Huang Shan & Huizhou Culture Tours, Option 3|travel package

Huang Shan & Huizhou Culture Tours,
Option 3
travel package - 7 days / 6 nights Mt. Huang Shan: From ancient times Huang Shan has been considered the ultimate awesome mountain destination. Its jade mountains, ethereal mists, dizzying precipices and breathtaking panoramas continue to inspire lovers, scholars, poets and artists, and everyone else as well! Huang Shan amply deserved its present-day designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shexian County: Shexian area is the renowned historical cradle of Huizhou culture. Get a real feel for the ancient architectural styles and bonsai gardens of the Huizhou, one of the three major cultural groups in China.

Jingdezhen and Wuyuan: Visit famous Jingdezhen, which long enjoyed the patronage of the imperial court and has been China's capital of porcelain manufacture since the 14th century. Marvel at fine and curious porcelain creations and view the production process. Wuyuan has long boasted the most beautiful countryside in China and today is being developed as a model tourist zone of culture and ecology. Day 1 Beijing / Shanghai - Tunxi Flight from Beijing / Shanghai to Tunxi in the evening.
Arrive in Tunxi (Huang Shan City) in agriculturally rich Anhui Province. There you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Tunxi Day 2 Tunxi - Huang Shan Scenic Area (B, L) After breakfast at your hotel, you will start your tour of Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain).
Go to Huang Shan Scenic Area by bus and take the Yungu cable-car up the mountain.
Enjoy the Begin-to-Believe Peak, the spectacular views at Flower-scattering Valley, Lion Peak, Flying-over Rock and Bright Summit. Begin-to-Believe Peak is very popular with its classic landscape of deep chasms and awesome ruggedness. You may notice the locks that loving couples have romantically fastened around the chain railings. After closing the locks together they throw the key off the peak as a token of their undying devotion.
Overnight in a hotel on Huang Shan Day 3 Huang Shan - Tunxi (B, L) Watch the sunrise in the early morning and if the weather is fine you will see 'island' peaks jutting through a blanketing 'sea' of cloud.
After breakfast, continue touring the Cloud-dispelling Pavilion, the Grand Canyon of the West Sea (Beihai) and more breathtaking scenic spots.
Go back down the mountain by Yungu Cable-car and return to Tunxi District by bus.
Visit the best-preserved commercial street, the Ancient Street of Tunxi, built in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Here you can still see the old bluestone paving and the distinctive Huizhou architecture with its fine woodcarvings on lattice windows and doors. This old trading area continues to sell traditional wares such as Chinese medicines, Shexian ink stones, special local tea and Huizhou ink sticks.
Appreciate Wancui Mansion, a private museum with a valuable collection of artifacts.
The Hukaiwen Ink-stick Factory is also part of the tour.
Overnight in Tunxi Day 4 Tunxi - Shexian - Tunxi - Jingdezhen City (B, L) In the morning, take a bus trip to the renowned historical and cultural area, Shexian County and view the unique Tangyue archways, perhaps the largest ones in China, the largest bonsai garden of the Huizhou School, Bao's Clan Garden.
After lunch, transfer by bus to the capital of Chinese porcelain, Jingdezhen City.
Overnight in Jingdezhen Day 5 Jingdezhen City - Wuyuan (B, L) Go to the History Museum of Porcelain and Pottery and appreciate the display of porcelain and pottery through the ages.
You will also see a demonstration of the traditional process of making porcelain by hand.
The next part of our tour is the big porcelain plaza, where you can view high-quality porcelain curiosities, enjoy some artistic exchange and do some shopping as well.
In the afternoon, enjoy a bus trip to Wuyuan County.
Overnight in Wuyuan Day 6 Wuyuan - Tunxi (B, L) Many consider Wuyuan to be the most beautiful countryside in China. It is also a developing ecological and cultural tourist zone. Our morning tour includes the three picturesque villages, Likeng, Xiaoqi and Wangkou.
Likeng is a beautiful mountain village with small bridges and flowing water.
Xiaoqi boasts the most beautiful courtyard in China.
Wangkou is home to the great and beautiful ancestral hall of the Yu Clan. You are sure to feel close to nature and free from mundane things of life while wandering in the beauty of these settings.
In the afternoon, back to Tunxi.
Overnight in Tunxi Day 7 Tunxi - Beijing / Shanghai (B) Breakfast in your hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Beijing / Shanghai. For travel package bookings and more information please contact Hotline Beijing: +86-10-8519 8999(phone)

Visa Data Shows 20 Percent Increase in Spending from Tourists Visiting US During First Half of 2010

