Premier Ewart Brown has announced plans to open a tourism office in China.

Speaking at a global tourism summit in Beijing, the Premier declared his intention to strengthen links with the country and "lure Chinese visitors to our shores".

He told world tourism bosses including Beijing Tourism Administration members at a "feel the love" dinner: "Although Bermuda is a small destination compared to many of the nations you represent, we think we have what it takes to compete on a global scale because our tourism product is strong. That’s why we have come to China. And make no mistake, we will be back."

Saying he wanted to get Bermuda onto China’s list of approved countries for leisure travellers, he added: "This is critical. We are confident we can make this happen with the help of the British government."

On setting up an office in China, he said: "A real presence in Beijing will be critical in our pursuit of the Chinese visitor. We will methodically research how to appeal to the psyche of Chinese travellers. We want to know what they love, and then we will show them how to feel that love in Bermuda."

He added that the initial focus would be business travellers.

For the full story, see tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.