DFW International Airport Hails China - U.S. Agreement to Increase Chinese Tourism to America

(DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Dec. 12, 2007) – DFW International Airport is hailing a new memorandum of understanding signed in Beijing that will increase Chinese tourist travel to the United States and allow U.S. travel destinations to market freely in China. The agreement is a key outcome of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting this week. U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab, together with Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, convened the meeting to address market access issues and provide a forum to discuss trade and investment. 

The agreement will take effect in the spring of 2008. The U.S. Commerce Department believes the agreement will result in more than 570,000 Chinese visitors by 2011, a dramatic 78% increase from today. 

"This is incredible news for North Texas and it will open the door for Chinese citizens to come to DFW and to Dallas and Fort Worth and receive a truly Texas experience of culture and hospitality," said Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW. "China is already one of our most important markets for trade at DFW and for all of North Texas. We look forward to welcoming more business people and tourists from China to Texas and building closer relationships with the people of China as well with our many colleagues in the aviation and airline business in the world’s most populous country." 

The news is extremely timely as DFW kicks off an international marketing campaign called “Visit DFW.” Led by the Airport and supported by the Convention and Visitors Bureaus from Dallas and Fort Worth, the campaign rolled out successfully in Argentina, Chile and Mexico in the past two months and travels to Seoul, South Korea in early 2008. The mission of “Visit DFW” is to inform and educate travelers about DFW's role as a premiere international gateway to the U.S. and a fast and easy place to connect to other destinations across the country. 

"DFW is becoming well-known in China as a great airport and Dallas-Fort Worth is a great destination. We believe this announcement will further enhance the opportunities for non-stop international service from China to Texas," said Joe Lopano, DFW’s executive vice president of marketing and terminal management. "The market between DFW and China is one of our fastest growing. This agreement will certainly stimulate new passenger demand from China." 

DFW and China By the Numbers

50,000: Number of passengers traveling between DFW and China in the past 12 months (ending June 2007). This represents a 20% increase over the prior year period, despite no non-stop service.

1: China is the number one air cargo trade partner with DFW.

5: The DFW area is China's fifth largest trading partner within the U.S.

61,959: Total trade in metric tonnes between DFW and China, from January to September 2007. That figure is up 15.3% over the prior year, for the same time period.

28.8%: The compound annual growth rate of air cargo between DFW and China from 2002 through 2006.

6: Number of weekly cargo flights to China from DFW (Shanghai, Beijing). 

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