San Francisco, CA August 31, 2010

A new report Tourism Outlook: USA from Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) indicates the tourism industry has begun to rebound during the first six months of 2010. From Jan. 1 - June 30, 2010, spending by international tourists to the U.S. on their Visa-branded payment cards was up 20 percent over 2009 levels. At the same time, American tourists are spending at higher levels when traveling internationally: spending by U.S. travelers abroad on Visa cards was up 9.3 percent in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

"The United States continues to be a major source market for international tourism and a popular destination for travelers around the globe. The growth in inbound spending in early 2010, particularly from source markets such as China and Brazil, reinforces how Asia-Pacific and South America are seemingly the first to emerge and rebound from the challenging environment that defined 2008 and 2009," said Bill Sheedy, president, North America, Visa Inc.

In 2009, spending by international visitors declined 12 percent from $32.9 billion in 2008 to $28.9 billion based on a challenging socio-economic environment.

Tourism Impact: The Gulf Region Oil Spill
Visa is actively working with tourism operators and organizations across the Gulf Coast region to provide spending data and insights that will help them evaluate the short-and long-term impacts of the recent oil spill crisis.

While the oil spill did not result in an immediate impact in the weeks following the spill - May Visa transaction data reveals tourism spending was up over 2009 levels - tourism sharply declined in June 2010. June spending decreased 42 percent compared to May 2010, and also declined 9 percent year-over-year.

All four states along the Gulf Coast saw declines in tourism spending from May to June: Alabama (8 percent), Florida (35 percent), Louisiana (65 percent) and Mississippi (65 percent).

Lodging and oil and gas are the two merchant segments hardest hit by the crisis. Visa transaction volume in the lodging segment decreased 50 percent, while the oil and gas segment was down 42 percent. According to a recent survey by the Knowland Group survey of hotel properties, 35 percent said that the oil spill has prompted guests to cancel their future reservations and 42 percent said the spill has hurt their ability to book future events.

As the United States tourism industry works to continue the upward trajectory seen during the first six months of 2010 and navigate challenges such as the recent oil spill, Visa is committed to supporting the growth of its industry and government partners by providing a secure and reliable digital currency for cross-border transactions and access to millions of cardholders globally. For more information on VisaVue travel data and to view a complete copy of the Tourism Outlook: USA report, please visit Visa&39;s corporate media page.

About Tourism Outlook: USA
Visa cardholder spending data cited is based upon VisaVue&174; Travel data, which reviews tourism spending on Visa-branded payment cards by international visitors from key source countries while visiting the United States during the first quarter of 2010 (Jan. 1 - March 31, 2010) and calendar years 2009 (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2009) and 2008 (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2008). Read more about the 2010 Visa Tourism Outlook: USA Report on the Visa Viewpoints Blog.

About Visa
Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world&39;s most advanced processing networks--VisaNet--that is capable of handling more than 10,000 transactions a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa&39;s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit http://www.corporate.visa.com.

3M Showcases New Passport Scanner for CUSS Kiosks Just One Month after Acquiring Airline Specialists Rochford Thompson

LAS VEGAS, Nev. September 6, 2007

With more than 6,000 kiosk readers already installed, 3M and 3M Rochford Thompson are the leading providers of travel and identity document readers for the kiosk market place. The new 3M Kiosk Full Page Readers and 3M Kiosk ePassport Readers are designed specifically for integration into the latest generation of Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks and automated gates. Used to facilitate the check-in process for airlines, hotels and car rental agencies, as well as to automate identity processing for frequent travelers and at automated border control points, the new readers will offer the combined technical capabilities of 3M and Rochford Thompson in a much reduced footprint. This size reduction is especially important for the latest designs of counter-top kiosks.

Product features include:

-- Compact and lightweight design

-- Rapid, full-page image capture

-- Machine-readable zone data extraction

-- Support of both passports and ID cards

-- Barcode reading

-- Easy-to-use, ergonomic design

-- Optional automatic e-Passport reading (regardless of chip location in document)

Commenting on the new products, Rich Sanders, business manager, 3M Security Systems Division stated, "This product launch and the recent acquisition of Rochford Thompson both highlight 3M&39;s commitment to the airline industry in addition to our well-established markets of passport issuance and border control."

For a demonstration and further information, please visit the 3M Rochford Thompson booth (Number 12a), Sept. 5 - 7, 2007, at Check-in 07, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas.

3M brings more than 30 years of experience, a global presence, technical innovation and a strong customer focus to the secure document marketplace. 3M solutions cover a broad spectrum of enhanced travel and border security, including document issuance and border management.

