十月的北京，天高气爽，秋色宜人。世界旅游组织第15届全体大会今天在这里隆重开幕。
At this October time when Beijing is offering us its charming autumn scenery in a most fresh air and clear weather, the 15th General Assembly Session of the World Tourism Organization is officially opened here.
我代表中国政府，向各位来宾表示诚挚的欢迎！向大会表示热烈的祝贺！
On behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to extend our sincere welcome to all the guests here and to express our warm congratulations on the convening of this session.
旅游所一项集观光、娱乐、健身为一体的愉快而美好的活动。旅游业随着时代进步而不断发展。
Tourism represents a kind of popular and pleasant activity that combines sightseeing, recreation and outdoor exercise, and it has been developing all along with the progress of the times.
20世纪中叶以来，现代旅游在世界范围内迅速兴起，旅游人数不断增加，旅游产业规模持续扩大，旅游经济地位提升，旅游活动愈益成为各国人民交流文化、增进友谊、扩大交往的重要渠道，对人类活动和社会进步发生越来越广泛的影响。
Since the middle of the 20th century, modern tourism has been growing at a fast pace around the world. The number of tourists has ever been on the rise, the scale of the tourism industry has been on constant expansion, and the position of tourism in the economy has been obviously raised. Tourism serves gradually as an important bridge of cultural exchange, friendship and further exchanges and exerts more and more extensive influence on the human life and social progress among various countries.
古往今来，旅游一直是人们增长知识、丰富阅历、强健体魄的美好追求。
From ancient times till now, tourism has demonstrated the happy wish of the people for more knowledge, varied experience and good health.
在古代，中国先哲们就提出了“观国之光”的思想，倡导“读万卷书，行万里路”，游历名山大川，承天地之灵气，接山水之精华。
In ancient times, ancient Chinese thinkers raised the idea of “appreciating the landscape through sightseeing”, and proposed to “travel ten thousand li and read ten thousand books”, which shows they found pleasure in enriching themselves mentally and physically through traveling over famous mountains and rivers.
新中国成立后特别是改革开放以来，中国政府高度重视旅游工作，旅游业持续快速发展，已经成为一个富有蓬勃活力和巨大潜力的新兴产业。
After the founding of New China, especially since the opening up to the outside world and the reform, the Chinese government has given profound attention to the tourism work, which has been undergoing steady and fast growth as a newly emerging dynamic and potentially strong industry.
目前，中国入境旅游人数和旅游外汇收入跃居世界前列，出境旅游人数迅速增加，已经成为旅游大国。
Presently, China is now a big tourism country. It ranks among the top destinations in the world in terms of both tourism arrivals and foreign currency receipts, and its outbound tourists are also increasing rapidly.
今年上半年，尽管我国遭遇了一场突如其来的非典疫情冲击，但我们一手抓防治非典，一手抓经济建设，及时采取有力扶持政策，使一度受到重创的旅游业得以迅速恢复和发展。
In the first half of this year, although China was affected by the sudden outbreak of SARS, yet we spent all our efforts in preventing and controlling SARS while continuing with our economic construction. By implementing strong supportive policy measures, the tourism industry, which suffered greatly for a time, has been on fast recovery and development.
中国是一个历史悠久的文明古国，也是一个充满时代生机的东方大国，拥有许多得天独厚的旅游资源。
China, as a big country, not only boasts a long history of civilization but also demonstrates a great deal of modern vitality.
自然风光旖旎秀美，历史文化博大精深，56个民族风情浓郁，目前已被列入世界文化遗产地和世界自然遗产地达29处。
It is endowed with unique, rich and varied tourism resources such as the picturesque natural scenery, profound history and extensive culture, and the different folk customs of 56 nationalities. Now, in China, there are already 29 places that have been listed as World Cultural and Natural Heritages sites.
在改革开放的推动下，现代化建设突飞猛进，城乡面貌日新月异。
Thanks to the further push by the opening up and reform, China’s modern construction is surging ahead and the cities and the country are experiencing daily changes.
古代中国的风采神韵与现代中国的蓬勃英姿交相辉映。这些都为发展国内外旅游创造了优越的条件。
The ancient glory of China and its modern boom add radiance and charm to each other, joining to create a most favorable condition for developing our domestic and international tourism.
21世纪头20年，是中国全面建设小康社会、加快推进社会主义现代化的重要战略机遇期，也是中国旅游业发展的有利时期。
The first 20 years of the 21st century represents an important strategic period for China to achieve all-around construction of a better-off society and to speed up its socialist modernization.It also provides a favorable time for the further development of China’s tourism industry.
我们要把旅游业培育为中国国民经济的重要产业，合理保护和利用旅游资源，努力实现旅游业的可持续发展.
We shall bring up tourism as an important industry in China’s national economy, properly protect and utilize our tourism resources and try to achieve sustainable tourism development.
中国政府欢迎各国朋友到中国旅游观光，我们将全力保障广大旅游者健康和安全；同时鼓励更多的中国人走向世界。
The Chinese government welcomes all international friends to visit China. We shall do our best to protect their health and safety; and meanwhile encourage more Chinese people to go abroad for visits.
我们愿同各国广泛开展合作，推动世界旅游业的发展。
We are ready to develop extensive cooperation with other countries and contribute to global tourism growth.
多年来，世界旅游组织也促进全球旅游业的繁荣与发展，做出了积极而富有成效的努力。
For many years, the World Tourism Organization has made active and effective efforts to the promotion of tourism prosperity and development around the globe.
最近，世界旅游组织成为联合国专门机构，我们谨表示衷心祝贺。
The World Tourism Organization will soon become a specialized agency of the United Nations.We would like to offer our sincere congratulations.
我们相信，这次大会必将对实现全球旅游业的更大繁荣和发展起到重要的推动作用。
We believe this WTO General Assembly session will give a major push to the further tourism prosperity and development in the world.
祝世界旅游组织第15届全体大会圆满成功！
Finally, I wish a full success of the 15th General Assembly Session of the World Tourism Organization.
谢谢大家！
Thank you.