Officials at the Guangzhou Tourism Work Conference on March 15 announced that 20 major tourism projects, each with an investment of more than 100 million RMB, will be fully or partially completed ahead of the Asian Games.

The Guangzhou International Sports and Performing Arts Center, dubbed "Guangzhou's Bird Nest", is slated to be completed in September. The facility will host the basketball competitions of the Asian Games, as well as NBA matches featuring leading basketball players such as Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian.

Officials at the conference also called on all districts in Guangzhou to build a themed park. A cherry-themed park has been planned in Conghua.

Guangzhou Tourism Bureau Director Zhu Li stated that the city will set out to bring renowned international cruiser operators to Guangzhou and encourage them to build home ports for their cruisers here in Guangzhou. He also said that the city will press ahead with the yacht club project and take action to facilitate the operations of the "Adventure Duck" amphibious tourist ship in Guangzhou.

According to Mr. Zhu, "the In-depth Pearl River Cruise" will be extended to both banks of the Pearl River and the tributary creeks. A beer museum has also been planned on the site of the Guangzhou Pearl River Beer Brewery by the Pearl River. The museum will host "mass beer tasting sessions" in the future, and the "Adventure Duck" amphibious tourist ship will feature not only water amusement but also shore entertainment events.

(Translated by Guangzhou Association of Foreign Affairs Translators)