The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the PATA in collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Guilin Municipal Government has organised the 5th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook to be held in Guilin, China from October 26-28, 2011.

The forum aims to provide a Pan-Asia-Pacific platform for policy makers, senior officials, researchers and industry representatives to take stock of the global & regional trends and their impact on tourism on an annual basis. The event, under the unique and joint umbrella of UNWTO and PATA, will help participants to share information, analyse the current situation and map out the next course of action for the future.

Confirmed speakers include:

3rd Planet - Mr Terence Mak

BBC Worldwide - Mr Jonathan Howlett

China National Travel Service (Hong Kong) Group Corporation - Mr Jeremy Xu

China Tourism Academy - Dr Dai Bin

Dragon Trail - Mr Jens Thraenhart

Hotel ICON - Mr Jason Pang

Japan Travel Bureau Foundation - Mr Hiroshi Kurosu

Sinotech Group - Dr Matthew McDougall

Tourism Development International - Mr Peter Mac Nulty

City.Mobi

Also in China today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Beijing.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Beijing.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.