3M Rochford Thompson has been at the forefront of secure document creation, inspection and scanning for over 30 years. Using its own continuously developed digital imaging technology, the company delivers scanning solutions for passports, visas, ID cards, airline tickets and credit cards. Customers include governments, airlines and travel companies, major global corporations and companies in the finance sector.

About 3M - A Global, Diversified Technology Company

Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company&39;s customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M&39;s brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti. Serving customers around the world, the people of 3M use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and technology news, visit http://www.3M.com.

Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks of 3M.

WorldRemit Now Offers Money Transfers from Canada to Zimbabwe

March 31, 2011

WorldRemit, an award-winning money transfer business, has now launched its service in Canada. Well received by Zimbabweans in the UK where it was launched earlier this year, the service offers customers the ability to send money safely from the comfort of their own home to family and friends in Zimbabwe.

The new service enables customers to send money from the privacy and convenience of their own home, at any time of day or night, using a variety of payment methods including debit and credit cards. All they require is internet access. There is no longer the need to take time off and travel to an agent location.

One of the problems recipients have often faced in Zimbabwe has been availability of US dollars. In partnership with Barnfords Global&Financial Services, WorldRemit guarantees availability of US dollars at all pay-out locations. As soon as a transaction is processed, the recipient gets an SMS on their mobile phone notifying them that they can collect the cash at any of the Barnfords pay-out agent locations.

The ability to pay online and use of text messaging makes the whole process very convenient for both senders and recipients.

WorldRemit currently offers money transfer online to 25 countries and all website transactions are secured using the highest level of online security.

Traffic decline continued in March

In March, 1,515,726 passengers travelled through Copenhagen Airport. This was 280,423 or 15.6% fewer passengers than in the same month of last year. This continued the trend of significantly fewer passengers seen in the first couple of months of 2009.

“Largely everywhere in Europe, the major airports we normally compare ourselves with recorded similar declines in passenger numbers. It is still too early to say anything about when the decline will stop, but travel agencies and airlines indicate that ticket sales for the summer holiday period look reasonable, said Carsten Nørland, Director of Aviation, Copenhagen Airports A/S.

International traffic was down by 282,307 passengers or 17.3%, whereas domestic traffic increased by 1.1%. However, the increase in domestic traffic may be the result of a very low level of domestic traffic in March 2008 due to the Easter period.

Lloyd Jordan Named Partner at Holland&Knight Law Firm

Decatur, GA January 6, 2006

Holland&Knight LLP the 5th largest law firm in America with 1300 lawyers named Lloyd Jordan to full partnership in the firm. Jordan has been with the firm for five years after serving as an administrator in Washington, D.C. Lloyd is the former Chief of Staff for former Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr.

Holland&Knight is a global law firm with 26 U.S. offices. Internationally Holland&Knight has offices around the world located in Mexico City, Tokyo and Beijing, Helsinki, Caracas and Tel Aviv. Holland&Knight is among the world’s 15 largest firms, providing representation in litigation, business, governmental law, real estate and private-wealth services.

Lloyd still maintains his residence in St. Louis and commutes weekly to his Holland&Knight’s office in Washington, D.C. “When people see me in grocery stores or events in St. Louis they always ask, when did you get back or they say how long are you visiting, and I tell them I am here at least 50% of the time, I just make a longer commute than other people, Jordan said. “You will be surprised the number of people who commute weekly to Washington, DC, the airplane resembles a bus with St. Louis people traveling to work, I see at least 25-35 people commuting to Washington each week.

At Holland&Knight, Lloyd is a member of the Government Section were he practices in the area of public law focusing on federal appropriations and state&local governments. “I represent several cities, Birmingham, Charlotte and Kansas City, to name a few,said Jordan. “I work with the city’s mayors and city councils to them develop strategic plans and programs and thereafter I interact with Congress or other Federal Government agencies to get the city’s plans and programs funded.

Lloyd credits the time he spent as the chief of staff in St. Louis for identifying for his skill in being able help cities improve their management and service delivery to citizens. “I thoroughly enjoy this work and being in Washington has help me to learn so much. Although during the Bosley administration we accomplished a lot, I wish I knew what I know now about making a city work,Jordan said. During Bosley’s administration the city improved its credit rating, developed the plans for a lot of the new housing happening in the neighborhoods and downtown, managed a major natural disaster without lose of life, created the plan for the revitalization of Forest Park, baled TWA airlines out of bankruptcy and brought the Rams football team to St. Louis.

