As the South Asian Section, Manager for 'CITIC International Travel Co., Ltd.,' Ms. Jennifer Zhao has her priorities clearly identified when it comes to promoting Kerala among the Chinese travelers. Meeting her on the sidelines of Kerala Travel Mart – 2004, we came to know from her that 'CITIC International Travel' in Shanghai is a big group in China focusing on India and Kerala.

It is going to be an earnest effort on the part of 'CITIC' to present Kerala as a very attractive destination to the Chinese market, Ms. Jennifer said. "Chinese people love things that are natural and Kerala has rich natural elements, in terms of life and physical settings. It is like a paradise; an ideal destination for leisure tourism," says Ms. Jennifer. 

It was her first visit to Kerala, and Ms. Jennifer found the houseboat cruise very impressive and tried few local food varieties, which she termed as exotic. On the awareness levels of Chinese travelers with regards to Kerala, some of the Chinese travelers are aware of the fact that Kerala is one of the 50 must-see destinations in the world, she said.

Our conversation wound up on an encouraging note with these words of Ms. Jennifer, "the year 2005 will be given importance for promoting Kerala as the best destination especially through the print media in Shanghai and Beijing."