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Download Central Asian nations should take a host of measures to attract more Chinese travelers, according to a leading figure in China's tourism industry. Tourism authorities in four key Central Asian countries - Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan - would do well to enhance their publicity efforts and provide Chinese-language guide services if they want to see more Chinese tourists in their nation, Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy, told China Daily. "Insufficient publicity, a shortage of Chinese-speaking guides as well as complicated visa application procedures have led to Chinese tourists avoiding these nations when choosing travel destinations," he said. He said that applying for a visa to visit one of these countries is often more onerous than for destinations such as the United States. Dai made the remarks as President Xi Jinping conducts a series of state visits to four Central Asian countries. This is the president's first tour of the region since he was elected China's top leader in March. "In fact, the number of Chinese tourists to the four countries is very small," Dai said, noting that Kazakhstan, which has been the biggest recipient of Chinese tourists in recent years, witnessed only 250,000 Chinese visitors in 2017. More than 83 million trips were made by Chinese tourists to foreign countries last year, according to the National Tourism Administration. | 
