贊助，會成羣結隊地出行。

A 7,000-strong contingent held a two-day meeting in Southern California earlier this year and then fanned out to travel across the region. A group more than twice that size is expected in California next year, said Ed Fuller, president of the Orange County Visitors Association.

今年早些時候，一個7000人的龐大團體在南加州舉行了一次爲期兩天的會議。會議結束後，這些人四散而去，在加州各地旅行。奧蘭治縣旅遊觀光協會(Orange County Visitors Association)主席埃德·富勒(Ed Fuller)表示，明年加州預計會迎來一個規模是其兩倍多的團體。

Zhang Huan, 42, was among those touring Disney California Adventure with his wife, mother-in-law and 11-year-old son. He said he budgeted $20,000 for the family's first U.S. trip. While the itinerary mostly focused on leisure, Zhang said he was also looking forward to making a stop with his son at a college campus.

42歲的張歡（音譯）是迪士尼加州冒險樂園的遊客之一。和他同行的有妻子、岳母和11歲的兒子。他說自己爲一家人的首次美國之旅安排的預算是2萬美元。儘管旅行計劃主要重在休閒，但張歡說他也期望和兒子去某個大學校園看看。

He hopes it's not the last visit there.

他希望這不是最後一次美國之旅。

"If he can study hard, he can go to Stanford," Zhang said.

“如果努力，他或許能上斯坦福，”張歡說。