ATI Chairman Noel Irwin Hentschel, Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka and China's Chairman...

ATI Chairman Noel Irwin Hentschel, Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka and China's Chairman Shao Greet Chinese Inaugural Tourist Group at U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
CEO Noel Irwin Hentschel of AmericanTours International (ATI) and
Hawaii's U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka greeted China National Tourism
Administration (CNTA) Chairman Shao Qiwei and the VIP delegation from
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou at the US Capitol Building Thursday
(19). The travelers were the very first of a 240 leisure tourists
group from China since the groundbreaking U.S.-China international
bilateral ADS (Approved Destination Status) agreement was recently
implemented.

Accenting the major significance of the first Chinese tourism
visit since the ADS signing, the Honorable Daniel Akaka of the US
Senate is of Chinese-American ancestry, which, he said, makes the
Aloha-American reception even more meaningful.

"We are so happy to welcome this historic delegation to our
nation's capital," said the senator from Hawaii. "We thank CNTA and
the U.S. Department of Commerce and AmericanTours International (ATI)
for making this special event possible."

Chairman Shao also responded with appreciation for "...the warm
hospitality and open arms of the American people."

Prior to the U.S. Senate reception, the entire inaugural group
including the first-time-since-ADS tourists had the rare opportunity
to stand in front of the capitol building waiving American and Chinese
flags and wearing red, white and blue ATI baseball caps for a keepsake
photo of their once in a lifetime experience.

Hentschel declared: "ATI is pleased to be part of this landmark
event and to showcase our nation's capital by rolling out the red
carpet all the way to the U.S. Senate for our distinguished guests
from China."

The delegation went on to board a yacht for an elegant dinner and
cruise along the Potomac River. Commerce Secretary Gutierrez welcomed
Chairman Shao and the inaugural group together with leaders from the
U.S. Tourism industry. The visitors arrived in Washington June 17 on a
United Airlines non-stop flight from Beijing. They were met by
Hentschel, U.S. Department of Commerce William G. "Woody" Sutton,
Commerce Director Helen Marano, Deputy Director Julie Heizer and
accompanied by The Mountaineers marching band.

Hentschel worked behind the scenes with Secretary Gutierrez and
the Department of Commerce in securing the Approved Destination Status
(ADS) for the United States. The approval officially opens the
floodgates of Chinese group leisure travel demand and since studies
show Chinese visitors spend on average $6,000 per person per visit,
the new agreement is expected to bring a much needed boost to the U.S.
economy.

Prior to attending the tourism inaugural activities, Hentschel
joined Wang Qishan, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China and
Madam Ma Xiuhong, Vice Minister of MOFCOM to discuss their experience
in St. Louis in promoting economic development. The vice premier and
vice minister led a business delegation from China to St. Louis before
attending the fourth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) in Annapolis at
the U.S. Naval Academy.

Hentschel's ATI is America's largest American-owned, privately
held, inbound/outbound tourism and marketing organization serving
one-million visitors annually from more than 70 countries around the
globe and is responsible for bringing $3 billion into the U.S.
economy, annually. The company is based in Los Angeles with regional
offices in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Orlando, Honolulu,
Maui and Beijing, China.

Hanson & Schwam PR, Beverly Hills, CA
Mike Casey, 310-248-4476
mcasey@hspr.net

Copyright Business Wire 2008