Recently in Asia Category

The USA Pavilion at Expo Shanghai 2010 welcomed its 500,000th visitor today, only 15 days after it opened on May 1.

In a recent poll, the USA Pavilion was named one of the most anticipated Pavilions at Expo 2010. The USA Pavilion is expected to accommodate an estimated 35,000 visitors per day, or approximately six million guests over the six-month duration of Expo.

"I am amazed by what we were able to achieve in such a short time," said U.S. Commissioner General Jose H. Villarreal. "We are proud to have hosted 500,000 visitors from across China and around the world during the past couple of weeks. We appreciate the positive feedback from our visitors. We will continue to welcome all of our guests with warm American hospitality."

In addition to a series of multi-dimensional, content-rich, hi-tech presentations, the USA Pavilion also features a wide range of performances including jazz, pop, hip-hop, ska and classical music. The most up-to-date events calendar is easily accessible on the News & Events section of the USA Pavilion's official Website: http://www.usapavilion2010.com.

At more than 60,000 square feet (6,000 square meters), the USA Pavilion is one of the largest national pavilions at the Expo. With the theme of "Rising to the Challenge," the United States presence will showcase American culture, values, innovation and business in one of China's most dynamic cities, while celebrating the friendship and cooperation between the United States, China and the rest of the world.

As China enters the depths of winter, travelers are making plans to visit the world renowned Harbin Ice & Snow Festival. The China Guide is currently booking tours to Harbin which include hotel, festival sights and activities, train or flight tickets and the opportunity to ski at China's best mountain resort. Harbin Winter Festival activities will be under way as of December 20th, with the official opening ceremony taking place on January 5th of next year.

Visitors to Harbin can spend time enjoying the massive snow and ice sculptures, strolling the city sights or skating on the Songhua River. In the evening the Snow & Ice World will be lit up, creating a colorful icy landscape. Great for all ages, visitors can walk through giant ice structures and sometimes exit on ice slides. At any time during the day, festival goers can stop to warm up to a cup of hot chocolate or steaming noodles inside an ice cafe. As an added winter bonus, The China Guide is including a skiing option in its Harbin itineraries. The Yabuli Ski Resort is located close to the city and makes a perfect addition to the festival.

Yabuli is the best and most complete ski resort in China, making it popular for locals and tourists. There are 17 cable car lifts, 22 ski runs and the resort boasts a 3800-meter long trail. The resort has areas for recreational skiing, professional alpine training and competitions. Skiers of all ages can find runs suitable for their experience levels. Recently there have been a lot of investment and improvements to the ski resort, making it a great place for a weekend ski trip, complete with a wide selection of hotel options.

"We like to combine the top sights and activities in a destination so that travelers can experience the best of China. The Harbin Ice & Snow Festival is becoming more popular among travelers, but they might not be aware of other activities such as the great skiing opportunities, and it's our job to introduce it," says Judy Huang, Travel Manager of The China Guide. "The Yabuli Ski Resort is a perfect combination with the Harbin Festival sights. The ski resort is about two hours from the city and has beautiful mountain scenery surrounded by pine forests. The best part is you can get everything you need right at the hill including equipment and suit rentals."

The China Guide's Harbin Winter itineraries are available for booking now. Their 4-day itinerary includes two days of Harbin Ice & Snow Festival sights and 2 days at Yabuli with overnight accommodation at the resort. For travelers short on time, there are 2- and 3-day options available.

Visit http://thechinaguide.com/harbin/index.html for destination information, photos and itineraries.

The China Guide

The China Guide, http://www.TheChinaGuide.com , is a Beijing based travel agency, American owned and operated. Specializing in western-style service and quality with hassle free web bookings, they work with clients to customize tours that match their travel style. Operating only in China, they have up to date knowledge and offer exciting experiences for travelers including their famous Sleep on the Great Wall tour. The China Guide avoids the common factory shopping stops that are not reflective of the true China.

SOURCE The China Guide