Monaco's Tourist and Convention Authority (DTC) is treating Chinese visitors as VIPs.

With a budget of 10.5 million euros financed by the state, and a project that's been planned for over 2 years, Monaco's pavilion at the World Expo Shanghai welcomed 6300 visitors on the first day of the exhibition. Opening on 1st May, the World Expo is expecting 90 million visitors between now and October. Monaco is just one of 230 countries participating.

During the World Expo, the DTC is finding several ways to woo the Chinese. Monte Carlo SBM organized a live broadcast of the Grand Prix for 300 specially invited VIPs, celebrities and officials. The DTC is also organizing evenings in a private club and further promotional activities. The Chinese are expected to become the 4th most important tourists in the world by 2020. With more than 100 million travelers each year, China may become a more important market than Japan or America. Hence Monaco's Shanghai office opened 2 years ago, and efforts to attract Chinese tourists have been in place for several years.

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