Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA), the largest independent supplier of global travel products, confirmed Friday it launched its China subsidiary in Beijing Wednesday, becoming the first European travel agency licensed to operate in the country.

In a statement made available to Xinhua Friday, Gullivers Travel Associated (China) Ltd. described itself as a privately owned travel company for inbound and domestic travel services.

The company said it would utilize its 60-million-dollar investment in travel technology, extensive global network of sales office to bring its millions of customers updated about travel information on China.

The information includes interactive city maps, practical city and area travel guides, weather information and health and safety advice.

GTA, which boasts of US$880 million in annual turnover, was the first European travel company licensed by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) on Feb. 28, 2004.

It has set up two companies and three representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Hong Kong.

According to the strategic forecast released by the World Trade Organization (WTO), China will become the largest inbound destination and the fourth largest outbound tourist country by the year of 2020.

The total tourism income will be more than 3.6 trillion yuan (US$434 billion), about 8 to 10 percent of China's gross domestic product of that year, and the number of inbound tourists will reach 210 million.

Another three foreign companies, Japanese Japak International (China) Co. Ltd, Japan-based All Nippon and Singapore-based Star Cruises, have been granted licenses to provide inbound and domestic travel services in China.

(CRI.com August 14, 2004)