“Yeah we were able to do a lot, but now I know how to get the fed’s to help a city. Many cities rely on their Congressional delegation to do the work for them but that is not a key to success. Unless a Congressman or Senator is chairman of a committee there is not much they can do,said Jordan. “My firm has been able to get cities 1/10 of the size of St. Louis more money than the amount gotten by St. Louis. We have gotten over $1 Billion in federal appropriates for our clients.Holland&Knight is ranked by Influence Magazine in the top 10 of federal lobbyist.

Getting money for cities is not all that Lloyd does for his clients. He works closely with the city leaders to help solve problems of the city ranging from economic development to crime reduction. Lloyd has many believers in his ability to help. “I cannot tell how much help he has been for Birmingham,said Mayor Bernard Kincaid, who is in his second four-year term. “Lloyd is like a member of the City’s executive team, he goes beyond what typical lobbyist do, he takes a personal interest in helping in the management of the city,continued Mayor Kincaid.

Lloyd first started working in Washington, DC when he was hired by the federal government’s oversight authority to help with making the District of Columbia government more effective and financially solvent. Lloyd reviewed and made recommendations on how the government could be managed better. “I reviewed and helped to implement major changes to numerous departments like health, public works, human services, property management and regulatory affairs,Jordan said. When Mayor Anthony Williams became Mayor he asked Lloyd to come work for him and to help him transform Washington. “It was very exciting time, I am so proud of the work Mayor William’s team did in such a short time,Jordan continued. “I was charged with turning around one of the Department of Regulatory Affairs.

According to the Washington Business Journal, Jordan is credited with turning around one of the nations worst operations and causing it to be ranked “best in the nation.Jordan humbly acknowledged this accomplishment and added, “Yeah we did a lot and won a lot of awards from many different organizations. People came from all over to learn had we made such a big transformation, we even had people from China and Australia to meet with us.One of Jordan’s responsibilities was being the administrator of all building and land development in Washington. “It is great to see the revitalization of Washington and to know that you played a part of the transformation.$6.5 Billion of development projects came through Jordan’s department during his tenure. Lloyd also served on the Mayor’s Economic Development Taskforce, Technology Taskforce and Regulatory Reform Taskforce. He is presently a member of the DC Sports Commission that was responsible for winning the relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington.

In his spare time Lloyd travels the country as a public speaker. He has spoken in at least 38 cities. “I have been in four cities in one weekend several times. I have been blessed to have people wanting to hear what I have to say about the social issues of our times. I have also spoken on operational management for several business groups,Lloyd said. Lloyd has been selected by Ebony Magazine at least four times as one of the 00 Most Influential African Americans.He has been awarded the keys to 17 cities and made an honorary Kentucky Colonel and a Indiana Hoosier. “It funny, I have spoken coast to coast but not in St. Louis, oh well.Jordan joked.

Lloyd said, “With this article maybe my St. Louis friends will know that I am still around.

ST. LOUIS HOSTING SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

June 25, 2003

June 25, 2003, St. Louis, Missouri &194;… Economic advisors, politicians, artists, dancers, musicians, educators and officials from 137 nations will meet in downtown St. Louis to promote &194;“Better Cities&194;” at the 2003 Sister Cities International Conference to be hosted July 23 &194;– July 26, 2003.

The public is invited to gala events including a vibrant Parade of Nations downtown, a colorful Welcome Reception at Missouri Botanical Garden and the International Consular Ball in addition to seminars and workshops conducted by community leaders and advisors from around the world. The conference is being hosted by The St. Louis Center for International Relations and The St. Louis 2003 Host Committee.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive George &194;“Buzz&194;” Westfall, and executives from Anheuser-Busch Cos, American Airlines, The St. Louis Rams, Zoltek, K&S Contractors, ACI Plastics, Inc. and The Missouri Association of Realtors among many others will participate in a full range of activities and special sessions. The event is being held at The Millennium Hotel on Fourth Street.

&194;“This is the first time in 25 years that the Sister Cities International Convention is being hosted in St. Louis,&194;” said Guillermo Rodriquez, who is Director, International Projects, Office of Study Abroad, at Webster University. &194;“We are very excited and proud that so many influential officials from different cities around the globe will join the conference for productive socio-economic exchange and shared insights.&194;”

Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell of Maine, who negotiated the United Kingdom-Northern Ireland Peace Accord while Special Ambassador from the U.S., will deliver the keynote speech at the International Consular Dinner, which is open to the public on Saturday, July 26. Contact SLCIR at 314 863 6777 for tickets.

For more information, interviews or photo/video opportunities, contact Jeff Dunlap at Powerline Public Relations in St. Louis at 314 721 5505, Guillermo Rodriquez at 314 961 2660, ext. 7881, or visit the website http://www.sci2003.org.