Zhao Haisheng, vice-general director of the bureau for external culture relations of the Chinese Ministry of Culture, and Melissa Cherry, vice-president for cultural tourism and neighborhoods at Choose Chicago, hold a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation that they signed earlier this month in China.[PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY]

China is Chicago's largest inbound overseas tourism market, and the city is seeking to become even more attractive with an agreement to increase Chinese participation in several events held in the Windy City.

Choose Chicago, the city's tourism association, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in China with the China International Culture Association and the Ministry of Culture.

The MOU signifies a commitment to further develop cultural ties between Chicago and China and to strengthen each as a prominent global cultural-tourism destination. Choose Chicago and the China International Culture Association will forge partnerships to drive visitation and promote cultural attractions and events from regional, national and international markets; educate cultural partners and travel trade through cultural exchange missions and trainings.

The idea is to increase Chinese participation and visitors in several events that are held in Chicago, according to Melissa Cherry, vice-president for cultural tourism and neighborhoods at Choose Chicago, the official tourism association for the Windy City.

"China is a very important tourist market for Chicago. The Chinese volume has doubled in the last five years. In 2013, 128,000 visitors from China came to Chicago, a 15 percent increase over 2012," she told China Daily in an interview.

Cherry said Choose Chicago now has four satellite offices in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. Last year both China and the US began offering each other's citizens multiple-entry visas of up to 10 years. "The new visa rules should mean an increase in repeat trips to the US," said Cherry. "We look forward to welcoming 400,000 Chinese visitors to Chicago by 2018."

Last week a delegation of art and cultural officials from Chicago returned from China where they saw dance, music and theatrical performances. "Next year we hope to host a delegation from China here in Chicago," Cherry said.

Each year the city hosts the World Music Festival and EXPO CHICAGO (an international art show). Cherry said the MOU will help to increase Chinese participation in the events and also serve as a draw for more Chinese tourists.

The MOU came out of an idea to expand the celebration of the Chinese New Year in Chicago. "The mayor (Rahm Emanuel) set a goal of having the largest Chinese New Year celebration in North America here in Chicago," she said.

Cherry said Chicago's Chinese community (68,000) is also a driver of tourism to the area. "We now have two Chinatowns in the city," she added.

The signing of the MOU follows the launch of Chicago's first advertising campaign in China in collaboration with the Illinois Office of Tourism and Brand USA. The new multi-media campaign began on May 4 and will run through June 30 in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The campaign includes online video, digital display, paid content and social. The Chicago online video called Chicago Epic, developed by FCB Chicago in collaboration with FCB Shanghai, highlights Chicago's award-winning restaurants, nightlife and shopping.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com