Europeans in the tourism business from nine countries were in Beijing on March 25 for the annual "European Favorites" activity. At this year's event, the Europeans are taking a close look at tourism in China's West, while continuing to introduce services to the Chinese.

"European Favorites" is a program of tourism promotion campaigns that began in 1997. It is sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Association.

This year, it is different from previous years, and representatives from Germany, France, Spain, and elsewhere are paying much more attention to the expected tourism boom in China's West.

Some representatives said that, although they knew China's tourist resources were tremendous, they didn't really know much about the West. So, during their stay here, they plan to have a look at places of interest, scenic spots, and tourist facilities there to see what Europeans might be interested in.

The foreign representatives also said they see China as a good place to sell their own tourist services and that they have become more competitive. They are also planning to do more to co-operate with Chinese colleagues.